The Signs of the Beast (Revelation 13)

(Class Notes)

• The Mystery of Iniquity (Lawlessness): Power and Signs and Lying Wonders (II Thessalonians 2:7-9)
  • It's restrained by the presence of the Body of Christ, i.e. the "ONE NEW MAN" (II Thessalonians 2:6 cf. Ephesians 2:14-16)
    • Paul ENCOURAGED the saints with the Rapture - the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, i.e. "our gathering unto Him" (II Thessalonians 2:1-2 cf. I Thessalonians 4:15-17)
    • Paul REMINDED the saints that the Day of the Lord must be preceded by two events (II Thessalonians 2:3-5):
      • FIRST - the DEPARTURE of the Church, which will be delivered from "the wrath to come" (I Thessalonians 1:10 cf. Matthew 3:7; Revelation 6:17)
      • SECOND - the REVELATION of "the son of perdition" as "the abomination of desolation" (Matthew 24:15 cf. Daniel 9:27; Daniel 11:31; Daniel 12:11)
      • AFTERWARDS - the DESTRUCTION of "the son of perdition" by the RETURN of the Lord Jesus Christ in "flaming fire" (II Thessalonians 1:8-9 cf. Isaiah 30:27-33; Daniel 8:23-25)
  • It's manifested with all Satanic authority through signs and lying wonders (Matthew 7:21-23)
    • On EARTH, Christ preached "the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 4:17,23-25) and manifested the PHYSICAL SIGNS of that kingdom (Isaiah 11; Isaiah 35)
    • To Israel, Christ sent His 12 apostles to preach "the gospel of the kingdom" with SIGNS of confirmation (Matthew 10:5-8)
    • Christ encouraged John the Baptist via SIGNS to trust Him as the MESSIAH (Matthew 11:2-6)
    • Christ rebuked the Pharisees for attributing His SIGNS to Satan (Matthew 12:24-28)
    • DURING "the dispensation of grace" (Ephesians 3:2), the saints walk by faith and NOT by SIGHT (II Corinthians 5:7) and enjoy SPIRITUAL blessings in the HEAVENLY places (Ephesians 1:3)
    • AFTER "the dispensation of grace" (Ephesians 3:2), the world will be deceived by SIGNS (Matthew 12:24 cf. II Thessalonians 2:10-12) and will believe the LIE (Romans 1:25) and will receive "the mark of the beast" (Revelation 19:20) for having rejected the TRUTH (Revelation 14:6-7)

• The Sign of the First Beast (Revelation 13:1-4)
  • The first beast exercises great authority (power) over ALL kindreds, tongues, and nations
    • Nebuchadnezzar had that kind of authority (Daniel 2:37-38; Daniel 3:4-7)
    • Satan offered that kind of authority to Christ in exchange for worship (Luke 4:5-7)
    • Satan gives that kind of authority to this beast (Revelation 13:4,7,14-15)
    • Christ inherits that kind of authority from His Father at His Second Coming (Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 28:18-20 cf. Revelation 11:15)
    • The SIGN of resurrection is the SEAL of that authority for both Christ and Antichrist (Revelation 1:18 cf. Revelation 17:8), which is how Antichrist blasphemes the NAME of Jehovah (Exodus 3:14 cf. John 8:58)

• The Signs of the Second Beast (Revelation 13:11-15)
  • The second beast causes the worship of the first beast
    • The SIGN of "fire from heaven" was used by God to acknowledge the sacrificial offerings
      (I Kings 18:36-39), which is how Antichrist blasphemes the TABERNACLE of Jehovah (Revelation 13:6) when he poses as God in His TEMPLE (II Thessalonians 2:4)
    • The SIGN of giving life to an image (idol) which has no life (Psalms 135:15-18) serves as a visual reminder to the resurrection of the one who it represents, which emphasizes his blasphemy of the NAME of Jehovah (Revelation 13:6)

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