Resilient – A Revelation Daily Devotional – Day 33
Day 33 – August 29
Read or listen to the audio version of the Bible Reading and Daily Devotional.
We’ve explored the first Beast, a powerful political and military entity empowered by Satan. Now, Revelation 13:11-18 introduces a second Beast, one that emerges from the earth. This Beast looks less overtly menacing, like a lamb, but speaks like a dragon. This deceptive appearance signifies a power that appears righteous or spiritual, yet serves the same sinister agenda as the first Beast. This second Beast represents a powerful religious or cultural system that subtly, yet forcefully, steers humanity away from true worship of God and towards allegiance to worldly power.
This lamb-like Beast exercises all the authority of the first Beast on its behalf, compelling the earth and its inhabitants to worship the first Beast. Here’s where we see the true danger of this second Beast: it acts as the enforcer and promoter of the first Beast’s agenda. It doesn’t demand worship for itself directly, but rather directs worship towards the system of worldly power. This is a subtle yet profound shift in allegiance, moving people to worship power itself, rather than the true God.
The second Beast performs great signs in the sight of people. These impressive acts serve to deceive those who dwell on earth, convincing them to make an image to the first Beast. This highlights the deceptive nature of this religious force. It uses miraculous displays and persuasive arguments to validate the authority of the worldly power, subtly leading people astray.
Furthermore, the second Beast is given power to give breath to the image of the first Beast, so that the image could even speak and cause all who would not worship it to be slain. This shows the ultimate goal of this religious system: to enforce complete conformity and worship of the worldly power, even to the point of death. This is not about genuine spiritual devotion, but about coerced allegiance to a system that opposes God.
The passage then describes how this second Beast forces all peopleto receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. This mark prevents anyone from buying or selling unless they have it. This detail reveals the pervasive control and economic pressure exerted by this system. It’s not just about religious belief; it infiltrates every aspect of life, making it impossible to function in society without conforming.
Finally, we encounter the number of the Beast: 666. This is not a physical sign like a tattoo or a microchip, but rather a profound revelation of character and action. This number is a symbolic representation of humanity’s fallen nature and its rebellion against God, particularly when it seeks to usurp God’s authority and demand worship for itself or its worldly systems. It signifies imperfection, falling short of the divine perfection of seven, and a triple emphasis on that shortcoming.
This chapter unmasks a dangerous spiritual reality: a religious power that, while appearing benign or even miraculous, subtly directs worship towards worldly systems and away from Jesus. It pressures people to conform, economically and spiritually, and its ultimate goal is to enforce allegiance to a power that opposes God. The number 666 serves as a stark reminder that this allegiance is a matter of character and action, a profound rejection of God’s sovereignty.
Prayer: Lord, grant me discernment to recognize the subtle ways worldly powers and deceptive religious systems attempt to draw my allegiance away from You. Help me to understand that true allegiance is a matter of heart and action. Amen.