In this sermon on Revelation chapter 13, the speaker begins by referencing several passages from the books of Daniel and 2 Thessalonians that relate to end time events. He then shares a story about a man who sacrifices to restore the sight of a blind flower girl, highlighting the cost and sacrifice involved. The speaker then reads and discusses the first five verses of Revelation chapter 13, describing the beast that arises from the sea with seven heads and ten horns. The passage also mentions a wounded head that is healed, leading to the worship of the dragon and the beast by the world.

Revelation chapter 13. I'd like to have read a number of passages by way of introduction to our theme today, but at least for the sake of those who are taking notes and for those who are listening to the cassette tape, and we are also reviewing our ministry in our church, and we will be doing this in a regular basis, let me just quote a few passages that you might take note of and in your own private devotions you might like to be reading those passages. In Daniel chapter 9 and from verse 25 on. In Daniel chapter 11 verses 29 to 32 and from verse 36 to 45. Daniel chapter 11. And then in 2 Thessalonians 2, one would say from verse 3 right down to verse 10. Very important passages that address the subject we have for this morning, as again we are concerned with end time events. But we're going to read the first five verses of Revelation chapter 13. And I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast arise up out of the sea. The sea being representative of course of nations. So he comes up out from the nations. A beast having seven heads and ten horns. I might say that that can be easily identified with the vision that Daniel had back in Daniel chapter 7, 8. And upon his horns ten crowns and upon his head the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was likened to a leopard and his feet was as the feet of a bear and his mouth as of the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his seat or his throne and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast. And they worshipped the beast saying who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him. It was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. That is three and one half years. These scriptures before us they tell us about the rise of a man on the universal political scene who will receive an acclaim that is unprecedented in in world history up to that point of time. It says and the whole world wondered after the beast literally and there was wonder in the whole of the earth after the beast. That is there's a pure astonishment. Here is a marvel to behold. Here is universal admiration for a devil because one cannot describe him in any other terms properly than that. A world is deluded by the deceptive deeds of power that he performs. Deceptive signs and deceptive wonders that we are told are energized by Satan himself. It's the same one that the apostle Paul speaks of when addressing the Thessalonians. 2nd Thessalonians 2 verses 9 to 11 saying that his coming was after the effectual working of Satan in power and signs and wonders of falsehood and in all deceivableness of unrighteousness and them that perish. And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion that they should believe the lie not just a lie but the lie. That is how he is described. He is the very personification of falsehood and lies. Just as our Lord Jesus is the embodiment of all truth so this one will be the embodiment of all lies and deceit and corruption. And we are living friends in an hour of such strong satanic delusion that's already evident as exemplified in our society where homosexuality and premarital sex and abortion and adultery and many other forms of God hated iniquities are paraded. And I've used that word purposefully this morning paraded because that is what is taking place today in our nation. Parading as normal and even desirable patterns of life that which God says is an abomination. I pray that you will not be watching television tonight and giving kind of support even by watching it to what is happening at this weekend in Sydney. Is it one of friends that God doesn't send down fire and brimstone upon Sydney? It seems to me that we are coming to such a state in our world of perversity that we're outstripping, and that's not just a play on words, outstripping that which took place in Sodom and Gomorrah which God destroyed by fire and brimstone. And I believe that we as a nation are opening ourselves up to swift judgment by Almighty God. I pray that you will be in the house of God tonight that we can identify with people who are in opposition to this trend in the world where minds and hearts are being conditioned to accept what God hates. This delusion that we are observing now, may I say it's only but a mild preparation for the foulest, the darkest period ever to be known in this world. When this man of sin, this son of perdition, this lawless one, the lie, the Antichrist will take the stage in these days which I see to be clearly the climax of the ages. Last week you will remember that we looked at the incredible prophecy of Daniel 9, the 70 weeks, that is 77's of years, 490 years determined upon the Jews and Jerusalem. All so marvelously and miraculously and accurately fulfilled except the final week. Seven years which follow on from God's purposes in bringing together a people out from among the Gentiles and the Jews all who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ known as the church. There is yet seven years to go and