WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:01.600 Amen. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:06.480 Well, if you would go ahead and open up your Bibles to the book of Revelation. 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:09.759 It is the last book in the Bible. 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:11.519 It is easy to find. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:16.320 We are in the very middle of that book, chapter 13. 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:18.879 If you don't have a Bible with you, no problem. 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:21.440 Should be a Bible under a chair around you. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:26.719 We'd love for you to grab that, use that, take that home with you, let it be yours if you don't have a Bible. 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:29.920 You can also find the passage in your bulletin as well. 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:39.200 Love for you to follow along as we dig into what some have said is the most difficult chapter in Revelation. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:44.479 So that is our task ahead as we look at Revelation chapter 13. 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:53.359 You know, when Steph and I were in high school, our music department would take, maybe not every year, maybe every other year, but we'd take trips to New York City. 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:57.439 Students, parents, teachers, even some alumni would go on these trips. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:00.399 You wouldn't go on every one, which hopefully you'd try to make one of them. 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:10.079 We go to New York City, the highlight, obviously, watching three or four shows on Broadway, since it was our music department, we'd see some of the touristy things as well. 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:19.040 But I feel like the low-level highlight, at least for all the students, was the ability to buy cheap knockoffs on the streets of New York. 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:26.239 It was the folklys, the folixes, the Gucci with three C's, the Louis Futon. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:28.319 I think I made that up, but that's the idea. 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:36.400 Like these sort of designer brands that had some like looks like the real thing, but were incredibly cheap. 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:45.599 You could look like some of the people that you maybe admired, could look like the height of pop culture for really, really cheap. 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:49.200 And so students flocked to it, many others flocked to it as well. 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:52.480 We knew the quality was terrible, like you'd get what you pay for. 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:53.840 So what was the allure? 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:55.840 Well, I think this allure was simple. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:58.159 Some of it I've already hinted at. 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:08.000 The brand name, the look, to have that sort of um look like those that you admired. 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:10.400 We didn't care about the quality. 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:13.759 Like we knew the folix wasn't gonna work within two months. 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:15.439 I don't know that it ever really worked. 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:21.520 Those uh little arms that went around didn't move a ton, at least not and kept time. 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:23.199 But that wasn't the point. 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:24.719 That's not what we wanted. 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:26.479 We wanted the look. 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:30.639 We wanted the look, especially without the work. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:32.960 Because we couldn't afford the real thing. 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:35.199 Like the real thing is costly. 00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:37.759 The real thing costs a lot. 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:42.560 It would take sacrifice and work to be able to afford something like that. 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:46.159 So we wanted the look without the work. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:51.439 Now I think counterfeit examples like that are mostly harmless. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:52.719 When you buy Dr. 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:55.439 Thunder or Mountain Lightning, you know what you're getting? 00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:57.919 Like you know the generic, that sort of thing. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:02:59.520 You know what you're getting there. 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:02.000 But what if you think it's the real thing? 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:04.960 Counterfeit money is no joke. 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:05.599 Right? 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:06.719 It's a crime. 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:11.039 And it sometimes could be even a little bit of a scary reality. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:22.000 If you imagined a counterfeit doctor, or a counterfeit engineer, a counterfeit contractor, there'd be a lot of disastrous results that come from it. 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:24.240 But what about a counterfeit God? 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:27.199 Or a counterfeit Christ? 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:32.319 See, we looked last week at Christ's victory over Satan. 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:40.080 The fact that Christ has dealt the fatal wound to our fiercest enemy. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:47.919 But at the end of chapter 12, what we saw is that the dragon, Satan, was still very much active. 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:52.719 In fact, he was waging war against God's people in this world. 00:03:52.800 --> 00:04:03.599 And chapter 13 picks up right on the heels of that to tell us how it is that Satan wages war in this world. 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:07.680 And what we see is that he will seek to counterfeit God. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:14.080 He'll seek to deceive through a false Christ and a false prophet. 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:17.199 This is gonna be pictured by two different beasts. 