Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Transition:

As we continue our journey through Revelation this morning, we’ll be introduced to a character that reminds me a lot of the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz.

Before we read our passage for this morning, let’s take a moment to review where we are.

Chapters 12-15 of Revelation comprise one long scene that reveals the underlying reasons for all of the events that we have seen portrayed by the seals and the trumpets.

That scene revolves around seven major characters – the five we saw in chapter 12, the beast from the sea that we saw a couple weeks ago in the first part of and the beast from the earth we’ll look at this morning.

Chapters 12 & 13 reveal another trinity of sorts.

This triune attempt has a motive to stand against the true God.

In Chapters 6 & 12 we are introduced to the dragon.

At the beginning of this chapter, we’ve learned of the antichrist, but now we see another beast.

Transition:

introduces the second beast, the final member of the unholy trinity.

This beast appears as the “false prophet” in later chapters, pointing to its religious role.

Scripture Reading:

As Christ received authority from the Father (), so Antichrist receives authority from the dragon (); and as the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ (), so the false prophet glorifies the Antichrist ().

The beast from the earth uses religious deception to coerce people into false worship.

Transition:

There are three things I would like to express here about this beast:

I. His Person (vv.11-12)

While the true Trinity has God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, only the Son was fully man and fully God.

The unholy trinity has two demonic humans involved.

Rev

“like a lamb...like a dragon”

John describes a beast that looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon, reminding us that appearances can be deceiving ( ).

In truth, this beast is allied with Satan and promotes the worship of the first beast.

In truth, this beast is allied with Satan and promotes the worship of the first beast.

Rev

Because of its religious role, he is truly the “false prophet” as he’ll be called in chapters 16; 19; & 20. the second beast likely represents pagan religious power in service of wicked political/military/economic structures and their leaders.

In the first century, this beast would likely remind the readers of the priesthood of the imperial cult, a religious system promoting the worship of the emperor and other pagan deities.

By the end of the first century, there were temples dedicated to the worship of the Roman emperor as a god in all seven cities mentioned in .

Such pagan religious power appears throughout church history and could certainly be embodied in a single religious leader at the end of this age promoting the worship of the antichrist.

Illustration:

▪ When political, military, economic, and religious powers unite in opposition to God, believers should prepare to suffer.

▪ Not all religious movements or leaders are sent from God; some originate with Satan.

▪ Religious leaders inspired by Satan will sometimes perform miraculous signs in order to deceive people.

▪ Believers need discernment and courage when facing programs of deceitful religious propaganda.

Illustration:

False worship and religious propaganda are dire threats to our faith

Quote: The Knowledge of the Holy, by A. W. Tozer.

Perverted notions about God soon rot the religion in which they appear.

The long career of Israel demonstrates this clearly enough, and the history of the Church confirms it.

So necessary to the Church is a lofty concept of God that when that concept in any measure declines, the Church with her worship and her moral standards declines along with it.

The first step down for any church is taken when it surrenders its high opinion of God.

Transition:

II.

His Power (vv.13-15)

New Age Spiritism is the newest threatening flavor giving credence to unseen, supernatural things while rejecting the Creator.

Transition:

This is the second beast/person who has satanic power

II.

His Power (vv.13-15)

First he calls fire from heaven on the earth

“great signs”

The second beast performs “great signs” probably similar to the true prophet Elijah, who called down fire from heaven on at least two occasions: with the wet offering display ; and again in where fire destroyed Ahaziah’s troops after Elijah’s pronouncement.

Jesus and his apostles predicted that false prophets will come on the scene attempting to deceive many through signs and wonders

Jesus and his apostles predict that false prophets will come on the scene attempting to deceive many through signs and wonders

The second beast performs “great signs” probably similar to the true prophet Elijah, who called down fire from heaven on at least two occasions: with the wet offering display ; and again in where fire destroyed Ahaziah’s troops after Elijah’s pronouncement.

The second beast performs “great signs” in the tradition of the true prophet Elijah, who called down fire from heaven (; ).

These public demonstrations of power are part of a massive propaganda campaign to deceive people into worshiping the first beast.

Believers are repeatedly warned in the Scriptures about the combination of miracles and deceit, about mighty works that direct people’s allegiance away from the true God (e.g., ; ).

These public demonstrations of power are part of a massive propaganda campaign to deceive people into worshiping the first beast.

Believers are repeatedly warned in the Scriptures about the combination of miracles and deceit, about mighty works that direct people’s allegiance away from the true God.

Illustration:

Sometimes true evil is difficult to discern

Human Experience: Once a pastor’s family was invited by a congregant to come and see their chicken farm.

These long, tin-roofed structures were everywhere in southern Delaware.

Anyone with a nose knew that you could always smell a farm before you saw it.

As the family pulled up into the congregant’s driveway and climbed out of the car, they were nearly knocked down by the odor.

But in short order, they were actually standing outside the door of a building.

When they walked into the habitat, the smell was outrageous.

Their eyes watered from ammonia.

After just a few minutes, they all nodded that they had seen enough.

It was fascinating: stepping from the building, the air just outside actually smelled fresh, like the wind of heaven!

It is amazing how we can unconsciously adjust to our environment.