When we were last together we revealed the identity of the beast who received the mortal blow and lived. By solving this riddle, we found out that the mortal blow was a spiritual death, not the death of a physical empire...only the power behind the empire...Satan.
As we move along in this extensive study defining the symbols, metaphors, enigmas, and esoteric imagery of Revelation, the message from Jesus Christ unfolds before you, like the essence of a rose is revealed with the unfolding of its petals. So we must not lose sight of the fact that Revelation is the revealing or unveiling of the spiritual side of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven.
In His short time on the earth, Jesus could not impart the profundity of His appearing nor its full impact on the future of the world, because His apostles were not able to comprehend the spiritual world. Once the Holy Spirit was imparted to them, He was able reveal the deeper truths of God's Kingdom - through the Revelation.
After the apostles received the Holy Spirit, the visions were given and written down, so they could study and understand the spiritual world of Jesus Christ, and how it impacts the physical world of men on the earth...as in Heaven, so in the earth...Luke 11:2. I believe that historical documentation proves that most of Revelation has been fulfilled, or is in the process of being fulfilled. This is what this study is all about - think outside the box, rather than stay in the confinement of a hundred-year old end-time doctrine that we have been programmed to believe.
The plan of God is encapsulated in the symbolism. Once defined, you will rejoice in the beauty of His perfect spiritual world that He wants to make you aware of by explaining the spiritual significance of the 144,000, 666, and the Two Witnesses -.and we will in this study because the Bible is clear on these matters. You will love the true spiritual meaning of these esoteric images, when we get to that part of the Revelation.
We have been studying the seven-headed beast and there is more to find out about him. We know that the 6th head of the beast is the Imperial Roman Empire. We know that the 7th head of the beast is the Holy Roman Empire that ruled during the thousand years of the Dark Ages. But do you know who is the image of the beast? Again, historical documentation will be invaluable for identifying him.
And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived...Rev. 13:14.
Since this prophecy has already been fulfilled, history confirms that the 7th head of the beast is the Holy Roman Empire, who will make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. Last week we learned that the 6th head of the beast - Imperial Rome - was wounded but lived again. Of course, it was the spiritual power of Satan that was killed by Jesus, but lived again during the reign of the 6th beast.
An image must be made of the Imperial Roman Empire - 6th head of the beast. The 7th head of the beast - Holy Roman Empire - is requiring those who dwell on the earth to make an image of the 6th head of the beast. This means that the same reverence and allegiance the people pledged to Imperial Rome, must now to be transferred to Holy Rome, because their religious power and authority is a mirror image of the power and authority of the secular empire.
What did these two empires have in common, whereby creating a mirror image? Both empires exercised power and authority over massive lands and people. They both claimed divinity, requiring worship from their subjects, while they ruthlessly tormented and murdered defectors. The rulers of both empires were filled with pride and arrogance - corrupt to the core - and hated all true uncompromising Christians.
There was one difference between these two empires - the paganism of the image was deviously cloaked in the guise of Christianity. This is symbolized by the lamb of the two-horned beast whom we described in Part 11 of this study...Rev. 13:11.
He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed...Rev. 13:15. Who gave life to the image of the beast? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question...
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