(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see why)
Focus Question:
How does Satan imitate God’s reality?
Intro:
"Woe to you, oh Earth and Sea, for the Devil sends the beast with wrath Because he knows the time is short... Let him who hath understanding reckon the number of the beast For it is a human number. Its number is Six hundred and sixty six"(1)
Welcome to the program where we get to one of the more famous passages in the Bible, if for no other reason than it has been — like that clip you just heard from a 1982 Iron Maiden album(1) — something used a lot in popular culture.
Before we get there, though — one theme you hear a lot about on this program is that of false teachers and prophets — it’s all over the NT (as well as the OT prophets such as Ezekiel), Jesus himself warned of them, and/or we’ve seen the opposite back in ch 2 such as Jesus commending the church in Ephesus for testing people that called themselves apostles and found them to be liars. But what is the ultimate source for people of falsehood?
Our answer to that is likely quick, and you’d be right — Satan. But today’s focus question that we’ll get to in our Bottom Line segment today is about the how — How does Satan imitate God’s reality? Don’t miss it today — it’s a beautiful setup for understanding where we’ll be in Revelation in the next few days.
New Testament segment:
As we turn our attention to our NT segment, what you’ll hear today is in the middle of…
12:1–14:20 The Cosmic Conflict Between the Dragon and the Lamb. Between the cycles of trumpet and bowl judgments, a dramatic sequence of visions presents the fundamental contest between the forces of God and Satan (the “dragon,” 12:3) for the nations’ allegiance and worship. The dragon, beast, and false prophet persecute God’s people, but God promises to spiritually protect and gloriously vindicate them. So God exhorts them to steadfastly endure.(2)
Passage: Revelation 13
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 18
Words: ~410
“This calls for…” endurance, faithfulness, and wisdom.
Old Testament segment:
Aaaand even more oracles against Egypt…
Passage: Ezekiel 31
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 18
Words: ~526
Wisdom segment:
Passage: Proverbs 22:10-23:18
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 37
Words: ~588
The bottom line:
How does Satan imitate God’s reality?
In the ESV Study Bible notes, I found a useful little table that contrasts God’s reality with Satan’s imitations thereof. To be clear, what I’m going to share with you here is only in the book of Revelation — this isn’t a whole-Bible overview. But it’s a perfect analogy and reminder that, in a world where the ultimate battle is spiritual, there are forces behind false teachers and prophets.
Satanic Imitations of God’s Reality(3)
God’s reality is the real Trinity (Father, Son [Lamb], Spirit) (Re 1:4–5), whereas Satan’s imitation is the false trinity (dragon, beast, false prophet) (16:13; 20:10).
God’s reality is the Lamb standing, as though it had been slain (5:6), whereas Satan’s imitation is a many-headed beast with mortal wound healed (13:3).
God’s reality is the sealing of the saints (7:2–3), whereas Satan’s imitation is the mark of the beast (13:16–18).
God’s reality is Bride in white (19:7–8), whereas Satan’s imitation is the prostitute in purple and scarlet (17:1–6).(3)
And let me leave you with this today — something for you, and for you to share. False teachers and prophets will be beautiful, persuasive, and powerful. If you want to be on the right side of history, there is no other advocate to have than Jesus — prophet, priest, and king — and the power of the Holy Spirt who is, quite literally, the only way we will be able to have an understanding of the times.
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) Barry Clayton, spoken word introduction, and Iron Maiden, band, “The Number of the Beast,” by Steve Harris, original release date March 22, 1982 on EMI, track 5 on The Number of the Beast, iTunes .m4a version.
(2) Douglas J. Moo, “The Letters and Revelation,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 2296.
(3) Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2481.