Participants: Pr. Kenneth Cox
Series Code: RJC
Program Code: RJC000023
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00:21 And good evening. Welcome to The Revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:27 We appreciate you being here this evening 00:30 and like to welcome all those that are tuning in by television 00:34 or by radio or even by the Internet. 00:38 We thank you and hope that as we go in this week 00:42 to the last part of the book of Revelation... 00:46 We're looking at Revelation the 17th, 18th, 00:51 19th, 20, 21, and 22... those chapters... 00:56 finishing up the book of Revelation. 01:00 And so we hope that you can tune in 01:03 each night as we take a look at what God is saying 01:06 is happening today. Probably these next few chapters 01:11 are some of the most important in the book of Revelation. 01:15 Uh, as you know, this will bring us to the end. 01:19 We will have covered the whole book of Revelation, 01:22 and we hope it's been a particular blessing to you. 01:25 As you remember, we started out 01:29 in the first part of Revelation. And in the 4th chapter 01:33 it says that John was caught up to the throne of God... 01:38 to the throne room. And there in the throne room 01:41 was angels, 24 elders, 01:46 and four living creatures. 01:49 And we tried to illustrate that for you. 01:53 And we've had some things here that we hope maybe 01:57 illustrated them for you. 01:59 Those 4 living creatures... 02:02 uh, they're part of the angelic host. 02:06 They're seraphim because they have six wings. 02:10 And these four living creatures 02:14 depict the nature of Christ is what they are to do. 02:18 For instance it says that one of them was like a lion. 02:22 And of course you remember the scripture says that 02:25 Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. 02:29 And these living creatures are not something new. 02:33 You find them even in the Old Testament. 02:36 You find that the children of Israel carried banners 02:39 that had pictures of these four living creatures on them. 02:43 The next one it tells us was like an ox. 02:47 And of course that represented the sacrifice 02:51 that Christ would make in your behalf and mine. 02:55 And so it's pictured Him as the sacrifice. 02:59 And then you find that it talks about the third living creature, 03:03 and it says that that third one was like a man 03:07 representing the humanity of Christ... pictures that. 03:12 And then the fourth one was like an eagle. 03:16 And that eagle represented the divinity of Christ. 03:20 And so you have those four living creatures. 03:23 We tried to give you a little idea of what was there. 03:25 All the visions that John had 03:29 all took place in the throne room. 03:32 And as you read through the book of Revelation 03:34 you'll see it talks about 24 elders 03:37 or the angels or the four living creatures being there. 03:41 This was where John was and this where he saw many of the things 03:46 that are recorded in the book of Revelation. 03:48 So we hope that that will bless you as we continue 03:53 to study the book of Revelation. 03:56 Tonight we're taking a look at 04:00 the 17th chapter and The Scarlet Beast. 04:08 There are beasts that are used throughout the 04:11 book of Revelation. Probably to understand this one 04:15 will help you put the whole thing together. 04:19 So we hope it will bless you particularly as we study it. 04:23 Tomorrow night we're going to be talking about 04:25 Ten Kings because in the 17th chapter 04:29 it talks about ten kings and the part that they will play 04:33 in the very last days. You've got to remember 04:36 the 17th chapter is wrapping it up. 04:40 This is... this is really where it wraps all of it up 04:43 as far as the beast and all are concerned. 04:45 And so the ten kings are there. 04:48 It says they give their power and authority to the beast. 04:51 So you want to be with us when we talk about these ten kings 04:55 on our next presentation. 04:58 And then of course tonight we're back to The Scarlet Beast. 05:01 So we hope that that will bless you 05:04 as we continue to study God's Word. 05:07 Tonight Dona Klein is going to sing for us 05:12 one of the great - as far as I'm concerned - 05:15 Christmas carols... one that I hope will bless you 05:19 in a special way entitled On a Silent Night. 05:23 And we'll be blessed in a special way. 05:25 But before she does, Chuck Allgaier is going to come 05:29 and he's going to read with you 05:30 the scripture that we're going to be looking at tonight. 