we are living friends in this last hour of the prophetic life and witness of the church on earth. Soon the 70th week, the concluding seven years of God's revealed purpose to deal with sin and to bring in everlasting righteousness it will commence. And this is where we see Satan being cast down to the earth because you see when the church goes up there's no room for him and the church in that heavenly realm when we gather to meet with our Redeemer. And Revelation chapter 12 gives us the details and what wrath consumes the devil because it says in verse 12 he knows that his time he has but a short time. You see the devil has always battled for this planet and in a final effort he is going to embark upon a work of destruction beyond anything the earth has ever known before. When we ask ourselves the question where does Satan's focus rest? Where does he focus his attention and diabolical hostility when he comes to the earth? Well we are told it is upon Israel verse 13 of chapter 12 the woman which brought forth the man child. He commences to persecute her and this chapter describes what will take place obviously in the second half of the seven year period verse 14 for a time and times and a half a time that's three and one half years. But thank God this morning friends we've got the full picture. Amen. We see the end from the beginning. We not only see the activity of the adversary we see the the activity of God Almighty and God is with his people to preserve a remnant. Another demonstration of his great power hallelujah as when he brought them from Egypt. Listen to these comparative scriptures Exodus 19 and verse 4 God says you have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bear you on eagles wings and brought you unto myself and right here in Revelation chapter 12 verse 14 and to the woman were given two wings of an eagle that she might fly into the wilderness into her place where she is nourished for three and one half years. So divine protection as of old yes in the days not too far distant divine protection is afforded to God's covenant people. Isn't this what Jesus himself prophesied in Matthew 24 a place where they will be preserved. Satan will attempt to totally eliminate the Jews. But this is the remarkable thing in verse 16 chapter 12 of Revelation there are nations that will come to Israel's aid to prevent such extermination. But coming to chapter 13 we have the principal agents of Satan in a fearful day and here we are particularly confronted with the one whom we identify as the Antichrist is described as the beast that rises out from the nations. The Apostle Paul describes him as the man of sin the son of perdition the lawless one. John sees him as the beast who rises up out from the nations and whose form is a composite of those that we the beast that we see in the prophecy of Daniel. The three great world empires in reverse order the leopard referring to Greece the bear referring to Persia and the lion referring to Babylon. Now we don't have to try to find well how do you know that they mean that because Daniel tells us in Daniel 7 we are given the interpretation of these figures. And so here is the one who will be the composite of all that has gone before. Maybe we could put it this way that in Antichrist will be the culmination and the final expression of Gentile world dominion that which is in opposition to God. Because there is a ten nation confederacy that the Antichrist will head up in Europe which has upon its head or upon their heads each of these powers that come together in this confederacy or confederation the name of blasphemy. There is the Antichrist but if you go down halfway through the chapter 13 of Revelation there is another beast that's spoken of who rises up but it says he has two horns like a lamb and who speak as a dragon. Now from the passage it appears he is a religious figurehead and one who is in league with the Antichrist and who one who is seen to be directing the world's worship to the image that has been set up by Antichrist of himself in the temple. Evidently the temple is going to be built the millennial temple of Ezekiel's prophecy. The the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet this is it. So this false prophet heads up two great religious powers that are the two horns, two powers. We would suggest this morning it will be apostate Christendom and an alliance of all other false religions. There are some who think of it as Christendom and Islam because they are the the two great religious powers in the world today. But I would probably prefer to see that apart from apostate Christendom it's all other false religions and that stage friends that stage is being set very rapidly. You will notice the guise is of a lamb of a lamb yet the actual words that he speaks are of the dragon or Satan. We are living we are living in very very serious times. Hear me church this morning the departure from true biblical and evangelical faith is most disturbing. We can say as it is in the book of Proverbs truth has fallen in the streets. We have today the denial of the uniqueness of the Christian faith by those who are leaders in Christendom. Some of the leaders have made some astonishing statements. One of the leaders of the World Council of Churches said that Jesus Christ is no more God than my grandmother. He says we don't accept this old-fashioned substitutionary doctrine of the Atonement. It's an insult to our intellect and we know friends that they will embrace Buddhists and Hindus and Sikhs and Muslims and all the various religions and yes Pagan groups and