Good morning church! Yesterday was a great day for me. Errands (of course, it is Wednesday) to WalMart and then groceries. Neither are too bad at 8:30AM! Then to lectionary group; the discussion was Mary's visit to cousin Elizabeth and Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1:39-56. One of the big questions we had was, "Who is our Elizabeth?" and then in follow-up, "Who are we Elizabeth to?" Some questions to struggle with!
This morning we are introduced to two new beasts! Yahoo!
John begins with a vision of a beast coming from the sea. To most people, the ocean is a lovely, relaxing, beautiful place- but ancient Jews were terrified of the ocean, the unknown, and tit was filled with beasts! The dragon is standing on the sand of the seashore, but the beast comes up from the ocean. Remember- the dragon is Satan, so this is a new creature; this beast is very similar in looks to the dragon: seven heads, ten horns, and ten diadems. The addition is the blasphemous names on the heads. This creature is really speaking against God. John describes this beast in detail- and all the different animals it is made up of. One artistic interpretation (from Jehovah's Witness, What Is the Seven-Headed Wild Beast of Revelation 13? | Bible Questions (jw.org) is shown below.
The description offered by John is very similar to the beast in Daniel 7: the lion represented Babylon, the bear was the Medo-Persian Empire, and the leopard was the Greek Empire. Possibly the beast John sees uses the characteristics of these animals to denote the "power": leopard- catlike vigilance, bear- slow power, lion- authority and ferociousness. Some people see this beast as an overpowerful government system or overpowering culture. Whoever or whatever- the beast assumes the power that the dragon gives it!
One striking description is the mortal head wound that healed- giving even more power and fear to the beast that it could survive a mortal head wound! Possibly a symbolic commentary of the death and resurrection of Jesus?
The beast was allowed to rule for 42 months (three and a half years, 1260 days- we have seen this number before!). The end of the world is supposed to take 7 years. it is not an instantaneous thing; Satan then has power for the first half of this time. The beast will not overcome the saints (those whose names are written in the Book of Life) but will overcome and destroy those that are not in the "Book". The Book of Life (Rev 20:5) has all the names of the people that God will save/ has redeemed. John closes this part of the chapter with "LISTEN TO ME!" Do we listen?
Bored yet? Time for another beast! This one comes from the earth (as opposed to the sea). Physically it is different than the first one (this one looks more like a lamb), but has similar power although it is subordinate to the first (as it requires all people to worship the first beast). This beast seems like a Stanic prophet- guiding people to the first beast and the dragon and performing "signs" (fire raining down from the heavens) so that people will believe.
The beast marks each person under their control so they can "participate" in the economy; if you don't have the "mark" you cannot buy or sell. In ancient Greek and Hebrew, letters were assigned different numerical values. So, can we determine who the beast is if their number is "666"? People through history have done this and point to the papacy, Martin Luther, John Knox, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and a few other world leaders- but these methods are mathematical gymnastics! As an aside- the letters of "Jesus" in Greek add up to 888; 888 could "represent" a holy trinity. So, the beast can't be 777 (7 denotes perfection), then the next lower number is 666. Rather than fussing about who the Antichrist may be- just be good people and believe!
Another strange chapter for us today! But, good news starts tomorrow in Chapter 14. We begin to see images of God's victory and the defeat of the beasts!
I think we should all get together and make a movie of this book! Thoughts?!
Have a good day- it is going to be a sunny one, but cool!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
I thought I liked yesterday's chapter after reading the previous ones, however today not so much. It seems the devil is trying to emulate God by doing a trinity? There seems also to be an Antichrist involved by the beast from the sea? Also are the 1260 days or 42 months we keep reading about the same including the other chapters or a different time of 42 months for each chapter? Anyhow in this chapter we are being tested I think with all the persecutions from the devil much as he tempted Jesus in the wilderness.
ReplyDeleteSatan often tries to look/act like God!
