The second beast of Revelation 13, emerging from the earth, is presented as a religious power and a counterfeit of Christ, acting as the chief agent for the first beast. This figure, characterized by two horns like a lamb but speaking as a dragon, will deceive the world through satanically energized miracles, including making fire come down from heaven, mirroring Elijah's actions but with deceptive intent. He will enforce worship of the first beast and its image, controlling commerce through a mark, and ultimately revealing himself as the number of man, 666, signifying the pinnacle of human folly and evil under Satan's influence. The sermon emphasizes that this satanic trinity works in harmony for evil, contrasting with the Godhead's harmony for good, and warns against deception, urging believers to remain faithful to God's truth.
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Revelation chapter thirteen we'd like particularly to read the latter half of the chapter we studied the first half last week and now we continue on as we go to chapter thirteen and recognize the second character that is revealed and we find the beginning of the reading in verse eleven your lesson sheet is number twenty three in relation to the whole chapter completing the study of the satanic trinity Verse eleven, John writing by the Holy Spirit, and I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon, and he exercised at all the power and the authority of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
and he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he hath power to do in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a which had the wound by a sword and did live. And he had power to give life, possibly better understanding in the Greek text, breath unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
And he caused that all both small and great, rich and poor, Please note the universal character of the human family. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their forehead. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast, For it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred, three score in six.
May God bless the reading and the hearing of his precious word. If you will go to your lesson sheet, we'd like to cover the introduction of this page, number twenty-three. And as you note the title, it takes in the whole chapter by the title, we are considering the satanic trinity of the last days. We noted the dragon. We noted last week the first beast, and now this week we shall note the second. May I read the introduction? For we bring some contrast between the two beasts of Revelation thirteen. We noted the first one, as verse one declares it, He rose out of the sea, the symbolic suggestion, He comes out of the chaotic, the restless state of the nations.
And I'm sure that you will agree with me, that any observant person today recognizes the restlessness of the nations. Do you remember the words of Isaiah in chapter fifty-seven, verse twenty and twenty-one, when he declares that the wicked are like the sea which cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt? And, beloved, you and I are noting today the restlessness of the nations more than any time in human history. The world seems to be one particular scope of activity manifesting constant restlessness with an increasing power.
And we can recognize out of the restlessness of the nations comes one that the world will acclaim and accept in governmental leadership as a world governor in that coming day of evil. Many years ago in the political world, when I was younger, I recall there was a man by the name of Wendell Wilkie, a politician. He ran for office in Leeds, and that's the president of the United States, I believe, at one time. But he advocated one world government. Well, beloved, they're getting near it. But think of who's going to have it, and thus you recognize it. The first beast comes up out from amongst the restless nations of the earth.
And then the second, as we have read, comes out of the earth, rather a more settled and a political government. And may I point out to you, and I will not explain it, it would take too long, but significantly, typically, the earth is often a type of Israel in relation to the dispensations of Scripture. and one will recognize that it's out of Israel and Scripture supports the truth of it, the Antichrist will come. You have, and I just mentioned this in passing, you have in Zechariah chapter twelve, I believe, you have the Lord telling through Zechariah that in the last days he would raise up an idol shepherd in the land.
Now let me emphasize that. It's in relation to the land of Israel. I will raise up an idol shepherd who will not consider the flock, who will be there for his own advantage, as well as destruction upon the elect people of God. Now the earth is so typical then of Israel, and out of the several places of government, not out of the restless nations at large as the first beast, but out of the several places. without question of doubt, in one locality, which I believe will be Israel. Now we note also concerning the first, entirely his power is political and military.
We noted that. Political and military power belongs to him and will belong to him. And then the second beast is chiefly, and we shall see it in our study, a religious power. And a subtle and a soul-destroying influence of a religious character pervading in the whole earth amongst men. And then another contrast. The first has world dominion as a king upon the earth. Then the last one, the second as we've already stated, will be king in Israel with satanic power assisting the first beast. Now you note in verse eleven of our chapter that we read.
