Sound The Trumpet : Revelation 13:5-6

Must Listen

Must Read

What Art Thinks

Pre-Millennialism

Today's Headlines

Sorry... Not Available

Locally Contributed...

Audio

Video

Special Interest

Exploring Revelation

7607

“Revelation 13:5-6”
by Art Sadlier
September 1st, 2009

“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months”. This is the midtribulation point, for 3 ½ years now the beast has been a deceiver, he has been pretending to be Israel’s benefactor. Now he is revealed for what he really is, the mask comes off. It is not that the world has not seen the beast up to this point, it is that the world has not seen the real heart and soul of the antichrist. Now the curtain is pulled aside, and the real beast steps up.

Notice it says, “And there was given unto him”, the whole conflict between God and Satan is by the permissive will of God. Remember when we continue in sin and do not come under the immediate judgment of God, it is because God is allowing us to continue. The key to our lives is the fear of God, we need to fear lest God might allow us to go on in sin and bring ultimate disaster and destruction into our lives.

Up to this point the beast has been Mr. Nice guy, at least on the outside. “ A mouth speaking great things”, the guise of humility is gone, he now has the whole world in his total control. He is now arrogant and bold, he now begins to act as one who has control of everything, he now acts to crush everything and everyone who dares to oppose him.

“And blasphemies”, now he rails against God, Satan now thinks he has won the battle with God and his man becomes defiant of God.

One of the amazing qualities of our God is now revealed, His patience and long suffering. “And power was given to continue forty and two months”. The patience and long suffering of God are infinite, though His purposes and programs are not to be frustrated by His patience. We who are in His likeness and image are to be like Him, we reflect His glory when we reveal His nature in our lives. We see that manifested in the lives of the tribulation saints who bear the suffering and martyrdom patiently.

“To continue forty and two months”. This is the darkest hour this world has ever known or will ever know. Jesus described those days in Matthew 24:21-22, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should be no flesh saved: but for the elects sake those days shall be shortened”.

This is the culmination of the great experiment, Satan implied to God in Job that he could run the kingdom better than God. The kingdoms of this world were given into Satan’s hand. By the end of the 3 ½ years the world will be in ashes and ruins. Now the world of men and angels will know for all of eternity that only God can govern His kingdom and that sin and rebellion against God are a disaster.

“And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven”.

Notice the four fold blasphemies of the beast.

First he blasphemes against God. Satan has just been cast down out of heaven and he is angry against at God. He seeks some way to hurt God and to strike back at God. The truth is that God is not even touched by these blasphemies. Satan cannot even touch God, this is one manifestation of the victory of God over His foe.

Second he blasphemes God’s name. The name of God is the deadliest weapon that antichrist has to face. God’s name is truth and that is what antichrist fears the most. We need to realize the power that is in the name of Jesus, it is our greatest weapon. Look at that power, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do , that the Father may be glorified in the Son”, John 14:13. Satan cannot face the name of God, he fears it and hates it, therefore he attacks it, but his attack is in vain.

Third he blasphemes God’s tabernacle. The tabernacle is the place where God has dwelt on earth and the place where the program of redemption was revealed. The place where Satan’s defeat is revealed in the type of Christ’s sacrifice for man’s sin.

Fourth he blasphemes those who have gone to heaven. Satan through his man, the beast, has slaughtered millions of tribulation believers only to realize that they have gained the victory over him and are now in the very presence of God.

We see that Antichrist defies everything that connected to his great enemy, the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan now knows that his time is short and that he is utterly defeated. The fact is that all that is now left to Satan is to blaspheme God.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13