Revelation 12-17: The Antichrist, 666 and Babylon
Today’s Bible Translation
Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 12-16 WEB, Ch. 17 NLV
Associate Producer
Timothy LaFontaine
Podcast Introduction
It’s Prophecy Friday. Our reading will be Revelation 12-17, I’m calling this episode “The Antichrist, 666 and Babylon.“
Summary
In Revelation 10-12, the Bible discusses spiritual warfare, emphasizing that our battles are not against people, but against spiritual forces of wickedness. In Revelation 12, there’s a symbolic image of a woman, representing the church, with the sun as Jesus, a crown of twelve stars as the twelve apostles, and the moon as the Jewish people. The dragon, symbolizing Satan, has always tried to harm humanity and the church. Despite ongoing battles, Satan’s defeat is certain, thanks to God’s love and patience as He awaits more believers.
In Revelation 13 and 14, we encounter prophecies like the fall of Babylon and the mysterious number 666. Speculations about its meaning have existed throughout history, but its true significance will become clear when the time comes. Superstitions about this number are unwarranted. Instead, we should focus on doing the work God called us to, loving Him and others, and spreading the Good News.
Revelation 17 and 18 discuss a great sinful city, Babylon. While its identity is uncertain, we should find encouragement in the fact that throughout history, evil entities have risen but eventually faced destruction. Recent examples like ISIS remind us that evil will ultimately be judged by God. We serve a powerful and just God who acts at the perfect time, bringing swift and certain judgment when necessary.
Listen to the episode for more!
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The Team
Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Denise: Transcript Correction
Michael Haner: Podcasting 2.0 Chapters
Lifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider: Show Art
Jason Paschall: Show Art
Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney: Newsletter Publisher
Transcript
Transcript not yet corrected.
Steve Webb 0:00
That’s just plain foolish.
Steve Webb 0:03
This is the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. My name is Steve Webb I am your OG Godcaster is prophecy Friday. and our reading today is Revelation 12 through 17. The website is Lifespringmedia.com. and I’ll have contact information at the end of today’s show. Before we read, let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, Lord, we thank You for Your Word. and we thank you for the book of Revelation. We pray, Lord, that as we read this sometimes very difficult to understand book, we pray that you would teach us, help us to see what it is you want us to understand. Teach us we pray in Jesus name, Amen. All right, beloved, are you ready? Let’s begin.
Steve Webb 0:48
Revelation chapter 12, is a great sign was seen in heaven. A woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and on her head, a crown of 12 stars. She was with child, she cried out in pain, laboring to give birth. Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns, and on his head’s seven crowns, His tail drew 1/3 of the stars of the sky and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth, he might devour her child. She gave birth to his son, a male child, who was to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her 1260 days, there was war in the sky, Michael and his angels made war on the dragon, the dragon and his angels made war. They didn’t prevail. Neither was a place found for him anymore in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down the old serpent, he who was called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, now the salvation, the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. They overcame him because of the lambs blood, and because of the word of their testimony, they didn’t love their life, even to death. Therefore, rejoice heavens, and you who dwell in them, whoa to the Earth into the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time. When the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time and times and half the time from the face of the serpent. The serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. The Earth helped the woman and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed up the river which the dragon spewed out of his mouth. The dragon grew angry with a woman and went away to make war with the rest of our offspring, who keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus testimony.
Steve Webb 3:24
Revelation chapter 13. Then I stood on the sand of the sea, I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having 10 horns and seven heads. On his horns were 10 crowns, and on his heads blasphemous names. The beast, which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne and great authority. One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally, his fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast. They worshipped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast saying, who was like the beast who was able to make war with him, a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. authority to make war for 42 months was given to him. He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. It was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. authority over every tribe, people, language and nation was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world, in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone has to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints. I saw another beast coming up out of the air If he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon, and he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people. He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lift, it was given to him to give breath to it to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and causes many is wouldn’t worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all the small and the Great, the rich and the poor, the free and the slave to be given marks on their right hands or on their foreheads, and that no one would be able to buy or sell unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast for it is the number of a man his number is 666.
