Let It Snow!

Revelation 13

The Dragon

What is Satan doing during the tribulation? Here in this dark chapter we read of the dragon, Satan, being allowed by God to exercise authority with a greater degree on earth. It is, in a sense, his climatic moment. This is the chapter in revelation that discusses the well-known beast (anti-christ) who rises up in the second half of the tribulation. The dragon is the source of his power and authority. He gains much attention because he rises from the dead. Verse 3 says “…his fatal wound was healed. And the whole world was amazed and followed after the beast.” Also, “he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God.”

The satanic anti-God system that we see in our world today (and plays out daily on our news channels) will be propelled into high gear under the leadership of the beast and the empowerment of the dragon. The beast will openly go after believers to imprison and martyr them. All who dwell on the earth will worship the beast, except the saints of God. In verse 11 there is a second beast who serves as the “right hand man” to the first beast and who is also empowered by the dragon. He becomes like an evangelist for the first beast, proclaiming that all should worship the one who was fatally wounded but now is alive. It’s this second beast that initiates the mark of the beast that all must have in order to buy and sell.

I’m thankful that believers today will be raptured before the tribulation. This will be a horrendous time for the tribulation saints, (people that become Christians after the rapture and during the tribulation). In terms of the history of the world, this 3 1/2 year time period (second half of the tribulation) will be brief but it will be intensely dark. Satan’s power on earth will be at its apex and literally, all hell will break loose. However, Jesus will return soon and restore His kingdom on earth. More than ever, the tribulations saints will pray, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!”