Saturday's Prayer 14MAR26

 

Revelation Friday Night Bible Study 13MAR26 (Revelation 13:7-10)

 

The Beast Rages War

“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints” (Revelation 13:7-10).

 

 

            John saw that the beast was given the power to wage war against God’s people and conquer them. This war was worldwide. Currently, we have seen war waged against Christians in many Middle Eastern countries by members of the Islamic State, called ISIS, Boko Haram, and other demonic organizations. They are killing Christians and attempting to make many converts to Islam. They desire for Islam to take over the entire world. Even in New York City, the elected Muslim mayor Zohran Mamdani has been videoed having Islamic prayer rugs within city hall, praying to their false god, Allah. Islamists wish to take over the world, including the United States, because they do not assimilate; they attempt to take over wherever they reside. Therefore, anyone who does not bow down to this demonic religion is considered an infidel and, therefore, killed. This is also taking place in parts of Africa, such as Nigeria. Their Quran says: “But once the Sacred Months have passed, kill the polytheists ˹who violated their treaties˺ (those who helped aided Muslim’s enemies)wherever you find them, capture them, besiege them, and lie in wait for them on every way. But if they repent, perform prayers, and pay alms-tax, then set them free. Indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Sura 9:5). This is not a religion of peace, but of war for those who do not comply or agree with its doctrine.  

The terrorist organization, Boko Haram, kills Christians by the thousands in Nigeria. Christian churches and businesses have been bombed due to the group’s hatred of Christianity. In many ways, other countries outside of the US and Europe are already experiencing their antichrist in the form of Islamic Jihadists, and their “beast” is the executioner who is bringing down the sword, knife, gun, and/or torch. However, this will one day hit the whole world.

            Who will this beast be for the whole world? It will definitely include a government system with its antichrist leader. Those who are currently dying at the hands of Islamic Jihadists are doing so for both political and religious reasons, just as described in this chapter. This will spread all throughout the world because the devil will make sure of it. The Bible says: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).  One of the important things to remember is that whoever is written in the book of Life will not worship this beast. They will remain true to God. Therefore, they will not try to hold on to their earthly lives because they know that they will receive new ones in Heaven. The Bible says: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

 

The devil attempts to wear out the saints through direct and indirect mental, physical, financial, and spiritual attacks designed to erode their faith, cause weariness, and initiate compromise. The devil’s strategies also include creating extreme fatigue, relationship stress, financial pressure, temptations, and discouragement, leading to a loss of focus on God's love and purpose. The Bible says: “He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time” (Daniel 7:25).

 

Main methods of wearing out the saints:

 

• Physical Exhaustion & Illness: Satan often targets the physical bodies of believers, causing weariness through lack of sleep or prolonged, draining, and sometimes sudden illness. One example is the hunchback woman whom Jesus healed. The Bible says: “On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God” (Luke 13:10-13).
• Financial and Economic Pressure: By limiting access to resources, the enemy creates anxiety, which distracts believers from spiritual growth and service. Satan did this exact thing to Job. The Bible says: “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face” (Job 1:9-11).
• Mental and Emotional Discouragement: Using deception, distraction, and discouragement, the enemy causes saints to lose focus on God and feel that their efforts are futile. Elijah dealt with depression after having a great win against the false prophets of Baal and Asherah. The Bible says: “So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”  Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors” (1 Kings 19:2-4).
• Subtle & Gradual Erosion: Attacks are often slow, reducing spiritual strength and commitment to God little by little, making it harder to notice the decline. An example of this is when the Lord warned Cain that sin was lingering around him before he killed his brother, Abel, but Cain failed to heed the warning. The Bible says: “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him” (Genesis 4:6-8).
• "Changing Times and Laws": The enemy works to alter societal norms, laws, and religious practices to oppose Christian values and wear down their resolve. The devil offers compromise and enjoys it when believers fail to uphold the Lord’s standards of holiness and righteousness. The Bible says: “He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time” (Daniel 7:25).

 

            John was told that those who can listen must do so, for there will be persecution and martyrs, but patience and endurance must be maintained on the part of the Saints. We must hold out to the end, so that we can receive our eternal reward. Many have already become martyrs, and more will come. The Bible says: “But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

            Remember that all whose names are not written in the Lamb’s book of Life will worship the beast and his image. They will easily do so because they have rejected the Lord. Only those who have committed themselves to the Lord will be faithful to His word, and their names will be found in the book of Life, where salvation is promised for those recorded within. “The Bible says: “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book” (Daniel 12:1).

Jeremiah 6 (part 1)

 

Saturday's Prayer 07MAR26

 

Jeremiah 5 (part 2)

 

Saturday's Prayer 28FEB26

 

Revelation Friday Night Bible Study 20FEB26 (Revelation 13:4-6)

 

Worship of the Dragon

“So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven” (Revelation 13:4-6).

