Introduction
2 Thess 2: 10-11
“They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.”
In chapter 12: 17 we saw Satan turning his attention from Jesus to Christian believers. Now we see that campaign against the Church and humanity fleshed out in chapter 13 through the two beasts that Satan sense into the world.
Satan's Campaign Strategy - Highest Treason
Satan stands aside and appoints delegates to do his will and these delegates are that two beasts, one who comes out of the sea and the other who comes out of the land. The sea was equated with the Gentile pagan nations by the Jews whereas the land they equated with Israel and God's people.
This relates back to the Angel of chapter 10 who stood with one foot on the sea and the other on the land as he proclaimed God to be the Creator with all that this title infers and swears that there will be, 'no more delay'. So, in one sense what we are now seeing through John's eyes is Satan's campaign to try and usurp God's sovereignty over his creation. It is not just a matter of stealing from the house, but taking the whole house by force. He is trying to steal God's name, his throne, his people and even lay claim to the created order. Remember, Satan wants to rule and to be worshipped.
Christian Strategy – Overcome! Verses 9-10
In chapter 12 we noted that Christians are not meant to destroy Satan but to overcome him and to be steadfast in the face of Satan's attacks on them. Looking to the middle of chapter 13 we see that this could mean imprisonment and death (v9-10) and being patient endurance and faithfulness rather than seeking retribution.
These two verses are the application verses for the modern Christian. A useful principle to try and help us understand how to apply them can be found in Jesus' teaching about Roman taxes that we will return to later. Suffice to say for the time being that these verses have a translation difficulty. But the English loses the sense of ambiguity in the original Greek which indicates that those who take captives and kill others might very well suffer those same fates themselves. The Christian is always called to love his enemy and to allow got to avenge any wrong done against the believer. Implicit in these verses is the promise that God will judge our persecutors and so they are an encouragement for the Christian believer.
BEAST 1
Parody
and the description of the first Beast in verse one reminds us of the description of the Dragon, Satan, back in chapter 12: 3. He resembles Satan in the same way that Jesus resembles God the Father and the Beast should be understood in contrast to the Lamb. This is the devil incarnate, come as a person as God did through his son Jesus.
Some see him as a composite Beast. Ross A. Taylor says, "the Beast reminds us of the first three beasts of Daniel seven. Daniel sees for beasts: lion, bare, leopard with four heads, a fourth Beast with iron teeth and ten horns. these are combined into one beast in this vision."
I ask the reader to excuse me if I did not embark upon a comparison of Daniel and Revelation here. That in itself is a mighty undertaking and one that LivingWordNet might address in the future. And we will simply pick out one of two points at this stage.
Of Empires
| [Rev. 17:8] The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come. [9] "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. [10] They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. [11] The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction. [12] "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. [13] They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. (NIV) |
You may wonder why I have skipped to chapter 17 at this stage. This is because chapter 17 is where we get a fuller description of the Beast. Here we see that it has ten horns and crowns which hark back to Daniel's 4th Beast with its ten horns. According to Revelation 17:12, these worldly leaders will conspire and rule in allegiance with the Beast at the end. Note that the Crown's they wear are Diadem or sovereign crowns and not the stephanos or Laurel crowns that we have seen previously in this book. These are men with real political power, and in verse 13 we see that they have but one purpose which will be to give their power and authority to the Beast. In doing so they mimic the 24 Elders around God's throne.
The seven heads of verse 9 could allude to seven historical empires but is often seen to indicate Rome with its seven hills. Whatever the truth, its meaning is quite clear and that is dictatorial political power. Satan is the Prince of this world and his power base resides in rebellious man whose aims are power, status and tough wealth. In grasping for these things, humanity wreaks much mischief and suffering upon itself.
I would suggest that this passage is using the authoritarian Roman Empire of the first century as a thought-model to describe how Satan operates in the human world through this first Beast. He is a political system and a man - either literal or figurative. In the same way that Jesus is served and seeing through his people in the Church, so Satan's Beast is served through imperial dictatorships, or at least through corrupt Schumann government like ancient Rome.