and our cultish groups are being embraced as being part of this great wonderful religious system. The New Age philosophies are polluting not just people out there in the unregenerate world who are so blind to the reality as it is in Christ but the people within the church who have been drawn into things that they think are right but they are being deceived and so there is the denial of the uniqueness of the Christian faith. There is the denial of the inspiration and the infallibility of the Word of God. There is the refusal to confess the full deity of Christ. There is the disdain as I've just quoted in respect of Jesus substitutionary Atonement. There is the denigrating of Christ's sole mediatorship. Friends there is only one mediator between man and God. It's the man Christ Jesus. There is the proclamation of a social humanistic gospel. There is the admixture of occult and pagan ritualism and there is the egotism elevating and deifying mankind and so we've got to think of ourselves now as being as gods. All this is part of the lie that is going to be expressed in person in the Antichrist himself so the stage is set for the great delusion where it will not only be a political world that is going to be taken in by the man of sin but even pseudo religious leaders and people but here's the good news the true church will have been raptured. The true church will have been raptured when both the beast and the false prophet are in such a league and this world knows of such days of sorrow and woe because we're going to be with Christ during that final seven year period but such will be the spiritual state on the earth that Jesus says in Luke 18 and verse 8 when the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith on the earth let me just say friends this will never never never be a Christianized world even Jesus says there are few that find the narrow road that leads to light there are many who will traverse the broad road that leads to destruction and some of the modern teachings of kingdom now and other teachings of that nature as though we are going to bring in the kingdom by our activities not at all friends it's only when Jesus comes personally that that will be realized and so we have this sad condition that we view just ahead of us now let me just present to you this morning the Bible's clear picture of things prior to Christ's glorious reign being instituted upon the earth what takes place in the final weeks the final week of years that seven year period well first of all without elaborating because we've touched on it and we keep referring to it there will be the completion of Christ's purposes for his church Romans 11 verse 23 to 29 possibly affirms that there is going to be the winding up of God's purpose for the church which Jesus loved and gave his blood for hallelujah and thank God this morning this is our blessed hope the rapture of the church will soon take place then there will be secondly an assault on Israel by Gog and Magog back in the prophecy of Ezekiel you might turn to it in chapters 38 and 39 here we have this power that comes not just from the immediate north that is from Syria but from the uttermost north and is easily identified by identified as Russia and we have both the geographic and the linguistic evidences to identify Gog and Magog with Russia now it obviously takes place in the first part of this seven year period we call the seven year period the period the Great Tribulation the full force of that is for the second three and a half years but somewhere in the beginning when Antichrist has come to the fore there is going to be this attack because Daniel 11 verses 40 to 44 reveals that Russia comes to challenge Antichrist authority isn't it keep your ears open keep your eyes open you're watching newscasts and documentaries because we still have this buying for eminence and position of the east and west of Europe and there are those who don't want the eastern countries to be brought into anything that the West is now in and so there is that continuing kind of rivalry there and we know that Antichrist is going to head up this revived Roman Empire this 10-tored Confederacy or Confederation and Daniel 11 says how that Russia will come to challenge Antichrist authority as well as to take a spoil Ezekiel 38 and verse 12 to take a spoil and we know friends that the spoil is oil Russia is already in a critical economic state with inflation and unemployment tearing at the lives of millions of people so Russia will want to cash in on the riches of God's land and be in such a strategic position to control the world interesting to observe that Palestine leads directly to three continents so it is a very strategic place well you notice the evil alliance because with Russia we have Persia which is modern Iran and Ethiopia that's the black African nations from the south Libya this represents the African Arabic nations of Libya and Tunisia and Morocco and Algeria and then we have Gorma spoken of here in Ezekiel 38 Gorma which is Germany including probably the Balkans now make reference to that in a moment and then it speaks of Togarmah here we have southern Russia and the Cossacks maybe this also includes Turkey now we have all been made aware this morning we've all been made aware of what could develop there in Russia with the rise from obscurity of a 48 year old man Zhirinovsky in fact it's interesting that this man has a Jewish father Zhirinovsky has a Jewish father he appeals very strongly to the middle and the lower classes in Russia and he surprised everyone as he entered the political