1. Introduction to the Two Horned Beast of Rev. 13:11
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Covered in the previous paper on the 1st Beast of Rev. 13 the days of Israel and Judah were used in that inscription to describe, or point to, the days of early Christianity. This 2nd Beast of Revelation takes the reign of the Kingdom of the Jews when the Pharisees and Sadducees ruled to show there would be a likeness to them in the latter days of the Christian Era. The two together, taken from Scripture only, enable us to begin to envisage the early and latter days of the Christian Era, as seen by these early inscribers.
Hence the 2nd Beast of Revelation will now consider Old Testament-come-New Testament illustrations during the time already mentioned above, when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to power in the Jewish Kingdom.
Firstly, a brief overall summary:-
Early Israel and Judah worshipped literal idols. This practice ended with Babylonian captivity.
The Kingdom of the Jews worshipped Judaism – making the literal exactions of the temple service their god. In Scriptural writings, Judaism crumbled when the Pharisees and Sadducees persucuted the Messianic Body, personified as Jesus the Christ and not in A.D. 70 when the Romans conquered a lost Jerusalem.
In this era (present tense) to the spiritual Jew, with circumcised heart, doctrine and dogma have continued to be worshipped. How this might end will, be judged in another paper.
It is during the time of the Kingdom of the Jews that the point of refraction occurs. The direction of light in the O.T. writings changes from a wide form (type), then converges and directly centres on the spiritual (antitype) in the Gospels. Once antitypes are later seen as objects hence becoming archetypes, the emanating light diverges and can ultimately reach a more global spiritual dimension.
2. Reflecting upon the First Beast of Rev. 13
The beasts of Daniel 7 represented kings and kingdoms of the ancient days of Israel. Daniel’s vision vividly told of a people ever backslidding into apostasy. It was written prophetically, taken from O.T. Bible-history, specifying a recurrence of like-circumstances. The wisdom of the writers (Daniel, God is judge) understood the compounding factors.
The first beast of Rev. 13 was written as a symbol for early Christianity, as a new Israel struggled for establishment.
Revelation notes a lack of knowledge (darkness) soon permeated the new landscape, as no one could open the little book, see Rev. 5:1-4. Thankfully, a message from the throne of heaven revealed that the Lion of the tribe of Judah (now the Comforter) would open the book.
Alas came reformation, as a man on a white horse. He had a bow (the new covenant), wore a crown (nobility of character) and went forth conquering and to conquer. Sadly the light faded, people clung to their idols. Respect for enthusiasm and understanding was lost.
3. The Beast of Rev. 13:11
The revelators, represented as a fugitive of Patmos, saw another beast make an image to the first beast and his infamy.
“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”
Following Judas Maccabeus’ victory over Antiochus Ephiphanes the Kingdom of the Jews became a well established entity. A prosperous, happy peaceful kingdom arose. Simon, brother of Judas, reigned in quiet days, his authority and honour pleased them well. They did till the ground in peace…ancient men sat all in the streets communing together…Simon provided victuals for the cities…made peace – every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was none to fray them. See 1 Macc.14:4-12. Isa, 65:20-23 and Zech. 8:4-6 all describe the same time of peace and happiness.
Following these days the Pharisees emerged as the party of the synagogue. With strict adherence to ancient laws they demanded the people live “righteously” – forgetting those in need. The Sadducees also appeared representing the wealthy. They were a political party, and bought the position of high priest, controlling the priesthood. The church, a ritual law, conjoined with state, a civic law. A pious power was in the service of a secular authority. Beware grave danger in such a union. Things began to change. The two horns had met fulfillment as ruling powers. The horns were consistent with the horns on the beast in Daniel 7, - rulers.
The Sadducees
The Saducees ridiculed a spiritual life and did not believe in resurrection. There were seven brothers, one married and died having no children. The next brother married his wife and he died. This happened to all seven. Last of all the woman died. The petulant Sadducees using a trick question asked, “In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven?’ Jesus spiritually answered, “In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels (messengers) of God in heaven (elevated).” See Matt. 22.25-30. “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” This story indicates a coming friction – the power of the dragon.
The Pharisees
Similarly Matt. 22 using dialogue, shows a major schism developing. The Pharisees taking over the questioning asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God…and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self.” The Pharisees demanded ritual exactions. Jesus said, “In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
In Matt. 23 begins the tyraid against the traditional dragonic Pharisees:- “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat, whatsoever they bid you observe, they say and do not, they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, they lay them on men’s shoulders, all their works they do to be seen of men, they make broad their phylateries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, they love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Ye devour widows houses, for a pretence make long prayer, ye fools and blind, etc,etc,etc. For more read Matt. 23.
