If you would open up your Bibles to Revelation chapter 13, as you're turning there, just
got a couple questions for you.
What's the purpose of a toothbrush?
Dental hygiene, clean the bathroom, sub-purpose, then you throw it out, don't brush your teeth
after that.
Purpose of a light bulb?
See in the dark.
Purpose of a knife?
To cut.
Purpose of a cat?
Nobody knows.
Purpose of a human being?
To worship God.
Every human being, all 7.5 billion on the planet.
We're all worshiping something.
And this morning what we're going to see is this unseen cosmic conflict for the hearts of men and women all around the world over who they're going to worship.
Are you going to worship the lamb who was slain?
Or are you going to worship the beast who was slain?
We've been entered into Revelation 12 and 13.
Billy preached Revelation 12 last week.
And what you need to know about Revelation 12 and 13, it's the theological center of the book.
And God is pulling back the curtain so that we are able to see the true nature of our present, present spiritual conflict.
There is this group of three, three members that constitute in anti-trinity.
The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, the second beast.
And these three members of the anti-trinity, they have declared war on the people of God.
Did you wake up thinking that this morning?
These three creatures of the anti-trinity oppose God, oppose us, his people, the blood-bought, and they oppose God's redemptive purposes in Christ
that culminate in the worship of the one seated on the throne in the Lamb.
Earlier this year, I received a copy of an open doors booklet.
It came in with my copy of Christianity Today.
And this little booklet is the 2019 World Watch List of the 50 most, 50 countries where the church is most persecuted.
Number one, North Korea.
Number 32 is Nepal.
We've got connections to Nepal.
And you can't help but ask, why in this time is our Christians suffering all over the globe?
Because there's 50 countries listed in this watch list.
Our brothers and sisters are suffering all around the world because there is a power at work in the world.
Through human governance.
Causing God's people to suffer.
It's what Revelation 13, what we see is the beast.
He's the second member of the anti-trinity.
We learned about the first member of the anti-trinity last week, the dragon.
Thrown down.
The cross threw him down to earth.
And he's furious.
He knows his time is short.
And so do you know what he's looking to do?
He's looking to wage war.
1217.
On the offspring of the woman.
It's us.
The second person of the anti-trinity.
The second member of the anti-trinity.
Is the beast.
We're going to look at him today.
Next week, we're going to look at the third member of the anti-trinity.
The false prophet.
Or the beast from the land.
The second beast.
If you look quickly at 13.4, you see those who follow after the beast.
They sing praises to the beast.
Who is like the beast?
And who can fight against it?
And at the beginning of this sermon, I just want to remind you.
We already have the answer to that.
The lamb is not just like the beast.
He is the true savior of the world.
Whom the beast mimics.
He's greater than the beast.
And the lamb conquers the beast in Revelation 19.
When we start looking at these passages.
And we start looking at these players in the spiritual conflict.
That are waging war against us.
We can start getting fearful.
But I want to remind you up front.
We already know the destiny of the three members of the anti-trinity.
They will not survive.
Each one will be cast into the lake of fire.
They know their time is short.
And so Revelation 12.17.
The dragon makes his war on the church.
Here is the point of this morning.
Here is the point of this morning's sermon.
Chapter 13.
1-10.
Satan.
Through the beast.
Is at work.
Using human governance.
To wage war.
Against God's saints.
There is a battle going on.
And we must endure it.
For those of us who have been rescued from the wrath to come.
We must endure the dragon's wrath now.
Billy preached on the dragon last week.
He's the first member of the anti-trinity.
And he's furious.
And he is cunning.
He is entrenched.
He knows his days are numbered.
He is determined.
And so what we see happening at the end of 12.17.
Is that the beast wages war on the rest of the offspring of the church.
And what chapter 13 is.
Is the strategy of the dragon.
The dragon's waging war.
And then we have the first strategy.
Chapter 13.1-10.
The beast.
War waged through the power of human governance.
And then next week.
11 through the end of the chapter of 13.
