Scenario:

Its morning again in America….

Wake up America…morning’s over

I was asleep before…that’s how we let it happen

There was a crisis…They blamed terrorists and suspended the constitution…we didn’t wake up then either

Now I’m awake…

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Those aren’t my words. Those are the words from a superbowl ad that ran last year

An ad for a story that takes place….in an age of rampant pornography, increasing violence against women, declining morals in America, environmental disaster and decay…

Until finally the religious right – a group of Christians takes control of the US Government…it becomes a totalitarian theocracy….and bibles are banned and morality is legislated and forced upon all citizens. It’s a series based on Margaret Atwood’s book – The Handmaids Tale.

When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result.... -= Ellen White– {LDE 131.1}

The “image to the beast” represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas. The “mark of the beast” still remains to be defined. {GC 445.2}

Tale or Truth?

The American dream - why is that?

Hunted becomes the Hunter – Persecuted becomes the persecutor

Persecution of native Americans, of the Japanese, of African Americans 

I BELIEVE AMERICA….IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN HISTORY

America’s future ----how we got here. 

Empires have ruled the world for thousands of years. as providence saw fit they rose and fall and most often their demise was related with the removal of the freedom of conscience.

We can see it in Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome…then that moment came when the babe in a manger - you know the one we count time by - i.e. BC and AD? So he comes along and inserts a revolutionary idea that man needs no intermediary to connect with Divinity.

Paganism - ie nature worship was the dominant force throughout history.

Constantine…. and Rome

compromise was the solution. 

He melds religion and government and the seed of the papacy was born. The papacy would rule the world for 1260 years - well that was according to the prophecy anyway—and in 538 we find it roots and in 1798 we find its fruit - the French Revolution. 

The Papal Empire had built itself off of persecution, legislating morality, limiting freedom of speech and conscience and especially perverting the teaching of Jesus.

Ok so what does this have to do with America? 

One author put it like this - Once people hated God so much because they thought the papacy was what god was like since the leader of the system claimed to be god on earth - eventually people had enough, they had nothing left to lose - so in the streets of France - they lost it. 

And as men and women were fleeing the persecution and corruption of the old world, they were doing all they could to get to the stores of America. 

In the last centuries of the dark ages - think about that - we literally label a time when the religious right got in bed with the government… as the dark ages. 

And to put the cherry on top - the Jesus in the book of revelation literally called the church a harlot for cheating on him with the empire. Then he says in Revelation 13 - Lucifer. Himself gave them his power and throne. 

So people are fleeing the old world and into the new - for one thing - I want freedom. I want to worship as I want to. I want to work and reap. The fruit of my labor. 

Was America perfect? No. But the prophecy foretold of that too. 

Revelation 13 - is where we find the prophecy of America. 

Two world powers are symbolized in Revelation chapter 13. Before we look at the second we need to understand and identify the first power?

This kingdom would claim to be god and claim to have the power to forgive sins – both of the definitions of blasphemy. It would rule the world for 1260 years….In 1798, French General Berthier inflicted a deadly wound upon the papacy when he took the pope captive.

Another Nation would arise Next :

“I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11).

Prophecy predicted that America would arise from a sparsely settled area.

The papal captivity mentioned in verse 10 took place in 1798, and the new power (verse 11) was seen emerging at that time. The United States declared its independence in 1776, voted the Constitution in 1787, adopted the Bill of Rights in 1791, and was clearly recognized as a world power by 1798. The timing obviously fits America. No other power could possibly qualify.

4. What is the significance of the beast “coming up out of the earth”?

Answer:   This nation arises "out of the earth" instead of out of the water as did the other nations mentioned in Daniel and Revelation. We know from Revelation that water symbolizes areas of the world that have a large population. "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17:15. Therefore, the earth represents the opposite. It means that this new nation would arise in an area of the world that had been virtually unpopulated before the late 1700s. It could not arise among the crowded and struggling nations of the Old World. It had to come up in a sparsely populated continent.

