What does it mean to "worship the beast"?

[friend of]

Or, what is the beast and what is him image? Is this metaphoric? Is it all things man create that separate us from God? Is it a way of thinking that is self-centered, like that of an animal?

 

[Alithis]

It means to submit and do his will displaying a dependency on him.

Which goes to show .most so called Christians don't actually worship God. They just sing songs on Sundays.

 

[victorinus]

Is this metaphoric?

I don't think so -
there is only one passage in the bible with all four words; beast, image, mark, number
-and-
I have often wondered about it - rev 15:2
-
it suggests the beast is a man which I am not ready to accept
-but-
it may be the image we have to worry about

 

[CuriousWes]

Or, what is the beast and what is him image? Is this metaphoric? Is it all things man create that separate us from God? Is it a way of thinking that is self-centered, like that of an animal?

The beast is an evil angel. He comes up out of the abyss which is only used in reference to evil spirit beings. Revelation 17:8 He provides the supernatural "fireworks" by which the false prophet deceives the world and exercises dominion.

The image of that beast likewise causes the false prophet to exercise dominion. The only thing that makes sense to me is that it is a weaponized code of conduct that everyone must comply with or be put to death. It will affirm the false prophet as God and require that people conduct themselves in accordance with its mandates. The deceived people of the world build it (probably something they vote on when they're getting their mark) and the false prophet enacts it as law.

 

[Alithis]

The beast is an evil angel. He comes up out of the abyss which is only used in reference to evil spirit beings. Revelation 17:8 He provides the supernatural "fireworks" by which the false prophet deceives the world and exercises dominion.

The image of that beast likewise causes the false prophet to exercise dominion. The only thing that makes sense to me is that it is a weaponized code of conduct that everyone must comply with or be put to death. It will affirm the false prophet as God and require that people conduct themselves in accordance with its mandates. The deceived people of the world build it (probably something they vote on when they're getting their mark) and the false prophet enacts it as law.

Heh... A weaponized system ... Maybe it's presently called a Hadron collider (spell?)

 

[friend of]

LHC probably has many objectives. Breaking the veil separating this dimension from others could be one of them. Who really knows.

I still think the beast system is metaphoric in a sense. Bible says the mark is received in either the forehead (mind) or hand (works). We are all, more or less, dependent on money systems created by man in order to live, and these systems are controlled by the most powerful people on earth. So we're not completely free. Those who are purely carnally-minded possess no understanding of spirituality and so their minds, spirit, and physicality are all 6,6,6 (the number of man).

 

[Original Happy Camper]

Or, what is the beast and what is him image? Is this metaphoric? Is it all things man create that separate us from God? Is it a way of thinking that is self-centered, like that of an animal?

If you take the historical view of prophecy, all of your questions will be answered.

Martin Luther taught this as did most of the reformers called Protestants (protesters) unfortunately most Protestants no longer teach this, instead they follow counter reformation teachings.


Identifying the Beast
Revelation 13 Commentary

Identifying the Anti-christ
Identifying the Antichrist | Prophecy of Daniel | Religious and Political System

Number of his name
666: The Number of a Man | The Papacy and 666

Mark of the Beast
http://pdf.amazingdiscoveries.org/Section PDFs/The Mark of the Beast.pdf

 

[ken777]

The "image" is not a talking statue!

 

[Revealing Times]

Or, what is the beast and what is him image? Is this metaphoric? Is it all things man create that separate us from God? Is it a way of thinking that is self-centered, like that of an animal?

Why don't you know what the Beast is? Since Beasts were mentioned in Daniel 7 and in Rev. 13 we understand the Seven Headed Beast incorporates the Beasts of Daniel and Why were they BEASTS? Because they Conquered, enslaved or ruled Israel. Thus this LAST BEAST will be a conqueror of Israel and its peoples,(Abomination of Desolation) but he will be A MAN and not a Kingdom per se. This is why he is a Little Horn that has a Mouth, speaks blasphemies and is cast into Hell Revelation 20:10.

