GETTING THE MESSAGE/Christ is a King who humbles pride

Revelation 13:10 speaks to Christians about the need to persevere in the faith: “If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword he must be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.” This verse is sandwiched between the description of two beasts that would destroy the faith of the Christian. 

The apostle Paul, at the end of his life, said that he had fought the good fight of faith, finished the race, and kept the faith. The nature of a fight is a struggle that has a victor at the end. Paul had to overcome many dangers, toils, and snares along the way, but he did so by faith.

Paul also said that we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. Christians are required to persevere in the faith. There is a promise of preservation in the faith, being upheld by Christ. He said: “My sheep hear my voice and follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand.”

The promise is not to nominal faith, those who profess Christ yet live according to their own purposes and will or live in carnal and ungodly ways. Faith is a walk of communion with Christ, seeking to honor him in conformity to his word and his will from a disposition of thanksgiving and affection for the salvation you have in his name. “My sheep follow me,” the Lord says.

This doesn’t mean Christians don’t fall into sin; they may do so shamefully. Nevertheless, the Lord strives with them through his word, calling them to repentance. The battle against our own sin is difficult; we must be watchful for the devil, because he watches us.

The Lord will graciously bring his people back to the cross and forgiveness of sins. I read of a Scottish minister years ago known for his piety and godliness who said “I once looked into my own heart and could see there nothing but darkness, guilt, and pride. Then I remembered that Christ is a prophet who can dispel my darkness, Christ is a priest who can remove my guilt, and Christ is a King who can humble my pride. And I said that it were good that Christ and I should meet.” 

The first beast was a fierce, persecuting beast. The second beast we see in Revelation 13:11 is a deceptive beast. He has the outward appearance of a lamb but spoke like a dragon. This doesn’t mean with a coarse, gravelly voice but an enticing, alluring voice. His purpose is to draw people to worship the beast, the goal to dethrone Christ.

Dressed as a lamb, he is a false prophet. He distorts or diminishes Christ in some way. The Lord warned his disciples to beware of false prophets in sheep’s clothing but who are inwardly ravenous wolves. It doesn’t matter whether you make a god out of stone or with your own understanding, it is still a false god. There is but one, living God and but one Mediator to reconcile men to God, which is Jesus Christ, as he is offered to us in Scripture.

So, it is of utmost importance that we believe the truth of Christ, but it does no good to have the truth on our side if the truth is not in our heart. God has put an eternal difference between light and darkness that no creature can alter; and therefore, we must make sure the light we follow is that of the true Lamb of God.

 I don’t think the vital thing here is to try to identify the particular figure who this beast may be. Rather, he represents to people who worship the beast something of more consequence than salvation in Christ. This is the worship of someone or something despite the offer of forgiveness of sin and being reconciled to God. To forsake Christ for the world is to leave a treasure for a trifle, an eternity for a moment in time.

The lamb speaking like a dragon has destroyed many souls. It has been heard in high places of civilization and low, in churches, books, and wisdom of men. The fog of darkness is lifted in one way, and that is the soul being convinced of its sin and misery before God and enlightened to the majesty of Christ, the Lamb of God crucified for its sin.