Verses 5-10 — Modus Operandi
5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 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 language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
10 If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:5-10–ESV)
The beast is the “spokesbeing” doing the bidding of the Dragon. What is its mode of operation? Blasphemy. Haughtiness. Pride. Where are these directed? Not toward other nations for this is not a nationalist movement. Rather they are directed at God, at Heaven, at those who have made their abode there.
Occasionally I will find myself troubled over the ability of Satan to deceive those who are on earth. My mind makes them out to be blank slates ready to be written upon and I worry that maybe they do not know of God. Perhaps I might be wanting to absolve these people of guilt over following the beast, but…they are not unaware of God. They know of him, they know of heaven and they know people have gone and are with God the Father and Jesus his son. People know this because they are the focal point of the Devil’s enmity. All men are given consciences as well and while they can be seared inklings muddle around in their brains giving shouts here and whispers there that a thing is wrong with the Devil’s brew.
The saints do not win…
Not all God followers are off the earth at this point. Some are in heaven and those are mocked, derided, blasphemed. Others remain behind and are mixed among the nations of the earth. In verse 7 it can be seen that the beast is granted a pass to attack the saints. Not only so, but to conquer them. Authority over all the people groups of the earth was granted to the Beast.
A black worship service
The Beast gains quite a following and global worship. The outcome of the world is not an atheistic vantage point. It is a beastly worship service and the orgy goes out across the whole earth. Not all the saints are killed for some are left to not worship the beast.
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