Rev. 13:1-18 Two beasts and 666.

Rev. 13:1-18 Two beasts and 666. 

1-18, 1. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
2.The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
3. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.
4. Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"
5. The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. He who has an ear, let him hear.  10. If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.
11. Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. 12. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.
14. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
15. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
16. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17. so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.

Summary of Today’s Sermon

  Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
  This is the first gospel. God, who loves sinful human beings, sends a woman's offspring (Christ) to accomplish the salvation of mankind. The devil (dragon) constantly interferes with Him. In Rev. chapter 12, the woman, the church, and her child, Christ, fight the enemy with the red dragon, spiritually, with His blood and word of Jesus, and fight with loyalty until death. In the end, the dragon (the devil, Satan) is defeated, and he continues to fight the woman's descendants.

  Chapter 13 is the story of the dragon using the two beast minions to deceive the saints and fight, but the saints win.

1) Overcome the delusions and slander of the beast (1, Antichrist) out of the sea with patience and faith (1-10).
  The dragon gives power to the beast(Antichrist) with ten horns and seven heads (4) to slander God (6), to fight the saints (7), to rule the whole world. So all those who are not written in the book of life will worship the beast (8). However, the patience and faith of the saints overcome him (10).

2) Recognize the deceitfulness of the beast (false prophet) that came out of the earth, and do not accept the mark of the beast and serve only God (11-18).
  The dragon uses a beast with two horns like a lamb and that speaks like a dragon (11, false prophet) to perform miracles and deceive people (12). Also, they made an image of the first beast and had them perform miracles, and they worshiped the dragon, the beast, and the image. He also makes everyone receive a mark of 666 on the right hand or on the forehead. We should be able to discern false prophets by word and prayer and not receive the mark of the beast, 666. Instead, you will only have to receive the seal of the Holy Spirit (Ephe.1:13, 4:30) and be armed with the word of God, the sword of the Holy Spirit (Ephe. 6:17), and you will have to serve only God.

  All the saints, know that the devil, antichrist, and false prophets are approaching closer and closer as the last days draw near, so let's watch and pray with caution (Rom.13:11-14). Armed with patience and faith (10), let us be faithful to death (2:10). Blessed are the saints who are filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephe. 5:18, Ephe. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.), worship God only (Deut. 6:5, Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.), and expand the kingdom of God (Acts 1:8, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth) and live victoriously as the army of God. Amen.
 *Rom. 13:11-14, 11. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.