CHAPTER THIRTEEN - ANTICHRIST REVEALED - FINAL 3.5 YEARS OF TRIBULATION

The Anti-Christ reveals himself as the evil lawless one. He comes against the people of the covenant as revealed in Daniel 9.27, Daniel 11.31-32

13:1-4 John sees a beast rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon the ten horns ten crowns. The heads are speaking blasphemy. The beast was like a leopard, had feet like a bear, and mouth of a lion and Satan gave it power. The beast is wounded to death and his wound is healed. The whole world is in awe. They worship the dragon which gives power unto the beast. Who can defeat the beast in war?

There are many opinions on this portion.

I see this beast rising up from the sea (many nations) as a political entity. The beast is wounded and then recovers. The seven heads are seven mountains (Rev 17:9) Mountains are a place of worship. Could the capital city of this beast be in the mountains? Some believe this beast is a European coalition of nations led by Germany politically and the Vatican spiritually. Is the wounded beast an individual or a political union that falls apart and then realigns?

The other strong opinion is that it is a coalition of middle eastern states led by Turkey or Iran and the religion of Islam. It can be said that both scenarios are developing in the world today. The European Union is attempting to form a united states led by German economic power. In the mid-east Iran is calling the shots but would follow Turkey if the Turks decide to lead. It can be said that the Ottoman Empire led by the Turks ended in 1922. It was a beast that was wounded and is now back alive if Turkey becomes the leader of the Muslim world.

The same can be said of the Roman Empire. It has attempted to resurrect itself many times throughout history. Charlemagne and the Franks was one reincarnation. Otto the Great. The Hapsburgs. All were protectors of the Pope and Christianity. The Roman beast was wounded and also revived. Which is it?

The war described in Revelation 9 could be a war between the European coalition and the Muslim coalition. Led by Germany, the Europeans have defeated the Muslims and have divided Jerusalem, making it an international city. The beast is the political beast from which the antichrist will arise. The Antichrist may be from the political religious harlot called the Vatican. Others think he may be a Jew, represented by the tribe of Dan being absent from the list of tribes in Rev 7. This is an interesting study.

The Vatican is more than the seat of a religion. It has political power and deals with other nations as a political and religious power. They have their own bank and diplomatic corps. They are deeply involved in what is occurring in the development of the EU. Pope Benedict has encouraged the creation of an economic union of European states and a
strong central bank to control it. They have historically close ties with Germany. Most of the previous resurrections of the Holy Roman Empire were led by Germany. They have a long and violent history together. Germany and Turkey have a long history of being allies. I see Turkey aligned with the EU, but perhaps not a part of it.

Following developments in Europe and seeing Germany rising as the political and military power in Europe a link with the Vatican is a force that can keep predominately Catholic Europe glued together. As the Islamic movement in Europe intensifies will the Europeans, influenced by the Vatican, form a backlash against Islam in an attempt to keep their European cultures from being destroyed? This will be war in the Middle East that affects the nation of Israel and the dividing of Jerusalem in two. Jerusalem in effect becomes an internationally governed city. Zech 14.2

Moving forward, this political and religious union, is the harlot and the Beast. The antichrist system is now forming in Jerusalem. The Muslims in my view have been subdued. Any other scenario that fits, you may substitute here.

13:5-9 This political/religious beast system is now going to speak great things and blasphemies for 3.5 years. It will make war with the saints and overcome them (believers are still here). It has power over all nations and tongues. All whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb worship IT. He who has ears to hear let him hear. This system is led by a man referred to as the Anti-Christ. He is full of blasphemy and rages against the Covenant people--the Jews and the true church. He declares himself god and desecrates the Jewish Temple. He promises the Jews peace
and then will double cross them. Daniel 11:21 thru 12:13 An interesting theory on the “image” of the beast is that Pope Leo 1 (440-461 AD) organized the institutional church after the Roman system of political government and this is the “image of the beast.”

Some think the United Nations is the image of the beast. The U.N. is attempting to force all politically correct idea’s upon all nations. They are behind Agenda 21 and the taxation of all resources to benefit all the world. They are attempting to force this secular humanistic image upon all nations.

A KEY VERSE IN THIS CHAPTER

13:10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

God is telling His people not to despair. Matt 24:21-22 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.

God is telling His people in the end they will overcome. Isaiah 14:1-2 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. Then people will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the LORD; they will take them captive whose captives they were, and rule over their oppressors. Those who were oppressed will soon rule and reign.

Read the entire chapter of Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 27 with the end of days and the end of the book of Revelation in mind. This is God’s statement on the end of Mystery Babylon and those who endure until the end.

The other lesson is that those who rise up in arms (the sword) will die by the sword. Just as Judah was taken captive by Babylon and prospered in Babylon, it may be wiser to accept going into captivity then to rebel against the NWO and die.

13:11-18 The next beast comes up out of the earth with two horns as a lamb and speaks as a dragon. This is the false prophet or false religious system in union with the political/financial beast.
This beast does great wonders and miracles and makes fire come down to earth from heaven. He deceives many and causes them to worship the image of the beast. Everyone receives a mark in their hand or forehead and cannot buy or sell without this mark or identification. Here is wisdom: the number of the beast is that of a man 666.

Fire coming down from heaven could be the ability to wage war. A political entity can do this. The Antichrist deceives many. “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. Matt 24:23

Could the number of a man be some sort of computer chip? This technology is available to be implanted into men now! The number of a man can also represent the word 666 which can be interpreted in ancient Greek letters that have numerical meaning. They spell “Latineo” which means “Latin man” which meant Roman in those days. In the west we are still governed under the “Roman” style of government.

In 2 Chr 9.13 it says that the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold. Could Solomon in this case be a type of the false church? He started out with the Lord but lusted for many wives and followed idolatry in his later years. This is an interesting scripture.