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In our study of the three beasts that serve the enemy of souls, we have seen certain commonalities. The dragon sought to kill Christ, and end His mission of our redemption. His temptations to Christ centered around “identity” and whether Christ would use His power for Himself instead of for others. The dragon, Lucifer who has become Satan, longs for acknowledgement that he is in charge. He comes disguised as an angel of light, quoting scripture, but seeking control and subservience. He is uninterested in our freedom and keenly interested in our slavery, a slavery that exists where only death is the relief. Control is his tool to achieve mastery over us. Control under the threat of death is his tool. He uses it, by having men attempt to control other men, often in the name of religion. Dissent is not tolerated. Free thinking is not tolerated. Resistance is not tolerated. He exerts control to force us to break our identity as children of God, and instead become followers of the beast, and of the dragon. All we need do to avoid his penalties is acknowledge he is in charge. But for those who truly follow Jesus Christ, we can only acknowledge it is Jesus Christ who alone is our leader. We cannot bow to anyone, or anything else but our only true God. Thus the war of the dragon continues. A new beast, a new ally, must arise to bring about the last front, the last battlefield of good and of evil.
John continues revealing the battle plan of the enemy in chapter 13 of his book of Revelations in verse 11 saying … “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.” To identify who this beast is, we must begin by examining its characteristics. This beast is unlike its predecessor which was composed of many animal parts. This beast instead is singular in nature, therefore constricted to a certain government or kingdom, not one that spans borders. It originates from the earth, as noted earlier the earth had opened to help the woman. A new area of earth emerged where the ideas of religious freedom would find a home. The “horns” or leadership, or government of this new beast has only 2 significant elements, not 7 or 10 as sited before with the previous beasts. A 2 party system would accomplish this metaphor. The horns themselves are akin to those of a lamb, or perhaps a Bison, a symbol of a nation that was founded in innocence without ambitions of conquering all other nations, but instead to expand only its own undrawn borders. But with all of the better characteristics associated with this beast it remains with a single flaw. It was to speak as a dragon.
This beast like its predecessor speaks with control, with authority, and with power such that the results divert worship from God and on to other things. American idealism values self. The American dream states that personal hard work and determination result in financial and personal success. In essence, you “control” your destiny. You need only serve your own needs, and you will find your dreams accomplished in this new land. But these are not new ideas, or new concepts, or new temptations. They are old ones. One nation under God is a mantra to distract that at the end of the day our systems of capitalism and American idealism center focus on self first, only then upon others. America does not teach the absence of helping others, only that this priority is secondary to insuring your own needs are met first. The logic being that we cannot help others before we ourselves are in a position to do so. Once we are “wealthy enough” then we can offer others the help our wealth enables. But these ideas miss the example of the widow, who while she had nearly nothing, gave her only 2 mites in offering to God. She did not have anything of value in wealth or prosperity. She was already poor. But she gave everything back to a God, who had given her everything. Her nature was so transformed that giving all she had was something her love would drive her to do. A system that focuses first on self, will never see this idea of giving everything achieved. It runs counter to these ideas of total sacrifice, or even total dependence on anything other than self.
John continues in verse 12 … “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” The third beast has a power base that continues to grow until it reaches universal dimensions. It would take a super-power to achieve this feat. Only three have really existed in our modern age, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China. The Soviet Union has broken apart, collapsing under the weight of a failed system of communism combined with god-less-ness. It carries no weight anymore. The super-power of China does have worldwide economic power, and an incredible labor base, and military potential. However, China has no real interest in the morality or worship the rest of the world engages in. While traditionally Buddhist, officially the Chinese government does not accept the existence of any particular God. Thus only the United States is left which does exert a religious influence on the world. Our “Christian” nation does believe that human rights are the gift of the divine, and we have begun to export our ideas of morality to the rest of the world. We marry financial reward with cooperation with our governmental policies some of which are based in our ideas of Biblical interpretation. We have a particularly close relationship with Israel, even though a closer union with Arab nations would offer us better economic opportunity and oil reserves. We maintain this relationship with Israel in part because our Christian ideas maintain the importance of Israel in apocalyptic prophecies.
