As well, the beast (the Antichrist) is allegorically described as looking like a leopard, with feet like a bear, and a mouth like a lion.
Although this may be confusing, it is quite simple: Satan gives the Antichrist his power and authority to rule...
(Revelation 13:1-2) And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.
Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.
At the halfway point of the Tribulation, Satan and the Antichrist will mock Christ's work on the cross, by appearing to be killed (although he is only injured), and then appearing to rise again (although he only heals the wound).
Because of this, the world will follow the leadership of the Antichrist and they will worship both the Antichrist and Satan...
(Revelation 13:3-4) I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4 they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”
The Antichrist will be allowed to govern the entire world during the second half of the Tribulation and he will do whatever he can to try to undermine God and those who follow Him...
(Revelation 13:5-10) There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.
From this we see:
- Satan is the dragon, as he was just described in chapter 12, but having seven heads, with seven diadems and ten horns. We now see the beast coming out of the sea with that same description (13:1)
- the beast (the Antichrist) is allegorically described as looking like a leopard, with feet like a bear, and a mouth like a lion (13:2)
- Satan empowers and gives authority to the Antichrist (13:2)
- at the halfway point of the Tribulation, Satan and the Antichrist will mock Christ's work on the cross, by appearing to be killed (although he is only injured), and then appearing to rise again (although he only heals the wound) (13:3)
- seeing this, the world will worship and follow the leadership of the Antichrist and worship Satan (13:3-4)
- all unbelievers will worship the Antichrist and will suffer the consequences (13:8-10)
- the Antichrist will be allowed to govern the entire world during the second half of the Tribulation and he will do whatever he can to try to undermine God and those who follow Him (13:5-7)
- believers will have eternal security (13:10)
Personal experience: humans really do love to avoid reality at times and cling to the things that mock, mimic or escape reality. If they didn't, people would not bother seeing movies, or getting hooked on computer games, or doing whatever they can to go to Disney World, or they wouldn't be staring at the their devices all day, etc. Not that these particular things are wrong (when they are done in moderation, with responsibly, and do not undermine God's will)...
But many people will do ANYTHING so that they do not have to face the truth about their sinful nature or their eternal situation!
Today's takeaway: even as believers, we sometimes prefer to avoid facing a sinful behavior, not wanting to confess or admit it even to ourselves. But there are blessings when we seek to know and do God's will...
(1 Corinthians 2:1-16) And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; 9 but just as it is written,
“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
(1 Peter 2:9-12) ...you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
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