The Watchtower Study, «Article 20», Week 11 to 17 July 2022, The message of Revelation for the enemies of God, Answers.

The Watchtower Study, “Article 20”, July 11-17, 2022, The message of Revelation for the enemies of God, Answers.

1. According to the book of Revelation, what does Satan do against the servants of God?

The book of Revelation shows that the Kingdom of God has reigned in heaven and that Satan has been cast down to earth. It was a relief for those who lived in the sky, but it brought us more problems. Because? Because Satan has unleashed his fury against Jehovah's servants on earth.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Satan unleashes his fury on Jehovah's servants living on earth.

In Revelation 12:12,15,17 it says that "Satan is full of fury" that is why he attacks us and causes many problems to all of us who are servants of Jehovah.

According to Revelation 12:12 it says that Satan has come down full of fury, to unload it directly against the servants of Jehovah that we are on earth.

2. What will help us stand firm?

What will help us is to know what awaits us in the future. For example, in the book of Revelation, the apostle John talks about some blessings that we will receive. One of them will be the destruction of God's enemies. He sees how Revelation describes them and what awaits them.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Know what will happen in the future. For example, in Revelation, the apostle John speaks of some of the blessings that are soon to come to us. One of them will be the destruction of God's enemies. Let's see the description that Revelation makes of them and what awaits them.

As Revelation 13:10 says, what will help us stand firm is having "endurance and faith." In addition, Jehovah lovingly makes known to us what will happen in the future, we know that blessings would come for us, but destruction awaits Satan and his world.

What will help us is to know what will happen in the future, and for example, in the book of Revelation the apostle John mentions some blessings that we are going to receive very soon.

ENEMIES OF GOD ARE DESCRIBED “IN SIGNS”

3. What are some of the signs or symbols used in Revelation?

For example, he spoke of "a wild beast coming up from the sea" and "with 10 horns and 7 heads." Then there is mention of "a scarlet wild beast" in which a prostitute is found. These three wild beasts represent enemies who have long opposed Jehovah and his Kingdom.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

The enemies of God are presented in a symbolic way, as if they were wild beasts. For example, it speaks of "a wild beast that came up from the sea" and "had 10 horns and 7 heads."

This is followed by "another wild beast coming up out of the earth." He speaks like a dragon and "calls down fire from heaven."

For example, Jehovah's enemies are portrayed as wild beasts. In Revelation 13:1 he speaks of "a wild beast that came up out of the sea" and "had 10 horns and 7 heads." Also, in Revelation 13:11 "another wild beast coming up out of the earth" is pictured. He speaks like a dragon and "calls down fire from heaven." And, in Revelation 17:3 he mentions “a scarlet-red wild beast” on which a prostitute sits. Know who or who represent a prostitute. Knowing who the beasts represent will help us understand the prophecies of Revelation.

For example, the enemies of God are presented as if they were wild beasts, it speaks of a wild beast that rose from the sea, and had 10 horns and 7 heads, then there was another wild beast that rose from the earth, which speaks as a dragon and called down fire from heaven, and then there is mention of a scarlet-red wild beast on which a prostitute sat.

4, 5. How does Daniel 7:15-17 help us understand the meaning of the symbols in Revelation?

This clear explanation helps us understand that the beasts of Revelation must also represent political governments.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

For example, the prophet Daniel had a dream in which he saw “four enormous beasts come up out of the sea.” And Daniel himself tells us that these huge beasts represent four “kings” or governments. This clear explanation helps us understand that the beasts of Revelation must also represent political governments.

The prophet Daniel through a dream and visions saw "four enormous beasts that came out of the sea", it is explained to him that these enormous beasts represent four "kings" or governments. So, the Bible itself helps us understand that the beasts of Revelation must also represent political governments.

Well in chapter 7 of Daniel it is mentioned that he had a dream in which he saw that four huge beasts came out of the sea, and then he himself explains that these huge beasts represented four governments, so that way we understand that the beasts mentioned in apocalypse they also have to represent political governments.