DeleteThe 42 months (3 1/2 years, 1260 days) is a thought from the prophet Daniel about the apocalypse happening over 7 years. So the 3 1/2 years means Satan is "in control" for half of the time.
Tough read isn't it!
I guess I was really have not been paying to because none of this sounds familiar to me. It sounds like a horror movie. Many things seem symbolic.
ReplyDeletein the last chapter you said that Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah witnesses believe Michael was Jesus. I did not know that.
As for people being marked how can we forgot the yellow star on their clothing.
We seem to keep saying the same thing...can't we just be good and kind.
It would make a great fantasy/sci-fi movie!
DeleteBoth the Seventh Day Adevntists and Jehovah's Witnesses have some different view than most denominations. I don't understand them all but it would be interesting to know more.
Good point (?) with the yellow star for identification of the Jews. I guess I had forgotten about that!
It is a tough read!
Sorry I have been MIA for a couple of days. Tough days this week. I think I'm caught up on my reading now.
ReplyDeleteThe beasts sound worse every day. So much talk about the end of the world, such torturous things described. Cindy, I agree with you, it does sound like a horror movie, or maybe a really bad trip. It is after all a vision.
It seems like one can think of times all through history when we have been pretty sure the end of the world is coming any minute. Can you imagine being a Jew is Nazi Germany? We as human beings are so very cruel and vicious. In a way, we are every bit as bad to each other as these beasts. Every day we hear about child abuse, murders, school shootings, looting in posh stores, and more and more.
Maybe this is a good time to be reading this book because soon we will be celebrating the birth of the one who will save us if we want to be saved. A light in the darkness.
This is an interesting dream? vision? But what a great film!
DeleteOur world is full of these beasts and we need to do what we can to identify them and stop them!
It is good to be reading Revelation now- ending in a season of hope and love!
So we now have the trinity. Satan - the dragon - the beast from the sea who serves and obeys the dragon (and the dragon gives power to and heals) - the antichrist - and the beast from the earth - the false prophet - who serves and obeys the beast from the sea and, ultimately, the dragon. So we have the rebirth of the savior and not the trinity of evil. And the mark of the beast!! What an absolutely awful time to be alive!
ReplyDeleteEvil is definitely everywhere - then and now and in the future. All I can do is live the best I can and spread the Word to as many people as I can so that they might live the best life they can.
I sincerely hope my name is in the Book of Life.
But have hope! Good does win!
DeleteI agree- we can try as best as we can to spread good and positive and Gospel wherever we go!
Thanks
Just when I think that this book could not get any stranger, it gets stranger. I can now understand why you did not want to do a Bible study on this book. I now wish that I had never read it, but you have to read it to know that you don’t want to read it. (I think that last sentence is just a strange as the previous one.)
ReplyDeleteThe first monster that comes out of the sea with the seven heads appears to bad-mouth God. I do not know what this monster symbolizes, but the hyperlink that is given in your blog, Pastor, points to it being the governments of nations of the world. There are more than 7 nations, so I think that John groups the nations by allies, although when this was written, there were much fewer nations than there are now, but that number still had to be larger than 7.
The second monster came out of the land. It looked more like the dragon – one head and two horns. This one caused lightning and fire to come down from the heavens and it had to scare the heart out of all the people that saw it. It forced all people to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, which, I assume was like the Star of David that the Jews had to wear in Germany during the Second World War. The people could not make any transactions without this mark, which is the number of the beast, 666. Whenever I see this number, I think of it as being satanic.
I am doing much better that yesterday. I had to see a different doctor this morning than the surgeon who did my eyes, and the doctor this morning told me not to get into any more bar fights!
It is a hard read- but also very interesting!
ReplyDeleteThere are some people that look to the beast as the corrupt (which is all of them) governments...but that is just one view.
I had forgotten about the star in Germany until Cindy mentioned it! BUt I remember it now.
No more bar fights? Takes the fun out of life?!