And you have it on your lesson sheet, the first point, that he is a by-limitator of Christ. Note the words very particularly, as John writes, I behold another beast. And may I again refer to the statement as in the book of Daniel, as well as we have it here in the book of the Revelation, when God described his viewpoint of those who rule upon the earth in the Gentile world, whether it was Nebuchadnezzar, whether it was the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian, as well as the Grecian, as well as the Roman Empire, as we have studied in the book of Daniel in the past, God sees them as beasts.
Now, man does not see them as such. God describes them in their true character before him. And this one is another beast. And as we read the scripture, we recognize he has two horns like a lamb. Look at your lesson sheet, please. We have an explanation there. Horns like, and note that. It's an imitation. I believe there are twenty-eight occasions where the lamb, Christ, is mentioned in the book of the revelation of the lamb. That this is the exception where the expression lamb does not refer to Christ, but one who is his imitator.
And the two horns, you note, His power is suggested, his throne, his greatest, I beg your pardon, go back, I was reading the wrong point. He takes a dual position by the two horns, and the expression horn, I think we mentioned it last week, refers to his power, refers to his authority, and in his power he has a dual role, as Israel's king and Messiah, and also Israel's prophet. Now this one thing you will note, he may take the place, professing to be a prophet and the king, but not a priest.
He could not do to his character, he would not take the office of a priest. He would not officiate as such. He would not have any concern, as the priest would have, whether legitimate or whether genuine concern, for the welfare, the spiritual welfare of the people. But he has concern to be the king over the nation. He has concern to prove that he has right to be the accepted king by the prophetical work that he does, which we shall see later on. And so he makes the, and so he presents himself as such. We mentioned, I think I mentioned Zechariah chapter twelve, did I not?
It should have been Zechariah eleven, where you have the idol shepherd. God says, I will raise up an idol shepherd out of the land. Let me give you another chapter in the Old Testament. Daniel chapter eleven from verse thirty-six to the end of the chapter. He's the willful king of the prophecy of Daniel chapter eleven in the land. He does not regard the God of his fathers. And one can recognize he as such comes presenting himself with Christ. Look at one verse we have mentioned in reference here. John chapter five and verse forty-three.
Let me read the words of the Lord Jesus. In John chapter five and verse forty-three, and we can recognize that even the Savior as gives reference to him long ago. Now in the context of this fifth chapter of John's Gospel, the Lord Jesus, in chapter five, chapter seven, eight, and nine, and ten, many of the chapters of John, the Lord Jesus is dealing with the Jews and the Pharisees of his day. And in this fifth chapter of John, verse forty-three, please know what the Lord Jesus says. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not.
Now I think every one of us that can recognize are instructed enough to realize the Lord Jesus came to his own people. John one, verse eleven says, He came to his own, and his own received him not. And the whole gospel of John that presents the glories and the excellences of Christ as the Son of God and as the Messiah of Israel, proving him to be such. Yet John begins that great gospel saying he was a rejected Christ. He came to his own people, his own received him. Now know what the Savior goes on to say. He goes on to say, if, in verse forty-three, and you received me, now if another shall come in his own name, with his own authority, Hin ye will receive.
Please may I point out the contrast. I hope you note the character, the contrast of the character. Christ coming in submission and willingness to do the Father's will with the Father's authority only to be about his Father's business, to glorify his Father. to carry out the purposes of his father, to reveal the father's heart. The Antichrist, no. He's anti-God, he's anti-Christian, he's anti-Judaistic in his coverage. He comes in his own name for his own purpose, as Daniel eleven, as well as Zechariah eleven points out, for his own benefit and grandeur.
and personage he seeks to exalt and he does exalt himself. And beloved, there's nothing but selfish greed in the character of the Antichrist when he comes. Yet he professes in imitation to be Christ. I think of an incident that I read many years ago when there's a man in New York City professing himself going around the city at large, professing himself before all to be the Messiah. Christ. A Christian happened to see him on the street one day. Stop him, said, Sir, are you the one that says you're Christ? Absolutely. He said, Well, let me look at your hands.
