In our scripture readings for today, the seventh trumpet sounds, signalling the final stage before the ending of the earth. And in this stage, Satan kicks it up a notch, knowing that his time is short. In some of the scariest and best recognized memes of our culture, Satan unleashes two beasts on the world, in the hopes of deceiving, or intimidating those who are on the fence, to join him in his fate of eternal punishment....
Good morning, class. Due to time constraints this morning, we will have to combine the blocks for Greek, Math, and Hebrew into this one period, so please get out your textbooks! In Greek today, I would like to look at the phrase, “kairon kai kairous kai haimisu kairou”, which we have translated, “time, and times (plural), and half a time.” Originally from the book of Daniel, John uses this phrase to describe the length of time that the woman symbolizing the nation of Israel is nourished in the wilderness, hiding from the dragon. How does John interpret this phrase? Well, even though Greek has a separate word for “year”, “etos”, John takes the phrase “time, and times, and half a time” to mean “year, and TWO years, and half a year” for a total of 3.5 years. How else could John have interpreted it? It is a length of time that is determined in advance, precisely, not at God's whim, and yet, is not specified to us.
Moving on to math, let's do a couple of unit conversions for practice. Please convert 3.5 years to the units of months. The correct result is 3.5 years times 12 months per year is 42 months, the time the beast of the sea had authority. OK, now convert 3.5 years to the units of days, rounding a year to 360 days. The correct result is 1260 days, another reference for the time that the woman symbolizing Israel spent in the wilderness.
In Hebrew, I would like to mention the practice called gematria, which assigns the numbers 1-10, 20-100, and 200-400 to the 22 consonants of the Hebrew language. The sum of the letters of words and phrases were often looked to for hidden meanings. As an example, let's look at the consonants used in Hebrew for the phrase, “Caesar Nero”. Caesar would be spelled: Kuf-Samech-Resh with values 100-60-200 for a total of 360. Nero would be spelled: Nun-Resh-Vav with values 50-200-6 for a total of 256. So in total, Caesar Nero would have a value of 616, and there are a few manuscripts of the book of Revelation that have the number of the beast of the earth as 616. But if you use Nero as the object in a phrase, you would end his name with an additional Nun, to bring the total for the phrase “Caesar Nero” to 666. Is this the only way the number of the beast of the earth is interpreted? No, some say that 666 is a trinity that falls just short of the perfect trinity 777. But then, what do you make of 616? Class dismissed!
Regardless of whether it is 3.5 literal years, or a longer or even shorter time, once the seventh trumpet has sounded, it's like the three minute warning in football – time for Satan to use his hurry-up offence. His time is short, and since he knows his fate, his wrath is great, and his malice towards those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus is immense.
So Satan brings to the field, a beast from the sea – based on the description of heads and horns and diadems, probably a new kingdom or empire set against Christianity. It will have great appeal to the masses. And it will have the power to conquer people by force and therefore, to intimidate all those who are not solid in their faith.
And Satan also brings to the field, a beast from the earth – probably a new tyrant in the mould of Nero, who will also appeal to the masses. He will have the power to deceive people with great signs, and to manipulate public opinion, making those who do not follow him persona non grata – banned from the market and shunned by society. All those who are not solid in their faith will be tempted to renounce their faith, and to align themselves with the tyrant's program.
Could all these events described here have happened in the past? Could this be happening right now, under the radar? Is the United Nations truly the empire of the beast of the sea? Was the covid vaccination passport that allowed us to go to the store, truly the mark of the beast of the earth? No, but it's great that you have enough knowledge of these scriptures to make those links! No, the events in our scripture readings today come AFTER the seven seals of the scroll and the first six trumpets, where widespread damage and plagues occur on the earth, specifically to NOT be under the radar, but to be visible to all. And with our current technology that brings us news about every tragic circumstance on earth, no matter how tiny, it is safe to say this prophecy is still in the future.
Well, OK then, will WE have to live through these terrible events? Should we be worried about Satan's hurry-up offence? Each generation in the almost 2000 years since Revelation was written has had to deal with this question, and with the exception of a few pockets of local persecution, going on even now, the generation that came closest to experiencing these events was the generation it was written for. Of course it is possible that the Lamb is opening the first seal of the scroll in the heavenly throne room RIGHT NOW. But it's not likely. And it's possible, but not likely, during the lifetime of the youngest member here today. And, if it does come about, we have these words of wisdom - “if you are to be taken captive, into captivity you go.” The script has already been written, and the parts we will play are within our capabilities. A response of faith and endurance will bring us through.
But don't think that we can afford to get complacent under Satan's REGULAR offence, the constant stream of deceptions and social intimidation that are currently operating on us. We continue to need the protection of the Holy Spirit, working through Word and Sacrament and prayer and worship and association and introspection. We continue to need the Holy Spirit for our names to be kept in the book of life of the Lamb that was slaughtered.