05:33 So follow in your Bible or follow it on the screen. 05:36 We hope it will bless you. 05:39 Good evening. 05:41 If you have your Bibles with you 05:43 please turn them to the book of Revelation. 05:45 We're going to go through Revelation chapter 17 05:49 verses 1 through 8. 05:51 Revelation chapter 17 verses 1 through 8. 05:54 Let's read together: 07:27 May God add His blessing to His Word. 07:46 Long ago and far away 07:51 on a starry, silent night. 07:56 As the shepherds watched their flocks 08:01 there arose a star so bright. 08:05 Then the angels broke the silence 08:10 praising God in the highest. 08:17 Peace on earth, and good tidings 08:23 to men. 08:27 On a silent night 08:32 in a manger of hay 08:37 the hope of all ages 08:42 was born. 08:46 And the stable that night 08:52 was warmed by heaven's light. 08:56 And that light is still shining 09:01 because Christ was born. 09:18 From the east the wise men came 09:22 searching for the baby king. 09:27 Bringing gifts... they traveled far 09:32 guided by that same bright star. 09:37 Oh the wonder, oh the joy 09:42 when they found God's baby boy. 09:49 King of Kings, Lord of Lords, 09:54 Emmanuel. 09:59 On a silent night 10:04 in a manger of hay 10:09 the hope of all ages 10:14 was born. 10:18 And the stable that night 10:23 was warmed by heaven's light. 10:28 And that light is still shining 10:33 because Christ was born. 10:40 And the stable that night 10:45 was warmed by heaven's light. 10:49 And that light is still shining 10:55 because Christ was born. 11:22 Father in heaven, 11:24 we ask tonight as we open Your Word 11:29 that we might see and understand 11:34 the great mysteries of Your Word. 11:40 Thank you, Lord. 11:42 Thank you that the light of Christ is still shining 11:46 in our hearts. 11:49 We pray that as we look at the 17th chapter 11:54 of Revelation that You'll give us wisdom, understanding. 12:01 And that we might open our hearts to the infilling 12:06 of the Holy Spirit. 12:08 For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen. 12:18 To many people the 17th chapter of Revelation is a puzzle. 12:24 They just can't seem to make all the pieces fit. 12:30 And so they read the 17th chapter 12:32 and they give up. 12:36 They say: "Well I don't under- stand what it's talking about. 12:39 It's all Greek to me. 12:41 I don't know what it's dealing with. " And they give up. 12:45 But really the 17th chapter is one of the great chapters 12:49 in the book of Revelation. 12:51 So get your Bible... get your pencil and paper 12:54 and we're going to take a look tonight at this beginning 12:57 of this 17th chapter and see if we can't put all 13:01 these different pieces of the puzzle in place 13:04 so that you'll understand what it's talking about. 13:06 So let's go there and take a look at what the scripture 13:09 has to say here: 13:22 So here we have this woman sitting on the beast. 13:25 Has seven heads, ten horns. 13:29 Now you'll find that in Bible prophecy a woman - 13:32 consistent, folks, all the way through scripture - 13:35 a woman in Bible prophecy will represent a church. 13:40 It will represent a spiritual power. 13:43 And you have several texts that gives you that key 13:47 to help you understand that like this one in Jeremiah 13:50 that says: 13:57 And so He compares a church to a woman. 14:01 You have another text here in Ephesians 5:25. 14:12 And he doesn't leave you in doubt here. 14:15 Paul makes it clear what he's talking about 14:18 because he goes on and says: 14:27 So he talks about the relationship here. 14:29 And you'll find that as you read through God's Word 14:33 you'll find that is always refers to the church 14:37 as she. 14:40 And it always refers to civil power as he. 14:46 Makes that distinction 14:48 so you don't have to be in doubt as to what it's talking about. 14:52 So you have in Revelation the 12th chapter 14:56 you have a woman here again. Says: 15:07 This woman is a good woman. 15:10 It talks about what she does, 15:13 and it says she's clothed with the sun. 15:15 This represented the early church 15:18 back in the first part when the church was being formed 15:21 as it came out of Judaism. 15:25 Represents the early church and it says she's 15:27 clothed with the sun... which represented the gospel. 