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:32.160 John's gonna see two visions of these beasts that come, and they're gonna be counterfeits, and many but will believe that they're the real thing, and they will compel many to believe and to worship the dragon Satan. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:39.920 Many ways, chapter 13 is sort of like a vaccine to apostasy. 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:47.439 It is to unmask the counterfeit so that we can better see the real thing. 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:51.199 And friends, we deeply need it. 00:04:51.920 --> 00:05:04.240 I don't think it's difficult for us to look around and see just how much and so much of the church wants to look like the world, wants to be like the world. 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:15.920 How easy it is for us to mingle with and and maybe even give into things like power and politics, pop culture, popularity. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:24.399 Even individually, I think it is so alluring for us to want what Christ offers without Christ. 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:31.839 So sometimes we are very tempted by counterfeits that seem to offer exactly that. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:36.480 Give us what Christ can provide, but with no Christ. 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:47.920 Friends, I think if we looked into our own hearts, we would see pollution, polluted hearts, polluted worship. 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:53.120 We'd see idolatry, we'd see evidence of counterfeit gods. 00:05:54.160 --> 00:06:03.519 See what chapter 13 wants to remind us of, and what I want us to remember this morning, is it's probably the worst thing that we could possibly imagine, Prince. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:10.720 Is that if in the end we found out that we had actually bowed down to the beast and not the king. 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:15.199 That we had bowed down to the counterfeit and not Christ. 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:20.399 See, our main idea this morning, maybe the most simple I've ever given it. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:24.160 Worship Christ, not counterfeits. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:30.079 We want to be a church that worships Christ and not counterfeits. 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:31.759 Let's look at the chapter 13. 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:34.079 We're just gonna look at the first vision and then the second version. 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:36.879 So look at uh vision, look at verses one through ten. 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:38.160 Here's what it says. 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:41.120 And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:47.600 It had ten horns and seven heads, on its horns were ten crowns, and on its heads were blasphemous names. 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:54.399 The beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear's, it had a uh its mouth was like a lion's mouth. 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:58.720 The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority. 00:06:58.879 --> 00:07:03.360 One of its heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but its fatal wound was healed. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:06.079 The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:12.319 They worshiped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:15.839 Who is able to wage war against it? 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:20.160 The beast was given a mouth to utter boasts and blasphemies. 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:23.439 It was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:35.279 It began to speak blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his dwelling, his temple, those who dwell in heaven, and it was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:40.079 It was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:43.839 All those who live on the earth will worship it. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:51.839 Everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the lamb who was slaughtered. 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:54.720 Now, if anyone has ears to hear, let him listen. 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:58.079 If anyone is to be taken captive into captivity, he goes. 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:02.959 If anyone is to be killed with a sword, with a sword he will be killed. 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:09.120 This calls for endurance and faithfulness from the saints. 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:12.720 Here's the question that I want us to consider this morning. 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:17.600 What could possibly tempt us to trade Christ for a counterfeit? 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:27.040 I think what we're gonna see is two primary ways that Satan seeks to do so, to tempt us to trade Christ for a counterfeit. 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:29.600 First is the promise of power. 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:32.320 The promise of power. 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:36.080 You know, chapter 12, as I mentioned, it ended with the dragon. 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:39.759 It almost really seems like it's coming to this chapter already. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:42.639 Some of your Bibles almost have it in chapter 13. 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:53.679 But the dragon is standing on the sand of the sea, and Satan, this dragon, he calls forth this beast from the sea to do his bidding. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:58.240 Look at verse 1, it describes the beast in similar ways to the dragon. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:01.440 He has seven heads and ten horns. 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:04.399 But there is a difference, and I think the difference is important. 00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:08.159 Satan, the dragon, had crowns on his seven heads. 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:11.679 This beast has crowns on its ten horns. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:13.440 What's the idea there? 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:17.360 Well, if you remember from last week, horns are a symbol of power. 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:21.759 So, what is it that is the crowning distinction of this beast? 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:25.200 Well, it is its might, its power. 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:30.879 This beast is powerful, hideous, blasphemous, and that is clear. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:34.159 But the question that we have is what does it picture? 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:37.600 Who or what is the beast? 