Sound The Trumpet : Revelation 13:15

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“Revelation 13:15”
by Art Sadlier
October 11th, 2009

"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."

In the previous verses we saw the miracles that the false prophet performed in order to deceive the people of the world. Satan is a deceiver and the whole tribulation period is a time of deception. The deception starts at the beginning of the tribulation and continues to grow until here in verse 15, it reaches it's greatest point.

An image of the beast is made and then comes this crescendo of deception, "Power to give life unto the image of the beast". I suggest again, that this is the appearance of giving life, Satan cannot actually give life, but he in a miraculous way appears to bring to life an inanimate object. This image of the beast can first of all speak, perhaps by means of T.V. the image addresses the whole world with the program of Satan. Notice what the program of Satan is: that the whole world should worship the image. Satan has a three step program here. First, to have the world to worship the image. Secondly, to worship the beast himself. We see him in 2 Thess. 2:4 sitting in the temple of God showing himself that he is God. Thirdly, to have the whole world worship Satan himself, remember he said, "I will be like the most High".

Now we see a further amazing thing about the image, "that the image of the beast should.....cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." How this is accomplished we are not sure, beheading seems to the means of execution. Perhaps those who do not respond to the emails of the image of the beast will simply be marked for death by beheading.

Now will begin the greatest slaughter in all of history, billions will be put to death for refusing to worship Satan. Notice a contrast between those who worship God and those who worship Satan. Men and women will worship Satan under threat of death or through deception. Men and women will worship God out of a voluntary free will and out of hearts overflowing with love and gratitude to God for His goodness and mercy. What a contrast? That leaves no place for the hyper-calvinist idea that man has no part in exercising a free will to receive salvation.

So now we see the age long struggle to win the hearts of men and women coming to climax. Billions are receiving the Mark of the beast and following Satan, while at the same time billions are demonstrating their love for Christ by laying down their lives.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13