The Beast From the Sea - Revelation 13:1-4 (12 16 2018 Sunday)

So John sees what he describes as a beast with seven heads and ten horns. This beast is not the dragon we saw back in chapter 12, but closely resembles him. The dragon is Satan himself, this beast is one who the dragon will delegate his power and authority to. This is the antichrist. Satan will raise him up in the political system which many believe will be the reconstruction of the Roman Empire. There will be alliances with the other nations that still remain in power and he will rise up to reign over all of them. We read on his heads is a blasphemous name. The Greek word for Blasphemy is: blasphēmia blas-fay-me'-ah vilification (especially against God): - blasphemy, evil speaking, railing. So this beast will either have a literal name that stands against God or everything about his character will represent his stand against God. I believe it could be both. Remember the church has been taken out of the world. While there will be some who are saved during the tribulation period, those who remain and particularly those who will take the mark of the beast, are angry and are looking for anything that stands against the one true God.