Overcome // Week 14

The Coming World Leader
Various Passages; August 25, 2019
I. Introduction:
A. There is something new that I have seen happening on TV over the past number
of years. That is they gradually role out credits regarding who is who on the show
over the first 15 minutes rather than all up front or at the end like before.
1. Revelation is like that. The action begins but after the action goes on for a bit
then we are introduced to some of the key characters during the time of the
Tribulation.
B. There are many important people in the Tribulation period who play a big part in
it:
1. In Chapter 7 we learn of the 144,000 from Israel who will be special servants
of God during this time
2. In chapter 11 we hear of the “two witnesses” – who for 3 ½ years will
prophecy for God, be killed by the Beast and then raised again to life and
caught up into heaven.
3. Chapter 12-13 John uses many figures to picture many key players during
this time.
a) The woman clothed with the sun represents Israel
b) The red dragon with the 7 heads and 10 horns and on his head are 10
diadems - presents Satan
c) A male child who is born from the woman Israel is Jesus the Christ
d) We meet Michael, the archangel, who does war with Satan and throws
him down to earth
e) The beast out of the sea who is the world dictator or as we call him the
Antichrist
f) The beast out of the earth – the False Prophet who deceives people by
preforming miracles and pointing people to worship the Antichrist!
C. This morning I want to focus upon the one whom I call the third main character in
this time. I call him the third because Dave Parro already introduced us to the top
two during this time:
1. God the Father on the throne reminding us that He is in control of these
things happening on the earth during this time!
2. Jesus Christ the only one worthy to perform the judgment we will read about.
• But the 3rd character is the Beast, the Antichrist, the World Dictator …
II. What we know of the Beast outside of Revelation 13
A. We first hear of this Beast in chapter 11 when he kills the two witnesses. Read
11:7-8
B. At this time we really do not know who this beast is until we next hear of him in
further detail in chapter 13
1. Read 13:1-2
2. The big thing we learn about this Beast here is that Satan was the source, the
one who gave the Beast his power, his throne and his authority.
C. But the Bible tells us about this Beast, the Antichrist, and world dictator even
before we see him in Revelation 11 and 13 here. We need to turn back to Daniel
7 where we first meet him.
1. Daniel had a dream and vision that when all was said and done it alarmed
him and made his face grow pale.
2. The Vision was of four beasts coming out of the sea
a) A lion that represented Babylon
b) A bear that represented Medo-Persia
c) A leopard that represented Greece
d) The reason we know they represented these kingdoms is both because
the interpretation of the angel later in Daniel 7 and history proved them
out as well
3. Then for the first time we meet the Beast of Revelation 13. Read v7-8
a) Now we are pushing heavily into things we will see in the book of
Revelation.
b) But what is very important to note here is that the emphasis both in
Daniel and in Revelation is not upon the whole Beast itself but upon one
that comes from the Beast. Actually, it has to do with the ten horns and
then another horn, a little one that came up among them.
c) Let me repeat the emphasis of Daniel and Revelation is ultimately upon
an individual that comes from an empire more than the empire itself.
4. As the vision goes on, we see the Father, called the Ancient of Days, making
a verdict, a judgment against this little horn to take away his kingdom,
destroy him and give the everlasting kingdom to the Son of Man, Jesus, and
to his saints. Thus as we saw in the seven churches we will reign with Him.
5. Let me read the end of this chapter where the angel clarifies all of this for
Daniel and as you read it, you feel you could be reading a portion of
Revelation. Read v19-27
D. Then in Daniel 9 we here of him again and this time we are given a clue as to
what kingdom he will come out of and represent.
1. Read v26
2. Here it speaks of the Jesus’ death and the destruction of the city of Jerusalem
and the temple. We see here that the people who do it are the people of the
prince who is to come, the little horn we read of in Daniel 7. We know from
history that the Roman Empire was the one that destroyed Jerusalem and the
Temple
3. Now the next verse tells us about some of the activity of this leader, prince,
and little horn. Read v27. Again reading this verse is like reading the book
of Revelation
E. Again, listen to the book of Revelation in the book of Daniel regarding this man!
Read 11:31-37
1. Jesus talks about this time of the Antichrist as being part of the great
Tribulation. Read Matthew 24:15…21
F. Turn to 2 Thessalonians 2 where we will see Daniel and Revelation fingerprints
all over this description of this man.