The Beast is not Satan, it is a Man that Conquers Israel.

 

[BABerean2]

The following should qualify in my opinion.

The unveiling of the image is at time 9:15.

 

[CuriousWes]

Heh... A weaponized system ... Maybe it's presently called a Hadron collider (spell?)

I was thinking more in terms of a "company policy" that carries consequences if not adhered to. The image will be a global "behavior policy" everyone must adhere to or be put to death. That's what I meant by "weaponized", real consequences. It will be more than just guidelines for worshiping the man of sin. It will carry consequences for those who don't. Zero tolerance.

 

[friend of]

Why don't you know what the Beast is?

Because it's an extremely multifaceted account. I'm also acquainted with the idea that beasts represent kingdoms and the horns or diadem represent the great kings of the earth who choose to combine their vast power and wealth into a singular "beast" in order to dominate the world before Christ's return. Are you not familiar with this take as well?

 

[friend of]

I was thinking more in terms of a "company policy" that carries consequences if not adhered to. The image will be a global "behavior policy" everyone must adhere to or be put to death. That's what I meant by "weaponized", real consequences. It will be more than just guidelines for worshiping the man of sin. It will carry consequences for those who don't. Zero tolerance.

I'm starting to wonder if Sharia law is not the prototypical vessel of such a policy.

 

[Original Happy Camper]

I'm starting to wonder if Sharia law is not the prototypical vessel of such a policy.

It is a religious issue by apostate Christians not Muslims, remember the second beast causes all to worship the image of the first beast. Unless you are a contortionist with words sharia law does not fit. You need to define who the beasts are before we speculate on the policy.

 

[friend of]

Well, I can't say with absolute certainty for (obviously) but venturing a guess here. If the beasts represents earthly individual rulers or organizations that control nations, I don't see why Sharia wouldn't fit as the centrally oppressive anti-christ system. Sharia law is anti-humanity at it's core. I'm thinking Satan would use Sharia as a base and then improvise on it from there, turning it into an even more oppressive anti-humane system that would be forced on everyone.

 

[Original Happy Camper]

Well, I can't say with absolute certainty for (obviously) but venturing a guess here. If the beasts represents earthly individual rulers or organizations that control nations, I don't see why Sharia wouldn't fit as the centrally oppressive anti-christ system. Sharia law is anti-humanity at it's core. I'm thinking Satan would use Sharia as a base and then improvise on it from there, turning it into an even more oppressive anti-humane system that would be forced on everyone.

"If the beasts represents earthly individual rulers or organizations that control nations"
Before you start venturing a guess you need to decide which of the two options you gave is the truth. Making a guess on a falsehood is a never ending path to many falsehoods. Deal in biblical truth not speculations.

Beast Kingdom, government, political power Daniel 7:23
Bear Destructive Power / Medo Persia Proverbs 28:15; 2 Kings 2:23-24; Daniel 7:5
Lion Jesus/Powerful King i.e. Babylon Rev. 5:4-9, Jer. 50:43-44, Dan. 7:4,17,23
Leopard Greece Daniel 7:6

Not Individuals except the Lion when it refers to Jesus, other wise they are kingdoms.
Bible Symbols Chart

 

[friend of]

Making a guess on a falsehood is a never ending path to many falsehoods. Deal in biblical truth not speculations.

Thank you for reminding me! I admit I haven't studied Revelation as much as I should have in order to have an opinion that could be considered informed on the matter. I will be looking into it more with the scriptures you provided. I do think the beasts spoken of in revelation represent actual nations. I was merely describing the "image" in terms of the extensions of their powers in the form of imposed policy, as I'm not sure how much sense it makes for there to be an image of Satan in form of a literal statue that everyone will be forced to bow to. That seems very primitive.

 

[miknik5]

"If the beasts represents earthly individual rulers or organizations that control nations"
Before you start venturing a guess you need to decide which of the two options you gave is the truth. Making a guess on a falsehood is a never ending path to many falsehoods. Deal in biblical truth not speculations.