15:30 Says the moon under her feet which represented 15:34 the Old Testament period she's coming out of. 15:36 Says she has on her head a garland of twelve stars 15:39 that represented the twelve apostles 15:41 that Christ had given the commission to 15:43 to take the gospel to the world. 15:45 So this is a good woman. 15:47 You go to Revelation 17, 15:50 and you have a woman just the opposite riding on a beast 15:55 because it says: 16:07 So here you have a woman that is just the opposite. 16:31 So if I have a good woman in Revelation the 12th chapter 16:35 that represents what? A good church. 16:40 If I have a bad woman 16:42 represented in Revelation the 17th chapter, 16:45 that represents a bad church. 16:48 It's that simple... not difficult. 16:50 One represents a good church; 16:52 another one represents a bad church. 16:54 All right, let's go on. 17:06 Please notice, folks that pomp, ceremony 17:10 and show does not necessarily mean godliness. 17:16 Did you follow me? 17:19 Just because it may look good... 17:24 just because it may have a lot of splendor... 17:29 doesn't make it right. 17:32 OK? So she's clothed - if you please - with purple 17:37 and scarlet and gold, and precious stones, pearls... 17:40 She has all that... but there's something wrong inside. 17:54 This woman is contrary to what God would have 18:00 her to be. She is not what He wants her to be. 18:16 So he sees this woman. Looks at her. 18:19 John cannot put it together. 18:23 Marvels with great amazement at how this woman 18:26 who represents the church could be all this. 18:30 So tonight what you and I have to do is 18:32 we want to identify who is this woman. 18:36 That's... we need to have that clear. 18:38 Who does this woman represent 18:40 so that we know exactly what it's talking about? 18:43 I'm going to give you four points of identification 18:47 and that will identify exactly who it's talking about. 18:50 You and I don't have to be in doubt. 18:52 God is not putting you in a place where you 18:55 can't understand it. 18:57 This piece of the puzzle, folks, fits perfect. 19:00 There'll be no problem here. 19:07 Therefore since it says the kings of the earth 19:10 committed fornication with her, 19:12 she has to be a world power. 19:16 You can't go off over here and find some little church 19:22 in a corner somewhere and put that application to it. 19:25 It has to be a church that has been involved 19:29 with the kings of the world 19:32 because it says: "with whom the kings of the earth 19:34 committed fornication. " In other words, they've been 19:37 involved with her. 19:40 What it's talking about. 19:42 So one point: she has to be a world power. 19:45 Well, when you start looking at churches 19:49 that are world powers, 19:53 there's not very many. 19:55 And it's very, very clear that when it's talking about this 20:00 it narrows it down to that of the papacy. 20:05 Papal power. 20:07 Today her membership is over one billion 20:15 spread across the earth. Watch what it says here: 20:25 You can't go over here and find a church, folks, 20:28 that has a few hundred members or a few thousand 20:31 over in some part... country... and apply it. 20:34 You've got to have a church that covers the world 20:37 because the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk 20:42 with the wine of her fornication. 20:44 So it can't be just some little power somewhere. 20:48 It's got to be a world-wide power. 20:50 It's got to be a power that has had enough influence 20:53 that the inhabitants of the earth have been affected 20:57 by what she had to say. 21:00 Says they've been made "drunk 21:03 with the wine of her fornication. " 21:06 And any time the scripture is talking about 21:08 the "wine of fornication" it's talking about belief. 21:13 It's talking about what she is giving the people 21:17 and that represents the "wine of her fornication"... 21:20 is false belief that she has led them contrary to God's Word. 21:33 So this woman that is sitting on this beast 21:37 has to be a power that has persecuted. 21:41 She has to be somebody that has persecuted God's people. 21:46 And so we ask: has she done this? 21:49 Well history's full of it! 21:51 All you have to do is go back and read. 21:55 If you read you'll see very clear 21:58 that when it says that she has persecuted God's people 22:01 indeed she has. Go back, folks, and pick up some 22:04 books at the library. 22:05 Pick up Fox's Book of Martyrs. 22:08 Or read Short Short Stories of the Reformation 22:12 or Here I Stand by Bainton. 22:16 Or if you're really into reading it, read 22:19 The History of the Reformation by d'Aubigne. 