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From the Rapture to the Second Coming

Revelation 13: "The Antichrist and False Prophet"

Topical Index

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At the close of Chapter 10 John was told to eat the little book and to prophesy about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings. In Chapter 11 John wrote about the rebuilding of the Temple, the two witnesses, and the impact they will have on the world. In Chapter 12 he wrote about Satan being cast out of heaven, and how it will affect Israel and the other believers in the world. Now in Chapter 13 John will tell us about the two powerhouses of the Tribulation Period, the Antichrist (the political powerhouse) and the False Prophet (the religious powerhouse). These two end-time dictators will merge church and state. The results will be disastrous.

The Beast From The Sea

Revelation 13:1 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.

The dragon (Revelation 12:9), Satan, will stand on the shore of the masses of humanity in the last days. The beast, the Antichrist (1 John 2:18), will rise up out of this sea of wickedness (Revelation 17:15; Isaiah 57:20) that will reign when the Church is gone. The ten horns are ten rulers (Revelation 17:12) who will reign with the Antichrist during the Tribulation Period. The seven heads have a double meaning

1. they are seven world governments (Daniel 7:24; Revelation 17:10)
2. they are seven hills (Revelation 17:9, 10) where the world religion will be located for a short time during the Tribulation Period. The ten crowns are the ten divisions of the last world government. It will be divided into ten divisions with each division having its own ruler and set of false religions.

According to the Bible, mankind will go through seven heads (Revelation 12:3; 17:3), the heads of seven world kingdoms or seven world governments. Each of the seven heads will have a blasphemous name, because all seven world governments and their corresponding false religions will be noted for their wickedness. The seventh head (seventh world government) will be run by the Antichrist. His world government will be subdivided into ten crowns (ten major divisions) with each division having its own wicked ruler.

Seven Heads/Hills Ten Horns/Crowns (Seven World Governments) (Ten Divisions/Rulers)

1 Assyrian     2 Egyptian     3 Babylonian     4 Medo-Persian     5 Greek     6 Roman     7 Revised Roman Empire (Run by the Antichrist) 1 ____________________________     2 ____________________________     3 ____________________________     4 ____________________________     5 ____________________________     6 ____________________________     7 ____________________________     8 ____________________________     9 ____________________________     10 ____________________________

Key Symbols:

• Beast From the Sea
• Antichrist
• sea
• wicked people
• seven heads/hills
• seven governments
• seven religions
• ten horns
• ten rulers
• ten crowns
• ten divisions of seventh world government

What Others are Saying:

Jack Van Impe: In man's search for international leadership, there has always been the drive to find the one who is destined to hold it all together. Are people today really ready to accept a "devil" as the new CEO of world affairs? ^13-1
Grant R. Jeffrey: The Ten Regions (Divisions) of the New World Government

Region 1: Canada and the United States of America Region 2: European Union—Western Europe Region 3: Japan Region 4: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Pacific Islands Region 5: Eastern Europe Region 6: Latin America—Mexico and Central and South America Region 7: North Africa and Middle East (Moslems) Region 8: Central Africa Region 9: South and Southeast Asia Region 10: Central Asia 13-2

Ed Hindson: Most Bible commentators understand the beast of the sea to be the Antichrist. Whether he is a specific person, a political system, or both is a matter of debate. Since he is associated with the same symbol given to Rome (seven heads and ten horns), it is assumed that he represents the revived Roman Empire of the last days. Some people speculate this could be in the process of being formed even now in the European Economic Community (EEC). ^13-3

Warning!

• The prophet Daniel teaches that the Antichrist will come up among the ten horns and uproot three of them (Daniel 7:7, 8, 23–25). There is some debate as to whether the Antichrist is one of the ten or whether he is an eleventh person who arises while the ten are in power. I personally do not think he is one of the ten. I think he rises while they are in power. He takes over the power of one, then a second, a third, and finally the remaining seven give him their power. He is then the head of the world government which started with ten divisions and was whittled down to seven. I wish I could say what happens to America, but I would only be speculating. All that can be said is that Europe is going to replace America as the dominant power in the world.