arena because overnight overnight he gained nomination for the 1991 Russian presidential election and the man who was not known called seven million votes and came third in that particular contest and we know that Zhirinovsky has been sending shivers through the neighboring countries and causing much concern everywhere we might see him ranting and raving friends but he is not a clown he's a very well educated man he knows what he is about and he is causing great concern a man who is of great passion to make Russia mighty again his philosophy is openly declared to be one of aggressive nationalism and autocratic leadership and so there is the dreaded threat of force that surrounds his declared intentions his claim and this is quite recent is that Russia really is the stabilizing factor in that whole region as recently he met with the Serbian journalists in Russia because he sees there is going to be an explosion of uncontrollable warfare in a whole Balkan region and it will be left he says for Russia to clean up you know how in the last week or so Russia played quite a major part in that deal concerning Zarievo and he met recently with the leader of Germany's far right avowing there's going to be a long future friendship with Germany and Russia all these things friends are not without significance now it seems that history is repeating itself as a humiliated nation seeks to reassert itself don't think for one minute moment that I'm saying that Zhirinovsky is going to be the Antichrist or that he is going to be the actual leader of Russia when they move in in the fulfillment of this prophecy in Ezekiel 38 but political analysts and I've listened to one or two of them speak on him they see Russia being prepared for such a man to emerge as a dictator one to whom power means all and so the wild bear of Russia will soon be flexing her muscles so that this alliance that Ezekiel speaks of with Russia Russia will be the dominant and leading power in the attack upon Palestine and Israel in Ezekiel 38 and verses 11 and 12 please thou shalt say this is Gog and Magog I will go up to the land of unwalled villagers I will go to them that are at rest that dwell in the dwell safely all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates to take a spoil and to take a prey to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations which have gotten cattle and goods that pardon me the dwell in the midst of the land that's very very clear and certainly it will be at the time when it seems as though peace has come to the Middle East and the Antichrist in the figure very very prominently in that whole peace process but even though Russia and this alliance comes from the far north she will be defeated Israel friends will not be vanquished there's an amazing prophecy here because God sets himself not just against the nation sets himself against God and God is against God and so there is but one who comes forth triumphant in that conflict it will be God will you notice what takes place in Ezekiel 38 verses 19 and 20 there will be a devastating earthquake in verse 21 there's a confusion and a mutiny that takes place in the ranks of the forces against Israel there's pestilence and plague as God wrathfully brings his judgment on God to utterly destroy this evil alliance so God is magnified and his name is honored verse 22 it tells us that there will be the overthrow of God resulting in five-sixths that's 83% of them being slaughtered requiring seven months to bury their corpses which also become a feast for those birds of prey that will take place in the in the valley named Haman Gog and that's chapter 39 now in verse 12 it will take seven years to burn their weaponry because it's apparent that they're not going to need them again so it's used for fuel or one could stay some time in the that prophecy what I just want to say friends before moving on to the major part of this message this morning is that the nations are going to honor God Almighty hallelujah there's a day coming when they are going to acknowledge God they're going to bow before his son and all the nations will be given to Christ as his inheritance there is not one power on earth can rise up against him and maybe we will see in another message how that this storm cut up cut without hands comes and smashes the image at the base of it at its feet it disintegrates and then that storm fills the whole earth Christ is coming back to the earth and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom praise the Lord yes there will be this assault on Israel by God and may God but then there is the terrifying reign of Antichrist this is what we want to particularly touch upon these seven years that are yet to commence but commencing very soon when the world will behold such treachery as has never been witnessed before under this man's world rulership this sinister figure who is in total and active opposition to all that is righteous and good and true Jesus said something to the Jews one day John 5 and verses 18 and 43 he said I am come in my father's name and you receive me not if another shall come in his own name him you will be you will receive how tragic that is and how utterly illogical the mystery of godliness rejected the mystery of iniquity received for the one who is from above they will choose the one who is from the pit for the one who is holy the one who is lawless for the one who is anointed by the Holy Spirit for the one who is energized by Satan for the truth the one who is the lie for the Son of God the son of perdition it all seems so illogical but this is something