We're going to see the second strategy.
The dragon waging war.
Through the subtle false prophet.
The subtleties of propaganda.
And what we'll see happen next week.
Is that the propaganda.
It weaves.
With the power of the state.
To form a power block.
Against God's own.
We're at the very center.
Of the very conflict.
That rages around us.
And John is pulling back the veil.
For us to see it.
So let's now get into the text.
Here's what I'd like to do.
I'm going to walk us through.
Chapter 13.1-10.
I'm going to bring us to a point.
What's it all about?
And I'm going to try to apply it.
If time allows.
Five ways.
So let's start.
Chapter 13.
Verse 1.
And I saw a beast.
Rising out of the sea.
When the thing about.
The book of Revelation.
And apocalyptic literature.
Which this is.
It's very visual.
I saw.
Behold.
We need to see.
What John is seeing.
And what John is seeing.
Is a beast.
Coming out.
Of the sea.
Which is interesting.
Because in Revelation.
Chapter 11.
Verse 7.
In Revelation.
Chapter 17.
Verse 8.
This same beast.
Rises out.
From the bottomless pit.
The abyss.
Which I told you.
When I preached through.
Chapter 9.
Is Satan's hell hole.
So what's the deal?
Why the sea?
Well.
If you look over to.
13.
Verse 11.
And the second beast.
Notice where the second beast.
Rises out of.
The earth.
The land.
And if you go back to.
Chapter 12.
Verse 12.
When the devil.
The dragon.
Is thrown down to earth.
We hear this.
But woe to you.
O earth.
And sea.
For the devil.
Has come down.
To you.
In great wrath.
But if you even go further.
Back to chapter 10.
Verse 2.
There's this angel.
Mighty angel.
That is sent down.
From heaven.
From God.
He's not coming up.
From the pit.
He's coming down.
From heaven.
In verse 2.
He had a little scroll.
Open in his hand.
And notice.
He set his right foot.
On the sea.
And his left foot.
On the land.
Here's what's going on.
The mighty angel.
Of chapter 10.
Verse 2.
God saying.
This is mine.
I've come back.
To redeem it.
And what we see going on.
In chapter 13.
Verse 1 and 11.
With these beasts.
Rising up from the sea.
And the land.
Is the counterclaim.
Of the dragon.
Saying no.
It's mine.
And all the worshipers in it.
In chapter 13.
Verse 1.
We see that the beast.
Mirrors the dragon.
We read this.
With 10 horns.
And 7 heads.
With 10 diadems.
On its horns.
And if you flip back.
To.
I think it's 12.
Verse 3.
We read this.
About the dragon.
And another sign.
Appeared in heaven.
Behold.
A great red dragon.
With 7 heads.
And 10 horns.
And on his head.
7 diadems.
10 horns.
Diadems.
7 heads.
What you need to understand.
Is that.
This beast.
Is devilish.
It's.
Has dragon like.
Nature.
It's.
The dragon's representative.
Sent.
From the dragon.
As it's.
Image of sorts.
To work.
Woe on the earth.
Verse.
And if you keep on reading.
Verse 2.
Now you get into some really interesting action.
And the beast that I saw.
Was like a leopard.
Its feet was like a bear's.
And its mouth was like a lion's.
And it.
And to it.
The dragon gave its.
Power.
And his throne.
And his great authority.
What this is.
Is a throwback.
To Daniel chapter 7.
If you were reading this.
In the first century.
And you were familiar with the book of Daniel.
And Daniel like.
Yeah man.
This is like vintage beast business here.
Because in Daniel chapter 7.
Daniel is given a vision.
In which he sees.
Four separate beasts.
Coming up.
From the sea.
One after another.
The first beast is a lion.
7 verse 4.
The second beast is a bear.
7 verse 5.
The third beast is a leopard.
7 verse 6.
The fourth beast is a beast.
That's different from them all.
With ten horns.
And gnarly teeth.
7-7.
And so what we see going on here.
