1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,560 Hello again, everyone. 2 00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:10,700 Welcome to this show number 14 in the Bible Prophecy Masterclass, where we have been randomly 3 00:00:10,700 --> 00:00:15,360 discussing various themes relative to, or taken from, the book of the revelation of 4 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:17,420 Jesus Christ. 5 00:00:17,420 --> 00:00:22,320 In today's episode, which is number 29 in our series of studies from this puzzling book 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:27,140 penned by John the Revelator, we will continue our discussion of the character to whom God 7 00:00:27,140 --> 00:00:32,100 unaffectionately assigns the title of the beast, concentrating our attention mostly 8 00:00:32,100 --> 00:00:36,360 on that person who will be the head or leader of that political entity which is given the 9 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:38,200 same name. 10 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:42,520 Having looked at a few highlights regarding his background and rise to power in previous 11 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:47,720 studies, in this lesson, we will be given a look at the understandably hellish character, 12 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:53,500 the scope and the duration of his diabolical reign, per Revelation chapter 13. 13 00:00:53,500 --> 00:00:57,600 As was true in our previous lesson and as will be the case throughout the duration of 14 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:03,960 this study, the text will be Judgment Day, Volume 3, Armageddon, Acts of God vs. Gods 15 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:05,620 of Earth. 16 00:01:05,620 --> 00:01:08,160 The book is written by Mr. Alvin Mitchell. 17 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,760 I, Carol, will be your host and narrator. 18 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:16,160 For the record and by way of review, the world at this point in the Revelation narrative 19 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:20,120 is or will be in a very dangerous situation. 20 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:24,960 Food will be extremely scarce, billions upon billions of people will be missing, for one 21 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:30,160 reason or another, meaningful employment will be virtually nonexistent, temperatures in 22 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:35,960 most areas around the world will be unseasonably cool or cold, life will be almost unbearably 23 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:41,120 hard, all thanks to the judgment of God, under the administration of the seals and the trumpets, 24 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,540 per Revelation chapter 6 through 11. 25 00:01:44,540 --> 00:01:49,600 In accord with woe number 1 of the three woes, mentioned at the end of the fourth trumpet 26 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:54,900 judgment, for which the world was to ready itself, a weary world of bedraggled, rebel 27 00:01:54,900 --> 00:01:59,040 men have been left reeling in pain from the relentless attack of the locusts straight 28 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:05,760 out of the bottomless pit, Revelation chapter 8 verse 13, 9, 1 to 12. 29 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:11,080 In addition, that hellish onslaught was supplemented and supplanted by the agony administered by 30 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:17,360 the two prophets of God, in accord with woe number 2, see Revelation chapter 11 verses 31 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,200 1 to 6. 32 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:23,520 Satan having been kicked out of heaven for good with no possibility of ever setting foot 33 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:29,080 in the presence of God again, Revelation chapter 12, and to initiate number 3 of the three 34 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:34,120 woes, he has made his way to the abyss, where he has been given license to bring up and 35 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,880 to reunite the spirit and the soul of the Italian prince with his otherwise dead body, 36 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:43,000 Revelation chapter 11 verse 7, 17 to 8. 37 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:48,800 Now, fully resurrected and empowered by the devil who revitalized him, this prince, in 38 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:55,640 full beast mode, has tracked down, overpowered and murdered God's two candlesticks, Revelation 39 00:02:55,640 --> 00:02:59,440 chapter 11 verses 7 to 14. 40 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:03,840 Where the watching world is concerned, hope never looked so good. 41 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,180 They cannot contain their joy. 42 00:03:06,180 --> 00:03:11,420 As this prince, the beast, makes his public debut, a spiritually and morally bankrupt 43 00:03:11,420 --> 00:03:16,360 world of humanity erupts in praise and wild adoration for both him and the devil behind 44 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:20,600 his being, knowing already that this is his handiwork. 45 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:25,600 With this update behind us then, pray with me, if you would please, that God will, in 46 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:31,320 full accord with his promise, add a blessing to this and every study of his word. 47 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:32,800 Chapter 13. 48 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:34,040 The Beast. 49 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:35,240 Preface. 50 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,600 Should you find yourself among the most fortunate, you will live to see his day albeit from the 51 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:44,680 safety and tranquility of, per the Bette Midler tune, a distance. 52 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:49,320 If your lot is with the fortunate, you might narrowly escape his allure in one of two cleansing 53 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:51,360 blood baths. 54 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:55,620 On the other hand, should you number amongst the unfortunate, you will live only to regret 55 00:03:55,620 --> 00:04:01,040 the day you bowed the knee in homage and subservience to his lying deceptions. 56 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:05,600 From his post in the end times, his roots will sink deep into the empire of the ancient 57 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,400 Romans. 58 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:12,680 His globe-spanning reign will be over a world in ruins, wrecked by the foolishness of men, 59 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:18,800 yes, but just as much, actually, more so left ranshackled and reeling from a fresh outpouring 60 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,020 of the wrath of God. 61 00:04:21,020 --> 00:04:26,640 In his inaugural moments, when he signs a seven-year peace accord with the Jews the world's reigning, 62 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:32,080 albeit to them, unseemly, global economic and military power, in the last days he will 63 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:36,840 rise to prominence but not dictator status with the great whore at his back, this peace 64 00:04:36,840 --> 00:04:42,240 treaty will mark the beginning of the last seven years before Christ comes again. 65 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:47,400 His war with God's two witnesses will demand his death, in a frightful, unsuccessful bid 66 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,040 to stop their torment. 