THE TWO BEASTS IN REVELATION Part lll
Lesson 19
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Satan the man

The future appearing of Satan as a man is clearly referred to in other places of the Bible!

Speaking of Satan’s destruction at the end of the world, Isaiah says, “Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: ‘Is this the man who shook the earth and made the kingdoms tremble, the man who made the world a desert, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?’”  Isaiah 14:16,17

Notice what Ezekiel says of Satan, “In the pride of your heart you say ‘I am a God; I sit on the throne of a God in the heart of the seas.’ But you are a man and not a God, though you think you are as wise as a God.”  Ezekiel 28:2

Paul calls Satan the “man of lawlessness.”  “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day (the second coming) will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.  He opposes and exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, and even sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.  Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.  The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing.  They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”  II Thessalonians 2:3,4,8-10 Two interesting points need to be made from Paul’s writing:

 

1. First, the second coming occurs after the man of lawlessness is exposed.  Why Paul calls Satan the man of lawlessness will be seen shortly.  The point is that Satan opposes and exalts himself over the gods of the earth.  He will be greater than the God of Islam, the God of Catholicism, the God of the Baptists, Methodists and so on.
2. Secondly, the coming of Satan will be accomplished by all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders to deceive those who are perishing.  It is tragic but true that many people would rather believe in a miracle than believe in the truth from God’s Word – the Bible.  Satan will become so powerful all over the world that the only way he can be stopped is by the intervention from Jesus.  Lucifer and Michael will meet face to face at the second coming.  This time, Satan’s glorious apparition will be destroyed by the splendor of Christ’s glory!

A temporary end

At the second coming, Satan’s global system is destroyed.  His freedom to appear upon earth in the form of a man will be removed, and the apparition that he used to appear as a man will be burned up.

John tells us that “the beast and the false prophet” are thrown alive into the lake of fire at the second coming!  Revelation 19:20. The beast is Babylon that has seven heads and ten horns, and the false prophet is its glorious partner, the lamb-like beast. The false prophet is another description of the lamb-like beast. (Compare Revelation 19:20 with 13:13,14).  At the second coming, Jesus also “calls down fire from heaven” to demonstrate His divinity.  This fire specifically burns up Babylon!  See Revelation 18:8.

At that time, the destruction of Babylon will be complete and final.  The image, or one world government that holds the world captive will be destroyed by fire, while the bodies’ of the wicked of earth will be left to rot upon the face of the earth. Revelation 19:21

The Beast From the Abyss

The finale

After the second coming, John saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss and Satan was thrown into the Abyss and locked up for 1,000 years.  With all the wicked slain, the righteous in heaven, Satan is confined to the spirit world again for 1,000 years.  Before Jesus executes final judgment upon Satan and the wicked, He wants the righteous to understand His decisions about each person.  Thus the saints spend 1,000 years judging and confirming the decisions Jesus made about each person.  John said, “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge.  And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the Word of God.  They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands.  They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”  Revelation 20:4

At the end of the thousand years, Jesus returns to earth with the Holy City and the saints, and the wicked are resurrected.  Satan is “loosed” from the spirit world for a short time and he incites a great throng to capture the City.  As the mob rushes upon the city, Jesus stops them in their tracks and shows them the plan of salvation.  The seventh seal is opened on the book of life, and everyone sees that God has been fair.  Everyone chose to be where he or she was.  As the wicked realize their loss, indescribable agony overtakes them and they turn upon each other with demonic rage.  Jesus calls fire down from heaven for the last time and burns up all angel and human sinners.  Malachi says, “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace.  All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day is coming that will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Not a root or a branch will be left to them.  Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things, ‘says the Lord Almighty.”  Malachi 4:1-3

Timing considerations

Study the chart and notice how the appearing and destruction of Satan fits into the overall scenario.

Time for general review

We have studied many verses from the Bible and examined several prophecies thus far.  We need to review things and notice the harmony of the sum of the parts.

