Sunday School
Revelation 12, 13
(References: Google; Discover Revelation)
Revelation 12
Note from Chapter 11:15-19 the sounding of the 7th trumpet, the effects it produces are not described until Chapter 15-18.
Chapters 12-14 describe events from Satan's vantage point. Including taking us back to the original rebellion as Satan is cast to the earth with 1/3 of the angels (demons)
Revelation 13
V1
Both Daniel and John also saw political systems and leaders that they described using the term "Beast". John sees this beast coming up "out of the sea." This beast is a gentile leader of a gentile system. John didn't call it a beast because it was a Gentile. He called it a beast because It comes up out of the sea of "nations".
In Daniel Chapter 7, the prophet records a dream that he had in which he saw the rise and fall of four gentile world empires. Each was characterized as a beast coming from the sea of nations. So the beast from the sea is the political part of the Antichrist's system. Satan is a counterfeiter. So he has an "unholy trinity" that consists of himself (Satan), the Antichrist (the political, religious beast), and the false prophet, (the religious, political beast). Daniel's Prophecies
The sea here represents the Gentile nations of the world, from which this beast comes. The beast is the Antichrist, the false messiah (Matt.24:5, 24: 1 John 2 v.18). He is the final Gentile world ruler, also known as the "little horn" (Dan. 7:8, 20, 21, 24, 25) the willful king (Dan. 11:36), the coming prince (Dan 9:26), and the man of sin (2 Thess. 2:30).
These "heads" show dominion. We have said before that "ten" has to do with world government and "horns" show power. We know then that this has something to do with the world government and rulers of that. "Crowns" show dominion. This "blasphemy" denies the true God.
V2
The description of the Beast connects it closely both to the dragon (Satan, 12:3) and to the fourth beast of Daniel 7 (the Roman Empire, Dan. 7:7, 23), though his actions show him to be somewhat distinct from both. (The horns and heads are identified in Chapter 17).
V3
This apparent death and healing of the Antichrist is Satan's way of mocking the cruxification and resurrection of Jesus.
The world will see it as amazing.
V4-6
(The little horn - the wicked activities of the Antichrist were first foreseen the Daniel 7:8 - I considered the horns and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked p by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mough speaking great things. For more info read Daniel 7:11-28.
During the first 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation the Antichrist will be merely a man endowed with demonic power, but during the last 3-1/2 years, he will actually be Satan himself, clothed with the Antichrist's body as the antichrist is the second person to be indwelled by Satan.
V7-8
The unbelievers of the world will be deceived into believing that the Beast is a god (2 Thess. 2:4 11). Only those whose names are written in the book of life will refuse to worship the Beast. The Beast will persecute the saints of God, and exercise power throughout the world. The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world in the sense that Christ's redemptive death for mankind was part of God's plan from eternity past.
The Power of the Beast - "He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them."
Satan's "authority" will be all but unlimited, and almost everyone on earth will worship him. This is the very thing Satan has sought from the beginning, worship from angels and men. Of course, believers in Christ will not worship Antichrist, because they will have their names written "in the book of life of the Lamb."
This book of life of the Lamb contains the names of all those who have called on the Lamb of God for salvation. Book of Life of the Lamb
The Lambs Book of Life - Not everyone has his or her name written in the Lamb's Book of Life! One's name is not written in at birth, nor does he or she have it written in by the sovereign choice of God. A person's name is written in the Lamb's book of Life only because he or she chooses to ask God to place it there. Jesus Christ offers us eternal life if we receive Him, if we invite Him into our hearts. Lambs Book of Life
If we heed His call and ask Him to come in as Lord and Savior, He enters our lives (Rev. 3:20), and the recording angel writes our names into the Lamb's Book of Life, from which it can never be blotted. Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? If not, may I urge you to invite Jesus Christ into your life right now and let Him write it there.
V9
You see, this again, is a warning not to let this go in one ear and out the other, but to take heed to this warning. This is emphasizing a very important truth.
V10
This is just another way of saying, whatever you sow, you will reap. Those who teach false doctrine causes his neighbor to go into captivity and so will those who teach it.
In Matthew Jesus taught Peter that they that take the sword shall perish with the sword when he cut off Malchus's ear. (i.e. don't return evil for evil).
V11-12
Verses 11-12 couples the three evil personages of the Tribulation that are the opposite counterparts of the person of God. Just as the dragon has already been anti-God and the first beast is anti-Christ, so the second beast will be anti-Spirit. His capacity in working for the worship of the Antichrist will correspond with the present ministry of the Holy Spirit. This second beast is the False Prophet. He will not seek to cause people to worship himself. He will not court his own personal prestige but will work purely for the purpose of getting others to worship the Antichrist. This evil scheme will be used by the devil and his 2 cohorts to deceive people during the Tribulation. They will victimize many individuals because they will traffic in amorality.
V13
The False Prophet will deceive unbelievers of the earth by means of wonders and miracles, accomplished through satanic power. He will produce the miracles of Elijah and as a false Elijah as he will lead people to worship a false messiah.