67 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:54,680 Following the beast's resurrection and ascension from the abyss, indwelt and powered by Satan 68 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,440 as when God's spirit indwelt the earthbound Christ he will begin a sweeping campaign to 69 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:05,320 establish his authority, hereby igniting the last 3.5 years of the last seven years preceding 70 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:07,680 Christ's return at Armageddon. 71 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:12,160 First, he will locate and assassinate the two witnesses. 72 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,480 That alone will earn him fame and worldwide acclaim. 73 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:20,200 Afterwards, he will break the seven-year treaty with Israel in a battle that will dethrone 74 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,880 the Jews and leave him in charge at Jerusalem. 75 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:28,360 Desecration of the newly rebuilt temple with his presence and proclamation of himself as 76 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:33,880 God therein will be paralleled by his destruction of the mother of all harlots the great whore, 77 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:38,460 on account of whose spirit, religious bent and heavy hand in matters political has earned 78 00:05:38,460 --> 00:05:43,640 for the chief city of her abode, namely Rome, the inscription, Babylon the Great on her 79 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:45,200 head. 80 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:50,200 All the world, including the remnant of the church rejects, will embrace him like an umbrella, 81 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:53,720 for shelter from the fury of the true and living God. 82 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:58,760 There, with the full support of his equally endowed false prophet in the prime minister's 83 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:03,640 role, he will proceed to secure and tighten his grip over the reins of the world. 84 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:10,760 All, the EU, Russia, India, and China included, will bow the knee to him. 85 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:15,040 Through masterful deception and the employment of all that the modern sciences and technology 86 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:20,120 has to offer, all dissension to his truly globe-reaching rule, the first ever of its 87 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:25,360 kind, will be crushed early, nipped literally in the blood of every one of the perhaps billions 88 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:29,600 saved by the ministry of the 144,000. 89 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:34,720 Even now, with so little in the form of apparent justification where the common eye can see 90 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:39,740 man, led by the observations and concerns of astronomers and astrophysicists, fears the 91 00:06:39,740 --> 00:06:43,680 possibility of an imminent invasion from the heavens. 92 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,420 He'll not be disappointed. 93 00:06:45,420 --> 00:06:49,000 A full-scale, all-out assault is forthcoming. 94 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:54,040 As soon as the beast assumes the reins of the world and settles into his role as, God, 95 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:59,880 of all the earth, saviour of mankind, all hell will break loose, when they shall say, 96 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:05,440 Peace and safety, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, 2 to 3. 97 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:10,040 Already desperate and disparaging living conditions on earth will be rendered impossible by God's 98 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:15,360 bold judgments, further desecrating the entire planet, destroying the beast's kingdom and 99 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:20,360 his credibility in the eyes of his followers, in the process, thus setting the stage for 100 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:24,880 the challenge and his showdown with the disenchanted kings of the east. 101 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:29,880 The beast will emerge the victor in the Battle of Armageddon, only to suffer an ignominious, 102 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:34,080 near-effortless defeat at the hands of his maker, during the final phase of the battle 103 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:36,520 in the Valley of Decision. 104 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:41,040 Consignment of the beast and the false prophet to the Lake of Fire and the devil to Hades 105 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:45,400 throughout the millennial reign will temporarily cap the creature rebellion. 106 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:53,000 But, all that said, chapter 17 having identified the great whore for us, who is this beast? 107 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,000 This study will answer these questions and more. 108 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:02,700 The Riddle of the Beast Fire-breathing Skies, Robots and AI, Revelation 109 00:08:02,700 --> 00:08:06,320 chapter 13 verses 12 to 18. 110 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:11,400 And he caused all the inhabitants of the earth, the world over, to worship the beast, and 111 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:15,960 he will do great wonders, causing fire to come down from the sky. 112 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:20,160 By means of which fire he will deceive the men and women of the earth, he will convince 113 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:24,520 them that they should build an image of the beast, to which he is able to impart life, 114 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:29,720 such that the image can both speak and demand the lives of all who refuse to give him it, 115 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:30,720 worship. 116 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:35,560 And, everyone from the least significant of people to the most important and highest ranking 117 00:08:35,560 --> 00:08:41,080 of people will be duped into receiving a mark, either upon the right hand or upon their foreheads. 118 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:47,200 Without this mark, the beast's name or, the number of its name, commerce or trade, of 119 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:52,080 any type on any level, will be impossible, the name of the beast corresponds to the number 120 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,760 of a man, which is 666. 121 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,960 The Resurrection, Rise and Rain. 122 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:06,360 Daniel's Mouthy Little Horn, aka, The Abomination of Desolation, Paul's Son of Perdition. 123 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:12,020 Advent of the Beast, Revelation Chapter 13, Verses 1 and 2. 124 00:09:12,020 --> 00:09:16,240 This juncture in the unfolding drama of the apocalypse marks the halfway point in the 125 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:21,120 period of seven years immediately preceding the Battle of Armageddon. 126 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:26,280 This, mother of all, battles will usher in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Jews' 127 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,520 Messiah for whom they long and wait. 128 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:35,120 This does not, however, indicate the midpoint of the entire period encompassed by the apocalypse, 129 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:40,280 nor does it limit this span of the apocalypse to only seven years as is commonly taught 130 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:45,400 in evangelical and perhaps some Pentecostal or other circles. 