Three Groups

Revelation 13:2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

The word "beast" can represent either the Antichrist or his world government. In this verse, it represents his world government. This government will begin as a mixture of three groups of nations.

The Antichrist will have complete control of these groups at the beginning of his reign. He and the group known as the leopard will act as one body on all critical issues (Israel, Jesus, believers, etc.). He and the bear group will stand for the same things while the lion group will parrot the Antichrist. The Antichrist's final world government will begin as a composite world government. At the start, three groups of nations will give the Antichrist his strongest support, but eventually his control will encompass the whole world.

In my opinion the interpretation of this beast is as follows:

• Resembled a leopard refers to a future Arab coalition. The Antichrist and a group of Arab nations will act as one body. Leopards are native to Africa, and have been used at various times as a symbol of African nationality.
• Feet like those of a bear refers to Russia and her allies. The Antichrist will be supported by what is left of the Russian Empire (the Russian Bear) following the first Russian invasion of Israel (Ezekiel 38, 39).
• A mouth like a lion refers to England and those nations established out of England. The symbol of England is the lion. The Antichrist, England, and those nations coming out of England will speak with the same voice. They will parrot or mimic each other.
• His power, office, and authority will come from Satan. Jesus was the incarnation of God in the world. The Antichrist will be the incarnation of Satan (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10). Whoever he is and whatever he does comes from the pits of hell.

Key Point

• The Antichrist will be the incarnation of Satan.

Key Symbols:

• Beast
• Antichrist
• resembled a leopard
• feet like those of a bear
• mouth like that of a lion

What Others are Saying:

Charles H. Dyer: The Bible paints a complex portrait of this individual who will take the world by storm and lead the final rebellion against God. ^13-4
William S. McBirnie: Is Satan cruel? The Antichrist will be cruel. Is Satan a liar? The Antichrist will be a liar. Is Satan treacherous, blood thirsty, contemptuous, unreliable? The Antichrist will be all that. That's why I'm urging you to go in the Rapture. Don't be on this earth after we Christians leave. ^13-5

Related Current Events

• Speaking at Mikhail Gorbachev's "The State of the World Forum" in San Francisco recently, Zbigniew Brzenzinski (a Harvard professor) noted, "We cannot leap into world government in one quick step… In brief, the precondition for eventual globalization, genuine globalization, is progressive regionalization, because thereby we move toward larger, more stable, more cooperative units." 13-6
• The Bilderberg (a secretive group of rich and powerful Globalists who influence decisions affecting the whole world) interest in war is to establish a world army to serve under a United Nations world government. 13-7
• Our (United States) reduced armed forces are being trained to merge into a United Nations army to help enforce a world government (that is not for the protection of our nation). 13-8
• Nobel Prize-winning economist Jan Tinbergen, says, "Mankind's problems can no longer be solved by national governments. What is needed is world government." 13-9

Up From The Dead

Revelation 13:3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.

Remember that the heads represent seven world governments. Also understand that the Bible speaks of the Antichrist and his world government interchangeably. The Antichrist will be given so much power that he will be the world government and the world government will be the Antichrist.

This verse tells us that one of the seven heads will seem to have a fatal wound. Other verses of Scripture tell us which head it is and how it will be wounded. The wounded head (Revelation 13:12) will be the Antichrist. He will appear to be fatally wounded with a sword (Revelation 13:14). But something amazing will happen. His seemingly fatal wound will be healed. It will appear that he has been killed with a sword and miraculously raised from the dead. Obviously, this is another attempt to copy Jesus and make the world believe the Antichrist can do anything Christ can do.