Oh, no, he said. You're not Christ. My Savior has wounds in his hands. But can I tell this to you? You find more people are gullible to believe anybody that professes to be Christ. even today not just like she is there's a certain cult they're advocating they advocated it in New York City Philadelphia Washington Los Angeles the leading papers of the world they have one whole page where they made the statement the Messiah is here and there is this particular certain cult profess that they have the Messiah.
Now one can recognize the trend and one can realize, may I remind you, well we've seen in our lesson, you say, how can the world swallow it? The world is the most gullible place that you ever could live under Satan's deception. And this person will be one of the greatest deceivers as we shall see. But look at the verse, go further as we have it in verse two. and point number two on your lesson sheet in the same verse eleven he's the dragon's voice you know what he says he causes the earth and then which I beg your pardon he had two horns like a lamp and he spake as a dragon he spake as the dragon please may I say his voice is satanically controlled satanically controlled Can I give you this thought?
Back in the Garden of Eden, he came in the form of a serpent through that beautiful serpent, which was not the creature that we know to be a snake today, but in that most beautiful and wisest of animals that God created, Satan spoke through that animal. His voice was heard by Eve. Later on, as you read in the book of Numbers, as Baalim was the saying to go and curse Israel, the angel of the Lord stopped him. And the ass, do you remember the ass spoke? That was God speaking through the ass spoke. That wasn't Satan. But you've got two scriptures that certainly point out the fact. The dragon can speak and God can speak, even through animals.
But here's a man. He's Satan's voice. Can I give you the contract? And I speak personally. What a holy privilege and a sacred responsibility for me to be the voice of God. What a most unholy privilege and responsibility this man will have to be the voice of Satan. For the first beast has the voice of the dragon too and the second beast has the voice of the dragon. Please may I say. That is the commentary that the world is going to listen to the voice of Satan more than the voice of God.
But let's go on to the twelve verse. And we find from verse twelve, look on your lesson sheet, from verse twelve through seventeen, he's the chief agent of exaltation for the first beast. Now let's read on. We go to the first twelve verse. And he exercises all the power of the first beast. In other words, that is given to him the political and the military power and authority of the first beast. It is at his disposal, as we read here. And then what does he do with it? He causes the earth and then which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed.
Recall last week, we mentioned the fact of the beast seeking worship in the first section of the four others chapter and we mentioned that the greatest objective the greatest desire of Satan's being has been from the beginning of his rebellion to obtain worship worship worship and we reflected last week how he took the Lord Jesus to the high exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and said all these will I give thee if thou wilt Fall down and worship what means. But may I tell you, the Lord Jesus could never bend and never would bend his legs to the devil. He is the only one whose legs never knelt and went toward the devil in obedience.
Thank God. But that's what the devil wants. Honey, here are two men. Here's one man. He'll get the kingdoms of the world under his authority for a short time. Here is his co-partner who will be with him and exalt him in that same period. And yet both of them, their opposite is what? Worship. One of the trends of today that may I say is strong, even in the purpose of the land, humanistic preaching, the worship of man, the deification of man, Man is his own God. And that certainly seems to be the strong trend that is increasing.
And I beg of you and beg of myself to realize, in contrast, how precious that you and I have the joy of knowing God, our Father, Christ, our Savior, the Holy Spirit, and recognize that within us, by the Spirit, Christ dwells. and the Spirit of God has taken his abode within us. And in other words, may I quote the words of dear Paul, Galatians, I'm crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
But here's the man, two men, they're wholly given over to the devil. in control, satanic control. And he causes the world, please note, will you note the expression at the end of verse twelve? He calls it, the earth, then which dwell therein. And let me qualify that statement we just read, as we did last week. Then they dwell on the earth. And the expression is the very strong one in the word, indicating those that have settled down, They're against all that is outside the earth for any control.