Is John making a connection.
From this beast.
In Revelation 13.
To the beasts.
Of Daniel chapter 7.
And when Daniel.
In Daniel chapter 7.
Asks an angel.
Who are these beasts?
The beast.
The angel says.
They're four kings.
Of kingdoms.
That oppose God.
And the saints of God.
And these Daniel beasts.
Have classically been understood.
As the lion.
Representing the Babylonian empire.
The bear.
Representing the Medo-Persian empire.
The leopard.
Representing the Greek empire.
Alexander the great.
And then the beast with ten horns.
Representing the Roman empire.
And so the symbolism.
Here.
Is one of human empires.
Governance.
The beast.
Is operating in the realm.
Of human governance.
In opposition to God.
It's the nature of the first beast's.
Power and strategy.
So what's going on here then.
Is the dragon.
Is waging war.
On the saints of God.
Through governance.
That opposes God.
God.
So just to be all the more clear.
The beast.
Is.
Satanic.
Power.
And presence.
Through human governance.
To oppose God.
His people.
And God's.
Redemptive purposes.
Jesus.
This beast.
Is the antichrist.
Of first John chapter two.
In a first John chapter four.
This beast.
Is the man of lawlessness.
In second Thessalonians.
Chapter two.
And what we see going on here.
Is that the beast.
Is operating.
Behind the scenes.
In human governments.
And as history.
Climaxes.
To an end.
The beast.
Comes.
Forward.
As one.
Man.
Pretty sobering.
Now if you know your Bible at all.
You may be having this question.
In the back of your mind.
Well what about Romans 13 one.
What about needing to submit.
To human authorities.
Well that's still in play.
We as followers of Jesus.
Followers of the Lamb.
Submit to human governors.
And authorities.
Insofar.
As we are allowed.
To follow after the Lamb.
Wholeheartedly.
Without obstruction.
And if we're put in the position.
Of having to decide.
Between obeying.
Our great Lord and Savior Jesus.
And the state.
We obey Jesus.
What we're seeing here.
Is that Satan.
The dragon of old.
Is not only able.
To delegate his authority.
To demonic presence.
That influences.
Human governments.
He does.
And what happens is.
A human government.
Which is.
Quote unquote.
Romans 13.
God's minister.
For his purposes.
What the beast does.
Is he.
Totally distorts it.
And now the citizens.
Worship it.
In verse 3.
We see.
The beast's influence.
In a human government.
Becoming a savior.
Do you see the deception.
Of verse 3.
Look at this.
One.
Speaking of the beast.
One of its heads.
Seemed to have a mortal wound.
But its mortal wound.
Was healed.
And the whole earth marveled.
As they followed.
The beast.
Is depicted.
As having.
This.
Wound unto death.
But.
That death wound.
Is apparently.
Miraculously.
Healed.
The picture.
Being painted here.
Is that.
The Daniel 7.
Beast.
Here in 13.
Is a compilation beast.
It's all those beasts.
Rolled into one.
It's one.
Demonic.
Satan empowered spirit.
Operating through.
Throughout.
The millennia.
And it's.
Playing the role.
Of a savior.
Can't help.
The mimicry.
Can't help.
But see it.
It receives a death blow.
But is healed.
Maybe you remember.
Chapter 5.
Verse 6.
Who alone.
From all of creation.
Is able to take the scroll.
Into the hand.
Of the hand of the one.
Seated on the throne.
And break its seals.
Who alone can do that.
Is the lamb.
Standing in the middle.
Of the heavenly entourage.
A lamb standing.
Who had been slain.
And then what we see.
In chapter 5.
Verse 9 and 10.
We see worship.
Following this.
Worthy are you.
To take the scroll.
And to open its seals.
For you.
Were slain.
And by your blood.
You ransomed people.
For God.
From every tribe.
And language.
And people.
And nation.
And you have made them.
A kingdom.
And priests.
To our God.
And they will reign.
On the earth.
Christ's death.
And resurrection.
