CALVARYMAC HAPPENINGS
- STORY NIGHT featuring sisters Beka Carlson & Melissa Garner // Jan 19, 2023 // 7P - Join us for our upcoming Story Night event, featuring food, fellowship, live music, and a chance to hear TWO stories and how they intertwine. Invite all the ladies in your life for this very special free event where sisters Beka and Melissa share their stories. Beka and Melissa are sisters. They are wives, mothers, and teachers. At young ages, they were deeply rooted in God’s love. As they grew, those roots were tested through some painful pruning and harsh weather. Through illness, trials, and grief, Beka and Melissa had each other… and the loving Gardener of their hearts. Their stories are ones of healing, new beginnings, and most of all, hope. Register at CalvaryMac.com/Women.
- New to CalvaryMac? Join us for Free Taco’s DNA Lunch // January 15 // 12:30P - Are you new to CalvaryMac? Join us for a free catered lunch from Jose’s Taqueria to discover what makes CalvaryMac unique and what we’re all about. Childcare is provided with a Pizza Party in the kids wing. Let us know you are coming so we know how many taco’s to get! Register at CalvaryMac.com/dna-lunch.
- Calvary Youth Winter Camp ‘23 // January 27-29 // Trout Creek Bible Camp - We are heading to Trout Creek Bible Camp for Winter Camp this year! We will be leaving CalvaryMac on Friday, January 27th at 5pm in a big yellow bus and will be returning on Sunday, January 29th (roughly 2pm) in the same big yellow bus. Winter cabin camping and time in the Word is on the docket, as well as loads of other fun things! Don’t miss it! Register at CalvaryMac.com/Youth.
- Financial Peace University // Begins January 26 - Join the millions who never have to worry about money again. With Financial Peace University, you’ll learn the proven plan to pay off debt fast and save more money for your future. Financial Peace University is a nine-lesson course that teaches you how to save for emergencies, pay off debt fast, spend wisely, and invest for your future. And no complicated financial blah blah blah over here. For over 25 years, Dave Ramsey’s been teaching commonsense, biblical money principles that work. Every time. Register at CalvaryMac.com.
- Ladies Retreat // April 21-23, 2023 // Silver Falls CRC - Ladies, join us for our April 21-23 retreat in Silverton. Spots are limited and you don’t want to miss this time of fellowship and teaching from Christa Jackson. Register at CalvaryMac.com/Women.
- Annual Vision/Operations Meeting // January 22 // 6P - Join us as our staff, ministry leaders, and church board share what is happening at CalvaryMac, our current ministry resources, and what is next for CalvaryMac.
- Rita Manzell Celebration of Life Service // January 20 // 3P - On Christmas Eve Rita Manzell went home to be with Jesus. We will gather Friday afternoon January 20th at 3pm to celebrate Rita’s life with family, friends, and church family.
- CHRISTIAN WRITING GROUPS–AND UPCOMING BOOK FAIR! - Beginning this year, our Monday evening writing group will meet the second Monday of each month, so January 9th will be the next meeting at the Owen home. The meeting time is still 6:30 pm. Contact Shelli at s.d.a.o.writing@gmail.com for her address. Come to be encouraged, hone your writing skills, and support other writers. Also, come learn details about an upcoming book fair opportunity.
SERMON NOTES: REVELATION 13:1
The beast will be an inverse imitation of Jesus.
We can be confident while interpreting prophetic signs in Revelation by simply letting
inverse - ĭn-vûrs’ - reversed in order, nature, or effect - the exact opposite
REVELATION 13:1 // A VISION OF A BEAST COMING OUT OF THE SEA
The dragon… —Revelation 13:1a
A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. —Revelation 12:1-2
Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. —Revelation 12:3
The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. —Revelation 12:9
#5 key principle of interpreting the book of Revelation:
When a meaning of a passage is unclear go to clearer passages to interpret the unclear passage.
Because John clearly identifies the dragon as symbolizing Satan; this detail will not only help to identify who the beast out of the sea
The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. —Revelation 13:1b
What God displays to John in this vision about the dragon and the beast out of the sea reveals everything Satan will attempt to accomplish through this person, symbolized as a beast, is a
The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. —Revelation 13:1c
It will be clear from what John writes (both here and elsewhere in Scripture) that this beast will not be what he appears to be. Thus, God wants John, and those who read Revelation, to view this person with a biblical lens. While to the world he will appear Christlike, in reality he will be a terrifying
#2 key principle of interpreting the book of Revelation:
Finite human language is insufficient in its ability to describe infinite spiritual reality.
It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns… —Revelation 13:1d
In the vision God displays for John He makes it clear that this beast, while a unique and a separate person, is a reflection of Satan himself—a
It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. —Revelation 13:1e
blasphemy - blăs’fẽ-mē - to speak with contempt about God or to be defiantly irreverent. Blasphemy is verbal or written reproach of God’s name, character, work, or attributes —GotQuestions.org
blasphemy - blăs’fẽ-mē - lies that are actually the opposite who God truly is. —Brian
This beast out of the sea, who will be the very reflection of Satan in the flesh, is so antithetical to the name, character, work, and attributes of Jesus Christ that each of his seven heads epitomizes lies that are actually the
WHO DOES THE BEAST OUT OF THE SEA SYMBOLIZE?