1. Read 2:1-4 – this is the abomination of desolation, the key turning point of
the Tribulation.
2. We see a further description of his activity during this time a few verses
down along with the good news that drives the book of Revelation – Jesus
wins! Read v8-11
3. Note the progression we have seen in the Antichrist’s relationship with God
from Daniel through here - boast against, claim to be equal to, magnify
above, display himself as God
• Now let’s turn back and see what we see of this
III. Beast in Rev 13
A. Remember the emphasis of Daniel and Revelation is ultimately upon an
individual that comes from an empire, more than the empire itself.
B. You may say stop! How do you know this Beast is speaking of the one leader
more than the entire Roman Empire?
1. Read v3 - It appears he mimics Jesus as one head of the beast is killed and
resurrected so everyone is amazed and follows him. And as the narrative
continues like Daniel, it focuses on the one individual rather than the entire
empire.
2. Also, turn to Revelation 17 where he tells us very directly, who this beast is.
It is an individual, one of the kings and not the kingdom itself. Read 17:7-13.
3. So bottom line I do think the Beast is the ultimate king and embodiment and
key representative of the revived Roman Empire! At times referring to the
empire but primarily to the ultimate king
C. Now in Revelation we see some of the activity of this beast during this time.
Turn to Revelation 13
1. Most of this has been heard already or hinted towards in other passages we
have seen already.
2. We already seen in v2 he receives his power, kingship and authority from
Satan. Reread
3. Verse 3-4 it appears he is killed and resurrected, thus amazing the whole
earth to follow after and worship him. Read v3-4
4. V5-6 we see his blasphemes which we have already heard about. Read 5-6
5. Then in v7, as we heard in Daniel, wars against the saints and overcomes
them and finally worldwide rule under him! Read v7
D. Then we hear in the second half of this chapter about another beast who comes up
out of the earth. His primary purpose is to be the prophet for the Antichrist and
deceive the world through miracles to get them to worship the beast!
1. Read 13:11-15
2. And this False Prophet will be the one who oversees that everyone who wants
to buy anything has to have the mark of the Beast first! Read 13:16-17
E. Later on in Chapter 16, we see that the Antichrist, the False Prophet and Satan
himself will work together with demonic powers to gather all the kings of the
earth together for the great final war, the war of Har-magedon! Read 16:13-
14,16
F. But before that war we learn in Revelation 17:16 that God will actually use the
Antichrist to overthrow the Great Harlot, which I believe is the one world
religion.
G. But as we learned in the book of Daniel – his doom is certain and we see that at
the return of Christ in Revelation 19 when He overcomes the armies gathered for
war against Him. Read 19:19-21
IV. Conclusion
A. You may be wondering what does all this have to do with me if I will not be here
for the Tribulation. Didn’t you tell us last week we would be raptured before this
happens?
1. Actually a lot! Every believer in Jesus is in one of the major events in this
story. Listen
2. Listen to Rev 17 when he foretells of the Lamb defeating the Antichrist and
the 10 kings – what I want you to note is who will be with Jesus when He
does this
a) Read 17:14 – the called, chosen, and faithful.
b) Who are they?
3. Now let’s read 19:7-8 the marriage feast of the Lamb with the church and as
I read note who is clothed in fine linen, bright and clean
4. Now listen to the return of Jesus when He comes to defeat the Antichrist, the
False Prophet and the kings of the earth. Note again who is with Him
a) Read 19:11-15,
(1) Note v14 – clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following
Him on white horses
(2) 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 adds that the angels will be with Him as
well!
b) Read 19-21
5. So you had better believe this story and sermon have a whole bunch to do
with you!
B. Pray