The heavenly temple had a replica

Remember, in lessons 4 and 5 we learned that the sanctuary on earth was a crude replica of the one in heaven.  Hebrews 8:2-5 The services of the Old Testament sanctuary pointed forward to the death of Jesus and were nailed to the cross at His death.  Colossians 2:14. Even though the services had been done away with, the meaning of the sanctuary service is still valid, For Christ our High Priest, ministers in the heavenly sanctuary.  Hebrews 9:24

The daily – a corporate sacrifice

Morning and evening, an atoning sacrifice was placed on the alter of incense.  This sacrifice provided daily or continual corporate atonement for the camp of Israel.  Exodus 29: 38-45 through the merits of continual atonements, Jesus could dwell in the presence of Israel without consuming them!  The daily offering is not to be confused with the sin offering made by an individual.  The daily was a corporate offering while the sin offering was an individual offering.  Leviticus 4

The Day of Atonement

The most important day of the Jewish year was the 10^th day of the 7^th month – the Day of Atonement or Day of Judgment.  On this most holy and solemn day, Israel came before God and was held accountable for all actions during the past year.

All through the year, the sins of the people were transferred into the sanctuary by the daily offering of blood or through sin offerings.  Before the high priest could mediate on behalf of Israel at this service, he had to be found worthy.  After presenting his sacrifice and receiving approval of Jesus, the high priest then conducted the atonement service on behalf of Israel.  Then the High Priest proceeded to cleanse or restore the sanctuary by washing the accumulated blood from the horns of the alter of incense and wiping the blood on the head of the scapegoat.  Leviticus 16

The Day of Atonement symbolizes the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary that happens at the appointed time of the end.  The Bible is very clear that the judgment bar of God precedes the second coming.  Daniel 7:9-14

The trumpets

To announce the coming Day of Atonement, the Feast of Trumpets began on the 1^st day of the 7^th month.  According to the Jewish history, trumpets sounded each day warning Israel to get ready, get ready, get ready!  On the Day of Atonement, the trumpet sounded extra long and loud announcing the close of Judgment.  See Leviticus 23:24-32, Numbers 10:1-10 and Leviticus 25:9

The importance of 1844

The significance of 1844 is not generally understood or appreciated.  However, this date is vitally important for it establishes when the time of the end begins.  Remember the following points?

We can be certain that 457 B.C. is an accurate date from which to start the 2,300-year prophecy for three reasons.  In brief, they are:

1. Jesus began his ministry in A.D. 27, which was 69 “seven’ after the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.  Daniel 9:25, Luke 3, Galatians 4:4
2. Jesus died precisely on time 3.5 years later at the time of the Passover – in the middle of the 70^th week, A.D. 31.  Mark 14,15
3. The gospel went to the Gentiles at the end of the 70 “seven” in 34 A.D.  Stephen was stoned (Acts 7), Saul was converted into Paul, an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9), and Peter was sent to the home of Cornelius (Acts 10)

We learned that the 70 “sevens” were cut off from the 2300 evenings and mornings or days.  Because a “seven” represents seven years, the 70 “sevens” granted to Israel were 490 literal years of probationary time.  Since these are a subset of the longer prophecy of 2,300 days, the same day/year principle must be applied to the 2,300-day prophecy.  The 2,300-day prophecy brings us chronologically to 1844 to mark the beginning of the final phase in heaven’s sanctuary service.  Thus 1844 marks the beginning of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary.  The court was convened and the books were opened right on time!  Both Daniel and John saw the event.  At this time, Jesus was given special authority and power to do something.  Daniel 7: 9-14

Seven seals

John saw Jesus receive the book sealed with seven seals. This book is the book of life.  The Father wrote it before the world was created and it contains the complete story of earth.  Because of His foreknowledge, He foreknew the rise of sin and the problems it would bring.  To prove to the angels and the human race that He truly endows His creatures with choice, He wrote down the history of earth before it took place, blotted out the names of those who would reject salvation.  The Father left the names of the redeemed within it – hence, it is called the book of life.

This book was written and perfectly sealed up before the creation of earth.  Because the identity of Michael was not completely understood by the angels, the Father designed a process that would not only disclose His character before the universe but the revelation of who Jesus really is would also occur simultaneously!  So in 1844, Jesus was found worthy to take the book and begin opening its seals.  As each seal is opened, the revelation of who Jesus really is becomes brighter and brighter – not only to angels, but to human beings as well.