The 4 Main Aproaches to Interpreting the book of Revelation:
Arguments for Nero being the Beast out of the Sea: (preterist approach)
1. Nero epitomizes demoniacally inspired persecution against Christians.
2. Taking a Hebrew transliteration of the name and title Nero Caesar, assigning a particular numerical value to each letter, and adding the values, one ends up with 666 (Revelation 13:18).
3. Nero was Caesar around the time of the Fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 which Jesus predicted (Matthew 24, Luke 21 Mark 13).
Significant problems with Nero being the Beast out of the Sea:
1. Nero died in AD 68 by suicide 2 years before the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 & never came back to life.
2. Rev. 19 describes the beast being defeated at the second coming of Christ, not by suicide.
3. The majority of Christian scholars & virtually all of the early church writings place the date of the writing of Revelation in AD 95-96 during the reign of Domitian, 27 years after Nero’s death.
4. In Revelation 19:11-20:6, the Antichrist is defeated at the second coming of Jesus Christ and cast into the lake of fire shortly before the establishment of a 1,000 year reign of Christ.
While Nero is a tempting candidate, he simply does not check all the required boxes. The only way to maintain that Nero is symbolized as the beast out of the sea is to stretch history, ignore textual criticism, and allegorize the book of Revelation to
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. —1 John 2:18
Every demoniacally inspired warmonger who unleashed persecution against God’s people was an antichrist. Every smooth talking politician who appeared selfless yet only delivered pain and suffering to people was an antichrist. Anyone leading people away from the One True God is an antichrist. Yet all of these little antichrists (including Nero and Hitler), were mere
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter —asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. —2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
#1 key principle of interpreting the book of Revelation:
Unless you study the entire Bible, you will misinterpret the book of Revelation.
He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” —Daniel 9:27
Key question: Did Herod ever set himself up in the Temple at Jerusalem proclaiming himself to be God?
We most commonly call him the Antichrist (4x) The beast (37x) throughout Daniel and Revelation. The Bible gives him many names or titles:
1. The beast (Daniel 7)
2. The little horn (Daniel 7:8)
3. The fierce-looking king (Daniel 8:23)
4. The master of intrigue (Daniel 8:23)
5. The ruler that will come (Daniel 9:26-27)
6. The king who exalts himself (Daniel 11:36-45)
7. The one who comes in his own name whom Israel will receive as messiah (John 5:43)
8. The man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
9. The man doomed to destruction (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
10. The Antichrist (1 John 2:18, 22, 4:30 & 2 John 1:7)
11. The rider of the pale horse (Revelation 6:1-2)
12. The beast out of the sea (Revelation 13:1)
13. The beast (Revelation 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
Jesus Christ is THE 100%, authentic, real deal!
The Bible gives Jesus Christ many names and titles too, only they’re the inverse TRUTH:
1. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5)
2. The Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20)
3. The Firstborn over all creation: (Colossians 1:15)
4. The Christ (Matthew 1:16, 16:20, throughout NT)
5. The Messiah (Daniel 9:25-26)
6. The Holy One (Acts 3:14; Psalm 16:10)
7. The Judge (Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:8)
8. The King of kings & Lord of lords (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev 19:16)
9. The Light of the World (John 8:12)
10. The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)
11. The Son of God (Luke 1:35; John 1:49)
12. The Son of man (Daniel 7:13-14)
13. The Word (John 1:1; 1 John 5:7-8)
14. The Word of God (Revelation 19:12-13)
15. The Word of Life (1 John 1:1)
16. The Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8; 22:13)
17. Emmanuel (Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23)
18. The Lord of All (Acts 10:36)
19. True God (1 John 5:20)
20. The Author and Perfecter of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2)
21. The Bread of Life (John 6:35; 6:48)
22. The Bridegroom (Matthew 9:15)
23. The Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14)
24. The Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14)
25. The Lamb of God (John 1:29)
26. The Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6)
27. The Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4)
28. The Resurrection and Life (John 11:25)
29. The Savior (Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:11)
30. Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6)
31. The True Vine (John 15:1)
32. The Deliverer (Romans 11:26)
33. The Way, Truth, Life (John 14:6)
34. I Am (John 8:58, John 18:5, Exodus 3:14)
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE END TIMES?
Bring your toughest questions to The Gathering // Tuesdays // 7P - You may have questions or feel the need to process the book of Revelation. Join us on Tuesday evenings at 7pm in the auditorium to discuss how end times prophecy relates to current events. Wondering about the End Times? Join us Tuesdays at 7P in the Auditorium.
If you want to take the next step in your relationship with Jesus take Planted, our online Christianity 101 course that is also our baptism class. Just go to CalvarMac.com/baptism to get started.