The heavens they have no use for. Anti-God, anti-Christ, anti-Bible. And thus settle down upon the earth. And those who are so settled down against God in Christ and against the Word of God, they will be the subject that will be given the worship to the beast and his image in that coming day. But please know verse thirteen. For here you have something very significant whereby he deceives the world. Can I just for a moment before reading it, consider with you, we are living in days where there is a great stress in some so-called evangelical circles for miracles.
May I give a word of warning? Don't swallow them. For here we are approaching the manifestation of a person who wonders Satan will do miracles. Now I wouldn't be surprised he's already starting to do some of them, to get ready for the one who's coming. But if you please note the word, as you read verse thirteen, He doeth great wonders, so that He make us higher come down from heaven, on the earth, in the sight of men. Look at your lesson sheet, please. We have an explanation we like to cover.
Miracles and wonders satanically energized are performed by this man to deceive men on the earth. Now, you notice he makes fire come down from heaven as we read. And you've got a reference, Elijah like, deceiving the Jews in particular by fire from heaven. Now, there are two scriptures. I only refer to them. You've got them here, Leviticus chapter ten, and one in first book, first book of Kings chapter eighteen. Now in Leviticus chapter ten, if you know your book of Leviticus, may remember that when the sacrifices on the altar were to begin in Israel, and the priesthood had just been initiated in, and Moses had dedicated Aaron and his four sons, to be the priest in Israel.
And then they were to begin their official office. And the altar was all set. And as you read in chapter ten of Leviticus, when the altar was set and the altar was upon it, fire came down from heaven and devoured this sacrifice. And God himself lit the fire. And the people gave glory to God. They saw the glory of the Lord by the action. And they acknowledged it. And had the commencement of their priestly worship. And the rituals of the Mosaic law when instituted there in the wilderness. Then you may remember there came a day in the life of Elijah when he challenged the prophets of Baal.
And you remember that great contest on Mount Carmel. And how he challenged the priests of Baal. to take an offering, build an altar, take the offering, as well as call upon Baal to set fire to it. And they prayed all day long with the ridicule of Elijah against them. And then Elijah called on Jehovah in heaven above to prove to the people that he was the true God. And Jehovah sent down fire from heaven. Then please, may I say, this fellow is going to do the same thing, but under the authority and power and the deception of Satan. And there is no question, when it comes to the Jewish people in the land of Israel, where they'll be their king and their prophet, and just perform this miracle, the majority will acknowledge it.
Let me give you another thought. In the book of Malachi, in the last chapter of the Old Testament, God says, I'll send Elijah before that great and terrible day of the Lord. And ye know that every Jewish family that keeps the Passover has a vacant chair when they properly keep it from Elijah. They send the hospital to the door to see if Elijah's there. Looking for it. So one can recognize there will be many that will indeed be overtaken by the subtle deception by the power of this man bringing fire from heaven.
And I very it's only a I may seem fanatic about it but I don't think I am but it's certainly suggestive that when Israel fall we already notice in chapter eleven they'll have their temple rituals restored we notice from Daniel chapter nine in the prophecy of Daniel that this saint person and the beast himself of the first part of our chapter in Revelation will stop the sacrifice so we can recognize There will be a sacrifice carried out with Leon in that coming day when the rebuilt temple at Jerusalem is found in the tribulation period. And there will be the manifestation of what we have just read.
But there will be other miracles. And I want you to go to Second Thessalonians, please. Second Thessalonians chapter two. I want you to recognize what we have read in Revelation thirteen and not all that he does. but in second Thessalonians chapter two where the beloved apostle Paul writes specifically in relation to the coming of the Antichrist that man of sin let me read verse eight to nine verse eight says then shall that wicked meaning the wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall destroy with the consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming now no The next two verses.
Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan. Now note, with all power and signs. Now the word signs in the Greek is another word for miracles. And with power and miracles and lying wonders. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved. Beloved, may I state again, there is no question of doubt. The world is rapidly hastening to that great day of deception. And these two awful, the worst characters in human history, the beast, the civil head of the revived Roman Empire, and the beast of the second, who will be the king in Israel, professedly the Messiah of Israel to his earthly people.
