Darkest Period

July 1 - Darkest Period - Rev 13:1-2

Vs 1-2 – The world is about to enter the darkest period of its history.  Jesus said as in the days of Noah.  What is about to happen is even worst.  John has been transported to a place where he is standing on a beach and rising out of the sea is a beast.  This beast has seven heads which most scholars is either nations or leaders of nations.  This must have been a frightening thing to see.  Now the beast had ten horns which scholars believe is a ten nation confederation which is the base support for this beast.  This beast is a creature with one object and that is blasphemy.  It will do anything to curse and blaspheme the name of the Lord.  It is incarnate evil. 

     The beast looks like a leopard.  Daniel saw a similar beast in his visions.  Scholars link the two.  They say this is the abomination of desolation.  This creature is a spiritual representation of the anti-christ.  It had the feet of a bear with the ability to destroy any opposition with brute strength and ferocity.  Its mouth was like that of a lion.  Strong, powerful and vise like quality.  All who will oppose this creature will be ripped apart and devoured.    The dragon who we know is satan will give him three things.  First, the power to rule.  It will be a worldwide dictatorship.  Next, his seat or throne.  All nations will bow to him and lastly, great authority.  Satan does have the authority to bestow this because when he was tempting Jesus he offered Jesus the kingdoms of this world and Jesus did not disagree.  This is the rise of the anti-christ system.