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:39.600 I don't think it's literal. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:46.399 In the sense of an actual beast with seven heads and ten horns that looks like a lion, leopard, and bear. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:50.879 No, the picture isn't literal, just like the dragon in the last chapter wasn't literal. 00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:53.360 It was a picture of Satan. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:56.799 No, I think the beast points us to something. 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:02.320 And verse two helps us to understand when we read about the bear and the lion and the leopard. 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:05.039 This is actually seen elsewhere in scripture. 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:08.960 Look at the screen, Daniel chapter 7, verses 3 through 7 say this. 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:14.639 Four huge beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other, beasts from the sea. 00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:17.679 The first was like a lion but had eagle's wings. 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:21.600 Suddenly another beast appeared, a second one that looked like a bear. 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:25.200 After this, while I was watching, suddenly another beast appeared. 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:29.279 It was like a leopard with four wings of a bird on its back. 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:32.320 It had four heads and it was given dominion. 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:40.399 After this, while I was watching in the night vision, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, frightening and dreadful and incredibly strong. 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:42.080 Large iron teeth. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:46.639 It devoured and crushed and trampled with its feet whatever was left. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:52.000 It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:59.519 Beasts from the sea, a lion, bear, leopard, multiple heads, ten horns. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.159 I hope you're beginning to see this, church. 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:06.240 As we make our way through Revelation, revelation is not weird. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:08.879 It's not this great mystery. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:09.919 It's not crazy. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:12.399 Even as you read that, you might go, but it seems like it is. 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:14.000 No, it's just Bible. 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:22.720 The pictures, John is writing in pictures and visions, yes, but he's writing with pictures that we've seen in Scripture that are meaningful. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:24.559 And that's what I think we see here. 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:32.000 See, the four beasts, if you were to read Daniel, you would know that they actually pictured coming kings and kingdoms. 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:39.120 Almost every scholar thinks that they pictured the coming of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:45.919 So what I think we should see here is that in Revelation, this pictures another king and kingdom. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:48.559 Maybe more diabolical. 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:53.440 Because this beast is a mashup of all four beasts. 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:55.759 This is the great beast. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:58.960 I think the point should be clear to us. 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:05.840 Satan uses worldly empires to do his evil bidding. 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:12.320 And if we begin to think of this beast like an empire, I think a lot of the language in this chapter begins to make sense. 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:14.960 Look at uh the end of verse 2. 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:20.320 This empire is given the dragon's power, throne, authority. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:23.039 It seemingly rules the world. 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:29.039 And its might is such, look at verse 3, that the whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:32.879 And people wondered, verse 4, who is like the beast? 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:36.399 Who is able to wage war against it? 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:46.879 You know, this kingdom, this empire, is so powerful that it seemed invincible, unconquerable. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:51.360 In fact, its power captivates the world. 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:58.240 You know, this idea of a really powerful uh empire is aided further in the passage. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:04.960 Verse 7 tells us that this empire had authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:14.559 We really see its beastly nature, though, in verse 7 when it says it wages war against the saints and conquers them. 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:20.480 See a little bit further that it actually kills those who do not worship the beast. 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:23.120 Now, let me just show you what John is doing. 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:29.919 If you remember chapter 11, there were two witnesses, and these two witnesses were a picture of the church. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:36.320 In this day, it was the witness of God's people proclaiming the gospel, being faithful to Christ. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:38.639 And what happened to those two witnesses? 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:44.879 A beast from the sea rose up, mocked them, and killed them. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:51.360 That's exactly what I think John is pointing to again here in Revelation 13. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:58.399 See, this beast of an empire hates God and hates God's people. 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:03.120 And it boldly boasts of it great of its greatness. 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:07.600 In fact, it is, it utters all sorts of blasphemies against God. 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:13.200 It in no way sees itself as serving God, it wants to be a God. 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:21.279 And I think that's where it's really important for us to see how John pictures this beast as a counterfeit. 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:28.639 Because the beast proclaims itself and presents itself to be God, and especially it mimics Christ. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:30.159 Look at this. 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:40.159 As God gave his power, his throne, and his authority to Jesus, Satan, the dragon, gives his power, throne, and authority to the beast. 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:42.159 Look at verse 4 or verse 3. 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:47.120 One of the heads of the beast is fatally wounded and then healed. 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:51.519 A counterfeit picture of death and resurrection. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:54.240 It's pointing us to a counterfeit Christ. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:15:06.399 This uh beast, as we've already said, has uh authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation, the same forfilled way that Jesus' followers are described in chapter 7. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:10.000 Finally, we see that the beast is worshipped. 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:12.480 Who is like the beast? 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:13.759 They cry. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:19.440 Exactly like many of Jesus' followers cried, Who is this man? 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:27.759 Seems so clear to me that what is being pictured here is that this beast is a counterfeit, a false Christ. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:32.000 But that leaves us maybe with the most important question. 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:38.639 The question that you want to know, but who is this king and kingdom? 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:50.320 If you were to hop online, there would be a plethora of pundits that would be very happy to give you all sorts of hypotheses as to who this king and kingdom is. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:59.840 If you search through the annals of church history, you would find empire after empire, leader after leader, that seemed to fit the bill. 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:02.159 I think that's the point. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:05.840 Look again at verse five. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:08.720 Did you catch that 42 months? 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:11.759 Remember, 42 months is three and a half years. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:14.559 Three and a half years is 1260 days. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:19.200 This time frame is again repeated that we saw in chapter 12 that we've seen before. 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:28.480 This is the time period we saw last week that begins when Jesus uh is uh dies, raises, raises, and ascends to heaven. 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:30.879 And then it ends when he returns. 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:32.480 This is our time frame. 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:34.159 This is happening right now. 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:43.360 Here's what John is telling us is that yes, there may be a final, climactic, beastly empire. 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:52.240 Maybe, but there will always be iterations of this sort of beastliness in our world. 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:59.759 If you were John and any of the first hearers of Revelation, you would have immediately thought of Rome. 00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:06.559 There's no doubt in my mind that when you read chapter 13, you would say, that is Rome. 00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:14.000 Rome was the world power, seemingly invincible, unconquerable. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:32.400 Its glory was to be worshipped, its emperors uttered blasphemies, blasphemies and blasphemies, and often killed many, innumerable numbers of Christians who wouldn't bow down to Rome. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:33.839 But you know what? 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:40.000 After Rome, it wasn't as if blasphemous empires and leaders ceased. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:43.200 History shows us throughout it. 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:45.440 That's why so many people have made so many guesses. 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:53.759 It's because there has been empire after empire that sort of is littered throughout history, even up until our modern day. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:18:11.680 Friends, the truth is there are Christians right now that are gathering this very morning under a very real threat of persecution and even death under a beastly empire. 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:15.440 This is uh this is happening. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:20.400 The application for them seems very clear, doesn't it? 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:29.200 When we read this passage and we think about our brothers and sisters in other parts of the uh globe, we would think that the application is so on point. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:31.119 Don't give up. 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:35.119 It's actually better to suffer than it is to sin. 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:39.039 Do not swear allegiance to the beast. 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:42.559 Verses 9 and 10 is sobering. 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:49.759 You might be imprisoned, you might be executed. 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:52.400 But what's the call? 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:55.759 Endurance, faithfulness. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:19:06.559 Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 10, verse 28, when he said, Don't fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:17.279 Yes, you may experience physical harm and even death, but they cannot touch your soul in Christ. 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:21.279 Fear God and not the beast. 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:28.799 But that sort of application for us feels at least distant, doesn't it? 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:34.240 It certainly doesn't feel like it hits home for us. 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:36.640 That feels even maybe unrealistic. 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:40.799 We don't live under that sort of beastly empire. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:47.279 Yes, our government certainly does things that fly in the face of our Creator. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:20:01.839 There is no doubt that it uh makes laws that diminish the dignity of life, that demean marriage and the family, that extort the poor, all sorts of ways in which our nation does not do things that honor God. