This Is What We See: See the Beast

I’ve never been to a haunted house - and if I have my way - probably never will. As a kid, my imagination was so vivid that even the thought of people jumping out at me sent shivers down my spine. My mom loves to tell the story of a homecoming parade when my brother and I (old enough to know better) spotted the local haunted house crew marching by. We both dove behind her in terror. Suffice it to say, if I ever did go into a haunted house, my years of martial arts might accidentally kick in and I’d end up in an unintentional altercation with some poor, unsuspecting monster.  

Monsters abound in Revelation. One in particular—the Beast—emerges from the sea. This isn’t just a random horror story. The Beast stands in a long line of literary monsters used to name empire, greed, and violence. John is pulling back the curtain on how oppressive power works in the real world.  

The Beast rises from the sea with crowns and blasphemous names, winning loyalty through fear, spectacle, and the promise of safety. The Beast represents not just one villain—but a whole system that feeds on domination and demands our allegiance.  

If we’re honest, we’ve seen this Beast before. It wears different clothes in every generation: leaders who turn themselves into idols, systems that demand silence, voices that twist truth into propaganda. In John’s day, it was Rome. In ours, it looks like polarization, nationalism, greed—or any movement willing to trade compassion for control.  

This week, we’re invited to name what’s real. Not to wallow in fear, but to spot the patterns of empire so we’re not caught off guard. Revelation isn’t about decoding the latest conspiracy theory—it’s about seeing clearly so we can live faithfully in turbulent times.  

Because in our world today, it’s tempting to cling to whatever promises stability, even if it means shrinking our vision or muting our voice, or the voices of our neighbors. But John’s vision reminds us: our loyalty belongs first to the Lamb, not the Beast.  

This Sunday, we’ll talk about how to see the Beast without becoming like it—to live awake, courageous, and full of hope. Because the story of Revelation doesn’t end with the Beast. It ends with a renewed creation, where God’s love outlasts every age.  

Peace, 
Pastor Katie