5. What is symbolized by its two lamb-like horns and absence of crowns?

Answer:   Horns represent kings and kingdoms or governments (Daniel 7:24; 8:21). In this case, they represent the United States’ two governing principles: civil and religious liberty. These two principles have also been labeled “republicanism” (a government without a king) and “Protestantism” (a church without a pope). Other nations since ancient times had taxed people to support a state religion. Most had also oppressed religious dissidents. But the United States established something entirely new: freedom to worship without government interference. Absence of crowns signifies a republican form of government, rather than a monarchy. Lamb-like horns denote an innocent, young, non-oppressive, peace-loving, and spiritual nation. (Jesus is referred to as a lamb 28 times in Revelation.)

6. What does Revelation 13:11 mean when it says the United States will speak “like a dragon”?

Characteristics and behavior of a dragon – Revelation 12:9 – Lucifer is the Dragon

What are characteristics of Jesus – the lamb? What is the opposite?

Legend of Dragons eating Lambs…

7. What specifically will the United States do that will cause it to speak as a dragon?

A. “Exercises all the authority of the first beast” (Revelation 13:12) The United States will become a persecuting power that will force people to go against their conscience, as did papal Rome—which is portrayed in the first half of Revelation chapter 13.

B. “Causes (forces) the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed” (Revelation 13:12).

Signs of the Times May 6, 1897, “FORCE is the LAST result of every FALSE religion.”

The United States will lead the nations of the world in forcing allegiance to the papal antichrist. The issue is always worship. Who will you worship and obey? Will it be Christ, your Creator and Redeemer, or antichrist? Every soul on earth will finally worship one or the other. Satan’s approach will appear to be deeply spiritual, and incredible miracles will be seen (Revelation 13:13, 14)—which will deceive billions (Revelation 13:3). Those who refuse to join this movement will be considered divisive, stubborn, radical, and unpatriotic. Jesus labeled Protestant America of the end time a “false prophet” (Revelation 19:20; 20:10),

“I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe” (John 14:29).

C. “Telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived” (Revelation 13:14). The United States will make an image to the beast by legislating religious practice. It will pass laws requiring worship and force people to either obey them or face death. This action is a copy—or “image”—of the church-state form of government the papacy ruled with at the height of her power during the Middle Ages, when millions were slain for their faith. The United States will combine civil government and apostate Protestantism in a “marriage” that will support the papacy. It will then influence all the nations of the world to follow her example. Thus, the papacy will gain worldwide support.

D. “And cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed” (Revelation 13:15). The United States, as head of this international movement, will next influence the nations of the world to impose a death sentence upon all who refuse to worship the beast or his image. Another name for this worldwide coalition is “Babylon the Great.”

8. Over what specific issues will force be utilized and the death sentence passed?

“He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:15–17).

Answer:   The final points of contention will be worshiping and obeying the beast and receiving his mark—honoring Sunday as a false holy day versus worshiping and obeying Christ and receiving His mark by honoring the holy seventh-day Sabbath. (For details, see Study Guide 20.) When the issues become clear and people are forced to break the Sabbath or be killed, those who then choose Sunday will be, in essence, worshiping the beast. They will have chosen to obey the word of a creature, a man, instead of the word of their Creator, Jesus Christ. Here is the papacy’s own statement: “The church changed Sabbath to Sunday and all the world bows down and worships upon that day in silent obedience to the mandates of the Catholic Church” (Hartford Weekly Call, February 22, 1884).

9. Could a government really control buying and selling?

Answer:   : During World War II, buying was controlled by requiring ration stamps for such items as sugar, tires, and fuel. Without these stamps, money was worthless. In this computerized age, a similar system would be easy to set up. For instance, unless you agreed to cooperate with the worldwide coalition, your Social Security Number could be entered into a database, showing that you are disqualified to make a purchase. No one knows precisely how all this will come about, but you can

be positive it will happen—because in Revelation 13:16, 17, God says it will.

Two Emerging Powers

Revelation chapter 13 is clear. Two superpowers will emerge in the end time: the United States of America and the papacy. The United States will support the papacy by leading a drive to force the people of the world to worship the beast power (papacy) and receive his mark or else face death.

The next two questions will evaluate the strength of these two superpowers.

