I’ve put together a chart of symbols from Revelation chapter 12 to17. (would like to do the whole book but got puffed out)
One of the things that intrigues us is how Revelation, although symbolic, also manifests sometimes as literal. Anyway, here is the chart. Please pick out the symbol that interests you and discuss.
View attachment 270433
Let's consider this last symbol listed---Image of the beast. Obviously there is a beginning of it and an ending of it. When would you conclude the beginning of it is?
Revelation 13:11 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.
12 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.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
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.
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.
Until verse 14 is fulfilled first, there cannot yet be this image of the beast, correct? What I have underlined, when is this initially fulfilled? One reason I feel it is important to know the when is because of what we are told in Revelation 20.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and
which had not worshipped the beast,
neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Isn't it reasonable to conclude that there cannot be any martyrs for not worshiping the beast's image, until Revelation 13:14 has been fulfilled first? And in the process doesn't Revelation 13:14 help us determine the timing of Revelation 20:4, telling us at least the time meant in Revelation 13:14-15 is fulfilled and in the past before satan is even loosed after the thousand years, that according to Revelation 20:4?
Or are you of the school of thought that a chronology of events is irrelevant in this particular case?