Presented by Evangelist Wendell Stover

Turn to the Bible to our favorite book all the way toward the end of the New Testament; the book of Revelation. This evening we have a lot of material to cover, and I would like to make a deal with you. Are you ready to do some trading? If you will listen fast, I'll talk fast. Is that a good agreement? I've been accused of speaking slowly at times, and so it is a challenge to me to speak quickly. This subject matter is so important, and we have so much information that I don't want to leave anything out.

Let's begin in Revelation chapter 13. Our objective here is to determine from scripture the identity of three very special powers, and one of them is the anti-Christ. The Bible identifies these characters as the beast, the dragon, and the woman. If we understand who those characters really are, historically and biblically, then we will be well on our way to determining from scripture what the mark of the beast is and what is meant by that term "the beast power". Revelation chapter 12 is where I would like to begin, and I would like to end this evening at Revelation 13 and verse 11. Revelation 12:1 says, "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." We need to be reminded that the bible mentions here in Revelation two women. One is the lady dressed in white and the other is the lady described as the harlot lady. The harlot lady represents the movement of Satan upon the earth. The other lady here we are reading about in Revelation 12 represents the movement of God upon the earth. There are no other mo ving the seal of the living God.

This woman right here, the Bible tells us in verse 2, "And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered." You will not believe the imagery that is given here in this story. John sees this woman in heaven, and many Bible scholars have identified this as the movement of Christianity upon the earth. The moon under her feet, clothed with the sun; many see in that representation the Old Testament and the New Testament. Upon her head is a crown of 12 stars. Some see a reference there to the disciples. But, notice in verse 3, "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." This red dragon stands for the very opposite of what the woman stands for. This dragon is going to try to kill the baby the woman has. Lets read on, "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born." This is not a pretty picture given to us here in Revelation 12.

We want to identify who the woman is. I am suggesting she represent the movement of God upon the earth. The dragon also has a very definite meaning. If you will notice verse 9 tells us who the dragon even is. "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." You have heard all of your life that a third of the angels came to the earth with Satan. Preachers are very interested in this and they speak much about it. Back in verse 4, it says, "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth." Here is where a story is developing. It is not in chronological order.

A long time ago, we don't know exactly when the conflict took place, but there was a controversy in heaven between right and wrong. Satan was the instigator. In that conflict came the decision that he would openly, purposefully rebel against God. I wish we could visit right here just a little while this evening because in order for there to be rebellion, there had to be an outward denial that God's way is the best way. If God's law can be spoken of as critical and condemning, and a law that was too harsh, then maybe Satan could have had a charge. But, that is just not the way it was at all. God's way is always the best way. Following that conflict, Satan and those angels were kicked out of heaven, came to the earth, and Satan knowing the best way to hurt Jesus would be to kill that which He would be a part of. Have you ever seen the Devil? Come on, you have seen the Devil before, haven't you?

I went to a home one evening and I stood in the living room near the door. I could see down the hallway into the kitchen. The dishes that had been broken as this conflict resolution was taking place between husband and wife. I stood near the door because if anything began to happen, I wanted to be able to run out quickly. I heard the queen of that home say to the high priest of the home, "You're just the old Devil!" Seriously, have you ever seen the Devil? We may have entertained some angels unaware, and maybe perhaps some evil ones. But, here is the point I'm getting at. When Satan works, he does not have to appear himself to be there in order to accomplish what he wants to accomplish. Satan enjoys using us; he wants to use the human family because you see we are created in the image of God, and if there is any better way to bring reproach upon God and to hurt God is to involve that which God loves the most. I don't know what that would be. Satan wants to attack the human family and cause us pain, sorrow and suffering any way that he can.

Here in this symbolic way the "dragon which stands before the woman to devour her child" as soon as it would be born. It does not mean that Satan had to be there to kill the baby, but Satan could use human beings to do that. You know the story rather well. It came time for Jesus to be delivered. They went to Bethlehem and there was no room for them in the inn. They went to a very quiet, humble place, and there they tell us is where the Christ child was born. Mary and Joseph at that time didn't know there were the travels of the wise men coming. The wise men had been led by a very special star and given Godly instruction and direction. They inquire of Herod, "Where is this new King? We have traveled all this distance. We want to worship the new King of the Jews." Some have said it's just like a politician to lie, but I don't want to get into that. He said, "I don't know where He is at, but if you will find Him, send word back to me because I would like to worship Him too." Was he telling the truth? No. We need to look at this carefully identifying Jesus as the Messiah. I have heard there were over 200 prophecies fulfilled in that one event; that one day; the birth of the Messiah. Those wise men knew because of the leading of God where they were going and even what they were going to do when they got there.

