Before it begins, please read Rev13 for a better understanding. As we learned in Rev12, there was a war in Rev13 where the chosen people were defeated by the destroyers because of their sins. Since three entities will all be in the same place and many things will happen, it’s better to know the content of the chapter first.

Ready? Then, let’s begin.

Gwak Jong-ryul, the tribe leader of the Bartholomew Tribe teaches this lesson.

The fulfillment of this chapter took place before Rev12. In Rev12, the beast was already in heaven (the first tabernacle), then, it was kicked out from heaven because it lost the battle. In Rev13, the beast came up from the sea and entered heaven, then, defeated the chosen people dwelling in heaven. In reality, the beast came in Rev13 and defeated the chosen people, then, marked their foreheads and right hands with the mark of the beast: 666. This beast was kicked out when the male child and his brothers defeated it in Rev12. The male child and his brothers’ weapons were the blood of the lamb and ‘the word of their testimony’. They testified that the beast came in as a destroyer, destroying the first tabernacle. If Rev13, the destruction, happened after Rev12, the male child and his brothers wouldn’t have any proof to reveal the beast’s identity – the destroyer.

At the beginning of this chapter, John sees a beast is coming out of the sea. This beast has seven heads and ten horns. As we kept learning from this seminar, Revelation is full of parables. This also is a parable. Mt24:15 also promised a destroyer’s presence in heaven, mentioning the book of Daniel. In Dan7:2-7, the great beasts come out of the sea. In verse 17, it says the four great beasts are four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. In 1Pt2:9, it says chosen people are a royal priesthood, “a holy nation”, a people belonging to God. The Bible calls people a nation. In Rev17, the many waters that the great prostitute was sitting on were peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. This sea is not a physical body of water. The sea was the religious world. From that world, false pastors emerge and trespass the first tabernacle. In Prov30:2-3, a false pastor who doesn’t understand God and his word was described as a beast. The beast in this chapter has the body parts of a leopard, a bear, and a lion. They were described as predators because they devour God’s chosen people just like those animals devour sheep.

Its seven heads and ten horns are explained in Rev17:9-10, 12. Seven heads are seven pastors (seven hills, seven kings) and ten horns are ten authority figures. Those ten people have the power to affect the churches, but they don’t own the churches (ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom).

The dragon gives his authority and his throne to the beast. What does it mean? In Rev20:2, an angel seizes the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan. The dragon represents an evil spirit. Satan gave his authority and power to the beast-like pastors. It means they’re with Satan and they received an authority to preach the doctrine of Satan. It’s completely opposite to the one who overcomes, who was allowed to sit with Jesus and became the throne of God and Jesus in Rev3:21.

The Bible says one of the seven heads of the beast has a fatal wound and it was healed. This means those seven pastors fought over a position. During the struggle, one of the pastors was heartbroken. Then, the case was well resolved, he received the position he wanted, so his feeling got better. In reality, he’s Mr. Earth as we saw before in the previous lessons.

The beast received the authority to work for 42 months in heaven. This is the same event that happened in the outer court of the tabernacle in Rev11:2. The outer court was given to the Gentiles to trample on for 42 months. This is 42 months when the false pastors preach and rule over the temple. This event already happened in Sep. 1980 – Mar. 1984.

The beast makes war against the saints and conquers them. The false pastors defeated the congregation members and conquered the first tabernacle with false doctrines and teaching authorities. The Bible says that the result of the people who worship the beast in Rev14:9-10. They will be tormented with burning sulfur. We must see and believe the reality of the fulfillment of Revelation, not believing the false doctrine while following the false pastors.

In the next verse, another beast comes out of the earth. This is the beast who marks the mark of the beast to the believers. Therefore, we must know who it is. In reality, this beast came from the seven golden lampstand tabernacle. Then, he became one with the destroyers. He’s Nicolas, Balaam, and Star Wormwood (Rv2:6, Rv2:14, Rv8-9). He’s Mr. Serpent from the tabernacle temple we saw earlier in previous lessons.

Are the beasts came from the sea and earth different beings? The sea beast came from the religious world (external enemy). On the other hand, the earth beast came from the tabernacle (internal enemy).

This earth beast speaks like the dragon and exercised all the authority that the sea beast did. This means he also speaks Satan’s doctrines and he acts as an agent of the sea beast. It makes people worship the sea beast. This means he made congregation members follow the destroyer, also made them believe that the destroyer was the true pastor.