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:07.440 But it doesn't threaten our lives on account of Christ. 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:12.319 We know only low-level persecution, really. 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:21.039 And yet I think that temptation to worship the might of the empire is probably still there. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:27.200 Now, it might be more subtle, but it certainly seems to be the encouragement. 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:29.680 Let me just think of a few ways with us. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:46.000 Election after election, leader after leader, what is always proclaimed that the very future of our nation, the very future of humanity, is on this ballot, is on this leader or president. 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:55.039 Many of us may be guilty of wringing our hands, watching never-ending news shows on TV, wondering, is it going to be okay? 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:57.519 What's going to happen in our nation? 00:20:57.759 --> 00:21:03.599 Worrying about the very fate of humanity or maybe even the church. 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:12.160 We have leaders who make grand promises, even edinic promises, to restore peace and prosperity and the good life. 00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:24.240 There is all sorts of constant ways in which we are told that we can and even must depend on the government to keep us safe, protected, healthy, well-fed. 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:27.599 I think there are ways that we might start to believe that. 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:42.640 See, friends, we're not immune to our hearts being captivated by politics, by the might of the government, to trusting the protection and the provision of our government more than our God. 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:53.279 Of actually thinking that the affairs of the state are more important to the kingdom of God than the affairs of the church. 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:59.599 You know, just one question for me. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:27.119 Or at least a way that I was thinking this week is that I wonder if some of the reason why more of us don't actually go across cultures for the proclamation and the spread of the gospel is because we're not convinced, or at least deep down, we think that our ultimate safety is in the hands of our government and not the hands of our God. 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:44.480 That's why some of us would be very, maybe even nervous and super worried if we had a child, what a wonderful thing, who wanted to go and be a full-time missionary, because we think their safety is more guaranteed here than it is out where uh elsewhere. 00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:54.720 We really can begin to see and think, wait a second, I'm more safe here than I am when I am equally in God's hands anywhere else. 00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:56.240 Now, why would that be? 00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:03.279 Because these are different ways in which we might be tempted to trust in the might of our empire. 00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:10.559 I don't think it's too far-fetched to see how we can come to trust and worship its might. 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:17.440 Honestly, think of the questions that were posed to the beast, the statements. 00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:19.200 Could we not say the same thing? 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:21.519 Who is like America? 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:25.759 Who could possibly wage war against us? 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:27.839 Now, friends, let me make very clear. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:30.000 I don't think America is the beast. 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:31.920 I love the U.S. 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:35.359 and I am thankful to be an American. 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:49.440 But to understand our nation or our government as anything other than a gift of God, to understand it as God is a really dangerous thing. 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:53.519 Friends, we worship Christ, not counterfeits. 00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:58.640 Let's see not only the promise of power, let's also look at the promise of prosperity. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:02.079 Here's the second ver vision in verses 11 through 18. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:04.960 Then I saw another beast coming out of the earth. 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:08.480 It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:18.079 It exercises all authority of the first beast on its behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:23.519 It also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people. 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:34.720 It deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that it is permitted to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:43.599 It was permitted to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:56.799 And it makes everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, the beast's name or the number of its name. 00:24:57.119 --> 00:24:59.200 This calls for wisdom. 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:05.759 Let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast because it is the number of a person. 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:10.319 Its number is 6, 6, 6. 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:18.799 I think if the first beast is a counterfeit of Christ, the second beast might be a counterfeit of the spirit. 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:32.240 I think this is so important for us to see that Satan, what he wants to do is to deceive us in any way possible into thinking that he is the true God. 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:43.519 Even mimicking the triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit with his own demonic trinity, dragon, beast, and prophet. 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:46.400 That's what I think we are seeing here. 00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:51.279 Think about who the Holy Spirit, God the Spirit is, and what the Spirit does. 00:25:51.440 --> 00:26:04.000 We know that the Spirit is given authority by Christ to display the glory of Christ, and that the Spirit is actually to move us to worship Jesus. 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:05.920 Well, what is it that the second beast does? 00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:07.039 Look at verse 12. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:16.559 It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast. 