2/6/18 – Eph 6:11 

The Angelic Conflict, Pt. 14, 

The Enemy, Pt. 11, 

The Antichrist, Pt. 2. 

Lesson # 18 - 015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqK5Kc0Dz9I

Grace Fellowship Church

Pastor/Teacher, Jim Rickard

www.GraceDoctrine.org

Stand in Warfare – Eph 6:10-20.

Outline of Eph 6 :10-24

1. The Empowerment, vs. 10.

2. The Enemy, vs. 11-12. 

3. The Equipment, vs. 13-17. 

4. The Energy, vs. 18-20. 

5. The Encouragement, vs. 21-24.

Eph 6:11-12; Rev 13:1-10; 19:20; Dan 7

2. The Enemy, vs. 11-12.

Eph 6:11, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”

The Beast and The False Prophet, Rev 13.

First we will note the career of the Antichrist as depicted in Rev 13:1-8. It includes:

1. The emergence of the beast out of the sea, Rev 13:1-2.

2. The deadly wound of the beast, Rev 13:3.

3. The worship of Satan by all the world, Rev 13:4.

4. The blasphemous character of the beast as world ruler, Rev 13:5-6.

5. The universal dominion of the beast, Rev 13:7.

6. The universal worship of the beast, Rev 13:8.

1. The emergence of the beast out of the sea, Rev 13:1-2.

Rev 13:1-2, “And he stood on the sand of the seashore. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. ²And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.”

This is the revelation of the Beast during the 7 year Tribulation. It is the counterfeit evil character who exercises satanic power as the world dictator during that time, especially the last 3 ½ years. It is the beast who represents the Antichrist and his government with a world religion, the world government described in Dan 7 in its final form.

Some texts include vs. 1 with Chapter 12. In addition, some translate “he stood,” referring to Satan, while others translate it “I stood,” referring to John in his vision based on variants of the ancient texts either not having or having a final N – nun, respectfully, on the word ESTATHE(N) from HISTEMI, that means, “to stand, stand firm, etc.” The difference is not of great consequence, but it is more likely that the N was dropped and it reads ESTATHE, “He stood,” referring to the Dragon awaiting the advent of the Antichrist.

John then sees the beast coming up out of the sea having ten horns and seven heads, with a crown, (a symbol of governmental authority), upon each horn. On the seven heads are written names of blasphemy, probably those professing to be God or Jesus Christ indicating their blasphemous opposition to God and Christ, or claiming deity or divinity.

This beast is similar to Daniel’s fourth beast in Dan 7:7-8, a reference to the Roman Empire. Thus, John’s vision is the revival of the Roman Empire, Rev 12:3; 17:3, 7. The stage of the empire depicted by the beast is the period after the emergence of the little horn, the future world ruler, displacing three of the horns, Dan 7:8. The beast “rising out of the sea” means he comes from the great mass of humanity, namely the Gentile powers of the world, and possibly of Mediterranean descent. It also counterfeits Jesus’ baptism coming out of the water in the river Jordan, and receiving the visible manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The latter is to be counterfeited by the false prophet, in vs. 11f.

The seven heads seem to be successive rulers when compared to Rev 17:10-12. Combined, the heads refer to successive kings or emperors, and the horns are kings who will reign simultaneously, receiving their power from the beast, cf. Rev 17:12. John may be seeing the beast in both its historic and prophetic characters.

The beast is described as a combination of Daniel’s beasts, Dan 7, a leopard with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion, receiving his power, throne, and authority from the dragon, i.e., Satan. Daniel’s beasts where the successive world empires described by; the lion, referring to Babylon, the bear, referring to Medo-Persia, and the leopard, referring to Greece under the Alexandrian Empire. The fourth empire gathers all these elements and characteristics in itself and is far more dreadful in its power and blasphemy than the preceding empires.

Combined into one, this beast, as the revived Roman Empire in the great tribulation, has the majesty and power of the lion, the strength and tenacity of a bear, and the swiftness of the leopard. In addition to these natural symbols of strength is the added factor of satanic power coming from the dragon, Satan himself. This beast represents a very real and terrible person whose cruelty and destructiveness is like a wild animal’s.

His purpose will be to gain religious, political, and economic power over the entire world when he appears in the tribulation period, cf. Dan 7:4-6; 8:25; 9:27; Rev 17:13.

2. The deadly wound of the beast, Rev 13:3.

Rev 13:3, “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”

This reminds us of the judgment brought against Satan in Gen 3:15, of his defeat by Jesus Christ upon the Cross. Satan, in rebellion and rejection, will counterfeit the judgment and show the beast wounded mortally but be revived. Some believe this to be a literal assassination of the Antichrist who will survive, while others depict this more allegorical as the revival of the Roman Empire that has already been defeated. Even others depict it as a past world ruler, (e.g., Nero, Judas Iscariot, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, Kennedy, etc.), who will be “resurrected.” A more literal interpretation is better here regarding the Antichrist that will enhance his power and veneration.

The word “wound” is PLEGE in the Greek and literally means, “plague,” as well as “a strike or blow.” So, this could be an illness too. Nevertheless, the entire world marvels at the beast, both the person and his empire, at his revival. 

3. The worship of Satan by all the world, Rev 13:4.

Rev 13:4, “And they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?.’” 

This is the counterfeit to what Christ said, “I and the Father are one,” John 10:30. When someone glorifies one member of the Trinity, they all are glorified. So too, in Satan’s eyes, and God’s, that when the people of the earth worship the Beast, the Antichrist, they will be worshiping Satan who has given his power to the Beast, just as the ancient pagan gods and goddess were all backed by demons, Lev 17:7; Deut 32:17; Psa 106:37; 1 Cor 10:20-21; Rev 9:20; 16:14. He is Satan’s substitute for Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords, and to him the world as a whole flocks to give homage, indicated in the questions “Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

This may be toward the beginning of the Tribulation when the Antichrist defeats the Northern Confederacy prophesized in Ezekiel 38; 39, thereby removing the threat of eastern and northern powers to his authority and reign.

But the ultimate answer to the question is, Jesus Christ Himself, manifested in power at His Second Advent, who will cast the beast into the Lake of Fire, Rev 19:20. Until that time the beast is allowed to reign and fulfill his place in human destiny.