Day 223

“A mouth was given to him speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, … for forty-two months … 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle… It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority was given to him over every tribe, people, language, and nation. 8 All who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been [c]written … in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slaughtered. Revelation 13 :5-8 (NASB.)

The Activities of the Sea Beast (13:5) specifies a time period of persecution that we have already talked about. The 42 months of the beast’s activities are the same time period as the 1,260 days/years for the persecution of the woman/church in Revelation 12:6, 14. The year A.D. 538 marks appropriately the beginning of this prophetic period when the Roman church, with the pope as its head, established itself as a church-state power that dominated the Western world throughout medieval times. The events of the French Revolution inflicted the deadly wound upon the beast in A.D. 1798, thus bringing the church’s oppressive rule and the state-empowered religion to a temporary end. We need to compare Revelation 13:5–8 with Daniel 7:24, 25, and 2 Thessalonians 2:2–12. There are many similarities between the sea beast, the little horn, and the man of lawlessness.  

The sea beast’s activities during the prophetic period of 1,260 years are stated in terms of blasphemies. We have noted the Bibles description of blasphemy. The sea beast’s blasphemies are directed “against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven” (Rev. 13:6, NKJV). The dwelling of God is the sanctuary in heaven, where Christ ministers on behalf of our salvation. The sea beast seeks to negate Christ’s mediatorial work by attempting to replace it with a human priesthood that claims to administer salvation and the forgiveness of sins. Assuming these powers, that belong only to God, is the essence of blasphemy. Revelation 13 points to a time of major apostasy in Christianity, which was fulfilled when the Church claimed the position and authority of God with the pope as its head. Those who refused submission to Rome experienced persecution and martyrdom. Although today such statements are viewed as harsh, even bigoted, the present cannot erase history, no matter how much some people wish that it would.  

There is another issue of significance in Revelation 13 and 14. The word worship occurs 8 times. Only once does it refer to worship of the True God. Every other time (7) it refers to worship of the dragon, the beast, or his image. (See Rev 13 : 4, 8, 12, 15, and 14: 7,9 and 11.) Take a moment and highlight the word in your Bible and it will become obvious to you that this is a central issue in the final countdown and that this is a Key word through Revelation 13 and 14. The devil has a problem with worship. He wanted to be worshipped in the beginning (Isa 14:4, 12 -15; Ezek 28: 13 -19.) He took up the same issue with Jesus when he tempted Him in the wilderness. Luke records, that he showed him all the kingdoms of the world and said, “If you bow down and worship me I will give it all to you.” Read Jesus’ response in Luke 4:5-8. How do you worship?

I heard that everyone in the Philippines has a mobile phone, but because they can’t afford to talk they text… constantly! They even text their sins to their priest and he texts back the absolution and penance. How easy is it for us to become “text-message Christians?” Do we try to squeeze faith into our lives in order to meet the minimum daily requirement, or do we fit our lives around faith and seek God afresh every day with a personal devotion that is earnest and heartfelt?

I am so glad that God is not a text-message God. He invested Himself in the person of Jesus. He didn’t just punch in a few letters and hit the send button. He gave of His time and sacrificed Himself in person. Such a God is worthy of more than just a casual response.