22:21 All those will tell you all that she has done 22:25 and the many, many people that she's persecuted. 22:29 I don't care whether you're talking about the 22:30 Spanish Inquisition or if you're talking about the persecution 22:34 of the Waldensian people 22:35 or you're talking about that of the Huguenots. 22:38 It's all there. Listen to what this historian says 22:42 about the persecution... what they did to the people. 22:46 Many, many people gave their lives. 22:51 I'm not talking about a few. 22:53 I'm talking about thousands upon thousands of thousands 22:58 down through the ages that gave their life 23:00 for what they believed. 23:25 Let that soak in just a little bit. 23:28 Has shed more blood than any other institution 23:33 that has ever existed among mankind. 23:41 So history tells us clearly she has done just that. 23:45 So if you're starting to look at and want to know 23:48 who is this woman... 23:49 1. She has to be a world-wide power. 23:53 2. She has to have influenced 23:58 the inhabitants of the earth with her beliefs. 24:03 She had to be a persecuting power. 24:14 What do we have here? 24:16 Very simple. This woman who represents a church - 24:21 represents a spiritual power I should say - 24:26 is sitting on a beast... which represents a civil power. 24:31 So if you have a woman sitting on a beast 24:34 you have uniting of church and state. 24:39 That's what you have. 24:41 And this represents a union of church and state. 24:45 I'll come back to this point in a little bit. 24:48 But when you have a woman sitting on it, 24:51 that means that she controls it. 24:56 Do you follow me? 24:58 If you're riding a horse, who controls it? 25:01 The rider. 25:04 The woman's sitting on the beast... 25:05 that means she's controlling it. 25:07 It means that she has taken over state power. 25:11 So this represents the uniting of church and state. 25:16 Those four points identify for you clearly 25:20 exactly who this woman represents. 25:24 You and I don't have to be in doubt about it, friends. 25:27 It's clear from God's Word. 25:30 Sitting on a scarlet beast. 25:34 We need to identify who is this scarlet beast 25:38 that she is sitting on... 25:40 Who does it represent? 25:42 Who... who is this power? 25:46 Well, let's see what the scripture says about it. 26:11 So the Bible tells you clearly 26:13 here's three frogs - which are demons - 26:18 coming out of the mouth of the dragon, 26:20 out of the mouth of the beast, 26:22 out of the mouth of the false prophet. 26:24 Who are they? 26:30 All right. What are they going to do? 26:33 "Performing signs. " 26:37 Performing wonders, performing miracles if you please. 26:50 So you have three... you have three powers here. 26:55 You have the dragon; you have the beast; 26:59 and you have the false prophet. 27:03 What are these? What do they represent? 27:06 What do they mean? 27:08 Dragon: the dragon throughout the scripture in Revelation 27:12 the 12th chapter clearly is portrayed as that of paganism. 27:17 It was the power of paganism. 27:20 So it's saying out of paganism 27:23 came this frog which is the spirit of demons. 27:28 Also the false... well, let's go to the beast first. 27:33 The beast we just talked about... the beast is 27:36 the same as that of Revelation 13 27:39 which represented that of the papacy or Catholicism, 27:43 if you please. And then it says the false prophet 27:47 which is pictured in Revelation the 13th chapter 27:51 as the beast there with the two horns 27:54 which represented that of Protestantism. 27:57 And so you have coming out of these - 28:01 out of the dragon and out of the beast 28:03 and out of the false prophet - these frogs which are demons. 28:07 And it means that Catholicism, 28:10 Protestantism, and paganism 28:14 have united, folks. That's what it means. 28:18 They have united and they've gone out to gather 28:21 the kings of the earth to bring them together 28:25 to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. 28:28 This is what it's trying to tell us and get across to us. 28:32 Listen to what it says here. 28:33 This is all in the 17th chapter: 28:43 Waters in Bible prophecy represent people, 28:47 nations, tongues. If she is sitting on the waters, 28:51 it means that she is controlling it. 28:55 Second point: 29:00 It means that she is controlling this beast. 29:04 She is controlling civil power. 29:09 I... I hope you're getting the picture. 