"The First Beast"

Revelation 13:1-10

It happened again this week, a friend sent me an email that flooded my mind with memories of life in the fifties, is seemed so simple, so slow, and it makes me want to go back to before cell phones, I-pods, and even this computer that I’m using.  It was just a better way to live, and when you go back in your mind to those safer, slower, times, and look at today, it seems like you lived in a totally different world.  But it did not happen over night, it took almost sixty years of living life, to see all this change, and it may be my age, but it seems to be accelerating.

The apostle John tells us we have not seen anything in regards to change until the “First Beast” shows up on the world stage.  When I hear the word beast my mind conjures up thoughts of an animal or monster, but the one that Scripture calls a “Beast” will be very human, a man, but he also will fit the definition of a monster.  He will be an inhuman, cruel and a wicked man, but that side of him will be hidden from the multitudes that follow him.  This is the Antichrist, who Satan will give his power and his throne and great authority. 

It may be useful to revisit Satan’s powers, in Job 1:12 we see that God gives Satan the permission to afflict the righteous.  In Luke 4:6 he claims authority over the world, and in Acts 26:18, he is given dominion over sinners, and in 2 Corinthians 4:3,4, Satan is given the power to blind the minds of unbelievers.  Many over the years have made fun of people who believe there is a personality, a spiritual being called the devil, or Satan, but the Bible gives a lot of ink to him.  He goes by many names and I will not list but a few; “God of this Age”, 2 Corinthians 4:4, “Prince of Demons”, Matthew 12:24, “Ruler of the Kingdoms of the Air”, Ephesians 2:2, “Prince of this World”, John 14:10, “Ruler of Darkness”, Ephesians 6:12, and one we should not forget is “Evil One"

John gives us this account that the “Beast” was given a fatal wound to the head, but he did not die, and this is what John saw; “The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.  Men worshiped the dragon (Satan) because he had given authority to the beast, asked, “Who is like the beast?  Who can make war against him?”  The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.  He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.  He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them.  And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.  All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast – all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.  He who has an ear, let him hear.” (Revelation 13:3-9)

Most of my life I’ve heard this statement; “It’s not what you know, but whom you know.”  My dear friend, it will not work to just know who Jesus is from a historical view; Christianity is about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Lamb.  Whom you know in this case will change your eternity.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice