Revelation, Chapter Thirteen. As we have said, the Lord Jesus no longer will be worshiped by the nations. The Man of Lawlessness will establish himself as God. Whenever people worship other people they actually are worshiping Satan.

It may be difficult for us to imagine a time in which Satan and the Man of Lawlessness are worshiped throughout the earth. But it is beginning now. We have become so sinful in the United States that people are ready to elect to the highest offices of the land people who generally are regarded as immoral and lawless. The commentators in the newspapers are decrying the fact that there is no outrage over the alleged lawless deeds taking place in our government.

One commentator said that Americans are seeing in their leaders, as in a mirror, their own treacherous, fraudulent character.

Not too many years ago the American people prided themselves on honesty, hard work, and integrity of character. But no more. The decline has taken place rapidly. Americans have become liars, filled with wickedness, dull of hearing except in matters dealing with their own comforts and fun.

If America, and perhaps other large nations, continue with the present moral slide downward, it may happen in the fairly near future that people will be worshiping Satan and his offspring, the Lawless One.

The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. (Revelation 13:5)

It is helpful for us to know that God has all in control. The great boastings of those who are in rebellion against God may appear impressive at the time but they soon will come to a shameful, terrifying end.

He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. (Revelation 13:6)

We used to believe that once we died and went to Heaven all would be joy and peace. It may be true that there will be a great sea of people who will be kept safe in God's garden while the conflict is taking place.

But God's warriors, His warlike remnant, will be attacked again and again until their obedience has been established beyond doubt. These are the warriors who will overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, and by loving not their lives to the death.

They are the "host." The Lord Jesus is the Lord of Hosts, the host of warrior angels and the host of warrior saints.

The Lawless One will blaspheme God, slander His name, slander God's dwelling place, and slander those who live in heaven. Satan will stand before the woman, the Church, and seek to kill Christ who is being formed in her.

If you are living a victorious Christian life you now are in a travail to bring forth Christ in your personality, for the forming of Christ appears to have been reserved especially for the last days. It is the coming to maturity of the wheat of righteousness.

If Christ is being formed in you (He is the Ruler of the world to come), Satan will do everything in his power to deceive you and to cast you down to the earth. Be careful you do not lose your crown. Some prominent ministers of our day have lost their crown. But if they repent and turn again to God they will yet gain the white robe of righteousness.

Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. (Daniel 11:35)

To be continued.