Steve Webb 6:13
Revelation chapter 14, I saw and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number 144,000 having his name and the name of his father written on their foreheads. I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps. They sang a new song before the throne. and before the four living creatures and the elders, no one could learn the song except the 144,000, those who had been redeemed out of the earth. These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. in their mouth was found no lie for their blameless I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal good news to proclaim those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said with a loud voice, Fear the Lord and give Him glory, for the hour of His judgment has come worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of waters.Another a second angel followed, saying, Babylon the Great has fallen, which has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, and another angel, a third, follow them saying with a great voice. If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger, he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest, day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. Here is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I heard a voice from heaven saying, right, bless it are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors for their works follow with them. I looked and behold a white cloud. and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head, a golden crown, and in his hand, a sharp sickle. Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, send your sickle and reap for the hour to reap his come for the harvest of the earth is ripe. He who sat on the cloud, Thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. Another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven, he also had a sharp sickle. Another angel came out from the altar, He who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, Send your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth. For the earth, scrapes are fully ripe. The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great wind press of the wrath of God. The wind press was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out of the wind press, even to the bridles of the horses. As far as 1600 stadia in
Steve Webb 9:37
Revelation, chapter 15. I saw another great and marvelous sign in the sky, seven angels having the seven last plagues for in them God’s wrath is finished. I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, his image and the number of his name standing on the sea of glass having harps of God. They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying, Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God, the Almighty, righteous and true are your ways you king of the nations. Who wouldn’t fear you, Lord and glorify your name, For you are holy, for all the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened, the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out clothed with Pure Bright linen, and wearing golden sashes around their breasts. One of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels, seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power, no one was able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels will be finished.
Steve Webb 10:56
Revelation chapter 16. I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth. The first went and poured out his bowl into the earth, and it became a harmful and evil sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his image. The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man. Every living thing in the sea died, the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. I heard the angel of the waters saying, you are righteous, who are and who were you holy one, because you have judged these things, for they poured out the blood of the saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve this. I heard the altar saying, Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments. The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given to him to scorch men with fire. People were scorched with great heat, and people blasphemed, the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They didn’t repent and give Him glory. The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast and his kingdom was darkened. They nod their tongues because of the pain and they blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They didn’t repent of their works. The six poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates, its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings that come from the sunrise, I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, something like frogs, for their spirits of demons, performing signs which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited Earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God the Almighty. Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his clothes so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame. He gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew Megiddo. The sevens poured out his bowl into the air, a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying it is done. There were lightnings sounds and thunders. and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men on the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty. The great city was divided into three parts and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the grade was remembered in the sight of God to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. Great hailstones about the weight of a talent came down out of the sky on people. People blaspheme to God because of the plague of the hail for this plague is exceedingly severe.
Steve Webb 13:48
Revelation chapter 17. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven jars came to me, he said, Come, I will show you how the powerful woman who sells the use of her body will be punished. She sits on the many waters of the world, the kings of the earth have done sex sins with her, the people of the world have been made drunk with a wine of her sex sins. I was carried away in the spirit by the angel to a desert. I saw a woman sitting on a red wild animal. It had seven heads and 10 horns. All over the red wild animal was written bad names, which spoke against God. The woman was wearing purple and red clothes. She was wearing gold and pearls and stones worth much money. and she had in her hand a gold cup full of sinful things from her sex sins. There was a name written on her forehead, which had a secret meaning it said, the big and powerful Babylon mother of all women who sell the use of their bodies, and mother of everything sinful of the earth. I looked at the woman she was drunk with the blood of God’s people, and those who had been killed for telling about Jesus. Well I saw her, I wondered very much. The angel asked me, Why do you wonder? I will tell you the secret about this woman and the red wild animal that carries her. It is the red wild animal was seven heads and 10 horns. The red wild animal you saw was alive but is now dead. He will come up from the hole without a bottom and be destroyed. The people of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the beginning of the world, will be surprised as they look at the red wild animal. He was alive but not now, but will yet come. Here is where we need wisdom. The seven heads of the animal or mountains where the woman sits, they are seven kings, also. Five of them are no longer kings. The sixth one is now King, the seventh one will be king, but only for a little while. The red wild animal that died is the eighth king. He belongs to the first seven kings, but he will be destroyed also, the 10 horns of the red wild animal which you saw are 10 kings, they have not become leaders yet, but they will be given the right and the power to lead their nations for one hour with the red wild animal. They agree to give the right and the power to the red wild animal. and these kings will fight and make war with a lamb. But the lamb will win the war because he is Lord of lords and King of Kings. His people are the called and chosen and faithful ones. Then the angel said to me, you saw the waters where the woman who sold the use of her body is sitting. The waters are people in large groups of people and nations and languages. The 10 horns you saw in the red wild animal will hate the woman who sold the use of her body, they will take everything from her and even her clothes, they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. God put in their minds a plan that would carry out his desire, they will agree to give their nation to the read wild animal until the words of God had been completed. The woman you saw is the big and powerful city that has power over the kings of the earth.
