Colin Badger – The Continuity of Babylon – Class 4 – Revelation 12-17 (Part 1)

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Last and present titled
Revelation Observations on

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Chapters 12 and 17.
Terminated our last class.

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We were analyzing the links
between the man of sin prophecy

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and the Old Testament
connections which are rightly

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suggested to us in the margin of
the RV.

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We say rightly because when we
examine each of those contexts,

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we do see in fact a great deal
of appropriateness in linking

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with the kind of figure
described in the man of sin

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prophecy.
The wording is virtually exact

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in some cases.
We explored, especially in our

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last class, the links with
Daniel, especially Daniel

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Chapter 7.
Given the fact that the beast

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system in Revelation has
inevitably those kind of links

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back into the Daniel prophecies,
we shouldn’t be surprised to

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find that as we explore the
beast system in Revelation, we

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will be continually reminded of
some of the characteristics of

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the man of Sin.
I’d like in this class, brothers

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and sisters, to consider what is
perhaps one of the most

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troublesome passages that deals
with the Beast system,

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Revelation Chapter 12.
And from the point of view of

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more recent interpretations of
Revelation in the community,

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Revelation chapter 12 has
perhaps been one of the major

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controversial areas.
I’d like to suggest that before

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we look at chapter 12 in any
detail, that we look at the

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environment in Revelation in
which it’s set.

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By environment, I mean that we
take a good look at Revelation

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Chapter 11 that’s on one side of
it and we take a close look at

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Revelation Chapter 13 on the
other side of it.

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I believe there are some
important leads in Revelation 11

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prior to us meeting the vision
of Chapter 12, and that some of

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the follow up details in
Revelation 13 give important

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information before we draw final
conclusions as to what’s going

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on in Chapter 12.
Therefore, we’re just going to

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back up a little bit and take a
look at Revelation Chapter 11

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for the purpose of giving us
some preparation for chapter 12

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and then chapter 13.
First of all, in Revelation

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Chapter 11, John tells us in
verse.

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One that was given me I read
like unto a rod.

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And the Angel stood, saying,
Rise and measure the temple of

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God, and the altar and them that
worship therein, rise and

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measure the temple of God.
And the altar and them that

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worship therein.
But the court, which is without

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the temple, leave out and
measure it not, for it is given

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unto the Gentiles and the holy
city, shall they tread under

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foot, 40 and two months.
Now, first of all, there is a

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very important introduction, I
believe, brothers and sisters,

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in these few verses of
Revelation 11.

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It reinforces a concept that
we’ve already mentioned a number

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of times in our studies.
Thus far we have talked about

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the false being an imitator of
the true.

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How much the false imitates the
true we can see from the

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descriptions that we have of the
man of sin compared to the

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descriptions of the Son of Man.
Here in Revelation Chapter 11,

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it’s helpful to have a visual
picture of what is being

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measured at the time of Christ.
Of course, Herod’s temple had

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built an enormous court
surrounding the main temple

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area.
The court of the Gentiles it was

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called.
That was a feature that was

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peculiar really to Herod’s
temple and the time of John.

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It wasn’t something that was
true of Solomon’s Temple or the

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Temple.
The time was erubbable.

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Here is the temple of God, a
place of worship.

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There’s an altar there and there
are worshippers.

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But the court which is without
the temple, Greek word means

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excommunicate.
To leave out in Greek is the

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Greek word meaning
excommunicate.

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Now why would the court have to
be excommunicated from the

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temple?
After all, the court was a place

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for Gentiles to worship.
Somebody looking at the temple

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as an overview would see the
course, the main precincts of

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the temple and the main court,
the gentiles surrounding it.

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And then of course, there was
the court of women, and then

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there was what was called the
court of Israel as well.

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There was a succession of
courts, but this court is

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undoubtedly according to verse
2, the court of the Gentiles.

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But it seems to have been
attached to the temple.

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They were worshippers that were
in that court.

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It was provided for worshippers,
the gentiles that wanted to come

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and could not go past that
guarding sign that warned any

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gentile that he who crossed that
threshold would be doing so upon

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pain of death.
So here we have a picture of a

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place of worship.
But part of that place of

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worship is to be excommunicated
because it’s given to the

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Gentiles.
Now right away, I believe,

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brothers and sisters, we are
given an important perspective

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here at the beginning of Chapter
11, a place of worship, but it

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is to be divided into two parts.
Those who are worshipping in

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this place are attached, some of
them to the true temple of God

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and to what’s called the Holy
City.

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But some part of this place that
has worshippers is to now be

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separated at this point in time,
because those who worship in

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that section are called
Gentiles.

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What is being said and done
there?

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Surely, brothers and sisters,
there is something similar to

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what we’ve seen already in our
studies thus far.

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What seemed to be worshippers
can sometimes be false

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imitators, deluded, not
following the truth.

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We then proceed further into the
picture in verse three and four

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of the witnesses and the two
lamp stands.

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We read that these lamp stands
have a common point where they

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feed into verse four.
There are two olive trees, the

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two candlesticks standing before
the God of the earth, and if any

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man will hurt them, fire
proceedeth out of their mouth

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and devoureth their enemies.
Now, brothers and sisters, there

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are two trees and two olive
sticks.

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That’s clearly an allusion to
Zechariah’s prophecy of the

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olive tree, or the olive trees
and the Candlestick.

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But when we go back to
Zechariah, we find that there is

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a connection here with this
prophecy.

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But there’s something different
about it.

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In Zechariah, there were two
olive trees and one Candlestick.

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Here there are two olive trees
and two candlesticks, two

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sources of light.
Are there really two sources of

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light?
That is, are there two true

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sources of light?
It has connections with

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Zachariah.
Some things are the same and

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look like the true, but in fact
there is something very

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different about the setting
here.

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It seems to complement what we
see in the opening part of the

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vision.
I’d suggest that there is a

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place with worshippers, but one
part of it in fact is identified

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as being the true temple, the
true altar, the true city.

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And part of it which seems also
to have worshippers, is

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described as being in need of
being excommunicated and

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separated, even though it would
all look to the human eye to be

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a mutual place of worshipper.
And all of them would seem to be

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very sincere as they were going
about their devotions.

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One group or one section was
recognized by God and the other

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group was to be excommunicated
from and it’s associated with

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Gentiles.
Now that is what happens in

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Revelation Chapter 11.
Before we get to chapter 12, we

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go over to chapter 13 to the
other side.

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Make a few more observations
there.

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In chapter 13 we see this sea
beast coming up out of the water

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in verse one, as they do in
Daniel Chapter 7.

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Attention is given to the kind
of conglomerate animal that we

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have here, drawing from the
various beasts and kind of

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pasting them together, as it
were.

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And in verse two of chapter 13,
attention is drawn to the mouth

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of this animal, his mouth as the
mouth of a lion, and the dragon

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gave him his power, his seat and
great authority, power, great

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authority, and a seat given to
this beast that is a

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conglomerate of the beasts of
Daniel 7.

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In Daniel seven we have those
beasts except for the dragon.

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In Daniel chapter seven, we do
have a reference to a mouse in

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conjunction with those beasts.
In Daniel Chapter 7, in

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conjunction with that mouse and
the beast that is attached to

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it, or to which it is attached,
there is reference to an

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individual who claims to have
great power and authority, and

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exercises that authority as
though he was God himself.

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Interestingly, there are
connections then with Daniel

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Chapter 7.
Then we proceed further to verse

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five.
There was given unto him a mouth

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once again back to the mouth,
speaking great things and

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blasphemies.
Now remind ourselves of that

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language of Daniel Chapter 7,
where we have the beasts, and

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finally the 4th beast, and the
little mouth that becomes stout.

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What was said there?
A little horn.

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Before whom were three of the
first horns plucked up?