Uniquely qualifies him.
To be the savior.
Of the world.
And what we have going on.
In verse 3.
Is the dragon's.
Counterfeit savior.
The beast.
Appearing.
As though.
It has died.
And now.
Somehow.
Healed.
Brought back.
To life.
The beast.
Is.
The devil's.
Counter.
Savior.
Operating.
Within.
Human.
Governance.
Notice.
The results.
In verse.
Four.
The last half.
Of verse.
Three.
The whole earth.
Marveled.
As they followed.
The beast.
The second member.
Of the anti-trinity.
Appears to die.
Comes back.
And it seems like the whole earth.
Marvels.
So much so.
They followed.
The beast.
That word.
Followed.
It's discipleship.
Language.
Loyalty.
Devotion.
Obedience.
Doing the will.
Of the beast.
That stands.
That stands in stark contrast.
To.
The next chapter.
Chapter 14.
Verse 4.
Speaking of the redeemed.
The blood bought.
These have been redeemed.
From mankind.
As first fruits.
To the lamb.
And they will follow the lamb.
Wherever he goes.
There's two groups of followers.
There's two saviors.
And what you're going to see.
Is they follow him.
Worshipping.
One can't help.
But draw a conclusion.
That the beast.
In it's every permutation.
Over the millennia.
Makes states.
Into saviors.
To draw.
People's.
Heart.
Worship.
Away.
From God.
Now in first century.
Asia.
The seven churches.
Of Asia Minor.
That we studied.
Back in the fall.
Ephesus.
Smyrna.
Pergamum.
Laodicea.
I'd name a few.
When they would have received this.
In the first century.
And they hear this beast talk.
You know what they would have been thinking of?
The Roman Empire.
In fact.
They would be thinking.
That the emperor.
Domitian.
Who required.
All of his citizens.
To worship him.
At great cost.
Even death.
If they didn't.
They would be like.
Oh I think we've got a beast in our midst.
Now if you think.
That this beast business.
Is only limited to.
First century.
Asia.
How about this?
How about 21st century.
North Korea?
How about Kim Jong-un?
North Korea's supreme divine leader.
It's savior.
North Korea is number one on the open doors.
2019.
Watch list.
For a reason.
It's just not political.
There's beast activity going on there.
In verse four.
We see the results of the discipleship.
The following after the beast.
The result is worship.
That's the real end game here.
Look what they say.
Those following after the beast.
Who is like the beast?
And who can fight against it?
The members of the anti-trinity.
Are gathering worshipers.
From all around the globe.
To worship the dragon and the beast.
And the counter worship.
Of the anti-trinity.
Is not the same.
As the true worship.
Of the true trinity.
The father, son and holy spirit.
Listen to what they say.
Who is like the beast?
Dead and raised.
Who can fight against him?
Because he can't die.
He's our savior.
Here.
Verse four.
This.
This praise of worship.
To the beast and the dragon.
This is.
This is a spin.
Off of Exodus 1511.
This is a blasphemous spin.
In Exodus 1511.
What we have is.
God has just delivered Moses and Israel.
Through the Red Sea.
They are looking upon the dead bodies.
Of Egyptian shoulders.
On the shoreline.
And they sing a song to Yahweh.
And they sing.
Who is like you?
Oh Yahweh.
Who is like you?
Who can fight like you?
Yahweh.
And so what these folks are doing.
Having been deceived.
By the fake crucifixion.
And resurrection.
Whatever that is.
They're singing.
Blasphemous worship.
To the beast.
Do you see what's going on here?
Do you see what these deceived men and women are doing?
They are attributing.
To the beast.
Only what God can do.
There is only.
One deliverer.
And there is salvation.
And no one else.
There's only one name given among men.
Under heaven.
And by which we must be saved.
That name is not the beast.
That name is Jesus.
Who is the lamb.
They are attributing to the beast.
Only what God can do.
There's only one deliverer.
These people.
These image bearers.
Have been.
Have been terribly deceived.
