Fri.’s Devo - He Who Has Ears to Hear

Read: Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Revelation 13:1b-18; Psalm 14:1-10; Proverbs 30:18-20
Zechariah saw what John saw in Revelation 11. Here we see that not only is Jesus the measuring stick but that the kingdom of God cannot be measured or contained. Jesus is the glory within us and the wall of fire around us. God pronounced judgment on his enemies and promised his people that he would come and live among them. Many nations would call on the name of the Lord and he would once again choose Jerusalem. We are seeing that manifest in our day.
Then Zechariah was shown Joshua, the high priest which represents Jerusalem (the collect of all the people who have chosen the Lord). The angel of the Lord is Jesus. Satan is there to accuse the believers but Jesus rebukes him and reaffirms his choice to stand by his people. He takes off the clothes of sin and shame and puts clothes of a priest on the man who represents the believer throughout the ages. Then Jesus gives him his plan of redemption and restoration.
In Revelation we have a beast coming out of the sea of humanity that has characteristics of a leopard, bear and lion - all the characteristics of all the ungodly nations that ruled before. The beast and the dragon are just characteristics of the devil himself.
This beast had seven heads and ten horns. The first six heads were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome; the new seventh world power (the pagan German hordes pouring down on Christianized Rome). Satan had hoped to kill Christianity but it flourished thereby imposing a deadly wound on the beast. Satan ascended out of his bottomless pit in Revelation 17 and Revelation 11:7. A new anti-Christian spirit falls on the world. It is hatred towards Jesus and his followers. It culminates in the Antichrist, the man of sin and son of perdition (2 Thessalonians 2:3 and 2 Timothy 3:1).
Another beast will arise known as the False Prophet. He is the spiritual prophet that tries to reason and scientifically dupe the world into heathenism. His religion will be supported by the world powers - Satan being its ruler.
Jesus and the apostles warned the people over and over about false prophets. They can do miracles and sound very convincing but the refuse to name Jesus as the son of God and refuse to confess that the blood of Jesus took away their sins.
The image coming to life is seen over and over throughout history as people see the picture of Mary winking at them or statues talking to them, etc. Many people throughout the ages have required a mark of allegiance on the hand of their followers so I believe that like the mark that Jesus marks his own, Satan’s will be a mark unseen by the eye. It will be of the heart.
The number 666 has been totaled of many people’s names during the ages also. It is a waste of time to try to figure out this with reasoning. God will give us discernment and wisdom if we look to him and not chase theories.
Lord, help us to do as David prayed and fix our eyes on You.