131 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:50,760 Verse 1, And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, 132 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:55,800 having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the 133 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,040 name of blasphemy. 134 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:03,120 In this vision, John finds himself standing upon sands that adorn the shore of the sea, 135 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:07,960 a most likely reference to the Mediterranean, although this ocean is itself most probably 136 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,360 a symbolic reference to the restless mass of humanity. 137 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:17,240 There, he is shown the emergence of a strange-looking creature called a beast, in the sense of a 138 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:24,040 dangerous, wild animal, per the Greek word, θερειάν, they re, on, bearing striking, 139 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:29,960 though not exact similarities to those of the dragon, studied earlier in Chapter 12. 140 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:34,680 No doubt, these physical likenesses are meant to signify an inextricable link between the 141 00:10:34,680 --> 00:10:38,800 two, while at the same time assuring readers that they are not the same. 142 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:44,500 Combined, one might say, the, name, and physical traits help set the tone in terms of character 143 00:10:44,500 --> 00:10:48,920 or psychological orientation and general description. 144 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:54,440 This beast, John says, is emerging out of the chaos and restlessness of humanity, symbolized 145 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,160 by the Mediterranean. 146 00:10:56,160 --> 00:11:01,880 Furthermore, like the dragon, this beast has seven heads, each of which is marked by names 147 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:03,460 of blasphemy. 148 00:11:03,460 --> 00:11:08,120 That is, this creature has that about it, let's call it an aura or an atmosphere, for 149 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:13,600 now that clearly signifies a willful, woeful misrepresentation, mischaracterization and 150 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,760 defiance of the true and living God. 151 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:22,280 John also observed that the dangerous wild animal coming out of this clamorous agitation, 152 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:27,120 that is the noisy commotion of mankind without a central focus in terms of leadership, had 153 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:30,840 ten horns, upon which were ten crowns. 154 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:36,340 In biblical terminology, horn as a metaphor in poetry and prophecy is usually a symbol 155 00:11:36,340 --> 00:11:41,160 of authority, strength, power, and rugged individuality. 156 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:47,680 The crowns, Greek, kingly, diadems, as opposed to, Stefanos, or wreaths given to the winner 157 00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:52,320 of a contest, of course, symbolize sovereignty and dominion. 158 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:57,960 Thus, while the horns wearing crowns signifying sovereign individuality are in a close alliance 159 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:02,960 with the beast, they are yet symbolic of ten different personalities, separate and distinct 160 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:09,060 from that beast and its seven heads, in an association that is largely voluntary. 161 00:12:09,060 --> 00:12:13,960 In addition, each horn is separate and distinct from each other, able to govern as well as 162 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:17,080 stand on and under their own authority. 163 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:23,240 Ironically, per chapter 17, as such, neither existed during the days of John, they do not 164 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:28,040 exist today and they will not exist as any kind of geopolitical entities until after 165 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:32,340 the bowl judgments, shortly before the return of Christ. 166 00:12:32,340 --> 00:12:37,880 While John does go on to touch briefly upon the beast's rise, popularity, and activity, 167 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:42,680 he gives no other clarifying remarks relative to the heads, the horns or the sea here in 168 00:12:42,680 --> 00:12:44,280 chapter 13. 169 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:50,180 However, the topic of the beast, its heads and horns, and, a fuller discussion does resurface 170 00:12:50,180 --> 00:12:52,440 again in chapter 17. 171 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:57,600 There, although the concept of the beast is anchored in the past, John shows that it has 172 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:03,240 a definite presence in what was then the distant future, i.e., the end times. 173 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,440 The Sea In Old Testament Hebrew thought, the word 174 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:13,840 for sea is the term, yam, yam, which is said to come from an unused root meaning to, roar. 175 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:18,760 When used in biblical thought, it therefore brings to mind the, sea, as in terms of its 176 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:25,120 never-ending, noisy breaking of surf a large, restless body of water, always in motion, 177 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:28,080 constantly making a, roaring, noise. 178 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:34,760 Thus, we may safely conclude here that the Greek term, thalassa, connotes the same. 179 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:40,620 Each term, as biblical metaphors in prophecy and poetry, signify the masses of the people, 180 00:13:40,620 --> 00:13:42,960 as bodies of constant unrest. 181 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:48,520 Hence, when John saw the beast rise out of the sea, he spoke in language emblematic of 182 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:54,160 an entity emerging out of a restless, tireless commotion, a ceaseless tumult that characterizes 183 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:58,800 agitated mankind, void of qualified, concerned leadership. 184 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:04,120 i.e., one who could suppress whatever is, will be the underlying cause or causes for 185 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:06,400 said agitation. 186 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:11,040 This is particularly descriptive here, given the excruciating wringer that humanity will 187 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,960 have gone through per the hand of Almighty God by the time they reach this point in the 188 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:16,520 Revelation narrative. 189 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:21,960 To reiterate, at this time, global economics and industry will be in complete, irreparable 190 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:22,960 disarray. 191 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,440 Jobs worldwide will be virtually nonexistent. 192 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:31,140 Farming of any kind anywhere on earth will be a virtual impossibility due to severe shifts 193 00:14:31,140 --> 00:14:35,880 in climate around the world, brought on by irreversible damages done to the biosphere 194 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:37,560 and the ecosystem. 