EIGHT CHAPTERS
EXPLAINING THE SPIRITUAL BATTLES, PEOPLE, AND EVENTS OF THE GREAT
TRIBULATION TO THE RETURN OF
KING JESUS TO RULE THIS
EARTH:
PART II – THE
ANTICHRIST’S SATANICALLY EMPOWERED RULE,
THE FALSE PROPHET, AND
THE
PERSECUTION OF THE
SAINTS
Revelation 13:1-18
As taught by Dave
Lindstrom
I. During the Great Tribulation (the
last 3 ½ years of Daniel’s 70th week of 7 years), the
prophesied Revived Roman Empire with its Antichrist king devours the
whole earth, blasphemes Yahweh, and wears out the saints (Revelation
13:1-10).
A. A ten nation Revived Roman Empire
has evidently risen to power before the Great Tribulation which was
blasphemous against the true God Yahweh (vs 1).
1. This was prophesied about in
detail in Daniel 2:40-45 and 7:7-25 which was written around 530
B.C.!
2. The idea that it came out of the
sea (vs 1) comes from the same idea as Daniel 7:3 and should be a
context clue for the diligent reader. In the Old Testament and
Hebrew mind, when the sea is used figuratively (according to
context), it has to do with special satanic activity against Yahweh
(Job 26:12, 13; Ps. 89:9, 10; Isa.
27:1, 51:9-11).
3. Satan was unsuccessful in
preventing Yahweh’s Christ from being born in history and
accomplishing His mission (Rev. 12:1-5) through the seven dominant
nations (heads) of the world (Rev. 12:3, 13:1). These nations
were probably Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media, Persia, Greece, and
Rome. His plan during the last days and specifically during the
Great Tribulation, where he has at that time been thrown out of
heavenly access (Rev. 12:8), is to exert his power through the
kings (horns) of this revived Roman group (Rev. 12:3; 13:1).
4. Evidently each of these ten kings
did not believe in the true God, Yahweh, because they were
characterized as blasphemous (in this context, words to cause
injury or harm to Yahweh).
B. This ten nation empire was like a
leopard (swift), a bear (strong), and a lion (ferocious). They
also were like some of the characteristics of the three nations of
Greece (leopard), Medo-Persia (bear), and Babylon (lion) found in
Dan. 7:1-6 which was described before Rome and Revived Rome in
Daniel 7:7, 8. This ten nation empire was satanically empowered
and its eventual ruler, the Antichrist, was in possession (as well
as satanically possessed) of all of Satan’s usurped authority of
wickedness (vs 2).
C. The ten nation kingdom starts out
being called a beast or the beast (vs 1, 2) but then it takes on
the personification of its leader who seemed to be mortally
wounded and then healed through Satan’s deceit. This person is
known in the New Testament as the Antichrist (I John 2:22, 23; I
John 4:3), the man of lawlessness (2 Thes. 2:3) or the beast (Rev.
13:3).
1. The people on the earth at the
Great Tribulation will worship Satan (the dragon, Rev. 12:9) and
the beast (Antichrist) who personifies this end time Revived Roman
Empire (vs 4).
2. Daniel 7:8 and 7:20 tell us that
the Antichrist comes up after the ten nations (kings) are
established in power. Revelation 17:12, 13 tell us that these ten
kings willingly turned their power and authority over to the
Antichrist. Then the same Daniel passages tell us that because
of this “one from among them” three of the original ten fell
and were plucked up by the roots. This would possibly leave seven
or eight kings during the Great Tribulation.
3. The Antichrist (beast) was allowed
by Yahweh to blaspheme Yahweh Himself, Yahweh’s heavenly
creation, as well as make war on Yahweh’s earthly saints for 3 ½
years (the Great Tribulation, Dan. 7:25, 9:27, 12:7; Matt.
24:15-25; 2 Thes. 2:4-12; Rev. 11:3, 12:6, 14) (vs 5-10).
a. Daniel 7:20-25 and I Thes. 2:3-12
correlate this prophecy perfectly.
b. During this time, many Christian
saints will be taken captive (as prisoners) or killed by the
world government probably by being beheaded (Rev. 20:4, the
“sword” is the symbol of death by the ruling power or nation,
Rom. 13:4). According to the pre-wrath view, some (all true
believers at this time) will have this time shortened by rapture
(Matt. 24:22-31; Rev. 7:9-17) probably one to two years into it.
Either way it calls for endurance and faith on the part of the
saints.
II. During the Great Tribulation there
will be a False Prophet whose goal is to proclaim the glories of
Satan and the Antichrist (Rev. 13:11-18).
A. The False Prophet (beast) rose out
of the earth (instead of the sea like the Antichrist). This
probably implies that this man started out as a fairly normal human
being having nothing originally to do with the ten nation empire or
the Antichrist. However, he gradually let himself be swayed
satanically by his choices. The two horns (probably power over
many people) made him influential in deceiving people with what
appeared to be a message of peace (lamb) and yet it was straight
from Satan (dragon). He is called the False Prophet in Rev. 19:20
(verse 11).
B. His satanically driven goal is to
bring the world into worshipping the Antichrist by a sophisticated
form of deception and trickery (vs 12).
1. He convinces most of the world to
believe that the Antichrist is God because of a supposed healing
and miracles in the Antichrist’s presence. However, 2
Thessalonians 2:9-12 tells us that these are false signs and
wonders (vs 13, 14a; Rev. 19:20).
2. He is instrumental in getting the
Antichrist’s image set up in the Jerusalem Temple to be
worshipped and somehow caused it to speak. This might be the
abomination of desolation marking the beginning of the Great
Tribulation (vs 14a, 15; Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thes. 2:4).
3. He causes there to be economic
consequences and hardship to anyone not getting the Antichrist’s
name or number on the right hand or forehead. The number which
will be recognizable in the Great Tribulation is 666 (vs 16- 18).