THE ENEMIES OF GOD ARE IDENTIFIED

6. What does the seven-headed wild beast mentioned in Revelation 13:1-4 represent?

This wild beast does not represent a single world government or empire. His power is greater than that of any government of a country. That is why it represents all the governments that have dominated humanity.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Revelation speaks of a single beast that has all these characteristics. So this wild beast does not represent a single world government or empire. So his power is greater than that of any government of a country. Therefore, this wild beast represents all the governments that have dominated humanity throughout history.

It represents all the governments that have dominated humanity throughout history. The characteristics of the seven-headed wild beast is a combination of the same four beasts described in the prophecy of Daniel 7:2,8. As already mentioned, these represent “kings”, or political governments, but it cannot be a single government of a country, because the prophecy says that “authority was given over every tribe and people and language and nation”.

This seven-headed beast does not represent a single government but all the governments that have dominated humanity throughout history, that is why it is said to have authority over any tribe, people, language and nation.

7. What do the seven heads of the wild beast represent?

They are world empires that have had a great impact on God's people.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

They are world empires that have had a great impact on God's people. By the days of the apostle John, five of these empires had already ruled and fallen: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The sixth, which was Rome, was in power when John received this revelation.

They are governments or great powers that have had a prominent role in human history and have also had a great impact on the people of God.

These seven heads represent world empires that have had a great impact on the people of God, and 6 of these are: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece, Rome.

FOUR HUGE BEASTS

ILLUSTRATION:

The four huge beasts of Daniel chapter 7 come out of the sea, representing humanity. The first beast is like a lion and has the wings of an eagle. The second is like a bear and has ribs in its mouth. The third is like a leopard and has four wings and four heads. The fourth is extremely strong and has iron teeth and ten horns.

They come “out of the sea” (Dan. 7:1-8, 15-17). They represent world powers that had a prominent relationship with God's people beginning in the days of Daniel. (See paragraphs 4 and 7).

8. Who does the seventh head of the wild beast represent?

It represents the world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

The world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States. So we can say that this is the seventh head of the wild beast of Revelation.

In Revelation 1:10 John says that "By inspiration he came to be in the day of the Lord", and the world power that has been ruling in that "day of the Lord" or time of the end is the one that is made up of the United Kingdom and USA. So this is the seventh head of the wild beast.

The seventh head represents a power that has been ruling in this time of the end, which is made up of the United Kingdom and the United States.

THE SEVEN-HEADED WILD BEAST

ILLUSTRATION:

The seven-headed wild beast rises from the sea, representing mankind. It has 10 horns and 10 crowns, and looks like a leopard with feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion.

It comes up “out of the sea” and has 7 heads, 10 horns, and 10 crowns (Rev. 13:1-4). He represents all the governments that have dominated humanity throughout history. The seven heads represent seven world powers that have had an outstanding relationship with the people of God. (See paragraphs 6 to 8).

A WILD BEAST THAT HAS TWO HORNS LIKE A LAMB

9. Whom does the wild beast that has “two horns like a lamb” represent?

World War II, the two atomic bombs that led to the end of this conflict were the result of the joint work of British and American scientists. This is how the world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States made “fire come down from heaven to earth”.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Speaking of what the world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States does, Daniel mentioned something similar, saying: "It will cause great destruction." And that was just what happened during World War II. The two atomic bombs that led to the end of this conflict were the result of the joint work of British and American scientists. This is how the world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States made “fire come down from heaven to earth”.

It represents the world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States. In Revelation 13:13 one of the ways in which this wild beast acts is said, it says that "he performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in the sight of mankind." Human history proves that this is exactly what happened in the second world war, when the scientists of these two countries worked together and dropped two atomic bombs, that is how the United Kingdom and the United States made "fire come down from heaven to earth". Earth".

It represents the United Kingdom and the United States, and the Bible says that this beast would bring down fire from heaven and cause great destruction, and that happened in the second world war, since the two atomic bombs that ended this conflict were created by British scientists and Americans.

ILLUSTRATION:

The wild beast that has two horns like a lamb that is mentioned in Revelation. It emerges from the seventh head of the seven-headed wild beast and ends in the lake of fire.

