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FEATURES OF CHAPTER 12
Chapter 12 has several notable aspects.
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The woman flees into the wilderness. This would represent the
flight of God's people to avoid destruction in the coming nuclear and
terrestrial devastations. If they were the prize of God's program of planetary
salvation the sun, moon and stars would represent the great honor those people
earned in the heavenly realms. Twelve stars represents the twelve tribes of
Israel; they become part of God's great crown of glory.
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The child would represent the human birth of Melchizedek. Refer
to my paper on Jesus and Melchizedek. He is the one who will rule the
nations with a rod of iron. See Isa 11:4.
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Being caught up to God and his throne could mean the saving of
Melchizedek from "Satan" in the form of Gog and Magog at the end of the thousand
years, indicated in Rev 20:7-10.
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The 1,260 days, three and one-half years, would represent the
time between the nuclear devastations and the twisting of the planet. One might
assume that each day represents a year for the coming millennium but such earth
period would be considerably in excess of one millennium.
Given these elements is seems that Chapter 12 contains
information on the coming millennium.
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FEATURES OF CHAPTER 13
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If the beast of Chapter 13 represents modern political states, it
would follow the imagery of Dan 7. Although the beasts of Daniel 7 are described
independently of one another, when compared against the descriptions of
Revelation 13, some elements merge into one beast.
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If the bear's feet of Rev 13 represent Russia and the lion's
mouth represents England, or Europe, this passage suggests that an alliance will
be made between Russia and England, or western Europe. The leopard would
represent other countries to make up this spotted arrangement. Although the two
leopards should represent the same grouping of nations we do not know what is
meant by the four wings and the four heads of Dan 7:6.
Other elements of Rev 13 find easy identification in today's
world.
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The seven heads were an accurate number for the Russian satellite
countries of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and
Albania. However, the revolutionary changes in eastern Europe, and the decline
of Russian power has made such possible assignment obsolete, unless those
countries would reform into another economic, political, or military alliance.
Attempts to find seven heads among the many Russian provinces result only in
unrealistic forcing of the prophecy.
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The ten horns were an accurate number for the countries of the
European Economic Community. In 1985 those were Ireland, the United Kingdom,
Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, West Germany, Italy, and
Greece. However, in January, 1986 the EEC was joined by Spain and Portugal to
make the membership twelve nations. On the other hand the ten may represent an
arrangement of western European countries if an alliance is formed.
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The one head with a mortal wound accurately represents Germany.
The wound is the division of that country into east and west through the sword
of World War II. The two Germanies became reunited in 1990.
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The red or scarlet color accurately represents communism. Until a
century ago, before modern communist states and before the decline of the power
of the Roman Catholic Church, this color was attributed to Roman Catholicism.
But in the current world context we see that the national symbols of eagles,
lions, and bears, together with the seven heads and ten horns, effectively
denies that attribution.
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The scarlet color, when associated with the seven heads and ten
horns, becomes clear and helps provide understanding of the heads and horns. In
turn, the heads and horns of Daniel 7 become clear when associated with those of
the Book of Revelation.
Without question the seven heads and ten horns make up a single
beast. The descriptions suggest nations will come together into one grand
alliance. According to Rev 13:5 this alliance will wield power for forty-two
months. 13:6 says it uttered blasphemies against God and against the host in
heaven. 13:7 says that during this period the beast will make war on the saints
to conquer them. However, this sentence is not found in all Greek manuscripts.
The alliance would be subject to the influence of the dragon, the devil, 13:4.
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This great alliance would indeed become a wonder to the world.
Since 1989 events in Europe have produced awe in nations around the earth. No
person on this planet expected such dramatic changes in European relationships,
with the decline of the power of Russia, the breaking of the satellite countries
from the dominion of Russia, the healing of the mortal wound of Germany, and
redefinition of economic and political ties.
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If the passage were reliable it would tell us that men will be
overwhelmed by the miracle of a new alliance; they will worship it, 13:8. The
worship will not be literal bowing and praying as in religious ceremony, but in
devotion to its power and allegiance to its control. Who will be able to fight
against it? Will not all nations follow it? Will it not hold authority over the
tribes and peoples of the earth? But God's people will not succumb to its
demands.