Now this question.
That's being asked.
Who is like the beast.
And who can fight against them.
This should sound familiar.
Because a similar question was asked.
Way back in Revelation 6.
Verse 17.
The sixth seal.
God's pouring out his wrath.
The great day of God's wrath.
And all those who haven't bowed in need of Jesus.
Are saying.
Who can stand on that day.
Thinking that no one can.
And then in chapter 7.
We learn that.
Oh.
Those who have been sealed by the seal of God.
They will stand on that day.
And then we're given another snapshot.
Of God's redeemed.
In glory.
From every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Worshipping the lamb.
On the throne.
No.
This question.
Here in 13.
Who is like the beast.
And who can fight against him.
Gets answered in chapter 14.
Where we see the lamb standing.
And with him.
Is these people following him.
Who are worshipping him.
With one voice.
Rocking the place.
So what we see.
In 13 and 14.
Is a false savior.
Who deceived a people who are following him.
And they're offering him praise.
And then in 14.
What we see is the true savior.
The lamb.
With his people following him.
Singing praises.
The lamb is not like the beast.
The beast mimics the lamb.
He's no savior.
Only Jesus.
By his blood.
Can deliver people.
Sinners from their sin.
On his war horse.
He meets.
The beast.
And the false prophet.
For a battle.
The armies appear to engage.
And you know what happens.
It's so anticlimactic.
It's like.
Jesus is on his war horse.
He's like.
Yeah.
Throw him in the lake.
It's so anticlimactic.
Verses 19 and 20.
The beast is no threat to the lamb.
What we're seeing though here is.
The beast.
As a means of dragon strategy.
The beast.
Is influencing human government.
To oppress God.
His people.
And his redemptive purposes.
There is just no.
Sinful human government.
That can save.
Any sinful.
Human being.
Only the lamb.
Who has been slain.
Can save sinners.
From their sin.
In chapter 13.
Verse 5.
We see this.
The beast.
It was given a haughty.
And blasphemous mouth.
That word haughty.
It's just arrogant.
It's prideful.
And blasphemous.
It's just lies about God.
The beast.
Is an in your face.
Arrogant.
Blasphemer of God.
The beast.
Who gave him this mouth.
By the way.
Oh we're not told.
Right here.
But look.
Look on with me.
And it was allowed.
The beast was allowed.
In verse 5.
To exercise authority.
For 42 months.
It was allowed.
To exercise authority.
For 42 months.
It's like.
I allow.
My beast dog.
To go.
Frolic.
In the.
Places.
Of grass.
When I let it off.
Its leash.
It was allowed.
To exercise authority.
For 42 months.
We're not talking.
About the dragon.
Having allowed the beast.
To exercise his authority.
That's not the dragon talk.
You know how I know that?
Nowhere.
In your.
Bible.
Is Satan.
Given anything.
Close to the authority.
Of setting.
Dates.
And days.
And times.
In seasons.
Nowhere.
That's God's property.
This is God.
Allowing.
The beast.
To exercise authority.
For 42 months.
And that.
We bumped into that.
42 months.
Time period.
1260 days.
Three and a half years.
This season.
Of intensifying.
Suffering.
For the church.
Waiting.
Until the last days.
And when Jesus comes back.
What this means is this.
God has put a limit.
On how long.
The beast.
May exercise.
Its dragon.
Given.
Authority.
And any authority.
The dragon has.
Was allowed by God.
To begin with.
Chapter 13.
Verse 6.
Back to the blasphemies.
There's a lot of.
There's a repeated blasphemy.
Showing up.
Blasphemies.
Are lies about God.
It's attributing.
Characteristics.
Only true of God.
To.
Created things.
Or.
It's the.
Attributing.
Of characteristics.
Of.
Created things.
Only things that are created.
To God.
Works both ways.
And so the beast.
Is.
Speaking.
Various.
Blasphemies.
Against.
Our God.
More specifically.
We read.
That.
The beast.
Blasphemes.
