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2020REV-24 – Q&A-04

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Now that the “Exploring Revelation” class is completed, and posted online—the questions are rolling in by the scores, actually by the hundreds. In the next few sessions we are taking “Live” questions from students to us in our virtual classroom. Each Q&A session features an answer to a question formed from dozens of variations that all refer to a similar topic. Thanks SO much for your thoughtful, insightful questions.

Transcription

Question from Student:

Based on your answer to that question, is it possible that the beast could be money? That the worship of the beast could be of our culture, except with money?

Dr. Barnett’s Response:

Now you’re talking about chapter 18. Remember the beast is a person because over in that chart, he, the beast and the false prophet are the first to be put into the Lake of Fire. So, it’s not a concept, it’s a person. The answer, the short answer is, the beast is not money. The beast is a person who is the worst human who, ever has lived. He is the antichrist, the worst human that’s ever lived. He is indwelt personally, by the most powerful created being in the universe, Satan.

Satan is so powerful that the highest archangel won’t in any way attack him. Michael, the archangel said, the Lord rebuke you. I’m not going to rebuke you. Michael won’t even verbally assault the devil. That’s how powerful Satan is. Satan comes inside of a human.

Revelation 17 talks about religion. That’s one of Satan’s two viruses. Revelation 18, which is what the question is about, materialism, money, living for power, pleasure, possessions, and all of that. These two things are infections. They’re mental choices. Religion is – I’m going to go my own way. My way, that’s Isaiah 53. All we like sheep have gone astray. We’ve turned everyone what to our own way. I want to go my way. That’s what religion is. God says there’s one way. One truth. One life. One savior. One Lord. One faith. One baptism. Boom, one. Satan says, nope, many. You can go your way. Religion is where half of all the people in the world get pulled away from God. The other half are living for the physical. That’s what materialism is. Material. I’m living for physical possessions, physical pleasures, physical power, for pride, for my social online persona that I cultivate carefully. So, living for this world, pleasure, possessions, power, all of that is where Satan infects and basically totally addicts most of the world.  The ones that aren’t into that are into religion, trying my hardest, all of the religions of the world.

So no, the beast is not materialism. The beast is a person because he gets thrown in the Lake of Fire. Satan uses people to either get hooked on religion, which is chapter 17, organized religion or hooked on materialism, which is chapter 18.


Check Out All The Sermons In The Series

You can find all the sermons and short clips from this series, Exploring The Book of Revelation here.

Looking To Study The Bible Like Dr. Barnett?

Dr. Barnett has curated an Amazon page with a large collection of resources he uses in his study of God’s Word. You can check it out here.