Beast Kingdom, government, political power Daniel 7:23
Bear Destructive Power / Medo Persia Proverbs 28:15; 2 Kings 2:23-24; Daniel 7:5
Lion Jesus/Powerful King i.e. Babylon Rev. 5:4-9, Jer. 50:43-44, Dan. 7:4,17,23
Leopard Greece Daniel 7:6

Not Individuals except the Lion when it refers to Jesus, other wise they are kingdoms.
Bible Symbols Chart

So this is what will be thrown in the lake of fire?

A group of people making up a kingdom?

 

[Revealing Times]

Because it's an extremely multifaceted account. I'm also acquainted with the idea that beasts represent kingdoms and the horns or diadem represent the great kings of the earth who choose to combine their vast power and wealth into a singular "beast" in order to dominate the world before Christ's return. Are you not familiar with this take as well?

I was speaking in generalities, why don't people in General understand who the Beast is, not you per se. Its because people don't dig down/listen to the Holy Spirit. It is there for all to see.

The Harlot that rides the Beast was explained in Rev. 17. The Angel says why did you wonder, I WILL SHOW YOU who the Harlot and the Beast is....Rev. 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

God explained it, yet we call it a Mystery !!

The Harlot is ALL FALSE RELIGION....This includes Islam, and Rev. 17:16 states she will be JUDGED and DESTROYED by the Kings in league with the Anti-Christ, who demands to be Worshiped as the ONLY GOD, there is no place for Islam in his world, or Buddhism, etc. all. He chases Israel into the Wilderness and Kills Christians. Its a pattern. He destroys ALL RELIGIONS !! Which means Islam is destroyed. The Harlot is ALL FALSE RELIGION. She is Judged and is no more.

Now the Seven Headed Beast.....Who is it ? Well we know that Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome were four of the Beasts or four of the seven heads. We know the Anti-Christ will be the Last Head of this Seven Headed Beast so who is the other two heads ? Well who else conquered Israel? Egypt and Assyria of course. Now we understand it by using the Scriptures of chapter 17.

Rev. 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

The Seven Headed Beast is Seven Mountains (oro one that arises above the plain or KINGS/Kingdoms) So we understand the Harlot was co-mingled with all of these Kingdoms. They are ALSO Seven Kings, Five have Fallen (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia and Greece) ONE IS (Rome) and one is YET TO COME (Anti-Christ and his 10 Kings). The angel reduces the Kingdoms to Kings to let us know this last BEAST will be a Man not a Kingdom per se.

The 8th King is Satan or Apollyon, a Demon who was of ALL SEVEN. But he is not a physical Kingdom, but a Spiritual King. Just like Jesus is our King/Lord and Savior.

 

[Bible2+]

friend of said in post #1:

What does it mean to "worship the beast"?

Are you thinking of the following verse?

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

If so, here "the beast" refers to the individual man commonly called the Antichrist, whom the world will worship along with Lucifer (Satan, the dragon) --

Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast . . .

Revelation 20:2 . . . the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan

Also, Christians need to be aware that during the Antichrist's future, literal 3.5-year worldwide reign (Revelation 13:4-18), even though the world will consciously and openly worship Lucifer (Satan, the dragon) and the Antichrist (the individual-man aspect of Revelation's "beast") (Revelation 13:4-8, Revelation 12:9), this will not require that the Antichrist's one-world religion will say that Jesus is evil, or will turn the world against Jesus. For almost the entire world reveres Jesus, at least as being a good man. The Antichrist could confirm this basic world belief, but simply (in his words) "clarify" that while Jesus is indeed a good man, he is not the Christ or the Son of God (1 John 2:22). No doubt the Antichrist will also deny that Jesus suffered and died on the Cross for our sins, as this, just as believing that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God (John 20:31, John 3:36), is one of the core beliefs of the gospel by which people become saved (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