What Others are Saying:

Hal Lindsey: John says that he saw one of the Beast's heads as if it had been killed. When this apparently mortal head wound is somehow miraculously healed by Satan, the whole world will follow after the Beast in amazement. ^13-10
J. Vernon McGee: There are many who have taken the position that the Beast is actually raised from the dead by Satan. This cannot be because Satan does not have the power to raise the dead; that power has not been given to him. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who can raise the dead…I believe the Beast is a man who will exhibit a counterfeit and imitation resurrection. This will be the great delusion, the big lie of the Great Tribulation Period. We are told that God will give them over to believe the big lie (2 Thessalonians 2:11) and this is part of the big lie. ^13-11
John Hagee: Lulled into a sense of complacency by both his arrogance and the ease of his victories, the Antichrist's security breaks down. An assassin will exploit the opportunity and strike a lethal blow to the head of the Antichrist, a wound so grievous that those attending to him might as well take him directly to the coroner, bypassing the hospital and the EMT's altogether, the Antichrist is dead. I believe that upon death he will descend directly into Hades or Sheol, the hellish holding tank where those who have rejected the Messiah wait for their ultimate and irreversible consignment to the eternal lake of fire. ^13-12

How Can They Be So Blind

Revelation 13:4 Men worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"

This will be a pivotal moment for Satan and his Antichrist. Every unbeliever in the world will be amazed. They will believe they have a new superhero. They will be encouraged to exalt him even higher, to follow him even more. At this point, they will be willing to go to war with him, to walk through fire with him, to do whatever he bids.

Satan has always wanted to be worshipped (Isaiah 14:13, 14). His pride has been the root of all his problems and what caused removal from heaven in the beginning. This resurrection of the Antichrist will boost Satan's stock and make Satanic worship the worldwide rage. It will dominate the one-world religion. Such blasphemy is hard to imagine, but the occult will be in charge of this blind and corrupt world.

The Antichrist will also desire to be worshipped. Satan will have no problem with that since the Antichrist will receive his power from Satan. Those who worship the Antichrist will actually be worshipping Satan.

This adoration will lead to question, "Who is like the Antichrist?" and "Who can defeat him?" They will recall his meteoric rise to power, his great victories in other wars, his overwhelming personality, and of course, his miraculous healing. They will believe this man is invincible. Even the rulers of the other divisions of the world will be impressed and will turn their authority over to him (Revelation 17:13).

Warning!

• Jesus said, if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Matthew 15:14).

Half Way There

Revelation 13:5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.

The search for a charismatic world leader will be over. This man will know it all, and his heart will be filled with pride. He will boast of his great achievements, power, and world government. He will make long spell-binding speeches filled with passion and the vilest of blasphemies (Daniel 7:8, 11, 20, 25).

The Tribulation Period will last seven years being divided into two, three and a half year periods. When this miraculous healing occurs, the end of the Tribulation Period will be exactly forty-two months away. It will take place about the time the Antichrist sits in the Temple and declares that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

What Others are Saying:

Jack Van Impe: Revelation 13:5–7 makes it even clearer that war with the saints will be rampant, and that power will be given to those who oppose the Church. ^13-13

Something to Ponder

• Notice the words "gave" and "given" in Chapter 13. Everything the Antichrist does is given to him.

  verse 2: gave… his power… his throne verse 4: given authority verse 5: given a mouth verse 14: given power verse 15: given power

Watch Out If You're For God

Revelation 13:6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.

Four kinds of blasphemy that will come from the Antichrist:

1. He will blaspheme God.
2. He will slander the name of God.
3. He will slander the dwelling place of God (the Church).
4. He will slander those who live in heaven.
• He will be anti-God, anti-Church, anti-Semitic, anti-anything that has to do with God the Father.
• The mere mention of things like Jesus, the cross, and redemption will send him into a rage.

Related Current Events

• According to (Ishmael) Amat, who speaks for (China's) State Security Bureau, missionaries in China will be "criminalized," meaning that any proselytizing, or approaching any Chinese citizen with a religious message outlawed by the state, will result in criminal punishment. Criminal punishment in China means imprisonment or execution. ^13-14
• In September (1996), the Senate and the House of Representatives adopted resolutions urging the Clinton administration to deal with the issue of global religious persecution, particularly against Christians. But the Clinton administration decided in favor of a broad-based committee approach. ^13-15

Bow Down or Die

Revelation 13:7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.

