The beast of the end times has been brought up several times. It is of course a controversial topic
and not everyone agrees on what the beast is.
Some say "he" is a man, some say "it" is a government, and some say "it" is simply an idea or even the media.
I won't get this all done in one post, so I'll start with the idea of a man.
Nazi Germany was a government, but it was driven by a single man. Adolph Hitler.
It's funny in this country, depending on whether you're a democrat or a republican, some characterize
Barack Obama or Donald Trump as Hitler. But no matter which you are, you have to agree the agenda
of the government changes drastically when there is a leadership change.
I'm going to jump slightly off track for a second, but I promise it's related to the beast.
Rom 5:12; Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—
Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Rom 5:15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
Rom 5:16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.
Rom 5:17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Rom 5:19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
There are some who think Adam wasn't really just a single man, but rather an "abstract of society at that time". (This is even taught is some churches) This seems innocent enough on the surface, but looking at the passage above we see that sin came to the earth through "one man's sin". We also see that grace and salvation grace came through "one man's obedience".
So if sin came into the world through "an abstract of society", does that mean that grace and salvation also come to the world through "an abstract of society"? No it only comes through one man. So in keeping with the context of the passage above, sin also came through "one man" (who was a type of him to come).
... so what does all that have to do with the beast? Again, I think the beast is the devil's version of Jesus.
It will be "one man". He may drive the government, but he is a man.
.... .... .... .... .... ....
Many take the "king of the north" in Daniel chapter 11 to be the beast.
Dan 11:21; "In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
Dan 11:22; "The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant.
Dan 11:23; "After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.
Dan 11:24; "In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his ancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time.
This "despicable person" who has never been a king before, will seize the kingdom by intrigue and deception.
The strong forces "will be flooded away" before him "and shattered".. also "the prince of the covenant" (more about this prince later). He will accomplish what his fathers were never able to do.
An alliance will be made with him and he will practice deception. There is a lot more here, but I didn't want to post the entire chapter of Daniel 11.
Dan 11:32; "By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action
It seems the people of God will be able to see through his deceptions.
Dan 11:37 "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all.
Dan 11:38 "But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures.
He will magnify himself above all other gods.
........ ........ ........... .......
If we jump to the next chapter we see something called the abomination of desolation.
Dan 12:10; "Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.
Dan 12:11; "From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
Dan 12:12; "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!
The world won't understand what is going on during this time. But those "who have insight" will understand. I take this to mean those whom the Holy Spirit has given wisdom to.
We also see there 1,290 number here (approximately 3 1/2 years) that the abomination of desolation
will be going on. We see another number of 1,335 days. ( a 45 day difference) More about that later also.
This last verse about those "who keep waiting and attain the 1,335 days" is often taken to support a
post tribulation rapture.
.... next, the beast in the new testament ...
and not everyone agrees on what the beast is.
Some say "he" is a man, some say "it" is a government, and some say "it" is simply an idea or even the media.
I won't get this all done in one post, so I'll start with the idea of a man.
Nazi Germany was a government, but it was driven by a single man. Adolph Hitler.
It's funny in this country, depending on whether you're a democrat or a republican, some characterize
Barack Obama or Donald Trump as Hitler. But no matter which you are, you have to agree the agenda
of the government changes drastically when there is a leadership change.
I'm going to jump slightly off track for a second, but I promise it's related to the beast.
Rom 5:12; Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—
Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Rom 5:15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
Rom 5:16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.
Rom 5:17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Rom 5:19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
There are some who think Adam wasn't really just a single man, but rather an "abstract of society at that time". (This is even taught is some churches) This seems innocent enough on the surface, but looking at the passage above we see that sin came to the earth through "one man's sin". We also see that grace and salvation grace came through "one man's obedience".
So if sin came into the world through "an abstract of society", does that mean that grace and salvation also come to the world through "an abstract of society"? No it only comes through one man. So in keeping with the context of the passage above, sin also came through "one man" (who was a type of him to come).
... so what does all that have to do with the beast? Again, I think the beast is the devil's version of Jesus.
It will be "one man". He may drive the government, but he is a man.
.... .... .... .... .... ....
Many take the "king of the north" in Daniel chapter 11 to be the beast.
Dan 11:21; "In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
Dan 11:22; "The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant.
Dan 11:23; "After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.
Dan 11:24; "In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his ancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time.
This "despicable person" who has never been a king before, will seize the kingdom by intrigue and deception.
The strong forces "will be flooded away" before him "and shattered".. also "the prince of the covenant" (more about this prince later). He will accomplish what his fathers were never able to do.
An alliance will be made with him and he will practice deception. There is a lot more here, but I didn't want to post the entire chapter of Daniel 11.
Dan 11:32; "By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action
It seems the people of God will be able to see through his deceptions.
Dan 11:37 "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all.
Dan 11:38 "But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures.
He will magnify himself above all other gods.
........ ........ ........... .......
If we jump to the next chapter we see something called the abomination of desolation.
Dan 12:10; "Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.
Dan 12:11; "From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
Dan 12:12; "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!
The world won't understand what is going on during this time. But those "who have insight" will understand. I take this to mean those whom the Holy Spirit has given wisdom to.
We also see there 1,290 number here (approximately 3 1/2 years) that the abomination of desolation
will be going on. We see another number of 1,335 days. ( a 45 day difference) More about that later also.
This last verse about those "who keep waiting and attain the 1,335 days" is often taken to support a
post tribulation rapture.
.... next, the beast in the new testament ...