V14-15
The False Prophet will cause an image of the Antichrist to be built and will have power to "give breath to the image of the first beast". In the midst of the Tribulation, after the Antichrist has been slain and resurrected, the False Prophet will cause people to build an image like Nebuchadnezzar's image and will demand that it be worshiped. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
By some mysterious means unknown in the previous history of the world, he will give life to that image. How long it will manifest life we are not told. What characteristics it will have we are not told. Possibly the only characteristic it will manifest is that it can "speak". (v.15) This speech will be caused by the False Prophet, who in turn will get his authority from the Antichrist and the dragon, Satan himself.
He will issue an order that all who do not worship him will be killed. Rev. 20 v.4 tells us that many will be slain by the guillotine.
Everything the false prophet does is calculated to increase the power and authority of the Antichrist. That is not surprising, for he receives his own power and authority from the Antichrist.
V16-17
Without a mark, a person will be unable to engage in routine commerce. Notice here, it does not say you cannot live. It says you cannot buy or sell. DO NOT TAKE THIS MARK; Jesus will help you.
Anyone who accepts this mark during the Tribulation has already made his choice, and that choice will permanently disqualify its wearer from heaven. Remember when you get the mark you MUST swear allegiance to the Antichrist as god.
It isn't merely economic, it is a worship system. Accepting the mark is tantamount to a rejection of Jesus. This is a permanent, irreversible rejection.
V18
To accept the mark is to accept Antichrist as God and thus deny God. Only those who walk with Christ will be able to understand why taking of this mark can not be done even if it means death to their physical body.
(References: Google; Discover Revelation)
Revelation 12
Note from Chapter 11:15-19 the sounding of the 7th trumpet, the effects it produces are not described until Chapter 15-18.
Chapters 12-14 describe events from Satan's vantage point. Including taking us back to the original rebellion as Satan is cast to the earth with 1/3 of the angels (demons)
Revelation 13
V1
Both Daniel and John also saw political systems and leaders that they described using the term "Beast". John sees this beast coming up "out of the sea." This beast is a gentile leader of a gentile system. John didn't call it a beast because it was a Gentile. He called it a beast because It comes up out of the sea of "nations".
In Daniel Chapter 7, the prophet records a dream that he had in which he saw the rise and fall of four gentile world empires. Each was characterized as a beast coming from the sea of nations. So the beast from the sea is the political part of the Antichrist's system. Satan is a counterfeiter. So he has an "unholy trinity" that consists of himself (Satan), the Antichrist (the political, religious beast), and the false prophet, (the religious, political beast). Daniel's Prophecies
The sea here represents the Gentile nations of the world, from which this beast comes. The beast is the Antichrist, the false messiah (Matt.24:5, 24: 1 John 2 v.18). He is the final Gentile world ruler, also known as the "little horn" (Dan. 7:8, 20, 21, 24, 25) the willful king (Dan. 11:36), the coming prince (Dan 9:26), and the man of sin (2 Thess. 2:30).
These "heads" show dominion. We have said before that "ten" has to do with world government and "horns" show power. We know then that this has something to do with the world government and rulers of that. "Crowns" show dominion. This "blasphemy" denies the true God.
V2
The description of the Beast connects it closely both to the dragon (Satan, 12:3) and to the fourth beast of Daniel 7 (the Roman Empire, Dan. 7:7, 23), though his actions show him to be somewhat distinct from both. (The horns and heads are identified in Chapter 17).
V3
This apparent death and healing of the Antichrist is Satan's way of mocking the cruxification and resurrection of Jesus.
The world will see it as amazing.
V4-6
(The little horn - the wicked activities of the Antichrist were first foreseen the Daniel 7:8 - I considered the horns and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked p by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mough speaking great things. For more info read Daniel 7:11-28.
During the first 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation the Antichrist will be merely a man endowed with demonic power, but during the last 3-1/2 years, he will actually be Satan himself, clothed with the Antichrist's body as the antichrist is the second person to be indwelled by Satan.
V7-8
The unbelievers of the world will be deceived into believing that the Beast is a god (2 Thess. 2:4 11). Only those whose names are written in the book of life will refuse to worship the Beast. The Beast will persecute the saints of God, and exercise power throughout the world. The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world in the sense that Christ's redemptive death for mankind was part of God's plan from eternity past.
The Power of the Beast - "He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them."
Satan's "authority" will be all but unlimited, and almost everyone on earth will worship him. This is the very thing Satan has sought from the beginning, worship from angels and men. Of course, believers in Christ will not worship Antichrist, because they will have their names written "in the book of life of the Lamb."
This book of life of the Lamb contains the names of all those who have called on the Lamb of God for salvation. Book of Life of the Lamb
The Lambs Book of Life - Not everyone has his or her name written in the Lamb's Book of Life! One's name is not written in at birth, nor does he or she have it written in by the sovereign choice of God. A person's name is written in the Lamb's book of Life only because he or she chooses to ask God to place it there. Jesus Christ offers us eternal life if we receive Him, if we invite Him into our hearts. Lambs Book of Life
If we heed His call and ask Him to come in as Lord and Savior, He enters our lives (Rev. 3:20), and the recording angel writes our names into the Lamb's Book of Life, from which it can never be blotted. Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? If not, may I urge you to invite Jesus Christ into your life right now and let Him write it there.