The Tribulation Saints will face the most intense persecution the world has ever known. In the short-term, their future will be bleak, but in the long-term, their future will be bright.

Satan will give the Antichrist power to conquer all who turn to God. He will go forth with a vengeance to wipe out all Christians. Multitudes will be slaughtered in his effort to establish a one-world Satanic religion. No place on earth will be safe. The Antichrist will extend his domain to include every tribe, people, and nation on earth. Everyone must submit to him or be killed.

What Others are Saying:

David Jeremiah with C. C. Carlson: When we talk about the judgment of God upon our sinful, unbelieving world, we may not be popular, but lives will be saved for eternity… As I write this, I long for everyone to give their hearts to Christ now, when it is comparatively easy to be a Christian. ^13-16
Hal Lindsey: That's why it is so important for everyone who hears these messages now to put their faith in Jesus Christ and accept the gift of forgiveness that he died to make free to us, to invite him into our lives, to accept the gift of pardon, and simply to express to him that you're willing for him to change your life. ^13-17
Ed Hindson: All resistance to the world system will be crushed by a massive worldwide persecution. Men, women, and children will be slaughtered in the name of the World State. ^13-18

Remember This…

• A parallel of the Antichrist can be found in the Book of Daniel 3:1–30:
• As the head of a world kingdom, King Nebuchadnezzar was like the Antichrist in at least two ways:
• he was given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation, and
• he built a great image and ordered people to worship it. People from all over the world obeyed the command except for three Jews — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Nebuchadnezzar was furious and ordered them thrown into a fiery furnace unless they changed their mind. They did not know whether or not God would deliver them and they preferred death over worshipping the image so they refused again. The angry king had them cast into the blazing furnace, but God protected them and they came out unharmed.

One Willing To Die For The Godly,

The Other Willing To Kill The Godly

Revelation 13:8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

It is difficult to imagine a world filled with Satan worshipers, but that is the way it will be. The only ones who will not worship the Antichrist will be those whose names have been written in the Book of Life. This is one of the few bright spots in this chapter. There are some who cannot be separated from the love of Jesus (Romans 8:35-39). Satan can rage, but God is still in control.

The Book of Life belongs to the Lamb that was slain. He is omniscient (all-knowing). He knows who will worship the Antichrist and who will not. He has already entered the names of those who will not fall in his book. Before the world was created, he planned to die for them. What a difference between the Christ and the Antichrist, one willing to die for the godly, the other willing to kill the godly.

What Others are Saying:

Ed Hindson: Secularism is giving way to New Age mysticism as the do-it-yourself religion of our times. The end result will be the watering down of religious beliefs so that they are more palatable to the general public. ^13-19
Tim LaHaye: A man's name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life because he chooses to ask God to place it there. Jesus Christ offers men eternal life if they will receive him, if they will invite him into their life. ^13-20

Open Your Ears and HEAR!

Revelation 13:9 He who has an ear, let him hear.

Everyone has ears and everyone should listen (Romans 10:17) to the things from our all-knowing God. No one has to go through the Tribulation Period. God loves everyone. He is warning everyone. Will anyone commit his/her life to Jesus before it is too late to leave in the Rapture?

Something to Ponder

• This phrase about hearing has been mentioned earlier in Chapter 2 and 3. However, those times it was followed by the phrase "let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches". The omission of that phrase here proves that the Rapture of the Church occurs before the Tribulation Period.

Believe, Trust, and Look

Revelation 13:10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

In my opinion, there is a double meaning here. If a Tribulation Saint kills someone, even in self-defense, he will be killed in a similar manner. If an unbeliever kills a Tribulation Saint, he will be killed in a similar manner. Sin will have its own reward. This is the way it was in Old Testament days. It is commonly called an eye for an eye (Leviticus 24:17-22 kjv) and a tooth for a tooth. The New Testament says it like this, a man reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7). If you sow corn, you get corn, and if you sow wheat you get wheat. During the Tribulation Period, if you kill, you will be killed.

