Beast; his mark; False prophet; 3 1/2 yr Christian tribulation

Page 1 of 3: Earth    Rev 12 continues the story of events after the rapture. Satan and his angels are cast down to earth and persecute the church left behind.

Page 3 of 3: Heaven Christ opens 6 seals; the raptured saints and nature help the tribulation church

  Immediately after the rapture Antichrist dies a sinister death and comes back to life as Satan in the flesh (see Daniel 8 page 4).  A death sentence by Antichrist (now called the beast) and the false prophet (religious pope over Satan's worldwide religion whose throne is in Babylon - see map below) is pronounced worldwide upon all Christians saved after the rapture and upon them that refuse the mark of the beast. In the study of  Rev 12 the dragon (Satan) was in the heavenlies before the birth of the manchild (the raptureof the true church - see Rev 12:5). Immediately after the rapture, Satan and his angels are cast down to earth (Rev 12:7,8,12, page 1). Rev 13 now continues with events immediately after the rapture but the dragon (Satan) who was cast down to earth in Rev 12 has now  resurfaced on the earth by incarnating the dead Antichrist and bringing him back to life. Rev 13 now calls Antichrist - who is also now Satan in the flesh - 'the beast'. Rev 13 tells us how this is accomplished.

The Beast

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.
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 the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
                                 

Image of Daniel 2	Re 13:1,2 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. 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 the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Beast of Rev 13

Tyre - Antichrist's political throne and Babylon his commercial and religious throne of his empire

Gray area shows eventual extent of Antichrist's Empire after he comes to power in timeframe 1

  Scripture has given us a double witness of Antichrist's dominion over all the land area of these former world empires in the last days as seen in these composite images above. In Revelations 13:2 we see a composite image of a beast made up of the four beasts of Daniel 7 which tells the same truths as the image of Daniel 2. These images tell us that the land area of the former world empires of the Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires would all be under Antichrist's control. Today, that would be modern Iraq, Iran,Greece, Eastern and Western Europe including parts of Russia west of the Ural mountains and land between the Caspian and Black Seas (see Gog and Magog). When one man rules over all this territory the symbol of the composite beast in Revelations 13:2 and the person Antichrist are considered one and the same. This is why Revelations calls Antichrist - the beast. Another example of this double type symbolism is when Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2 that in his dream he is the head of gold and later said the head of gold symbolizes his empire. Compare these 2 composite images and they are a double witness of Antichrist' s empire of the last days and the land territory it will cover.

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 13:14 Deadly wound by a sword {weapon}         note:brackets mine

In Rev 17:3-11 the angel explained to John the meaning of the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns

Rev 17:3-11
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

  The angel also describes the religious system that is headed by the false prophet of Rev 13:11 as the mother of harlots (she gave birth to many false religious systems) and abominations (idols-idolatry). Her name is called 'Mystery Babylon'. A woman prophetically speaking is a religious system and this woman in every way is opposite of the sun-clothed woman of Rev 12. This woman is Satan's church and has been in existence since the time of Nimrod and the tower of Babel (Gen 11:5-9)

Gen 11:5-9
5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

  When God looked down in the days of Nimrod they were of one language and one purpose - to make a name for themselves and have one world, one religion, without God. When God caused them to leave off their building program by having them speak in many languages they spread out taking their false religion and language with them. This is why Babylon of Nimrod's day was the Mother of harlot and idolatrous religious systems found all over the world that have so much in common. She gave birth to them and her offspring went into the whole world. Satan always had a religious throne since the time of Babel. That is why this woman sits upon the dragon that has 7 heads.  In Daniel 11 and Rev 12 we identified the 7 heads as the 7 world empires Satan will have ruled over since the time of Abraham that included the area of the promised land. They were the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, Roman, and the 7th being  Antichrist's. During Antichrist's reign when the rapture takes place Antichrist dies a mysterious death and Satan having been cast down at the rapture enters into him and brings him back to life. In doing so, he not only has taken over Antichrist's body and empire, but Antichrist is also now Satan incarnated in the flesh as said earlier. Antichrist after the rapture has this dual nature and personality - both Satan and man. Jesus who was both God and man (mystery of Godliness) is now contrasted with Antichrist after the rapture whom Revelations 13 now calls 'the beast' (mystery of iniquity). This is what is meant in Rev 17:11 when the angel tells John the 8th head of the beast is of the 7th. This is fulfilled when Satan takes over Antichrist's body and empire which had been the 7th head before the rapture but now after the rapture is the 8th and yet a continuation of the 7th. In Daniel 8 page 4 Daniel talks of Antichrist after the rapture as both Antichrist the man and Satan incarnate. In Daniel 11 we studied Antichrist as a 'raiser of taxes'(verse 20) before the rapture and then becoming 'the vile person' (verse 21) after the rapture when he becomes also Satan incarnate .

