Wednesday, October 6, 2021

48. The Revelation: The Beast and his Prophet (Revelation 13:1-18)

 


The astounding description of the Antichrist presented in the opening verses of Revelation 13 is the most gripping, thorough, and dramatic in all of Scripture. However, the appearance of Antichrist was not new teaching to John’s readers. John wrote in his first epistle that his readers had “heard that antichrist is coming” (1 John 2:18) Nor is it the first reference to Antichrist in John’s visions in Revelation; Antichrist was introduced in 11:7 as the “beast” who will kill God’s two witnesses. His wicked career, which began in chapter 11, is fully developed beginning here.

Chapter 12 records the beginning of Satan’s long war against God and His people. Chapter 13 records that war’s culmination. Satan will try to prevent Jesus Christ from setting up His earthly kingdom by setting up his own under Antichrist.

Having been cast permanently from heaven (12:9), Satan will know that the time remaining to him is brief (12:12). To lead his last, desperate onslaught against God, he will empower his final Antichrist.

Read Revelation 13 today. Next time, we will discuss seven characteristics of the Antichrist.