These shall make war with the Lamb

Revelation 17:13 says,

“These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.”

According to Revelation 17, the ten kings are in agreement. They will give the beast their power and strength.

It appears that these ten kings are fighting against other political alliances, but their true intention is global dominance, to take control of all nations. To control and bring into bondage all people.

Their pursuits are in all realities a war with the Lamb of God because God gave him as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. God has made him Lord of all. God gave authority over all nations. See Psalms 2, Matthew 28:18-20, and John 17:2

The Ten Kings

“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14

These ten kings are fighting against someone:

Who hath been appointed as heir of all things

By whom God made the planets

Who is the brightness of God’s glory?

The brightness of God’s glory is reflected in creation. It is infinite knowledge and wisdom, Hebrews 1:1-3. The Lamb of God, Jesus, is the brightness of his glory.

Debt

Debt is the hook by which Satan is going to throw people into a deep black hole.

Sacrifice in the system of God

You don’t have to guess what God values. It is the one thing by which he is going to judge the world. God values sacrifice. This is why we have the image of the Lamb of God on the throne (See Revelation 22).

We are in the end times, and people are going to lift up their god and the things that they sacrifice to and for, and they will be judged. 

1 Timothy 6:10 says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

The Difference

In Matthew 25, there are two parables of great significance: the first is the parable of the ten virgins, and the second is the parable of the talents. The parable of the ten virgins deals with the issue of timing. Both groups had the same equipment and were subject to the same circumstances. The only difference is that the wise virgins prepared for the journey, while the foolish virgins did not. When the call came, the wise virgins went into the marriage feast, and the door was shut, and opportunity was lost to the five foolish virgins

The parable of the talents in Matthew is about maximizing opportunity.

The Opportunity

In Matthew 25:14-30, the talents that the landlord gave to the servants is God’s way of returning stewardship over creation to man. God gives talent, the world gives you debt.

Go back to the original blueprint in Genesis 1:26-29 and Genesis 2:5. God doesn’t change.

Man’s stewardship was always designed to work in partnership with God. God formed the animals from the dust of the ground, and brought them to Adam to be given names, Genesis 2:18-25

When you leave God out of the equation, what you get is self-exaltation, the Nebuchadnezzar syndrome: 

In Daniel 4:30, Nebuchadnezzar said,

‘Look at this Great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty.’

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, a voice from heaven said, “The kingdom is departed from you.” Nebuchadnezzar went through a period of insanity. 

When you work apart from God, you get self-effort:

In the parable of the foolish rich man who said,

‘What shall I do! I have no room to store my fruits. He said, I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store my fruit there. I WILL say, soul, you have much in store; sit back, eat, drink, and be merry.

God said, ‘You fool, your soul is required of you this night! Then shall all those things you prepared belong to whom you have prepared?’

Jesus said, ‘So is he who stores treasure for himself and is not rich toward God!’

What is the talent? Grace!