Daniel 11:20 Click on images for review



20 Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.
 
                    

21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

  Notice Dan 11:20 that Antichrist death will be neither in anger, nor in battle.

  Antichrist dies a mysterious death but it is not an act of anger or warfare. This truth is the same as Rev 13:3 (see above) where one of the heads is wounded unto death and then his deadly wound was healed. This would be the 7th head -that is - Antichrist who has been ruling for a time before the rapture, (see also Rev 12) now dies this mysterious death. Revelations 13:14 say this wound was by a sword (weapon). I personally believe Antichrist will commit suicide willfully because of a pact he made with Satan some time before the rapture. Satan has given Antichrist great power, authority, fame, wealth when he established his empire before the rapture in (timeframe 1). In turn, Antichrist who now owes Satan, gives Satan his body and his eartly political throne. That time comes immediately after the rapture when Satan finds himself cast down to earth and needs Antichrist's body and earthly visible throne (See Rev 12:6-12). The beast (Satan incarnate in Antichrist's body) now makes plans to deceive the whole world and to get as many nations behind him to try and prevent the visible return of Christ but he is defeated (see kingdom)

4 And they 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?

  Now we are told the whole world worships both the dragon (Satan) and the beast(Antichrist). This is because as we saw from scriptures above Antichrist comes back to life after the rapture being both Satan and the person of Antichrist that he was before the rapture. Rev 13 calls Antichrist the beast - because the beast symbolizes the extent of the land area of his the empire just like the beasts of Daniel 7. This incarnation of Antichrist through a Satanic resurrection of Antichrist is right after God just raised all the dead in Christ and caught them up with the living saved Christians to meet Christ in the air (1 Thess 4:16 - see rapture, Rev 12). Another set of scriptures that show this dual role of Antichrist after the rapture is found in Ezekiel 28 (see Daniel 8 page 4 for additional scriptures of Antichrist as Satan incarnate after the rapture.

                       Back to 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.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindred's, and tongues, and nations.

Daniel 7:8-11
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (see Daniel 7 page 3)                                                                                        
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. (see Daniel 7 page 5)

Daniel 7:11
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. (see Daniel 7 page 5)

  In our study of Daniel 7:8-11 (see Daniel 7 page 5) we saw in Daniel 7:8 that Antichrist before the rapture when he came to power had a mouth speaking great things. Daniel 7:9,10 then covered the events of the rapture when Satan's angels were cast down. Daniel 7:11 then continues about Antichrist after the rapture and calls Antichrist 'the beast'. Daniel 7:11 goes on to say the beast is still speaking great words until he is destroyed.
  Notice in Rev 13:7 above, power was given to the beast for 42 months (3 1/2 years). Most likely this is the United Nations in whatever form it has at this time for power is given him over all kindred's, tongues and nations (verse 6}. We read in Daniel 7:25, 26

Daniel 7:25,26
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

  Daniel 7:25:26 (see Daniel 7 page 5) confirms Rev 13:5-7 concerning Antichrist that he speaks great words against the most High and wears (persecutes) out the saints of the most High and they will be given (by the U.N.?) into his hand for time (1 year) + times (2 years) + half time (1/2 year) which adds up to 3 1/2 years (1+2+1/2). This is the same time as the 42 months (3 1/2 years) of Rev 13:5. Daniel 7:21 says the horn (Antichrist) makes war against the saints and prevails against them.

Daniel 7:21
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

  Antichrist persecutes the saints until the Ancient of days comes on the scene and executes  judgements given to the saints. Daniel 7:9,10 (see Daniel 7 page 5) summarized these events right after the rapture has taken place. In that study we saw that the Ancient of days (Father) gives the title deed to His Son - the only one worthy (see Revevlations - especially Rev  5) and the saints are told what judgments they are to carry out (6 seals of Rev 6 - see page 3). These events in heaven cover the same period as Antichrist is making war upon the saints - that is - after the rapture and during the 31/2 year Christian tribulation period (see full overview page, Revelations).   

                                See Revelations for full study 

  In the study of Revelations 12 we see that after the woman (professing church) gives birth to the manchild (rapture of the true church - Rev 12:5) the woman (professing church) is left behind to go into great tribulation. Rev 12:6 say their tribulation experience will last 1,260 days while Rev 12:14 says time, times, and a half a time which again both add up to 3 1/2 years.