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He had the eyes of a man and a
mouth speaking great things, And

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hear of the sea beast, it is
said there was given unto him a

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mouth speaking great things, and
he’s blasphemous.

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What about the little horn?
He too is blasphemous, although

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the word is not exactly used,
because he speaks great words.

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Verse 25 of Daniel Seven Against
the Most High.

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Interesting.
Furthermore, the time period

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associated with this BEAST
system is 40 and two months.

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Now 40 and two months is the
same thing as of course 3 1/2

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days or years.
However one wants to put it to

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start with 3 1/2 years is the
same amount of days as 42 months

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on the basis of the month being
30 days, which was standard for

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the the lunar calendar.
And of course in Daniel Chapter

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7 there is a time period given
and it’s given as being time

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times and dividing time which is
understood to be by all

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commentators 3 1/2 * 3 1/2 * 42
three and a half.

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Very close connection between
those.

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If we were to go back to
Revelation Chapter 11, where we

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just came from, we would
discover that 42 months occurs

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there as well.
In verse two, it’s the time

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period during which the Holy
City is trodden under foot 40

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and two months the Holy City,
the true believers trodden down

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for a period of 42 months, 42
months there, 42 months.

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Here In Revelation 13, during
which time this mouth speaks

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great things, blasphemy is
allowed to be spoken, and he

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opened his mouth in blasphemy
against God to blasphemy His

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name and his Tabernacle.
Interestingly, not just against

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God, but he blasphemes the
temple of God.

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Now how could He blasphemy the
Temple of God?

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That’s a curious expression.
It’s not so curious, of course,

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when we see the links, as we’ve
already noticed with a man of

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sin who claims to have as his
seat of authority the Temple of

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God, and treats that place as if
it was God’s temple, and treats

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himself as though he was God.
And likewise the man of sin is a

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mouth.
The man of sin likewise speaks

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great things.
The man of sin likewise is

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blasphemous in what he speaks.
But what about this term

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blasphemy?
What are its associations in the

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Book of Revelation?
Especially blasphemy?

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00:13:50,760 –> 00:13:52,840
Could it be spoken of in the
Book of Revelation?

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00:13:52,840 –> 00:13:55,520
I mean by someone who might be
an atheistic figure?

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Because that’s how some brethren
understand Revelation 13 to be

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essentially A humanistic or an
atheistic figure.

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Not an apostate figure, not a
church figure.

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Could that be?
Well, blasphemy is first

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mentioned in Revelation chapter
2.

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00:14:12,200 –> 00:14:15,160
Let’s go there, please.
It’s the first reference.

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It’s always useful, brothers and
sisters, to look up a word as

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it’s first used in Scripture and
to see whether or not after the

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first reference in scripture
whether the other occurrences in

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some way build upon that first
place.

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The first time seed is mentioned
in Genesis has important

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connotations for the other
references.

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To see the first places we’ve
seen where Kingdom is mentioned,

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Speaking of Babylon, the first
place where Shinar is mentioned

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first occurrences of a word, an
important word in scripture, are

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always worth noting carefully,
because often there the

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scripture will define its terms
and its connotations.

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Here is the first reference then
to blasphemy.

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Verse nine of Revelation 2.
What’s it to do with I know thy

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00:15:12,960 –> 00:15:18,040
works and tribulation and
poverty, but thou art rich, and

221
00:15:18,040 –> 00:15:25,680
I know the blasphemy of them,
which say they are Jews and are

222
00:15:25,680 –> 00:15:31,400
not, but are of the not
Ecclesia, the synagogue of

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00:15:31,400 –> 00:15:33,840
Satan.
Now isn’t that interesting?

224
00:15:34,280 –> 00:15:37,400
The very first reference to
blasphemy in the Book of

225
00:15:37,400 –> 00:15:40,440
Revelation is in the context of
apostasy.

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00:15:41,240 –> 00:15:44,440
It’s in the context of an
Ecclesia or not an Ecclesia so

227
00:15:44,440 –> 00:15:49,000
much, but as an Ecclesia next to
a group close to a group that

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00:15:49,000 –> 00:15:52,840
are blasphemous Because they say
they are Jews, they got the

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00:15:52,840 –> 00:15:57,160
outward appearance of the true,
but in fact they are not true

230
00:15:57,160 –> 00:16:01,840
Jews and that the Spirit chooses
not even to use the word the

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00:16:02,000 –> 00:16:04,440
word Ecclesia to describe their
gathering place.

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00:16:04,760 –> 00:16:08,080
Instead it refers to the
Synagogue of Satan.

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00:16:09,160 –> 00:16:12,000
Now where else is blasphemy used
in Revelation?

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00:16:12,440 –> 00:16:16,000
Do you know that after
Revelation 2 and verse 9 is only

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00:16:16,000 –> 00:16:18,240
used in conjunction with the
Beast system?

236
00:16:19,960 –> 00:16:22,520
Only used in conjunction with
the B system?

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00:16:22,960 –> 00:16:32,280
The next occurrence is in
Revelation chapter 13, which

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00:16:32,280 –> 00:16:38,640
we’ve just been looking at, then
in chapter 16, then in 17, and

239
00:16:38,640 –> 00:16:42,600
then again in 18.
Now if Scripture is allowed to

240
00:16:42,600 –> 00:16:46,000
define its own terms, brothers
and sisters, and if first

241
00:16:46,000 –> 00:16:49,720
occurrences often give the vital
clue for the meaning that’s

242
00:16:49,720 –> 00:16:53,320
attached to that term,
Revelation 2 and verse 9 is

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00:16:53,320 –> 00:16:57,000
highly significant.
It is not something that is in

244
00:16:57,000 –> 00:17:02,280
Revelation spoken of by an
autocratic, gentile, atheistic,

245
00:17:02,280 –> 00:17:04,520
humanistic type, autocrat, or
power.

246
00:17:05,319 –> 00:17:09,720
In Revelation, the blasphemy
spoken of is in conjunction with

247
00:17:09,720 –> 00:17:12,960
those who claim they are the
true Israel, but in fact they

248
00:17:12,960 –> 00:17:16,000
are not.
They have the appearance, but in

249
00:17:16,000 –> 00:17:19,560
fact they’re an imitation of the
true, but they’re not the true.

250
00:17:20,040 –> 00:17:23,680
Back to the same concept.
See how that concept brothers

251
00:17:23,680 –> 00:17:26,839
and sisters, ever so vital to
grasp all the way through in

252
00:17:26,839 –> 00:17:29,960
those sections in Daniel and
right through of course, the man

253
00:17:29,960 –> 00:17:32,760
of sin prophecy.
We’ve seen this concept come up

254
00:17:32,760 –> 00:17:36,640
again and again, the imitation
of the false concerning the true

255
00:17:37,200 –> 00:17:39,800
and how closely it manages to
mimic the truth.

256
00:17:40,280 –> 00:17:43,720
So that Jesus could say that
that we are not to be deceived

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00:17:43,720 –> 00:17:47,000
and if we aren’t careful even
the very elect will be deceived.

258
00:17:47,440 –> 00:17:51,840
Take that very seriously.
He opened his mouth and he spoke

259
00:17:51,840 –> 00:17:55,480
blasphemy against God to
blasphemy his name and His

260
00:17:55,480 –> 00:17:59,480
dwelling place and them that
dwell in heaven.

261
00:18:01,120 –> 00:18:06,280
Then we meet an Earth beast.
Chapter 11, Excuse me, Chapter

262
00:18:06,280 –> 00:18:10,160
13, verse 11.
Chapter 13, verse 11.

263
00:18:11,120 –> 00:18:16,240
I beheld another beast coming up
out of the earth and he had two

264
00:18:16,320 –> 00:18:21,640
horns like a lamb.
I think it’s helpful to perhaps

265
00:18:21,720 –> 00:18:38,580
visualize some of this.
He had two horns like a lamb and

266
00:18:38,580 –> 00:18:45,400
he speak as a dragon.
Now that’s interesting isn’t it?