Steve Webb 17:09
Ephesians 6:12 says, “…for our wrestling is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities, against the powers against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” In today’s reading of revelation 12, we saw more of that spiritual warfare with what John described as a great sign in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars. Most commentators agree that the woman represents the church, the bride of Christ, the son is Jesus, the crown of 12 stars as the 12 apostles, and the moon is the Jewish people. Of course, the dragon is Satan who has tried from the very beginning of human history to destroy humanity in general in the church and particular, this warfare will continue until Satan is thrown into the pit. One thing we do know is that his defeat is as sure as sure can be, the war has already been won. The battles continue only because of God’s great love as He waits for the fullness of time, and the final soul to be added to the role of believers. Until then our job is to proclaim the gospel, the good news of a risen Savior. This is what is meant in chapter 12 Verse 11, which says, they meaning the believers overcame him meaning Satan, because of the lambs blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death. Yes, there will be martyrs. But as we’ve already seen, God will dry their tears. The important thing, beloved, is to remain faithful. Whatever we go through here on Earth is temporary and fleeting. and an eternity with God is certainly something glorious to look forward to, don’t you think? and then as we read Revelation and try to understand the prophecies contained in it, like the fall of Babylon and the mark of the beast to the 666, which is the number of a man, it’s natural. and this has been happening probably since John wrote the book of Revelation to try to understand them and put them into a familiar frame of reference. For example, considering the number of 666. Throughout history, believers have thought that it was Nero to Mohamed to Henry Kissinger to Barack Obama to George Soros to Klaus Schwab. I’m certainly not going to venture a guess because until he is revealed to guesses just to guess, we can know this. The number does represent a very real person, and when the time comes, everybody’s going to know who he is. Now, some people are superstitious about the number. If the total at the cash register comes up to 666 They’ll buy something else to change it. Athletes who are assigned entry number 666 oftentimes will ask for a different number or they’ll refuse to compete. Listen. In my opinion, that’s just plain foolish as all superstitions are. So in terms of Babylon, who is this great city, this one who sinned greatly caused others to sin was rich and brought riches to those who threw in with her, and was drunk with a blood of God’s people. Are you ready? Here’s the answer. I don’t know. I can speculate. But I’m not going to. I just want to bring your attention to something that should bring encouragement to your heart. When we see evil arise, we can take heart knowing that God will bring justice and judgment, even the harlot of Babylon, whoever she may be, he will be destroyed. We do not serve an impotent God. We do not serve a Deaf God. We do not serve a heartless God, we serve a God who acts at precisely the perfect time. and when the time comes for judgment, it will come swiftly and surely, all these prophecies we read about in Revelation will happen just as the prophecies of Jesus first coming did. The best thing for us to do beloved in preparation for His Second Coming, is to do the work he called us to do love God with all of our heart and soul and mind, love others and share the good news until the day of his coming, or until we’re called home. What do you think? Do you have thoughts or questions? Let me hear from you. Send a Boostagram or call the Lifespring family hotline, go to the comments page or write an email. Tomorrow we’ll be gospels Saturday, and our reading will be Acts 25 and 26.
Steve Webb 21:38
Timothy LaFontaine is our associate producer today he came in with his monthly $20 donation. Timothy, thank you and God bless you. and uh Boostagram came in at 400 sat Boostagram came in from fountain user @poppapackfan who happens to be a longtime friend of mine, Wayne Henderson. and Wayne sent this message, Steve, thanks for everything over the years. I voted for you the other day in those podcast towards praying for you side Wayne. Well, thanks very much, Wayne, I appreciate that. Great to hear from you. Beloved, it’s the value for value supportive Timothy and Wayne and so many others that has helped to enable me to bring the Lifespring! One Year Bible to you this season. and I’m so grateful for each donation of time, talent or treasure. If you’ve been listening, but have not yet made a donation. Maybe it’s time. Are you glad the show’s been here for you. Maybe this is the first time you’ve ever been able to read the entire Bible completely through, maybe you’ve learned a new discipline. Maybe you understand the Bible just a little bit better. Your donation now will help me to keep the more than 3000 episodes online at Lifespringmedia.com into the future so that others will be able to enjoy them. My plan is to keep the website alive for as long as possible. But just like everything else in life, there are costs to that your donation no matter what size will help pay those costs. Would you pray about it please? Then go to this website.
Steve Webb 23:03
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Steve Webb 23:05
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Steve Webb 23:08
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Steve Webb 24:10
As always, I invite your comments and your questions. There are several ways to get in touch with me. You can send to Boostagram using a modern podcast app, or call the Lifespring family hotline and plus 1-951-732-8511 Or if you’ve got a prayer request or a praise report, go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com and if you’ve got a comment or a question, go to comment.lifespringmedia.com or send an email to me at st***@*************ia.com.
Steve Webb 24:47
Thanks to the team Sister Denise Michael Haner Scott Snider, Jason Paschall and sister Brittaney for their generous donations of time and talent. Jason Paschall did today’s show art thanks also to Timothy LaFontaine and Wayne Henderson for helping to make this episode possible. Beloved, I pray the rest of your day is great. Thanks for inviting me along until tomorrow may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye.
Announcer 25:14
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Announcer 25:19
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai
