Daily Devotion of Revelation 13
Daily Nugget:
An unholy character, the dragon (Satan), has already been prophesied to be involved in the last days from the previous chapter (Rev. 12:3, 9). This enemy of God and man has little imagination and often counterfeits what God has done. Satan will do this when he creates, not a holy trinity as is God, but when he creates an unholy one. This “dragon” will set himself up as the anti-god of the “trinity”. Two more of his unholy companions are introduced in this chapter.
Satan will provide the second part of his threesome by bringing onto the scene the anti-christ. This antichrist will be the political “beast” of vs. 1. He will get his power and position from Satan (vs. 2). He will even suffer a fatal wound and will come back to life (vs. 3), duplicating the supernatural resurrection of the two witnesses, and of course, Jesus. Although the anti-christ will deceive many into thinking his power comes from God, it does not. It will come from Satan (vs. 2).
This first beast certainly will not be holy. This man (vs. 3) is ungodly and is against
(“anti-”) all that Christ has done and represents. Instead of bringing honor and glory to God the Father, the anti-christ will have all worship him (vs. 8). He is rightly named a “beast”, as he will blaspheme God (vs. 6), and make war against those that get saved during this time (vs. 7, 12:17).
The third member of the unholy “trinity” will also appear on the scene (vs. 11). He will be a “religious” beast, the anti-holy spirit. He will be the false prophet referred to in Rev. 16:13 and Rev. 19:20. This “beast” will cause all on the earth to worship the anti-christ (vs. 12). He will also have supernatural powers, that will enable him to call fire down from heaven (vs. 13) and other miracles (vs. 14).
This religious leader will order men to create an “image to the beast” (vs. 14). His demonic power will even give the idol life, and it will speak (vs. 15). A one-world religious system will be forced into place, as the false prophet will have all that do not worship the anti-christ killed (vs. 15)! To further increase his control over man, this false prophet will demand that all must have a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads (vs. 16), or they will not be able to buy or sell (vs. 17). The mark has to do with the number 666 (vs. 18).
There are a lot of suggestions, determined by other prophetic Scriptures, who these unholy characters may be. Revealing current events also add to the possibilities of who these men may be. Truthfully, although biblical knowledge can give some insight and discernment, no one will really know who the two characters are until that time arrives (II Thes. 2:3)!
Today’s Thought: Satan is never original; he is only capable of counterfeiting.
Today’s Reading: Revelation 13
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11 ¶ And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (KJV)
An unholy character, the dragon (Satan), has already been prophesied to be involved in the last days from the previous chapter (Rev. 12:3, 9). This enemy of God and man has little imagination and often counterfeits what God has done. Satan will do this when he creates, not a holy trinity as is God, but when he creates an unholy one. This “dragon” will set himself up as the anti-god of the “trinity”. Two more of his unholy companions are introduced in this chapter.
Satan will provide the second part of his threesome by bringing onto the scene the anti-christ. This antichrist will be the political “beast” of vs. 1. He will get his power and position from Satan (vs. 2). He will even suffer a fatal wound and will come back to life (vs. 3), duplicating the supernatural resurrection of the two witnesses, and of course, Jesus. Although the anti-christ will deceive many into thinking his power comes from God, it does not. It will come from Satan (vs. 2).
This first beast certainly will not be holy. This man (vs. 3) is ungodly and is against (“anti-”) all that Christ has done and represents. Instead of bringing honor and glory to God the Father, the anti-christ will have all worship him (vs. 8). He is rightly named a “beast”, as he will blaspheme God (vs. 6), and make war against those that get saved during this time (vs. 7, 12:17).
The third member of the unholy “trinity” will also appear on the scene (vs. 11). He will be a “religious” beast, the anti-holy spirit. He will be the false prophet referred to in Rev. 16:13 and Rev. 19:20. This “beast” will cause all on the earth to worship the anti-christ (vs. 12). He will also have supernatural powers, that will enable him to call fire down from heaven (vs. 13) and other miracles (vs. 14).
This religious leader will order men to create an “image to the beast” (vs. 14). His demonic power will even give the idol life, and it will speak (vs. 15). A one-world religious system will be forced into place, as the false prophet will have all that do not worship the anti-christ killed (vs. 15)! To further increase his control over man, this false prophet will demand that all must have a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads (vs. 16), or they will not be able to buy or sell (vs. 17). The mark has to do with the number 666 (vs. 18).
There are a lot of suggestions, determined by other prophetic Scriptures, who these unholy characters may be. Revealing current events also add to the possibilities of who these men may be. Truthfully, although biblical knowledge can give some insight and discernment, no one will really know who the two characters are until that time arrives (II Thes. 2:3)!
Today’s Thought: Satan is never original; he is only capable of counterfeiting.
Today’s Reading: Revelation 13
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11 ¶ And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (KJV)
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