And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19:20
We recently engaged in a debate over who was the worst despot in history. Names came up such as middle-ages butchers known as Tamerlane and Ivan the Terrible, both famous for their savage slaughter of their enemies, for example, Tamerlane used to wipe out entire cities and built towers using the skulls of his victims. The atrocities of Robespierre, one of the masterminds of the French Revolution, made the list, as did Mao Tse-tung (Chairman Mao), whose personal holocaust claimed the lives of some 30 million Chinese. And who can forget the horrors of Joseph Stalin’s bloody and repressive regime that led to some 20 million Russians dying from executions, starvation, and inhuman repression. Perhaps the most evil despot was Adolph Hitler, exterminator of six million Jews, in addition to untold number of others who he considered undesirable, along with the millions of military and civilian victims of the war he caused. And don’t forget Pol Pot, who wiped out several million of his people in the killing fields of Cambodia. All these terrible despots pale in comparison with the wickedness and atrocities of the man known as the beast.
We don’t know what his name is; he has yet to be unveiled, although some have speculated that he is already alive and being groomed for his future role. During the great tribulation, the beast will emerge and establish himself as the one able to unite warring factions and establish peace. He will bring the world’s economies, religions, and other organizations together with his great persuasion and promises. And he will set himself up as a god to be worshipped in defiance of the true God of Heaven. His cohort, the false prophet, will, as our text declares, perform great miracles to convince the people to serve and worship the beast. Unlike despots of the past, the beast will control most of the world, and will gather the world’s armies to defy God. He will lose, of course, he won’t stand a chance against the One Who will defeat the forces of evil and set up a world government of perfection.
In contrast to the cruelty, lies, and wickedness of the beast, the Lord Jesus will set up His kingdom of peace and truth, and absolute righteousness that will endure for a thousand years. Never will this world have ever seen such a period of peace, prosperity, and blessing. The Lord Jesus will prove that He is the rightful King, in sharp contrast to the abject failure of all of the men who have come before Him. When we consider His kingdom, we could long to see it and be part of it. Although it will be some time before His kingdom is established in this world, we can allow Him to establish His kingdom in our hearts today.
The world around us is willing to submit to the false and evil reign of false and evil men. Let us submit to the righteous reign of the Son of Righteousness. -Jim MacIntosh