And they manifest their power, and their authority. and with satanic wonders and deception. Will you please note at the end of that tenth verse that we read, why does God permit it? Because the received not the love of the truth. Can I make a statement? The proud of the world goes away from the Bible the nearer they get into judgment. You can't cast the Bible out. without paying the price of the end. And the day is coming. When you think of the miracle...
Well, let me read on. Let's go next as we read in verse... In verse fourteen. And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the... One can recognize. Please let me point out again. Here you've got a satanic trinity. the imitation of the divine trinity you've got satan the dragon with his authority over the other two and you've got the first beast and the second beast and then you can recognize they work together they work together they're not in contrast to each other or in odds against one another they work together the second beast will egg drop the first beast and vice versa they honor one another Please, may I make a contrast?
It's a precious truth for you and for me to realize the harmony in the Godhead between God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. It's a precious truth. Let me give you this thought. You go all the way through the Bible from the You go all the way through the Bible from beginning to the end. But everything that is carried out by the Godhead is carried out in harmony with each person of the Godhead.
Give you an illustration. You find scriptures that give glory for the creation to each person in the Godhead. You cannot deny that even in creation the Spirit of Godhead had its participation as the scriptures reveal. God the Father had his participation. God the Son, to him, the Father and the Son, attribute the glory of the creation, that are in harmony about it, and in all the divine undertakings. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are in perfect harmony with the purposes of the Godhead, with one another.
Here's the opposite character. The devil and his two men. They're in perfect harmony, if you please. But may I say, the Godhead are the Son and Holy Spirit for good. The Satanic Trinity for what? Evil. Evil. What a contract. Good and evil. And may I say, beloved brother and sister, We're living in evil days, but may I end. They're getting, and they will begin to get worse until the climax comes, under this satanic trinity.
Now note in verse fifteen, please, as you go on, we like to note that. He enforces the worship of Satan. He had authority to give life or breath onto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Now here you have his authority enforcing the worship of the beast. He gives diabolical breath to the... You know, I never will forget, I think it goes back perhaps, um, fifty years or more in Philadelphia, taking my children and some of the nephews and nieces that I had living up there at Valley Forge.
We went to the Museum of Science down there near Fairmount Park. And I recall when I opened the door to let the children in, when I opened the door to the entrance of that institution, there was a robot standing. And all of a sudden, as I opened the door, I heard a voice say, Good morning. How about that robot? I nearly jumped out of my shoes. I have a friend. He'd been working for, I don't know that he still works for the IBM and offer. I remember twenty-five or thirty years ago he worked for them up around New York City and one night he said, you know he said, I feel sometimes I'm working for the Antichrist.
Now I think to a great degree that's possible. And then it's speaking. Well beloved. They tell me that even now, you better watch out, the computer will call you up and say, now don't hang up, I've got feelings. That's actually taking place. Voices! Human voices! Very, very frankly, there's no question of doubt we can recognize the significant trends Computer science today.
You know, they have a... In Belgium, they've got the biggest institution, a computer institution. I forget how many blocks it takes in. But you know what they call it? They call it the beast. And in that institution, they can put everything in the world on record. And every living person. Their names. information about him. It's amazing. Beloved, Lord, let me explain this. There's one thing about man's knowledge and about his science that takes him further away from God instead of nearer and puts him more into the hands of Satan to be used.
And there isn't a question of doubt that Now we know it's not impossible. Remember in chapter eleven, I recall in chapter eleven, we read the two witnesses when they're slain for three days. They're left upon the street of the city of Jerusalem, and all the world sees them. And when I was coming up as a young Christian, we couldn't even understand how they could see them. But we know how they can now. Through Walter Scott wrote a poem called Lockhill's Warning. It had to do with some old couple who are sitting by the fireside, realizing and reminiscing as well as recognizing the end of their pathway had come near.