It rises “from the earth” and speaks “like a dragon”. He calls “fire down from heaven” and, in his role as a “false prophet”, performs signs (Rev. 13:11-15; 16:13; 19:20). The world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States is represented as a two-horned beast and a false prophet because it deceives "those who live on earth" and tells them to "make an image" of "the wild beast" of 7 heads and 10 horns. (See paragraph 9).

10. What  does “the image of the wild beast” represent? (Revelation 13:14, 15; 17:3, 8, 11).

It is very similar to what happened with the United Nations Organization, which promotes the interests of the world political system.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Revelation calls it "the image of the wild beast" and says that it is "an eighth king." Of this "king" it is said that he appeared, then disappeared, and later reappeared. This fits very well with what happened with the United Nations Organization, which promotes the interests of the world political system.

The image of the scarlet-colored wild beast is the symbol of an organization that aims to unite and represent all the nations of the Earth. In the beginning, that organization was the society or league of nations. Today, it is the United Nations organization.

It represents the organization of the united nations, because the verses read say that this king appears, then disappears and then disappears again, and precisely the UN at first was called the society of nations, then it disappears during the second world war and then it arose again.

11. What will the political beasts do, and why should we have no fear?

They will incite people to oppose Jehovah. We do not have to be afraid because Jehovah will react immediately to save all those who support him.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

With their propaganda, the political beasts will incite people to oppose Jehovah and his people. As it were, they will gather “the kings of all the inhabited earth” for Armageddon.

With their propaganda, they will incite people to oppose Jehovah and his people, but we should not be afraid because our great God, Jehovah, will react immediately to save all of us who support his government.

These political beasts will gather all the kings of the earth for Armageddon, but we must not be afraid because Jehovah is on our side and will react immediately to save those who support his rule.

12. What will happen to all the beasts?

They will be thrown into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Revelation 19:20 gives the answer: “The wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet who performed before it the signs with which he deceived those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship the image her.

In Revelation 19:20 it says that "they will be thrown into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone." Which means that these political enemies of God will be destroyed forever.

According to what Revelation 19:20 says, all of these will be destroyed forever.

13. What difficult situation do Christians face because of governments?

One of the difficult situations we face is that governments will want us to give them our full support, both in words and actions. Those who give in to this pressure would receive the mark of the wild beast. Those who have the mark will lose Jehovah's approval.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Governments want us to give them our full support, both in words and actions. Those who give in to this pressure receive the mark of the wild beast.

To the plight of staying totally neutral and not getting mixed up in the political affairs of this world. As Jesus said in John 18:36 “the Kingdom of God is no part of this world”, we understand this, that is why we give our allegiance only to God and his kingdom.

Well, the governments want us to give them all our support, both in words and in actions, and that is precisely why we must remain neutral, since if we give in to the pressure we will receive the mark of the wild beast and therefore, we would lose the approval of Jehovah.

A SHAMEFUL END FOR THE GREAT PROSTITUTE

14. What does the apostle John see that totally amazes him? (Revelation 17:3-5).

The apostle John sees a woman who was sitting on one of these ferocious beasts.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

A woman who was sitting on one of these ferocious beasts, and her name is "Babylon the Great."

He sees a woman who is sitting on the scarlet red wild beast her name is "Babylon the Great", she is the "great prostitute" who has "immoral sexual relations" with "the kings of the earth".

He sees a woman sitting on one of these beasts, and it is said that she is a great prostitute named Babylon the Great, who has immoral relations with the kings of the earth.

15, 16. What is “Babylon the Great,” and how do we know?

Babylon the Great is a symbol. The Bible says that she is "a woman" and a "great harlot." Babylon the Great represents an international organization. Babylon the Great is not a political or commercial entity, but a religious one. Ancient Babylon was a city where false religion abounded. So Babylon the Great has to represent false worship in all its forms.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

The fact that she is sitting on the wild beast shows that she is trying to control them. And neither can she represent the greedy business organizations of Satan's world, for Revelation speaks of them later and calls them "the merchants of the earth."

