Day 251

Today's Reading: Revelation 13

If you are a baseball fan, the number 42 is an important number. It belonged to Jackie Robinson, the first African American to cross the racial lines and play major league baseball in 1947. That number has been retired from all MLB teams. This means that no future MLB player can ever wear Jackie’s number. It commemorates the courage and bravery of what Jackie Robinson did for the game of baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The number was retired in a ceremony, which took place April 15, 1997, at Shea Stadium to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Robinson’s first game with the Dodgers.

That number was important not just for baseball but for the racial divide in our country. It is also important and significant today and more so in the future for a different reason.

In today’s chapter, we look at something else important and significant for today and the future, where the number forty-two is seismic for the planet.

When we see the prefix anti, we immediately think it means “against” or “opposite.” Consider some of these words with the anti prefix attached to them:

Anticlimax—the ending of something is disappointing. You expected more.

Antisocial—it’s the opposite of being outgoing and inviting.

Anti-inflammatory—we older folks know about this. It’s that which fights against swelling in the human body.

But how about this disturbing one—antichrist?

Revelation 13 introduces a character yet to be named in human history who is eviler than any one person who has ever walked the planet—the antichrist. Many believe that the beast from the beginning of this chapter refers to the antichrist. Let’s read this chilling account of what is coming to the earth:

“I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. It was given to him to make war with the saints.” (Revelation 13:1-7)

Revelation 13 closes with the antichrist’s mark of the beast, the number 666. Whenever you hear people talk about eschatology, the study of the end times, many like to speculate about this number and its meaning. I grew up during a time when there was wild speculation about who the antichrist might be. Some even went as far as throwing out some names using the 666 as the key to unlocking their identity. One name I heard growing up was Ronald Reagan. Why? His full name is Ronald Wilson Reagan. Every part of his name has six letters, thus ending up with 666. Seriously?

Nobody said it better about Revelation speculations than R. T. Williams: “Young men stay away from the subject of prophecy. Let the old men do that. They won’t be around to see their mistakes.” Brilliant.

The things the apostle John detailed are scary and sobering. Let me give you three points of this time in the future.

First, it is disturbing to see the similarities between Christ and the antichrist. Listen to the language: ten diadems, like a lion, he has power and authority and a throne. And if you look closely at his head, it looks as if he has been slain. How deceptive this is. But no one can forget the beast’s power comes from the dragon. What an awful combination—a beast and a dragon make an antichrist.

Second, the world is sucked in and duped by all of this. The whole earth is amazed and follows the antichrist. And they will worship the dragon and the beast. What insanity, before the tribulation, the world is made aware of the Lamb of God who died for them but not amazed and will not follow Him or worship Jesus. The satanic deception is awful.

Third, his job is to discredit the true and living Christ. He will speak blasphemies and arrogant words against God, His name, His tabernacle, and to all of His children who are in heaven. He will make war and inspire others on the planet to do the same.

Just as it seemed hopeless for African Americans ever to play in major league baseball until number forty-two paved the route, so forty-two gives hope again to humanity. Here is the hope in the midst of this planetary mayhem. Remember, God is the CEO of the universe, not Satan. Satan is not an independent power who can do whatever he wants. He is under God’s rule and control. Satan is God’s puppet. And as we see, here comes number forty-two again!

God gives the beast forty-two months to wreak havoc. It will seem God is absent and not defending Himself or the saints in heaven, but this is all in God’s plan in the end times. When we see all of these characteristics of the antichrist, it seems hopeless. But the part we cannot miss is these words: authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. This brings everything back to the reality of who is actually in charge.

Forty-two means God sets the boundaries. Forty-two means Satan is God’s Satan, and the beast and the dragon are not separate entities that call the shots. God says essentially, “Do your thing for forty-two months, then I will do My thing. And when I do My thing, your future is about to come to an end.”

When I read these chilling details and remember forty-two, I’m always reminded of what E. Stanley Jones said: “When Satan attacks you, command him in the name of Jesus to bend his neck. On the back of it you’ll find there’s a nail-scarred footprint.”

Amen.

Forty-Two Is An Important Number