Revelation 13:1-10 - "Holy Men of God"

The title of the message may throw you off a bit, as today's message is about the coming Antichrist (the beast out of the sea). The reason for the title comes from 2 Peter 1:19-21, and it is to remind ourselves that God's Word came to us by His prophets of old, His witnesses, those who experienced a supernatural relationship with Him, and who were also given supernatural revelation. God, by means of the Holy Spirit, superintended the recording of all of their experiences and all of their writings so that they, in effect, were the revelation of God Himself.  The nature of the Book of Revelation is very important, it is the unveiling of God and His ultimate redemptive plan for all of His Creation. So, as we plow through the unimaginable visions, and new information about the ultimate battle between God and Satan, and how it relates to future events, remember God's Word is sure and it can be trusted. During the tribulation period, the world will be ruled by a godless man presiding over an evil governmental and religious system. This chapter associates this ruler with the terrible beast in Revelation and Daniel. This chapter reveals two "beasts" often referred to as the Antichrist and the False Prophet. The symbol mandated for all followers of Antichrist, administered by the False Prophet, is the mark of the beast, which is revealed as the number 666.The opening verses (1-10) of Revelation 13 feature several features of the Antichrist. This man will be indwelled by the spirit of Satan. His family likeness to Satan is striking, having 10 horns and seven heads with ten crowns on his horns. He will be powerful, deceptive, beguiling, wily, delusive. He is a counterfeit Christ. The world will adore and worship him and no political, military or religious force upon earth will challenge him. He will seek to destroy all who refuse their allegiance and worship of him. His mouth is full of blasphemy against God, and God allows it.The very thing Satan has always wanted, is to be like God, to be adored like God, worshiped like God and considered high and lofty as God. And in verses 5-6, it reveals something important. It says twice there “there was given to him.” There was given to him a mouth that spoke arrogant words and blasphemies, and there was given to him forty-two months to function. In both these cases, it was given by God, and He has established the limits. And so, it is God who gives him the authority to act during this period of time, the last three and a half years of the time of the tribulation. Literally, God steps out of the way and lets him say whatever he wants to say, and Satan is primarily an arrogant blasphemer. It will be characteristic, then, of the unhindered antichrist who will be free to do whatever he wants and say whatever he wants for this period of time to blaspheme continually.