Last Sunday, we heard the urge and encouragement of God’s call to faithful endurance amidst the pressures and demands around us. Revelation 13 shows us that Satan stands behind all the earthly pressures and powers; he is the one waging war against God and His people. Satan is pictured as an evil counterfeit of God the Father, seeking to rule over all creation through two beasts. The first beast represents a political power or earthly kingdom. Its descriptions reveal its claim to be a god, seeking to be worshipped in place of the one true God. John encourages believers to keep enduring and to keep following Jesus despite the trials and the suffering that these beasts bring. The second beast, often called the false prophet, joins the dragon and the first beast to form a counterfeit, unholy trinity. This second beast represents the power of religious deception - working through many voices and messages that attempt to draw people away from worshipping Jesus. The world we live in is a battleground, and the devil will use any and every means to deceive people and turn them away from Christ. Yet Jesus has sealed His people and written their names in the book of life. As followers of Christ, our loyalty to Him will be tested, so let us not shrink back. Following Jesus will surely involve suffering, but we know the certainty of the final end: Satan does not win, and Jesus conquers all.