But in that poem he had these words, coming events cast their shadows before. Coming events cast their shadows before. Let me give you a little encouragement and comfort about that expression. The believer's hope, the Christian hope is what? Not the Great Tribulation, praise God. But let me quote first Thessalonians four. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them, in the clouds, to meet the Lord where?
In the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord. In the air. Three little words, in the air. Whoever thought that human beings would go up in the air. I've never seen my first airplane drag through the streets of the city where I lived. with an attempt that was not successful to be made on the outside the city on the hill to try and fly it. Today, in the air, everybody's air-minded. Radio came along. Remember the crystal sets? Just hear something squeaking. And look and look at the development. Radar, television, radar, nuclear science, computer science.
Beloved, look, strange thing, way back in last century, one of the French scientists, when they discovered the atom, one French scientist made a statement a hundred years ago more. He said, now that man has discovered the atom, he said, gentlemen, he says, I believe that God's going to come in and say, that's enough. Well, it should have been long-suffering, hasn't it? But it's getting that way. It's getting to that place. And you and I can see the approach of it. And thank God, please let me say it lovingly. Don't worry about what you hear on the news.
You know, every time I listen to news, I expect to hear bad news. I usually do. But when I think of the Bible, the Word of God, God said, look, this is what's going to happen. I told you so. I told you so. And now precious to the humble and to the contrite spirit, by the Holy Spirit the word of God is revealed. Show what's to come? What's to come? One is well said. John Phillips, good teacher of prophecy. John is clever man. I think he's wrote a book. Only God can prophesy.
That's right. And every time you hear a Christian prophesy, I don't believe him. They're not a Christian that can prophesy. All he can do is teach prophecy. That's all he should do. But recognize God has written the events to come. And here we are studying what's going to happen upon the earth in that coming day. But go on as we read on. Please know verse fifteen at the end. He causes the image of the beast to both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Can I read your comment on your lesson sheet?
The whole comment under letter C. He enforces the worship of Satan. The image of the first beast with its diabolical breath as the mouthpiece of Satan is the height of his power, filling the minds of the worshippers with Fear and dread, accept God's elect. Go back to verse eight, please. Oh, don't forget that eighth verse. In verse eight, all that dwell upon the earth shall worship Him whose names are not written in the book of the land slain from the foundation of the world. And we know even from our study in the book of the Revelation, there will be an elect remnant. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus relative to the same event?
As he also speaks in chapter twenty four in Matthew. Regarding the image of the beast being set up in the temple. Chapter twenty four verse fifteen. And goes on to verse twenty one. Then those days shall be limited. Except those days shall be limited. No flesh would be preserved. But for the elect's sake. Those days shall be shown. God will have his elect. Now we're going to see those elect in the next chapter. Those that will be living in that same period. God's elect. But others, if they're not his elect, they are thus deceived.
Now read on in our paragraph. The world will offer homage to this creature of hell. All because men will not have God, they will come under the unrestrained power of Satan. And if they won't do that, they'll suffer death. As the end of the verse said, they will be killed. Beloved, please let me say very frankly, there's only one alternative. Either they worship the beast, or they do not. And if they do not, they will be killed. That's what it says. Oh, the promiscuous killing that happens today.
But read verse sixteen as we go on, once you denote it, in the next two verses. He callseth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and fond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads, and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Now please go to your lesson sheet, and let me read letter D under that paragraph. And if you please note, as you have it in verse sixteen, he controls the commercial world. He controls the commercial world. He will have power to control the hands and the minds of his worshippers.
Doesn't sound very encouraging for inflation, does it? But one can recognize, please may I say, may I say very frankly, there is no question of doubt that there is a satanic movement which will culminate in this satanic trinity to bring about the control of the whole economic system of the world. We'll see that when we come into chapter seventeen and chapter eighteen particularly, and we shall recognize the We have world markets today. And we have nations together seeking the economic interests of the whole.
