This short post is intended to help you understand a portion of Revelation 13 where it talks about the image of the beast.
First, let's review the scripture that talks about this image.
Revelation 13:14 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.
When you make an image of something you make it as close to the original as possible. Therefore, in order to understand what this image will look like we need to take a moment to identify the first beast which had the wound by a sword and did live.
The first beast is described in Revelation 13:1-10. In verse 3 we read, "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." This is the first beast which was mortally wounded yet lived again.
If this first beast is the Papacy, as many Protestants have believed and taught, then the image of the beast will be likened unto the Papacy. What characteristics of the Papacy are notable? The most notable and fearful is the union of church and state.
The Papacy used civil authority to support her doctrines and wage her wars against heretics. We get a hint that this is the characteristic referred to in Revelation 13 because it represents this second beast as having lamb-like horns but speaking as a dragon. We know this refers to a church-state union because of the verse 15. A quick look at verse 15 will demonstrate why.
Revelation 13:15 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.
The beasts are symbols of nations. A nation "speaks" through its legislation. So we have a law given to put to death those who refuse to worship the image of the beast. The word "cause" indicates enforcement. Speak is law, cause is enforcement. A law has no power unless the civil authorities enforce it. The nation spoken of here has the power to give life to the image which is endowed with the authority to make laws regarding worship and resources to enforce those laws. The penalty for transgression of this law is death. This is no trivial matter.
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