Revelation 13:11-18, 17: Caliphate of the Beast from the Earth
Meanwhile back on earth, the Second Beast from the Earth will establish his dominion over all nations and peoples that did not participate in the resurrection of the saints. This Beast, who “was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction” (Rev. 17:8), will now control all the earth for “a little while” (17:10) or for “one hour” (17:12; 18:10; 18:17; 18:19), whatever that means precisely. The unbelievers will begin to experience the tyrannical control of the Second Beast from the Earth, or the global Caliphate. According to Revelation 13:11-18 (equal to Daniel 11:40-45), he “exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed” (Rev. 13:11-12). He will promote the same vision of global Muslim domination as did the First Beast from the Sea, praising the first beast that had been slain (early Islam and the Turkish Ottoman Empire) and thus bringing him back to life after being partially contained for a while (Dan. 7:12).
Revelation 13:11 describes this Beast as having the appearance of a lamb, but will speak like a dragon, which implies that he will try to give the impression that he is the true Lamb of God, but will be speaking for Satan and evidencing to be the Antichrist or Anti-Messiah. I believe that this personification of the Beast as a “he” merely represents the global Muslim system and Caliphate, a renewal of the Ottoman Empire, plus those who will join it. They will try to make Allah seem greater than the God of the Bible in holiness, power, and glory. Verse 13 says that this Beast will perform great signs and wonders in imitation of Jesus, deceiving the entire world with his power. Satan will give him this tremendous power, but it will be totally evil. Whoever does not join Islam will be killed. Verse 12 says that this Beast will order an “image” or representation of the First Beast from the Sea for everyone to worship, though Muslims do not normally practice idolatry. Since it says that the image will “speak,” it could be merely a reference to the teachings of Islam in the Koran and other writings, including the Muslim Sharia law. It could also mean that they may venerate some type of ideal Muhammad. Muhammad is already venerated as a deity, because whoever insults (or allegedly offends him) is inevitably killed, as he himself ordered them to, because he is Allah’s messenger or prophet.[1]
Verses 16-18 mention a numbered identification on the forehead or right hand of the followers of the Beast, whether great or small. This could signify a global banking system that only the Muslims will be allowed to participate in, after an eradication of actual money. No one can buy or sell without the special mark on their bodies. On the other hand, the number 666 could be purely symbolic of the Beast’s satanic control. The choices regarding Islam have always been: join willingly, submit unwillingly, or die. In other words: conversion, forced submission, or annihilation.
According to Revelation 17:9-13, this Beast will be a government composed of seven heads: “seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while” (v. 10). It will also have ten “horns” (v. 3), possibly ten leaders who will receive power from the Beast during this moment. The number ten could be merely symbolic (as the ten horns of Rome in Daniel 7), but they will all be of one mind, each handing over their power and authority to the Beast (Rev. 17:13). They will all oppose the Lamb (Jesus the Messiah) and make war against Him when He returns, but Jesus will ultimately conquer them at His ParousÃa (Rev. 17:14). For sure, United States cannot exist as now, since it would not have any more Christians, and Israel would not exist as in the present, since there would be no more Jews left there. What would remain of these nations after the resurrection of God’s people? Only a place of unrighteous and unsaved people that willingly submit to the Beast.
As stated before, I understand that this Beast will establish a renewed version of the fallen Muslim Turkish Ottoman Empire with other Muslim nations, and perhaps it will also include the United Nations, the Roman Catholic Vatican, and the European Union. We can already perceive this informal unity, so it can easily become official once God’s people are out of the way. Admittedly, Shiite Iran seems to have more worldwide influence than Sunni Turkey at the moment, but Iran may consider joining Turkey in this endeavor, since both have the same agenda, though each belong to a different type of Islam and want to hold the reins of power on their own. Maybe some leader will unite these opposing “denominations” of Shiism and Sunnism, creating an alleged “world peace.”
This seems to be the main purpose of another event that was held in Ankara, Turkey in September 2019 titled “Congress on the Future of Islamic World and Palestine.”[2] During the conference, the chairman of a Turkish-Shiite association, Kadir Arakas, said that “Israel must be dissolved and destroyed,” and that “resistance in Palestine is important” during the “weakest period of Israel’s history.” The Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA) reported that the conference was organized by the Saadat Islamic Unity Research Center in Turkey, bringing together more than 70 foreign guests from 20 different countries. According to ABNA, the conference discussed the following various topics: “Al-Quds [Jerusalem] is the Most Important and Fundamental Issue of the Islamic World; Islamic Unity: The Muslims’ Only Way for the Future; The Impact of the Palestinian Issue on the Islamic World and the Responsibilities of the Islamic Ummah [worldwide Caliphate]; World Status and Issues of Islam, Problems and Solutions; Concerning the Greater Middle East Plan/Deal of the Century Agreement, its Goals and Supporters; and Conditions for Implementation of the Islamic Unity Plan.”