267
00:18:46,760 –> 00:18:52,080
This earth beast we are told is
connected with the sea beast.

268
00:18:53,080 –> 00:18:57,200
We are told that the sea beast
gets his power from the dragon.

269
00:18:58,120 –> 00:19:01,280
We are introduced to the dragon
in chapter 12.

270
00:19:02,840 –> 00:19:06,280
So that’s why we have sort of
gone around chapter 12 on both

271
00:19:06,280 –> 00:19:08,360
sides.
Take a look at certain concepts

272
00:19:08,360 –> 00:19:11,720
and clues that might be given
that have to be borne in mind

273
00:19:11,720 –> 00:19:14,280
before we look closely at the
details of chapter 12.

274
00:19:15,720 –> 00:19:20,480
The dragon is introduced in 12.
He is behind the scenes in

275
00:19:20,480 –> 00:19:23,840
giving the sea beast his power
as 13 opens up.

276
00:19:24,600 –> 00:19:27,720
So what they see is not the
dragon, They see the sea beast.

277
00:19:27,960 –> 00:19:30,320
But he gets his power from the
dragon.

278
00:19:30,760 –> 00:19:34,160
The dragon is kind of the unseen
force behind the scenes.

279
00:19:34,280 –> 00:19:36,000
He’s never disappeared.
He’s never gone.

280
00:19:36,080 –> 00:19:39,240
He’s still there.
And then emerges the Earth

281
00:19:39,240 –> 00:19:41,280
Beast.
And we’re told that he is

282
00:19:41,280 –> 00:19:43,280
connected closely with the sea
beast.

283
00:19:43,680 –> 00:19:47,200
And if he is, he too must in
some way get his power from the

284
00:19:47,200 –> 00:19:50,680
dragon.
Or we might say that’s perhaps

285
00:19:50,680 –> 00:19:53,960
quite a conjecture.
You know, maybe the dragon was

286
00:19:53,960 –> 00:19:58,560
indeed behind the sea beast, but
can we be sure he’s behind the

287
00:19:58,560 –> 00:20:01,920
Earth Beast too?
How do we know?

288
00:20:02,440 –> 00:20:04,520
After all, he looks very good,
doesn’t he?

289
00:20:05,600 –> 00:20:08,440
What does he look like?
He looks like a lamb.

290
00:20:09,680 –> 00:20:13,680
What book of the Bible spends
the greatest amount of detail

291
00:20:13,680 –> 00:20:15,720
concerning that figure of the
lamb?

292
00:20:15,800 –> 00:20:19,240
It’s the Book of Revelation.
More is said about the lamb in

293
00:20:19,240 –> 00:20:22,200
Revelation than anywhere else in
scripture as it relates to

294
00:20:22,200 –> 00:20:26,160
Jesus.
The Lamb in Revelation all the

295
00:20:26,160 –> 00:20:28,000
way through pretty well is
Jesus.

296
00:20:29,000 –> 00:20:31,000
That’s associated, of course,
with Messiah.

297
00:20:32,040 –> 00:20:36,600
However, as John looks, he must
have thought, oh, it’s a picture

298
00:20:36,600 –> 00:20:39,120
of the Master.
He’s already seen a picture of

299
00:20:39,120 –> 00:20:42,840
the Lamb several times in
Revelation prior to this vision.

300
00:20:43,480 –> 00:20:45,120
John could have very easily been
deceived.

301
00:20:46,200 –> 00:20:52,920
But then the Lamb opens his
mouth, his mouth, He opens his

302
00:20:52,920 –> 00:20:56,160
mouth.
And from his mouth John then

303
00:20:56,160 –> 00:20:59,080
knows is true identity and
character.

304
00:20:59,520 –> 00:21:03,880
As Jesus said, out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth

305
00:21:04,000 –> 00:21:07,120
speaketh.
What is spoken is a true

306
00:21:07,120 –> 00:21:10,040
indication of the real character
inside.

307
00:21:10,920 –> 00:21:13,080
And when he speaks, he’s a
dragon.

308
00:21:13,240 –> 00:21:15,840
John thinks my could have been
deceived.

309
00:21:17,080 –> 00:21:19,640
How good was that deception?
Brothers and sisters?

310
00:21:19,920 –> 00:21:24,840
He, to all outward appearances,
was a Lamb, could easily have

311
00:21:24,840 –> 00:21:26,920
been mistaken as a symbol of the
Master.

312
00:21:27,200 –> 00:21:32,280
Since in this very book Jesus is
pictured as a Lamb more than

313
00:21:32,280 –> 00:21:35,040
once.
John has seen that Lamb more

314
00:21:35,040 –> 00:21:37,240
than once, and he sees it again
later on.

315
00:21:37,880 –> 00:21:40,520
Now he sees a Lamb in
conjunction with this vision,

316
00:21:40,720 –> 00:21:43,520
and no joke, no doubt John must
have thought it first.

317
00:21:43,520 –> 00:21:45,680
Ah, it’s another picture of the
Lord.

318
00:21:46,520 –> 00:21:48,720
But it wasn’t.
How did he know?

319
00:21:49,120 –> 00:21:52,920
Only when he opened his mouth
and then when he opened his

320
00:21:52,920 –> 00:21:57,360
mouth the dragon is still there.
He speaks like a dragon.

321
00:21:57,640 –> 00:22:00,840
The dragon of Daniel chapter 12
hasn’t gone at all.

322
00:22:01,560 –> 00:22:05,480
He is working behind the scenes
in the sea based manifestation

323
00:22:05,480 –> 00:22:10,720
and in the next phase the dragon
is working behind the scenes and

324
00:22:10,720 –> 00:22:15,280
giving the power and the bite to
the lamb’s work which is really

325
00:22:15,280 –> 00:22:18,080
no lamb.
And once again you notice the

326
00:22:18,080 –> 00:22:20,000
attention now given to the
mouth.

327
00:22:21,640 –> 00:22:24,920
You see, brothers and sisters,
there are very close connections

328
00:22:24,920 –> 00:22:26,760
with that little horn in Daniel
7.

329
00:22:27,480 –> 00:22:31,760
The time period of Daniel 7 is
the same kind of time period as

330
00:22:31,760 –> 00:22:36,400
is used here for the sea beast.
Time, times and a half a time or

331
00:22:36,400 –> 00:22:43,480
42 months, 3 1/2 Like the little
horn that becomes stout, It

332
00:22:43,480 –> 00:22:47,600
speaks blasphemies, it says
things against the temple of

333
00:22:47,600 –> 00:22:52,880
God, it speaks great things, and
attention is given to the mouth.

334
00:22:52,880 –> 00:22:55,240
Now let’s go back to the mouth
of the sea beast.

335
00:22:56,080 –> 00:22:57,920
What kind of mouth did the sea
beast have?

336
00:22:59,960 –> 00:23:02,840
Well, in verse 2, just to read
it again, the beast which I saw

337
00:23:02,840 –> 00:23:07,800
was like unto a leopard, and his
feet were as the feet of a bear

338
00:23:07,800 –> 00:23:10,360
and his mouth as the mouth of a
lion.

339
00:23:12,160 –> 00:23:16,240
Now you see with this beast, he
has all the appearances,

340
00:23:16,240 –> 00:23:18,760
brothers and sisters, of being a
leopard.

341
00:23:20,200 –> 00:23:22,600
But again, we’ve got to be
cautious.

342
00:23:24,720 –> 00:23:26,760
The body is essentially a
leopard.

343
00:23:27,400 –> 00:23:32,000
However, his feet have certain
distinctions, His head has

344
00:23:32,000 –> 00:23:37,880
certain distinctions or his
head, and when he speaks, the

345
00:23:37,880 –> 00:23:42,600
mouth that he’s got is the mouth
of a lion in the first stage.