The papacy is the strongest religio-political power on earth.

11. How strong and influential is the United States today?

Answer:   The United States is regarded as the world’s most powerful military force and the world’s center of influence. Note the following:

A. “In the key categories of power, the U.S. will remain dominant for the foreseeable future.” —Ian Bremmer, Time magazine, May 28, 2015

B. “What ultimately makes the difference between war and peace ... is not good intentions, or strong words, or a grand coalition. It is the capability, credibility, and global reach of American hard power.” —Senator John McCain, November 15, 2014

C. “The United States is and remains the one indispensable nation. That has been true for the century passed and it will be true for the century to come.” —President Barack Obama, May 28, 2014

D. France’s then-foreign minister, Hubert Vérdine, told a Paris audience that he defined

“the United States as a ‘hyperpower’ ... a country that is dominant or predominant in

all categories.” —The New York Times, February 5, 1999

12. What other factors could help set the stage for a worldwide law to execute those who refuse to violate conscience?

The scenes of Matthew 24 – Climate Disasters, Economic Hardship, Moral Decay, Corruption of the Christian Church

A backlash against terrorism, lawlessness, immorality, permissiveness, injustice, poverty, ineffective political leaders, and many similar woes could easily precipitate a demand for strong, specific laws to be rigidly enforced.

13. As world conditions worsen, what will Satan do to deceive the masses?

“He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived” (Revelation 13:13, 14).

Answer:   The United States will experience a counterfeit revival and will insist that religious

laws be passed to force every person to participate (represented by “an image to the beast” in Revelation 13:14). People will be forced to disregard God’s holy seventh-day Sabbath and worship instead on the beast’s “holy” day—Sunday. Some will comply merely for social or economic reasons. World conditions will become so intolerable that a worldwide “back to God” movement, with all joining in worship and prayer on Sunday, will be presented as the only solution. Satan will deceive the world into believing that they must compromise Bible truth and keep Sunday holy. But in reality, obedience to and worship of the beast will indicate the refusal of most people to enter God’s kingdom. No wonder Jesus makes such an issue in Revelation over worshiping the beast and receiving his mark!

14. While interest in the counterfeit revival heightens, what will be happening to the genuine worldwide revival sponsored by God’s end-time people?

Answer:   The Bible says the entire world will be “illuminated” with glory (Revelation 18:1). Every person on earth will be reached (Mark 16:15) with God’s end-time, three-point message of Revelation 14:6–14. God’s last-day church will grow with amazing speed as millions join God’s people and accept His offer of salvation by grace and faith in Jesus, which transforms them into His obedient servants. Many people and leaders from all countries of the world will refuse to worship the beast nor embrace his false teachings. Instead, they will worship and obey Jesus. They will then receive His holy Sabbath sign, or mark, in their foreheads (Revelation 7:2, 3), thus sealing them for eternity. (See Study Guide 20 for additional information on God’s seal.)

Spiraling Growth Infuriates the Counterfeit Movement

This spiraling growth among God’s people will infuriate the counterfeit movement. Its leaders will become fully convinced that those who refuse to cooperate with the worldwide counterfeit revival are the cause of all the world’s woes (Daniel 11:44). They will disqualify them from buying and selling (Revelation 13:16, 17), but the Bible promises that food, water, and protection for God’s people will be sure (Isaiah 33:16; Psalm 34:7).

As his crowning miracle, Satan will impersonate Jesus.

15. In desperation, the U.S.-led coalition will decide to impose the death sentence on its enemies (Revelation 13:15). What does Revelation 13:13, 14, say its leaders will do to convince people that God is with them?

Answer:    They will work miracles—so convincing that everyone except God’s faithful end-time people will be persuaded (Matthew 24:24). Utilizing the spirits (fallen angels) of Satan (Revelation 16:13, 14), they will impersonate dead loved ones (Revelation 18:23) and probably

even pose as Bible prophets and apostles. These lying (John 8:44) demonic spirits will doubtless

claim that God has sent them to urge all to cooperate.

16. How can we be safe from powerful end-time deceptions?

Answer:   A. Test every teaching by the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11; Isaiah 8:20).