195 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:41,880 Hence food and drinking water will be in extreme short supply. 196 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:45,820 The locust attacks will have driven men to such despair that they will have actively 197 00:14:45,820 --> 00:14:50,480 sought relief in the arms of death, only to have death locked them out, as it takes flight 198 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:52,040 at the sight of them. 199 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:58,160 On top of all that, the two witnesses will have added 3.5 long years of misery, short-circuited 200 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:02,520 by the resurrected Italian ruler who will be empowered by Satan so that he is able to 201 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:06,160 kill them when he assumes his role as the beast. 202 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:07,800 Names of blasphemy. 203 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:12,520 Each of the seven heads of the beast was labeled with blasphemous names, names which bespeak 204 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:16,320 defamatory falsehoods relative to God the Almighty. 205 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:20,880 The suggestion here being, of course, such that it has that about it which is misleading 206 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:26,280 in that it leads viewers to perceive or conclude incorrectly that it has a credible, viable, 207 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:32,500 working relationship with God, contrary to its otherwise evident, God-less persona. 208 00:15:32,500 --> 00:15:37,860 That is, although highly regarded as the epitome of absolute disgust in the eyes of God. 209 00:15:37,860 --> 00:15:43,300 This beast, the dangerous wild animal, also has a strong aura of religiosity, which will 210 00:15:43,300 --> 00:15:48,160 lead people the world over to believe that it is in fact Christian, a true server of 211 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:49,160 God. 212 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:53,920 It should be noted here that, the term, beast, as used in this context is a reference to 213 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:58,700 the revived kingdom over which, the beast, the end-times ruler or head of that kingdom 214 00:15:58,700 --> 00:16:00,120 will rule. 215 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:05,040 This beast of a kingdom is also where the great horror will be domiciled. 216 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:09,760 This highly visible exterior proponent will be a serious stumbling block for many, if 217 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:13,680 not carefully vetted, in light of the word of God. 218 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:18,800 As will be shown and discussed in chapter 17, this atmosphere of blasphemy is something 219 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:23,560 that the great horror brings, totally independent of the religious system that will be created 220 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:28,320 and presented to all mankind as the authentic answer to the cries of their hearts by the 221 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:29,320 beast. 222 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:34,120 Verse 2a, And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of 223 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,240 a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion. 224 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:41,880 And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 225 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:46,440 John does little or nothing here to give any meaningful details about the beast, other 226 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,400 than those in verse 1. 227 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:54,260 Thus, its identity or what specifically the concept, beast, is meant to represent is difficult 228 00:16:54,260 --> 00:16:59,600 or impossible to establish, at best, in this context, just on the information given in 229 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:01,720 this passage. 230 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:06,260 Based upon John's comparatively thorough, much more descriptive analysis and discussion 231 00:17:06,260 --> 00:17:12,860 in chapter 17, we know, however, that the term, beast, is representative of an analogous 232 00:17:12,860 --> 00:17:14,980 of two entities, 1. 233 00:17:14,980 --> 00:17:20,960 a kingdom, having firm ancient roots and strong end-time ramifications, and, 2. 234 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:25,920 an end-times, individual and a descendant of the antiquated ruins of that kingdom, who 235 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:31,440 arises to command a kind of global end-times facsimile of that otherwise, local, ancient 236 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:36,100 kingdom, that is, he is the leader or king of that kingdom. 237 00:17:36,100 --> 00:17:42,880 In addition, John reveals in 17, 9-10 that the seven heads of the beast have two meanings, 238 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:43,880 1. 239 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:49,720 seven kings or rulers, five dead, one ruling, the seventh coming, and, 2. 240 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:53,360 seven hills, that speak with respect to locality. 241 00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:58,520 That is, the heads are the resting place of a woman, this woman, we are told, represents 242 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:03,920 a, great, city, one that would have been well known during that time. 243 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:09,280 This then, helps to more positively ID the beast as a familiar kingdom, a very familiar 244 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:14,480 kingdom, having a ruler still in power, during John's dark days there on the island of 245 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:16,640 Patmos. 246 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:21,160 John goes on to show that the beast carries a woman, who happens to be a kind of deranged 247 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:24,400 individual with a split personality. 248 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:30,160 That woman, John says, in chapter 17, is the symbol of an entity plagued by two separate 249 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,440 and distinct personalities. 250 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:34,160 In addition to being 1. 251 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:40,160 a fornicating, bloody, staunchly religious pervert and breeder of other perverted religions, 252 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:46,080 she was also 2. being, that great city, a secular, political entity, which in John's 253 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:50,160 day was noted for its perch upon seven hills. 254 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:55,840 While no domineering religious aspect of the woman existed in John's day, being yet future, 255 00:18:55,840 --> 00:19:00,300 none would have missed seeing in her political aspect that great city sitting on seven hills 256 00:19:00,300 --> 00:19:04,560 the imperial city of Rome, Italy. 257 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:10,800 Verse 2b, And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 258 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:14,960 John goes on to say of the beast that his position, and his power and his authority 259 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:16,560 was considerable. 260 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:19,420 Dragon-Beast Relationship. 