of a strong delusion that comes upon the world and upon Israel at that particular time you know Daniel's prophecies are remarkable and with John's revelation to hear in this last book of the Bible we have an accurate profile of Antichrist you might like to turn back to Daniel chapter 8 and from verses 23 to 25 something of a character of this man of sin is given to us the one in whom the sin of man comes to the full and that is why he is properly designated the man of sin he's a king of fierce countenance it says that is one who is greatly feared and to whom there will be almost total submission I asked I'm asked the question sometimes about when the church is gone will there be those who will still be saved after the rapture and we know that the book of Revelation speaks of those who will be saved during the tribulation let's not think of those things friends in large you know companies of people in fact I become a little dismayed when I hear for critically when their lives are not being lived right opposing the questions have to say well if I miss the rapture I'll still have a chance don't you dare don't you dare presume on tomorrow let long that seven-year period that you might get right with God today is the day of salvation now is the accepted time all that you might come to know the Lord because there will be this king of fierce countenance it says understanding dark sentences that is a man who possesses an ability to solve difficult problems to settle those long-standing disputes he will dazzle and bewitch the peoples of the world the leaders the presidents the Kings the rulers the governments of the world will be amazed at this man because of his incredible ability the astute way in which he is able to meet with opposing conflicting parties and bring about settlement he is an amazing person his power shall be mighty it says but not by his own power and this evidently reveals him to be satanically energized it's just as though the devil has become incarnate he will not become incarnate this man is a demonized man but he will be such an evil person satanically energized you know little did Monsieur Henri Spark one time General Secretary of Nature way back in 1957 little did he realize how prophetic were his words listen to what he said we do not want another committee we have too many already what we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the allegiance of the people and to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking send us such a man and listen be he God or devil we will receive him that will be true that will come true they will receive a demonized leader a man energized by Satan it goes on to say he shall destroy wonderfully here's a man of cunning and craft a master a guy he deceives Israel hence we have the non-aggression pact that is signed which Isaiah describes Isaiah 28 verses 15 and 18 as an agreement with hell isn't that sad when you think back to the fact that God came in the person of his son Jesus Christ he came unto his own his own received him not could not find agreement with him but fastened him to that Roman gibbet killed the prince of life and yet today coming soon fans they will make an agreement says Isaiah with hell it says that this man shall prosper as we saw in Revelation 13 3 the whole world wondered after the beast he is hysterically acclaimed I used to wonder how this could be until in recent years we have seen hundreds of thousands of our teenagers and young people mesmerized even by our pop stars the Michael Jackson's of this world who despite all the the the cloud and suspicion that surrounded him over these last months whatever be the truth God knows the truth and yet there are those who despite even the knowledge of the man could be implicated in such evil they just worship him so we can see it even on that smaller scale but still a large scale proportion in the world of people being idolized I tell you when this man comes he will be hysterically acclaimed the whole world wondered after the beast it says and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people how sad to see Israel being affected as they are by him deceived by this man and entering into that pact because he is going to violate that agreement and Israel will be nearly exterminated through his policy he says the prophecy here through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper oh he has a mind of a brilliant military strategist because it says that by peace he shall destroy many many will be taken unawares and destroyed by this Antichrist one little further clause here it says he shall stand up against the Prince of Princes and here is revealed his total opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ the true Christ the true Messiah so this man is that God defiant self exalting self deifying despot who demands the world to honor him as God and second Thessalonians 2 brings that out so clearly yes Daniel has this revelation in Daniel 9 he gives us more insight into his workings this is where we were talking about last week this last week this seven years in verse 26 of chapter 9 there is mention of Christ Messiah the Prince and it speaks of another prince and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city in the sanctuary and the end of all shall be with a flood and unto the end of the war desolations are determined notice in verse 27 he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week seven years but after three and a half years he will bring an end to the sanctions he has given to Israel he'll turn upon them with such fury that brings