According to Chapter 13, another beast arose out of the land itself, exerting all the power and right of control of the former beast, causing those in the earth to exalt and deify the first beast, and to worship him: In spite of the fact that the Reformation split the Roman Catholic Church and threatened to destroy it when the Church's heretical teachings were exposed, the Church was able to reinvent itself so successfully, it lost none of its standing or power on the world stage. The Vatican has successfully declared the Pope infallible and the Roman Catholic Church as the only true Church. The term 'rising out of the land itself' indicates this new beast did not come into its position of power from without as the first Beast did, but arose from within the existing structure, that is, the existing structure of the Roman Catholic Church. Keep in mind that the last verse appears to correspond to 1798 in the church age timeline, so this new beast is emerging around that time.
He had two horns like those of a lamb:After 1798, the Roman Catholic church and the pope took on a more gentle, benevolent appearance, which exuded great humility and meekness. The pope was described as 'servus serverum', or 'servant of servants'. At that time He was ascribed as infallible, comparing Himself to Jesus, the Lamb of God, in this manner. This second Beast has the same appearance as a Lamb, it looks like the Lamb (that was slain), it talks about Him and gives the impression of being of His line, but when it opens its mouth it has the voice of the dragon (a persecuting monarch - "do what I say, or else ..."). It is only when it speaks that this Beast's true identity is revealed.
This second beast has two horns. In Bible prophesy, a horn is a symbol a kingdom, a leadership or line of authority that has grown out of or evolved from another structure. In this instance, the 'other structure' that the post-1798 Church grew out of was the first Beast. Thus we now appear to have two lines of church administration emerging out of the former church administration (Roman Catholic Church). The second line might be the Coptic Church, the Protestant churches, or even another branch within the Roman Catholic Church itself.
As an aside, it is the fact that the miter, a hat worn by Roman Catholic bishops, was purposefully designed in this fashion because it is intended to represent two horns. I quote Bruno Bernard Heim, in his book, Heraldry in the Catholic Church, Its Origins, Customs and Laws, (New Jersey: Van Duren, 1978); p. 62: "As already mentioned the mitre has undergone a whole series of transformations since its introduction in the liturgy. At the dawn of the Eleventh Century it was it was conical or hemispherical. Later it was divided from front to back. Since about 1125 it has been made up of two pointed pieces called Horns, rising from each side and slightly inclined toward each other, held together by the lining. The twelfth Century mitre no longer had the HORNS at the side, but fore the aft of the head."
Mr. Heim, the designer of John XXIII's coat of arms, adds that Innocent III explained the symbol of the two-horns as representing the two Testaments, Old and New. Of course, by that explanation we are to understand that the bishops follow. So here we have another unlikely fulfilment of prophecy. Not only does the Roman Catholic priesthood, including bishops, give and receive the indelible Mark, CHARACTEREM, as described in Rev. 13:16-17, but its bishops wear two-horned miters, as described in Rev. 13:11.
He spoke like a dragon:Note that it does not say this second, new form of administration, is a dragon, it says it has the voice of one. A dragon in Biblical prophesy is a symbol of a persecuting monarch, so this second beast has a voice that speaks like a persecuting monarch. It doesn't lead by example, as Jesus ordained that church leadership should, but as one with authority who exerts control, and says, "do what I say, or else ..." This is how we know whether a church's leadership is of God or of the Dragon. In Luke 22:25-29, Jesus told his disciples, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship (jurisdiction) over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors (working for the people's benefit). But you shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that serves ... And as my Father has appointed to me a kingdom on that basis (leading as a servant, and not by exercising authority over people) I likewise confer it onto you." Peter reiterates those guidelines for church leadership in 1 Peter 5:2-3: "Tend the flock of God that is your responsibility, not by coercion or constraint, but willingly; not dishonourably motivated by the advantages and profits belonging to the office, but eagerly and cheerfully. Not domineering, arrogant, dictatorial, overbearing (a persecuting monarch?) as lords over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."
These two scriptures hold the key to determining whether or not the leadership of a church is of God or of the Beast. If the leaders operate as servants to the flock, and lead by their own example, they are of God. If they exercise lordship or authority; if they control or coerce or apply any kind of constraint; if they run the church with a domineering, arrogant, dictatorial or overbearing attitude; if they require submission to their spiritual authority over the church; if they threaten persecution in the form of isolation if you don't comply with what they say; if they use their leadership position for their own financial gain ("give money to my ministry and God will bless you"), then they are of the Beast.
He performs great signs and miracles:This Beast, under its two lines of leadership, performs miracles, signs and wonders. On the Roman Catholic church line, many such signs and wonders have been credited to the Saints who had been deified by the Church and widely documented and publicised as evidence that the Roman Catholic Church was the true Church. Various Popes were credited with performing miracles, in fact sainthood is bestowed based on whether or not a miracle has been perfotmed.
He deceived those who inhabited the Earth, and commanded them to erect a statue in the likeness of the Beast:In the 16th century, the Vatican pursued a policy of erecting magnificent churches and cathedrals in every country where Catholicism was practised. The design of these buildings was to reflect the grandeur of the Vatican. These buildings were named after and filled with statues of Mary and the Saints who represented the very essence of the Roman Catholic Church itself. This principle has continued until the present day in the Roman Catholic Church and many Protestant Churches too, not only in the buildings themselves, but in their names (honouring saints), their statues, stained glass windows and their ceremonial traditions. Speaking of names, the names of many ministries today focus on the minister rather than God. The word minister means servant - does a real servant elevate themselves ahead of the one they serve? In calling themselves "Fred Bloggs Miniustries", the focus is on the man and not God. The image and likeness they are erecting for others to submit to is that of the man, the 666, the Beast.