God's.
Name.
He's not saying.
Jesus.
Shmeasiness.
It's an attack.
On God's character.
When the Bible uses.
Name.
It's carrying the sense.
Of this person's character.
Imagine.
Blasphemies like this.
God.
He can't save you.
Blasphemy.
God.
He's not going to.
Be faithful to his promises.
Blasphemy.
God.
Oh.
He can't.
He doesn't have the power.
To do that.
Blasphemy.
He's not worthy.
Blasphemy.
He's too demanding.
Blasphemy.
He's the opiate.
Of the people.
Blasphemy.
I don't just.
The beast.
This isn't blaspheme.
God's name.
He.
Blasphemes.
God's.
Dwelling.
See that in verse six.
Blasphemy.
His name.
And his dwelling.
Now when you think of dwelling.
And you think of your dwelling.
You're probably thinking about your.
Apartment.
Or house.
I think of the brick house.
On the corner.
In which.
Me and my family live.
My dwelling place.
I don't.
But John doesn't have a place.
In mind.
He has a people in mind.
Look what he says.
In verse six.
Blaspheming.
His name.
And.
God's dwelling.
That is.
Those.
Who dwell.
In heaven.
And then.
When you just look at verse seven.
And you notice.
The beast was allowed.
To make war on the saints.
You start to realize.
When it comes to God's dwelling.
John has people.
On his mind.
The blood bought of God.
The redeemed.
His church.
So what we see here is.
The beast.
Just doesn't spit.
His blasphemous.
Poison.
On.
The name of our God.
The beast.
Spits his poisonous.
Blasphemous.
Poison.
On God's people.
The church.
And mind you.
If we're understanding the context right.
It's all state sanctioned.
You are all a bunch of narrow-minded bigots.
Living in insulated world.
Frozen in 1952.
Extremists.
Reactionaries.
Homophobes.
Chauvinists.
Are you part of the alt-right?
Right?
And what.
If.
The context is right.
If we're understanding this right.
It's.
It's coming from the state.
It's coming from human government.
Human government is saying.
There's no God.
Human government is saying.
If you believe in God.
You need to go to a re-education camp.
Do you know what's going on in western China right now?
No.
In 13.7.
The beast is allowed.
By God.
To make war on the saints.
And conquer them.
Allowed by God.
To make war on the saints.
And conquer them.
Why.
Would.
Our wonderful God.
Allow.
The beast.
To make war on us.
And conquer us.
Well there's a number of reasons we could say.
But in the book of Revelation.
It seems as though.
God allows these things.
So that.
His people.
Are proved.
In the furnace of affliction.
To remain faithful to the lamb.
In the face.
Of beastly.
Oppositions.
It's proving ground.
Now.
I gotta.
Explain something right now.
You.
You may be thinking.
That getting saved.
Is simply.
A prayer of repentance.
And maybe you start giving.
A little something.
In the plate.
When it passes by.
True conversion.
When someone goes.
From the kingdom of darkness.
Into the kingdom of the beloved son.
When they repent.
And believe on Jesus.
True conversion.
Results.
In a persevering faith.
And a persevering faith.
Is proven.
By remaining faithful.
To Christ.
In the midst.
Of beastly.
Opposition.
Even if that is.
The verse.
10.
Going to jail.
Or even.
Being martyred.
Or what we'll see next week.
Suffering.
Economic.
Sanctions.
Do you know what's striking?
In chapter 16.
Of the book of Acts.
Paul and Silas.
Are in prison.
And do you know what they're doing?
Singing.
To the lamb.
Proven.
What we're seeing is.
The beast.
Is allowed by God.
To wage war.
The dragon's war.
On God's blood bought.
Resulting.
In their apparent.
Demise.
In captivity.
Death.
But in the kingdom way.
Of thinking.
In God's eyes.
Being imprisoned.
For Christ.
Or even being killed.
For Christ.
Isn't.
Being conquered.
It's being.
Faithful.
It's conquering.