desolation until that which has been determined upon him comes to pass and he will be destroyed because thank God here's the the the hopeful message friends the positive word this morning that Christ is coming back and scripture teaches us that at that point of that critical point of disillusionment and deception and utter despair when Israel is on the point of total disaster Christ comes Shiloh comes and unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be Daniel 9 Daniel 8 25 when the Antichrist stands up against that prince of princes it says he shall be broken without hand that is without a human hand no one seems to be able to do anything against this man but when Christ comes he will 2nd Thessalonians 2 8 and then that wicked shall be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit the breath of his mouth and shall destroy him bring him to an end with the brightness of his coming so this morning the demise of the Antichrist is certain even as it rises one who not only rises but who falls he is crushed by the all-mightiness of Christ in his advent in chapter 17 of Revelation please and verses 12 to 14 and the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings which have received no kingdom as yet but receive a power as kings one hour with the beast these have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto the beast it's interesting friends to read the Treaty of Rome I've got a copy of the Treaty of Rome I was given many years ago this little pamphlet this little booklet and this is what Margaret Thatcher was fighting against she did not want Britain as part of the EEC to lose her sovereignty because those who sign this Treaty of Rome they lose their sovereignty and it will it will come to pass and here is the scriptural word for it too these have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto the beast and to the Antichrist they lose their sovereignty these shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful oh what a day that would be when Jesus comes back because then friends the veil the veil which has been upon Israel's eyes will be removed they shall see him whom they have pierced but now they will believe upon him they are true Messiah hallelujah as I conclude this morning tell you a little story I I read of a little man he was an outcast in the city in which he lived he had to work very hard for his scanty livelihood and this little fellow was attracted to a little flower girl that was just selling flowers in his community the thing that attracted him was that she was seemed so sweet but she was totally blind and for a long time he scraped and he saved and at last he accumulated sufficient to seek the services of a renowned surgeon to operate upon her because he wanted that little girl to see again and that is precisely what happened she did not know his name she didn't know his circumstances just as a friend and never realized what it had cost him to provide for her to be so blessed with sight again she had the operation it was a great success and later that little girl opened her own flower shop and one day when she's looking through the window she saw the pathetic figure of a little man gazing at the blooms in the shop and acting upon impulse she took a bunch of flowers and went out to him and gave him this bunch of flowers not in the least knowing it was the very one who had given her her sight she had never seen him but as she placed the flowers in his hand and felt the touch there came a revelation a sudden realization that this was the one who had sacrificed almost all that he had for her and the little fella just looked up hardly knowing just what to say to her but eventually said well you can see now and she looked into his eyes and she said with infinite meaning yes I can see now and friends this morning the day is soon going to dawn when having come through great sorrows and blindness there is a people who are going to look up into the face of Jesus and they will say we can see now we can see now we can see now I'm glad this morning friends to be among those whose eyes have already been opened we see him for who he is we see him who for a little while was was given such humiliation for the suffering of death but we see him crowned with glory and honor and we have come to receive him as Lord and submit to him as our Savior what about you this morning will you also declare I can see now because through the word of God as we have sought just to unfold it the revelation is very clear Jesus is real and Jesus is coming back again and this book is absolutely true accurate in every detail and everything that God has said is going to come to pass if as I'm concluding there is anything at all that comes by way of lesson to me from even what we've been talking about this morning then they all relate to the greatness of our God his authority is so absolute his power is incontestable his care of his own is certain his timings are truly perfect his patient dealings are amazing his forgiving love friends are sure this is the one who is standing among us this morning let's stand in honor of him shall we the concluding moments of our meeting that we might praise him and make the fresh renewed commitment of our all to him and say we can see you now we see you for who you are we give our all to you and to you alone let that be our determination this morning that God's blessing may accompany us until that moment dawns when we shall actually look upon the face of our blessed Redeemer hallelujah hallelujah oh we praise you Lord just magnify the Lord praise his holy name