261 00:19:19,420 --> 00:19:24,000 The source of all of that position, power and authority is the devil the dragon, from 262 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,720 Revelation chapter 12. 263 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:31,280 As such, this dragon-beast relationship will be unprecedented. 264 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:35,600 Never before will the devil have been allowed the privilege of interacting so closely with 265 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:36,600 mankind. 266 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:42,720 i.e., everything that the beast will be, as the term metaphorically signifies, kingdom, 267 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,080 will be straight out of hell itself. 268 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:52,120 Thus, we may safely infer then that the beast, as it comes out of the sea is itself, ultimately, 269 00:19:52,120 --> 00:19:56,880 one of the seven heads of the dragon, in which case, although no such inference was made 270 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:02,120 in chapter 12, all of the other six heads of the dragon must also be symbolic of kingdoms 271 00:20:02,120 --> 00:20:07,280 that were forerunners to this seventh, all likewise shaped, heavily influenced, and, 272 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:10,620 guided ideologically by the pits of hell. 273 00:20:10,620 --> 00:20:15,720 In so far as, no kingdom exists except as there is at least one person at the helm, 274 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:20,400 we may safely further infer that Satan's transfer of power and authority was not to 275 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:26,400 the kingdom directly, per se, as in, to every individual, but, to that one individual who 276 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:29,920 best represents the leadership of that kingdom. 277 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:34,500 This individual, then, will be the hellish personification of everything that this hellish 278 00:20:34,500 --> 00:20:40,320 kingdom represents, in the eyes and mind of God the Almighty so much so that the term, 279 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:44,960 beast, can be and is used interchangeably to refer to both the kingdom, and, to the 280 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:51,480 individual who is its top leader, as John will show more clearly in chapter 17. 281 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:56,400 Verse 3a, And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death, and his deadly wound 282 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,560 was healed, and all the world wondered after the beast. 283 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:05,360 As John continued to study the drama unfolding before him, he saw one of the seven heads 284 00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:09,340 of the beast having incurred a wound that looked as if it were fatal. 285 00:21:09,340 --> 00:21:13,560 The Greek describing this event reads more literally, And I saw one of the heads of it 286 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:18,560 as having been slain to death, and the wound of the death of it was healed. 287 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:23,280 In so many words, as far as John could tell, the head died. 288 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:27,280 We are not told which of the seven heads was wounded to death here. 289 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:33,760 However, in chapter 17, John assures us that, of the seven heads, all kings, or heads of 290 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:39,400 state, five had already been, one was on the throne as he wrote the apocalypse and the 291 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:42,000 seventh king had not yet come. 292 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:46,360 He never ruled in John's day, nor did he live before the total collapse of the Roman 293 00:21:46,360 --> 00:21:53,680 Empire, in around 476 AD for the past 1800 plus years, there has been no such kingdom, 294 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,600 no such empire, no seventh king. 295 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:01,360 Thus, the coming and reign of that seventh king was then to take place in the distant 296 00:22:01,360 --> 00:22:03,040 future. 297 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:08,360 When he does come, John says, he will only govern for a short time, before he is replaced 298 00:22:08,360 --> 00:22:13,280 by the emergence of an eighth king, who will not be someone new, but, actually one of the 299 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:14,900 seven. 300 00:22:14,900 --> 00:22:19,640 This eighth king, John says, will be the one who will be awarded the indubitable distinction 301 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:21,440 and title, the beast. 302 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:26,280 Thus, without question, it is number seven who will die and be resurrected. 303 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:28,540 How, you ask? 304 00:22:28,540 --> 00:22:33,200 The rhetorical question posed by the watching world in verse four infers that the leadership 305 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:38,040 factor of the kingdom of the beast, before he actually becomes, the beast, incurred his 306 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:39,860 deadly wound in battle. 307 00:22:39,860 --> 00:22:41,780 Who can make war with the beast? 308 00:22:41,780 --> 00:22:45,940 They ask with unfeigned, unrestrained enthusiasm. 309 00:22:45,940 --> 00:22:50,360 John was shown in chapter 11 that this battle that will lead to his death will occur when 310 00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:53,440 he fights with God's two witnesses. 311 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:57,200 He will have been dispatched on a mission to put a stop to the menace and mayhem they 312 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:02,440 will have caused internationally by killing them, but will lose his own life in the process, 313 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:07,340 as the plan of God is such that anyone opposing them, including Italian royalty, will pay 314 00:23:07,340 --> 00:23:10,380 for the privilege with his own life. 315 00:23:10,380 --> 00:23:16,360 This head of state will also become the beast who ascends out of the abyss, 11 to 7. 316 00:23:16,360 --> 00:23:21,360 That is, he will die at the hands of the witnesses, his soul will leave his body for consignment 317 00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:22,840 to the abyss. 318 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:25,840 Beast, as king of, the beast. 319 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:30,760 Satan, having been kicked out of heaven never to return, will as part of his preparation 320 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:35,920 for his last fight with his maker be allowed to reunite the departed spirit of this man, 321 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:41,160 king or Caesar number 7, with his body, so that he is resurrected and further empowered 322 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:46,320 by the devil, while he will remain dead long enough for his spirit to depart into the abyss, 323 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:50,720 he may well not be deceased long enough to be buried, before Satan brings him back to 324 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:52,260 life. 325 00:23:52,260 --> 00:23:56,240 It will be at this point, in this manner, that the eighth king will come to lead the 326 00:23:56,240 --> 00:24:00,760 end times version of the beast with seven heads, which will be established after he 327 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:06,000 takes control of Jerusalem and expands his authority over the whole earth. 328 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:10,360 Verse 3b And all the world wondered after the beast. 