Battling the Beasts II
Revelation 13:11-18

[11] Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. [12] It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. [13] It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, [14] and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. [15] And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. [16] Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, [17] so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. [18] This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. (ESV)

Big Idea: We must be wise, because…

Jesus warned us that the devil will cause deceivers to arise within our community. So we cannot rely on our church walls, membership, or even ordination to protect us from deception. For the sake of the community, we must each take responsibility to be on guard against deceivers.

Consider/Discuss: What is a prevalent teaching or belief that fails this test that you have noticed recently? How might it fool people by being a parody? How does this profile of true teaching expose it as a lie? If you are confident that you have the truth revealed in Scripture, how might that enable you to engage in dialogue in a constructive way? 

There has been a great amount of conjecture about the number 666 in this passage. As is usually the case, the Bible interprets itself. John explains “it is the number of a man.” Any Jew would have understood, and by now we should as well, that 7 is the number most often used to refer to God’s perfection and the fullness of his grace. Though made in God’s image, just a little lower than the angels, man is not God, so a number just short of 7 understandably symbolizes man’s inferiority to God. We have also learn in Scripture that when anything is doubled or tripled it is for emphasis. Therefore, three sixes symbolize something that is intensely man-centered. 

Consider/Discuss: What competing definitions and displays of greatness, riches, and freedom do you find at work in our culture? How does God’s Word expose their fallacy? Practically speaking, how is believing false conceptions of these things detrimental in people's lives? In other words, what is the "fruit" of believing false ideas about greatness, riches, and freedom?