A Threefold Warning Part 3

Hello, friends. We are continuing our journey through The Great Controversy, and today we will focus on a prophecy found in the book of Revelation, chapter 13. As we seek to understand prophecy and its many symbols, it’s helpful to keep in mind that the Bible is a wonderful book that interprets itself, as we compare Scripture with Scripture. 

In last week’s video, we considered the threefold message found in Revelation 14, and the symbolism found there—especially in the third angel’s message in verse 9 where we read about a beast and its image. 

To understand more about these symbols, we will now step back into Revelation 13 where we will read about a strange new beast. Beginning in verse 11 we read:

“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived” (verses 11-14).

 Who, or what, is this lamblike beast that has two horns but speaks like a dragon? Well, the Bible gives us several clues. First, unlike the previous beasts that we have seen in prophecy that come up out of a turbulent and windy sea, this one, we are told, comes up “out of the earth.” Furthermore, all the previous beasts representing earthly kingdoms were fierce beasts of prey—a lion, bear, leopard, and so on. 

 In Daniel 7:2 we read that the beasts the prophet Daniel saw in vision were rising up when “the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.” And in Revelation 17:15 we read that the waters represent “peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.” 

But this beast, which, like the previous beasts of prophecy, also represents a nation, is different—it comes up out of the earth, meaning that it arises in a place where there are very few people, and grows up gradually. It appears peaceful at first, but then later speaks like a dragon. In the prophetic timeline, it arises right on time.

The book, The Great Controversy, sheds clear light as to who this prophetic beast, or nation, is. We read, “It could not . . . arise among the crowded and struggling nationalities of the Old World—that turbulent sea of ‘peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.’ It must be sought in the Western Continent” (p. 440).

The inspired author then asks, “What nation of the New World was in 1798 rising into power, giving promise of strength and greatness, and attracting the attention of the world? The application of the symbol admits of no question. One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America” (p. 440).

While this may seem shocking at first, as we look at history, we can see that the prophecy is true. The nation that was to become the United States first began as a place of refuge for those fleeing religious persecution in Europe. They sought to establish a government that would provide civil and religious liberty. Freedom of religious faith was especially important where every person was allowed to worship God according to his or her own conscience, without the government forcing any type of religion.

However, prophecy tells us that this once peaceful-appearing nation will one day “speak like a dragon” and will force people to “worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed” (Rev. 13:12).

In verse 14 we read that this beast told “those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.” Continuing in verse 15 we read, “He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark of the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (vss. 15-17).

So, these verses reveal that one day, this nation that has been known around the world as a place of religious freedom, will one day attempt to force everyone to worship a religious power by receiving a special mark. 

What is this mark? Is it a literal mark, or is it a symbol that carries a deeper meaning? In our next video, we will explore more fully what this “mark of the beast” is and how to avoid it.

In the meantime, however, I encourage you, if you have not yet done so, to download the book The Great Controversy, available in multiple languages at the URL shown at the bottom of the screen [Insert: greatcontroversyproject.org]. There you will find further explanation of these very important prophecies that we are studying together.

May the Lord draw close to you as we continue to learn more about prophecy and what the future holds. 

I invite you to pray with me just now. 

Prayer:

Father in Heaven, thank you for revealing to us in prophecy, in the books of Daniel and Revelation and elsewhere in Scripture. Your plans for the future and how things will develop help us to realize that every day we must be connected with you. Recognizing that our religious liberty and freedoms of conscience may be taken away from us, but we can never be deprived of leaning upon you. And connection with you. With you, we are safe. You will carry us through even during the most difficult times. Thank you for hearing us in this prayer and bless as we continue to study about these magnificent prophecies in Jesus name, we ask you. Amen.