346
00:23:43,040 –> 00:23:46,720
Now of the beasts in Daniel,
which beast was associated with

347
00:23:46,720 –> 00:23:49,440
the lion, or what power was
associated with the lion,

348
00:23:50,440 –> 00:23:52,760
Babylon was associated with the
lion.

349
00:23:53,320 –> 00:23:56,600
The first beast that comes out
of the watery condition in

350
00:23:56,600 –> 00:24:01,200
Daniel 7 is of course the lion,
which lines up with the head of

351
00:24:01,200 –> 00:24:04,680
gold in Daniel’s image.
The next one, of course, is we

352
00:24:04,680 –> 00:24:08,000
knew was the bear, which lines
up with the silver in the image.

353
00:24:08,640 –> 00:24:13,040
And the third one was the
leopard, which lines up of

354
00:24:13,040 –> 00:24:17,760
course with the brass.
The last one was the 4th beast,

355
00:24:17,760 –> 00:24:22,000
which had iron in it.
This beast has the leopard, in

356
00:24:22,000 –> 00:24:25,400
other words, he’s got some brass
lined up with grease.

357
00:24:25,400 –> 00:24:29,560
There’s something Grecian, some
elements still going through in

358
00:24:29,560 –> 00:24:33,400
continuity with these latter
beasts, latter phases.

359
00:24:34,200 –> 00:24:37,080
So automatically by drawing in
the Leopard, there is a

360
00:24:37,080 –> 00:24:41,680
connection with the brass power.
That shouldn’t be surprising

361
00:24:42,080 –> 00:24:46,240
because in the 4th feast of
Daniel 7 there’s brass in it, as

362
00:24:46,240 –> 00:24:48,800
well as iron.
There is that metal which is

363
00:24:48,800 –> 00:24:51,840
really lined up of course with
the leopard power with Greece,

364
00:24:52,400 –> 00:24:56,320
so that shouldn’t be surprising.
But when it speaks, it speaks

365
00:24:56,320 –> 00:24:59,600
like a lion that go back to
Daniel, and that’s connected

366
00:24:59,600 –> 00:25:02,160
with Babylon.
Of course.

367
00:25:02,240 –> 00:25:05,680
It was in fact a royal symbol
for the power of Babylon.

368
00:25:07,160 –> 00:25:10,440
You see brothers and sisters in
the environment of chapter 12,

369
00:25:12,200 –> 00:25:17,960
these beasts that continue on
after the events of chapter 12

370
00:25:17,960 –> 00:25:20,880
and the man child who confronts
the dragon.

371
00:25:21,840 –> 00:25:27,360
The dragon lives on and the
dragon manifests himself 1st

372
00:25:27,480 –> 00:25:30,840
through the sea beast and
secondly through the earth

373
00:25:30,840 –> 00:25:34,520
beast.
The dragon is associated with

374
00:25:34,520 –> 00:25:39,400
apostasy, not just with raw
political power.

375
00:25:40,520 –> 00:25:46,320
Revelation chapter 12 is one
stage, the sea beast is another

376
00:25:46,320 –> 00:25:49,840
stage, and the Earth beast is
another stage.

377
00:25:50,040 –> 00:25:54,200
You go from a dragon that makes
no pretense to be anything other

378
00:25:54,200 –> 00:26:01,240
than a dragon, to a sea beast
that is only a dragon inside.

379
00:26:01,240 –> 00:26:05,600
Because it says the dragon gave
him his power, it is covert.

380
00:26:06,040 –> 00:26:09,400
The dragon like power is not
obvious, but it’s the dragon

381
00:26:09,400 –> 00:26:12,000
who’s pulling the strings and
giving him his power.

382
00:26:12,320 –> 00:26:15,320
So the dragon in the second
phase is not obvious.

383
00:26:15,320 –> 00:26:18,880
His presence just isn’t obvious
at all, but it certainly is a

384
00:26:18,880 –> 00:26:23,680
ferocious looking beast.
The next stage, when you get to

385
00:26:23,680 –> 00:26:29,800
this one, is the most beguiling
of all, because unlike this sea

386
00:26:29,800 –> 00:26:33,440
beast, the Earth Beast doesn’t
even look ferocious to start

387
00:26:33,520 –> 00:26:36,440
with.
John says he sees a lamb.

388
00:26:37,080 –> 00:26:39,320
That’s all he sees.
Nothing like the sea beast,

389
00:26:39,480 –> 00:26:42,480
nothing like the dragon.
But when he opens his mouth, the

390
00:26:42,480 –> 00:26:47,000
dragon is still there.
In other words, from the dragon

391
00:26:47,000 –> 00:26:52,880
stage to the Earth Beast stage,
the identity of the dragon has

392
00:26:52,880 –> 00:26:57,880
become less and less obvious.
His constituent influence and

393
00:26:57,880 –> 00:27:02,200
power has become more and more
deceiving and subtle, less and

394
00:27:02,200 –> 00:27:04,720
less obvious to appearance and
to the eye.

395
00:27:05,000 –> 00:27:08,600
He’s still there, but he’s
buried even more so in his

396
00:27:08,600 –> 00:27:11,440
influence.
You see, brothers and sisters,

397
00:27:11,440 –> 00:27:15,560
we must be getting a progression
as we move from 12 into 13

398
00:27:16,000 –> 00:27:19,720
through the two beasts.
Finally, as we follow through

399
00:27:19,720 –> 00:27:23,040
the beast system, we find it in
conjunction with a false prophet

400
00:27:23,880 –> 00:27:27,240
with a false prophet.
Now, a false prophet in

401
00:27:27,240 –> 00:27:30,840
scripture is never associated
with a atheistic or a humanistic

402
00:27:30,840 –> 00:27:33,800
figure, and it’s only someone
who makes the pretense of

403
00:27:33,800 –> 00:27:35,800
speaking for God.
But in fact it’s not.

404
00:27:36,240 –> 00:27:41,760
But makes the pretense is false,
but really pretends to be the

405
00:27:41,760 –> 00:27:44,360
truth.
See brothers and sisters,

406
00:27:44,560 –> 00:27:47,880
whatever we make of the dragon
and whatever he’s doing and

407
00:27:47,880 –> 00:27:51,360
whatever influence he’s wielding
in chapter 12, we’ve got to bear

408
00:27:51,360 –> 00:27:55,920
in mind how he ends up.
He ends up as looking like

409
00:27:55,920 –> 00:27:59,800
Christ.
He ends up as being underneath

410
00:27:59,800 –> 00:28:04,080
that lamb like beast.
He is very similar to the kind

411
00:28:04,080 –> 00:28:09,520
of metaphor Jesus used when he
said that they will be wolves in

412
00:28:09,520 –> 00:28:12,320
sheep’s clothing.
Speaking of the rise of

413
00:28:12,320 –> 00:28:17,120
apostasy, Paul said in the Acts
that he feared when he spoke to

414
00:28:17,120 –> 00:28:21,440
the Ephesian elders that when he
departs grievious wolves were

415
00:28:21,440 –> 00:28:24,360
inter in among the fly grievious
wolves.

416
00:28:24,400 –> 00:28:27,120
Using the language of the master
earlier on that there will be

417
00:28:27,120 –> 00:28:30,680
wolves in sheep’s clothing.
How do you know the wolves?

418
00:28:31,600 –> 00:28:33,160
How do you know that there’s a
dragon there?

419
00:28:33,160 –> 00:28:36,680
When he speaks, what he says,
how he behaves?

420
00:28:36,960 –> 00:28:39,360
It’s from his mouth that you
will determine.

421
00:28:39,840 –> 00:28:41,640
And that’s exactly what
Deuteronomy said.