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:18.799 Then look at verses 13 and 14. 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:34.079 What's described here is that this uh second beast does great signs like Moses, it calls uh down fire like Elijah, it performs miracles in the presence of the beast, the first beast. 00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:36.319 Well, what does the spirit do? 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:54.640 We know the Bible tells us that throughout scripture, the spirit is actually the one who empowers and works through the mighty prophets to do great things and call down fire in the Old Testament and works through the apostles, especially to testify to the glory of Christ through great signs and wonders. 00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:57.279 This beast is mimicking the spirit. 00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:59.200 Verse 15 is even more clear. 00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:01.920 The second beast is described as giving breath. 00:27:02.079 --> 00:27:05.119 That word breath is the same word for spirit. 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:17.279 And this second beast gives breath to the image of the beast, much like the spirit in the garden gives breath to the image of God, Adam giving it life. 00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:18.720 Verse 16. 00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:24.079 This second beast marks the people of the beast. 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:30.400 We've seen again and again through Revelation that the Spirit seals the people of Christ. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:37.519 This beast is a counterfeit God, the Spirit, a counterfeit false prophet. 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:43.039 But let's just take a moment to try to understand this, especially this mark of the beast. 00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:48.319 This might be the most talked-about verse in Scripture. 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:50.400 The mark of the beast. 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:53.839 Like, honestly, not even just in Revelation, scripture. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:57.279 You could see all sorts of ways, all sorts of questions that come here. 00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:58.160 So let's think about it. 00:27:58.319 --> 00:28:00.640 Verse 17 tells us what this mark is. 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:03.279 It is the name or number of the beast. 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:05.119 And we're told what that number is. 00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:08.240 666 in the following verse. 00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:15.039 The mark, verse 16, is on all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave. 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:17.440 No distinctions except for one. 00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:23.039 Notice it is not on those who don't worship the beast. 00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:30.559 Verse 8 tells us those are those who are written in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered. 00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:34.079 I think even here is just an important reminder we need. 00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:39.839 The Bible is very clear that there are only two groups of people in this world. 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:46.240 Those who worship the beast and those who worship Christ. 00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:55.440 Those who are marked by the beast, and those who are sealed by the Spirit in Christ. 00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:58.319 There's no middle group. 00:28:58.799 --> 00:29:03.039 Notice the everyone in verse 8 and verse 16. 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:08.960 We either worship Christ or we worship the dragon. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:12.079 Now, this mark of the beast, though, look at what it said. 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:20.000 It's on a person's right hand or forehead, and it enables one to fully participate in the economy of the empire. 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:21.839 Now, that that's the mark. 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:23.359 Let's talk a little bit about it. 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:32.559 I think many people, certainly in recent years, but even throughout church history, have understood this mark to be some type of physical, literal thing. 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:39.680 So there have been some who have seen it as some sort of tattoo, maybe even a barcode that would be on someone's forehead or someone's hand. 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:50.400 In our more technologically advanced days, we think of cashless technology, maybe even an insert of a chip into our arm or head or something like that. 00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:53.920 There were those in 2020 that thought this was the COVID vaccine. 00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:59.119 That might be a little bit out there, but maybe. 00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:07.440 I think there's that's possible that it could be some sort of physical thing, but I don't think that's what the text is getting at. 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:14.240 I actually think that we would be right to understand this as a spiritual, symbolic mark. 00:30:14.880 --> 00:30:30.799 When we talk about the fact that uh the spirit sealed God's people, Christ's people, on their foreheads, or when you look to chapter 14, and we'll do that in a little bit, a few weeks, uh, we'll see that the name of God is on the foreheads of people. 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:32.640 I don't think that is literal. 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:35.200 I don't think uh that is what scripture is saying. 00:30:35.359 --> 00:30:37.839 That is symbolic, it's spiritual. 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:40.400 I think that's how we should read this here. 00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:46.640 See, I think that's actually how we should understand the number 666 as well. 00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:54.000 There have been many people who have used, and the Bible does this some, so it's not out of hand, but they have uh used what is called gematria. 00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:59.519 It's a way to add up a person's name and get a certain numerical value for it. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:05.519 And many have seen this as a numerical value of Nero, Caesar Nero. 00:31:05.839 --> 00:31:09.039 You can figure out a way for that to add up to 666. 