Christians and 'Political' Power
The more I pondered the meaning of this passage, the more it seemed it was suggesting that Church and State might be mutually exclusive in the following sense: Satan controls and is represented by political power that is often authoritarian and sometimes brutally so, allowing no dissent. God however, makes his appeal to the human heart through a different organisation of people, the Christian Church, and he allows dissent.
For Anglicans in particular this begs the question as to whether the Church of England would serve got better by being disestablished, but there is a wider issue at stake here that we should all think about. Let me ask you if you think it is better for Christians to take political or majority control of say, a school, a business, or a local or national government if the opportunity arises and what dangers you think that might entail.
Christianity that assumes political power is easily tempted into the ways of the world and can prove to be anti-gospel and therefore counter-productive. In that a major Australian city and there is a very fine theological college and the diocesan bishop has very close links with this college. Their influence has been most marked in the city's schools. In their zeal to ensure that the Bible is taught to children and Christian principles are observed, some commentators remark that the balance has tipped too far.
As professing Christians fill out of the governing boards of schools to the extent of having overall political control, this Christian education is becoming prescriptive - authoritarian if you like - and non-Christian educators now feared for their jobs and for the balanced educational welfare of students. It is the reverse situation to that found throughout the UK where Christians are in minority and share those same fears.
The phrases, 'power tends to corrupt' and 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions' come to mind. I know for fact that non-Christian educators in this Australian city look at the Christian influence in the schools, see its hypocrisy and authoritarianism, and so reject the Church and more importantly its message that is the gospel. And if the Church is about one thing, it is about propagating the gospel and everything we do should create an environment where the gospel is served properly.
Christians, to borrow the phrase of St Paul, are 'jars of clay' and whilst our influence in society is vital, actually clasping and wielding power is at best dangerous. We too well to remember that Jesus uses the weak things of this world to shame the wise.
Please do not misquote me. I am not suggesting for one minute that Christians should not seek to serve on school boards or in any form of civil or government authority. On the contrary, Christian participation and influence is vital. But when Christians form the majority and hold the balance of power, then we should observe the danger signs. The Taliban regime of Afghanistan is a perfect example of what happens to religious witness when it adherence sees political power and start wielding it prescriptively. The temptation is just too great not to.
Ross A Taylor says,
"The devil uses people and political powers to fulfil his purposes here on earth, in the same way that God uses the Church, which is his body, to fulfil his purposes here on earth. The two of them are diametrically opposed."
Remember that despite the expectations of the Jews, their Messiah refused to pick up the sword against the Romans and re-establish an eternal earthly kingdom, but fought the spiritual war behind the world's political problems by going to the Cross instead. As Peter cut off that year of a Roman soldier in the Garden of Gethsemane so Jesus healed the man and enabled him to hear the gospel. Christ never grasped political power and rebuffed the Devil's temptation to do so when in and the desert for 40 days.
Parody - verse 3
Back to the text of chapter 13 and verse 3 we're told the Beast had a fatal wound. This is a parody of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Furthermore, Satan was fatally wounded - by the cross - but his power over humanity did not entirely diminish. As for the 8th head, we learn in chapter 17 per that the Beast eventually does away with his human puppets and emerges quite visibly as the real ruler. In that sense he is an 8th head that is always present behind political power but never in public view until the very end.
Homage - verse 4 In verses 4-8 we see the final version of Satan's Beast head up the world government or at least gain global dominance (verse 7) and that he mistakes his powerful absolute authority so that he is proud and boastful and he openly blasphemers God in verses 5 and 6.
Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him. (Mark 12:17)
The first century Roman emperors Nero and Domitian both encouraged people to worship them. Nero even had 'Saviour of the World' inscribed on his coinage. later emperors took the divine title of Lord (Greek kurious) that should be applied to Jesus alone.
What is happening here is that people are giving to the Beast what is due to God. Humanity is seduced by strong leadership and that is how the likes of Hitler, Mao, Stalin and Saddam Hussein come to and hold onto power. It accounts for the admiration people afford Churchill and Thatcher. People often suspend their better moral judgment in favour of strong leadership and retain a a fascination with these people long after they have gone. Remember that even at Old Testament Israel wanted a king, a strong visible leader.