They presented their gifts to Mary and Joseph, and to the Christ child. They were spoken to in a dream to leave in another way; they left. I 'm suggesting that in this story the Devil wanted to kill the Christ child from the very beginning. Christianity would soon be birthed. Working through the instruments of pagan Rome, the first attack publicly would be made toward Christ as a decree would be issued some time later for Herod's big, burley soldiers to go out and kill every male child under the age of 2. That is how the Devil stood ready before the Christ child to kill Him, but there was a movement being born here.

Read verse 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." I'm suggesting that the child represents Christ and the woman here represents the movement of Christianity. When we think of Satan's power, primarily, yes, the application here is toward Satan and the Devil, but he also is a major deceiver and enjoys influencing people to do his work for him. Let's go back to the woman for a moment here. There is quite a contrast between this woman and the woman represented in Revelation 17 and 18. It tells us here that there would be a time prophecy given to this woman or to the movement of God upon the earth. Verse 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." Someone translate this. It would be 1260 days, wouldn't it? Let's just place this figure up on the board this evening. When God repeats something, He does that for a reason. He feels it is important and He wants us to remember it. We will be coming back to this number several times tonight and for a good reason.

The movement of Christianity would be influenced then by this very specific time period. Let's leave it like this for a little while. Notice verse 7 and 8, "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels." Who is the dragon? It is Satan. Verse 8, "And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven." Let's read verse 9 again, "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." This is a very interesting story. Notice verse 13, "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child." Here is a prediction of tribulation for the church.

Listen carefully, I'm very much aware of what is being taught that is referred to as the coming tribulation and the rapture of the church. I want you to think about something tonight. We just might be closer to eternity than some of us think. Here is a prediction that trouble would come to the church. This trouble, this tribulation time would be symbolized by the figure 1260. God makes this so clear to us tonight; there can almost be no doubting and even no questioning. Here is what I want to say; the Bible describes it right here in verses 13 and 14. Satan knows if he is going to hurt God, then he will attack the apple of His eye. He would try to attack His people. The book esented by the true woman representing the movement of God upon the earth.

Notice this in verse 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." Some of you have been studying about this for a long time, but since we are dealing here with prophetic elements I am going to write this on the board; time and times and half a time. If we can make this add up to this same period right here that would be very interesting, wouldn't it? Let's look at the word "times" in the Bible, especially in the book of Daniel. So much of what is in Revelation is also in Daniel. We could be teaching from the book of Daniel and come to the same conclusions as we are from the New Testament. But, from the book of Daniel it's an Aramaic term "time" and it means a year. There were 360 days in a year. Notice how interesting this becomes. If we make this a time 360, that would be two of "times" which would be 720, half a time then would be 180. Adding all those up should come to that mystic number 1260. Working with a Jewish calendar, 360 days in a year would represent one year; two of those years would equal 720 and then half of that would equal 180 days. When all that is added up, you come up to 1260.

There are thousands of Bible teachers who subscribe to the idea that in Bible prophecy a day equals a year. We have some biblical instruction for that in Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34. Could this idea here of time, and time and half a time then represent the same LENGTH of years that the church would be persecuted? If you know who the church is and you know who is doing the persecuting, then historically you can be accurate because this is exactly what took place. Let me tell you something. God gave all this to us knowing that we would not be so much interested in what has happened in the past as to be able to identify what is supposed to happen in our present and in our future. The only way to rightly understand what is coming is to take a little trip back and review what has already happened in the past. The Bible writer here allows us to do that in Revelation 12 and 13.

Notice this in verse 16, "And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth." There is deep symbolic language here that God's movement would survive. Verse 17, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make ware with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Gentlemen, the word "wroth" is a very interesting word. If you ever come home in the evening and your wife meets you at the door and she says, "Honey, I'm wroth with you!" I would encourage you to smile, quietly leave, and go up to the nearest store that sells Russell Stover candies, buy her a lovely gift and see what in the world is the matter. Wroth is a terrible angry word. It sort of gives you the imagery of hatred and meanness. The Devil was hating the church. He was angry; he was upset. But, notice the last part of that verse, "And he went eventually." It does not say "eventually", but it's in the context here. "And he went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." There are some who have difficulty with the idea that God would have a people in the last days. God WILL have a people who will serve Him and love Him. They are identified here as having the commandments of God, keeping the commandments of God and also having the Testimony of Jesus Christ.

