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Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

Introduction

Let’s read that again!! “The patience and faith of the saints is to lead into captivity and be led into captivity? The patience and faith of the saints is to kill by the sword and be killed by the sword? Is that what we just read? Is that how far this “all things are ours” doctrine goes?

1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

Is that how far “living by every” word goes? (Mat 4:4). Is that how far “keeping the things written therein goes”? (Rev 1:3).
Every time we come to God’s Word thinking that we are coming to it to study history or to seek to know the future, we are failing to approach God’s Word with the proper mindset. That mindset is this:

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

“Man” is the Greek word ‘anthropos’ and it means ‘mankind’. What that means is you and I will live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. We will “keep the things written therein… because, all things are ours” (Rev 1:3 and 1Co 3:21-22).
Now, since mankind will live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and since all things present and things to come are ours, and since we must all “keep the things written therein”, then it is a very safe bet that “all things [ will] come alike to all” men.

Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

Now if it is true that “there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked”, and if it is also true that in the end we are all to be redeemed by the blood of the Christ, then the only conclusion we can draw from all of these verses of God’s Word is that we must all first be wicked before we can become righteous, and we must all experience “the day of evil” before we can be “accepted in the beloved”. Put another way, we must all be “in Adam” before we can be “in Christ”.

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

All of this is by God’s own deliberate design:

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it. (CLV)
Isa 63:17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.
Eze 20:25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live ;

With this Biblical approach to today’s verses in Rev 13, let’s look and see…

What is the patience and the faith of the saints?

Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Now doesn’t a statement like that make you very thankful that you have never led anyone at any time into captivity? Don’t these words make you very thankful that you have never in your life killed anyone with the sword?
But wait a minute. It is the leading into captivity and going into captivity, it is the killing with the sword and the being killed with the sword which is “the patience and the faith of the saints”.
Surely we have read this wrong, or maybe we have simply misunderstood what “keep the things written therein” means. Let us take the time to see if the patience and faith of the saints is mentioned anywhere else in this book, and see what those verses tell us is in the patience and faith of the saints. Is there a “second witness” to this definition of the patience and faith of the saints? Is leading and being led into captivity, and killing and being killed by the sword, really the patience and faith of the saints? Well, we could just go back to our introduction to establish that we all live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, then we could take note that all these words we are studying are proceeding out of the mouth of God. We could apply the fact that all things present and things to come are ours as a second witness to the fact that we must lead and go into captivity, and it is we who must kill and be killed by the sword. Finally, we could use Ecc 9:2 as a second witness that these things all apply to each of us because “All things come alike to all”. But is there anything else in this prophecy which would indicate that we are on the right track when we maintain that it is all of us, and in the end it is all mankind, who will both lead and then be led into captivity, and who will first kill and then be killed by the sword? Let’s look at another, very similar such statement right here in these very same chapters which are all introducing us to the pouring out of God’s wrath in our lives.

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

There it is again, just as plain as it can be stated. The patience of the saints and they that keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus Christ, is those who drink of the wrath of God, poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation, and are tormented day and night in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. The patience of the saints, and of those who keep the commandments of God and keep the faith of Jesus, is to “keep the things written in this book”, which things happen to include the worship of the beast and his image and receiving the mark of His name. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus”.
“Another angel… another angel… and a third angel” is not speaking of three different spirits. They are all the same spirit with three messages concerning these three steps in the process of the judgment of the worship of beast that is within us all. This message in chapter 14 is the exact same message as the message of chapter 13. Both are the necessary ingredients of “the patience and the faith of the saints”.
Now let’s go back to Rev 13:10 and notice how the preceding verses parallel these verses here in chapter 14:

Rev 13:4 And they [ all mankind, you and I] worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Who among God’s elect have not worshiped and served the beast before the coming of Christ into their lives? Who among us has not opened our mouths in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven”? We have all “made war with the saints when we first heard their doctrine. Here are a few more words which have been inspired by our God, which we will all live:

1Ti 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did [ it] ignorantly in unbelief.