329 00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:14,680 The Greek describing this event reads more literally, and I saw one of the heads of it 330 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:19,640 as having been slain to death, and the wound of the death of it was healed. 331 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:23,960 His spirit having been dragged out of the abyss, reunited with his body, which will 332 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:29,180 be brought back to life and healed, the world will be amazed and ecstatic. 333 00:24:29,180 --> 00:24:33,700 The entire world will ingratiate themselves to him, wholeheartedly for having set them 334 00:24:33,700 --> 00:24:37,680 free from the scourge and torment of God's two witnesses. 335 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:40,760 John told us why in chapter 11. 336 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:46,280 That this end times ruler will actually die is confirmed by 11 to 7, which speaks of him 337 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:49,400 as the beast who comes out of the abyss. 338 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:57,720 That refrain is repeated in 17 to 7, 8, 10, and 11 i.e. he is the beast, who was, is not, 339 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:01,020 and yet is, to come out of the abyss. 340 00:25:01,020 --> 00:25:06,320 That is, he lived, he died, and, he rose again from the dead. 341 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:12,100 This language is similar in tone to that God uses to describe the son, as well as himself. 342 00:25:12,100 --> 00:25:16,080 See chapters 1 to 4, 8, 4 to 8. 343 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:22,280 It signifies his coming role as a false deliverer, a false messiah, Christ, and a false God, 344 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:26,800 at the beginning of the latter 3.5 years prior to Armageddon. 345 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:31,920 He will have been killed in battle and resurrected, whereupon, he will be indwelt and empowered 346 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,360 by the devil himself. 347 00:25:34,360 --> 00:25:39,360 As such, then, being quite literally hellishly transformed, he will be the eighth of John's 348 00:25:39,360 --> 00:25:43,160 kings, 17 10, 11. 349 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:47,560 Verse 4, And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast. 350 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:51,940 And they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? 351 00:25:51,940 --> 00:25:54,400 Who is able to make war with him? 352 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:59,200 John says of the people of the world that they will be so thrilled, so filled with gratitude, 353 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:03,720 at the sight of the revitalized body of the king who died, that they will actually worship 354 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:09,080 and venerate the devil, knowing that it was he who made it all happen, giving him supernatural 355 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:11,280 powers, to boot. 356 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:15,560 Being warred with the two witnesses, who will cause them such grief and suffering, at the 357 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:20,600 cost of his own life, been resurrected and empowered by the devil, the world will view 358 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:28,120 this, eighth of seven kings, being the seventh resurrected, aka the beast as invincible. 359 00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:31,160 They will idolize him in worship, as well. 360 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:34,060 To them, he will be, one of a kind. 361 00:26:34,060 --> 00:26:36,360 There will have been nothing like him. 362 00:26:36,360 --> 00:26:40,680 None can stand before him in battle, or, so they will think. 363 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:45,880 For John's note in chapter 11, this they will conclude following a successful rematch between 364 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:50,960 the beast and the two prophets, after he personally tracks them down, renews the battle that got 365 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:57,000 him killed and finally kills them in the streets of Jerusalem. 366 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:58,440 Egotistical Maniac. 367 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:03,520 Verse 5, And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and 368 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:07,720 power was given to him to continue forty and two months. 369 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:12,320 To say that his apparent victory over death and all the power and authority he will have 370 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:16,520 will go to his head, might be something of an understatement. 371 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:22,260 Egotistical to the nth degree, he will begin mouthing off, speaking great things, spouting 372 00:27:22,260 --> 00:27:28,340 out grandiose ideas and plans, perhaps, speaking blasphemously with regard to God, showing 373 00:27:28,340 --> 00:27:31,200 him a total lack of reverence. 374 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:36,640 In his vitriolic bombast, he will even enter the temple in Jerusalem, and, not just declare 375 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:43,040 himself to be an, anti-Christ, but, assert in no uncertain terms that he is in fact, 376 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:44,040 God. 377 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:49,440 Daniel portrays him in this role, as an arrogant, mouthy little horned Daniel chapter 7 verse 378 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:54,920 8, 11, 20-21, 24-26. 379 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:56,320 Duration of his kingdom. 380 00:27:56,320 --> 00:28:01,360 The beast will have power and authority to lead his kingdom for a period of 42 months, 381 00:28:01,360 --> 00:28:03,360 or 3.5 years. 382 00:28:03,360 --> 00:28:08,600 Daniel chapter 7 verse 25, Revelation chapter 13 verse 5. 383 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:13,600 Therefore, contrary to current evangelical, fundamentalist thought, he will only rule 384 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:17,680 the world for the latter half of the last seven years before the coming of Christ at 385 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:21,780 Armageddon, not for the entire seven-year period. 386 00:28:21,780 --> 00:28:27,160 Verse 6, And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his 387 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:30,560 tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 388 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:35,720 Throughout his egocentric rant, the beast will continue to blaspheme God and his name, 389 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,720 heaven, everyone and everything that lives in heaven. 390 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:44,580 Being totally dominated, engulfed and controlled by the mind of Satan, the personification 391 00:28:44,580 --> 00:28:49,720 of all that the devil is or will be physically once he takes over Jerusalem and the temple, 392 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:55,120 Daniel, Jesus and Paul tell us that he, the abomination who will cause desolation, the 393 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:59,960 son of perdition, will position himself in that temple of God, and declare himself to 394 00:28:59,960 --> 00:29:01,440 be, God. 395 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:10,000 Daniel chapter 7 verse 25, 12-11, Matthew chapter 24 verses 15-22, 2 Thessalonians chapter 396 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,200 2, 3-12. 