Is This Satan's PR Man?!
The Book that Promises a Blessing!
A study of the book of Revelation
by Pastor Frank Rice
Revelation 13:11-18
Everyone who wants to be popular and promoted should probably have someone who will fight for them, someone to look out for their best interests and promote them. (It’s a little embarrassing for a person to promote himself, at least it should be!) A good Public Relations Person creates a likable image. A good PR Person does not promote self. The sole objective is to promote someone else. It’ll take a major effort and minor miracle to deceive earth-dwellers so they’ll embrace Antichrist’s agenda! He’s chosen just the right “man!”
I. Mankind Has a Propensity to Embrace Deception (Vv. 11-15).
v The outward appearance of Satan’s public relations man may be deceptive (v. 11)! He is employed to direct wanderers onto the path of destruction! (We are incredibly vulnerable and gullible!)
- He is described as another beast with the same nature as the first; animalistic, savage, brutal, undomesticated, and wild.
- He, unlike the first beast, arises out of the earth. If the sea indicates a Gentile, the land may indicate this man is Jewish.
- He appears like a lamb; gentle, harmless, and likable. Two horns may indicate that he is a political and religious figure. Religion is the devil’s anesthetic (2 Cor. 4:4, 11:3, 11:14-15)!
- He speaks like a dragon. His words bring about death and destruction through deception!
v His authority and power do not derive from himself (v. 12)!
1. God Himself permits the dragon (Satan) to exercise authority and power (v. 2b). Satan is “a big dog with a long leash!”
2. The dragon empowers the 1st beast to do his bidding (v. 12a).
3. The 1st beast gives power & authority to the 2nd beast, who is totally committed to his agenda & aggrandizement (v. 12b)!
v His accomplishments are nothing short of miraculous (vv. 13 -15)!
1. He performs mega-miracles in the plain sight of his audience, just like prophets of old (v. 13)! He’s like Elijah, whose coming to announce the messiah was foretold (Mal 4:5)! Here he is!
2. His deception is so convincing that earth-dwellers create an image to worship him (v. 14a). [Is this from Daniel 9:27?]
3. This seems to be referred to by Jesus (Matt. 24:15-16; 23-24). Paul also spoke of this deception (2 Thess. 2: 3-4)!
4. “The performance of miracles is not proof that the one doing them is from God” (Matthew 7:21-23)!
5. He causes breath in the image and demands, on the threat of death, that all honor this image or image/symbol (v. 15).
II. Mankind Has a Predisposition for Self-Preservation (Vv. 16-18)!
v This tyrant will somehow force people to voluntarily receive some kind of mark on their person (vv. 16-17)!
1. There must be some sort of crisis or crises, either manmade or natural disaster, in order to convince mankind that this solution is necessary! “We need to do this!” It will appeal to everyone!
2a. Earthquake & flood victims must be reached before they expire!
b. Escaped convicts must be located and captured before cause harm!
c. Illegal, dangerous refugees must be located and evicted!
d. Abducted or endangered children must be found!
e. Identity theft and credit card fraud must be stopped!
f. Wandering senior citizens must be rescued!
g. Aliens have landed and we don’t know whose who - seriously!
h. Pedophiles and paroled criminals need to be monitored!
i. Medical records are needed for a comatose patient!
j. Corpses are discovered in mass graves; who are they?
What might this expediency entail? (We can only guess!)
- In every one of the above instances, an identification chip, placed at birth if possible, in their right hand or forehead, would save lives or solve puzzles if our scanning technology is implemented!
4. Anyone without this identification mark on their right hand or forehead will be criminalized and face economic sanctions! Everyone’s whereabouts will be monitored, for the good of all.
v This tyrant’s identity is so obscured that it will only be exposed in retrospect (v. 18)! After he appears on the scene and begins to arouse suspicions, his identity will be revealed. (In my opinion.)
1. There is a number by which this evil person can be identified.
2. And no one thus far has figured it out! Satan’s strategy has always been to gain control of mankind. He and his cronies do it through deception & creating dependence! They’re experts!
3. “The number of the beast down through the centuries has been linked with literally hundreds of different possibilities.” (Osborne)
4. When a person refuses to acknowledge the truth, he or she sets themselves up to embrace the lie.
5. When men and women reject God’s truth, God gives them over to their preferred deception (Rom 1) and allows them to experience their delusion in all its terrible force! (Osborne)
6. When a person chooses the Truth and abides in Him, he or she is kept by the power of God! Each person gets to choose!