In the blood.
Of the lamb.
Chapter 12.
Verse 11.
So what we're seeing here.
Is a state.
Sanction.
Persecution.
Of Christians.
For being Christians.
For being followers.
Of the lamb.
That's what's to come.
It's already happening.
Chapter 13.
Verse 7.
Second half.
The beast is given authority.
Over every tribe.
People.
Language.
And nation.
And all.
Who he is given.
Authority over.
Will worship him.
Verse 8.
It's the end game.
Verse 8.
Those.
Those who follow him.
Will worship him.
But there's one significant.
Clarification.
In verse 8.
And all.
All who dwell on the earth.
Will worship it.
Everyone.
Whose name.
Has not.
Been written.
Before the foundation.
Of the world.
In the book of life.
Of the lamb.
Who was slain.
Now that's.
A mouthful.
But here's.
The point.
All those.
Who dwell on the earth.
That is.
Everyone whose name.
Has not.
Been written.
In the lamb's book of life.
From before the foundation.
Of the world.
The world.
They will worship the beast.
But everyone.
Whose name.
Is written.
In the lamb's book of life.
Before the foundation.
Of the world.
They will not.
Worship the beast.
They will remain.
True.
To the lamb.
The beast.
Is given authority.
Over everyone.
On earth.
Except.
Those whose names.
Are written.
In the book.
Of life.
These are those.
Who've been truly.
Converted.
Who have a.
Persevering faith.
Their names.
Are written.
Before the foundation.
Of the world.
The lamb knows.
The second person.
Of the trinity.
Knows.
Those whom.
He is slain for.
He knows.
Us by name.
From before.
The foundation.
Of the world.
This is a picture.
Of sovereign grace.
Of God.
Before the foundation.
Of the world.
Setting his love.
On a group of sinners.
To call to himself.
To worship him.
And the point of it is.
We are not.
The beast's possession.
We are the lamb's possession.
We're the blood bought.
And you notice.
This is the lamb's book of life.
Though we may face death.
We will live forever.
With the lamb.
Who himself was slain.
And was raised from the dead.
We don't need to fear death.
Because Jesus is the resurrection.
The life.
And though we die.
Yet shall we live.
Because of him.
And if you're wondering.
Hey.
Is my name written in.
The lamb's book of life.
Here's how you know.
Do you have a persevering faith.
In the midst of opposition.
Do you stay true.
To the lamb.
The beast does not have.
Ultimate authority.
Over us.
Brothers and sisters.
In Christ.
Because we're in the lamb's book of life.
In verses 9 and 10.
We have the concluding application.
In verse 9.
We read.
If anyone has an ear.
Let him hear.
This should sound familiar.
Because this expression.
Was used seven times.
In chapters 2 and 3.
To the churches.
He who has an ear.
Let him hear.
What the spirit is saying.
To the churches.
Christ the king.
Church.
For those of you.
Who are followers of lamb.
For those of you.
Who know your name.
Is written before the foundation.
In the lamb's book of life.
Hear this.
If anyone.
Is to be taken captive.
To captivity.
He goes.
If anyone of us.
Is to be slain by the sword.
With the sword.
He must be slain.
Let me try to help you understand this even more.
Let me.
I've added some words.
To give fuller meaning.
These aren't God's words.
These are my words.
Just to help us understand.
If anyone.
Who belongs to the lamb.
Is to be taken captive.
Because of the lamb.
To captivity.
He goes.
For the lamb.
And if anyone.
Who belongs to the lamb.
Is to be slain.
By the sword.
Because of the lamb.
With the sword.
He must be slain.
For the lamb.
Who is also slain.
In light of the beast.
Who is.
In light of the beast.
Who is.
What he's doing.
Because we're followers.
Of the lamb.
We oppose him.
And we will suffer.
For that.
There might be jail time.
In our future.
There might be death.
In our future.
For Jesus sake.
And dear friends.
If you haven't.
Gotten the gist.
Of the book of revelation.