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From this integration of evidence we also have understanding of
the "names of blasphemy." In Rev 13 these names are on the seven heads. If these
represent countries loyal to communist philosophies they would be godless; they
deny the existence of God; they utter blasphemies against God. On the other
hand, the dramatic tone of the passage suggests the "names of blasphemy" may
mean devotion to a blasphemous spiritist power which takes control of the
nations.
The further predictive nature of the four passages, when taken
together as a whole, is shown by the following facts.
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In Rev 17 the beast was full of blasphemous names, suggesting
that the blasphemy will come from all parts of the beast, both east Europe and
west Europe. If severe economic problems and international crises force the
nations to dictatorial policies, or if the spiritists assume control, western
Europe would not be able to escape totalitarian regimens. Great social
tribulation will result from severe economic, political and spiritist turmoil.
Citizens will be forced to renounce moral allegiance and good conscience for
survival. But those who love God will resist such tyranny. God's people will
give first allegiance to God and not to temporal institutions. This will create
conditions for severe persecution.
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The forty-two months denote the period from the beginning of the
alliance until the shattering of the nations. This would be the end of our
civilization and the end of the present age.
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The forty-two months find parallel in Rev 11:2 where the holy
city will be trampled. Similar parallels are found in Luke 21:24 where Jerusalem
is trodden down by the nations until the times of the nations are fulfilled. We
do not know if those nations are Moslem, European, American or a combination.
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THE GREAT AND DREADFUL BEAST
We can return now to Dan 7:7-8 to reconsider that dreadful and
terrible beast. It could denote the unholy alliance between east and west Europe
and the terror that alliance will create. The devouring and breaking in pieces
and the stamping of the residue would be parallel to the haughtiness and
blasphemous conduct of Rev 13:5. This would explain the tyrannical exercise of
authority over every tribe and people and nation and tongue. Although the latter
seems an exaggeration for all nations across the face of the globe it would at
least be true for the nations of Europe. It could also be true for many nations
around the earth if the unholy alliance would institute international economic
or spiritist control. There can be no doubt the whole earth would stand in awe
of it.
To emphasize, we cannot ignore the possibility the beast may
reflect control brought about by the rebel Prince through the minds of his
devotees. This aspect of developing world events should not be neglected.
The three horns in Dan 7:8 are a puzzle. A little horn grew among
the three and plucked them up. The symbols suggest an assumption of power over
the three. One could imagine a man growing out of the three countries of
England, Scotland and Ireland, but Scotland is politically part of England and
has no separate representation as a horn of power. Perhaps he comes out of a
country on the continent, Austria, or some other nation. We should heed the
power of this little horn. It had the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great
things.
Other parallels are found in the four passages. The mouth of Dan
7:8 is parallel to the mouth of Rev 13:2. The eyes of a man is parallel to the
mind of a man in Dan 7:4. In Rev 13:2 the mouth is associated with the lion; in
Dan 7:4 the mind of a man is also associated with the lion. These associations,
all taken together, suggest again that some individual will come out of England,
or Europe, who will carry great power and who will pluck up three of the
countries, not to destroy them, but to assume control over them.
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MORE ON REVELATION PROBLEMS
When we examine details of the several apocalyptic visions from
Daniel and Revelation, when we tabulate the items and lay out their elements
side by side, we are struck by several facts.
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God's revelation is brought into sharp focus. We do not limit
ourselves to interpretation of individual scenes isolated from one another.
Instead we integrate details from passage to passage. As a result we see larger
views in more graphic outline. We come to recognize the meaning of God's
revelation from higher perspectives. We grasp a larger world panorama that takes
on a specific meaning for us in these last days of the earth age. We achieve
this because we dare to use our minds in more rigorous study.
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The four beasts of Daniel 7 appear to be part of a single
revelation but we cannot determine their relationship to one another without
other information. Unless examined against world circumstances of today and
against the beasts of Revelation we cannot perceive how they portray the onflow
of destiny.