The final straw
As the story goes, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead many Jews had seen the things Jesus had done. Some told the Pharisees, “Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nations.” Caiaphas, the high priest said, “ye know nothing at all.” “And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest he prophesied (exercised his prophetic office) that Jesus should die for that nation. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” See John 11:47-53.
The dragon had spoken.
The abomination of desolation now stood in the holy place. This is mentioned in Matt. 24:15. Flee into the mountains for safety when you see this imposition. Rev. 18:4 in a different illustration writes to the spiritual Jews in captivity, “Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins…”
This scene may have several compounds. It is important, not to forget, it may also compact.
The two horned beast
Yes, this two horned beast exercised all the power of the first beast, that in type looked like Solomon, and when most depraved, behaved as evil Jehoachin. This beast caused the earth, where the good seed had been sown, to worship the first beast. See Rev, 13:12.
And of the image beast it was said in Rev. 13:13,14 “and he doeth great wonders, miracles.” This is referring to the practice of self-opinionated predicting, including like practices foretelling lengthy prophetic periods of great literal events, that never evenuate. This duplicity can appear so accurate, miraculously hoped for. Many have thought, at times, that such speculation was wonderful, marvelous, even supernatural. But the God of Scripture writings is not a magician.
Statements in O.T. pertaining to sanctuary and service over a seven-year-period have been stretched into thousands of years, by some. This theory begins in the days of type, structure, form, and ends in antitype, purity, excellence and transcedence. How ridiculous and contrary to a simple principle showing a progression from literal (fundamentalism) to the spiritual (incorporeal).
The practice of divination or great presages was condemned in the very early days, centuries ago. “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder and the sign or wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee saying, Let us go after other gods, (turn to idols - literalism)… thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet…Walk after the Lord your God, and fear, him…” See Deut. 13:1-4. The word “come” is from BOW meaning depart, and “pass” from ABAR meaning, to cross over, fail, perish. Build the habitation of God through the Spirit. Eph. 2:22. There are those today prophesying about times and associating the Beasts with others, always others, never us of course.
The lamb-like beast said that all should make an image to the beast, (first beast) resembling days of Israel and Judah. The first beast had power to give life unto the image of the beast. The Pharisees and Sadducees were now the example of the image beast. In the two-horned beast is seen a mischievious union with godliness being subject to political edicts. Giving life to the image beast, to cause as many as would not conform to him, should be killed – from APOKETEINO, figuratively destroyed or soul destroying. This is an abomination. This is to worship an idol. The combined forces become very domineering, enforcing their rule upon others. They steal away the intrinsic right of liberty of conscience.
Is it evident in the past, that this depraved league, committed such evil? Read the Book of Acts, as it is full of such accounts of persecution. Stephen was stoned, Acts 7:54-60. “Herod (Agrippa) killed James and proceeded to take Peter,” but he was protected. Acts 12:1-3. Regarding the preaching and healing work of Peter and John, “the rules and elders and scribes said…What shall we do with these men?..a notable miracle has been done by them and is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in his name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” Acts 4:5,16-18. Does this ring a bell?
“No man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark or name of the beast.” Rev. 13:17.
The Beast with a number
Finally borrowing from O.T. type – Here is wisdom. “Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: (the first beast of Rev.) for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” Rev. 13:18. The first beast as already stated “had power to give life unto the image beast,” making them of the same ilk.
Since the dawn of civilization it has been customary to number a person by wealth, possessions, ownership, and income. This commenced with acquisition, the serpent or dragon at the beginning of a great symbolical overview of human behavior. “Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold.” Gen. 13:2. “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job…there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, 500 she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.” Job. 1:1-3.
Today men have a number. Of course you may be worth nothing. On the other hand your number may be a few hundred, thousands, millions, billions. Who was this man numbered six hundred threescore and six? “Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon (the leopard) in one year was six hundred three score and six talents of gold.” 1 Kings 10:14. Solomon also had mighty possessions.
Here is confirmation, absolute confirmation, of Solomon’s (the leopard’s) role in the first beast of Rev. 13. This beast was imaged by the second beast as it described the Pharisees and Sadducees. This is a good example of type defined and imaged in antitype.
4. Conclusion
We see in two parts the beasts of Rev. 13. These beasts are an enlargement of an illustrative scriptural interpretation of the out-stretch of an insidious dictatorial authoritarianism – a great pretense. Beware, the Patmos psyche has warned us using symbols. The two essays on the beasts of Revelation teach us not to start our study from the New Testament and then follow up by going to the Old Testament. It will not work. It cannot work. Start with the Old, a shadow, then proceed to the New, the great illumination.
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Struth the Truth – Reclaiming the Light
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