It is written:
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. (Revelation 13:11)
So far in our study of the mark of the beast, we have discovered that it is some is associated the vision of Daniel 7. The identifying marks of the first beat in Revelation 13 are all the same with those in Daniel’s vision (the bear, leopard, and lion), although they are shown in reverse order (John was living in the days of the last “beast” of Daniel’s vision, so he is looking in reverse order at the kingdoms as opposed to Daniel, who sees them still as being in the future).
What’s’ more, both Daniel and John indicate the fact that the fourth kingdom will be characterized by ten “horns” (or nations), and we have seen that the nation of Rome did indeed disintegrate into ten smaller kingdoms nearly four hundred years after John wrote Revelation.
Now, Daniel had described another power which sparing up from the ten-fold vision of the fourth beast (i.e., the Roman Empire).
He wrote:
Daniel 7:8-I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
Just as Daniel described this “little horn,” so John describes a powerful beast which arose after the first beast in Revelation 13:
Revelation 13:11-Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. (Revelation 13:11)
This second beast is the one directly responsible for the “mark” to be given:
Revelation 13:16-18-He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads. 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
We need to identify this second beast to understand what the mark is.
Let’s notice several things about this second beast.
First, since we have seen that there is a direct connection between Revelation 13 and Daniel 7, we will learn much from continuing our studies there.
Second, notice that the second beast is intimately tied in with the first beast, and that it receives its’ power from it:
Revelation 13:12-And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Third, we see that this second beast is somehow religious in nature.
How do we know this?
One clue is from the fact that this beast would attempt to change “times and law.”
Daniel 7:25-He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.
As one commentator has noted:
“…attempting to change the “set times” or implement a new table of religious festivals (v. 25c; cf. Redditt, 131, who identifies the “sacred seasons” [NRSV] as the Sabbath and annual festivals); and attempting to change the laws or impose a new morality (v. 25d; this assumes that the word “laws” [NIV, though the Aram. d t is singular] refers to the Mosaic code; cf. Goldingay, 146, n. 25. b-b, who understands “times and law” as a type of hendiadys meaning “times set by decree”).” (Temper Longman III & David E. Garland, Daniel–Malachi (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Book 8), 143 (Kindle Edition); Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan)
Albert Barnes concurs with this assessment:
“The word “times” – זמנין zı̂mnı̂yn – would seem to refer properly to some stated or designated times – as times appointed for festivals, etc. Gesenius, “time, specially an appointed time, season:” Ecc 3:1; Neh 2:6; Est 9:27, Est 9:31. Lengerke renders the word Fest-Zeiten – “festival times,” and explains it as meaning the holy times, festival days, Lev 23:2, Lev 23:4, Lev 23:37, Lev 23:44. The allusion is, undoubtedly, to such periods set apart as festivals or fasts – seasons consecrated to the services of religion and the kind of jurisdiction which the power here referred to would hope and desire to set up would be to have control of these periods, and so to change and alter them as to accomplish his own purposes – either by abolishing those in existence, or by substituting others in their place. At all times these seasons have had a direct connection with the state and progress of religion; and he who has power over them, either to abolish existing festivals, or to substitute others in their places, or to appoint new festivals, has an important control over the whole subject of religion, and over a nation. The word rendered “laws” here – דת dâth – while it might refer to any law, would more properly designate laws pertaining to religion. See Dan 6:5, Dan 6:7, Dan 6:12 (Dan 6:6, Dan 6:9, Dan 6:13); Ezr 7:12, Ezr 7:21. So Lengerke explains it as referring to the laws of religion, or to religion. The kind of jurisdiction, therefore, referred to in this place would be what would pertain to the laws and institutions of religion; it would be a purpose to obtain the control of these; it would be a claim of right to abolish such as existed, and to institute new ones; it would be a determination to exert this power in such a way as to promote its own ends.”
Next, we are told that this “beast” would be like a lamb:
Revelation 13:11-Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
Throughout all ages and countries, the lamb has been a symbol of religion. More to the point, consider that throughout Revelation, the word Lamb is used 27 times in 29 verses. In every other verse except Revelation 13:11, reference is made to the Lamb being Jesus Christ (Revelation 5:6, 8, 12, 13; 6:1, 16; 7:9, 10, 14, 17; 12:11; 13:8; 14:1, 4, 10; 15:3; 17:14; 19:7, 9; 21:1, 14, 22; 23, 27; 22:1, 3).
This fact argues strongly that not only is this second beast religious in nature, but it is somehow identifiable with Christ Jesus.
Finally, this beast is concerned with the subject of worship, again showing that it is primarily a religious power:
Revelation 13:12-14-12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 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.
When all of these clues are added up, we see that this beast is primarily a religious power.
Next, we see that this is a religious power which is opposed to Christ and to His people, for we are told that it persecutes the saints of God:
Daniel 7:25-25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.
Finally, one last clue to consider about this “little horn” is that it would destroy three of the remnants which were formed from the Roman Empire. Daniel tells us:
Daniel 7:8-8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
Now, adding all of these clues together, was there ever a power that:
1. Sprang up from the Roman Empire?
2. Sprang up from the Roman Empire after the Empire had divided up into ten kingdoms?
3. Was a religious power?
4. Persecuted the people of God?
5. Defeated three of the remnants of the Roman Empire which opposed it?
There was such a power!