29:12 What it's trying to tell you is 29:15 paganism, Protestantism, Catholicism have united, 29:21 and that spiritual concept or trinity has come together 29:27 and they are now controlling the civil powers of the world. 29:32 Third point: Seven mountains on which the woman what? 29:36 Sits. And as you read through there, 29:38 seven mountains represent kingdoms. 29:42 So it's meaning that this woman is in control. 29:46 That's what it's talking about. 29:48 So what's going to happen? 29:50 "With whom the kings of the earth" what? 29:54 "Committed fornication. " 29:56 That means that they're in bed with her. 29:59 That means that she is involved with them... 30:02 that they are in this whole thing together. 30:05 "And the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk 30:08 with the wine of her fornication. " 30:11 So she - in this thing that she has put together - 30:15 and I'm going to talk about it here in a minute - 30:17 these concepts that she's put together... 30:19 she has made the world "drunk with the wine 30:23 of her fornication. " 30:24 They have accepted what she is giving. 30:27 They are following it; they are believing it. 30:41 It's telling what she is... what she is doing. 30:45 All right, Satan's deception regarding the scripture. 30:49 Now you've got to do a little thinking here. 30:51 You know... let's turn the wheels a little bit 30:55 and do a little thinking. 30:57 What belief... what belief 31:02 is there that paganism, 31:08 and Catholicism, and Protestantism 31:14 could all come together on and follow 31:20 and believe? 31:25 Natural immortality of the soul. 31:29 That when you die... you don't, really. 31:37 You just go to another existence. 31:42 The immortality of the soul, folks... 31:45 the natural immortality of the soul idea... 31:48 comes directly... directly from paganism. 31:54 That's where it had its roots. 31:58 It was given to Catholicism. 32:05 Catholicism embraced it and brought it into the church 32:10 as a belief of the church. 32:12 And then it was handed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism. 32:16 and they took it hook, line, and sinker. 32:19 And so today you have paganism, 32:25 Catholicism, Protestantism 32:28 all uniting around the idea of the immortality of the soul. 32:36 Drunk with the wine of her fornication. 32:40 Sunday sacredness. 32:45 Go back, read it. I mean you can read it 32:48 in the encyclopedia, folks. 32:50 You don't have to read it in scripture. 32:51 It comes straight from paganism. 32:55 There is no scripture basis for Sunday sacredness. 33:01 None at all! 33:05 That is something that the pagans believed. 33:08 The pagans were worshipers of the sun. 33:11 They worshiped it as their god. 33:14 And again, it was something that was handed 33:17 by paganism if you please to Catholicism. 33:21 And Catholicism - taking it and actually 33:25 enforced it on the people. 33:28 And then as time passed 33:31 took and gave it to Protestantism, 33:34 and Protestantism accepted it. 33:37 Does not have any basis in scripture. 33:45 I'm just telling you something they unite on, folks... 33:48 that all three come together on. 33:51 Eternal torment... 33:54 does not come from scripture. 33:58 Eternal torment idea comes from paganism. 34:02 That's where it started. 34:06 Then we get into Catholicism and the church, 34:09 and they want to put out things such as Dante's Inferno. 34:16 And Protestantism wants to accept it. 34:20 So when it says that she has made them drunk 34:24 with the wine of her fornication 34:25 it means that they are uniting 34:28 in these things that they can agree upon. 34:31 And as they come together they'll work together to produce 34:37 what they consider or what the scripture refers to 34:40 as Babylon. 34:43 Confusion... not clear. 34:47 Have you ever tried to reason with a drunk man? 34:54 If they're drunk with the wine of her fornication? 34:58 All right. It says: 35:10 "Here is the mind that has wisdom. " 35:29 Now this is the place where many people get lost 35:33 in the 17th chapter of Revelation, 35:35 and you've got to follow me carefully here. 35:38 There are also how many kings? Seven. 35:41 Five are? Fallen. 35:45 One is. The other has not yet come. 35:52 When he comes he must continue a short time. 35:55 It is rather interesting that in scripture that it would use 36:00 exactly the same phrase in the 13th chapter 36:04 and in the 17th chapter 36:07 in concerning understanding this. 36:09 Revelation 13:18 says? 36:16 Revelation 17:9 says? 36:21 God uses that phrase and very, very important 36:25 because many of the things in the 13th chapter 36:28 apply to the 17th chapter. 