422
00:28:41,960 –> 00:28:45,640
How do you know a false prophet,
Said Moses, On God’s behalf, you

423
00:28:45,640 –> 00:28:47,720
will listen to what he says, you
know, weigh it up with the

424
00:28:47,720 –> 00:28:50,800
commandments of Yahweh.
It’s on the basis not of what he

425
00:28:50,840 –> 00:28:54,480
does, but on the basis of what
he says and whether it winds up

426
00:28:54,480 –> 00:28:58,480
with revelation, with true
revelation, the ultimate measure

427
00:28:58,480 –> 00:29:00,760
of what the character is like
inside.

428
00:29:01,640 –> 00:29:05,440
So out of the abundance of the
heart, the mouth speaketh truly

429
00:29:06,000 –> 00:29:08,480
not only of the good man, but
also of the bad.

430
00:29:09,520 –> 00:29:13,960
Whatever we make, therefore, of
the scene in Revelation 12, what

431
00:29:13,960 –> 00:29:19,280
we have got is the first stage
of a development that is going

432
00:29:19,280 –> 00:29:21,520
to end up with something like
this.

433
00:29:22,640 –> 00:29:27,280
It’s the beginning of apostasy,
not the beginning of an

434
00:29:27,280 –> 00:29:30,520
atheistic, humanistic figure.
In its final stage is when

435
00:29:30,520 –> 00:29:33,680
Christ returns, but the
beginning of a system that is

436
00:29:33,680 –> 00:29:36,680
finally going to have a false
prophet associated with it.

437
00:29:37,520 –> 00:29:40,640
That to all intents and
purposes, the dragon is going to

438
00:29:40,640 –> 00:29:43,960
be so well buried in the last
stage that he’s going to look

439
00:29:43,960 –> 00:29:46,520
like a religious figure.
He’s going to look like the

440
00:29:46,520 –> 00:29:50,200
master himself, as described
elsewhere in Revelation.

441
00:29:51,400 –> 00:29:53,360
See how helpful it is, I
believe.

442
00:29:54,000 –> 00:29:58,720
Look at Revelation 13 very
carefully, first reminding

443
00:29:58,720 –> 00:30:00,720
ourselves of what we saw in
Revelation 11.

444
00:30:01,440 –> 00:30:07,120
He sees the temple an overview,
and then he’s told to

445
00:30:07,160 –> 00:30:12,240
excommunicate one part of those
worshippers because they don’t

446
00:30:12,240 –> 00:30:15,320
belong to the true temple and
the true holy city.

447
00:30:16,000 –> 00:30:19,320
Excommunicate them.
Tells, tells the Lord Jesus

448
00:30:19,320 –> 00:30:22,080
Christ to John.
Keep them separate.

449
00:30:23,120 –> 00:30:25,000
They are the court of the
Gentiles.

450
00:30:25,200 –> 00:30:26,520
Indeed.
They look like fellow

451
00:30:26,520 –> 00:30:29,640
worshippers, but he’s told
separate them.

452
00:30:30,400 –> 00:30:33,840
We see two lampstands.
We’re reminded of Zachariah.

453
00:30:34,200 –> 00:30:36,600
There are similarities, but
there are differences.

454
00:30:37,160 –> 00:30:40,880
There are two sources of light.
Can there truly be two sources

455
00:30:40,880 –> 00:30:43,440
of light?
The force of the Tabernacle,

456
00:30:43,440 –> 00:30:46,360
symbol of the Menorah and in
Zechariah likewise, is that

457
00:30:46,360 –> 00:30:47,960
there’s one source of light, not
two.

458
00:30:49,000 –> 00:30:53,240
But they look both the same, and
they both seem to be lampstands

459
00:30:53,800 –> 00:30:56,160
and they both seem to be burning
and they both seem to be

460
00:30:56,160 –> 00:30:59,760
shedding light.
There’s very, very similar

461
00:31:00,240 –> 00:31:03,360
prophets that had the powers
like Moses did, to send plagues

462
00:31:03,360 –> 00:31:07,280
and that sort of thing.
Are they truly pictures of all

463
00:31:07,280 –> 00:31:12,480
the Saints or just some?
Well, in case we’re not sure,

464
00:31:12,640 –> 00:31:15,880
the warnings in Revelation
chapter 13 have to be born in

465
00:31:15,880 –> 00:31:18,560
mind.
The dragon goes through various

466
00:31:18,560 –> 00:31:21,680
stages.
First he’s obvious as to what he

467
00:31:21,680 –> 00:31:26,720
is, and then he becomes less
obvious as he manifests himself

468
00:31:27,080 –> 00:31:30,680
through figures that become more
and more having a religious

469
00:31:30,680 –> 00:31:33,560
garb.
Till finally, the final stage is

470
00:31:33,560 –> 00:31:35,880
that the dragon is behind a
power that looks almost like

471
00:31:35,880 –> 00:31:38,600
Christ, exactly like Christ
until he speaks.

472
00:31:39,360 –> 00:31:42,000
And when he does speak, he
sounds like the little horn of

473
00:31:42,000 –> 00:31:45,360
Daniel 7 and he looks like the
little horn of Daniel 7.

474
00:31:45,800 –> 00:31:50,080
Moreover, he speaks and he looks
somewhat like, of course, the

475
00:31:50,080 –> 00:31:52,320
man of sin.
And what else does he do?

476
00:31:52,720 –> 00:31:55,200
Does he persecute the Saints?
Does he bother them?

477
00:31:55,320 –> 00:31:58,320
Well, let’s notice again
Revelation 13.

478
00:32:04,080 –> 00:32:09,040
As we continue through here, we
see that he becomes an

479
00:32:09,040 –> 00:32:13,840
antagonistic power.
Let’s go down to, well, verse

480
00:32:13,840 –> 00:32:18,080
12, Speaking of the earth beast.
Then he exercises all the power

481
00:32:18,080 –> 00:32:22,040
of the first beast before him
and causes the earth, causes the

482
00:32:22,120 –> 00:32:25,600
earth and then the dwell therein
to worship the first beast.

483
00:32:26,680 –> 00:32:30,680
Then he does wonders like the
man of sin and like Jesus Christ

484
00:32:30,680 –> 00:32:34,240
of course And that word wonder.
There is the Greek word Semaeon

485
00:32:34,240 –> 00:32:36,760
used in second Second
Thessalonians chapter 2.

486
00:32:36,760 –> 00:32:39,760
As we’ve seen before, look at
verse 14.

487
00:32:40,440 –> 00:32:44,920
The dragon now working through
this lamb like figure deceives

488
00:32:44,920 –> 00:32:48,720
them that dwell on the earth by
means of miracles which he had

489
00:32:48,720 –> 00:32:52,080
power to do in the sight of the
beast, saying to them that dwell

490
00:32:52,080 –> 00:32:54,280
on the earth that they should
make an image to the beast.

491
00:32:55,520 –> 00:32:59,680
Then in verse 15 he had power to
give life unto the image of the

492
00:32:59,680 –> 00:33:03,000
beast, that the image of the
beast should both speak and

493
00:33:03,000 –> 00:33:06,320
’cause that as many as would not
worship the image of the beast.

494
00:33:06,800 –> 00:33:11,520
Here’s the point, as many as
would not worship the image of

495
00:33:11,520 –> 00:33:15,600
the beast should be killed.
What does the little horn do in

496
00:33:15,600 –> 00:33:20,040
Daniel Chapter 7 to those that
are antagonistic or resist him?

497
00:33:20,080 –> 00:33:23,000
Well, we remember what it says
there in Daniel Seven.

498
00:33:23,640 –> 00:33:25,840
He thinks to change times and
laws.

499
00:33:26,520 –> 00:33:30,880
And before that Daniel is told
he shall speak great words

500
00:33:30,880 –> 00:33:36,240
against the Most High and shall
wear out the Saints of the Most

501
00:33:36,240 –> 00:33:39,240
High.
Exactly what this beast system

502
00:33:39,240 –> 00:33:42,040
does here at this one particular
stage.