So what the Antichrist could do is keep the idea of a good Jesus, but strip it of everything by which Jesus saves people from hell. And this would not require that the Antichrist deny Jesus' second coming. Indeed, the Antichrist and his False Prophet (of Revelation 19:20) could even try to employ to their own ends the Biblical prophecy of Jesus' second coming, as well as the Muslim prophecy which says that the miracle-working prophet Jesus will return bodily from heaven in the last days to bring the whole earth into the worship of the true God. For the False Prophet could claim that he is Jesus returned. And he could perform amazing miracles (Revelation 13:13) as purported proof of his claim (cf. John 3:2). This is one reason why it is important to know when and how the real Jesus' second coming will occur (Matthew 24:29-31; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17, Revelation 19:7 to 20:6, Zechariah 14:3-21).

Once the False Prophet by his amazing miracles has brought the world under his spell (Revelation 13:13-18, Revelation 19:20), including many Muslims and Christians who may not care much for scriptural dogma, but could go wild over his signs and wonders, he could begin to (in his words) "restore to the world the real message which was spoken by me (Jesus) at my first coming, and by the great prophet Mohammed, but which message became corrupted by power-hungry men when they copied and changed the early manuscripts of the Bible and the Koran". He could then gradually initiate the world into the Antichrist's Gnostic Luciferianism (1 John 4:3, Revelation 13:4-6), a religion which could have existed since ancient times in some "mystery" cults, and which still exists today in the highest degree of initiation of a worldwide secret society. The False Prophet could present his miraculously calling fire down from heaven (Revelation 13:13) as purported proof that Lucifer (the dragon, Satan) and the Antichrist are the true God (Revelation 13:4-8, Revelation 12:9), in an inversion of how back in Old Testament times, Elijah miraculously called fire down from heaven to prove that YHWH is the true God (1 Kings 18:37-39).

The person whom the Antichrist will revile is YHWH (Revelation 13:6, Daniel 11:36), whom many people mistakenly think of as being (in their words) "the God of only the Old Testament, that cruel and hateful God who commanded people to commit genocide and kill babies (1 Samuel 15:3), whereas Jesus came and preached love for everyone (Matthew 5:44)". The truth is that Jesus confirmed that the God of the Old Testament, YHWH (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Leviticus 19:18), is the same as the God of the New Testament (Mark 12:29-31), and that the Old Testament is true (Matthew 5:17-18, Luke 24:44-48). Jesus suffered and died for our sins in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy from YHWH (Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2:24). And he rose from the dead in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy from YHWH (e.g. Psalms 16:10, Acts 2:31). Jesus died to establish the New Covenant (Matthew 26:28), which YHWH had foretold in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 31:31-34). And Jesus died to bring about the defeat of Satan (Hebrews 2:14), which YHWH had foretold from even the first book of the Old Testament (Genesis 3:15).

Nonetheless, building on many people's misconceptions of YHWH as being (in their words) "the cruel God of the Old Testament", no doubt one of the Antichrist's chief blasphemies against YHWH (Revelation 13:6, Daniel 11:36) will be that YHWH is an evil god. This is one of the ancient blasphemies of Gnosticism, another being the antichrist lie that Christ is not in the flesh (2 John 1:7). The world will be deceived into completely rejecting YHWH, and worshipping Satan and the Antichrist instead (Revelation 13:4-8, Revelation 12:9). But Satan might not be worshipped as "Satan", which most everyone sees as a bad name (it means "Adversary"), but as "Lucifer" (Isaiah 14:12), which means "the morning star". The Antichrist could falsely say that it is YHWH who is the true "Satan", the true "Adversary" of mankind. And he could claim that even 2 Samuel 24:1 and 1 Chronicles 21:1 together prove this by showing that it was the single entity of YHWH/Satan who moved David to number Israel. Of course, the truth is that 2 Samuel 24:1 and 1 Chronicles 21:1 together simply mean that YHWH used Satan to move David. YHWH elsewhere rebuked Satan (Zechariah 3:2), so they are in no way the same person.

