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DECEMBER 23

13:3 his deadly wound was healed.This state- 13:18 His number is 666. This is the essential
ment could refer to one of the kingdoms that number of a man. The number 6 falls one
was destroyed and revived (i.e., the Roman short of God’s perfect number,7,and thus rep-
Empire).But more likely it refers to a fake death resents human imperfection. Antichrist, the
and resurrection enacted by the Antichrist, as most powerful human the world will ever
part of his lying deception (vv. 12,14; 17:8,11; know,will still be a man,i.e.,a 6.The ultimate in
2 Thess. 2:9). world marveled. People in the human and demonic power is a 6,not perfect,
world will be astounded and fascinated when as God is.The 3-fold repetition of the number
Antichrist appears to rise from the dead. His is intended to reiterate and underscore man’s
charisma,brilliance,and attractive but deluding identity. When Antichrist is finally revealed,
powers will cause the world to follow him there will be some way to identify him with
unquestioningly (v.14; 2 Thess.2:8–12). this basic number of a man, or his name may
have the numerical equivalent of 666. (In
many languages, including Hebrew, Greek,
and Latin, letters have numerical equivalents.)
and great authority. And I saw one of his Because this text reveals very little about the
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heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and meaning of 666, it is unwise to speculate
his deadly wound was healed. And all the beyond what is said.
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world marveled and followed the beast. So
they worshiped the dragon who gave authori-
ty to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, the authority of the first beast in his presence,
saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to and causes the earth and those who dwell in it
make war with him?” to worship the first beast, whose deadly
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great wound was healed. He performs great signs,
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things and blasphemies, and he was given so that he even makes fire come down from
authority to continue for forty-two months. heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And
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6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy he deceives those who dwell on the earth by
against God, to blaspheme His name, His tab- those signs which he was granted to do in the
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ernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on
was granted to him to make war with the the earth to make an image to the beast who
saints and to overcome them. And authority was wounded by the sword and lived. He was
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was given him over every tribe, tongue, and granted power to give breath to the image of
nation. All who dwell on the earth will wor- the beast, that the image of the beast should
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ship him, whose names have not been written both speak and cause as many as would not
in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the worship the image of the beast to be killed.
foundation of the world. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and
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9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their
leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he right hand or on their foreheads, and that no
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who kills with the sword must be killed with one may buy or sell except one who has the
the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of mark or the name of the beast, or the number
the saints. of his name.
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has under-
the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb standing calculate the number of the beast, for
and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
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DAY 23:Who was Habakkuk, and where did his questions for God take him?
As with many of the Minor Prophets, nothing is known about the prophet except that which
can be inferred from the book.In the case of Habakkuk,internal information is virtually nonexistent,
making conclusions about his identity and life conjectural. His simple introduction as “the prophet
Habakkuk” may imply that he needed no introduction since he was a well-known prophet of his
day. It is certain that he was a contemporary of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zephaniah.
The opening verses reveal a historical situation similar to the days of Amos and Micah.Justice
had essentially disappeared from the land. Violence and wickedness were pervasive, existing
unchecked. In the midst of these dark days, the prophet cried out for divine intervention (1:2–4).
God’s response, that He was sending the Chaldeans to judge Judah (1:5–11), creates an even
greater theological dilemma for Habakkuk: Why didn’t God purge His people and restore their

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