397 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:18,360 Holocaust verse 7a, And it was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome 398 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:19,360 them. 399 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:24,200 And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 400 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:28,660 As he proceeds, progressing in his effort to establish himself, the beast will turn 401 00:29:28,660 --> 00:29:32,980 his attention so as to vent his disaffection with the Jews. 402 00:29:32,980 --> 00:29:38,440 The seven-year treaty brokered with him as the Italian, Prince, or head of state, 3.5 403 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:43,680 years prior to his death, and his resurrection as the, beast, Daniel's, Prince, chapter 404 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:47,800 9, 26-27, will be voided. 405 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:56,400 In the war of extermination that ensues, Daniel chapter 9 verse 27, 720-25, John told us in 406 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:02,960 12, 13-17 that the Jews will be driven out of Jerusalem, and are evacuated to a safe 407 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:07,440 haven that God will have set up for them somewhere in the desert, there they'll be safely cared 408 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:11,520 for, throughout the remaining 3.5 years. 409 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:15,960 Satan's military assault will be thwarted, so that he will give up his pursuit, in favor 410 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:20,300 of taking complete control of Jerusalem from its remaining defenders which will include 411 00:30:20,300 --> 00:30:23,200 the 144,000. 412 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:29,440 If one's hunch is correct, so that the 144,000's following of their Lord, wherever he went, 413 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:34,280 means they followed him to the point of death, and the sacrifice of their lives, then, the 414 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:38,640 fact that the beast prevailed in his war with the Jews at Jerusalem seems to imply that 415 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:43,640 all those remaining and fighting in the holy city, saved and unsaved, will ultimately be 416 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:45,240 killed. 417 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:49,880 For sure, the beast and his allies will be alive to greet the Christ and his armies, 418 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:51,800 upon his physical return. 419 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:56,720 It appears, moreover, however that the beast and his armies may never actually set foot 420 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:01,680 within city limits in spite of any victory they may have won, outside in the valley of 421 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:05,120 Megiddo, against the kings of the east. 422 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:10,240 That triumph and any celebration will be short-lived and thwarted by the return of Christ, the 423 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:15,720 planting of whose foot upon the Mount of Olives, Zechariah chapter 14, will cause a split that 424 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,960 will block the beast's entry into the city. 425 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:25,200 Verse 7b, And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 426 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:30,000 With the most strategic point from which to rule the world, now nip and tuck, firmly under 427 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:35,200 his thumbs, the beast will proceed to expand his authority, making his presence felt over 428 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:37,400 the entire earth. 429 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:42,420 He will have to work quickly and efficiently to solidify his authority and rule, establishing 430 00:31:42,420 --> 00:31:48,880 himself as a God, to be worshipped and praised, bringing absolute control of, people, industry, 431 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:52,040 commerce and trade under his domain. 432 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:53,440 Beast as Kingdom 433 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:57,800 It is at this point that the end times version of the entity that John saw coming up out 434 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:04,760 of the sea will be born or, more aptly put, completed, in terms of its end times formation. 435 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:10,200 The ancient forerunner to this kingdom died when Rome collapsed in 476 AD. 436 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:15,200 There is no such kingdom now as of 8 January 2013. 437 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:20,560 When the beast, the eighth ruler, who is number seven killed and raised from the dead by Satan, 438 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:25,200 takes charge, the ten nations will not have assembled in any configuration reminiscent 439 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:30,160 of their past, or such as they will have formed by the time they face off with the Messiah, 440 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:31,160 at his return. 441 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:34,940 Daniel chapter 7 verse 8, 20, 24. 442 00:32:34,940 --> 00:32:39,480 After all, they will only be in authority for a very short period of time, preceding 443 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:44,360 his coming, most probably not ascending to any throne until after the beast's kingdom 444 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,640 is destroyed by the bowl judgments. 445 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:52,520 Following the drubbing, boundaries will doubtless be redrawn, and new leadership installed, 446 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:57,920 three of which will rebel, only to be forced into submission under the beast's rule. 447 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:02,420 Verse 8, And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written 448 00:33:02,420 --> 00:33:07,180 in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 449 00:33:07,180 --> 00:33:11,980 So devoted to him will they be, the entire world of unbelievers will actually bow down 450 00:33:11,980 --> 00:33:14,280 to him in worship. 451 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:18,480 Those who do so will be the ones whose names do not and will never appear in the Lamb's 452 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:19,960 book of life. 453 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:25,060 The Lamb who, per the plan of God, was accounted of as one dead even before the foundational 454 00:33:25,060 --> 00:33:28,840 particles that form the pillars of the world were made. 455 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:33,300 Verse 9, If any man have an ear, let him hear. 456 00:33:33,300 --> 00:33:37,560 Everyone hearing should pay strict attention, listening with understanding augmented with 457 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:39,200 faith. 458 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:43,240 Verse 10, He who leads into captivity will go into captivity. 459 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:47,180 He that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. 460 00:33:47,180 --> 00:33:49,960 Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 461 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:54,760 Whoever leads others into captivity will himself be taken captive. 462 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:59,060 Anyone who kills with the sword will likewise be killed by sword. 