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Our ability to recognize the symbols becomes possible only be
cause we live in a planetary context which gives life to those symbols. The
meaning of eagles, lions, bears, heads, horns and scarlet color now takes on a
reality not accessible to prior generations. We have a grand integration of
revelation which depicts the living world environment of our own day. God used
symbolism to bury his revelation so men would not destroy his destiny program.
(And how the generations entertained themselves with it!)
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We might believe that the seven heads and ten horns of Rev 12:3
are mysteriously descriptive of the devil but Rev 13 and 17, when compared with
Dan 7, cast a different light on that symbolism. This last fact exposes such
serious difficulties with the Revelation text we must question its
integrity. The symbols of heads, horns and scarlet color belong to modern world
political powers; they do not belong to the millennial period. Somehow, someone,
probably an early Christian editor, confused the text by mixing elements from
one revelation segment to another, simply because he did not know the
significance of the symbolism, (nor has anyone else), and attempted to make
sense of it in his world context.
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We now clearly recognize this beast as an alliance of earthly
countries, not a fallen celestial personality. These attributes are so easily
identified it seems incredulous they would be assigned to the devil in such a
confusing manner. Furthermore this assignment occurs only in Rev 12:3; it has no
other biblical support.
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If a single verse, 12:3, were removed from the text this column
would disappear from the tabulation above. Then Chapter 12 would hang together
as a different topic: the flight of God's people to the wilderness and the
pursuit of the dragon to destroy them and the child. Here God's people are
represented as the twelve spiritual tribes of Israel, the twelve stars, while
the man-child is one who will come to rule them. He is born as a human child.
While many would say that John described the birth of Jesus we see from the
context that this is a future forecast. This unique individual comes after the
great tribulation, during the millennium.
How did this misleading confusion of text arise?
We can get a handle on this crucial problem if we examine John's
use of symbolism. The difficulty is shown clearly if we categorize his words and
phrases. Earlier in this paper I showed the confusion from use of the word
"beast." Another example is use of the term "thirds" to indicate large numbers.
In Chapter 8 the thirds include trees, sea, creatures, ships, rivers, waters,
sun, moon, stars, and sunshine. In 9:15 and 18 it is the third part of men. In
12:4 a third part of the stars of heaven were swept down. Obviously the term is
used to express large numbers or significant portions. Literal numbers were not
intended; we cannot take them literally.
The confusion on the heads, horns and red color comes about
because of the word "beast." The use was not consistent. In 11:7 the beast is
one who ascends from the bottomless pit. In 13:1 it is one which rises out of
the sea with seven heads and ten horns. In 13:11 it is one which rises out of
the earth, the little beast that serves the first beast. In 17:3 the beast with
seven heads and ten horns is colored scarlet. But in 17:8 the beast ascends from
the abyss and goes to perdition. The beast of 17:8 may not be the same beast as
that of 17:3; the one of 11:7 may not be same as the one of 13:1. But the one of
11:7 may be the same as that of 17:8. In 20:10 the devil who had deceived the
nations was thrown down and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the
beast and the false prophet were. Here the devil is distinguished from the
beast. From comparison with 11:7, 11:8, and 9:11 we are not certain who is the
devil and who a beast separate from the devil.
Another illustration of the problem with John's beasts is found
in Rev 15:2. Here the scene shifts from earthly episodes to heavenly ones. John
saw those who had conquered the beast and its image and "the number of its
name." They stood beside a sea of glass with the harps of God in their hands.
The use of the phrase "who had conquered" might mean those who did not bow down
to the political beast or its image. On the other hand the conquering might be
of that remnant of the biological beast which resides in all of us, our physical
heritage. The "beast" and the "image" is that animal legacy. God is judging us
on how well we have mastered our biological and emotional impulses. But if we
take this view of the beast of 15:2 "the number of its name" makes no practical
sense. Once again we find a cause to suggest that some early Christian editor
offered interpretation of the revelation.
Is it possible John had difficulty in terminology? We find
parallel in persons who lack vocabulary. A child might talk about this thing,
that thing, and that other thing when he means a chair, a table and a cabinet.
The word "thing" is vague, not specific. The word "beast" is also vague and is
applied to creatures or objects for which one cannot find adequate terminology.