Because the Antichrist and his False Prophet (possibly masquerading as Jesus) will deny that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 2:22), and will deny that Christ is in the flesh (1 John 4:3), and because they will bring the unsaved world into the worship of Lucifer (Satan, the dragon) instead (Revelation 13:4, Revelation 12:9), they could falsely say that (the non-mortal flesh) Lucifer is the Christ, that the new name of Christ (Revelation 3:12c) is "Lucifer Christ". For just as "Lucifer" means "the morning star", so Christ is the morning star (Revelation 22:16b). Also, Christ identified himself with the serpent (John 3:14), and Lucifer is the serpent (Revelation 12:9). Also, Christ said "Ye are gods" (John 10:34), and it was the serpent who said "ye shall be as gods" (Genesis 3:5).

But the truth is that Lucifer fell from his office of morning star (Isaiah 14:12) and became Satan (cf. Luke 10:18). Jesus Christ has taken over the office of morning star (Revelation 22:16). And Jesus Christ identified himself only with the brass serpent on the pole in Numbers 21:8-9 (John 3:14), which typified Jesus Christ's crucifixion for our sins (John 19:16, Matthew 26:28). And in John 10:34, Jesus Christ (John 20:31) was quoting YHWH in Psalms 82:6-7, which shows that even though humans have knowledge of good and evil as gods do (Genesis 3:22), they will still die like humans (Psalms 82:7), contradicting the serpent's lie (Genesis 3:4). Nonetheless, the Antichrist could falsely say that Lucifer is the Christ and the true and beneficent God of mankind, and that the False Prophet is the miracle-working prophet Jesus (cf. John 3:2, Acts 3:22-24), returned to point the world to the true Christ/God. The Antichrist could falsely say that he (the Antichrist) is the human/divine "Son" of Lucifer, who must be worshipped as God along with Lucifer (Revelation 13:4,8). This would be similar to how Biblical Christians rightly worship the human/divine Jesus Christ (John 1:1,14) as YHWH God (the Son) along with YHWH God the Father (John 20:28, Hebrews 1:8).

Near the end of the future tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24, unclean spirits like frogs will come out of the mouths of Lucifer, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet (Revelation 16:13). And these unclean spirits like frogs will go forth and perform amazing miracles to convince the world's armies to gather together at Armageddon (Har Megiddo: Mount Megiddo in northern Israel) (Revelation 16:16) in an attempt to fight and defeat YHWH himself (Revelation 16:14, Revelation 19:19). After gathering together at Armageddon, the armies will travel south and pillage Jerusalem, right before the real Jesus (who is YHWH: John 10:30) returns from heaven and defeats them completely (Zechariah 14:2-21, Revelation 19:20 to 20:3).

So the second coming of Jesus Christ will be a total shock to the world. The world will have been expecting to wage war against some evil Old Testament god named "YHWH" with the help of the good Jesus (played by the False Prophet) and with the help of the true and beneficent Christ/God (played by Lucifer) and with the help of the good Son of God (played by the Antichrist) and with the help of the good angels of God (played by the fallen angels of Lucifer: Revelation 12:9). But then instead of some evil god appearing in the sky, the world could see the glorious sign of the Cross (cf. Matthew 24:30), the symbol of the good YHWH suffering and dying for our sins (Acts 20:28b). And then the world will see the glorious appearance of the real Jesus, sitting on a white horse descending from the sky (Revelation 19:11-21).

When the people of the world realize at that moment how thoroughly they have been duped, and see in the sky the huge angelic armies (2 Thessalonians 1:7, Matthew 25:31) of the true Jesus, the true Christ, the true Son of God, and the good YHWH, who are all the one and the same Jesus Christ of Nazareth, they could utterly mourn and wail for themselves (Matthew 24:30, Revelation 1:7), knowing in their spirits that Jesus has returned in wrath to destroy most of them for their unrepentant sins (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, Revelation 19:15-21).