463 00:33:59,060 --> 00:34:01,920 Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 464 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:06,400 The signification here appears to be to the effect that everyone responsible for leading 465 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:12,160 others into captivity and the service of the beast will be themselves led captive. 466 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:16,860 Those responsible for the killing of all who refuse to bow to and serve the beast, as will 467 00:34:16,860 --> 00:34:22,080 all newborn Christians during these terrible times, will themselves likewise be killed, 468 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:26,960 but through it all the saints will distinguish themselves by their unwavering faith, dedication 469 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:29,180 and their patience. 470 00:34:29,180 --> 00:34:33,320 They will not give up in the face of the horrors and all of the bloodshed they will be forced 471 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:37,320 to endure knowing the much worse horrors that are to come. 472 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:41,840 Alright ladies and gentlemen, here is where we will end today's lesson in this edition 473 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:45,760 of the Bible Prophecy Masterclass Podcast. 474 00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:50,040 Please do make plans to be with us next time when we will continue our discussion of the 475 00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:55,480 beast in show number 15, episode number 30 in our series. 476 00:34:55,480 --> 00:35:00,080 On that show, we will further discuss the beast, shifting our focus more onto him who 477 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:03,240 will be his prime minister, so to speak. 478 00:35:03,240 --> 00:35:08,440 Also, make sure to inform others about this timely and very necessary study of the book 479 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:11,480 of the revelation of Jesus Christ. 480 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:17,660 We pray that the blessing of God will be upon you until our next meeting. 481 00:35:17,660 --> 00:35:22,280 Mark of the Beast Verse 16, And he causes all, both small and 482 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:29,480 great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. 483 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:34,600 Verse 17, And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of 484 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:37,960 the beast, or the number of his name. 485 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:42,680 Following implementation of the image, every man, woman, and child on the earth will be 486 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:48,160 required to receive a mark, either in the right hand, or on the forehead. 487 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:53,480 There will be no exceptions, whether great or small, rich or poor, free or slave, all 488 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,880 will be required to accept this mark. 489 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:01,520 Normal commerce and business transactions will be impossible without this mark. 490 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:06,240 No one will be able to buy or sell without either the mark, the name of the beast, or 491 00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:07,960 the number of his name. 492 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:11,060 But, why might such a thing be mandated? 493 00:36:11,060 --> 00:36:14,140 How will it be enforced, universally? 494 00:36:14,140 --> 00:36:18,160 Without question, the answer will involve a marriage of some variation of what we know 495 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:22,760 today as RFID chips and cryptocurrency. 496 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:28,000 If this is so, then no doubt all other physical currencies will have to be banned. 497 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:33,900 RFID, the infrastructure for just such a system is in existence today, has been for quite 498 00:36:33,900 --> 00:36:36,440 some time. 499 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:41,160 Called Radio-Frequency Identification, see Appendix, all kinds of people in industry, 500 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:46,980 commerce, law enforcement, and government, the military, etc., salivate for the day when 501 00:36:46,980 --> 00:36:51,140 this kind of a system will be in widespread usage. 502 00:36:51,140 --> 00:36:55,860 Already widely used in select, limited areas of everyday life, the thing preventing its 503 00:36:55,860 --> 00:37:00,240 global embrace is politics not money or materials. 504 00:37:00,240 --> 00:37:02,760 Verse 18, Here is wisdom. 505 00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:06,440 Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number 506 00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:11,540 of a man, and his number is 603 score and 6. 507 00:37:11,540 --> 00:37:16,520 Number of the Beast, for the informed reader, John is given a hint to help identify this 508 00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:18,920 beast, who is the eighth king. 509 00:37:18,920 --> 00:37:26,060 The number of the beast, he is told, is the number of a man, and, the number is, 666. 510 00:37:26,060 --> 00:37:30,680 There is no way anyone living today, at this hour, could ever accurately determine the 511 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:35,800 identity of the beast, the eighth king of the Roman Empire, the revived version, who 512 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:41,720 is ruler number 7 resurrected although, truth be told, he may well be alive now, even as 513 00:37:41,720 --> 00:37:43,680 we speak. 514 00:37:43,680 --> 00:37:47,440 Only tribulation era Christians living at the time of the signing of the seven-year 515 00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:51,900 treaty will ever have the slightest chance of figuring that out in which case, they won't 516 00:37:51,900 --> 00:37:54,440 have to dicker with the number. 517 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:59,040 Those who know him or who know of him during the stretch of time leading up to that treaty, 518 00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:03,320 having some idea which way the world is headed and what is coming next, might be able to 519 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:08,220 take whatever information is available to them and piece together his ID. 520 00:38:08,220 --> 00:38:13,500 In the wake of the ministry of the 144,000, this may be the tipping point that leads them 521 00:38:13,500 --> 00:38:17,720 to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior. 522 00:38:17,720 --> 00:38:22,900 Alright, ladies and gentlemen, here is where we will end today's lesson in this edition 523 00:38:22,900 --> 00:38:26,800 of the Bible Prophecy Masterclass Podcast. 524 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:31,160 Please do make plans to be with us next time when we will continue our discussion of the 525 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:37,280 beast in show number 16, episode number 34 in our series, featuring a discussion of the 526 00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:42,360 horrific aftermath of the rise and the reign of the beast that God has planned, anchored 527 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:45,200 in Revelation chapter 16. 528 00:38:45,200 --> 00:38:49,960 Once he assumes the reigns of the world, having declared himself to be God. 529 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:55,320 Also, make sure to inform others about this timely and very necessary study of the book 530 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:58,440 of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. 531 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:26,080 We pray God's richest blessing will be upon you, until we meet again.