36:31 OK. Let's watch as it puts it together. 36:38 Now John is saying that he was carried away where? 36:45 Into the wilderness. OK? 36:58 So here in vision, in the spirit, 37:02 John has been carried into the? 37:07 'Gotta be with me... 37:09 Carried into where? Carried into the wilderness. 37:13 OK. That's where he's been carried. 37:30 Now it says the beast that you saw 37:35 was... is not. 38:00 So we've got a beast here, folks, 38:03 that was, is not... 38:09 yet it is. 38:15 All right. Now if you're going to understand 38:19 the 17th chapter of Revelation, 38:21 you can't... you've got to understand 38:25 exactly where John is. 38:30 If you don't understand where John is, 38:33 you'll never understand it. 38:36 So John said... where was he? 38:39 He was in the wilderness. 38:42 He was not... In vision 38:44 he had been carried into the wilderness. 38:46 So John is seeing this beast in the wilderness, folks. 38:51 You cannot look at this 38:54 from John being on the Island of Patmos. 38:57 Or you can't look at this prophecy from our day. 39:02 You've got to look at it from where John is, 39:05 and John is in the wilderness. 39:07 And in the wilderness he sees this beast 39:11 that was, is not, yet is. 39:15 OK. So if I'm talking about a beast 39:18 that was, what tense is that? 39:22 That's past. 39:24 Yeah, that's a beast that was. Past. 39:27 OK. Secondly... is not. 39:32 Is not has to be present because we're looking at 39:36 this from John's point of view, 39:38 and in the wilderness it is not. 39:41 That's present. 39:43 And yet is would be future. 39:49 OK. So to get it we need to be clear. 39:52 This beast was not. 39:56 In the past it was. 39:59 It is not in John's day 40:02 and yet is in the future. 40:06 All right. Let's see if we can put it together. 40:18 That is simply saying these are civil powers 40:21 in which the woman rules over them. 40:24 She's been over them... she's in charge of them. 40:44 Now don't mix it up here. 40:46 Don't get mixed up. We're talking now about seven kings. 40:52 We're not talking about the beast. 40:54 The beast was, is not, yet is. 40:58 But these seven kings... five have fallen, 41:03 one is, and the other is yet to come. 41:09 And you've got to look at this from John's position 41:13 in the wilderness. 41:15 You can't look at it from your position. 41:17 You've got to look at it from his position 41:19 in the wilderness. So in the wilderness 41:21 John is saying "Here are five kings that have fallen. 41:27 One is ruling now, 41:30 and the other is yet to come. " 41:34 That's what John is saying. 41:36 OK. Let's continue on. 41:38 "When he comes" - the last one - 41:41 "he will continue a short time. " 41:44 "The beast that was" - back to the beast... 42:04 So he's given you all the pieces of the puzzle, folks. 42:09 And they may all be laid out there 42:11 but they're all there, 42:13 and you and I just have to put them in place 42:15 and we can see exactly what it's talking about. 42:18 Well, when you pick up the Bible and it talks about a beast, 42:21 and it says this beast has seven heads 42:24 you'll find that the scripture tells you there are certain 42:27 beasts that it has given that represent different powers. 42:31 And so if you go back to the book of Daniel 42:34 and Revelation you'll find seven of them 42:37 that are listed which are very interesting. 42:40 You start out in Daniel the 7th chapter 42:43 and you have a lion 42:46 which represented the kingdom of Babylon. 42:51 That lion was overthrown 42:56 by another beast. 42:59 Remember? 43:01 And that beast was a bear. 43:04 Represented Medo-Persia. Please notice folks, 43:09 that Babylon fell to Medo-Persia. 43:14 And then we find that a 3rd one comes on the scene of action 43:19 which was a leopard which represented Greece. 43:24 And we find that Greece overthrew Medo-Persia. 43:29 In other words, it fell. 43:31 Medo-Persia fell to Greece. 43:34 And then we find that a 4th beast comes on the scene 43:38 of action which was Rome. 43:42 Pagan Rome. 43:44 Greece fell to Pagan Rome. 43:47 And then we find in Revelation the 13th chapter 43:53 we have another beast. And we find that Pagan Rome 43:57 fell to Papal Rome. 44:01 "Five have fallen... " There they are. 44:05 As John is there in the wilderness and looking at it, 44:09 he said "Here's five of them that have fallen. " 44:14 OK. One is... 44:17 Now you've got to remember, folks, John is in vision. 