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Babylon is the source of the ideologies and structures of this world. God is calling His saints to come out of the defiled city before it is too late . The Bible teaches disciples of Jesus to live holy lives separated from the existing world order, not physically, but morally and spiritually. They are “ in the world but not of it ,” and the mission of the Church is to call others to “ save themselves from this crooked generation ” before judgment comes.

Imperial arrogance and idolatry are the legacies of the Tower of Babel, humanity’s first, but certainly not its last attempt, to create a world empire . Human history is full of tyrants and empires set on subjugating nations and populations, and this has been the case since time immemorial. This sorry situation will reach its climax shortly before Jesus Christ returns, when Satan gathers his earthly forces in his final attempt to annihilate the true people of God. It will be the final act of the war between the  World Empire  and the Kingdom of God .

To identify the Antichrist, we must first understand what the relevant passages of the Bible say about him, his methods, and his objectives . The subject of the Antichrist raises many questions. Who is he? When will he appear? How will we recognize him? In popular culture, he is a global political leader who uses military might to subjugate other nations and attack the modern nation of Israel.

Humanity is divided into two and only two groups – the followers of the Lamb and the subjects of the Beast . In the  Book of Revelation , every man either “ Tabernacles in Heaven ” or is an “ Inhabitant of the Earth .” The terms are not geographical or spatial. They identify which Master we serve. Men either belong to “ Heaven ” or the “ Earth .” Those who follow the Lamb, “ Tabernacle in Heaven .” The “ Inhabitants of the Earth ” submit to the “ Dragon ” and his “ Beast ,” and therefore await a grim fate.

Portions of Daniel’s vision of the Fourth Beast with the Little Horn are applied to Jesus and his saints in the New Testament . Key phrases from Daniel’s vision of the four beasts “ ascending from the Sea ” and the “ one like a Son of Man ” are applied to the future coming of Jesus, descriptions of the Kingdom of God, and the sovereignty of the Messiah. What follows are several examples.

Disciples of Jesus and others who give their allegiance and devotion to the State are at risk of taking the Mark of the Beast . Humanity is divided into two and only two groups: Those who follow the “ Lamb wherever he goes ,” and those who submit to the “ Beast .” Members of the first group will not experience the “ Second Death ,” but everyone who takes the Beast’s “ mark ” and otherwise swears fealty to it will be cast into the “ Lake of Fire .” There is no third option, no neutral ground.

Imperial arrogance and idolatry are the legacies of the Tower of Babel, humanity’s first but not last attempt to build a world empire . Human history is dominated by tyrants and empires determined to subjugate nations and populations.  This plan has been underway since time immemorial. It will reach its climax shortly before Christ’s return when Satan gathers his earthly forces in his final attempt to annihilate the saints of God. It will be the final act of the war between the  World Empire  and the Kingdom of God.

The Inhabitants of the Earth choose not to follow the Lamb. Instead, they swear fealty to the Dragon and his Beast and take his Number . There are no geographic restrictions on the reign of the “ Beast ” in the  Book of Revelation.  All the “ Inhabitants of the Earth ” take the Beast’s “ Mark ” or “ Number ” and venerate its image. No national government resists the monster from the Sea, for it is granted “ authority over every tribe, people, tongue and nation .” There are no exceptions, no nation or government will stand against the “ Beast ” except Christ's “ Kingdom of Priests .”

Satan and the Rulers of this Age exalt themselves and usurp Divine prerogatives in contrast to the true Servant of God, Jesus Christ . Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the role of the ‘ Suffering Servant ’ described in the  Book of Isaiah . He did not attempt to seize the “ likeness of God ” as Adam did or exploit his position as God’s Messiah to exercise power over others. His sovereignty is radically different than the governments of this fallen world. Rather than subjugate his subjects or kill his enemies, Christ endured a shameful death on the Imperial Cross for friend and foe alike in obedience to his Father; therefore, God exalted him above all things.

