November 8, 2022
Passage Read: Revelation 13-14
Meditation Verses: 13:4-7
Thought
There are so many important things here to describe the beast. He has a deadly wound that's healed, and all the nations marvel at him and follow him. Because of him, they worship the dragon who gave his power to the beast, and the beast is able to make war on anyone and succeed. He blasphemes God and makes great boasts, but he only has power for forty two months or three and a half years. He speaks against God, His temple and those in heaven. And he is given power even over the saints, to war against them and overcome them. And he is given authority over all nations and people. He seems to come to power through war, which impresses people, but it becomes apparent that he appears to have been killed but survived or rose to life again, and this impresses people even more. His hatred of God and God's people doesn't hurt his popularity, but may even help it. Of course, controlling who buys and sells gives him even more influence. But all the world goes after him, though he rules with fear. He is a dictator, a military conqueror, but all the world sides with him. Will the West choose not to oppose him, as in wars gone by? Or will they be cowed by him, conquered by him? Today, many Americans might even welcome such an oppressor, as long as he hates God and let's them have their way.
Application
It seems impossible for such state of affairs to rise today, but it won't be impossible. It will seem almost organic. Somehow all the earth will fear this conqueror who hates God. They will be intimidated, but yet happy to join forces. "Who can stand against him?" So they throw in their lot with him. Only Christians will care that he is the Antichrist. Many will reject him, but many others will abandon Jesus because of him and their desire to preserve what they now have as opposed to what God promises later. Yet the very miracles that surrounds this Antichrist will be just as much evidence for the power and truth of God, but they'll conveniently overlook that. I can't.