503
00:33:44,480 –> 00:33:48,200
Then, as we come to an end of
Revelation 13, we’re drawn back

504
00:33:48,800 –> 00:33:52,240
to stress on the man.
The man.

505
00:33:53,240 –> 00:33:58,880
Chapter 18 here is wisdom.
Excuse me, Chapter 13, verse 18

506
00:33:59,400 –> 00:34:02,760
here is wisdom.
Let him that hath understanding

507
00:34:02,760 –> 00:34:06,800
count the number of the beast,
for it is the number of a man.

508
00:34:08,239 –> 00:34:15,560
His number is 603 score and six.
It is the number of a man.

509
00:34:16,000 –> 00:34:22,159
Why put the stress on him being
a man unless there’s a link, as

510
00:34:22,159 –> 00:34:25,840
there is with the sea beast in
verse 5 and as there is with the

511
00:34:25,880 –> 00:34:29,800
earth beast in verse 12.
Unless there’s a link back again

512
00:34:29,800 –> 00:34:34,560
to Daniel 7 where the little
horn that speaks great things

513
00:34:34,880 –> 00:34:40,120
for the same time period, who
also wears out the Saints, who

514
00:34:40,120 –> 00:34:45,199
also is blasphemous.
It is an individual who is

515
00:34:45,199 –> 00:34:50,880
described as a man, a man who
has the eyes of a man, the mouth

516
00:34:50,920 –> 00:34:54,560
of a man.
And therefore, once again, the

517
00:34:54,560 –> 00:34:57,800
emphasis goes back to 2nd
Thessalonians 2 because it’s the

518
00:34:57,800 –> 00:35:02,000
man of sin, even though he
represents a system in a body

519
00:35:02,320 –> 00:35:06,960
that supports his convictions
and whom he deludes back to

520
00:35:06,960 –> 00:35:11,640
Revelation 12.
Now with that in mind, keeping

521
00:35:11,640 –> 00:35:17,120
in mind what is really the
latter development in chapter

522
00:35:17,120 –> 00:35:27,540
13, is there any mention in
Revelation chapter 12 of

523
00:35:27,540 –> 00:35:30,620
Deception?
Before we look at some of the

524
00:35:30,620 –> 00:35:32,820
specific details, well it’s
interesting.

525
00:35:32,820 –> 00:35:38,140
In verse nine there is this
dragon that we know in the end

526
00:35:38,140 –> 00:35:41,540
is going to be manifested
through the sea beast phase

527
00:35:43,440 –> 00:35:46,200
associated with blasphemy, which
we know is connected with

528
00:35:46,200 –> 00:35:50,120
apostasy.
This dragon that is then going

529
00:35:50,120 –> 00:35:52,560
to go through the phase of being
an earth piece that’s going to

530
00:35:52,560 –> 00:35:55,960
look like a lamb and be
connected with a false prophet

531
00:35:55,960 –> 00:35:58,520
and deceive the earth and do
great signs and wonders like

532
00:35:58,520 –> 00:36:01,720
Christ.
This dragon is connected in

533
00:36:01,720 –> 00:36:07,000
verse nine with deception,
deceiving the whole world before

534
00:36:07,000 –> 00:36:12,480
he is thrust down at that point.
That’s interesting that there is

535
00:36:12,480 –> 00:36:16,160
that connection with the dragon
immediately in chapter 12 and

536
00:36:16,160 –> 00:36:20,720
with deception.
Are there other details in this

537
00:36:20,720 –> 00:36:23,600
chapter that would lead us to
the notion of the false

538
00:36:23,600 –> 00:36:28,120
representing the true?
Well, really, there are some

539
00:36:28,120 –> 00:36:32,000
very significant signs of it.
For what happens when the dragon

540
00:36:32,000 –> 00:36:36,640
is thrust out of this heaven.
We read that as soon as he is

541
00:36:36,640 –> 00:36:43,240
thrust out verse 10, along comes
a great acclamation, says John.

542
00:36:43,240 –> 00:36:49,240
I heard a loud voice saying, In
heaven now has come salvation

543
00:36:49,240 –> 00:36:53,040
and strength in the Kingdom of
our God and the power of his

544
00:36:53,040 –> 00:36:55,920
Christ.
For the accuser of our brethren

545
00:36:55,920 –> 00:36:59,400
is cast down which accused them
before our God.

546
00:36:59,400 –> 00:37:03,080
Day and night a voice comes from
heaven.

547
00:37:03,240 –> 00:37:06,680
Ah, some brethren will say, this
has got to be the setting up of

548
00:37:06,680 –> 00:37:09,240
the Kingdom.
This can’t possibly be some

549
00:37:09,240 –> 00:37:12,600
earlier stage of apostasy
developing, let’s say before the

550
00:37:12,600 –> 00:37:15,400
Middle Ages even.
Why can’t it be?

551
00:37:15,680 –> 00:37:19,240
Because this voice comes from
heaven, and because it says that

552
00:37:19,240 –> 00:37:22,720
now with salvation, now with
salvation, and strengthen the

553
00:37:22,720 –> 00:37:28,160
Kingdom of our God, the voice
comes from where the voice comes

554
00:37:28,160 –> 00:37:31,000
from heaven.
Now if Scripture is allowed to

555
00:37:31,000 –> 00:37:34,920
interpret its own terms of
reference, where is heaven in

556
00:37:34,920 –> 00:37:38,520
this context?
Where is the heaven in this

557
00:37:38,520 –> 00:37:42,840
immediate context?
Well, the heaven is where the

558
00:37:42,840 –> 00:37:46,320
dragon was verse seven.
There was a war in heaven.

559
00:37:46,760 –> 00:37:49,160
Michael and his angels fought
against the dragon, and the

560
00:37:49,160 –> 00:37:52,960
dragon was thrust out.
It’s the place where the stars

561
00:37:52,960 –> 00:37:57,120
of heaven were in verse four
that were finally thrust to the

562
00:37:57,160 –> 00:38:01,200
earth.
It’s where Michael went up to in

563
00:38:01,200 –> 00:38:04,840
verse 5 where there was a throne
prepared for him called the

564
00:38:04,840 –> 00:38:08,800
Throne of God.
It’s where the woman was in

565
00:38:08,800 –> 00:38:12,040
verse one who was clothed with
the sun and the moon under her

566
00:38:12,040 –> 00:38:15,800
feet and a crown of 12 stars
where she travails being

567
00:38:15,800 –> 00:38:19,720
pregnant with child.
That’s where the heaven is.

568
00:38:21,480 –> 00:38:23,800
When we’re speaking to Jehovah’s
Witnesses and to our friends

569
00:38:23,800 –> 00:38:26,680
like that, we insist that we let
Scripture interpret Scripture.

570
00:38:26,920 –> 00:38:30,360
We let the context interpret its
own frames of reference.

571
00:38:31,080 –> 00:38:35,440
The heaven here, in context is
the heaven from which the dragon

572
00:38:35,440 –> 00:38:41,080
has been fallen and to which
Michael has now ascended, and in

573
00:38:41,080 –> 00:38:45,120
which the woman finally sits in
all her great supposed glory

574
00:38:45,120 –> 00:38:48,240
with apostate symbols in verse
one.

575
00:38:49,800 –> 00:38:53,720
So perhaps this heaven isn’t
what it’s cracked up to be.

576
00:38:54,880 –> 00:38:57,160
Perhaps this heaven isn’t what
it appears to be.

577
00:38:57,160 –> 00:39:00,760
Perhaps it’s not really heaven,
but it’s an imitation, or it’s

578
00:39:00,760 –> 00:39:03,800
at least a parallel to heaven.
Let’s explore it further.