If this is a prophetic statement for the REMNANT of the woman's seed, then this would be an application to people living way down to the close to the end of time, wouldn't it? Yes, it would. Then the devil would be sort of interested in how YOU worship because you are living near the time of the end; near the end of time. If the commandments of God are important to you, then guess what? You are part of the remnant described here in Revelation 12. It sounds good to me, what about you?

Here is what we have learned so far in Revelation 12. We have identified this woman representing the movement of Christ or the movement of God upon the earth which is represented by the woman. The Christ child was represented by the child that would be born. Satan working through pagan Rome would try to kill the Christ child. God would miraculously preserve His life. Mary and Joseph would take Him down to Egypt. He has described for us some of the deceptive power of Satan himself and of Satan's angels. Describing for us how the church would be in a time of trouble for 1260 years, but it didn't really say much about the instruments that Satan would use to hurt the church during that time.

We move now to Revelation chapter 13. When you hear the idea of the beast power or the anti-Christ power or the little horn power of the book of Daniel. Those three titles may all refer to the same identity. I am going to suggest to you that in Revelation 13:1 he identifies for us a religious power coming upon a scene of world power a long time ago. If we can identify who that system represented, we can examine what is going on around us today and even declare whether or not it's still in existence today. Whoever and whatever is represented by Revelation 13 in those first 11 verses. You can be sure that power is the one that will become the world's most influential religious power, able to marry the world's strongest political power and bring about the new world order in that context. To me, that's exciting.

John says in chapter 13:1, 2, "I stood upon the sands of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crown, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 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." What did the dragon do? There are three things mentioned to us in that verse. If you know who the dragon is, understanding the principle that he likes to work through human agencies, then Satan or the dragon would give this power, his engine, he would give him his place of authority and even the uncanny wisdom to enforce it. Is this something that you want to have a part of? As a little boy said, "I don't THINK so."

It would be a composite beast. What does that mean? The book of Daniel really sets the stage for this. In chronological order there were certain world powers that would come. In Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Daniel 8 and Daniel 9, Revelation 13 here, there is no way to get around that sequence of world empires. You may have studied this in high school history, Western Civics if you've gone to college, and every major Protestant church in North America--at least this is what I've read--was teaching the same thing that I'm teaching to you tonight up until somewhere in the mid-1950's. There was a reason why the emphasis began to be placed in other directions rather than the direction that you and I are going tonight in Revelation 13.

There are some things that are not always politically correct to talk about, but we aren't really interested in that, are we? We simply come here each evening to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn what the Bible says because we want to know the truth. As it says right here, the beast was like a leopard, his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth is the mouth of a lion. In the book of Daniel, in sequence there, he would name off the Babylonian Empire as being represented by a lion; the Medo-Persian Empire would be represented by a bear; the leopard would represent the third empire, the Grecian Empire. As you study that sequence in all those chapters, could there be some merit on God's part here? Because no matter which chapter you study, you always come to the same conclusion that He really wants you to know who the beast power is that would touch the lives of his church during this very unique time right here. If you know the world's great powers named in history beginning with the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persians, followed by the Grecian Empire, that being taken over by the pagan Roman Empire, we don’t have to go very far or deviate at all from the record of history. We don't even have to guess at something that evolved after all of those were in existence. This is so important because even a little child knows that one, then two, three and four is always in that order.

Following the pagan Roman Empire which was here when Christ was crucified, came the development of another power; a religious power. I don’t want anyone this evening to misrepresent what I am going to say at all. I'm going to suggest that the identity of this power represents that system of the Papacy. It is easier for me to share this information with our Roman Catholic friends than it is our Protestant friends. Do you know why? It's because the Roman Church or the Catholic Church has produced some tremendous scholars and historians. The Catholic Church really teaches their young people in schools the history of their church. I sometimes think that their historical accounting is more open and honest than many people give them credit for.

Here is my basis for this. I am going to suggest tonight that because of what is found here and in the book of Daniel in the next few verses and because of geography and timing and sequence, we can identify this beast that rises up out of the sea out of a populated region of the country. Revelation 17:15 tells us this. We identify this beast as the system of the Papacy. I'm NOT saying this represents the Roman people. There will be proportionately as many Roman Catholics in the new earth as there are members from any other church. It is not just one denomination that's going to be in heaven. I'm thankful tonight that God is looking on the inward heart. For those who have knowledge and information, if we just willfully and blatantly choose not to act on that information, then God would have to judge us that way.

