Christian, be on guard to worship the one, true GOD in Spirit and in Truth!  Though Satan has ultimately been defeated, he continually turns his attention to destroying God’s people (12:17) through his created beasts who, along with Satan himself, deceives the world to marvel at their evil works, believe their heinous lies and fall into false worship (13:3-9).  However, be encouraged, Christ’s Church will endure (13:10).  Even when evil persuasion is great and wicked influence is strong, remember God is greater than any created being, even our own selves. (13:11-18)

 

Scripture Reading:  Isaiah 14:12-20  (ESV)

12 “How you are fallen from heaven,
    O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
    you who laid the nations low!
13 You said in your heart,
    ‘I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
    I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
    in the far reaches of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
    I will make myself like the Most High.’
15 But you are brought down to Sheol,
    to the far reaches of the pit.
16 Those who see you will stare at you
    and ponder over you:
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
    who shook kingdoms,
17 who made the world like a desert
    and overthrew its cities,
    who did not let his prisoners go home?’
18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
    each in his own tomb;
19 but you are cast out, away from your grave,
    like a loathed branch,
clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword,
    who go down to the stones of the pit,
    like a dead body trampled underfoot.
20 You will not be joined with them in burial,
    because you have destroyed your land,
    you have slain your people.

“May the offspring of evildoers
    nevermore be named!