Revelation 13 - The First Half of the Tribulation

Today, we want to summarize what we have learn thus far about the beast that comes up out of the sea here in Revelation 13. Back in Revelation 6, he is not named, but he is the one who comes riding on the “white horse” promising and temporally bringing peace to a war-torn world. He makes peace with Israel which kicks off the Seven-Year Tribulation (Daniel 9). He is accepted as a world leader and begins to set up a one world economy and a one world government. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, he is called the “man of sin” and the “son of perdition”. This is where we also learn that he cannot be revealed until the “restrainer” is removed, which we believe to be the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit through the church (2 Thes. 2:7). This happens when the rapture of the church takes place. In Revelations the reference to this is found in chapter 4 verse 1 when John hears a voice calling him up to heaven. The church is not mentioned again until after the Seven Year Tribulation in Revelation 19. At the exact same time that the Antichrist signs the peace treaty with Israel, the two witnesses appear in Jerusalem, preaching with such great power that 144,000 Jews get saved and also start preaching the Gospel to the nations!  No one is able to harm or kill the two witnesses for one thousand, two hundred and sixty days (Rev. 11:3). Which is the entire period of the first three and a half years of the Tribulation. It is during this time that millions of people get saved but are persecuted and killed because they will not follow the Antichrist. The Antichrist is first called the beast in Rev.11:7 when, right in the middle of the Tribulation, he finally kills the two witnesses. He allows their bodies to lay on the street in Jerusalem for three days as the whole world rejoices. But then these two witnesses resurrect back to life and immediately ascend into heaven. Satan must follow them to heaven where the Judgement seat of Christ is taking place and has one finally attempt to “accuse the brethren” (Rev. 12:10), but war breaks out in heaven when Michael and his angels fight with him and cast him out of heaven and down to the earth (Rev. 12:9-17). Satan returns to the earth in great wrath. It is now that the Antichrist is revealed as the beast, and he breaks his peace treaty with Israel and attempts to destroy them, but the “remnant” is miraculously protected as they flee to the wilderness for the last three and a half years of the Tribulation (Rev. 12:6). This is also when the Antichrist commits the “abomination of desolation” when his image is set up in the temple in Jerusalem. (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; Matthew 24:15) 2 Thessalonians  2:4 says it this way: “Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” It is also now, that Antichrist as “the beast”, most likely, Satan in human form, is allowed to try to destroy the people who have been getting saved under the preaching of the two witnesses and the 144,000 Jews, who have been sealed with special protection (Rev. 13:7). The saints, those who get saved, are told not to fight back but to be patient and persevere. Many will go into captivity, and many will be killed with the sword. I’ve heard over the years, that this is a reference to how they will be killed, in public executions by being beheaded. For the last three years and a half years of the Tribulation, the beast will be in total control of the earth. But God in heaven is still in final control has numbered his days!  Thank the Lord, we will not be here! But we should be doing all we can now to warn others of this terrible time! God bless!