Pseudo Messiah
The “beast from the earth” mimics the Lamb and presents a counterfeit of the true faith – Revelation 13:11-18.
John
saw a second “beast ascending from the earth” whose purpose
was to deceive the “inhabitants of the earth” into giving allegiance to
the first “beast.” While the “beast from the sea” is
characterized by political power, this second creature uses deception and economic
control to cajole and coerce men to submit to the overlordship of the first “beast” - [Photo by Kyle Smith on Unsplash].
In chapter 13, the “inhabitants of the earth”
worship the “beast from the sea,” and by proxy, the “Dragon.” But
it was the “beast from the earth,” the “false prophet,” who promotes
this “worship” and gives it concrete expression by encouraging men to
erect an “image” to the first “beast” - (Revelation 13:4-8).
The “beast from the sea” has
“ten heads” and “seven horns,” and one of its “heads” appeared
to have been “slain unto death.” However, its “death-stroke was
healed.” The description, “as having been slain,” was applied
previously to the “Lamb.” Likewise, the “beast from the sea”
was wounded “and lived,” just as Jesus “died and
lived” - (ezésen - Revelation 2:8, 5:6, 13:3-4).
The restoration of the beast’s wounded “head” mimics
the death and resurrection of Jesus, and its restoration to life causes the “inhabitants
of the earth” to render it homage. Thus, the “beast from the sea” is
a counterfeit of the Lamb - (Revelation 13:3-6).
Likewise, the “beast from the earth” has “horns
like a lamb.” It was not identical to the “Lamb,” but it also
mimics him. And while the “Lamb” has “seven horns,” the second “false
prophet” has “two horns.” It has the power to summon fire from
heaven, making it the satanic counterpart to the “two
witnesses” who consumed their opponents with “fire from their mouth.”
The “false prophet” employs religious deception to
direct the “inhabitants of the earth” to erect an image to the first “beast.”
But it uses economic coercion to punish anyone who resists his efforts with
economic deprivation, especially the saints who, like the three Jewish exiles
in Babylon, refuse to render homage to the beast’s “image” - (Daniel
3:13-14).
His attempts to deceive the saints are anticipated in the
letters to the seven churches as Jesus warns the assemblies against “false apostles,”
the “Nicolaitans,” the “prophetess Jezebel,” and the “teachings
of Balaam.” Already, the “beast from the earth” was active among the churches. The economic attacks by the “false
prophet” were also reflected in the economic deprivations suffered by the
congregation in Smyrna - (Revelation 2:2-6, 2:14-15, 16:13, 19:20).
The stress in chapter 13 is on the use of religious
deception by the “false prophet” to coax humanity to give
allegiance to the first “beast.” However, when coercion becomes
necessary, his tool of choice is economic sanctions.
The “number of the beast” and its “image”
borrow language from the story of the great “golden image erected” by Nebuchadnezzar and his demand
that all his subjects venerate the image “that I have erected.” That
effort resulted in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego being cast into the “burning
fiery furnace”:
- (Daniel 3:1-7) – “Nebuchadnezzar made an image… the height thereof sixty cubits, its breadth six cubits… And the king ordered all peoples, races, and tongues to fall down and render homage to the image. Whoever did not render homage to it was slain.”
- (Revelation 13:14-18) – “And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand or upon their forehead… Six hundred and sixty and six.”
This scriptural background is the source for the “number
of the beast,” six hundred and sixty-six, and it links
that “number” to idolatry. Thus, in Revelation, idolatrous
religion and political power are inextricably linked.
The height of Nebuchadnezzar’s image was “sixty”
cubits, and its width was “six cubits.” The Greek Septuagint version reads hexékonta
and hex cubits, the same form of the second two numbers added to “six
hundred” in Revelation, which divides the original number into three
components based on the number ‘6’ (600 + 60 + 6). The number reflects the sexagesimal
or 60-base numeral system of Ancient Babylon.
The “number” is figurative. In the book, the “mark
of the beast” is contrasted with the “seal of God” that is placed on
the foreheads of those who follow the “Lamb,” and which, likewise, is
not literal. The “mark” or “number” is the satanic counterfeit to
the “seal of God” and the “name of the Lamb” that is found on the
foreheads of those who belong to him - (Revelation 7:1-3, 14:1-4).
Humanity is divided into two groups - those who “follow the Lamb,” and those who take the “mark of the beast” and give it their allegiance. Total allegiance is given to one or the other, and there is NO neutral ground, no third alternative.
Thus, the “beast from the earth” and his deceptive
activities imitate the “Lamb” and his gospel efforts. The “false
prophet” employs a counterfeit of the true faith to deceive men, causing
them to render homage to the “Dragon” and the “beast from the sea.”
The goal is to destroy the church, either through deception and apostasy, or more
directly, through economic pressure and other forms of persecution (“It made
war against the saints”).
The marginalized congregations of Asia would have
recognized the arrogant pretensions and hubris of imperial Rome in this vision,
especially the demand to venerate the emperor. Local magistrates pressured all
citizens to participate in the imperial cult, which certainly would have
included economic sanctions against anyone who refused to participate.
If there is a lesson for us today, it is that the “beast”
will imitate the true faith to deceive God’s elect. Its counterfeit will look
and feel all too familiar, and very likely, it will direct us to give the
allegiance that belongs to Jesus ALONE to someone or something
else. The best preventative medicine, is to give our allegiance to Jesus alone,
and daily, to deny ourselves, take up the cross, and follow him “wherever he
goes.”
Thus, the book calls this figure the “false prophet” and
portrays it as a satanic counterfeit of the true “Lamb.” This may very
well reflect Christ’s own warning that “false Christs” and “false
prophets” will appear and deceive many prior to the coming of the “Son
of Man on the clouds of heaven,” even the very “elect.”
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