If John was presented visions he could not adequately describe he would have
been at a loss for words; various items all became "beasts". John used the word
for the devil, for a confederation of states, for mechanisms of social
repression, and for other purposes. How can we distinguish among them unless we
study their context? If the context is not clear then the beast cannot be known
with certainty. Thus doubt creeps in; hence debate rages over the assignments.
This problem can be illustrated further. In the latter part of
Chapter 13 the lamb-like second beast caused men to make an image of the first
beast. This image received breath so that it could even speak. If men did not
worship the image of the first beast they would be slain. In 14:9 and 14:11 we
are told that all those who worship the image and the beast and receive its mark
will drink the wine of God's wrath.
What does all this mean?
Suppose John was presented visions of twentieth-century
technology with the use of airplanes, automobiles, radio, television, and
computers. How might he describe them? He did not have words like radio,
television, electromagnetic transmission, rasters, satellites and so on. He was
forced to describe his experiences with ancient Greek vocabulary. A television
picture or a computer screen would be an image. The image received breath (a
loudspeaker) so that it could even speak. The lamb-like second beast (if modern
electronics) did not cause men to make an image of the political
alliance; it permitted men to transmit images of meetings, or affairs, or
mandates of the first beast. (The Greek word has great latitude of use.)
From these varied applications of the word beast we see why such
confusion exists in the Revelation text. What else could John do? He had
no other vocabulary.
The problems in Revelation are not limited by John's wide use of
the word beast. If he had divided his writing into sections, with each section
devoted to a specific vision, we might be able to make more sense of it, even
with lack of explicit vocabulary. But the various beasts seem to run together
without clear division, even with mixture from one to the other. How did all
this confusion come about? Did John lack ability to separate different items? It
seems impossible. The man knew what he saw, even though he may have been at a
loss for words. He could hardly have confused the different visions. Then where
did the confusion take place?
As stated earlier, a sensible explanation is that an early
Christian editor created the confusion. Suppose John's original manuscript came
through the hands of an individual who thought he could clarify the mixture of
images, especially those of the word "beast." The editor, not blessed with the
original visions, could not discriminate among them. He did not like the
confusion he encountered and therefore attempted to restructure John's text. The
mixing of images is clearly illustrated by those who did not conquer the
(biological) beast, those who bore the mark of the (national confederation)
beast, and those who were afflicted with plagues, 16:2. In an attempt to satisfy
his own mind an editor might have melded them together. The number of its name
for the biological beast in 15:2 was borrowed from 13:17 to this passage where
it does not belong. He inserted the remark about heads, horns, and red color in
12:3 in attempt to relate that passage to the others dealing with the devil (or
the dragon). This mixing then led to all manner of false concepts. Men have
searched to understand for two thousand years but without success. They could
never come to agreement if they did not recognize the perversion of text which
obviously exists and which must have been created by that early Christian
editor. In the face of these problems the true meaning had to remain obscure.
This limitation of vocabulary, the mixing, melding and blending
together of text, and the introduction of invented concepts, plagues the entire
Book of Revelation. Other examples can be illustrated.
The phrase "a star fallen from heaven" in Rev 9:1, whether from
John or an early Christian editor, leads to other problems. In Isa 14:12 we are
told that Hillel ben Shachar, that Day Star, Son of Dawn, was fallen from heaven
and cut down to the ground. From the parallel phrasing we could deduce that the
star of Rev 9:1 fallen from heaven was Lucifer. But the "fallen" star is a
"good" angel on a divine mission; he holds the key to the abyss. This view is
confirmed in 20:1 where John says he saw an angel coming down from heaven
holding the key of the abyss. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is
the Devil, and cast him into the abyss. Therefore the phrase about a star fallen
from heaven in 9:1 is either an unconscious borrowing by John of words from Isa
14 or a mixing of phrases by some later ignorant editor.
Other illustrations show the magnitude of the Revelation
problems. In 9:11 the fallen personality is the angel of the abyss. His name in
Hebrew is Abaddon, Destruction or Ruin, and in Greek Apollyon,
Exterminator or Destroyer. This is the only place in the Bible with
such designations. This passage is one reason Christians know the Devil as a
fallen angel rather than recognizing him as a divinely created son.