It even causes fire to come down from heaven to earth. This means this earth beast preached the doctrine of the beast from the altar of the tabernacle and killed the spirits of the congregation members. In Jer5:14, the word of God was compared to the fire and his people were compared to the wood. Not only the word of God compared to the fire, but also, the word of Satan was compared to the fire. In Rev9:17, the horses breathed fire, smoke, and sulfur. The third of the men were killed by this fire. God’s fire consumes the sins of people and judges them if they don’t repent. On the contrary, Satan’s fire kills the inner beings of people.

The earth beast set up an image of the sea beast to make people worship the sea beast. If you remember Rev2, you’ll feel familiar with this content. The people who belonged to the seven messengers ate the food sacrificed to the idol. This is the same event. Of course, it’s not a physical image or idol. In Hab2:18, it is told that the idols are made by a man and teach lies. The image and the idol here mean the false pastor who teaches lies to the members. In reality, the beast ordained 17 evangelists of the tabernacle as pastors. These evangelists had never gone to the seminary. Those people who didn’t go to the seminary became pastors by just laying a hand on their heads. After being ordained by the destroyers, those former evangelists became one with the destroyers. The earth beast in this chapter says that those who don’t worship this image will be killed. This means if anyone doesn’t follow these false pastors, they will be expelled from the church.

Finally, we get to know the true meaning of the mark of the beast, 666. Before covering it, there’s what we need to know. In Revelation, there’s a ‘mark’ and a ‘seal’. What’s the difference? Actually, there’s no difference in the meaning of the terms. What matters is whose mark or seal. In Rev13, the earth beast marks people with the mark of the beast. Whoever receives this mark will end up in hell. On the contrary, angels in Rev14 seal God’s servants with a living seal. Whoever has this seal goes to heaven.

Then, let’s find out what the mark of the beast means. Is it really VeriChips or barcodes?

In 1Tim4:1-2, it is said that the consciences are seared as with a hot iron when someone receives demons’ teachings. The mark of the beast means the false doctrines of the beast. On the contrary, in Jn3:31-34, the man who has accepted it (Jesus’ testimony) has certified that God is truthful. God’s name is God’s word (Jn1:1). In this case, the name of the beast is the doctrine of the beast.

Then, what does it mean to receive the mark on their foreheads and their right hands? The pastors received their ordain on their heads and members swore an oath of acknowledgment of the doctrine of the beast.

If anyone refuses to receive this mark, they’re not able to buy or sell anything. This means they were not allowed to preach or listen to the preach if they don’t acknowledge the doctrine of the beast. In Mt13:45-46, preaching the word was compared to buying the pearls. Also, in Mt25:16, the selling of the word is compared to the trading of the talents.

Why does the number have to be ‘666’? It’s because this beast was like King Solomon in the Old Testament. In 2Chr9:13, the weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents. This number symbolizes Solomon. What did Solomon do? In 1Kgs10 and 11, Solomon was the one who made the shields out of gold. He built the high places in Jerusalem and worshiped them. Then, he served and worshiped foreign gods and made the whole nation of Israel belong to Satan. Like so, the beast made the whole tabernacle belong to Satan.

Marking the mark of the beast also already took happened in the past (it is the same event that was described in Rev9:15). It happened on the appointment of the pastors at 2 p.m., 20th Sep. 1981.

The Bible says the result of people who received the mark of the beast. In Rev14:9-11, they’ll be tormented in the burning sulfur. Those who didn’t receive this mark will participate in the First Resurrection in Rev20:4-5.

Next time, we’ll learn Rev14 which explains God’s kingdom, Mt. Zion. In the chapter, the elected who gathered from the east and the west are sealed and build God’s nation. Then, God and the kingdom of God descend here and live forever.

The lecturer, Gwak Jong-ryul, the tribe leader of Bartholomew Tribe, closed the lecture by saying, “let’s all become one in God, who is the source of all the blessings. Under the teachings of Jesus about freedom, peace, and love, those who belong to Jesus’ church and who believe in Jesus and all people in the religion must become one. If we become one, wars will end, peace will be established, and we’ll live forever together in paradise. In freedom, peace, and love, let’s build a heavenly world without sin, without the law. WE ARE ONE!

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