To worship the first beast, the predecessor of this one, we would have to find elements in common. The first is control. Alive and well in our age of politics is the desire to legislate morality. Whether to overturn Roe vs Wade, or restrict homosexual marriage, or forbid multiple-party-marriages; all legislation of this nature is founded on “Christian” interpretations of scripture. The central underlying tenet is to compel the conscience of others with the power of the state. The papal system of the dark ages pursued this course before the new beast appears. In following the pattern of the prior beast, the new one offers homage to its originator. The prior beast thought itself equal to God, and thus able to enact alterations to scripture, or the laws of God. The fourth commandment of God which clearly states the special time of union between man and God would occur on the seventh day of the week, was altered to the first in honor of His resurrection. The second commandment of God which forbids the worship of anything man made instead of our invisible God in heaven was altered to allow for obeisance to statues, and works of art, in the likeness of heavenly things. In our nation, we continue the practice of worship on a different day, as well as honoring the works of our hands instead of a full dependence upon Christ for our sustenance and salvation. And we are on a path as a nation to place the penalty of death for those who dissent with our moral stands. While we have not reached this point as yet, we are headed there, and will eventually join with the original corrupt power system that produced the horrors of the inquisition. It is the pursuit of power and control that leads to this result. It is why Satan has evolved into what he is. And it is why both beasts wind up at the same conclusion of their author.
John continues in verse 13 … “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,” The military power of the United States is virtually unchallenged. We have the best technology and most advanced weaponry in the world. We have space based weapons, and missiles or drones, that can cross great distances and hit precision targets anywhere in the world. No one knows the full extent of our classified weapons systems, but no one doubts their power. Our military might, combined with our financial influence, continue to position our nation as the current world’s super-power. John continues in verse 14 … “And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” It is clear that our nation does not use its power and influence to attempt to force the rest of the world to adopt Catholicism. However, the ideas of corruption that emerged in the dark ages, are something we pattern ourselves after, thus making an image to the prior beast. We continue traditions established in that time without regard to actual scriptures. And we intend to use our might to enforce these ideas. Control and disregard for the dissent of others in the pursuit of even more power and wealth form a nearly identical image of the prior beast.
John continues in verse 15 … “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Therein lies the saddest prediction of the road our nation travels. Fundamentalism, and conservatism, are pointing us in the direction that would make us willing to kill those who dissent from our versions of legislated morality. Those who will not worship the way we dictate, those who would not submit to “our” authority, are to be killed for their alternative beliefs and views. This could come in either of two ways. First, it could emerge from atheists or islamists, or from any other competing ideology that gains enough majority to legislate laws against Christianity entirely. Or Second, it could emerge from Christianity itself, as the far right moves farther and farther in that direction, until killing those who dissent seems like the most logical course to pursue in an effort to keep our nation “pure”. The first beast had this same idea. It is why the inquisition was born in the dark ages, to remove the threat of those who would dissent with the “greater good”. The infestation of Protestantism had to be rooted out, for the “benefit” of those less educated believers that might be deceived by new ideas. Our nation has embarked on this same path and will reach this same conclusion. Those who do not obey the legislation of the majority must meet their death in order that the remainder of the nation be spared.
John continues in verse 16 … “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:” First, notice that this passage refers to the third beast we have been discussing, NOT, the Antichrist. Common interpretation would have us believe that the “antichrist” emerging after a “rapture”, which so far has not been mentioned once in this book, is responsible for the Mark of the Beast. But John does not state or relay this. The Third Beast is responsible for causing all mankind to receive this mark. And the timing is not done after the return of Christ but before it occurs. It is an event that is still in our future, but it precedes the second coming. The Mark itself, may not be physical in nature, but decidedly real. It does not require a tattoo to accomplish identifying everyone on planet earth. Computers already do a fairly good job of that. They collect DNA, finger print data from job applications for sensitive positions, medical results, census information, tax returns, financial records, etc.. In today’s age they also collect email, phone call, and communication data and content that can be used to track profiles of anyone for any purpose. Computers control your finances entirely, no one keeps cash under the mattress anymore, neither do your land-lords accept cash as a payment for rent in general. Our entire financial system relies upon computer systems that track and transfer funds wherever you need them whenever you need them.
John continues in verse 17 … “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Control was the idea behind all of this. Compliance with our laws is to be achieved in this final assault on the conscience of men through financial restrictions and controls. All we need do to avoid his penalty is to acknowledge “who” is in control of our lives. The third beast exerts control, the tool of the dragon, to cause us to reject our identity as followers of Christ, and instead accept the authority of the beast in charge, any beast of Lucifer’s will do in that regard. As long as we refuse to rely upon Jesus Christ alone, we can be a part of the empire of the beasts, and of the dragon. We need not worship a particular pope, but merely decline to worship Christ alone. This is not about the worldwide ascendency of Satanism, or Catholicism, or even the worldwide supremacy of the United States – it is about the choice made under threat of death, to deny Jesus Christ in favor of any other alternative. The service of self has long been the most viable alternative the devil has offered to the systems of God that are based on service to others. “Self” is a more than adequate alternative to Christ, even within the Christian faith. Looking to “self” for salvation with accomplish the same failure as looking to Mohammed, or Buddha, or any other competing ideology. Thus the battle plan of the enemy of souls is revealed.