Still another problem is the false prophet. He is first
introduced in Rev 16:13. He is associated with the dragon and the beast. In
19:19-20 the beast together with the kings of the earth make war against him who
sits on the horse. The beast and the false prophet are captured and thrown into
the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. The false prophet was the one who
had worked the signs to deceive those who received the mark and worshiped its
image, 19:20, 13:14.
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Unfortunately the false prophet is never clearly defined; he is
linked only by passing remarks. Because of the lack of definition and clarity he
is subject to great and varied speculations. Many commentators avoid discussing
him. As I shall discuss below, he is modern technology and computers with their
evident material advantages which all the while leads the world to ruin and
social repression?
Still other problems afflict the Book of Revelation. In 14:3-5 is
a special group of 144,000 who sang a new song before the throne. They had been
redeemed from the earth. They had not defiled themselves with women, for they
were chaste. No lie was found in their mouths; they were spotless.
The statement about defiling themselves with women leads one to
believe they never had sexual intercourse. This is supported by the statement
that they were chaste. The Greek word is par thenoi. It means a virgin
and is so translated by KJV. It could be inferred to mean a male celibate. But
this would mean none of the 144,000 were ever married.
The 144,000 are first mentioned in Chapter 7; the statements
imply both men and women. There cannot be two different groups with such
extraordinary, identical and obviously symbolic numbers. Furthermore, both
groups carry the mark of God in their foreheads, 7:3 and 14:1. They cannot be
merely men.
Many interpretations have been attached to the defilement. Heb
13:4 says that marriage should be honored and that the marriage bed is
undefiled. But God will judge the immoral and adulterous. If the statement in
Rev 14:4 were limited to non-defilement with women we could assume it would mean
all married men who were not adulterous, in consonance with Heb 13:4. But to say
they were virgins, or celibate, creates extreme difficulty. Again we might see
this remark as an intrusion into the text by a Christian editor, based on his
notions of sexual conduct. Similar thoughts hold for the statement that no lie
was found in their mouth. The editor was expressing views of idealistic and
heavenly purity not found on earth.
Still another example is the beast that "was, is not, and is to
come." It is to ascend from the abyss, 17:8. This would make it the Devil.
Remarks follow about the seven heads; the seven heads are seven hills on which
is seated the Great Harlot. Many students believe this means Rome with its
famous seven hills. But they also are seven kings, "five of whom have fallen,
one is, the other has not yet come." This phrasing parallels that of the beast
who is to ascend from the abyss. But the beast that was and is not is an eighth
that belongs to the seven. Obviously this whole passage is confused and corrupt.
If the seven heads are seven communist satellite countries they cannot be
mysterious kings "fallen, is, and yet to come." Perhaps the "seven hills" was
inserted by that Christian editor who thought the passage was a prophecy on
Rome, well known for its persecution of the new Christian sect. The famous seven
hills would be a natural association for him to make from the seven heads. But
in modern context the eighth head might be inferred to be Russia, domineering
over the seven satellite countries (heads). If the beast that "was, is not, and
is to come" does not represent the devil, but rather a confederation of nations,
it could refer to the Holy Roman Empire, which covered most of Europe in the
middle ages, then broke into independent nations, and now is forming to reunite.
Given this confusion it is impossible to arrive at sensible understanding
through literal acceptance of the text.
From these illustrations and from the comparison of the heads and
horns in Rev 12, 13 and 17 with Dan 7 we see why our textual sources are faulty.
They are not pure. There are omissions in individual passages, seeming
differences of application, and contradictions from one passage to another which
require firmness and caution in decipherment and interpretation.
This last fact has a crucial impact upon our belief in the
reliability of the Bible. Plainly, the Bible is not clear. Details from any
single passage cannot be trusted verbatim; they cannot be accepted literally.
They must be judged, weighed, evaluated, and studied against other passages,
against the real world in which we live, and with a strong dose of common sense.