He is permitted to impart the breath of life into the Beast's image, so that the statue of the Beast could speak:Over the years, many statues and paintings erected within Roman Catholic Churches and Cathedrals have been reported as 'coming to life', through acts of bleeding or change of images. This could also refer to the fact that in both the Catholic and some Protestant churches, men have been elevated to a position where they are revered as deity because of their claim to being not only the mouthpieces but the very representation of God himself. The Pope makes such a claim as have and do many so-called prophets, evangelists and apostles in the Protestant churches.
He compels all alike to be marked with an inscription (signature) on their right hands and on their foreheads:The verse is more accurately translated as "they give themselves a mark by their right hand to their foreheads". Around the time of the Reformation, the display of the symbol of the cross commencing with the placement of the right hand on the forehead, became universally accepted as a sign of Catholicism and submission to the Authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Tracing the form of a cross, originally on the forehead with the right hand, is still practised by Catholics today. During the Inquisitions (Roman [1588] and Spanish [1478-1834]), anyone declaring the authority of the Roman Catholic Church or renouncing another faith was required to receive this mark. The Roman Catholic church uses the same word for its 'mark' as the Book of Revelation uses for the mark of the Beast.
The number of the beast is that of man; his number is counted as 666:Verse 18 indicates that the second Beast is not a man, for though its number is a human number, that number is not the number of a particular man but of man himself. It also implores us to count (compute, calculate, reckon) the number in order to determine the identity of The Beast, which we shall now do. The number given was Six hundred threescore and six, we will work it backwards to grasp its meaning:
Six is man's nature apart from the Divine = human, the ego, carnal, ungodlyThus, we can identify the Beast as being God's church but being run under human authority in an ungodly, carnal way. This description will therefore enable us to identify the Beast. Rev 13 does not tell us that the number of the Beast is the number of the Roman Catholic church, it tells us it is the number of man running God's church. So the problem is not the Roman Catholics, or the Protestants, Mormans, Jehovah's Witnesses etc. running it; the problem is man running it.
The Beast will be any person or organisation fitting that description. Any church which applies any form of control, domination or authority over a Christian, or requires submission to its spiritual authority, no matter who it claims gave it that authority, is operating under the prophetic number of 666, so its form of government is that of the Beast; the book of Revelation impores us not to take on its mark or submit to its authority.
Of interest is the fact that the Roman Catholic Church was for many centuries known as the Latin church as Latin was the only language permitted in its services and Bibles. It is because the South American continent was first discovered and settled by Roman Catholics that it became known as Latin America. When the Church was first formed, the name was spelt "Latienos". Using the alphabet numeric system of the day in which every letter of the alphabet had a numeric value, the sum numeric value of Latienos was 666: L = 30; a = 1; t = 300; e = 5; I =10; n = 50; o = 70; v = 200.
Ludovicus, Lewis or Louis was a name commonly used in Papally ruled countries. Its numerical value in Latin is also 666.
The Hebrew word 'tyymwr', which signifies 'Roman', when used in conjunction with the word 'kingdom', has a sum of 666. The Hebrew name 'Sethur', mentioned in Number 13: 13, means 'mystery'. One of the names of Babylon (Revelation 17:5) is 'mystery'. The numerical value of Sethur is 666.<
Rev 13: 16 make reference to the right hand. In the Bible, the right hand is a symbol of strength, and the forehead a symbol of the mind. This verse is therefore referring to the submission of one's strength (energies) and mind (beliefs) to a human authority structure. Thus, if any church, be it Catholic or Protestant, sets up a man (or a woman or a group of people for that matter) in a position of authority unto which that church's membership is compelled to submit, that church is operating under the name of the Beast. To submit to that authority is to submit to the Beast and to take on its mark or stamp of authority over your life. In the light of Revelation 13, becoming a member of a church by taking the 'right hand of fellowship' could well have sinister implications.
No one will have the power to buy or sell unless he bears the mark of the Beast:During and for many years after the Inquisition throughout Europe, edicts were issued by order of a bull of Pope Martin the Fifth forbidding Catholics to deal with heretics, including buying and selling. The Laterran Council under Pope Alexander issued similar decrees against Waldenses and Albigenes as did the Synod of Tours de France.
The reference here to buying and selling is also symbolic of 'doing business'. The type of 'business' a church deals in is that of Christian ministry, thus a person who is denied the power to 'buy and sell' with a church is denied the power to contribute towards as well as be a recipient of that church's ministry. This could refer to everything from becoming a member of that church, coming under its covering, being a recipient of its ministry (personal visitations, prayer support), holding a leadership position, participating in its ministry programmes, being in its ministry teams and in some cases, even being permitted to attend or take part in its activities. In many churches no one is given the power to 'buy and sell' with a church in these ways unless they submit to its authority and receive its 'mark' of approval.
The Second Beast of the Book of Revelation
The Number of The Beast: Detailed Study
The Mark of The Beast