Revelations 12:5-6, 13-14
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

*Note - The beast in Rev 13:5,6 is speaking great words against God and then persecutes the saints for 42 months (3 1/2 years).  Daniel 7:25, Rev 12:6,14 agrees exactly with3 1/2 years. Without a doubt the Christian tribulation follows right after the rapture and lasts 3 1/2 years.
  In the study of the 6 seals being opened in heaven during the tribulation period (see page 3) we will see the raptured Christians preaching the gospel in their resurrected bodies and flying over the whole earth resulting in tremendous revival as God pours out His Holy Spirit (also see 1st seal opened in page 1) . Remember, the dead and living were caught up in the rapture and their is pandemonium on the earth. People in cars, planes, buses, businesses, homes have disappeared leaving only their clothes behind with their credit cards and money just like Jesus when He was resurrected, left behind His garments (Luke 24:12).

Luke 24:12
12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

  Imagine the pandemonium and confusion that is taking place because of the rapture itself. There will be massive stealing of credit cards and money left behind. The banking system cannot determine who the real identity of millions of accounts belong to because the real owners have been raptured and now thiefs are posing with their identities. Antichrist who has died and come back to life as the beast (Satan incarnate - see top of page) is now cursing the Christian's God in heaven and those preaching from heaven(Rev 13:6 above and page 3 first seal). The beast is given power (by the U.N.?) to deal with this worldwide crises for 3 1/2 years. Antichrist turns to his religious leader of the worlds religious system of Babylon - the False Prophet and gives him all his authority to deal with the crisis with the full support of all nations. We read in Rev 13:11-17

False Prophet

Rev 13:11-17
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.
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.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
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.
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.
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:
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.

  The false prophet is symbolized by a beast coming out of the earth having 2 horns as a lamb but spoke as a dragon. This beast is the religious empire or worldwide organized system Rev 17 calls Mystery Babylon which in the last days rides the political system of Antichrist for gain and power (Rev 17:3). This system portrays itself as a lamb like figure to the world in the name of peace and harmony among all racial and religious divides and yet speaking the very mind and will of Satan (dragon).

Rev 17:3
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 17:18
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.     

Rev 18:24
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

  It is the religious system of Antichrist that will be responsible for the deaths of saved Christians after the rapture that refuse the mark of the beast or bow down to this image of Antichrist that the false prophet has exalted to a god. To deal with the banking and financial crises he will use that as a tool that only they that receive a mark on their hand or forehead will be identified as part of the beast system. At the same time God has His raptured servants speaking from heaven telling them not to receive the mark (see page 3 first seal and Rev 14:6-10) so they do not experience the full judgment of God to follow. This full judgment  period is called the Day of the Lord (see charts above) and last 7 years and ends with Christ's return to defeat Antichrist and his armies and establish the everlasting Kingdom of God on this earth (see Kingdom)

Rev 14:6-10
6And 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,
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.
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.
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,
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:

  We are told the false prophet tells the whole world to make an image (idol) to the beast. When this idol is finished, most likely built in Babylon at this time, the false prophet has power (just like the magicians that withstood Moses (Ex 7:11) to make the image talk and call down fire from heaven. Remember, Satan and his powerful angels are now on the earth having been cast down by Michael and his angels right after the rapture. These fallens angels have Satanic powers they use to deceive the masses of people on the earth that reject God's Word and His mighty signs.

Ex 7:11
Ex 7:11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

  The image speaks and says that whoever does not worship the beast is to be killed. Meantime, God has His messengers speaking from heaven over the whole earth saying not to worship the beast (see first seal page 3). The false prophet also has power to call fire down from heaven like what Elijah did in the Old Testament (1Ki 18:37).

1Ki 18:37
Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

  This sign is to deceive many as Antichrist is seeking to make a 7 year treaty with Israel who believe that Elijah will appear before the Messiah based on Mal 4:5

Mal 4:5
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

  Antichrist makes this 7 year treaty (called Daniel's 70 week - see chart above) only to invade Israel about 3 1/2 years later.  Antichrist then has this idol of himself, that the false prophet told the world to make, moved to the Holy Place of the rebuilt temple of Jerusalem that had been built before the rapture in timeframe 3. Jesus referred to this idol standing in the Holy Place as the abomination of desolation and as a warning to the Jews to flee when they see it - (Mark 13:14).

Mark 13:14 
14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

  Antichrist invasion of Israel is also his attempt to make Jerusalem a world capitol and he himself to be worshipped as God (see fall of Jerusalem, Daniel's 70 week, and full overview). God does send the real Elijah before the terrible Day of the Lord gets around to Israel (see two witnesses). At the end of Daniel's 70th week which is also the end of the Day of the Lord (both last 7 years) Christ returns and defeats Antichrist and his armies (see Kingdom Rev 19:19-21 and charts above)

lation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, st
Rev 19:19-21
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.