They have a World Bank, if you please. They had it for a long time. And one can recognize the whole trend is going back to that old Roman Empire as the centrality of power over the Gentile world. And... the Antichrist having power to control commercially the interests of the world. And thus, what power that will be. Let me read on in our paragraph. They will give, those that worship him, they will give him complete submission under penalty of death. One can recognize, as the next sentence says, it will be a regime of absolute despotism.
closed under a profession of extreme liberal design ideas, offering that which will be the ultimate goal of modern politics. One world government. Now may I say something? I hope you can recognize this fact. This is not Russia. This is the revived Roman Empire, if you please. Today we're very fearful of Russia, but I don't believe the devil's going to use Russia in this chapter as the revived Roman Empire.
And may I point out significantly, it is the realm where the greatest manifestation of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ has been known. Christianity did not go to the east. The first convert in Europe, the Apostle Paul and Silas, led the jailer of Philippi to the Lord Jesus Christ. And from that day, please note, the spread of Christianity was westward rather than eastward. What's the problem in the east?
with the Muslims, with the Arabs, and so on. Now, Christianity didn't go that way. They're the hardest countries to preach the gospel in. The Muslim hordes are the most difficult to reach with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Very difficult to convert a Muslim. And yet, the blessing of Christianity, where did it come? Came. Westland. And beloved, may I put this thought before you? Please, the countries of the Western Hemisphere have not been faithful to the trust that God has given them.
The word of God and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ as they should. And it's my humble conviction and deep conviction that the more light we have, the more responsibility gone with it. And shall I have to answer for it. And beloved, may I point out to you. If you read Second Timothy chapter three. And the first five verses. You've got the darkness. The spiritual and the moral darkness of Christendom. The darkness of the region where the gospel has been spread. And the blessing of God has been manifested. But men are turned away from the truth.
And I say very solemnly, the responsibility of our own beloved country is before God to be realized when we fail to be true to the Word of God and follow its precepts, there's judgment to pay. And one can realize why in the realm of the Roman Empire and the Western world, so to speak, The judgments of God come upon it. And these wicked, this wicked satanic trinity and these two men rule over it. Now let me go to verse sixteen again. I want you to notice something.
They're all, they all receive a mark in their right hand or in their forehead. Now I wouldn't, I wouldn't even bother worrying about whether it's a literal visible mark. Could possibly be. They can put an indelible mark on you right now. Which cannot be seen but can be revealed under ultraviolet ray. But may I point out this? There's a meaning behind this. Their hands serve them. Their minds are given over to them. And beloved, may I give the thought how sad to realize when men refuse to devote their hands their bodies to the will of God and their minds to the truth of God is a great compensation they like to pay recompense for their evil well did the wise man in the Proverbs say buy the truth sell enough and please may I say oh I say it with a sad heart as many a preacher that's selling the truth today too And
it costs something to get. And those that we can realize when the world turns its back. And especially the world of Christendom. The world of professing Christianity. What a debt they will have to pay in the coming day of judgment. Let's read on at the end of the chapter though. As we see in the eighteenth verse. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beasts. For his number is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred three score and six. Please note on your lesson sheet, let me read that on the last portion, the last paragraph, the mystical number of the beast.
Many in the past and even today have attempted to unravel this mystery, but in vain. Many have tried it. They've taken the name of Hitler, they've taken the name of the Kaiser, they've taken the name of Mussolini, they've taken other persons. And in the Latin value of their names, the letters of their names, they've come up to six, six, six. Thelonians! Please let me say, nobody knows who he's going to be until he comes. Go with me to Second Thessalonians. Second Thessalonians, please. Chapter two. Second Thessalonians chapter two, where we were before.
And in the preceding part of that chapter, the beloved apostle tells us why we're not going through the Great Tribulation as believers. And in verse one, he begins to say, We beseech your brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him. Don't worry for the Thessalonians, we're thinking they were in the Great Tribulation. In fact, somebody was telling them they weren't. Don't you ever believe anybody that tells you that? A number of years ago, I think, maybe back in the nineteen twenties, I there was a preacher in our town preaching on the prophecy, and even preaching that the Great Tribulation was already present. And one day I saw him driving down the most fashionable avenue of our city, one of the sportiest roadsters I ever saw.