John concludes in verse 18 to help us see more revealing characteristics of this Mark brought upon the world by the Third Beast as he writes … “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” “Vicarius Filii Dei” the banner inscribed on the crown worn by the papal power of the dark ages was the first clue at identifying the Mark of the Beast. It was not intended to be ascribed to a particular pope, but instead was intended to point out characteristics of a corrupt system or power. Any religious system that seeks to use the power of the state to compel the conscience of others takes on the Mark of subservience to the Beast and the Dragon. Any system that denies the supremacy of Christ, or seeks to offer alternatives that are of equal authority with Christ, takes on the Mark of subservience to the Dragon who gave the Beasts their power, their seat, and their great authority. We can as easily offer homage to religious leaders as we do to the man in the mirror, to effectively deny the supremacy of Christ. This is not constricted only to the Catholicism of the dark ages, it is prevalent in the modern world by our refusal to look to Christ alone for our salvation. This is the united goal of the three beasts.
It does not matter whether atheism suggests we deny our God. It does not matter whether Islamism, or Buddhism, or Hinduism, or some other “ism” require we recognize some other alternative. It does not matter whether Christianity requires we give honor to its leaders instead of to Christ. It does not matter if ultimately all we serve is self and look to put self into the process of our salvation. ALL that matters to see the Mark of the Beast placed in our hands or in our foreheads is that in so doing, we DENY the singular power of Jesus Christ in our salvation. To avoid this Mark, we must be followers of Jesus Christ alone. His word, His authority, His power are all we do obeisance to. We acknowledge our identity as ONLY followers of Jesus Christ. The edicts of men, to deny or alter His laws, are of no effect to us. We will worship ONLY Jesus Christ. We will give homage ONLY to Jesus Christ. It does not matter what the threats of the enemy are. If we die, we die. Generations of Martyr’s have gone before us into their graves, still clinging to the singular truth of Jesus Christ. The edicts of man could now sway them away from the truth of Jesus Christ. Nor can we allow these edicts to sway us now.
The transforming power of Jesus Christ in our lives is something that will not be denied. Even though the revelations of these three beasts outline the battle plans of our enemy, they also remain revelations of Jesus Christ. It is Jesus Christ who shows us the insight into the plans of His enemy, in order that we might avoid missing the deceptions of His enemy. We are not to be swept away by the flood of the dragon, but instead remain steadfastly clinging to Jesus Christ, the source of our salvation. We are not to do homage to the dragon, or the beasts he raises as allies, in his war with God. We are to maintain our identity as Christians, as followers of Christ. We are to guard our servitude to Christ even from Christianity that might seek to divert it to other ideas within the faith. It is no small thing to give homage to Satan, even though it is only words, those words matter. If we are to allow God to write our names in His book of Life, we must remain followers of Jesus Christ in both word and deed. We must allow Christ to remake us into the image He intends and never publicly or privately state we are anything less than followers of Jesus Christ. The ability to buy and sell is inconsequential against the freedom to love others Christ offers us, to break the slavery of our chains to serving self. We must avoid looking to involve “self” in our salvation, and instead allow Christ to stamp “self” out of us entirely.
The beasts and the dragon seek control. They seek to challenge our identity upon pain of death. It is the hallmark of their battle plans. They seek to compel the conscience of men. God does not. God is not about control, but instead about choice. He offers us His love, but does NOT compel us to accept it. He offers us His gift of freedom, but will NOT break our chains without our consent. For love to be love, it MUST be a choice. God cannot compel us to love Him, as then it could not be considered love. But if we choose to love Him, our love is then real. If we choose to serve Him, our service is then real. While we will need Him to save us from ourselves, it is our choice that begins and allows Him to begin this process. It is only the dragon that would seek to enact moral laws, upon penalty of death, to compel men to do what he says. God does not need to control us, He can change us through our consent of His love. Our choice determines our fate with our Lord. To deny choice, is to adopt the image of the beast, and to receive His mark in our philosophy and our deeds, upon our heads and in our hands.
As the revelation of the three beasts concludes, the enemy has been revealed, but of more value, the singular method of our salvation has been revealed all the more. Jesus Christ alone is our salvation. It is with Jesus Christ alone we will identify ourselves as followers and receivers of the gift of salvation He brings …
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