June 30: A Kingdom Divided (part 2)

…out of the mouth of the beast… Revelation 16:13

We are looking at the efforts of our long-time enemy to unite the darkest powers of evil with every secular, religious, and civil/political power among human institutions. Yesterday we briefly viewed the deceiver’s work among pagans to prevent the truth of God’s word from being understood and taking root.

He also works in a religious setting that mimics Christianity. The second of the three segments of Babylon the Great (17:5), also called the great city (16:19) is a deceptive, worldwide religious system. Claiming religious authority (see 13:2 for the source of this “great authority”), he compels conformity to a set of unbiblical doctrines and man-made traditions that deviate from Scripture. It is a mixture of pagan and religious traditions. The commands that come out of the mouth of the beast are intended to reroute the loyalty of religious people toward the great dragon…that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan (12:9). Over the centuries, millions of worshipers have been deceived into believing their worship is directed toward God, but unwittingly they are worshiping the dragon.

So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (13:4)

Many from within this system, as well as from within the pagan realm, have made the conscious and deliberate choice to follow the leadings of Yahweh. The saving power of His word, clearly understood with the aid of the Holy Spirit, reaches directly through the smokescreens of Satan to pull countless millions to safety.

But others have become so enamored with the visual, ritualistic, and social trappings of the worldwide false church that they are blinded to the simple truths made so plain in the Bible. When confronted with these truths, they harden their hearts and point to the sheer size and number within the beast, convinced that no one can go against the well-established church traditions, for “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

But the wise disciple of the LORD will declare along with the Psalmist:

The LORD is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and in the earth? He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap, That He may seat him with princes—With the princes of His people. Psalm 113:4-7