Yesterday we saw that the monster
from the sea working with the dragon. It was established that John was referring
to Rome and its imperial cult. Emperor worship was propagated and Christians stood
their ground and refused to participate in it. In these verses today we shall see
the beast from the earth. Who is this beast? How is he described? What will he
do to the people of God?
We are told that the
second beast has two horns like a lamb. And when he spoke he bellowed like the
dragon. Besides, he sets out to deceive the population of the earth by his
miraculous signs. He sets up an image to honor the first beast and he had the power
to bring life to that image so that it could speak. In order to buy or sell,
everyone was required to receive a mark. Everyone who did not honor the first
beast was put to death. His name, translated into numbers, is 666. We have
established yesterday that the first beast from the sea was Rome and her
insistence that the Emperor must be worshiped. The second beast must be the
state priesthood. They assisted Rome to spread the Emperor worship. Today Satan
had means of control over society and will demand ultimate allegiance and
deceitfully use every method to gain worship from the inhabitants of the earth.
In the previous chapter, we are introduced to the great dragon. He was
the primary adversary of God. Then in chapter 13 we see two great forces, the
two beasts, that Satan used to
accomplish his wicked plans. Here we see the moment building up to the final
encounter. It is critical for us to recognize what the struggle entails. Yes, we
know that the Lamb had accomplished the victory when He died on the cross. But
the ultimate and full public victory still awaits its final moment. We believers
are ever in a battle. We need to hold the whole conflict in tension. Although the
decisive battle is won, the war is not over. Our victory is secured but we
still wait for the defeated foe to be totally removed from the battle ground. Soon
and very soon our Messiah will return, and once and for all, His eternal and
sovereign reign will be established!
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