Copy of Original Beast
Exact Replica or Mirror Image of Original Beast?
The image beast could probably be represented as an exact
replica of the original or a mirror image. Take your pick!
The bible in Revelation 13:14 says
"...saying to them that dwell on the earth,
that they should make an image to the beast...,"
which it indicates is advocated by the 2-horned earth beast. Now an image
is a replica (or you might consider it to be a mirror image) of the original, but
is NOT the original itself. Historically, we know that the original beast
was the legal power the papacy got to punish what it considered heresy and for the
pope to be the highest bishop over all others. It had those legal
powers from
538 A.D.
to
1798.
This basically amounts to a situation where the powers of the state are put under the control
of the church for accomplishment of these purposes.
In Revelation 17, we are told that the original beast will return during the time
of the 8th king, which is yet future as of the writing of this in December of
2002.
Rev 17:8 says
"The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless
pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names
were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold
the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."
Now, this text indicates that the beast
"is not"
right now because this time occurs during the time of the heads, but will in fact
return someday because of the statement at the end of that verse that says the beast
"yet is".
That means the original beast will return.
It would not make much sense to create an image to the
original beast in the same location or time as the original
beast for there would not be a need for it, so what makes
sense here is that we need to look at history and Revelation to figure
out what is meant by the bible when it says an image to the beast is
made and the original returns. To put it another way, we need
to figure out why there is a need for both of them, do they occur in
the same location, time, or have the same purpose?
Consider the leopard beast (or sea beast as it is sometimes
called) of Revelation 13. It has 7 heads and 10 horns. Now
the 7 heads refers to the time period after 1798 and
the 10 horns refers to the time that will follow the
7 heads, which should end with the yet future death of
John Paul II. The
10 horns are 10 representative leaders of the Protestant
Religions (click
here to understand this). We
know from Revelation 17:13 that "These have
one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto
the beast."
which refers to what the 10 horns will do in the future. Therefore,
we can know that the leaders of the Protestant Religions
will join with the beast, which returns, to accomplish
something. We
know this because it says "These have one
mind",
which means they will be joined in pursuit of a common
goal, and because of the phrase which says
"and shall give their power and strength unto
the beast."
which evidently means they will invite the beast to return and
give their power (or you could say authority) to the
beast. From the context of these verses,
it would seem that if they did not invite the beast to
return, it would not be able to do so. If you question that, consider
that they "give" their
power and strength to the beast, which means it is voluntary. It
does not say that the beast simply "takes" their power and
strength to himself to use for himself as he sees fit. Therefore,
it is a voluntary thing they do. Further, the act of giving their
power and strength evidently is to help the returned
beast accomplish a common purpose. This must be done at their
invitation or the beast could not have the power given
to him because he does not simply "take" their power and strength. Therefore,
they invite the beast to return and voluntarily give
him the power to accomplish the purpose they all have
in mind.
Now, something to consider here is where the beast returns. Historically,
the beast was in Europe during the dark ages up until 1798.
Would it make sense to say that the beast will return if it
were to appear somewhere else in the world? It seem unreasonable to believe that it would appear anywhere but where
it was originally. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that the original beast,
which was in Europe, will again return to Europe at the request of the 10 horns. But,
that again begs the question, "where and when is the image beast"?
The image beast is brought about by the 2 horned earth
beast of Revelation 13.
The 2 horned earth beast is the United States of America. The United States
for most of its history has unofficially been a Protestant Nation (I say unofficially
because it is not a state religion for the United States at present does not have
a state religion). If you read the description of the earth beast, it becomes
evident that it has great power at its disposal as it compels all to worship the
image beast that it creates and has the power to do great miracles. Now,
the 10 horns on the leopard beast of Revelation 13 are
the 10 representative Protestant Leaders, so it seems
likely that as in the Old World where the Protestant
Religions will gain power and invite the beast to return,
so in the New World, the Protestant Religions will also
gain power and will create an image to the original beast.
Now an image is a replica, not the original, so what
would such an image be?
Consider that the original was the making of the pope as head bishop and being given
use of state power to punish what it considered heresy. To make an image to
that, it seems likely that this entails the use of state power to punish what the
Protestant Religions consider heresy, and to make them (whoever these Protestant
Religions in particular are) the head over all other religions, including all other
Protestant Religions not among those taking part in this activity. Does that
make sense? It should.
Therefore, someday in the United State, the Protestant
Religions will demand state authority to punish what
they consider heresy and to be the head over all other
religions. That
is what the image to the beast is.
Now, the next question is when does the image to the
beast occur? Since the
leopard beast of Revelation 13 shows 10 horns for the final time period of the beast
and we know that these are 10 representative Protestant Religions, it must be during
this same time that the image beast occurs, for only then will the Protestant Religions
have sufficient political power to accomplish this goal. So, the
image to the beast in the United States will likely occur
at about the same time as the original beast returns
to the continent of Europe.
A final question is why? Why does the original beast return and why is an
image beast formed in the United States? Revelation 17:14 says "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."
This war against the people of God has been mentioned before
in Revelation. In Rev 12:17 it says "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of
her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ."
Also, in Rev 13:7 it says
"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and
power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."
This indicates that during the time of the original beast (leopard beast of Revelation 13),
there was war against those who follow God and that the dragon or Satan instigates such war
(1)
those who opposed the supremacy of the pope, and
(2)
those who kept all the commandments of God, including the original
seventh-day Sabbath, which was made by God during creation
week for all mankind and has never been set aside by
God. So, it will be again by the returned beast and the image to
the beast. They will behave in the same identical manner as the
original beast did during the dark ages.
The issue here is power or control. These religious powers will demand state
power to carry out their wishes because of the desire for power and control.
And, they will get it. But, the result will be ruin, for them, and for all
who follow them, both here and for eternity. Rev 14:9-12 says "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the
beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall
drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of
his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the
holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment
ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast
and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here
is the patience of the saints: here are they that
keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
Therefore, worshipping the original beast or its image
or receiving the mark of the beast, will have very
serious consequences for all eternity, for the result
is the second death in hell fire that cannot be put out
(until it has burned up to completion everything of the
body that can be burned). The
result is eternal destruction that will never be undone
by God.
In conclusion, the image to the beast is like the
original beast in its power and what it will do. It will form here in the
United States someday during the time of the 8th king. The consequences
for anybody following its dictates will be the same as
those who followed the dictates of the original beast.