I thought, poor, he's getting a lot of Great Tribulation. Look. No, look. We're going to be gathered unto the Lord by the rapture. So don't be not shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirits nor by words nor by letters from us as that the day of the Lord's right rendering is at hand. No, no. Let no man deceive you by any means. That day shall not come except there come. The apostasy. That's the meaning of the word. The calling away first. The apostasy. The denial. of God, Christ, Christianity, Judaism.
That's got to come first. And that man of sin be revealed. The Son of God is. And may I just humbly state, virtually, as long as the church is on the earth, nobody knows who the man is. You can do all the guessing you want. When the church is gone, that'll be the time to bring him out. That'll be the time to bring him up. But go back to the verse we have here. And I want you to know on your lesson sheet. When he comes, those who have the wisdom of God will then be able to identify him. Many will be divine before what? Read Daniel chapter twelve sometimes.
Daniel speaks of that awful day in chapter twelve. And he speaks about those that be wise. In that day they'll shine as the firmament. There'll be some that'll be wise enough to know the Psalms who are ignorable. That's the Antichrist. Read on in your lesson sheet as we read on. Six sixty-six is what? Man's number throughout the scriptures. This numeral six is associated with man. And the moral significance of this number is that under the direct control of Satan and his two chief agents comprising the satanic trinity, the fullest, the highest, development of human folly, human pride, human arrogance, and human evil will be manifested.
Spiritually speaking in the word of God, six is man's number from beginning to the end. He was created on the sixth day, was he not? On the seventh day God rested from his word. But six, and you can recognize, it's the complete evil of man being manifested. Now don't worry about if your life's in place at six, six, six, six. Don't worry about it. I got one trend down in Southern Pines. She'll go thugs. She'll never get that number. Look. He won't be recognized until he comes. But here's the significant moral meaning, which is more of important.
It's the number of man's human folly at its highest. and is evil and is utmost. Please, may I say again, when you think of that number, please don't think of the mystical number itself, but the moral implication of that number, the very supremacy of man's evil. And may I go on to say, should I not say greater than even before the days of Noah? For the enlightenment of Christianity has been brought to the world, and Christ the light of the world has shone into it. And let me say this, I dare you to find in the Word of God any period of time when man hasn't turned away from the truth.
Always. Always. Had a letter from a friend in Africa this week. Concerned. about even theirs, among the Christians even, turning away from the truth. They're rather lost. I think of the words of William R. Newell, and I believe the truth of them, is that you cannot stop apostasy. You pray all you want. Now, I've got some good friends, and I could name some of the good friends you would recognize from the public names and the known amongst evangelical Christians. They insist that if you pray, you can straighten the country out.
Impossible. Impossible. Can I ask one question? Who's the God of this world? Who's the Prince of this world? Who's the God of this faith? Let me ask another question. How did they treat the Son of God when he came? You expected you better than he? Thank God he provided redemption for us. And the purpose of God in this age is not to convert the world, but to take men and women out of it, saving sinners. And I know I love my degree that I've got.
S. John Bramhall, F.S.B.G. Sinner, saved by grace. That's the best degree I ever had. And I hope it belongs to you too. Shall we pray? Oh, blessed Father, how we thank thee for the illumination of thy precious word. Oh, how we do realize only the light of the Holy Spirit can shine upon its precious pages and bring out of its contents the truth. Our Lord Jesus said, sanctify them by thy truth. Thy word is Truth.
Oh, Father, we pray for the world. We think of our loved ones for whom we pray daily that are not yet saved. Bring them to Christ before it's too late. We pray for thy people, Lord. If there's one prayer that we have for all of us as thy people, it is this. Keep us close to thy side, Lord Jesus, walking in thy truth. Faithful. until we see thee face to face in thy precious and worthy name. Amen.