IMAGE OF THE BEAST
Third Angel’s Message Warning Continues
Now let’s go back to the Third Angel’s Message in Revelation 14:9.
Revelation 14:9 - “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.”
Prophetic Symbol: The Beast = Papal Rome
“Image” is “eiko¯n” in the Greek which means a “likeness, statue, profile, or (figuratively) representation, resemblance,” according to the Strong’s Greek Dictionary.
It is clear from the definition that the image of the beast is one who is in the likeness or resembles Papal Rome. In other words, the image of the beast mirrors the beast with some of the same characteristics of the beast, but it is not the original. Like Papal Rome, the image of the beast is a religious group of people who profess to be Christians but have apostatized from God’s truth. Like Papal Rome, they are religious-hypocrites who have apostatized from God’s truth. Like Papal Rome, the image of the beast uses its “religious authority” or church beliefs to influence multitudes of people and governments. Not only does the image of the beast look like Papal Rome, but they have made an alliance to unify with the pope and Papal Rome’s objectives and goals. Also, like the beast, they have political power.
Revelation 14:9 asserts that if any man worships the beast and his image, that person will receive the mark of the beast. It is clear from this text that the mark of the beast is a centralizing doctrine that unifies them together. You will find what doctrine that is as you continue this study. Simply, the image of the beast is any Christian religious church or organization that unites with the doctrine of the mark of the beast. This includes Protestant Christian churches or denominations who at one time in their history protested against the apostasy of Papal Rome, but have compromised God’s truth and joined her in her apostasy!
Prophetic Symbol: Image of the Beast = All Apostate Christian Churches
This may surprise you, but your “image” is not really your own. It’s NOT original. In other words, your “image” is actually a reflection of a collection of ideas, beliefs, and experiences gathered from your family and your past and present environment. This may be a concept that is hard for our “self ” driven society to accept. We were not created to be “self ” driven. We CANNOT self make an original image. It is literally impossible for us to create our own original image. We learn from those teaching and training us and reflect that image to others. We are learning all the time and our environment and what we choose to watch and listen to will determine whose image we reflect.
You were made in the image of God to reflect the character of God. Sin and disobedience has marred and corrupted that image. Sin has made us into the image of Satan, but Jesus came to this world to restore us back to His original image. If you partake in the worldly things of Satan you will reflect the image of Satan. But if you partake, turn your eyes upon the Word of God, and have faith in the Truth of God you will reflect the image of Jesus. In other words, what you “behold” you are.