The Empire’s propagandists encourage men and women to give allegiance and veneration to the Emperor, the Beast from the Sea . The “ False Prophet ” as described in the  Book of Revelation  uses religious symbolism and economic control to coax the Inhabitants of the Empire   to pay homage to the Imperial Throne. Whether force or persuasion is employed, the goal is the same. Men who refuse to venerate the “ Beast from the Sea ” are excluded from economic activity and impoverished.

Throughout the present age, the Church is plagued by deceivers from within who are sent to destroy the Body of Christ . We assume the Antichrist will be a political tyrant who uses economic and military power to dominate the world. While this may prove to be the case, the New Testament is far more concerned with how deceivers are working to mislead the Church from the inside. The Apostle John identifies the driving force behind these efforts as the Spirit of Antichrist.

The False Prophet will mimic the Lamb’s servants and sell the Beast from the Sea as the Lamb to the world – Revelation 13:11-18. Jesus warned of coming deceivers - “false prophets” and “false messiahs” determined to hoodwink the “elect.” In the Book of Revelation, this satanic effort finds its ultimate expression in the “Beast from the Earth,” also called the “False Prophet.” He is a clever imitation of Christ’s true servants and is part of Satan’s final “war” against the people of the “Lamb.”

“Babylon” symbolizes the recurring rise of the world empire and its self-appointed kings and tyrants, and it strides across the Earth even today . There is a much older story behind the visions of the  Book of Daniel . It presents the  World Empire  as it attempted to rule Daniel’s world. However, this imperial power has been striving to subjugate humanity since the dawn of human history. We ignore this biblical narrative at our peril since it is rising once more in our day using its economic and military might to impose its will on nations and peoples.

There are no geographic restrictions on the reign of the “ Beast ” in the Book of Revelation . All the “ Inhabitants of the Earth ” bow to its “ image .” It is granted “ authority over every tribe, people, tongue, and nation .” Contrary to some popular claims, there will be no “holdout nation” to resist its beastly reign. Only the followers of Jesus refuse its demands .

In Revelation , John saw the “ Beast ascending from the Earth ,” the “ False Prophet ,” who was intent on deceiving the “ Inhabitants of the Earth ” on behalf of the First Beast and the “ Dragon .” The “ False Prophet ” uses religious propaganda to deceive men, and economic might to suppress anyone who does not conform to the dictates of the World Empire.

At the end of the age, Satan will wage his final war on the saints, the followers of the Lamb . The  Book of Revelation  portrays the ongoing Cosmic War between the “ Dragon ” and the “ Lamb .” It is being waged on the Earth as Satan’s servants, both human and nonhuman, seek to destroy the followers of Jesus.  The conclusion of this war will affect the entire Cosmos. Following the Lamb’s final victory over his enemies, life will be changed forever throughout the Universe, and death and evil will be no more.

In Revelation, the “ False Prophet ” uses religious symbolism and economic control to coax the inhabitants of the World Empire to render homage to the Imperial Throne. Whether force or persuasion is employed, the goal remains the same. Men who refuse to embrace and venerate the “ Beast ” are excluded from economic activity and thereby impoverished.

The “ Beast ” is a single  history-spanning entity  that has existed since the dawn of human civilization, beginning when Babel “ SET UP a high tower to make us a name, lest we be scattered upon the face of the earth .” That incident is alluded to by Daniel when describing how Nebuchadnezzar subjugated Jerusalem and took the “ vessels of the house of God into the land of Shinar to the house of his god .”

John saw the “ Beast ascending from the Earth ” intent on deceiving the “ Inhabitants of the Earth .” The “ Beast from the Sea ” is characterized by its political power. In contrast, the “ Beast from the Earth ,” the “ False Prophet ,” uses religious performance and propaganda to deceive men, and economic sanctions to suppress all those who do not submit to its demands.

Discussions on the “ Mark of the Beast ” concentrate on deciphering the significance of its number, ‘ 666 .’ Understandably, we wish to discover its meaning and thereby avoid taking it. However, to understand it we must first recognize the scriptural background behind the number, the relationship of the “ Mark ” to the “ Seal of God ,” the consequences of taking or refusing the “ Mark ” or the “ Number of the Beast ,” and the identities of the two groups that result from deciding whether to take it.