44:20 He's seeing things. 44:22 And in vision he's saying: "One is... " 44:26 And he calls that what? He calls it a wilderness. 44:30 And the reason he calls it a wilderness 44:33 is because this is the time that atheistic Communism 44:38 is ruling. 44:42 This was a time when they said "There is no God" 44:45 and threw God out. 44:48 And it was a wilderness as far as John is concerned. 44:52 This is the one that is ruling at that time. 44:56 And then he said: "One is yet to come. " 45:04 Well, atheistic Communism ruled 45:09 till about 1991 AD. 45:14 And then all of a sudden we found another power 45:17 that came to the ascendency more than ever before... 45:23 and that was the two-horned beast of Revelation 13. 45:34 The United States rose to a place 45:38 that it had never been before. 45:43 And never like before it began to speak 45:49 as a dragon. 45:53 And you and I today are living in the time 45:58 that it is speaking as a dragon. 46:05 Richard Nixon, when he retired, 46:11 or should I say... forced to retire, 46:14 he wrote a book. The book he wrote 46:19 was entitled Seize the Moment. 46:22 Read what the subtitle says: 46:29 America's Challenge 46:32 in a One-Superpower World. 46:36 In other words, all of a sudden the United States found itself 46:41 in the position of being a superpower... 46:45 and the only superpower in the world. 46:49 It came to ascendency and there it was. 46:54 And it reached its power, and from that point 46:58 has begun to speak as a dragon. 47:03 This is what has taken place. Five have fallen, 47:08 one is, one was yet to come. And dear friend, 47:13 tonight you are living in the time of the last beast. 47:20 Don't fool yourself. 47:23 There's not any more. 47:25 This is the last one. 47:27 We've gone through six of them. 47:29 We're down to the last one. 47:31 The next thing that's going to happen 47:34 will be the coming of Jesus Christ. 47:54 So it's saying that this beast that was - the scarlet beast - 47:59 that was, is not, yet is... 48:05 that beast is number eight. 48:11 Strange. 48:13 He's not only number eight 48:16 but he is of the seven. 48:21 So no point... no point going out here looking 48:25 for him some other place other than these seven. 48:30 Because it's very clear that he is of the seven 48:32 but he's also the eighth... 48:36 is what the scripture is telling you and me. 48:38 Eight points that tell you exactly 48:43 who this beast is. 48:47 1. Is of the seven. 48:52 So that limits it. It's got to be one of those seven. 48:56 "The beast that was. " You know what that just did? 49:04 Well, the beast that was means it has to be some of those 49:08 that were in the past. 49:09 Can't be present. 49:13 Has to be in the past. 49:16 Also that beast had to be one that there was a time 49:20 in which it is not because it was, is not. 49:23 So when you're looking at those seven 49:25 you've got to find a beast that was back there 49:30 and that there was a time in which it was not. 49:34 See? Is not. 49:38 Is himself also the eighth. 49:42 In other words, what it's saying is this beast 49:46 had to be one of the seven and there was a time 49:49 in which it didn't exist 49:52 but yet it is coming back to power. 49:57 That's what it's telling you. 50:01 Had to make war with the saints. 50:05 Had to be a persecuting power. 50:08 Required to be a persecuting power. 50:14 Had to be the uniting of church and state. 50:18 Are you getting the picture? 50:21 I mean it lines all these points up 50:23 telling you exactly who this beast is. 50:26 And it says the uniting of church and state. 50:30 It had to receive a deadly wound 50:33 because that is what made it not exist. 50:40 That deadly wound had to be healed. 50:43 "The deadly wound was healed. 50:46 All the world wondered after the beast. " 50:49 Dear friends, the scripture identifies clearly 50:52 that beast to be that of papal Rome. 50:56 And it says that it will come back to the ascendency 51:00 and with the uniting - follow me carefully here - 51:03 with the uniting of paganism 51:07 and Catholicism and Protestantism 51:12 you have what the scripture refers to as Babylon. 51:18 That is the woman, Babylon, 51:21 riding on this beast 51:24 right down at the end of time. 51:27 Now there's other players involved here. 51:31 And there's other players that are going to enter into this 51:35 as we take a look at the 18th chapter. 