Notice Revelation 13. I'm going to suggest that because of the sequence of those world powers that we are right on target. The dragon will give him his power and his seat and great authority. This did not just happen overnight in one event with Benedict or with Constantine, with Pope Gregory or Pope Sylvester; no. It began to occur over the course of many years. A gradual change came to be, but certainly one significant event was when Constantine moved his headquarters to the city named in his honor, Constantinople, and he left to the Bishop of Rome the authority in civil as well as religious matters. All the historians always go back to that idea right there. It grew gradually, but very rapidly. I'm suggesting to you that this movement of Papal power would force the church of God in a very serious time of trouble for 1260 years. You've heard about the Dark Ages; everybody's heard about the Dark Ages. You've heard of the Holy Roman Empire. All this is just tied in and something that we really don't talk about a lot, but we cannot deny it either.

Revelation 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." I'll come back to this in a moment. Verse 4 tells us it is a religious power and says, "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?" So, this would be a religious power and one of the leaders of that religious power would receive a deadly wound. Some of you may have studied about this. The year 1798 is a very significant year. You see, in the book of Daniel, as the angel was giving Daniel so much advice and information on the same subject, the book of Daniel even makes it clear that this power would beat up and wipe out and destroy three nations. Sometime after the year 476 AD the face of Europe began to change.

I will give you tonight when you leave the names of those 12 Germanic tribes that swooped down from the north. That is the reason today that we have so many different languages spoken in that part of Europe. The Anglo-Saxons settled in England; they spoke English. The Francs settled in France and they spoke French and so forth, but this power was predicted to destroy three of those ten. According to their own historians the Roman Church says that the Vandals, the Heroli and the Ostrogoth peoples were all killed. There was a reason for that though. They believed in the teachings of Arian; they followed Arianism. You don't necessarily subscribe to that idea either. Arianism teaches that Jesus is really not who He claims to be as such, but that God just sort of woke up one morning and decided to make Jesus, and therefore, Jesus is inferior to God.

The Roman Church certainly did not subscribe to that teaching, and because the people would not refuse and because they would not recant from that, all those people were killed. I should mention something here also. There has been a lot of information published about the atrocities that were committed against the church way back then by those people. Those men that went out on those inquisitions, many of them believed they were doing God a favor. The sermons they heard were taught in a language they did not understand. The few Bibles that were in existence were chained to the walls of the churches and were written in Latin. Especially if you were a woman, most likely you were not even taught how to read at all. Those dear people in those days were told that it would please God if they would go kill off all the heretics; they really believed they were doing God a favor. I don't want to justify what took place, but certainly we need to consider that.

It says right here that he would receive a deadly wound. Here is how I would like to put this together: We know in the year 538 AD the Ostrogoth nation was destroyed. If we take that date, as some scholars do, and add 1260 to that, it would bring us down to that year of 1798. Considering that the Roman Church was to rule for 1260 years, can we justify something happening in 1798? It was in the month of February on the 10^th I believe, the French General (Bertheae?) marched his forces down into Rome, Italy, they captured the pope of Rome, took him back into France and there he died some time later. If this is a very significant event in the historical application here in Revelation 13, then it would fit, wouldn't it? They were to rule for 1260 years, but received a deadly wound. Then the prophecy says that the deadly wound would be healed in our day because Revelation 13 is for the last days, but God gives us all this background information so that you might know who the Bible is referring to.

Go to verse 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." If we take 42 months with 30 days to a month, we multiply it out, again, it identifies this power as being in charge for 1260 years. Did all of this just happen? I don't think so. Notice in verse 5 again it says, "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies." I know in the story of Jesus we can find two well-supported biblical definitions for blasphemy. One occasion Jesus healed a cripple man. The man was there on his mat deeply desirous of being healed. Jesus comes right on time. He says to that man, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk." Jesus was committing blasphemy according to that particular view. Let me explain this way. The man had new bone or muscle or whatever he needed to get up on his feet, but those little scrawny bony accusers were there pointing their fingers of condemnation at Jesus and they said, "You have committed blasphemy!" What had Jesus done? He said, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk. Thy sins are forgiven." They didn't fully realize that Jesus was the Messiah and that He COULD forgive sins. One definition of blasphemy is when a man claims to be able to forgive sin. Those of you who understand this, it is no secret that in the system of the Roman Church, the early priesthood and their teachings on the virgin Mary make it very clear that forgiveness can come through human instruments.

