The Beast and the False Prophet

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The Beast and the FalseProphet

• Revelation 13

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Elements of the Story

• We see the instrumentality of Satan
• The dragon watches the beast emerge slowly from
  the sea
• The sea is the realm of evil in Revelation
  (211)

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Elements of the Story

• He has ten horns, seven heads, and ten crowns on
  his horns
• His heads are covered with blasphemous names - He
  will seek to take on the role of God
• He is given the authority and power of the dragon
  (v.2)

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Elements of the Story

• He suffers a fatal wound and is restored
• 179-11 - the beast is the last and final king -
  a leader, a tyrant who will emerge in the last
  days
• His power and influence will be worldwide (137-8)

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Elements of the Story

• He is the same as the man of sin
  (2 Thess. 2)
• He represents civil power, satanically inspired
  (George Ladd)
• He will persecute the people of God as they have
  never been persecuted before (Mt.
  2411-12, 15-22, 24)

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Elements of the Story

• Another beast arises from the land (vv.11)
• He has two hornslike a lambso he parodies the
  Lamb of God
• He performs miraculous signs and leads the world
  to submit to and worship the beast

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Elements of the Story

• He is the false prophet (1613 1920)
• This is religion used to support a wicked state
• This is religious power, satanically inspired
• He has power to regulate the economy of the earth

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Elements of the Story

• What is the mark?
• Gematria A1 B2 C3, etc.
• We dont know to whom this is pointing
• Could well involve some physical mark

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Our Salvation is Glorious

• Evil is ultimately limited (135 7, 15)
• On our worst day our lives are better than the
  inhabitants of the world, even when we are being
  led to slaughter
• We should then be able to have grace and mercy
  toward the broken and ultimately doomed people we
  meet

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We Should Be Wise Citizens

• We Baptists are among those who have been for
  separation of power
• We do not ever want the state being used to
  advance religion
• We also do not want the state to be able to
  silence the religious voice from the public square

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We Should Be Wise Citizens

• We should always be wary of unqualified support
  of civil power and military power
• We are not to wrap God and country together in
  some uncritical way
• We should be uncomfortable with uncritical
  nationalism

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When We Suffer, We Do So with Grace and Dignity

• We are to remain true to our testimony and
  witness unto death
• The ideal is that we humbly die (139-10)
• Our cry is Father forgive them
  (1 Pet. 314-17) persecution.com

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We Must DevelopDiscernment

• The beast and false prophet will deceive the
  world (1314)
• Even now that spirit is in the world
  (1 John 218 ff)
• Are you being a line of defense for your family?