5The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.
7It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.–Revelation 13
- Whatever power the beast will have will exist under the sovereign boundaries placed by God.
- Satan and his minions always are limited by God’s power.
- The beast will be given authority and influence. All who do not belong to the Lamb/Jesus will worship the beast.
- The great either/or regarding your salvation: your name either is written in the Lamb’s book of life or it is not.
- You either have trusted Jesus for salvation or you have not.
- For those who believe the church is not present during the tribulation, who is the beast conquering in verse 7? A group can’t be attacked if they have previously been raptured away, as some believe.
- Is your allegiance with Jesus or this world? Do you follow the Lamb or the Beast?–JMB
Joel M Bradshaw 
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