Today’s author is PoP’s Interim Sacred Settlement Intentional Neighbor, Mischa Beary.
Meditating upon Revelation 13 in the scriptures the past few weeks, I honestly have never gotten so many revelations and parallels to other scripture in the Word as I have this one! Thank You, Lord! I pray that you also will be enlightened by the Holy Spirits’ divine knowledge and He speaks Truth to your heart as we dive into His Word!
The major Hebrew Old Testament verb related to revelation is ‘galah’ meaning “to uncover” and in the New Testament in Greek associated with revelation is ‘apocalupto’ meaning to “uncover, reveal, disclose, bring to light”. Like removing the veil, as Jesus does for us! May He unveil our eyes and hearts to all He desires to speak to us today!
My daughter Avia thoroughly enjoyed watching ‘The Torchlighters’- Voice of the Martyrs series. We recently watched the story of a Romanian man named Richard Wurmbrand. With courage and Truth he publicly said communism and Christianity were incompatible. Wurmbrand preached at bomb shelters and rescued Jews during WWII. Because of this he was tortured and imprisoned for 14 years. Not once did he renounce his faith in Jesus or stop praying. He prayed fervently day and night and for those who persecuted him, the then communist regime of Romania. His story of steadfast faith and love for Jesus and his patience in prayer reminds me of Daniel. “When Daniel knew that the document has been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” Daniel 6:10 Daniel was loyal and faithful to God. Even when King Darius administrators tried to have him killed for not worshipping only King Darius, Daniel would not compromise. he was thrown into the lions den to die, but God saved him and honored him for his obedience, trust and faith.
Later in Daniel we read of a dream and visions he had. Daniel sees “Four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse from one another.” Daniel 7:3. In parallel we read in Revelation 13:1 “I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising out of the sea..” This beast is a combination/has characteristics of all the beasts mentioned in Daniel- a leopard, a bear, a lion and a dragon.
The beast is the antichrist and the authority comes from the dragon-satan. The word antichrist means ‘one who denies or opposes Christ’. He will deceive many by signs and wonders and the whole world will follow the beast. Jesus tells us to “Watch out that no one deceive you. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah’ , and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:4-5
This scripture alone should bring us to our knees in prayer. Seeking the Lord constantly, relying on His Word and writing it upon the tablets of our hearts. That we may not be deceived!
The enemy-satan will twist the Word of God, he will plant doubt amongst the Truth and he will use fear to cripple if he can. We must put on the full armor of God. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Ephesians 6:10-11. The Lord Jesus died for us that we would live through Him and be saved. We must surrender our whole selves to Him, every part of our lives. Thankfully the Lord has not left us as orphans, He has given us His Spirit! “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26. The Holy Spirit is our sword against the beast and ultimately the dragon. But we must pick up the sword and use it to take down everything, every thought that opposes itself against Messiah Jesus. We must remember where our identity comes from, it is only found in Jesus.
As the Word says in Revelation 13:10 “Here is a call for the patience and the faith of the holy people.” Trials and tribulation will come, but we must only put our faith Jesus. Not in people, things, money or even feelings or ideas. He is our solid Rock, which we can stand on. No matter what we are enduring or will endure for His sake, we rejoice! “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven..” Matthew 5:11
Thank You Abba Father that You have already defeated the dragon! Thank You that we have victory in You and You alone! Father, Open our eyes, ears and hearts to know You more, every moment, every day! And when the time comes in our lives to take a stand for You, we will be ready and rejoicing because You are our treasure and our destiny for everlasting! You are the Aleph and Tav- beginning and end!
In Jesus Holy name, Amen!
This week, let’s get on our knees in prayer, in our secret place with the Lord- morning, noon and night and ask the Lord to give us revelation of who He is and who we are in Him. Picking up the sword of the Spirit and praying in the Spirit! And if there is any deception we are falling for that the Lord would give us eyes to see and ears to hear, that we would turn to the Lord and have faith in Him!