In the same way that to worship Jesus is to worship God the Father, by worshipping the Beast these people are worshipping Satan by association. Ross A Taylor comments, "This political power has exceeded its legitimate authority from God in that it allows itself to be worshipped..."
The Christian Response
So, we Christians in find ourselves living under a brutal totalitarian regime. Embracing Liberation Theology we buy guns and play Rambo against the infidels, don't we? After all, isn't that how we answer the question of verse 4, 'who is like the Beast? Who can make war against him?'
Of course I am being sarcastic. Christians do not do these things but rather we suffer and respect corrupt authority but only until it contravenes our worship of the true living God. At that point we stand up to be counters and in doing so we pay taxes to Caesar and worship to Jesus. A nice way to understand this balance is to understand that we die for the truth but that we do not kill for it. Our task is to worship Jesus as Lord, and to speak truth rather than blasphemy pointing to Jesus who is the Lamb on the throne who will open the seven-sealed scroll that will result in the downfall of Satan.
You know it's a very sad question that the people of the earth ask in verse 4. It's at once boastful and yet pitiable too for it speaks of the resigned suffering of humanity under ineffective government after government.
Names
The blasphemous names of verse 1 that adhere to corrupt governments are not the actual names themselves and that what these governments represent. The name 'The Third Reich' for example, has come to infer something totally evil that represents everything that God it is not. therefore its name has become blasphemous because of its behaviour. These evil empires of history do not dispense perfect justice, they do not provide for everyone's needs, they do not speak truth and they do not to govern openly but with lies and in darkness. This is all so different from the glorious view of God's government of light in Revelation 4.
BEAST 2
The False Trinity
We now come to this second Beast, the one who comes out of the earth. If the first Beast wields political power and looks like a King then this second Beast looks like a prophet or a priest. In Revelation 19:20 he is called the False Prophet. Remember that Jesus is a our king and high priest so chapter 13 is drawing a stark contrast with the Lamb of God by painting this horrible picture of a counterfeit high priest and king. It is a picture of Satan mocking God's word and his justice.
But perhaps this is not the right contrast between real and counterfeit. We might read this picture as depicting a False Trinity comprising of Satan (as usurping father), Beast 1 (bestial son) and Beast 2 (evil spirit).
The Details - verses 11-13
Verse 11 tells us that the purpose of this Beast is deception. He is attractive and looks 'like a lamb' which is a symbol of religious sacrifice, and but he tells lies in so far it as he speaks 'like a dragon' which is a symbol of satanic evil. The two horns remind us of the two witnesses of Chapter 11 and in verse 12 we encounter the theme of authority and in verse 13 that of miraculous signs and specifically fire from heaven. Everything that God the Father does Satan mimics in cruel deception.
I really think this should be a warning to our more charismatic friends in the Church. Charismatic signs are not in themselves a proof of God's presence but might well be part of Satan's counterfeit. If that sounds far-fetched, then this chapter must at least make them stop and consider the issue more fully.
Counterfeit Religion - verses 14-15
The picture of the second Beast seems to conjure up the existence of counterfeit religion in the world. And in verse 14 we see how the world's people, that is all non-believers, responds to this deception. The Beast orders them and they obey so they have become enslaved to the deception and are no longer free. It is strange how humanity thinks that breaking the moral law of God is freedom when in fact the exact opposite is true.
The biggest concern that I had in taking that final step of faith was that I might be entering a world of strict regulations and rules that would severely limit my free will. The biggest surprise in taking that final step of faith was that I felt entirely free in a way I had never done so before. Certainly other Christians have experienced this same sense of release from bondage when they gave their lives to Jesus Christ but how seldom we testify to it.
Also in verse 14 we see how unbelievers making idol of the first Beast - the political one - at the insistence of the second Beast. Not only do they worship the Beast but they worship an image of him. What this seems to be suggesting could be exemplified by financial wealth. If we are rich then money becomes our idol, and if we are poor then we covet money, idolising the 'image' of money.