579
00:39:04,480 –> 00:39:07,240
Now has come salvation and
strengthen the Kingdom of our

580
00:39:07,240 –> 00:39:09,760
God.
All right, let’s take that

581
00:39:09,760 –> 00:39:13,360
notion.
If that is the establishment, at

582
00:39:13,360 –> 00:39:16,680
that point of the Kingdom of
God, we have had a war in

583
00:39:16,680 –> 00:39:19,520
heaven.
Michael has gone to heaven.

584
00:39:19,680 –> 00:39:23,280
The dragon is thrust out and now
comes the Kingdom.

585
00:39:23,280 –> 00:39:25,080
So it’s apparently a future
vision.

586
00:39:25,120 –> 00:39:28,240
Say something.
Now comes the Kingdom of our God

587
00:39:28,640 –> 00:39:30,840
and the power of his Christ.
Why?

588
00:39:31,480 –> 00:39:35,800
For the accuser of our brethren
is cast down, which accused them

589
00:39:35,800 –> 00:39:37,680
before God day and night.
Why?

590
00:39:37,680 –> 00:39:39,920
Because the accuser is now
defeated, right.

591
00:39:40,600 –> 00:39:43,600
The accuser is now defeated.
He’s now been cast out.

592
00:39:43,600 –> 00:39:46,480
He’s been dethroned.
Michael has taken his place.

593
00:39:46,720 –> 00:39:49,120
Great day of rejoicing.
Down goes the dragon.

594
00:39:49,280 –> 00:39:52,960
Up goes Michael.
So there’s cause for rejoicing.

595
00:39:52,960 –> 00:39:54,840
The Kingdom of God is now
established.

596
00:39:55,440 –> 00:39:58,080
But what do we read?
Verse 12.

597
00:39:58,320 –> 00:40:01,680
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens,
and ye that dwell in them.

598
00:40:02,240 –> 00:40:06,440
Woe to the inhabitants of the
earth and of the sea, For the

599
00:40:06,440 –> 00:40:11,760
devil has come down unto what
the devil has come down unto

600
00:40:12,280 –> 00:40:13,800
you.
Having great wrath because he

601
00:40:13,800 –> 00:40:15,720
knoweth that he hath but a short
time.

602
00:40:16,840 –> 00:40:20,840
Well then what happens?
The dragon then is cast to the

603
00:40:20,840 –> 00:40:22,520
earth and he persecutes the
woman.

604
00:40:23,640 –> 00:40:27,200
Then we read that he continues
to persecute for a period of

605
00:40:27,200 –> 00:40:30,880
time, times a half a time more
than that.

606
00:40:30,880 –> 00:40:35,240
Verse 17 The dragon is wrath
with the woman and he goes to

607
00:40:35,240 –> 00:40:40,000
make war with the remnant of her
seed which keep the commandments

608
00:40:40,000 –> 00:40:42,760
of God and have the testimony of
Jesus Christ.

609
00:40:44,120 –> 00:40:46,680
Is the Kingdom set up?
What kind of a Kingdom is That

610
00:40:48,360 –> 00:40:52,920
emphasis is placed by some of
our expositors on that word Now

611
00:40:53,040 –> 00:40:56,280
in verse 10.
Now has come salvation, strength

612
00:40:56,280 –> 00:40:58,600
and the Kingdom?
Is that how we understand the

613
00:40:58,600 –> 00:41:02,200
Kingdom to be set up?
That once the Kingdom is set up

614
00:41:02,560 –> 00:41:05,880
after that the Saints are to be
persecuted in verse 17.

615
00:41:06,760 –> 00:41:10,920
Moreover, chapter 13 continues
the story of the dragon in the

616
00:41:10,920 –> 00:41:13,920
sea beast phase.
The sea beast goes through a

617
00:41:13,920 –> 00:41:18,240
certain period of time that must
be elapsed and he becomes a

618
00:41:18,240 –> 00:41:20,840
blastemer.
He needs time to grow and

619
00:41:20,840 –> 00:41:24,760
develop and become what he does.
Then we go through the Earth

620
00:41:24,760 –> 00:41:29,400
Beast phase of chapter of verse
11 where it looks like the lamb

621
00:41:29,520 –> 00:41:31,000
although it speaks like a
dragon.

622
00:41:31,720 –> 00:41:34,600
Then we meet the dragon later on
in Revelation.

623
00:41:35,000 –> 00:41:38,600
A number of times beyond this
the dragon is alive according to

624
00:41:38,600 –> 00:41:43,120
chapter 16 and verse 13.
Not only that, the dragon is

625
00:41:43,120 –> 00:41:47,320
around as late as Revelation
chapter 20 and verse 2.

626
00:41:49,040 –> 00:41:52,120
The dragon is there in
Revelation 20 and verse two.

627
00:41:53,960 –> 00:41:56,760
Look at how much time, and look
at the number of events that

628
00:41:56,760 –> 00:42:00,040
have transpired after the
expelling of the dragon from

629
00:42:00,040 –> 00:42:04,360
this so-called heaven.
Well then, why does Revelation

630
00:42:04,360 –> 00:42:06,840
12 use that kind of language?
Who says it?

631
00:42:06,840 –> 00:42:14,040
After all, it’s those who are
associated with this heaven, the

632
00:42:14,040 –> 00:42:16,760
voice that comes from heaven
that says it comes from the same

633
00:42:16,760 –> 00:42:20,200
place where the dragon once had
his throne and his own seat of

634
00:42:20,200 –> 00:42:22,560
authority before he was deposed
by Michael.

635
00:42:23,760 –> 00:42:27,280
The voice comes from that
heaven, from those authorities,

636
00:42:27,440 –> 00:42:31,120
from that source of power and
influence, from the heavenly

637
00:42:31,360 –> 00:42:35,240
location where that dragon once
resided and where Michael now

638
00:42:35,240 –> 00:42:37,800
is.
If that’s a picture of Christ

639
00:42:37,800 –> 00:42:40,840
descending his throne of power
and authority and ready to

640
00:42:40,840 –> 00:42:44,120
assume control over the world,
and if that’s the beginning of

641
00:42:44,120 –> 00:42:48,360
the true Kingdom of heaven, why
is it that as a result of that

642
00:42:48,400 –> 00:42:51,720
the Saints are persecuted and
continue to be persecuted then

643
00:42:51,720 –> 00:42:55,280
by the sea beast after the
dragon phase and continue to be

644
00:42:55,280 –> 00:42:59,960
persecuted after that by the
lamb face of the earth beast?

645
00:43:00,520 –> 00:43:03,160
And how is it the dragon is
still present by revelation

646
00:43:03,160 –> 00:43:06,480
Chapter 20?
Was the Kingdom of God set up,

647
00:43:07,760 –> 00:43:11,840
or was it something that looked
like the Kingdom of God at that

648
00:43:11,840 –> 00:43:14,800
time?
Was it something that was maybe

649
00:43:14,800 –> 00:43:17,280
a false hope?
Was it something that was a

650
00:43:17,280 –> 00:43:20,800
hollow pretense?
Something that had certain

651
00:43:20,800 –> 00:43:23,440
aspects about it that looked
like it was the beginning of the

652
00:43:23,440 –> 00:43:25,800
Kingdom?
But as time went along, it

653
00:43:25,800 –> 00:43:28,360
became apparent that it wasn’t
the beginning of the Kingdom.

654
00:43:29,640 –> 00:43:33,760
What about Michael?
How could this possibly be other

655
00:43:33,760 –> 00:43:35,800
than Jesus Christ?
It is urged.

656
00:43:36,240 –> 00:43:38,800
After all, his name is Michael,
one like God.

657
00:43:40,080 –> 00:43:46,080
Yes, his name is 1 like God, but
the man of sin sits in a place

658
00:43:46,080 –> 00:43:50,080
that he claims is the temple of
God and the man of sin.