This does not mean the Bible does not come from God. It surely
does. It is his revelation to us. But it comes through human channels. It could
not come any other way. It took human beings to write it and publish it. It took
other human beings to preserve it and to carry it from generation to generation.
During that process impurities crept in. The original writers did not clearly
state their experiences nor the information given to them. They may not have
fully understood. They were limited by the vocabularies of ancient times to
depict scenes which strain modern scientific vocabularies. Original texts were
not always carefully preserved; segments may have been lost. Later individuals,
entrusted with the original manuscripts, did not hold them in respect. They
rewrote or altered the texts to conform to their personal views.
We should not neglect the possibility that God may have permitted
corruption to creep in because of danger to his destiny program. If revelation
had been stated too clearly the generations may have twisted it to their own
earthly desires. Perhaps God worked around this possibility by intentionally
misleading apostate and godless people while preserving the essentials of
information for his truly dedicated people. And those essentials are crucial to
coming decisions.
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THE SMALL BEAST FROM REVELATION
With this integration of apocalyptic visions, with a more
comprehensive grasp of events to occur in Europe, and with knowledge of defects
in the Revelation text, we are in a better position to examine that fascinating
beast described in Rev 13:11-18.
This beast is famous for its number: 666. The number has
befuddled countless generations. It is usually regarded as the number of a man,
the Antichrist.
Because of the attention given to this beast, and because of its
importance in coming decisions, it deserves close examination. There are several
features which, when laid out in detail, provide better understanding.
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The beast had two horns like a lamb, 13:11.
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This beast spoke like a dragon.
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It had the power to make fire come down from heaven to earth in
the sight of men.
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It deceived those who dwell on earth, bidding them make an image
for the beast which was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
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It gave breath to the image of the beast so that the image could
even speak.
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It caused those who would not worship the beast to be slain.
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It caused all, free and slave, rich and poor, great and small, to
be marked on the right hand or the forehead. No one could buy or sell unless he
had the mark. The mark is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
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The number of the beast is a human number. The number is six
hundred and sixty-six. KJV translates the phrase as "the number of a man." (Some
ancient manuscripts give the number as six hundred and sixteen.)
What does all this mean?
It had two horns like a lamb. Unfortunately, there is no
explanation for the two horns. One cannot easily find a representation for
nations or rulers. However, biblical horns symbolize power and authority.
Perhaps John attempted to show this without relating it to national
significance. Perhaps this power and authority is universal, not limited to
national boundaries. We can only speculate on the meaning of the number two.
A lamb is docile and harmless; no one fears it. It also is tender
in youth, not mature. The youthful immaturity could mean that it has not reached
full development, that it is a new social mechanism. If the horns are small,
like those of a lamb, they are not grown to their full power.
The innocent appearance may be highly deceptive; it may be the
means by which people are enslaved and bound to the will of the dragon. As Eve
was deceived by the serpent, misled to believe that her eyes would be opened and
she would not die, so this innocent appearing beast misleads men to believe they
will obtain great advantage; instead they bind themselves to evil and
destruction.
This second beast exercises authority for the first beast,
apparently the beast of United Europe. The worship forced by the second beast
may not be worship of the devil or the Antichrist but may be worship in the
sense that everyone, free and bond, must acquiesce to the demands of the first
beast, with full allegiance.
The power may be in the control it has over the people of the
earth. It may be an instrument which demands submission, not through physical
force, but through license to live and function in society. It implements full
tyrannical authority.
How does it accomplish this tyrannical power?
Few individuals are willing to come to grips with the stark
reality that we cannot buy or sell today without the mark of federal government.
Through social security or federal registry numbers the governments of the earth
have already fulfilled this prophecy. If anyone doubts this fact let him try to
conduct business, buy, sell, hire, or otherwise operate within the context of
our present social order. He cannot do so except by going to a strictly cash
base, and then only if he does not report his activities, in violation of
national laws. Everyone is already bound. Some may feel these are benign
policies intended to regulate society. Those individuals will soon discover how
malicious and tyrannical those policies can become.
From Rev 20 we know the devil will not come as the Antichrist
until the end of the thousand years. The number 666 cannot be assigned to him.