This will require patience and faith. It will be the only way to stand up under the terrible persecution of the Tribulation Period. Believe (1 Peter 1:21) in God, Trust (John 14:1) in Jesus, and Look (2 Corinthians 4:18 kjv) to the time when you will live again. Leave revenge to the Almighty.

Key Point

• Believe in God, trust in Jesus, and look to the resurrection of the dead.

Something to Ponder

• The world seems to be going in a circle. In the Old Testament a person who killed someone was put to death. That worked quite well in Israel for several hundred years. It taught people to value human life, and there were few murders. America was founded on tough Bible-based laws and there were relatively few violent crimes, but things have changed in this century. Now murderers usually serve less than seven years with the average sentence being about 20 months. This leniency will not last, though, because God is going to do what society will not, kill those who kill others.

The Beast From The Earth

Revelation 13:11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.

John saw a second beast (the False Prophet). The first beast will come out of the sea, but this beast will come from the earth. The sea is a symbol (Revelation 17:15; Isaiah 57:20) of the masses of humanity while the earth is a symbol (Psalm 25:13) of the land of Israel.

It is important to remember that the focus of the world will be mainly upon two places during the Tribulation. One pivotal location point will be the revived Roman Empire (see Revelation 6, 17, and 18) with its one-world government. The other will be the land of Israel with its Jewish religion, Temple, 144,000 sealed Jews, and two witnesses.

The first beast will have ten horns. The second will have two. Lambs do not have horns, so except for his two horns, the second beast will look like a lamb. This suggests that he will try to imitate the Lamb of God (John 1:29), but he will be a wolf-in-sheep's clothing.

The first beast will get his power from the dragon. The second will speak like a dragon. He will do a lot of talking about loving, accepting, diversity, gender equality, etc. He will condemn racism, sexism, poverty, and all forms of discrimination. Underneath, though, he will be a slithering monster.

Key Symbols:

• Beast
• False Prophet
• from the earth
• land of Israel
• two horns like a lamb
• wolf-in-sheep's clothing
• spoke like a dragon
• deceit

What Others are Saying:

Hal Lindsey: While the first beast emerged from the sea (the unrest of troubled nations), the second beast emerges from the land. (Earth in verse 11 could just as well be translated "land.") When the Bible uses the word "land" symbolically, it usually refers to the land that belongs to Israel. So the second beast will come from the region of the Middle East, and I believe he will be a Jew. ^13-21
Dave Weber: The leading candidate to succeed Pope John Paul II is Jean Marie Lustiger. This crusading cardinal is a personal friend of the pope. He is an interesting figure in the intrigue of France's religion and politics. Lustiger was born to a Jewish mother, who died in the Auschwitz death camp. After his conversion to Roman Catholicism, he rose swiftly through the ranks as an outspoken leader against racial inequality. ^13-22

Something to Ponder

• One of the big words today is rights: civil rights, human rights, children's rights, gay rights, etc. Our modern society is overdosing on inclusiveness. We are told to accept same-sex marriages for our adults and homosexuals as our pastors. Almost anything goes, except Christianity. When Christians say this inclusiveness is wrong, according to the Bible, they are told that is unacceptable. Many times it is also considered unacceptable when Christians want to read their Bibles in school, pray in school, set up religious displays in the city park, or even post the Ten Commandments in the courtroom.

Words Sweeter Than Honey

Revelation 13:12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.

The second beast, the False Prophet, will hold as much authority as the first beast, the Antichrist. He will be the third member of the Satanic trinity, but he will not use his great authority to exalt himself. He will use it to exalt the Antichrist.

His deeds will betray his sweet-sounding words. Instead of loving and accepting everyone, he will try to change everyone's beliefs. He will attempt to merge religion and politics by promoting a world religion and world government. He will order everyone to worship the Antichrist and will not hesitate to use force.

Whose fatal wound had been healed refers back to Revelation 13:3. It reveals that the False Prophet will claim to be a healer and miracle worker. He will be what Jesus said, For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect… (Matthew 24:24).