V9
You see, this again, is a warning not to let this go in one ear and out the other, but to take heed to this warning. This is emphasizing a very important truth.
V10
This is just another way of saying, whatever you sow, you will reap. Those who teach false doctrine causes his neighbor to go into captivity and so will those who teach it.
In Matthew Jesus taught Peter that they that take the sword shall perish with the sword when he cut off Malchus's ear. (i.e. don't return evil for evil).
V11-12
Verses 11-12 couples the three evil personages of the Tribulation that are the opposite counterparts of the person of God. Just as the dragon has already been anti-God and the first beast is anti-Christ, so the second beast will be anti-Spirit. His capacity in working for the worship of the Antichrist will correspond with the present ministry of the Holy Spirit. This second beast is the False Prophet. He will not seek to cause people to worship himself. He will not court his own personal prestige but will work purely for the purpose of getting others to worship the Antichrist. This evil scheme will be used by the devil and his 2 cohorts to deceive people during the Tribulation. They will victimize many individuals because they will traffic in amorality.
V13
The False Prophet will deceive unbelievers of the earth by means of wonders and miracles, accomplished through satanic power. He will produce the miracles of Elijah and as a false Elijah as he will lead people to worship a false messiah.
V14-15
The False Prophet will cause an image of the Antichrist to be built and will have power to "give breath to the image of the first beast". In the midst of the Tribulation, after the Antichrist has been slain and resurrected, the False Prophet will cause people to build an image like Nebuchadnezzar's image and will demand that it be worshiped. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
By some mysterious means unknown in the previous history of the world, he will give life to that image. How long it will manifest life we are not told. What characteristics it will have we are not told. Possibly the only characteristic it will manifest is that it can "speak". (v.15) This speech will be caused by the False Prophet, who in turn will get his authority from the Antichrist and the dragon, Satan himself.
He will issue an order that all who do not worship him will be killed. Rev. 20 v.4 tells us that many will be slain by the guillotine.
Everything the false prophet does is calculated to increase the power and authority of the Antichrist. That is not surprising, for he receives his own power and authority from the Antichrist.
V16-17
Without a mark, a person will be unable to engage in routine commerce. Notice here, it does not say you cannot live. It says you cannot buy or sell. DO NOT TAKE THIS MARK; Jesus will help you.
Anyone who accepts this mark during the Tribulation has already made his choice, and that choice will permanently disqualify its wearer from heaven. Remember when you get the mark you MUST swear allegiance to the Antichrist as god.
It isn't merely economic, it is a worship system. Accepting the mark is tantamount to a rejection of Jesus. This is a permanent, irreversible rejection.
V18
To accept the mark is to accept Antichrist as God and thus deny God. Only those who walk with Christ will be able to understand why taking of this mark can not be done even if it means death to their physical body.
Homecoming Snippets
Photos of Homecomers, Family & Friends
Welcome
Good afternoon!!
Pastor Baggett and the members of Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church bid you a cordial welcome to this house of God, its worship, its comfort and it peace. We greatly appreciate your presence and support on this Homecoming occasion.
So, let us together exalt, extol and magnify the name of our Lord God and our Savior, Jesus the Christ.
The Occasion
To the Pulpit occupants, Homecomers, Visitors and Christian Friends.
Homecomig, for Brown Chapel decedents, friends and neighbors, is a time to reflect on what our ancestors started and had faith in. They knew and instilled in us that there is a better place. Homecoming is a precursor of our eventual home-going, to eternal life.
So as we all journey towards that home-going, we
can boldly share with any and all who have an ear that
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life....
Because
The Bible says:
Jesus is our mediator between God and ourselves.
Jesus is our guarantee of a better covenant
Jesus is our Bread of Life
Jesus is our Door
Jesus is our Good Shepherd
Jesus is our Light of the world
Jesus is our True Vine
Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life
Jesus is the beloved Son
Jesus is the unblemished Lamb
Jesus is the payer of our debt
Jesus is our intercessor
Jesus gives us joy
Jesus gives us peace
Jesus opens our minds to understand Scripture
Jesus is our Rock
Jesus is our Savior
Jesus is our King
In Jesus are the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
In Jesus we are made complete
Jesus indwells us
Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come
Jesus died for us and arose with all power
Jesus came to serve
Jesus came to be our high priest
Jesus came to bring division
Jesus came to set us free from the Law
Jesus came that we may have life, and have it more abundantly.
Let us go out from this Homecoming celebration with uplifted spirits and share the Good News of God's Kingdom.
The Word
by Rev. Clifford McIlveen
Daniel 3:16 - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter.
Matthew 4:4 - But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Subject: Bend or Burn: God Will Show Up!
Sermon Snippet
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