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Revelation 13:1-4
In Revelation 13:1 the scene changes to that of the Apostle John standing on the beach looking out at the sea. He sees “a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name” (Revelation 13:1, NKJV). John describes the beast in Revelation 13:2 as, “2Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.” The beast was empowered by the dragon/devil and given a throne and great authority (Revelation 13:2). We learn in Revelation 13:3 that the beast had been “mortally wounded” but the wound had been healed. Many scholars reference this beast to one of the Roman emperors of the first century A.D. but this may simply be a reference to the sinful nature of the world/the devil in that revolts against God from the secular community continue to arise throughout the centuries; even though one dies, the sinful nature continues to bring new revolts against God. Revelation 13:4 states, “4So 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?” This is a description of the desires of the devil/dragon as his desire was/is to be like God yet his desires are only a delusion and a lie. Jesus declares in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”
This is an example of the false power and delusion of the devil that will persuade many people in the last days.
Many scholars believe, as do I, that the description of the creation of Lucifer/the devil/the dragon and of his fall from heaven is described in Ezekiel 28 in the perfection of heaven and in God’s perfect design. But it was his own pride that was his downfall as Ezekiel 28:17 declares,
“Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom for the
sake of your splendor;
I cast you to the ground,
I laid you before kings,
That they might gaze at you.”
The devil will always try to lure us into his trickery, deception, and lies by “appearing” to be like God, but he is not and will never be our LORD and Creator. He simply “mirrors” God in an attempt to be like Him. Don’t fall prey to the deception of the devil; put your faith in Jesus today and He will help you overcome the wiles of the devil and give you life eternal and forgiveness of sin – in Christ. Jesus declares in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Dear LORD,
Please help us to see that the devil is only trying to appear to be like You but is full of lies and deceit as he tries to persuade us to follow him instead of You, our true God and Creator of all the earth, humanity, and the heavens and all that is in them. Thank You LORD God for saving us from the wiles of the devil – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
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