“Who before was a blasphemer [ who]… led into captivity, [ and] killed with the sword…”
Is there any of us who have not first been “the children of wrath even as others”? Think before you answer that question, because we will all be “judged out of our own mouths”.

Eph 2:1 And you [ hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Luk 19:22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

No, there are none of us who were not first “the children of wrath, even as others”. Not one of us was born perfected. We are all shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin (Psa 51:5), and “we all” have been “in times past… by nature the children of wrath, even as others”. It is all “the patience and faith of the saints” who are given to “look behind them” and witness this entire revelation of Jesus Christ and to see and understand that this revelation of Jesus Christ includes both the first and then the last Adam, and it is so stated in both chapters 13 and 14. The worship of the beast in both chapters precedes the statement, “This is the patience and faith of the saints”.

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

“I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth…” This should remind us of Pharaoh’s dream:

Gen 41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
Gen 41:2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
Gen 41:3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
Gen 41:4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
Gen 41:5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
Gen 41:6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
Gen 41:7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.

Pharaoh’s dream involves seven well favored and fat fleshed cows being eaten up by seven ill favored and lean fleshed cows. This is so troubling to Pharaoh that he is awakened out of his sleep. Then he falls asleep again and dreams a second dream involving seven ears of corn on one stalk “rank and good.” These seven good ears of corn are then eaten up by seven thin ears of corn, blasted with the east wind.
So in Pharaoh’s two dreams we have seven fat cows and seven thin cows, and seven fat ears of corn and seven thin ears of corn. But what does it all mean? It all means the same thing. The message in these two dreams is one single message which the Lord is giving to Pharaoh about things He is about to do. Both dreams have one message, and the different kinds of cows and the different kinds of corn are simply expressing the different stages of the progression of that one single message being delivered by God, through Joseph, to Pharaoh.
Here is what Joseph tells the Pharaoh.

Gen 41:25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
Gen 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

The fact that the dream was doubled to Pharaoh indicates that it is “written in God’s book” (Psa 139:16), and it will happen very soon. Two is God’s number for witness, and God’s witness is always given as “the times is at hand… it is near, even at the door” (Mat 24:32-33 and Rev 1:3).

Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Joseph is sent by God to Pharaoh to confirm to Pharaoh that these two dreams are just one message to Pharaoh. This message has been established by God and will soon be done.
That is just as true of the message we are being given here in Rev 13. “Another beast” like “other kine” is really nothing less than the same beast, at the next stage of his progression. Just as the “seven other kine” are simply that which follows the first seven cows, here too, in Rev 13, this “other beast” which “comes up out of the earth” is the natural, predestined progression of what will become of the first beast which comes up out of the sea.

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Here is the message contained in these two verses, in their Old Testament type and shadow form:

Gen 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
Gen 1:10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

In Biblical terms, the first beast represents the sea of our flesh, and the second beast represents the dry land which rises ever so slightly higher than the sea. The second beast is one step closer to being like God than the first beast. It is very similar to this statement which “proceeded out of the mouth of God” immediately after our original parents first disobey their Father:

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

The separating of the dry land from the waters of the sea is the preordained progression of God’s work upon His one single creation, you and me, “the earth”, and the beast that comes up out of the earth is the predestined progression of the beast that is within God’s one single creation, the earth, which we are.

Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

There are actually three beasts mentioned in this chapter. There is the first beast which “rises up out of the sea”. Then there is this beast of our study today, which “comes up out of the earth”. This second beast, has “two horns like a lamb, but he speaks as a dragon”. It is this second beast, which speaks as a dragon, who makes an image of the first beast and is given the power to give life to the image of the beast and to cause all men to worship the image of the beast. but like the 14 cows and the 14 ears of corn in Pharaoh’s dream, these three beasts are all nothing more than a predestined progression of a single message about a single beast, which beast we are:

Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

The vision of the three beasts of this 13th chapter of Revelation, like Pharaoh’s different dreams, is also one vision of one beast, But the fact that John sees three beasts, tells us that this beast is in the process of being judged. These three beasts are really just the three phases of who we are while we are on this earth. God has “made manifest to us that we ourselves are beasts”, and as such we live the process of the judgment of that one beast which is in us all.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Three is God’s number for the process of judgment, and all the chapters of Rev 10-15 are all about the judgment of the beast within us, and that judgment comes in three separate and distinct phases.
Now what does this mean:

He had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Here is what we are being told about this beast which comes up out of the earth. Here is what is meant by “He had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon”.

