When I was in grammar school (as they called it then) in the 60s, one of my favorite things was going to the school library and checking out a book to carry home. I usually ended up checking out the same books over and over. One of my favorite all-time books was called “Fish out of Water” by Helen Palmer (aka Mrs. Dr. Seuss). The story was about a boy that goes to a pet shop and purchases a small fish in a bowl. The owner of the pet store Mr. Carp warns the boy, not to give the fish too much food.

The boy brings the fish home and names him Otto, as he is feeding him he notices that Otto still looks hungry, so the boy ends up dumping the whole box of fish food in the bowl. Otto begins to grow, so from page to page the boy must continually find larger bowls or pots to hold the fish, Otto then ends up in the bathtub still growing. The boy calls the Police and Fire Department for help. Eventually, Otto is carried by the Fire Department to the public swimming pool still growing. So, the boy finally calls Mr. Carp and confesses to the total disregard of his warning. So, amidst a crowd of onlookers with the Police and Fire trucks, Mr. Carp shows up with snorkels and a black box. He jumps into the swimming pool and goes out of sight, the giant fish slowly begins to shrink, disappearing under the water. After a few minutes, Mr. Carp comes out holding a small bowl containing the original size fish.

Two views of history
The Accidental View: Historical events occur by accident, for no apparent reason, rulers are powerless to intervene.
The Conspiratorial View: Historical events occur by design for reasons that are not generally made known to the people.
Ralph Epperson “The Unseen Hand”

The Bible starts off with ideas of innocent beginnings trees, gardens, rivers, a place where man and woman can live in paradise forever. Then out of nowhere a simple question is asked by a subtle serpent. Did God really say? It was that simple question that started the avalanche of deception for the entire history of the world. The one question that opened Pandora’s box to release murder, hate, rebellion, and war.

The trail of the serpent’s deception can then be followed throughout the bible. Starting in Genesis with the fall of man then leading through Isaiah with a brief description of how a third of the angels rebelled. The physical world and spiritual world all affected by the serpent. The book of Job also details how Satan (no longer described as a serpent) has access to God’s throne, to come and affect the seen (physical) and unseen (spiritual) world of man.

Then continuing in the New Testament one of the first stories in the gospels is about Satan (the god of this age), now acting as an arrogant demigod tempting Jesus in the wilderness. So, as we read this interaction we can easily see a part of the bigger picture. It was not, just a simple serpent in the garden, Adam and Eve were just pawns in a cosmic battle, unknowing participants in an age-old rebellion. So, continuing into Revelation there is revealed a Great Dragon, described as the old serpent called Satan. This serpent/Dragon’s journey has left in its wake, seas of deceived people, along with fallen angels, all doing their part to create the beast system that in the end will cover the whole earth seeking ultimate power.

…because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2 Thessalonians 2:10,11

So how does the serpent in Genesis become the Great Dragon in Revelation? Who is disregarding the warnings of the Bible and overfeeding the serpent? There are numerous occults and cults that do not have the same worldview of this evil serpent in the garden. These secret societies and mystery religions see the serpent as good, the great liberator of mankind. In their worldview Adam and Eve were being held in a spiritual prison of morality and rules, unable to think for themselves. Then enters the serpent to become the great emancipator to free them from their oppressor. Instead of rules of morality, mankind is now free to explore any and every pleasure they can imagine, having no consequences to their actions. If it feels good do it.

…every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Judges 17:6

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1 John 2:16

So, in this worldview man can become his own “god” or choose to worship made up gods. This deception is the foundation for the anti-God rebellion or the anti-Christ system. It started before the garden and has been at work since time begin, it continues to grow and feed on millions of deceived and unsuspecting people from past to present. The Dragon, heading up the beast network with its goal to control the whole earth and its inhabitants.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this, you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming and is now already in the world.”
1 John 4:1-3

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him
1 John 2:15

So, we sometimes watch and wonder, why is the world we live in so upside down. Education more concerned about teaching sexual depravities than basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. Television that has hundreds of channels and choices yet nothing with any values worth watching. Movies that continue to push the line of what society accepts as normal. Music that promotes entertainers that have no natural talent they are just puppets there to promote demons and symbology. All this is part of the beast system feeding and growing, sending a constant bombardment of brainwashing to nearly every person on the planet.

Wars and rumors of wars are all created and promoted for no greater purpose other than to feed the beast. Big pharmaceutical companies keep the world asleep and numb with the “right” drugs that are legally hawked and dispensed at every corner. These same drugs then fuel the “wrong” drug market becoming illegal all the while making exorbitant profits for all involved. Evil is promoted as good, and good is considered evil as people advance planned parenthood in the banner of women’s health, while at the same time babies are thrown away or sold for spare parts. All the while religion has sold its soul to prosperity. Churches and denominations are so divided and fractured they have become for the most part ineffective.

…for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
2 Corinthians 11:14,15

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, Ephesians 2:4,5

…For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Romans 5:15

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; Revelation 5:9

In the book “Fish out of Water” when the boy did not follow the rules for feeding Otto, he had to call on Mr. Carp to come and solve the problem that no one else could solve. In Revelation chapter 5 There is a narrative of a search of all of heaven and earth and under the earth to find someone worthy enough to open a scroll. This scroll is sealed with seven seals and contains the title deed to earth and all its souls. Jesus Christ who was never deceived and only spoke truth even in death, is found to be the only one worthy to open the scroll.

When Jesus breaks open the first seal the agonizing process of reversing the deception begins. Eventually, the Great Dragon is bound in chains and the world is rid of this great deceiver the very father of lies and his beast system. The problem that begins with Adam and Eve and their total disregard for God’s warning, would now be solved by the only one worthy. Through His own innocent blood, Jesus paid the price of redemption and the right to break the seals and open the scroll.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Revelation 12:11

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly.
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Revelation 22:20,21