What Others are Saying:

Grant R. Jeffrey: It is an open secret in Italy and Europe that many of the present priests, cardinals, and bishops are no longer true believers in the inspiration of the Scriptures and the historical credibility of the gospel of Christ. Just like the growing apostasy in the Protestant denominations many of these modern Catholic leaders have rejected the fundamentals of the New Testament faith such as the virgin birth and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Pope John Paul II fears that, following his death, the conclave of cardinals who will choose the next pope will elect someone who will not uphold historic Christianity. ^13-23
Jack Van Impe: We see a serious movement toward a one-world religion system, with Pope John Paul II himself fearing the rise of the Antichrist and an "anti-pope" in the near future. ^13-24

The Image of The Beast - How Vain Can We Get

Revelation 13:13, 14 And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

In the Old Testament Book of Genesis, God had Moses cast his rod down before Pharaoh and it turned into a serpent (Exodus 7:11, 12). Then Pharaoh's magicians did the same thing with their rods. And in the Book of Job, Satan sent fire (Job 1:12, 16) from heaven to destroy Job's sheep, and the people thought it was the work of God. Satan can perform what appears to be miraculous signs and wonders. The Apostle Paul tells us, The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10).

One of the most impressive signs the False Prophet will perform is that of causing fire to fall from heaven before a great multitude. This in itself will not prove he is from God, but yet many will believe he is. He will order his followers to honor the Antichrist by setting up an image or a statue of the first beast. They will gladly do what he commands. When they do, emphasis will be placed on the Antichrist's wound and what appears to be a miraculous healing and resurrection.

The image of the first beast, the Antichrist, will be built in the Temple at the mid-point of the Tribulation Period (see Time Line #2). Jesus said, So when you see standing in the holy place "the abomination that causes desolation (Daniel 12:11)," spoken of through the prophet Daniel, let the reader understand, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:15, 16). Jesus was undoubtedly referring to the Holy Place in the Temple that will be rebuilt before the mid-point of the Tribulation Period arrives.

It Speaks

Revelation 13:15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.

The False Prophet will be given the power to impart breath to the image of the Antichrist. When he does, the image will appear to come to life. This will be a reminder that the Antichrist was once dead but is alive again. How the False Prophet will accomplish this is a matter of speculation, but there is no doubt that it will be an incredible event; one that will catch the world's attention.

After the image begins breathing, it will also speak. Whether that will be an act of ventriloquism, demonic possession, computers, or something else is left unsaid, but nevertheless, we know that it will be a convincing performance.

The image will proclaim that all who refuse to worship it will die. Jesus warned of this kind of persecution when he said, Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me (Matthew 24:9). Paul warned us about it too when he said, But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1).

The False Prophet sure doesn't sound like the lamb he first appeared as. He now sounds more like a satanically-inspired roaring lion. That's why he's called the False Prophet. He is a religious pretender who will not hesitate to break God's laws. The False Prophet will be responsible for the unwarranted death of multitudes of Christians even though God said, You shall not murder (Exodus 20:13). God also said, You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them (Exodus 20:3–5). Instead of putting the Bible into practice, the False Prophet will make every attempt possible to set it aside.

Key Symbols:

• Image of the Beast
• Antichrist
built by the followers of the False Prophet
• bow down in worship or die

What Others are Saying:

Tim LaHaye: As we approach the end of the age and these signs in their initial stages begin to come to pass, we should not let miraculous power deceive us, but judge everything according to the Word of God. ^13-25
John Hagee: Satan knows the prophecy that one day every knee will bow before Jesus Christ, but so great is his hatred toward God that he's determined to lash out at God by keeping as many from salvation as possible. ^13-25

The Mark of The Beast

Revelation 13:16, 17 He also forced 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 could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

In addition to building the Image of the Beast, the False Prophet will also mandate that everyone be given a mark known as the Mark of the Beast.

People will be allowed to select one of two different places for the mark: their right hand or their forehead. When Cain slew Abel, God put a mark on Cain (Genesis 4:15) to protect him. Since the days of Moses, pious Jews have worn small leather pouches called phylacteries on their left hand (Deuteronomy 6:6-8) and on straps tied around their forehead. The phylacteries (see Illustration) contain small pieces of parchment with important passages of Scripture written on them. When they wear them, they are symbolically placing the Word of God on their hand (with their arm bent it is over their heart) and on their forehead (in front of their mind).