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Christ has forewarned us about the work of this second beast within us. “Many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many”, because they will have “two horns like a lamb”. But how will they deceive? The words they speak will be deceitful, smooth words which will, in the end, prove to be the words of the great red dragon.

2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Christ’s words are not “smooth things”, and when we are faithful to His words, we many times are considered to be the enemies of those we consider to be our own spiritual household. Immediately after saying words which were anything but “smooth things… deceits”, Paul poses this question to those who comprised one of the very churches God had used Paul to raise up.

Gal 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

Anyone who has Christ in them will know that the words of the apostle Paul are the words of Christ Himself, because anyone who has Christ in Him will “know Christ’s voice, and a stranger they will not follow”.

Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

“Knowing the voice” of “the Shepherd of the sheep” means that we know God’s Word, and with it we are able to “try the spirits to see whether they are of God.”

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [ spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

“Every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God… this is that spirit of antichrist…”! It is ” the flesh”, it is not ‘ a flesh.” It is certainly not speaking of flesh with no connection to Adam. There are many such ‘immaculate conception’ doctrines in the Christian world which all deny in some way that Christ came in the same sinful flesh that we are in. In doing that, they are denying that He is even now in our own sinful flesh. If Christ would not enter into Adam’s sinful flesh by being “made of a woman, made under the law”, why would He do so after His resurrection? “This is that spirit of antichrist… it is even now in the world” is referring to all who deny that Christ was the son of Adam.
Here is our final example of what this beast with “two horns like a lamb, who speaks as a dragon” is among us:

Act 20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Act 20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
Act 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

“Perverse things” certainly include “smooth things… deceits”. I can also include simply refraining from “declaring all the counsel of God”, when that counsel is very unpopular with the world and with God’s own sheep and God’s own people and flock.

Isa 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Isa 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Isa 30:11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel [“the Word] to cease from before us.

Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

“He exercised all the power of the first beast before him…” “Before Him”? That is right. This is the second step in the judgment of the beast that we all are. We are “the earth” (Jer 22:29), and we have established beyond any doubt that “the kingdom of God is within us” (Luk 17:20-21). When we collectivize these words and apply them to the corporate church and exclude ourselves, we have completely missed the message of “keep the things written therein” (Rev 1:3).
So what power does the first beast within us have over all the kingdoms of this world within us? Let’s look back at what we have just been told about who we are without Christ in us:

Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as t he mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4 And t hey worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

There it is, this beast seems to be invincible. He has the most powerful attributes of all the most powerful wild beasts of the earth. He makes war with and overcomes all of God’s saints. “Power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations, and all that dwell on the earth shall worship him… Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” When we see that “we are that man”, then, and only then, will that man be removed from his throne in the heavens of our heart and mind, and only then will the only person who can make war with the beast we all are, take His rightful place upon His own throne within our own hearts and minds.
Here it is, all laid out for all who have eyes that can see and ears that can hear the mysteries of the kingdom of God within us. Here is this beast who is sitting on Christ’s throne and is demanding the total worship of himself, to the exclusion of Christ and to the “blaspheming of the name of God, His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven”. Here it all is in very plain spiritual English:

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come[“the day of Christ” vs 2], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [ withholdeth] will let [ withhold], until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

This “man of sin” here in 2Th 2:3 is the three- stage beast of Rev 13. Once the Lord gives us eyes that see and ears that hear, that “Ye are the temple of God” (1Co 3:16), only then can we ever hope to see and appreciate “the brightness of Christ’s oming” into our hearts and minds, dethroning and removing and replacing our fearful old “man of sin”, our sinful, Adamic nature with Himself and His “bold as a lion” nature. A man who is not afraid of death fears nothing.

Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

This appears to be the ultimate tool of this “man of sin… beast”. Anyone who can “make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men”, must surely be a very great man of God. But what is “fire… from heaven in the sight of men”? If we say that the fire of Jer 5:14, 1Co 3 is the word of God in the mouths of His people, then we simply must be consistent and declare that this fire is the same fiery word of God, but in this case, those fiery words are here found in the mouth of this beast who is call “the man of sin”.

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

What does this beast, this man of sin, accomplish with these fiery words of God? What does “He makes fire come down from heaven in the sight of men” mean, if that fire is the Words of God?
What those words mean is that this beast is given the ability to use the words of God to effect great changes and to work miracles in the lives of those who follow him. He is able, by reading and preaching and teaching the very same word of God, to purge great sins out of the lives of those who listen to His words of God. It is given to him to literally perform miracles which would, “if possible deceive the very elect”. What this tells us is that great changes can be made in our outward lives, which still have not changed our stubborn hearts. Here are the scriptures which show that “He makes fire come down from heaven in the sight of men” does not prove that this is a man of God:

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mat 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.

We have all been impressed by the ability we ourselves and others have demonstrated to effect change in the lives of others through the word of God. Murderers, drunks, gamblers and pornographers have all been reformed by the fire of the Word of God. All the while we were still in Babylon and being deceived by the very miracles which seemed at that time to prove that we were serving the true God and His True Christ. But in every case, Christ’s truths were never glorified, and the beast was always still sitting in center stage, taking Christ’s throne and Christ’s glory to himself and demanding our worship. Here is Christ’s warning repeated in 2Th 2:

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [ will let], until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Look at how similar these verses are to Mat 24:23-25! “Take heed that no man deceive you… Let no man deceive you by any means… Behold, I have told you before… Remember ye not, that, when I was with you, I told you these things?” Both are the same message, and both tell us what withholds that the man of sin is not revealed until His own appointed time in our lives. Both warn us of “fire from heaven, and of the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” The one thing both warnings have in common is that this “man of sin” is a “false Christ [ who] deceives many… with all power and signs and lying wonders”.

Summary and Conclusion

We have seen that the worship of this beast, the blaspheming of God, and the pouring out of God’s wrath upon all our ungodliness is all part and parcel of “the patience and the faith of the saints”.

Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

We saw that this same statement is repeated in chapter 14, where the hour of God’s judgment upon our ungodliness and unrighteousness is again called the patience and faith of the saints and the keeping of God’s commandments.

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [ his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

We have seen that “another beast” just like “another angel… and a third angel” and just like Pharaoh’s second dream, are all really the same message concerning the same beast in three successive stages of his own judgment. We saw that this second beast with “horns like a lamb, but speaking as a dragon” is really nothing more or less than Satan himself being transformed into an angel of light, and his ministers being transformed into ministers of righteousness”.

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

This second beast seems to have the strength of the horns of the lamb of God, but his doctrines are the doctrines of the dragon. It is by simply serving himself that this first beast worships “the dragon, that old serpent the devil, and Satan”. This beast, which we all are, is “the earth and them that dwell therein.”

Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

We have seen that “fire” here in Rev 13, means the same thing that it means elsewhere in scripture. It is by the masterful work of using the Word of God, and through that Word effecting great changes in our own lives all the while still living as slaves to idols of our own beastly hearts, that our own delusions are so powerful, and except by the grace of God, none of us would ever escape the delusions we are all first under.

Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

We will not be with you next week, but the first Sunday in September, Lord willing, we will cover the rest of this 13th chapter of the revelation of Jesus Christ within us. Here are those verses, and they should no longer be the great mystery they have been for so long.

Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Rev 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [ is] Six hundred threescore [ and] six.