In the first part of this series on the mark of the beast we identified the first beast of Revelation 13, the beast that rises up from out of the sea, as the Papacy. The Papacy is the only power that fits all the characteristics described in Revelation 13 perfectly. The Papacy is also the same power that is described in Daniel 7. Let us now examine and identify the second beast of Revelation 13.
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. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom, Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred and threescore and six. (Revelation 13:11-18)
Let's break down and examine the characteristics of this second beast that comes up out of the earth:
- Comes up out of the earth.
- Described as having two horns.
- Looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon.
- Exercises all the power of the first beast.
- 2nd beast causes inhabitants of the earth to worship the first beast.
- Causes fire to come down from heaven and deceive inhabitants of the earth by these miracles.
- 2nd beast tells the inhabitants of the earth to make an image to the first beast.
- Only those who worship the first beast and have his mark, name or number may buy or sell.
- Causes any who would not worship the first beast or its image to be put to death.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
For even Christ our passover (lamb) is sacrificed for us. (1 Corinthians 5:7)
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: (Genesis 22:7, 8)
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, ...And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:7, 9)
If Jesus is represented as a lamb and Satan as a dragon and a beast represents a king/kingdom/nation, then this 2nd beast will appear to be a Christian nation but will speak, via it's laws, courts, media etc., more like Satan expressing Satan's values, ideology and philosophy.
Oh generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. (Matthew 12:34-35)
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (Matthew 15:18-19)
The Bible also uses the imagery of trees to symbolize nations, (Psalms 37: 35, Hosea 9:10, Romans 11:16-25). We can also know the "heart" of a nation by its fruit.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. ...A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ...Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Matthew 7:16, 18, 20)
This lamb like beast is also described as having two horns. The fighting strength of horned animals is their horns. Besides representing kings (Daniel 7:7, 24; 8:21), horns represent power and strength (which, naturally, said strength and power is often embodied in or represented by that nation's ruler or "king").
Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. (Zechariah 1:18-19)
All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted. (Psalms 75:10)
And he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. (1 Samuel 2:10)
The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 48:25)
Because ye have trust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; (Ezekiel 34:21)
In Revelation 13 verse 12 we are told the second beast exercises all the power of the first beast. The original Greek here used is exousia, meaning authority, jurisdiction, power, strength.
We learned in part one of our study that the first beast was given power from the Dragon, or Satan. The first beast used this power to speak blasphemously and claim to exercise authority that belongs to God alone including authority over the Bible and to change the laws of God!
The first beast used this power to persecute the saints of God for 1260 years before being grievously wounded. We know this wound was received by the Papacy in 1798 when Pope Pius VI was taken captive by Napoleon's General Berthier after which the Pope would die in exile. This was a great blow to the Papacy's civil power and influence. Revelation 13 describes the second beast as coming to power around this time. America was ascending to power in the late 1700s as the Papacy and its power was on the decline.
As a republic, power is held by the people and their elected representatives. Influenced by Protestantism, the 1st Amendment of the American Constitution forbids Congress from promoting one religion over others or restricting an individual's religious practices. Horns in Bible prophecy represent kings and the power they yield, but America has no king, or pope. Through the fundamental principles of Republicanism and Protestantism, those powers, or horns, are held by the people.
The two horns represent the two principles of a church and state and the separation thereof, principles taught by Jesus Christ himself.
Master, which is the great commandment of the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40)
God wrote the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets (expressing their permanency); the first four commandments address loving God as children of his spiritual, heavenly kingdom, and the remaining six commandments address loving our fellow man and duty towards civil, earthly authorities.
Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. (Mark 12:14-17)
Despite professing the principles of republicanism and Protestantism, in practice America's fruit are more in line with that of a dragon.
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)
Without even touching on the media, fashion and diet American culture promotes and exports to the world, the following is just a small sampling of some basic Bible principles that America ignores:
Public prayer/prayer in schools:
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:5-6)
Idealizing the past and making monuments to its heroes:
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: (Exodus 20:4-5)
Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, (Deuteronomy 4:16)
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou doest not enquire wisely concerning this. (Ecclesiastes 7:10)
Pagan practices and holidays:
Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, ...for the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold: (Jeremiah 10:2-4)
When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succedest them, and dwellest in their land; take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? Even so will I do likewise. (Deuteronomy 12:29-30)
I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealously? (1 Corinthians 10:20-22)
Why do ye also transgress the commandments of God by your tradition? (Matthew 15:3)
Death penalty:
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. (Romans 12:19)
...And I gave her space to repent... (Revelation 2:21)
...as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
America is the only nation that fits the description given of the second beast in Revelation 13. She was ascending into power on the world stage at about the same time the Papacy was in decline with regards to her power. She is a nation that claims to be a Christian nation and a proponent of Republicanism and Protestantism but does not live her values.
In part three we will look at how the second beast of Revelation will follow in the Papacy's footsteps and become a persecuting power ultimately causing the world to make an image to the first beast, worshiping the first beast by receiving the first beast's mark.
The Mark of the Beast Part 1: The Sea Beast of Revelation 13