Babylon the Great is the collection of false religions in the world. We know this because in the Bible many times the word "prostitution" and "adultery" is used in a spiritual sense, for example in 1 Chronicles 5:25 it says that the Israelites "were not faithful to the God of their ancestors and prostituted themselves with the gods of the peoples of the country”, and precisely this characteristic fits with what false religion does because instead of helping people to get closer to the true God, they encourage them to worship other gods and also love the world of Satan.

Well, it is the set of false religions that exist in the world, and we know this because, for example, in the Bible the ideas of prostitution and adultery are used on several occasions towards a spiritual sense, and let us remember that Babylon in ancient times was a city ​​that heavily promoted false worship.

In addition, the article towards which the final part of paragraph 16 guides us says that Babylon the Great is not a political or commercial entity, but a religious one, and we say this because in ancient Babylon this was a very religious city, known for making curses and sorceries, and today, Babylon the Great is also characterized by practicing spiritism which indicates that it is a religious organization.

17. What will happen to Babylon the Great?

They will leave her ruined and naked. They will eat her flesh and she will be completely burned with fire.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Revelation 17:16, 17 says: “The 10 horns that you saw and the wild beast will hate the prostitute and leave her ruined and naked. They will eat her flesh and she will be completely burned with fire. Because God put it in her heart to carry out his thought”. 

The prophecy of Revelation says that Jehovah will use the scarlet-red wild beast, that is, the united nations, to attack the false religions of this world and destroy them completely.

According to what Revelation 17:16,17 says, Jehovah will make the nations use the united nations, to attack and completely eliminate all false religions.

A SCARLET RED WILD BEAST

ILLUSTRATION:

A prostitute sitting on a scarlet red wild beast that has 7 heads and 10 horns. The beast ends up in the lake of fire.

On it sits a prostitute, Babylon the Great. This beast is said to be an eighth king (Rev. 17:3-6, 8, 11). At first, the prostitute controls the wild beast, but later the beast destroys her. The prostitute represents the set of false religions in the world. The beast today represents the United Nations Organization, which promotes the interests of the world political system. (See paragraphs 10 and 14 to 17).

18. What must we do to have nothing to do with Babylon the Great?

We must not allow Babylon the Great to influence us with her false teachings.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

It is important that we cling to "the form of worship" that God considers to be "pure and undefiled." Let us never allow Babylon the Great to influence us with its false teachings, pagan celebrations, permissive moral standards, and spiritualistic practices.

Revelation 18:4 says, "Get out of her," so we want nothing to do with her false teachings, pagan celebrations, permissive moral standards, and spiritistic practices, rather we want to cling to "the way of worship" that Jehovah considered "pure and uncontaminated".

We must completely cling to the form of worship that Jehovah considers pure, so we must never allow Babylon the Great to influence us, we must completely reject its false teachings, its pagan celebrations and its permissive moral standards.

THE PUNISHMENT THAT AWAITS THE GREATEST ENEMY OF GOD

19. Who is the “great fire-colored dragon”?

The “great fire-colored dragon” is the Devil, he is the one who controls all the enemies of Jehovah.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

It is "the original serpent, whom they call the Devil and Satan." He is the one who controls all the other enemies of Jehovah.

It is: Jehovah's greatest enemy, "the original serpent, whom they call the Devil and Satan.

The Bible says that this dragon fights against Jesus and his angels, this dragon is Satan the devil.

ILLUSTRATION:

A graphic featuring a dragon that, with its breath, gives power to the wild beasts of the books of Daniel and Revelation. The four huge beasts of Daniel chapter 7 come out of the sea, representing mankind, and point to the seven-headed wild beast, which also comes out of the sea of ​​mankind. The seventh head of the seven-headed wild beast points to the wild beast that has two horns. And this points to the scarlet-red wild beast, on which a prostitute sits. The dragon, the two-horned wild beast, and the scarlet-red wild beast end up in the lake of fire. The images are repeated in paragraphs 4, 6, 9, 10 and 19.

