Three Easy Questions

Three Questions when you read the chapter you wish to study:

1. What does the chapter say?

2. What does that mean – specifically – to me?

3. What am I going to do about it?

Some add an optional memory verse as a part of the process to

help them retain what God has said to them.

KV 9: Understanding Bible Symbolism

1 - 10: The beast from the sea

11 - 18: The beast from the earth

Remember – at least four six(!) levels to understand!

1. To the believers at that time in that place (Historical context)

2. To all the churches (Ecclesiastic context):

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

3. To all believers (Homiletic context):

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

4. To world historical events (Prophetic context)

5. The Symbolism and interpretation thereof (Symbolic context)

6. Geopolitical context (won’t say much here)

The first thing to note is verse 1. The dragon is

perhaps summoning these beasts!

Note the wounds – later described as sword or

dagger wounds. Note the false resurrection.

Who is the first one? A group of nations? We

might glean something if we look at national

animals.Leopard – Afghanistan, Kazakhstan,

IRAN, Pakistan – all the same geographical

area – and Somalia and Rwanda also use a

Leopard. The Bear is Russia and some of the

surrounding states, the Lion is a number of

countries, Notably Iran and Brussels. But then

is says “him.” Clearly it is also a man.

42 months (3.5 years) – he makes war on and

OVERCOMES the believers on the Earth.

The second beast – a false religious leader?

Verse 12 indicates this – it seems to be the job of

this beast to make people worship the first

individual.

He also performs miracles and signs and wonders.

(Dangers of the sign/gift ministries.) (v14)

A living statue is created by him in the image of the

first man with the wounds. This image has the

ability to execute those who will not believe in the

beast.

He introduces the “mark of the beast” to the world,

and it tells of some kind of control of money and

trade. There are a lot of theories as to what this

mark may be.

χ ξ ς Greek letters are assigned numeric values. Here is the value of 666 in Greek.χξ

ςRotated 90 degrees, they resemble Islamic writing for “In the name of Allah.”

And some say that it isn’t 666, it should be 616! Who is right?

I don’t think it really matters! It is clear that whatever the mark is,

one had better not take it if they value their eternal soul. More on

that in a later chapter.

So what does all of this mean, anyways?

Good question.

As there is a holy Trinity consisting of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

there is also an unholy trinity of sorts here – The dragon (father of

lies), the Man of Sin (Antichrist, Gk. “anti”=“substitute”), and their

herald (in place of the Holy Spirit) who draws people to the Man of

Sin.

This “trinity” has GREAT power. They can overcome believers in

the living God, they can perform false miracles, they can even

apparently rise from the dead. And because of these deceptions,

many left on earth will become their followers.

Imagine that you find yourself in that world for a moment.

Everyone must serve somebody – who will you serve with your life?

The Living God?

or

The Fallen One?

As always, the choice will be yours to live with for eternity.

Learn how to stand up for the Lord NOW, when it is relatively safe.

There may come a day when this isn’t the case. We can already

see it happening here in the west if we look carefully.

Little choices we make now to stand for the Lord in our lives will

add up, just like they did for Jesus at Gethsemane.

So put on that armour…

Ephesians 6:13-18 – “Therefore, take up the full armor of

God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and

having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore,

having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the

breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet

with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to

all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able

to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take

the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which

is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all

times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with

all perseverance and petition for all the saints…”

The only place we have NO armour is on our back – we are

meant to FACE the enemy. God has our backs – Isaiah 58:8d

says, “The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”

Remember the “gates” of Hell? Gates are DEFENSIVE.