51:37 But some of those players are ten kings. 51:59 So this beast power is coming to power 52:03 and it says that these kings are going to rule 52:07 with the beast. 52:18 So this beast power 52:23 is going to go clear to the end of time. 52:27 Ten kings are going to join 52:32 and they're going to give their power and authority 52:35 to this beast. Now the interesting thing about that, 52:39 folks, is it says in Revelation 13 52:43 that this two-horned beast 52:46 that we just found out represents the United States 52:51 that that two-horned beast also will make an image 52:55 to the beast. 52:58 So what you have here is you have the beast, 53:03 you have ten kings, 53:06 and you have the United States all giving their power 53:11 and authority to the beast. 53:13 Please notice: these are all civil powers 53:20 and the woman which is Babylon rules over them. 53:25 So you don't want to miss as we take a look at 53:29 the ten kings in our next presentation. 53:32 Let's pray together. 53:34 Father in heaven, we thank you for Your Word. 53:38 Thank you for the opportunity You give us 53:43 to understand what Your Word teaches. 53:48 Open our minds. Help us to be clear. 53:53 We pray, Lord, as we understand the times 53:58 in which we are living; 54:00 that Jesus will be coming soon; 54:05 that we're down to the very end of scripture... 54:07 the last beast... there's not another one. 54:10 May our hearts be surrendered to You 54:15 and may we desire above everything else to follow You. 54:19 For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen. 54:25 Thank you for being with us. 54:27 We hope you'll continue... 54:29 stay with us as we go through the book of Revelation. 54:32 God bless you; have a great evening. 54:35 Good night. 54:38 In the heart of southern Illinois 54:40 lies a small town named after A. J. Mason 54:44 who came in 1923 with plans for a dream city 54:48 and the largest coal mine in the United States. 54:52 Surveyors laid out the streets and the sidewalk 54:55 and workers built the tallest smokestack in the country 54:59 complete with a Spanish turret 55:01 and decorative cathedral doors at the top. 55:05 Railroad tracks were laid, 55:07 and as word of this dream city spread 55:10 people flocked in by the thousands. 55:13 But as the black coal came out of those deep tunnels 55:16 miners came closer and closer to the end of the dream. 55:21 And after just three years of mining 55:24 an underground river flooded the shaft. 55:27 Suddenly the operations became very costly 55:31 and although Mr. Mason poured millions into his mine 55:35 eventually it was taken over by the bank. 55:39 People left the city in droves. 55:41 Some didn't even bother to take their furniture. 55:44 Soon the tracks lay dormant. 55:46 Weeds grew up around the beautiful train station, 55:49 and abandoned homes gave way to trees. 55:53 Today locals say that Mason is the only town in America 55:58 where you can hunt quail from the sidewalk. 56:02 Although other coal companies tried to revive it, 56:05 Mason's mine never again turned a profit 56:09 and today only a few hundred people are left. 56:13 Mr. Mason's dream went up in smoke. 56:17 All that remains is a beautiful smokestack, 56:20 an old train station, 56:23 and miles of deserted tracks. 56:27 The Bible says earthly treasures are easily stolen 56:31 by thieves and destroyed by moth and rust. 56:34 But our Heavenly Father is building a dream city 56:38 with streets of gold and mansions by a crystal sea. 56:42 He invites us to come live with Him for eternity 56:45 and never grow old. 56:47 The Bible also says that where our treasure is 56:50 there our heart will be also. 56:53 And in this day and age when stocks lose their value 56:56 in minutes and entire banking systems fail 57:00 God invites us to put our treasures in things of 57:04 eternal value. 57:06 Friends, nothing is more valuable than a human soul. 57:11 Won't you help us bring the good news of salvation 57:14 to those who are lost? 57:16 Please, ask the Holy Spirit what He would have you do. 57:22 Please consider what you can do for those who 57:25 still don't know about Jesus. 57:27 As the Holy Spirit impresses, 57:29 please send your tax-deductible gifts to: 57:44 Thank you for helping us spread the light of God's Word 57:47 through television. Your gifts bring the blessed hope 57:50 of salvation to millions around the world. |
Revised 2014-12-17