20. What will happen to the dragon?

Satan will be locked up for 1,000 years and will not "deceive the nations" again. Satan and his demons will be cast "into the lake of fire and brimstone."

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Revelation 20:1-3 says that an angel will cast Satan into an abyss, and it will be like a prison for him. Satan will be locked up for 1,000 years and will not "deceive the nations" again until that period of time is over. This means that they will be destroyed once and for all.

In Revelation 20:1-3 it says that "he will be bound in the abyss for 1000 years", during which time he will be inactive. Then in verse 10 he says that Satan and his demons will be cast “into the lake of fire and brimstone” that is, they will be destroyed forever.

He will be thrown into an abyss, there he will be locked up for 1000 years, after that time, he along with all his demons will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, that is, they will be destroyed forever.

THE FIRE COLORED DRAGON

ILLUSTRATION:

A fire-colored dragon with 7 heads, 10 horns, and 7 crowns. With his breath he gives power to the beasts of the books of Daniel and Revelation. The dragon ends up in the lake of fire.

Satan gives authority to the seven-headed wild beast (Rev. 12:3, 9, 13; 13:4; 20:2, 10). Satan, the greatest enemy of Jehovah, will be locked up in an abyss for 1,000 years. He will then be thrown into the "lake of fire and brimstone." (See paragraphs 19 and 20).

21. Why does what we have read in the book of Revelation make us happy?

Because the brothers who read aloud the words of this prophecy are happy. Also, by discovering who Jehovah's enemies are, we will know what will happen to them.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

That's right, "Happy is he who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and happy is he who hears the things written in it."

We are happy because Jehovah has allowed us to understand what the signs or symbols of the book of Revelation mean and we also understand what will happen to all the enemies of God. Furthermore, it makes us happy to know that “those who hear and obey this prophecy” will receive blessings from Jehovah.

It makes us happy and encourages us because we have seen who the enemies of Jehovah are, and we have also seen what will happen to them.

HE REMEMBERS?

What can we do to understand the meaning of the symbols of Revelation?

The Bible will help us understand its meaning. Many of the symbols of Revelation are already mentioned in other books of the Bible. For example, the prophet Daniel had a dream in which he saw "four enormous beasts come up out of the sea." And Daniel himself tells us that these huge beasts represent four “kings” or governments. This clear explanation helps us understand that the beasts of Revelation must also represent political governments.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

The best we can do is let the Bible explain it. For example, many of the symbols in Revelation are already mentioned in other books of the Bible, so by comparing them we can have a clear explanation and understanding of what they represent.

What we can do is let the Bible explain it to us, since many of the symbols of Revelation are explained to us in other books of the Bible.

Why should we be neutral and not get mixed up in political affairs?

We must be neutral and not mix in the political affairs of this world. But this can be very difficult, as governments want us to give them our full support, both in words and actions. Those who give in to this pressure receive the mark of the wild beast. And those who have the mark lose Jehovah's approval and the opportunity to live forever. How important it is that we remain totally neutral, no matter how hard governments pressure us to support them.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Because Christians owe allegiance only to Jehovah and his kingdom. Jesus himself said in John 18:36 that "the Kingdom of God is no part of this world" so we cannot support any other government, we are totally neutral and do not get involved in political matters.

We must be neutral, because we want to be loyal to God and his kingdom, and in no way do we want to mix with the political enemies of God, since these will be destroyed forever.

What must we do so that “Babylon the Great” does not influence us?

It is important that we cling to "the form of worship" that God considers to be "pure and undefiled." Let us never allow Babylon the Great to influence us with its false teachings, pagan celebrations, permissive moral standards, and spiritualistic practices.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

We must promptly obey Revelation 18:4 “Get out of her”, so we want nothing to do with her false teachings, pagan celebrations, permissive moral standards and spiritualistic practices, rather we want to cling to “the way of worship” that Jehovah considers “pure and undefiled.”

We must completely cling to the form of worship that Jehovah considers pure, so we must never allow Babylon the Great to influence us, we must completely reject its false teachings, its pagan celebrations and its permissive moral standards.

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