.
All the Scriptures which refer to these Beasts speak of them, without exception, as individuals. There is no hint as to their being anything else.
The second Beast is a spirit-being, but it is a man who is possessed by it. To the world he will be seen as a man. To us, now and here, he is shown to be superhuman; and as immediately led, influenced, and energized, by special spirit-agency. Already, there are many who are tampering with Spiritism, and who have their "familiar spirits" and guides. They call themselves, “Mediums” or Spiritists. However, the Spiritists, themselves, are well aware of the dangers and evils of possession. But there will be one who will be possessed by this mighty spirit-agent of Satan. Acts 16:16-18, and Acts 19:15-16 throw a little light upon it.
Eight times is the expression "he causeth" used of this False Prophet, (Remember the characteristic term used of the FIRST Beast is, “It was given”); so that he is an efficient agent. What "he causeth" we are told in the verses which follow...
Revelation 13:12, “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, (in other words, "in his presence"), and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed."
“The earth and they that dwell therein" is a figure of speech called Pleonasm, or redundancy; a Hebrew figure characteristic of this book. Pleonasm is the use of more words or word-parts than is necessary for clear expression: examples are black darkness, tuna fish, or burning fire. Now, the sphere of activity of the first Beast will be Political; of the second it will be Ecclesiastical. The basis of the worship will be the first Beast’s miraculous resurrection. People are then induced to pay him divine homage. The False Prophet reduces it to a system.
There is nothing in all this that is so shocking that it is beyond our faith. Such things have happened before; why not again? Herod received Divine homage and took it as his right (Acts 12:21-23). History is full of similar examples, and can easily repeat itself. Even now there are "New" Religions in the air; and in each there is less and less of God. In the new religion that is coming, God will be entirely left out, and man will be exalted. It will be a combination of wisdom, science, progress, and philanthropy, combined with all that panders to the lowest instincts of fallen humanity. Given all this, plus Satanic and spirit-agency, what is here described is easily possible, and what is more, it is revealed to us as positively certain.
Revelation 13:13, "And he doeth great wonders (miracles), so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men"
That these are real miracles there can be no doubt, since that very same word is constantly used of the miracles wrought by The LORD Jesus Christ. And these miracles are "great." This again is no new thing. Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses (Exodus 7:11; 2 Timothy 3:8), and up to a certain point worked the same miracles. Elijah caused fire to come down out of heaven more than once (1 Kings 18:38. 2 Kings 1:10-12), and in this Book it is used by God as one of His judgements (Revelation 20:9). The two witnesses deal in like manner with their enemies (Revelation 11:5).
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In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.
So There You Have it!
Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.
Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.
In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry
Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)
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