By combining the courtroom scene in Daniel 7 with Revelation 5, we can locate the year Jesus was deemed worthy to receive the book sealed with seven seals.  The promotion given to Jesus in Daniel 7:13 is identical to the promotion given to Jesus in Revelation 5:12.  Even more, Leviticus 16 teaches that the High Priest’s sacrifice had to be accepted before he could officiate on the Day of Atonement.  Thus the atonement offered by Jesus had to be found acceptable on the great Day of Atonement before He could officiate as our High Priest.  In 1844, Jesus received the book of life and began opening the seals.  In brief they are:

1.      Jesus sets out to conquer the sin problem.

2.      Jesus sends the Bible throughout the earth.

3.      Jesus sends a judgment-hour message to the earth.

4.      Jesus sends great devastation on the earth.

5.      Many die for Jesus.

6.      Jesus comes.

7.      The book of life is opened.

The fourth seal and the wrath of God

The opening of the fourth seal marks the beginning of an irreversible process.  The wrath of Jesus breaks out upon the earth because sin has become epidemic.  As in Noah’s day, the world is so violent and wicked that extended mercy brings no redeeming effect.  Life goes from bad to worse.  With the 144,000 sealed and ready and “remnant 1” prepared, Jesus awakens the earth to hear the everlasting gospel by sending the trumpets.

Jesus awakens the earth

The judgments described in the fourth seal actually contain 14 plagues: seven first and seven last.  The seven first plagues are the trumpets of Revelation.  These arouse and awaken the people of earth to the fact that Jesus is concluding his mediatorial work in the heavenly sanctuary.  When it is finished, He will return and gather the faithful home.  The trumpets warn the people of earth to get ready to meet God!  In brief, the trumpets are:

1.      A fiery hailstorm mixed with blood

2.      Great meteor hits sea

3.      Great meteor hits land

4.      Sun, moon, stars darkened

5.      Angel king is let out the Abyss

6.      Satan conducts great war to conquer the world

7.      Earthquake – mercy is ended and seven last plagues begin.

The two witnesses

Jesus gives the Bible and the Holy Spirit great power during the time of the seven trumpets.  Those on Jesus’ side receive the harmony and power of truth as light from heaven.  More truth only makes the revelation of Jesus brighter!  Millions will receive the gospel and be saved!

After the Bible and the Holy Spirit have finished their work, probation closes.  Satan, who is on the earth at this time, has led the world into a condition like that of Sodom and Egypt.  Every mind has intelligently considered the issue of salvation and every choice has been made.  Probation closes and every person is sealed by decree from Jesus.  Revelation 22:11

The two beasts

Revelation introduced us to a beast having seven heads and ten horns in chapter 12 as the fallen angel, Satan.  In chapter 13, this beast takes on an earthy form.  We call this beast, “Babylon” because it is a confederation of the seven religious systems and ten political powers of the world.  When Babylon rises, it will be so powerful that most people will not be able to refuse it.

The seven world religious systems attempt to appease God to stop the trumpet judgments and the result is enormous confusion.  Babylon will have power over every nation, kindred, tongue and people, and will persecute the saints for 42 months. She will appear invincible, especially after the lamb-like beast arrives on earth!

The lamb-like beast is Satan appearing as a man.  He sets himself above all that is called God, claiming to be God.  He seeks full and complete control of earth.  Many remaining faithful to Jesus will be martyred for their faith.  The gospel contains a very powerful message and a simple test to determine whom each person will worship.  The test will reveal those who have the faith of Jesus!

Next lesson

In our next lesson, we will explore that part of the gospel that will test every person on earth!

Quiz:

1. Who makes up Babylon?
2. Who is the lamb-like beast?  What characteristic seems clearest to you?
3. Paul calls Satan the “man of lawlessness.”  Why?
4. When does the lamb-like beast appear?
5. What is the image that the lamb-like beast sets up?

Memory Verse: Luke 18:8 “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?

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