659
00:43:50,080 –> 00:43:55,160
We remind ourselves cautiously
spoke as though he was God and

660
00:43:55,160 –> 00:44:01,320
as if he was in fact God.
So the man of sin portrays

661
00:44:01,320 –> 00:44:06,800
himself to be very God, and this
individual claims to be or has

662
00:44:06,800 –> 00:44:12,960
the title Michael, one like God.
It’s not an impossible position

663
00:44:13,560 –> 00:44:16,600
to suggest that although this
individual is called Michael,

664
00:44:16,800 –> 00:44:20,200
he’s called Michael because he
is one who claims to be like

665
00:44:20,200 –> 00:44:23,800
God, but the behavior and the
circumstances surrounding his

666
00:44:23,800 –> 00:44:28,040
ascendancy show otherwise.
It’s only by the details that

667
00:44:28,040 –> 00:44:31,640
follow Michael’s reign that we
can see that something peculiar

668
00:44:31,640 –> 00:44:35,200
is happening here.
You notice that when Michael

669
00:44:35,200 –> 00:44:38,160
ascends the throne, the Saints
are persecuted.

670
00:44:39,080 –> 00:44:44,520
When Michael ascends the throne,
the devil is released on the

671
00:44:44,560 –> 00:44:48,040
earth.
When Jesus ascends his throne

672
00:44:48,480 –> 00:44:52,960
and exercises his power, the
devil will be bound, we’re told

673
00:44:52,960 –> 00:44:56,520
in Scripture.
And when Jesus reigns and the

674
00:44:56,520 –> 00:44:58,840
Kingdom begins, the Saints won’t
be persecuted.

675
00:44:58,840 –> 00:45:01,960
They will rejoice.
You see, what happens here is

676
00:45:01,960 –> 00:45:07,880
the very opposite of the truth.
Michael ascends and the devil is

677
00:45:07,880 –> 00:45:10,880
released.
When Jesus exercises full

678
00:45:10,880 –> 00:45:14,200
authority on the earth.
Satan is not released on the

679
00:45:14,240 –> 00:45:16,720
earth.
Satan is bound for 1000 years.

680
00:45:17,280 –> 00:45:20,080
The very opposite of what
happens here, in fact, is true

681
00:45:20,560 –> 00:45:23,400
of Jesus when he does exercise
that authority.

682
00:45:24,160 –> 00:45:27,600
When Jesus comes to that
position of power and authority,

683
00:45:27,920 –> 00:45:31,080
the Saints aren’t persecuted.
They’re preserved and blessed

684
00:45:31,280 –> 00:45:35,320
and inherit immortality.
Too many things happening here

685
00:45:35,360 –> 00:45:39,520
which contradict the truth,
although it’s very close to the

686
00:45:39,520 –> 00:45:41,320
truth.
There are certain things here

687
00:45:41,320 –> 00:45:45,400
that are a semblance of the
truth, but without that concept

688
00:45:45,920 –> 00:45:48,640
in mind that we’ve drawn some
other parts of Scripture, we

689
00:45:48,640 –> 00:45:53,680
could very easily misinterpret
these events without remembering

690
00:45:53,680 –> 00:45:57,240
what finally the dragon does.
He manifests himself through the

691
00:45:57,240 –> 00:45:59,920
sea beast, and he’s associated
with blasphemy.

692
00:46:00,600 –> 00:46:03,560
The dragon then goes through the
phases, we said of the earth

693
00:46:03,560 –> 00:46:07,160
beast, where he looks very much
like Christ, very much like

694
00:46:07,160 –> 00:46:10,800
Christ, so much that he’s a
lamb, and until he speaks, no

695
00:46:10,800 –> 00:46:12,160
one would have known he was a
dragon.

696
00:46:12,880 –> 00:46:16,640
So within the environment of
chapter 12 in Revelation, there

697
00:46:16,640 –> 00:46:22,440
are figures that show the false
imitates the true very, very

698
00:46:22,440 –> 00:46:27,520
well, and there’s a need for
caution against deception.

699
00:46:29,640 –> 00:46:33,360
Time doesn’t allow brothers and
sisters to go through chapter 12

700
00:46:34,200 –> 00:46:37,760
in detail, considering whether
or not it could refer to Israel.

701
00:46:37,920 –> 00:46:40,280
Perhaps we can do that tomorrow
morning in the Sunday School

702
00:46:40,280 –> 00:46:44,360
class.
Many people do believe that this

703
00:46:44,360 –> 00:46:47,560
figure must refer to Israel in
some way, or the woman must

704
00:46:47,560 –> 00:46:50,960
refer to Israel in some way.
But a careful look at the

705
00:46:50,960 –> 00:46:53,360
details of this chapter prove
otherwise.

706
00:46:54,080 –> 00:46:57,760
Things that are said here in
this chapter do not fit that

707
00:46:57,760 –> 00:47:01,960
entity.
Furthermore, we find that when

708
00:47:01,960 –> 00:47:05,560
Babylon falls, who is connected
with this beast?

709
00:47:05,920 –> 00:47:09,240
The Saints are told to rejoice
over her demise.

710
00:47:10,120 –> 00:47:12,840
And the Saints are never
exhorted to rejoice over the

711
00:47:12,840 –> 00:47:16,760
demise of Israel or Jerusalem.
But when that other great city

712
00:47:16,760 –> 00:47:20,360
falls, the Saints are exhorted
to rejoice and to be thankful

713
00:47:20,360 –> 00:47:21,960
that she’s gone and been
destroyed.

714
00:47:22,760 –> 00:47:25,920
That doesn’t fit as an
exhortation to the Saints when

715
00:47:25,920 –> 00:47:29,680
they see Israel falling into the
hands of our enemies or whenever

716
00:47:29,680 –> 00:47:33,680
Israel or Jerusalem has fallen.
We are to pray for the peace of

717
00:47:33,680 –> 00:47:37,400
Jerusalem, not to rejoice over
her destruction in her burning.

718
00:47:38,520 –> 00:47:43,360
So, brothers and sisters, in
summary, let us take heed to

719
00:47:43,360 –> 00:47:46,920
what perhaps are the most
important concepts we’ve studied

720
00:47:46,920 –> 00:47:52,560
today, Looking for the big
picture, the main ideas 1st, and

721
00:47:52,560 –> 00:47:55,920
having confidence that if we at
least get the main part of the

722
00:47:55,920 –> 00:48:00,840
plot, such as the B system.
So supporting details will at

723
00:48:00,840 –> 00:48:04,160
least fit into a basic pattern
that we understand, although we

724
00:48:04,160 –> 00:48:07,760
not may not be able to
completely identify every aspect

725
00:48:07,760 –> 00:48:12,520
About all the small details, we
look for important supporting

726
00:48:12,520 –> 00:48:16,160
concepts, the most important
being that we’ve stressed today.

727
00:48:16,920 –> 00:48:21,120
The concept of the false
imitating the true, the concept

728
00:48:21,120 –> 00:48:26,320
of continuity from Genesis to
Daniel to Revelation.

729
00:48:27,120 –> 00:48:31,960
The concept that Babylon
continues in the earth has begun

730
00:48:31,960 –> 00:48:35,120
from the time of Genesis and is
still present in some form or

731
00:48:35,120 –> 00:48:37,000
another in the Book of
Revelation.

732
00:48:38,040 –> 00:48:41,560
The realization that those
powers, Babylon especially,

733
00:48:41,920 –> 00:48:45,960
continue in the earth and are
manifested in the earth informs

734
00:48:45,960 –> 00:48:51,640
not so much as the old political
powers, so much as how they are

735
00:48:51,640 –> 00:48:56,200
manifested through deceiving
ideas and teachings of men.

736
00:48:56,880 –> 00:49:01,440
How they form finally are gelled
into a giant, great, colossal

737
00:49:01,440 –> 00:49:05,280
apostate system that is so
deceiving that it looks very

738
00:49:05,280 –> 00:49:08,440
much like a lamb, although in
fact it’s a dragon inside.