On the other hand, even if Iran does not join Turkey, the recent fall of the Syrian dictatorship under Bashar Al-Assad to a handful of jihadists supported by Turkey (December 2024) is very important in the fulfilling of this rebirthing of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. It “has created an unprecedented opportunity for Ankara to redefine its role as a regional power in line with its broader Neo-Ottoman aspirations. By championing the Sunni opposition and dismantling the Alawite-led regime, Turkey has succeeded in shifting the Mideast balance of power, installing in Damascus a regime dependent on Turkey and curbing the influence of rivals such as Iran and Russia.”[3] By this means, Turkish President Erdogan is trying to establish its cultural, economic, and military influence in Syria’s reconstruction. And in spite of the jihadist’s declared tolerance and inclusion of Christians in Syria, these have been suffering constant attacks and assassinations from the jihadists. As stated by Raymond Ibrahim, “Ahmed al-Sharaa, jihadist warlord and current leader of Syria, confessed in a Dec. 17 interview that, “When we build the Islamic caliphate, Christians will pay Jizya under Islamic Sharia.”[4]
The United Nations has already submitted to Islam, providing it with a legal venue for imposing its world domination. This global governing body that was formed in 1948 at the end of World War II is now composed of 193 member states, and is controlled by around 56 Muslim-majority nations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, plus many more nations that are usually Muslim sympathizers. When Israel was reborn in 1948, it barely received enough votes of approval from this body. It was only by God’s grace, and a few Christian nations who still had some political clout, that Israel was able to become a new nation.
The modern European Union also often identifies itself on the side of Muslim nations rather than with the United States and Israel, and more so now since its borders have become so open and accessible to Muslim immigrants. Muslim radicals are presently establishing themselves in huge numbers and taking over the European governments by means of threats and blackmails, or merely by growing in population. Turkey is included in the nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), so it can already count on military defense and cooperation from the other 29 member nations, mostly European. It also possesses 50 nuclear warheads in a nuclear-sharing program with NATO.
On the other hand, the Roman Catholic Vatican has always designated Rome as the eternal spiritual city of the world, instead of Jerusalem, and still opposes that Jerusalem be recognized as the capital of Israel, preferring to call it an international capital. (See next section.) Even though in the past, some Popes tried to correct their many sins against Israel, at the present time it seeks closer friendships with Muslim nations rather than with Israel. Pope Francis has very close ties to extremist Muslim imams, and constantly preaches about “tearing down the walls” between the Catholic Church and Islam so as to encourage Europeans to take in more illegal Muslim immigrants.[5]
Many traditional Protestant Churches share this same perspective as the Catholic Church, and a large part of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement comes from them. Thus, I believe that the main bulk of the historic churches are ready for the renewed Muslim Ottoman Empire, together with the United Nations. Two world powers that now, and will also probably later, seek to dominate the world on their own include Russia and China, which is why the Antichrist will have to force them to submit (Dan. 11:44). “Palestine” will have substituted Israel by then, and will be the center of the Antichrist’s power.
Nevertheless, God warned all unbelieving people beforehand about what would happen to them if they do not repent while there is still time before the resurrection. They are being clearly forewarned by this clear deterring message of grace! They have been properly informed that any rebellion against God and His Messiah will carry a just consequence and eternal punishment when the seven angels are to pour out the last seven plagues of God’s Wrath upon the earth, or the seven “Bowls of Wrath.”
“If anyone worships the beast and its image
and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also
will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of
his anger, and he will be tormented with
fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of
the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever…” (Rev. 14:9-11).
As Christians read Revelation 14:12-13, they are called to endure their present tribulations and keep God’s commandments and their faith. I do not believe that this implies that God’s people will be around during the time when the Second Beast is in power, but rather that it is a timely warning to continue persevering now in order to be part of the first resurrection. It is a call for all the saints who read the words of the book of Revelation to stay faithful, no matter when they live, because after the resurrection it will be too late.
[1]
Raymond Ibrahim, https://www.raymondibrahim.com/2023/02/01/slaughtered-mothers-and-fathers-an-islamic-hate-that-knows-no-bounds/,
https://www.raymondibrahim.com/2022/08/18/death-to-blasphemers-islams-ancient-war-on-critics-of-muhammad/accessed
Feb. 2, 2023.
[2]
Benjamin Weinthal, “Call to Destroy
Israel at Islamist Conference in Ankara” in The Jerusalem Post, https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Call-to-destroy-Israel-at-Islamist-conference-in-Ankara-602442,
accessed September 23, 2019.
[3]
Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, in Jewish News
Syndicate, https://www.jns.org/turkeys-vision-transforms-post-assad-syria/?utm_
campaign=Daily%20Syndicate%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_l4BfEfIo-gqthCqnVOqk
Wo2fJouk4mwuJPg7E60Ar_Ei-Zuep33h9VuI-YYwHMqWRmRS3aPRPxgcxkFdAG rsDAURGYDHOW147yo-vEgSvZCSOXIE&_hsmi=103070646&utm_content=103070646&utm_Source
=hs_email, accessed January
22, 2025.
[4] Raymond Ibrahim,
https://www.raymondibrahim.com/2025/01/23/your-time-has-come-worshippers-of-the-cross/,
accessed January 23, 2025.
[5]
Raymond Ibrahim, https://www.raymondibrahim.com/2021/06/23/pope-francis-tear-down-the-walls-against-islam,
accessed July 7, 2022.
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