The Perfect Storm Is Coming – Part VII

THE BEAST AND HIS MARK

“All the World Wondered After the Beast”

When God sends men warning so important that they are represented as proclaimed by holy angels flying in the midst of heaven, He requires every person endowed with reasoning powers to hear and heed the message.

In Revelation 14, the first angel is followed by a second, proclaiming, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:8.

The term Babylon is derived from “Babel,” and signifies confusion. It is employed in Scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate religion. In Revelation 17, Babylon is represented as a woman, a figure that is used in the Bible as the symbol of a church, a virtuous woman representing a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church.

“I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lighted with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not her plagues.” Revelation 18: 1,2, 4.

This scripture points forward to a time when the announcement of the fall of Babylon, as made by the second angel of Revelation 14 (verse 8), is to be repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the various religious organizations that constitute Babylon.

‘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.” Revelation 14: 9, 10.


In contrast to those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus, the third angel points to another class, against whose errors a solemn and fearful warning is uttered: “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.” Revelation 14: 9, 10.

The “beast” mentioned in this message, is the first or leopard-like beast of Revelation, chapter 13. The line of prophecy in which these symbols are found, begins with Revelation 12, with the dragon that sought to destroy Christ at His birth. In Revelation 12:9, the dragon is said to be Satan; he moved upon Herod to put the Savior to death.  However, the chief agent of Satan in making war upon Christ and His people during the first centuries of the Christian era was the Roman Empire, in which paganism was the prevailing religion. Thus while the dragon primarily represents Satan, it is, in a secondary sense, a symbol of pagan Rome.

In chapter 13 (Verses 1-10) is described another beast, “like unto a leopard,” to which the dragon gave “his power, and his seat, and great authority.” “This symbol, may Christians believe, represents the Papacy, which succeeded to the power and seat and authority once possessed by the ancient Roman Empire. Of the leopard-like beast it is declared: “There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies…

And he opened his mouth in blaspheme against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over all kindred’s, and tongues, and nations.”

This prophecy in the book of Revelation parallels the description of the “terrible beast and the little horn” in the book of Daniel chapter 7.

1.1

“I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.”  Revelation 13: 1,2. NIV.

“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.”

The most fearful threatening ever addressed to mortals is contained in the third angel’s message. That must be a terrible sin that calls down the wrath of God unmingled with mercy. Men are not to be left in darkness concerning this important matter; the warning against this sin is to be given to the world before the visitation of God’s judgments, that all may know why they are to be inflicted, and have opportunity to escape them.

Prophecy declares that the first angel would make his announcement to “every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” The warning of the third angel, which forms a part of the same threefold message, is to be less widespread.

It is represented in the prophecy as proclaimed with a loud voice, by an angel flying in the midst of heaven; and it will command the attention of the world.

The fearful judgments pronounced against the worship of the beast and his image (Revelation 14: 9-11), should lead all to a diligent study of the prophecies to learn what the mark of the beast is, and how they are to avoid receiving it.

However, a correct interpretation of the symbols employed is necessary for an understanding of this message.

What is represented by the beast, the image, and the mark?

Significant Prophetic Symbols in Scripture

1. Winds:  Strife, war, commotion. See Jeremiah 25: 31-33; 49: 36, 27.

2. Waters:  Peoples, multitudes, and nations. Revelation 17: 15; Isaiah 8:7.

3. Beasts:  Kings or Kingdoms. Daniel 7: 17, 23; Revelation 13: 2,3, 7.

4. Horns:  Power and strength, kings or kingdoms. Deuteronomy 33:17; Zechariah 1: 18, 19; Lamentations 17:12; Daniel 7:24; 8:8, 20, 22. 

5. Heads:  Major powers, rulers, governments. Daniel 2:38, 7:6; Revelation 17: 3, 9, 10.

6. Crowns:  Kingship, victory.  1 Chronicles 20: 2; 2 Kings 11:12; Ezekiel 21: 26, 27; 2 Timothy 4: 7, 8; 1Corinthians 9:25.

7. Time:  A literal year. Daniel 4: 16, 23, 25, 32; 7: 25; 11:13 margin; 12:7; Revelation 12: 6, 14; 11: 2,3.

8. Times:  Two years. Half a time: half a year.

9. Lamb:  Jesus, sacrifice.  1 Corinthians 5:7; Genesis 22: 7, 8.

10. Lion:  Strength, Jesus Christ, Israel. Genesis 49: 9; Revelation 5: 4-9; Psalm 7:2; Numbers 24: 8,9. 

11. Lamp: The Holy Spirit. Zechariah 4: 2-6; Revelation 4:5.

12. Dragon: Satan or his agencies. Revelation 12: 7-9.

13. Pure, Chaste Woman: God’s true or faithful church. Jeremiah 6:2; 2 Corinthians 11:2.

14. Harlot: Apostate church or religion. Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 3: 1-3, 6-9; Hosea 4:15; Revelation 17:5.

15. Sickle: Symbol of harvest at the end of the world. Revelation 14: 14-19; Matthew 13: 39.

16. Bottomless Pit: Earth in chaos, torn up, dark and empty. Revelation 20: 1-3; Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 24: 1-4, 19; Jeremiah 4: 23-28. 

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