 

 

Man has always created things that were considered indestructible at the time. From specialized swords to the most infamous ship, the Titanic, were top of the line, with nothing in comparison at least during that time, but they were all replaced by something better or worse, and suffered total destruction. However, as man increases in knowledge, he also increases in pride, thus thinking that he is more knowledgeable than God, and can worship whatever or whomever he pleases.

In John’s vision, he saw the people worshiping the dragon (devil) because he had given authority to the beast. They praised the beast, while he blasphemed God for 42 months (3 ½) and held that there was no equal to the beast. The people claimed that no one could stand up to the beast and defeat him. Yet, they failed to realize that the dragon had already been defeated.

The beast’s worship and the two witnesses’ ministry occur during the same 3 ½ year period of the Great Tribulation. The two witnesses are in direct opposition to the Antichrist (1^st beast) while the world worships the beast. Only after the two witnesses have finished their ministry does the beast rise from the abyss to kill them, yet, he is already on the scene, according to most biblical scholars. The people rejoice after the two witnesses are killed by the beast, indicating that beast worship and hatred of the witnesses coexist.

The seven-year Tribulation, specifically the first 3 ½ years, according to most biblical scholars, involves the Antichrist arising as a global leader, signing a peace covenant with Israel, rising geopolitical turmoil, major natural disasters, and the opening of the first six seals of Revelation, bringing war, famine, and death. The Bible says: “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). Many biblical scholars believe that the church will be raptured before the rise of the antichrist, thus holding to a pre-tribulation belief. If this belief is correct, we may see him on the world stage without recognizing him as the beast, because he will not have received his power from the dragon.

In John’s vision, the beast blasphemed God during this period. He was proud and arrogant against the Most High, just as Lucifer was before getting kicked out of Heaven. His blasphemy consists of a major worldview assault against God, intended to mimic and undermine His authority. The blasphemies the beast speaks against the Most High include: 

• Blaspheming God’s Name: This implies distorting God’s character, attributes, and mighty works and miracles, attempting to turn people away from the Lord as he did with 1/3 of the angels in Heaven.
• Blaspheming His Tabernacle: This is best understood as an attack on those of faith, the church, and those left behind who turn to Christ after the rapture.
• Blaspheming Those Who Dwell in Heaven: This means to slander God’s heavenly host, ministering angels, and the believers cared for by God.
• Self-Exaltation and Counterfeit Divinity: The underlying theme of the beast’s blasphemy is his declaring his own divinity, asserting to be God and demanding to be worshiped, as if he were God.  

 

Such actions are similar to the depiction of the little horn spoken of by the prophet Daniel. The Bible says: “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time” (Daniel 7:25). The beast blasphemy attempts to take God’s glory for himself and have the whole world worship Him.

 

In these last days, we see many people who worship the devil, the dragon. Even though the first beast represents a political power that will reign supreme in these last days, which the whole world will follow, we can see how easily it will be done with no questions asked. Many are following the devil right now and are willingly selling their souls for the sake of fame, prosperity, and popularity, even within the Body of Christ. There are actors, actresses, athletes, and even religious leaders, just to name a few, who have sold their souls and are following after the beast system in the form of money right now and other entrapments that can never save their souls, thus committing blasphemy. Anyone or anything that goes against the laws of God is committing blasphemy. The Bible says: “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law. They killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies” (Nehemiah 9:26).

            People put individuals on pedestals and worship them rather than worship God. Many may say that they would never do such a thing, but they are already doing it daily. How is this? The world and even some within the church are worshiping celebrities, governments, politicians, and religious leaders over God. Instead of being the light to lead others out of darkness, there is a major compromise that is taking place, causing God’s name to be blasphemed due to total disregard for His laws. The Bible says: “You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written” (Romans 2:23-24). Yet, there is coming a day when the government will tell you to break the law of God, and one will have to choose either to obey God or man. That day is practically here. In many countries in the Middle East and elsewhere, they have already had to make their decision, and it has caused many to lose their lives for Christ. However, they will receive a greater reward in Heaven. The Bible says: “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).

            John mentioned the world following the beast for a period of 42 months. Whoever this political figure is, as represented by the wounded head, this 3 ½ year period may be during the time that the two witnesses are prophesying to the world. As we studied in the previous lesson, people will rejoice when the two witnesses are finally killed. It could be that the devil has taken over their minds in such a way that they are listening to the beast being led by the dragon (devil), and therefore, they do not wish to hear any

type of truth concerning their spiritual condition. The Bible says: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3). The devil will and already does have people in a state where they do not want to hear the truth. They would rather listen to those who teach a doctrine of peace and prosperity when they are about to encounter sudden destruction.