The Apostle Paul calls us Jars of Clay (2 Corinthians 4:7). As followers of Jesus we must allow the Word of God to fill us with it's message of Truth and Grace. In this way, we become a "vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21).

Monday, March 19, 2018

The Beast from the Earth - March 18, 2018 sermon


By Pastor Greg...

A Mexican bandit made a specialty of crossing the Rio Grande from time to time and robbing banks in Texas. Finally, a reward was offered for his capture, and an enterprising Texas ranger decided to track him down.  After a lengthy search, he traced the bandit to his favorite cantina, snuck up behind him, put his trusty six-shooter to the bandit's head, and said, "You're under arrest. Tell me where you hid the loot or I'll shoot." But the bandit didn't speak English, and the Ranger didn't speak Spanish.  So, the Ranger asked a local to translate his message. The terrified bandit blurted out, in Spanish, that the loot was buried under the oak tree out behind the cantina. "What did he say?" asked the Ranger. The translator replied, “This man says he no afraid to die!"
We live in a world filled with deception.  It is so bad that we have learned to trust no one.  For instance, if someone came along and offered to remove all your trials and difficulties in this life, would you accept their offer?  Naturally, you would ask, “What’s the catch?”  Nobody gives us something for nothing.  There is always something they are not telling us.  This is exactly what Satan will do one day.  Working through a false prophet – this “Beast from the Earth” – Satan will deceive all of humanity.  He will offer much, but it will come at a great cost.
In Revelation 13 we are introduced to two “beasts” who are empowered by Satan.  We meet the “Beast from the Sea” (this is the Antichrist), and the “Beast from the Earth” (this is the False Prophet).  Both of these individuals are great deceivers.
(Revelation 13:11-18)  11 Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching. 14 And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. 15 He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.
16 He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. 17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. 18 Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666. [1]
The deceptive lies performed by Satan continue in this “Beast from the Sea.”  This False Prophet will appear to be somewhat gentle and unassuming; like a lamb.  This person is given authority, as seen by the two horns, but is not a political leader; there is no crown.  Once the Antichrist kills the two witnesses from chapter 11 and takes his place in the Temple, this false prophet directs the world’s attention to that false messiah.
This false prophet erects a statue or image of the Antichrist in the new Jewish Temple (it is the Abomination of Desolation mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24:15) and forces the world to worship this image.  It seems the people will not do this freely because the false prophet kills anyone who does not worship the beast.  Through the antichrist and this false prophet, Satan will control everything.  There will be one government, one economy, and one religion.  And those who surrender to this control will receive a mark on their hand or their forehead; without it, they will not be able to buy or sell anything.
This false prophet literally decides who gets to eat.  Of course, I imagine there will be some who refuse.  After all, we know human nature.  People hate being told what they must do.  Those who refuse will have to go into seclusion; they will need to hide somewhere.  But with all the disasters that have struck the earth up to this point, surviving in the world will be difficult.  After a year of hardship, I suspect some will give in, worship the beast, and receive his mark.  I imagine that human trials and hardship cause some people to surrender to this great deception.
[Let me pause for a moment here and say that many men and women have tried to discern the meaning of the number 666.  John tells us it is the number of a man.  In other words, it represents imperfection… it is less than perfect.  The Kingdom of God is represented by sevens; Satan’s kingdom is represented by sixes.  So, it is a false kingdom; a kingdom of the earth.  My advice is to stop worrying about the number and instead focus on the fact that people will worship the antichrist either freely or by coercion.]
Let me ask you this question again.  If someone offered to take away all your trials and difficulties, would you accept?  This is what the “Beast” is offering during the Tribulation.  He is offering food and protection in exchange for the worship of the Antichrist.  And, as I said, some will comply freely while others will be coerced.  I suspect many who initially rejected will eventually surrender and receive the mark because the trials and difficulties of this life were too great.  They give in, so their present life would be more tolerable.  “What’s the harm,” they may say.  But what they fail to realize is that in the life to come they will be judged for their actions.  They will face God’s wrath on Judgment day because they traded the comforts of this life for an eternity of judgment (see Revelation 20:4).
In Mark 8:36 Jesus says, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” [2]  This is the great deception happening here.  The Antichrist and the False Prophet want the world to exchange their thoughts of eternity for the comforts and safety of this life.  Satan’s greatest deception is to fool others into to thinking there is no judgment and that there is no afterlife.  Truly, Satan’s threats are empty; he can only take someone’s physical life.  The Lord warns us about this lie.  Jesus says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
Oh, I know we are not living in the End Times; the False Prophet is not here today forcing us to worship the antichrist.  But let me ask you this; have you compromised your faithfulness to Jesus?  Have you sacrificed the worship of God for the earthly pleasures and securities in this life?  Do you walk away from following Jesus because it is too difficult or too demanding?  Does obedience to Jesus “cost” too much?  Have you exchanged eternity with God for all the comforts of this world?  Are you just like those in John 6:66 (creepy, ain't it?).  According to John, many people deserted Jesus because his teaching was too hard to accept.
According to the Apostle Paul, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us[3] (Romans 8:18).  How very true.  And so, the mark of a believer is someone who has their heart focused on eternity.  And they will suffer anything in this life that threatens to compromise their eternal rewards; they would rather die than worship the beast.
Sad, isn’t it, that we have become more concerned about the pleasures in this life than with where we will spend eternity.  There may not be a mark on our hand, but when we trade the eternal promises of God for the temporary pleasures and comforts of this life, a mark is placed on our heart.  For, “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal[4] (John 12:25.



[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Re 13:11–18). Carol Stream, IL.
[2] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Mk 8:36). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[3] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Ro 8:18). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[4] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Jn 12:25). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

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