To everything that emanates from this description of the second Beast talks of a debasement of human dignity. In verse 15 for people of the world moved from an almost voluntary subservience to an enforced subservience and set about murdering their detractors - in other words Christians. When your way of life has been reduced to murdering others made in the image of God then you have become pitiable and wretched indeed.
Economic Dependence - verses 16-17
The way that Satan and his beasts enforce their enslavement of humanity is through economic dependence.
The world of commerce is not a compassionate master. Money is meant to serve humanity but I imagine everyone who reads this would agree that the world works the other way round - humanity serves money. For many people going to work is not a positive experience that is a tyranny that does not fulfil them and which impoverishes their family life and their friendships with others. The mindless repetition of many jobs is utterly degrading and enslaving. It is what the great philosopher Karl Marx called alienation or estrangement. His premise was that mankind is designed to work, and this is in accordance with God's creation as described in Genesis, but that human work is organised in such a way that their labour is used to oppress them and as a weapon of subjugation. I wonder if you realised how much in agreement with the Bible he was.
The Mark
People are social beings. We are made in the image of God to be interdependent on one another. It is human interaction that makes life worth while. Jesus has called his people into a Church as a bride to enjoy a marriage relationship with him. We have seen in this chapter Satan working in three spheres of social life - religion, politics, and now economics.
This comprehensive enslavement of humanity is summed up here in verse 16 with the mark that is put on the hand and the forehead. Note that this mark is a name (verse 17) and specifically the name of the Beast. This stands in contrast to the sealing of God's servants in Revelation 7 where Christians are marked with the name of Jesus. According to Revelation 20:4 Christians to not receive the mark of the Beast, that mark of enslavement, but Christ's mark of freedom.
This reminds us of Moses instituting the ceremony of Passover in Exodus 13 :9 where he says, 'And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.' In celebrating Christ's victory on the Cross and claiming his name so we are marked with a similar symbol that is echoed by having the mark of our name written in the Book of Life.
Examples
Let us try and ground what we have just been reading in some practical examples. I studied Chinese at university right at the end of Mao Ze Dong's rule. Mao had made China in to a fascist state and his image was plastered everywhere with slogans that were learnt and said as religious mantras by the people. He even instituted the so-called Cultural Revolution that unleashed fierce repression and social breakdown of unimaginable proportions.
But let us come closer to home. What about a soccer club? We all like to associate ourselves with particular professional clubs but these days being a fan can take on the status of being in a cult. Media images perpetrate the idolising of soccer players. Clubs undertake economic merchandising and branding to extreme levels, encouraging supporters to buy nothing that does not bear the logo of their favourite soccer club. Being a soccer fan becomes a way of life that precludes God and which is materialistic and idolatry. The well-being and sense of self-worth of the fan comes to rest upon a the ability of the team to win each week.
Perhaps the final version of all this will be a powerful global dictatorship where Christians will be mercilessly sort out and murdered in a world that has become absolutely materialistic. If you like, a Roman Empire to end all empires.
666
This number mentioned at the end of this chapter always seems to arouse a lot of interest and superstition among people generally. The film The Omen made a big thing of it but let's see how significant it is.
The first thing to notice is that the text says it is 'man's number' and not 'a man's number'. The number describes man in his sinfulness and in his rebellion against God. If seven is the number of perfection and completion then six is close but it is a failure. Here we have a trinity of failures. Mankind tries to mimic and usurp God in all he does - he tries to worship self - but he will never ever succeed.
Final Observation
A would like to give the last word to Ross A Taylor:
"There is a danger here. If we look for some worldwide dictator who as economic control over individuals as well as political and religious control and who therefore looks like the Antichrist this does not necessarily mean that the end is about to come unless that other prerequisite of the Second Coming is fulfilled, namely the preaching of the gospel to all nations(Mat 24:14). We must not allow speculation as to the nature of the mark of the Beast to deflect the Church from its primary mission, namely the preaching of the gospel."