 Foreward
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
 Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
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The Thrill of Victory And The Agony of Defeat
(a commentary on Revelation)
 Click A Chapter On The Left For A Brief Summary
THE GODLESS GOVERNMENT - 13:1-10
Men who will not believe the truth, will believe a lie. Religious charlatans of Rome were con men and magicians, who could make people believe white is black and black is white. They could make people leave their families; give up homes; quit their jobs; give everything to Rome and go sit on a hill waiting for the Messiah to come.
Here was a beast lurking in the shadows, and its name was Rome. Rome is an example of any government which tries to subdue its citizens into obeying government instead of God. Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome all tried it and God destroyed them. The Soviet Union tried it and it failed miserably. And now, America is in the process of trying it. Amazingly there are Christians who think that "this time" totalitarianism (government is the final authority) will work.
Rome is pictured as Babylon because they persecuted Gods people from a religious standpoint. Remember the three Hebrew boys who would not bow down and worship the idol?! Rome is pictured as the Medo-Persian empire because they primarily persecuted Gods people from a governmental standpoint. They were slave-masters and very cruel and barbaric. Excessive taxes were placed on the people and they taxed the people so heavily that the people had to sell themselves into slavery to pay the debt. Rome is also pictured as Greece because Greece persecuted people primarily from a social standpoint. Greece was very socially aware. They were very education and pleasure oriented. Rome combined all three of these: social, religious and governmental persecution.
This beast (Rome) gets mighty bold. In fact he is getting too big for his breeches. He is becoming arrogant and prideful of his stature. He is outraged when a few refuse. Those who will not worship him are threatened with death. But they refuse to surrender their principles. Rome is outraged. He wants all people to worship him, and only him. Why does God allow this? Remember the old saying: "THE BIGGER THEY ARE THE HARDER THEY FALL!" We can see God waiting - and waiting - and waiting. Patiently waiting, giving Rome and her people time to repent. What do they do? Rome just keeps digging its grave deeper and deeper and deeper and...!
THE SINISTER MINISTER - 13:11-18
We could entitle this section, UGLY AND THE BEAST, since it speaks of the Devil and the beast, which is Rome as a religious persecuting power. A new beast comes on the scene. He looks like a lamb, but he speaks like a dragon. Don't let the sheepskin fool you!! Rome came as a benevolent spirit. Rome came saying: "We just want to help you. We just want to take care of you. We just want to provide for your every need. You will want for nothing. We just want to save you. We just want to deliver you from poverty and pain, into health and wealth! We will provide everything for you from the cradle to the grave. From the womb to the tomb, you will want for nothing!" Any government that promises to do all this for you, is setting you up for a letdown! They may have all the good intentions in the world, but they cannot deliver. Any time you hear any government promising to deliver you out of poverty and pain, into health and wealth -beware! That is the devil talking! And this book is written to warn Christians not to be deceived by the devil, who is behind this kind of talk. Our trust is not in what government will do for us, but in what God has done, is doing and will do for us!
Government is not on our side. Ultimately, when a government becomes the horse upon which the people think they are getting a free ride, that horse becomes a lion which turns and devours its people. Oh, it may take centuries, but it WILL happen, because the devil will see to it. What is the answer to avoiding it? Make sure your trust is in God, and not government.
God identifies this beast with a number. The number six is man's number. Gods number is seven. Man will never reach seven. This beast is not deity he is simply human. He claims deity but is just human and will always be human.
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