The Bible says, “The time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service” (John 16:2).

4. As we study the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, it seems apparent that the real enemy is always the devil. Is this true?

Absolutely! Satan is always the real enemy. Satan works through earth’s leaders and nations

to hurt God’s people and thus bring heartache to Jesus and the Father. Satan is the one responsible for all evil. Let’s blame him and be careful how we judge people or organizations who hurt God’s people and church. They are sometimes totally unaware that they are harming anyone. But that is never true of Satan. He is always fully aware. He hurts God and His people intentionally.

In its prophecies, the term beast is a symbol for a mighty nation. The proof is in Daniel 7, a chapter that parallels Revelation 13. Both Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 refer to beasts, ten horns, a boastful mouth speaking pompous words, and intense warfare against God’s people (compare Daniel 7:3-8, 21 with Revelation 13:1-7). Specifically, Daniel 7 describes four great beasts: a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a dragon-like creature. Embedded in the same chapter, an angelic interpreter confirmed: “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth” (Daniel 7:23).

So, we can nail this down: According to Daniel 7—which parallels Revelation 13—a beast in Bible prophecy isn’t a computer or super-evil person, but a mighty kingdom or nation. That’s what the angel said. Historically, 98% of reputable Christian Bible commentaries have interpreted Daniel’s four beasts to represent the ancient nations of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. This is a fact.

Out of the Earth

But there’s more. Revelation 13:11 continues: “I saw another beast coming up out of the earth.” Thus, John saw a great nation rising into power. From where? “Out of the earth,” the prophet predicted. By way of contrast, all four of the beasts in Daniel 7 “came up from the sea” (Daniel 7:3). What does “water” represent? Again, prophecy pinpoints a clear answer: multitudes of people. We know this because in a parallel prophecy another angel confirmed: “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues”(Revelation 17:15, italics added).

True to the facts of history, ancient Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome all arose from the midst of a sea of peoples in Europe and the Middle East. Not so with the beast in Revelation 13:11. It comes from the earth. Thus, Revelation 13:11 points to a great nation rising out of a sparsely inhabited area.

Like a Lamb

“I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb.” (Revelation 13:11). Each word is significant. The true Lamb of God is Jesus Christ who offered His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world (see John 1:29; 3:16). “Like a lamb” indicates that this nation would have lamblike or Christian features. A lamb is a young animal, a baby sheep. This nation would at one time be youthful and new. Significantly, its “two horns” have no crowns like the first beast described in Revelation 13:2. Crowns represent kingly power. So, in Revelation 13:11 we see a new nation, with gentle, lamblike, Christian features, rising out of a sparsely inhabited area. It is led by a crown-less government, not ruled by kings.

Are the pieces coming together yet?

Superpower

Here’s the shocker: Revelation 13 also reveals that this mysterious beast with two horns like a lamb would achieve superpower status near the end of time. Then it would degenerate and, during earth’s closing moments, lead out in the global enforcement of the mark of the beast. God’s Word reports: “He [the lamblike beast] causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark” (Revelation 13:16,17).

These ominous verses parallel the last part of Revelation 13:11 which describes the final, tragic act of the lamblike beast: he “spoke like a dragon.” Let’s examine it closely. The beast “causes” all to have a mark—it compels or resorts to force. “All” emphasizes its global influence. Finally, the beast’s control of buying and selling clearly indicates that the world’s economy is involved.

Putting the Pieces Together

Let’s put all the pieces together:

1. Revelation 13:11 pinpoints the rising of a great beast.
2. In prophecy, a beast represents a great nation.
3. This nation rises out of the earth, or wilderness area.
4. This nation starts out young, like a baby lamb.
5. This nation has lamblike, Christian characteristics.
6. This nation has horns with no crowns—it has no kings.
7. This nation achieves superpower status near the close of time.
8. This nation influences the world’s economy.
9. This nation finally speaks like a dragon.
10. This nation finally enforces the mark of the beast.

Be honest: How many nations on Planet Earth today fit all ten of these clear, unquestionable, Heaven-inspired details?

Only one.

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