God’s Prophecies: Revelations 13 – Part 1
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
John 8:32
The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. (Revelations 13:1-2) The beast comes out of the sea meaning he comes out of the troubled world. Satan gives the beast his power and great authority to rule over all nations.
One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it? (Revelations 13:3-4) The lost world, those who don’t know the prophecies from God, will worship the beast not knowing he is controlled by Satan.
The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. (Revelations 13:5-6) The beast will reign for three and half years and will oppose God and his people. It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. (Revelations 13:7) The beast will have the power to wage war against all Christians. To “conquer them” probably means Christians cannot assemble for worship, buy or sale, or physical death.
All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. (Revelations 13:8) All people of the world that worship the beast are those whose names are not in the book of life. Satan is hoping that Christians will fall away and forfeit their eternal life because they fear the beast.
Satan knows that God protects the souls of His people and if they die for Christ he knows Heaven is their home, and that makes his very angry. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:28) His goal is to never allow Satan’s fear in our hearts or through deception lead us away from God. Christian’s that are not grounded in God’s truth are subject to being deceived. We are free in Christ with eternal life, only if we live in God’s Truth. We don’t let Satan deceive us to live in a combination of our truth and God’s Truth.
Today live in God’s truth seeing the world through God’s prophecies. Know Satan’s plan and see how he is deceiving people to implement his evil plan. Remain close to Christ and he will enable you to overcome the world.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for guiding me through this evil world with your love, power, and wisdom, to know the world by understanding your prophecies and the spiritual battle. In Jesus name, Amen