Notice something else. Another definition of blasphemy comes to us on the very evening of Jesus' trial, they had Jesus sitting in a chair, and none of those who were making up stories about Him could get their stories to line up together. The high priest was becoming very frustrated. Finally as Jesus was sitting in that chair, the Bible says He answered nothing. The high priest became so angry that he looked Jesus in the face and he says, "I adjure thee." Do some study on that word. "I demand that you tell me whether or not you are the Christ. You are the Son of God." This is a rare moment, but Jesus would admit who He really was. He says, "Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." But, because he claimed to be God, that high priest became angry. He pushed out his lips, stomped his feet, his face got red, he threw off his outer garment and he pointed his finger at Christ and said, "You are guilty of blasphemy!" Jesus had simply stated that He was God. Two definitions of blasphemy is when a man claims to forgive sin and when a man claims to be God. It is not secret. The Pope of Rome, however honest and sincere he is, takes the place of the Vicar of Christ and a place of God on earth.

Let's move on. Notice verse 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." Now, I started this presentation tonight describing how that Satan wanted to attack God's people because that really is the best way to hurt God. Would you believe me if I said that somewhere around 55 million people were killed under the tyranny of Papal Rome during that 1260-year period. That's what THEY say. That is what THEIR writers proclaim. A few months ago I heard, and perhaps you did too, that Pope John Paul came on national television apologizing for all those bad things that the church has a reputation for and they did back then. I'm telling you, dear people that this is the truth. There is a reason for all this. Not that we want to condemn anyone because of their faith or religion. God forbid that. Don't ever use this information to condemn somebody because of their faith. God wants us to know this because there is a conflict upon the earth about to break loose. There is a coming storm, and God wants His people to receive the seal of God which is found within the law of God rather than to receive the mark of the beast which will also be received in the forehead. But, unless you know what it's about, unless you understand it, how will you know to avoid it?

I'm more convinced than ever that God loves us so much in His mercy and in His plan. He wants those three angels' messages to be taught all over the world. As part of the three angels' messages, what we are studying tonight is basically the identity there that helps us understand the third angel's message; a warning against receiving the mark of the beast. But in verse 7 it says that it would be given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. Pitiful is the record of those dear people way back then whose lives were suddenly raped away from them. You know, in the end God's people are going to win. As a matter of fact, verse 8 gives us this little hint. It says, "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. If any man have an ear, let him hear." What do you think that means, "if any man have an ear let him hear"? Let's do some interacting. Raise up your hand and place it over one ear. "If any man hath an ear, let him hear." I want you to listen to what goes in this ear and retain it; don't let it go out the other side.

If anyone will have some wisdom, pay a little bit of attention right here. That is what he is saying. We cannot identify all these characters here without first identifying the woman who represents a movement of God upon the earth. The Christ child is represented by the one to be born, the dragon working through human instruments spoken of as the serpent--the dragon, and then this particular power that would come upon the scene of control would be a religious and political power combined together. That's what it was back in this time. Even the kings of Europe bowed down to the papal powers back then. I'm interested in this idea here that the deadly wound would be healed, and I'm suggesting that it would even occur in our day and is even happening right now. That is significant because as we study tomorrow evening, there is another power that comes out of the earth in Revelation 13:11. That power will join its forces together with this one that we have been studying tonight. Those two shall become one in purpose and mission, and then you have combined again the same scenario that we had back during this time of dominion. We will have a religious power and a political power altogether in one body. This could not just happen. It's not a figment of somebody's lucid imagination. God wants us to know where true wealth really is. True wealth comes in having the knowledge of truth, and then being able to put that truth into a practical sense. If we have Jesus, we have everything. If we have not Jesus, then we are lost. If we have not Jesus, we have nothing. But, if we have Him, we have everything. Without Jesus, we are doomed to die, but if you have Jesus, you have eternal life.

Every time I study Revelation 12 and 13 I'm reminded how important it is to be on Jesus' side. The other evening I wanted to get into Matthew 24 just a little bit more with you. It says there that when Jesus comes it will be like it was in the days of Noah. Some people would be having business as usual. That's the way it was back then, too. People were working overtime; people were concerned about their children; not fully aware that soon a big angry cloud would unfold it's leash of wrath upon the earth. The only way for safety and the only way out would be on the ark. I kind of think it's that way today. It is business as usual for so many of us. Did you know we can get so good at doing good things and we can become so busy doing good things that we really fail to do the most important of all? Do you know what that is? That is to watch. Watch and be therefore ready for as such an hour as you think not the Son of Man cometh. I've always appreciated that song, "I'd rather have Jesus than anything I know," because if we have Him, we have it all. There is nothing else to gain.

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