In Revelation 7:2–4, we read about an angel of God that will mark 144,000 Jews on their foreheads. In Chapter 14, we will see that they have the names of Jesus and the Father on their foreheads (Revelation 14:1). Just as Christians are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), so will the False Prophet seal his servants.

No one will be exempt. Laws will be enacted to identify and punish those who do not support the world government. To have food and medicine will be a privilege. Those who co-operate will receive these privileges. Those who refuse will be denied.

Taking the Mark will be like buying a license to transact business. Merchants will need it to sell their goods. Those who want to visit a doctor or specialist will need it to get treatment. Control over the necessities of life amounts to control over people. With these in his grasp, the False Prophet will force people to worship the Image of the Beast. In this way, he will merge church and state.

Many prophecy experts see the ultimate result of the Mark of the Beast as a "cashless society." Today the governments of the world want to eliminate coins and paper money so all transactions can be tracked electronically. In this way computers will have the ability to track all buying and selling.

• Phylacteries: These were strapped to the foreheads and left arm for morning prayer. These small leather boxes contained folded slips of parchment with four passages from the Bible, including the Ten Commandments.

Key Symbols:

• Mark Of the Beast
• Antichrist
• Instituted by the False Prophet
• on the forehead or hand
• needed to buy and sell

What Others are Saying:

John Hagee: The Antichrist's economy will be a cashless society in which every financial transaction can be electronically monitored… My bank today offers a debit card; even today I don't need money to go to the grocery store. Everything is scanned these days, from library cards to thumb prints, and it doesn't require a great leap of imagination to see how this cashless, computerized system of buying and selling will be placed into operation. A day is coming when you will not even be able to buy Rolaids without the proper approval, without having a mark upon your hand or forehead scanned. ^13-27
Jack Van Impe: Could information embedded in tiny biochips be the personal end-time ID code we are warned of in the Bible? Scripture tells us that in the future, a one-world system of government will require every person to receive a "mark" in his or her right hand or in their foreheads. Without this "Mark of the Beast," no one will be permitted to buy or sell. In years past, few could envision such a system in operation. The technology simply did not exist. But today, with what amounts to virtually daily breakthroughs in biometric technology, these advances now make such a system not only viable, but plausible. ^13-28
Jack Van Impe: Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported a record trading day for the NASDAQ stock exchange on May 6, 1996 as stock for a high-tech company, whose main asset is new biometric ID technology, soared overnight. The Journal said, "Comparator says the burst in trading volume is due to pent-up demand from plugged-in investors who knew that the release of the company's new line of 'biometric identity verification systems' was imminent." The above secular sources confirm that the means now exist to usher in the infamous "Mark of the Beast" in which no human will be able to buy or sell without a "mark" or traceable implant. ^13-29
Hal Lindsey: The False Prophet will perfect a way to expose everyone who believes in Jesus Christ. All Beast-worshipers will be compelled to receive a distinguishing mark (perhaps a tattoo visible only under ultraviolet light) on their right hand or their forehead. Everyone who refuses the Mark will be cut off from economic survival. ^13-30
Tim LaHaye: Physically speaking, it will be necessary for men to have the Mark of the Beast. Spiritually speaking, it will be fatal. For we have repeatedly seen that those who are redeemed by the Lamb, those who have the seal of God, do not have the Mark of the Beast. But those who receive the Antichrist's mark will have made the final decisions for eternity to reject Christ and worship his archenemy. ^13-31
Ed Hindson: Clearly this prophecy speaks of the religious, political, and economic control of the world at the end of the age by a combination of political and religious powers. ^13-32

Remember This…

• Reasons for the Mark
• To counterfeit the mark God will give to the 144,000 Jews.
• To extend favors to those who support the world government.
• To identify and eliminate opposition to the world government.
• To track and control commerce.
• To force people to stop worshipping God
• To force people to worship the Antichrist.
• To permanently tie people to the kingdom of the Antichrist.

