45-The United States in Prophecy - RSV

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, art thou not God in heaven? Dost thou not rule over all the _kingdoms_ of the nations? In thy hand are power and might, so that none is able to _withstand_ thee.

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 Lord GOD does nothing, without _revealing_ his secret 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 And the beast that I saw was like a _leopard_, its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great _authority_.

4. A - It Rises From the Sea.

Revelation 13:1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten _diadems_ upon its horns and a _blasphemous_ name upon its heads.

Revelation 17:15 And he said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the harlot is seated, are peoples and _multitudes_ and nations and _tongues_.

5. B - It Received the Seat of Its Government From Pagan Rome.

6. C - It Claims the Privileges and Prerogatives of God.

Revelation 13:5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and _blasphemous_ words, and it was allowed to exercise _authority_ for forty-two months;

Luke 5:20-21 And when he saw their faith he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." [21] And the scribes and the _Pharisees_ began to question, saying, "Who is this that speaks _blasphemies_? Who can forgive sins but God only?"

7. D - It Persecutes the Saints (Believers. ).

Revelation 13:7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to _conquer_ them. And _authority_ was given it over every tribe and people and tongue and nation,

8. E - It Reigns Supreme for 42 Months, Or 1, 260 Days Or Literal Years.

Revelation 13:5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and _blasphemous_ words, and it was allowed to exercise _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: let him who has _understanding_ reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six _hundred_ and sixty-six.

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 any one is to be taken captive, to _captivity_ he goes; if any one slays with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the _endurance_ and faith 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 which rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb and it _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 which rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. [12] _Itexercises_ all the _authority_ of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its _inhabitants_ worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was 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 _Itexercises_ all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its _inhabitants_ worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

Revelation 14:6-7 Then I saw another angel flying in _midheaven_, with an eternal gospel to _proclaim_ to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; [7] and he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his _judgment_ has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the _fountains_ of water."

Revelation 14:12 Here is a call for the _endurance_ of the saints, those who keep the _commandments_ of God and the faith of Jesus.

14. The Sabbath Is God's Eternal Sign of True Worship.

Revelation 4:11 "Worthy art thou, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou didst create all things, and by thy will they _existed_ and were _created_."

Exodus 20:8-11 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep 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; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your _daughter_, your _manservant_, or your _maidservant_, or your cattle, or the _sojourner_ who is within your gates; [11] for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; _therefore_ the LORD blessed the sabbath day and _hallowed_ it.

Ezekiel 20:12 Moreover I gave them my _sabbaths_, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I the LORD _sanctify_ them.

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 It works great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of men; [14] and by the signs which it is allowed to work in the _presence_ of the beast, it _deceives_ those who dwell on earth, bidding them make an image for the beast which 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 angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the _commandments_ of God and bear _testimony_ to Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

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

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