The prophecy of a United Europe shows the context is for our own day. Therefore
the number 666 must have some other significance.
Many persons have been misled to believe the number is that of a
man, although RSV translates the phrase to say that it is a human number. The
Greek text is not sufficiently clear, whether "the number of a man," "the number
of man," or "a human number." Examination of the number casts other light.
In the earliest known Greek manuscripts the number is given in
words, not in numerals. John wrote exakosioi exikonta ex = "six hundred
and sixty-six." He did not write the Greek letters: ex-chi-sigma = "666."
Why did he use words and not numbers? There are several possibilities.
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To ensure the number would be preserved. Three digits in a text
are easily lost; three words are more safe in survival.
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To avoid concentration on the number; to direct attention to the
meaning of the number. The meaning was important, not its numerical
significance.
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The Greek number system used letters of the alphabet, not
numerals as in our modern system borrowed from the Arabs. Although John
explicitly states this is a number perhaps he feared that later readers would
attempt to assign the numbers in their numerical designations rather than in
their meaning. This is amply illustrated through history. Every generation tries
to find application to notorious human leaders through manipulation of their
names, their birthdays, or other factors. This false numerology has mislead
countless individuals. It can be illustrated today. President Ronald Reagan
avoided use of his middle name, Wilson. He did so because his three names all
have six letters. If we indulged in such strange numerology we might say that
Ronald Wilson Reagan = 666.
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The common commercial system in use in John's day was the Roman,
not the Greek. If John had used the Greek number symbols he would have forced
the reader to think in Greek numbers. By writing the numbers out in words he
naturally leads the reader to numbers in common use, the Roman. 666 in Roman
numerals is DCLXVI. These are all the Roman numerals in descending order except
for M = 1,000, which was not used in John's day. The arrangement suggests an
attempt to portray the idea of number and the use of numbers, but not a specific
number.
He forces our attention to the problem when he says that wisdom
is required. We are instructed to reckon the number of this strange beast which
rises out of the earth. Political powers and nations rise out of the sea. This
beast is not a political power nor a nation; it rises out of the earth.
In the Bible the word earth denotes the origin of created forms
composed of chemical elements. Adam was made of the dust of the earth; his body
was fabricated from the chemical elements of the earth. If this little beast
with the two horns rises out of the earth it must be composed of material
substances. It is a man-created beast, not a national power.
These various factors give us better insight into John's brief
description. This beast is man-made, it appears docile and harmless, it's two
horns have not come to full development, but it exercises tyrannical power.
This beast is the computer, and computerized systems. They now
control the world. Without them the nations could not function. Every citizen of
the advanced nations of the world today is entered into computer files.
Additional elements enter into the coming tyrannical control.
a) electronic surveillance, and
b) positive identification of individual human beings.
These mechanisms already exist in our technological society; they
are either in place for use or can be installed in a short period of time.
The computer appears perfectly innocent but is ideal for control
of human subjects through government numbers. It works on numbers and exercises
power through numbers. This is the significance of John's remarks in Rev 13. He
was telling us, in the language of the first century AD, about the use of
numbers, and the use of a device to handle numbers.
He gave us a specific illustration in verse 13. He said it works
great signs, meaning it has the power to do many different things. One of those
signs was to make fire come down to earth in the sight of men. What did John
mean? Note that nuclear missiles are guided by computers. This harmless
appearing beast can make fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of
men. That is one of its great signs.
The use of computers is already widespread for the surveillance
of citizens in most countries. It truly exercises the authority of the first
beast. Computers impress everyone with their quiet efficiency, seemingly as
harmless as a lamb. Yet they wield great power. Today they are used by law
enforcement agencies and tax agencies to monitor the citizens of countries. They
speak not for the dragon, but carry tremendous potential for deception and
betrayal. They could be used by the dragon to subdue the world through
totalitarian force. Computers also carry the image of man in their ability to
act intelligently on information fed to them. Of course this process is
programmed by human beings but the computer clearly carries an image of human
thought.
A recent development in computers is the power of speech.
Computers can now make intelligible human sounds. The image of the beast, the
computer, can speak.
A second factor necessary to subdue the citizenry of modern
countries is positive identification. This is now possible in a way never before
realized. Laser technology provides the tool. Lasers can tattoo figures and
numbers into human skin invisibly and painlessly. It would be easy to tattoo
social security numbers or bar codes on the right hand or the forehead of every
man, woman and child. All could be marked with this invisible tattoo within a
few months.
The need for this identification might arise under severe
economic hardship. If each person were allotted food, clothing, and
transportation according to need it would be possible to track this rationing
through infrared or laser scanners. To maintain control governments might be
forced to such extreme ends. Naturally they would hold full control on location,
condition, employment, and every other important social aspect of the
individual. This could bring tyranny beyond imagination.
Technology already exists: computers are installed; laser beams
developed; scanners tested; numbers in place for every man, woman and child. If
individuals do not obey this great beast, if they do not submit, if they do not
worship it, they cannot continue to live. If they rebel they will be subject to
great persecution. And if these mechanisms come under the control of the
spiritists, devil's agents, the names and numbers would be truly blasphemous.
Furthermore, the laws of the nations now provide for emergency
powers of all rulers. In the United States the President has full authority to
declare a state of emergency under any circumstance he deems necessary. He can
then exercise full dictatorial control. According to this law Congress cannot
void his authority for six months.
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THE SEVEN-YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD
The books of Daniel and Revelation have periods which are 1290
days, Dan 12:11, 1335 days, Dan 12:12, forty-two months, Rev 11:2 and 13:5, and
1260 days, Rev 11:3 and 12:6. Two of these periods, when added together, make
about seven years. This is the notorious tribulation period.
Wild speculations exist around these numbers. Every so-called
interpreter has his own idea of the meaning of the periods.
The coming events have three major episodes. The first is the
outbreak of the spiritist persecution and the parallel national emergencies. The
second is the nuclear holocaust; the third is the twisting of the planet.
These three episodes would mark the lines between the two
periods.
Dan 12:11 -- And from the time that the continual burnt
offering is taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there
shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
If the taking away of the continual burnt offering marks the
trampling down of Jerusalem by the nations, Luke 21:24, and if the nations will
trample over the holy city forty-two months, Rev 11:2 this period would be the
first half of the seven years.
This would also be the time of the beast with seven heads and ten
horns; it will exercise power for forty-two months, Rev 13:5.
A discrepancy exists between Daniel and Revelation. At thirty
days per month Daniel has forty-three months, not forty-two.
With our knowledge of Revelation corruptions we should exercise
care in accepting those numbers. Since Daniel was not subject to the hands of
that early Christian editor his numbers may be more reliable. This caution
extends to the period of the two witnesses in Rev 11:3. They may appear for much
less than three and one-half years.
The "setting up" of the abomination of desolation, nuclear
weapons, means their release by Great Babylon. It does not mean preparing them
in readiness by the modern state of Israel.
If these numbers can be trusted the time lapse after the outbreak
of the spiritist operations, the international emergency, and the trampling down
of Jerusalem, will be about forty-three months.
Dan 12:12 -- Blessed is he who waits and comes to the thousand
three hundred and thirty-five days.
The phrase "comes to" more properly in Hebrew means "to reach."
It denotes those who survive another forty-four and one-half months. At that
time the planet will undergo the cataclysmic geological changes.
During this period, after the nuclear holocaust, the 144,000 will
be taken away. None will be taken away before all have made decisions and taken
action to preserve themselves for the future of this world. The timing of this
lift-off of a select group is noted in Matt 24. The statements show explicitly
that the lift-off will come after the nuclear holocaust.
I discuss this unique group in another work I call The
Redeemed.
Only through deep and abiding faith will God's people be able to
stand in the coming trials. They will be persecuted and put to death for their
faith and allegiance to God. Tyrannical demands of the nations, and of devil
agents, will soon oppress all of us.
When will God's people awake? When will they choose to no longer
follow the ways of the world? When will they separate themselves from the
society which has given them great material comfort? When will dedication to God
become overriding in their lives with complete commitment to the laws of God?
The day of decision now swiftly descends upon us.
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