Warning!

• Do not put marks on your body (Leviticus 19:28).
• Those who take the mark will face the wrath of God (Revelation 14:9, 10).

666, Not That Number Again

Revelation 13:18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.

The first thing we need to note is that this verse calls for wisdom. Many are so caught up trying to figure out who the Antichrist is, that they lose all sight of using any wisdom. The Antichrist could not exist until after Israel became a nation because he will sign a covenant with them (Daniel 9:27), so obviously those who believed he was Hitler or Mussolini overlooked this important detail. In my opinion, the Antichrist will rise to power in Europe because Daniel told of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans and the Antichrist will come out of those people (Daniel 9:26). This is why he cannot be an American. Those who identified the American Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, overlooked this. The Antichrist will not be revealed until after the Rapture (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8). Those who think they can identify him now are overlooking this. People eventually will be able to identify him in the future, but wisdom will be needed. All pieces of the puzzle will have to fall together.

This verse tells us that those with insight who will want to identify the Antichrist after the Rapture can calculate his number. It is the number of a man, and it equals 666. Two things are important here: how to calculate the number, and why it is 666.

To calculate the number one needs to know that things have changed since John wrote Revelation. The modern world has two sets of symbols, the alphabet and numbers. We use two systems. A letter is a letter, and a number is a number. But the ancient world did not do this; they used a single set of symbols to represent both letters and numbers. Such a system is called an "alphanumeric system." Every number is a letter, and every letter is a number.

In an alphanumeric system, every word has a numeric value, every sentence has a numeric value, every paragraph has a numeric value, etc. The same is true of every name. Every name has a numeric value. For example, let A = 100, B = 101, C = 102, etc. Now calculate the number for the name "Hitler." Here is another example, 6 is the number of man so let A = 1 x 6 or 6, B = 2 x 6 or 12, C = 3 x 6 or 18, etc. Now calculate the number for the name "Kissinger." This is how to calculate the number of the name of Antichrist. It will be 666 in somebody's alphanumeric system (Hebrew, Greek, computer, etc.). Many scientists are now studying the mathematical structure of the Bible with computers. All of them are finding remarkable mathematical patterns. It is quite possible that someday someone will unlock this mystery with a computer by the time the Antichrist arrives.

Concerning why the Antichrist's name will equal 666 is another matter of speculation. The most common answer centers around the fact that 6 is the number of man, 7 is the number of God, and 8 is the number of Jesus; man was created on the sixth day (Genesis 1:27-31), the Creator rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2), and the Redeemer of creation rose on the eight day (Mark 16:9). These numbers in their triplicate are 666, 777, and 888.

What Others are Saying:

John Hagee: This information about how to identify the Antichrist is of no practical value to the Church since we will be watching from the balconies of heaven by the time he is revealed.
This cryptic puzzle is not intended to point a finger at some unknown person. It is, however, intended to confirm to the world someone already suspected as being the Antichrist. And in the idolatry of the end time, "the number of a man" is fully developed and the result is 666. ^13-33

Study Questions

• Will people be saved during the Tribulation Period?
• What part will miracles play in this?
• What two spiritual things will the saints need to endure the Tribulation Period? Why?
• Is the Mark your social security number, credit card number, or driver's license number?

Go to Answers

Chapter Wrap-up

• The dragon will give his power and authority to the Antichrist, so the world will be deceived and worship the dragon. (Revelation 13:1–4)
• The Antichrist will receive what appears to be a fatal wound that will be healed. The world will marvel at this "miracle" and follow him. (Revelation 13:3, 4)
• The False Prophet will perform miracles to deceive the earth's inhabitants into worshipping the Antichrist. (Revelation 13:11–13)
• The False Prophet will have the people erect an image of the Antichrist and worship it. Anyone who doesn't will be killed. (Revelation 13:14, 15)
• Everyone who wishes to buy or sell will be forced to take the Mark of the Beast. This mark is a man's number, 666. (Revelation 13:16–18)

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