Yet.
As we approach.
That.
Day.
If you're a follower.
Of the lamb.
It's just going to get.
Harder for us.
And so.
The call here.
Is to endure.
By faith.
See that last sentence.
Verse 10.
Here is a call.
For the endurance.
And faith.
Of the saints.
By faith.
We know.
Who the lamb is.
And by faith.
We believe.
What he has done.
On our behalf.
He died.
In our place.
And by faith.
Knowing that we're written.
In the lamb's book of life.
We are willing.
To suffer.
Jail time.
Even.
Pour out.
Our blood.
For him.
Because he is worthy.
Of our unwavering.
Devotion.
Jesus.
Endured.
God's wrath.
For us.
Forever.
We endure.
The dragon's wrath.
Now.
And in the eyes.
Of our great triune God.
Our going to jail.
Our.
Our being put to death.
Our suffering.
Economic hardship.
For him.
In his eyes.
That's.
How.
We.
Conquer.
Through the blood.
Of Jesus.
We have.
A triune enemy.
Dragon.
Beast.
False prophet.
Who is waging war.
Against us.
And the beast.
The second member.
Of the anti-ternity.
He is using.
The power of the state.
In various ways.
And forms.
To oppress.
God's people.
And harm us.
It's happening.
Today.
We have a brother.
Simon Rye.
In Nepal.
Who's facing.
Jail time.
It's happening.
Today.
We have brothers and sisters.
All around the world.
I have on my phone.
An open doors app.
It gives me a person.
To pray for.
People to pray for.
Every day.
From around the world.
Suffering Christians.
Persecuted Christians.
I've been praying for.
A 65 year old woman.
From Iran.
All week.
Who is suffering.
State.
Sponsored.
Persecution.
It's happening now.
The beast is at work.
The satanic's presence.
Manifesting itself.
In human governments.
Causing.
God's people to suffer.
And we must.
We must endure it.
Okay.
I'm going to whip through these five applications.
First is this.
Beware.
The.
The veil is being pulled back.
Beware.
Of what truly is happening.
We're given.
A view of the true conflict.
Raging in our world right now.
Second.
Be steadfast.
Endure by faith.
We have suffering brothers and sisters.
All around the world.
We must overcome.
No matter what comes.
Third.
God is in control.
He alone sets the times.
He alone is the one who gives authority.
He is the one who wrote our names.
In the Lamb's book of life.
Before the foundation of the world.
He is the sovereign one.
He is in control.
And the anti-trinity might make a claim.
But our great triune God wins in the end.
So we trust in the sovereignty.
We trust this is.
He's working it out.
Though our suffering is a part of it.
Fourth.
The irony.
Followers of the Lamb.
Have been delivered from God's future and eternal wrath.
But suffer the present temporary wrath of the dragon now.
The irony is.
The followers of the beast.
Have been delivered from the dragon's present and temporary wrath now.
But they will suffer God's future and eternal wrath to come.
We've got work to do.
Where you come down on the Lamb.
Determines your present and your future.
All of it.
We follow the Lamb who was slain.
Fifth.
The end game.
Is worship.
The beast.
Is deceiving the world.
To gain followers.
In order to worship the dragon and himself.
The Lamb.
Is died and was slain.
To gather followers.
To worship the one on the throne.
And him.
It's about worship.
And what we're going to see in two weeks.
Is that we stand our ground with the Lamb.
With praise on our lips.
We are in a cosmic battle over the hearts of men and women.
For who they will worship.
Toothbrush.
Dental hygiene.
Cats.
Who knows.
Human beings.
Our purpose is to worship God.
You're either going to worship the Lamb.
Or the beast.
Christ.
It's a claim to your Savior.
God in heaven.
Help us.
Help us to see.
Help us to be discerning.
Help us to not be overly fearful.
Help us to not be afraid.
But help us to stand our ground.
In the name of Jesus.
For the glory of your great name.
And for the good of all people.
Pray this in Jesus name.
Amen.