Only one “beast” fits the bill for all of these characteristics; the papacy of the Roman Catholic Church.
Notice also that the prophecy of Daniel describes how three of the ten horns would plucked up and destroyed by the little horn:
Daniel 7:8-I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
Amazingly, the Roman Catholic Church did indeed destroy of the ten horns!
“Shortly after A.D. 476, “three” of the “ten horns” resisted the growing political influence of the papacy, and one by one, they were systematically “plucked up by the roots” and destroyed. The Heruli were wiped out in A.D. 493, the Vandals in A.D. 534, and the Ostrogoths were eliminated in A.D. 538. No modern European nation can trace its roots back to these “three” powers. They’re gone. And so far, these historical clues (taken together) can apply to no other organization except the Roman Church.” (Steve Wohlberg, Decoding The Mark Of The Beast, 158 (Kindle Edition); Goldwater, MI; Remnant Publications)
Speaking of these facts from Daniel 7 and Revelation 13, one author has well written:
“Revelation 13 represents both these organizations as “beasts.” The one is represented as a ten-horned, the other as a two-horned beast. The former rises, as does each of the beasts of Daniel, from the sea; the latter rises from the earth. The one springs up in storm, the other in stillness. Striving and warring winds attend the birth of the one; the other grows up quietly from a low, terrestrial origin, like an ivy plant or a noxious, earth-born weed. The ten horns of the one are strong iron kingdoms; the two horns of the other are gentle and lamb-like. The two beasts stand side by side; they act together in everything. The earth-born beast is the “prophet” of the sea-born beast, and he is a “false prophet.” He compels subjection to the secular power, especially to its new head, that head which had been slain and healed. He establishes an idolatrous worship of that head, or a submission to it as Divine in authority. He “exercises” all the power of the ten-horned beast in his warfare against the saints and servants of God. He works false miracles, and accomplishes lying wonders, and even brings down fire upon the earth in imitation of the prophets of the Lord; that is, he causes judgments to descend on those who resist. He uses the instrument of excommunication, a weapon of celestial authority, and wields it with terrible effect. He lays kingdoms under interdicts, and nations under anathemas. He makes idolatry compulsory, delivering to the secular arm all who refuse to render it, that they may be put to death. He prohibits all dealings with so called “heretics,” all traffic and communion with them. He allows none to buy from them, and none to sell to them. He institutes the system which is now called “boycotting,” a system of persecution which was freely wielded by the Popish priesthood in the middle ages, and is still employed, as we know, in certain Papal lands. How could the mutual relations of the political and ecclesiastical powers in the apostate Roman empire be better represented than by these wonderful symbols? Here are a monarchy and a priesthood in close, nefarious association; the priesthood anoints the monarchy, serves it, uses it. Together they rule, and together they persecute. No symbol can represent everything, no parable can correspond in all respects with the reality it depicts. It is surely enough if the principal features and primary relations are exhibited in the symbol, or reflected by the parable. This is just what is done in the apocalyptic prophecy. Look at the facts. The Papacy has been a political power for more than a thousand years. The popes of Rome have been secular monarchs. They have possessed territories, levied taxes, laid down laws, owned armies, made wars. The Papal monarchy has been for ages an integral part of the Roman empire. The Papacy has also been a sacerdotal power, and is so still. While its temporal government has fallen, its spiritual remains. Further, the Papacy is served by an extensive sacerdotal organization, embracing about a thousand bishops and half a million priests. This organization controls the convictions and actions of two hundred millions of persons, belonging to more than thirty nations. If the best symbol to represent the Roman empire with its rulers be a ten-horned beast, what better symbol to represent the Papal hierarchy than a two-horned beast, whose horns are like those of a lamb, while it has the voice of a dragon? And what better name for that hierarchy could be found than the “false prophet”? Does it not pretend to utter the messages of heaven? And as Moses and Elijah called down the fire of God’s judgments on the enemies of Israel, has not this hierarchy brought down again and again, in the estimation of millions, the judgments of God on those who have resisted its will, whether individuals or nations? Has not this been one of its most tremendous and irresistible weapons? Read the history of the middle ages and of the sixteenth century. What nation in Europe has not been laid from time to time under Papal interdicts, and compelled by these means to submit to the decisions of the Roman pontiff? And has not the priesthood too been the author and instigator of a wholesale system of idolatry and persecution? Has it not employed the power of the State in enforcing idolatry, and cruelly persecuted to death millions of the faithful who would not bow the knee to the modern Baal? In all this, history only too faithfully corresponds to prophecy. Deep calls to deep, and the utterances of inspiration are caught up and echoed by the experience of generations. The voices of the prophets come back in thunder from the course of ages, and the proof that God has spoken reverberates throughout the world.” (Henry Grattan Guinness, Romanism and the Reformation: From the Standpoint of Prophecy, 1339-1369 (Kindle Edition))
The more we study, the more we see that the mark of the beast had to do with false religion (specifically, the seeming Christ-like religion which sprang up from the Roman Catholic Church).
The mark of the beast has nothing to do with the coronavirus vaccine, as we will further see.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
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