The dragon and the two beasts (Ch. 13)

Chapter 13

Satan is defeated. Everything he started failed. Now he attacks the church.

And he does this in two way:

• With brute force and persecution
• with deception

The second point is very important, as this gives a lot of insights. The dragon and the two beasts create a trinity resembling God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit by resembling the topic of power and authority, resurrection and miracles.7

Even this looks on the first look like a perfect deception, there are major differences. While Jesus does everything out of love, in weakness and allows rejection, the dragon and his minions do not allow this at all and are the full opposite: He uses fear, manipuation, persecution and death and covers up any weaknesses.

The is the difference between the church and Satans doing. While Satan can use a lot of power, it is the church that is distinctive by working out of love without fear or manipulation.

The second beast is also interesting: It has two horns like a lamb but the voice of a dragon. People will fall for the deception because this looks like the lamb. The distinction is only by voice. And only Jesus sheep hear his voice.

So the world is fooled by this but the church is able to see the difference and act accordingly. At least it’s what the church should do.