Revelation 13: Great Wonders Part 1

Today's Bible study focus is on verse 13.

"Revelation 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,"

And he doeth great/And he doeth:

Many verses are not mentioned here.

"Luke 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great."

"1 Kings 7:1-2 But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house. He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars."

"Psalms 104:20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth."

"Genesis 17:25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin."

"Galatians 6:12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ."

"Galatians 6:13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh."

"Numbers 15:30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people."

"Daniel 9:14 Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice."

"1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."

"Galatians 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"

"Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith."

We are saved by the law of faith and not by works of the law (Mosaic law)

"Philemon 1:5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;"

"Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

"Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

"Romans 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: "

Works of the law are just baseless and "feel good" rituals; the righteous works (miracles, signs, and wonders) are those done by God, through His Holy Spirit.

Those who are not born again (Holy Spirit filled) don't have any works that save. Righteousness means being born again due to faith, and God makes us righteous.

"Romans 9:30-32 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.

"Romans 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

"Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

"1 Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."

"Hebrews 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;"

Apostasy is the unrepentant abandonment of belief and trust, which is faith, in God's word, that was/is spoken through Jesus Christ and His prophets.

The law was never meant to be carnal or fleshly and for men to do the works/deeds. God commanded the Israelites to do the rituals in order to show that we can't save ourselves by our own works. Our own works/deeds can't atone for sins; only works/deeds of God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit can.

Paul explains in detail in Romans 7, Romans 8, and Romans 9.

"Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin."

"Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."

"Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me."

God renews our mind, which is our heart, with the Holy Spirit when we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."

"Philippians 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."

"Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:"

2 Kings 19 and 2 Chronicles 32 explain more on what happens with apostates (unbelievers in the Christian Church) who war against the saints (believers in the Christian Church).

False prophets try to deceive (after they believe the lies of Satan), which is to destroy people's faith in Jesus's (God's) ability to save and deliver us from sin/death, and cause apostasy. They then convince people that their own works save instead of God's works through the Holy Spirit which dwells in born again Christians. Trust in the works of men, and not Jesus (God's Word and promise of salvation and deliverance), always results in idolatry.

2 Kings 19:10-11 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?"

"2 Kings 19:17-19 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only."

Satan (the Antichrist king/man) will defeat the gods of the unsaved outside of the Christian Church in such a way that it looks like no hope is in sight. This is where walking by faith (being born again), and not by sight (not being born again), comes into practice.

"2 Chronicles 32:15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?"

"2 Chronicles 32:16 And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah."

"2 Chronicles 32:19 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man."

"2 Chronicles 32:17 He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand."

We must trust, believe, and have faith until the end that the Lord Jesus will show up at the day of the Lord and deliver us from evil spirits, evil people and hell/eternal death.

"2 Chronicles 32:22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side."

Hezekiah is a demonstration of both good and evil:

Being sick spiritually means being fallen angel or demon controlled and possessed and not being Holy Spirit filled at all during one's lifespan. The sign that God gives us is Jesus Christ, who gives the Holy Spirit, and He heals our sicknesses (spiritual and physical). Those, who reject Jesus, get the Antichrist (the sign of Jonah).

"2 Chronicles 32:24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign."

Unrepentant sin/unbelief: "2 Chronicles 32:25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem."

Repentant sin/belief: "2 Chronicles 32:26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah."

What does being humble mean?

"Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

"Deuteronomy 4:30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;"

"Deuteronomy 8:20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God."

"2 Samuel 22:45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me."

"Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;"

"Titus 2:9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;"

The voice of the Lord is Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit filled prophets/saints.

"Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

"John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."

"1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:"

"Hebrews 12:19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:"

"Hebrews 12:20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:"

"Hebrews 12:21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)"

"Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?"

"Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:"

In conclusion, we have nothing to worry about if we have enduring faith.

Salvation is rewarded at the second coming of Jesus Christ which is the end of the world.

"Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

"Mark 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

"Romans 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;"

"Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."

"1 Corinthians 1:8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."

"2 Corinthians 1:13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;"

"Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end."

"Revelation 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:"

"1 John 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

"Revelation 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."

"Revelation 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely."