11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.

18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

Revelation 13:11-18

I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It is logical that if the world has a new order, then the New World Order will need a worthy leader. This individual will not be found among the nations. There will be those that think they are worthy and will be promoted by others, but they will all rapidly fail to deliver. Humanity will not have a man that is able to lead the world. This chaotic New World Order will be ripe for the appearing of Satan as the antichrist.

It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. God placed two trees in the garden representing His gift of free will to mankind. Only free men and women have the power of choice. God gave us the power to choose whom we will serve. He also gave us the power of dominion. Adam and Eve failed to choose wisely and in doing so they allowed an usurper to rob them of their right to reign. Satan has been the prince of this dark world since that time and explains why bad things happen to good people. John 14:29-31; Ephesians 6:12 While in this world we will know tribulation, but Satan has no hold on Christ or on those that claim the name of Jesus.

The earth's inhabitants have God given powers in this world. We have the right to worship and the right to rule. Satan usurped Adam and Eve's dominion in the garden through deception. However, God is merciful and desires to regain full dominion for the sons and daughters of Adam. In His mercy, God gave Adam power over the earth to subdue it and make it produce although there were thorns and thistles. Noah was given dominion over the creatures and demonstrated his dominion over the earth by growing a vineyard. Yet, Noah was overtaken by the deceptiveness of the fruit of the vine.

It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. Satan will deceive us in the last days and will take away our God given right to rule ourselves and will replace man's religions with a Satanic belief system promoting hatred of God and one another. These two stolen powers are represented by the horns on the head of the lamb-like creature. Jesus, the true Messiah, came as a sacrifice for us. This beast pretends to be the savior, but really wants to slay us. Satan is a powerful creature, but he is not all powerful and wants the powers God gave mankind. When he comes, he will have two horns representing the stolen powers of church and state. Daniel 8:8

There are fairy tales about the wolf in sheep's garments. This is not a fairy tale. It is God's word warning us about the old dragon coming in garments of the lamb. He will come claiming to be the Messiah to the world, and we will fall hook, line and sinker. He will come from the earth because he is the prince of this dark world and has ruled over mankind since the deception in the garden. Since the flood, God has confined him and his wicked angels to the bottomless pit (represented by the abyss as the abode of the dead 1 Samuel 28:13; Luke 8:27, 30-31). Prior to the flood Satan and the watchers were visible. Currently, they are confined to the spiritual realm which is represented by the abyss. Revelation 17:7-8 However, the final generation will see them in the flesh when they are released from the bottomless pit. Revelation 9:1-12

The evil spirits willingly left their dwelling place and came to earth because they coveted the things God delivered to the sons of Adam. Jude 6 They wreaked so much havoc on the earth that God, through the flood, confined them to the bottomless pit to be revealed in the last days as a trial like Job's. Our faith will vindicate God, and in the day of judgment, we will judge these angels. Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 1 Corinthians 6:3

Being let out of the bottomless pit is code that they will be able to physically appear to us as ferocious creatures of war. They will scare mankind so badly, many will want to die. During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. Revelation 9:6 The nations will join forces against this common enemy, but we are not equipped to make war against this alien force. Satan will not reveal himself until we have had time to realize our helpless situation. He will appear to the world after his fallen angels have terrified the inhabitants of the planet for about five months. Revelation 9:5, 10 He will pretend to save us. Perhaps even make peace treaties with them causing all the world to immediately fall at his feet and for his lies regarding the Creator God.

And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. Elijah issued a challenge to Israel regarding the true living God and Baal. He declared that the one that can bring fire down from Heaven is the true God. Many will remember this test, and because they do not know their God, they will be deceived when the antichrist has the power to bring fire down from Heaven. The first beast is a conglomeration of all the nations of the world and is staggering from the confusion of their failed belief systems. Satan will cause them to completely forsake the beliefs of their forefathers by establishing a new religion which will have "the best" of all the other religions.

This religion will look enough like the first beast because it will retain some of each old belief systems so it will be familiar to everyone. Therefore, this "image" to the first beast will replace all the old religions with the worship of Satan. This is our god. Lo, we have waited for him. We can see this god, so of course, many will take his mark and his name. Any voices that deny his sovereignty will be silenced if possible.

It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. Unless you take his mark, name and/or number you can not exchange goods or services. Many will not be able to resist. Many more will not understand why they should resist. Therefore, the vast majority of earth's inhabitants will take his mark, name and/or number either on their foreheads representing the deception of their minds or in their right hand indicating they know better and choose to defy the Creator God.

This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666. The number six is humanity's number because mankind was created on the sixth day. This number is the number of a man or better stated, it is mankind's number. Jesus took on the humility and suffering of flesh to save us. Satan will come pretending to be Christ in His glorified body. Both beings appear to man as one of us but for very different purposes.

We have become so preoccupied with wondering who the antichrist is fearful that he may be among us and we will not recognize him. You can not miss him when he comes, but you should try to avoid him. At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Messiah?' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time. "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the wilderness,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms, do not believe it. Matthew 24:23-26

Satan is a glorious, prideful being created by God for good but chose rebellion. His pride makes it very distasteful for him to come in the garment of a man. In comparison, Christ willingly became lower than the angels by putting on flesh to save flesh. Satan would only humble himself in such a lowly manner as a last ditch effort to deceive and destroy us. He will get caught in his on web of deceit!

12How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”
15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead,
to the depths of the pit.

16 Those who see you stare at you,
they ponder your fate:
“Is this the man who shook the earth
and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a wilderness,
who overthrew its cities
and would not let his captives go home?”

Isaiah 14:12-17

God is a spirit and we must worship Him in spirit because we can not see Him face-to-face, yet! John 4:24 God created all the angels to be ministering spirits, including Satan. Hebrews 1:14 However, Satan is a murder and a liar from the very beginning. He is a very evil spirit. Currently, he is not visible, but he is present in our world. You can see the effects of him so we know he is present. There are many that refuse to believe he exists because they can not see him, but when he appears asking for their allegiance, so many will fall at his feet and worship him.

Angelic beings have appeared to mankind in times past. Although they come looking like men, they are very glorious in appearance. It is so very tempting for even the godly man to fall down and worship angels as if they were gods. Even John fell down and began to worship an angel. I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” Revelation 22:8-9 When Satan comes in a man's body, but still revealing the glory that God gave him, everyone but the very elect will fall down and worship him as if he were the Creator God.

Wait for your God! He is coming and soon. He will not delay, but is patient and long-suffering, unwilling that any would perish with this world. It may be my loved one or yours that He is calling and willing to wait for. We must also be patient and endure until the very end.

1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter —asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

The Lord is not slack in His appearing. Please turn the page and learn more about the mercies of God and His soon glorious coming!