45-The United States in Prophecy - NIV

1. It Is God Who Rules the Nations. He Sets Them up for a Time.
2 Chronicles 20:6 And said: "O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the _kingdoms_ of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can _withstand_ you.

Bible prophecy discusses those nations which play a role in the overall plan and purpose of God. The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation follow the sequential flow of history, while accomplishing this.

 2. God Reveals the Mysteries of the Future Through His Prophets.
Amos 3:7 Surely the _Sovereign_ LORD does nothing without _revealing_ his plan to his servants the prophets.

3. There Are Six Clear Identifying Marks Which Reveal the Leopard Like Beast of Revelation 13 As Representing the Roman Church.
Revelation 13:2 The beast I saw _resembled_ a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great _authority_.

4. A - It Rises From the Sea.
Revelation 13:1 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten _crowns_ on his horns, and on each head a _blasphemous_ name.

Revelation 17:15 Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the _prostitute_ sits, are peoples, _multitudes_, nations and languages.

5. B - It Received the Seat of Its Government From Pagan Rome.
Revelation 13:2 The beast I saw _resembled_ a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great _authority_.

6. C - It Claims the Privileges and Prerogatives of God.
Revelation 13:5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and _blasphemies_ and to exercise his _authority_ for forty-two months.

Luke 5:20-21 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." [21] The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to _themselves_, "Who is this fellow who speaks _blasphemy_? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

7. D - It Persecutes the Saints (Believers. ).
Revelation 13:7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given _authority_ over every tribe, people, _language_ and nation.

8. E - It Reigns Supreme for 42 Months, Or 1, 260 Days Or Literal Years.
Revelation 13:5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and _blasphemies_ and to exercise his _authority_ for forty-two months.

9. F - the Leopard Like Beast of Revelation 13 Is Identified with the Mysterious Number 666.
Revelation 13:18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has _insight_, let him _calculate_ the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.

10. The Second Beast Arises at the Same Time the First Beast Goes into Captivity, Or Around 1798. The Second Beast Is a Separate Power From the Leopard Like Beast.
Revelation 13:10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient _endurance_ and _faithfulness_ on the part of the saints.

11. The Second Beast Rises Rapidly From the Earth - An Unpopulated, Or Sparsely Populated Area. The Second Beast Has Two Horns with No Crowns. It Has No King. It Is a Democratic Republic Form of Government.
Revelation 13:11 Then I saw another beast, _coming_ out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a _dragon_.

12. The Features of the Lamblike Beast Rapidly Turned to That of a Dragon. Religious Liberty Is Followed by Religious Oppression.
Revelation 13:11-12 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. [12] He _exercised_ all the _authority_ of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its _inhabitants_ worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.

13. The Second Beast (The United States) Gives Its Influence to the First Beast, the Papacy. The Central Issue in the Final Conflict Is Worship.
Revelation 13:12 He exercised all the _authority_ of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its _inhabitants_ worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.

Revelation 14:6-7 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to _proclaim_ to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, _language_ and people. [7] He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his _judgment_ has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the _springs_ of water."

Revelation 14:12 This calls for patient _endurance_ on the part of the saints who obey God's _commandments_ and remain faithful to Jesus.

14. The Sabbath Is God's Eternal Sign of True Worship.
Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to _receive_ glory and honor and power, for you created all _things_, and by your will they were created and have their being."

Exodus 20:8-11 "_Remember_ the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. [9] Six days you shall labor and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or _daughter_, nor your _manservant_ or _maidservant_, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. [11] For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. _Therefore_ the LORD _blessed_ the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Ezekiel 20:12 Also I gave them my _Sabbaths_ as a sign _between_ us, so they would know that I the LORD made them holy.

15. Satan Will Use Miraculous Signs and Wonders at a Time of International Crisis to Forge a Union of Church and State Power. This Union Will Violently Oppose and Oppress God's People.
Revelation 13:13-14 And he _performed_ great and _miraculous_ signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. [14] Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he _deceived_ the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was _wounded_ by the sword and yet lived.

16. God's Faithful People Will Not Yield to the Coercive Pressure to Violate God's Law.
Revelation 12:17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God's _commandments_ and hold to the _testimony_ of Jesus.

Next Bible Study: 46-The Last Supper And The Communion Service

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