00:31:09.279 --> 00:31:18.400 The problem is, is you can do that, and in hundreds and hundreds of names throughout history have been sought to be able to see how they can be 666. 00:31:18.640 --> 00:31:21.440 And normally you can find a way to work that out. 00:31:21.519 --> 00:31:24.079 But I don't think that's what Revelation is getting at. 00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:34.000 I think Revelation is helping us to see that what we have seen throughout Revelation is true, that the number seven is the number of completeness. 00:31:34.160 --> 00:31:37.440 In some ways, it's the number of divine perfection. 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:43.839 Um, and so when we read six, that is a number of incompleteness, a counterfeit. 00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:49.200 And throughout scripture, we see that a threefold repetition is completeness as well. 00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:54.720 So you might think of a passage like holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. 00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:55.599 What's the point? 00:31:55.839 --> 00:31:59.839 That God is completely, utterly holy. 00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:04.240 So what would be the idea with a number like 666? 00:32:05.119 --> 00:32:11.359 That Satan, the dragon, the beast, is completely incomplete. 00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:15.519 Is a complete counterfeit. 00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:20.480 See, I think that's why the mark is pictured on the forehead and the right hand. 00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:24.240 Because the forehead designates one's thinking. 00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:27.920 The right hand designates one's actions. 00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:30.160 See, I think this is so helpful. 00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:48.319 The problem with thinking of a physical sort of mark is that what has happened for many people is they have search online, trying to keep up on the notes because they're or on the news, because they're afraid, terrified, that they might unknowingly or accidentally receive the mark of the beast. 00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:51.839 But that's not what revelation is picturing here. 00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:57.279 No, revelation is picturing to be marked by the beast is to worship the beast. 00:32:57.519 --> 00:33:00.880 To be marked by the beast is to have the character of the beast. 00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:09.519 Joel Beakey says it this way, it's to habitually behave like dragon people, to speak like dragon people, to think like dragon people. 00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:15.440 But how would this cause economic discrimination that we see in verse 17? 00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:19.359 Well, if you asked any of the first hearers of Revelation, they'd immediately tell you. 00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:24.400 I don't think it would be difficult for them at all to tell you uh what this was to look like. 00:33:24.640 --> 00:33:32.799 They who lived in the blasphemous, beastly empire of Rome, they knew what it meant to not worship Caesar. 00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:48.799 What it meant to not say Caesar is Lord, what it meant to not bow down to the empire, to not participate in its cultural sacrifices, its cultural festivities, and they knew that that marked them. 00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:54.400 And that that marked them as being outside, maybe even as a traitor. 00:33:54.720 --> 00:34:04.640 And what that meant as being outside the Roman Empire, so clearly designated, is that it was really difficult to get a job. 00:34:05.200 --> 00:34:08.159 You probably had no hopes of getting promoted. 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:15.920 Not if you truly lived in Christ, you would not maybe even be able to buy or sell. 00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:26.000 You would probably be designated to somewhat of significant poverty and persecution, even death. 00:34:26.800 --> 00:34:31.519 Now, friends, I don't think that's completely unimaginable for us in the U.S. 00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:37.199 I think there are ways in which we can get tastes of this sort of idea. 00:34:37.519 --> 00:34:49.840 Many of us know what it's like to be excluded, to be on the outside looking in, maybe especially in work, not necessarily because we're Christians, but because of our Christian character. 00:34:50.719 --> 00:35:02.559 We refuse maybe to play the game, to bend ethics, to cut corners, to advance by any means necessary to be a part of the inner circle, the crowd. 00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:06.239 And we know the consequences of that. 00:35:06.559 --> 00:35:08.000 I was thinking of an illustration. 00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:09.679 Some of us are probably familiar with this game. 00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:11.760 In my generation, it was called Mafia. 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:13.440 Today it's called Werewolf. 00:35:13.599 --> 00:35:16.880 Some people have a more familiar version called Secret Hitler. 00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:31.920 You can probably tell by the names that it's not speaking of something amazing, but the idea is that you have a group of people, and someone in the group is the werewolf or the mafia, and you have to try to figure out as a group who that is and vote them out. 00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:36.320 And the whole game is based on the idea of bluffing. 00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:40.159 In order to play the game, you have to deceive and lie. 00:35:40.239 --> 00:35:42.320 That's how you play the game. 00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:45.519 And I'm not like hammering the game. 00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:53.440 But I think sometimes what Revelation is picturing here is that this is what life in this world can feel like. 00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:57.280 Certainly in certain empires, for sure. 00:35:57.840 --> 00:36:03.360 It can feel like that in order to play the game, you have to live beastly. 00:36:04.400 --> 00:36:11.039 You have to give yourself over to the ways, the means of the beast. 00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:16.239 If you want to succeed, you have to give in. 00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:25.199 See, I think this is the call, why the call to Christ's people here is not necessarily endurance or faithfulness that we saw in the first vision. 00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:27.760 The call here is wisdom. 00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:31.440 And I don't think it's wisdom to play like a Bible sudoku. 00:36:32.159 --> 00:36:38.719 I think it's wisdom to see the truth in midst of the counterfeit. 00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:44.719