The Image and the Mark: Revelation 13:11-17

   Which comes first, the baby or the birth pains? Any mother can tell you without hesitation,  that the birth pains arrive before the baby does. What we are witnessing, is the rise of global birth pains; wars and threats of wars, famines and earthquakes, the beginning of sorrows - the birth pains that precede the baby's arrival. The baby represents the birth of a new era; the second coming of Christ Jesus. 

   The same logic applies to the image and the mark. You can not have the mark without the image. The image must be in existence before the mark is enforced. Just as the birth pains come before the baby, the image comes before the mark. 

   So, where is it? 

   We often hear about how this or that is the 'mark of the beast.' It's a barcode, a jab, A.I., a microchip, a jab, digital I.D., Sunday law, a fingerprint, an eye scan, our cell phones. If 'this and that' is the 'mark of the beast', then, where is the image? What is it and, when was submission to an image required to make everyday purchases? 

   It wasn't. The timing is off; we are not half way through the appointed time of tribulation, when those who remain, will be required to submit to the image, the name or, the number of the name, as a declaration of faith in order to buy or sell. 

   What we are seeing is the preparation for the mark - the beginning stages of a digitally enhanced new age, a cashless society, paving the way. If global leaders are preparing for a cashless society, then we are certainly moving closer to the end-time mark of the beast. There is also an awareness unfolding, even among those, who only have a basic understanding that the 'mark' is rooted in Biblical prophecy.

   But we are not there, yet. 

   Before we can say for certain that 'this or that' is the mark of the beast, there must be an image of the first beast, to which individual allegiance, loyalty or submission is required. 

   .... 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. It is the false prophet who convinces those living on earth, to create an image of the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed: Rev 13:12,14b.

   The creation of the image will eventually evolve into a global submission. This submission is then tied to religious and economic power - the buying and selling. For this, one needs to wear a mark on or upon, their right hand or forehead. But there are conditions. To those who refuse the mark, are also refusing to submit to the image, the name or, the number of it. To those who refuse to bow before the image, become marked for death, just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego had been, when they refused to bow before the image of gold: Daniel 3. They may also be shunned from society and hunted down, forced into slavery or, sacrifice. Rev 13:17; 17:6; 18:13,24 

   But, there must be an image. 

Let's break it down: 

   In Revelation 13:1-4 we have the first beast which rises from the sea. The beast has seven heads, and ten horns. We should know from Daniels night vision that the beast from the sea represents a kingdom but, this sea beast isn't a 'normal' kingdom but, a combination of three beast kingdoms: the lion, the bear, and the  leopard, which form the beast with ten horns: 13:1,2a. This entity rises from the abyss mid-tribulation with ten kings, and an eleventh king, who wars with the saints. 

   Beast in the Greek is: θηριον / θηρίου - living thing, animal, genetically non-human, hunted by man. Beast in the Aramaic, is חֵיוְתָא which translates to: animal. An animal or beast can be hunted, wounded, slain / mortally wounded. 

   3) And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. 23) The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which will be different from all the other (beast) kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and tread it down, and crush it. 

   So now we know that the first beast or sea beast, is the kingdom of ten horns. Now read Revelation 13:12 and 14b, with the understanding that the first beast is a kingdom: 12)  And he (beast of the earth) exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell there to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he 14b) says to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the (first) beast, which had the wound by the sword and did live. The image represents the beast kingdom that was, is not (was slain) and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and shall be.  

   Sometimes the antichrist is called the beast, but in biblical context, the antichrist rises from the head of the beast as a little horn: Daniel 7:8a. He rises among ten other horns or ten kings: Daniel 7:24; Rev 17:12a. These ten horns are already firmly established prior to the little horns' rise to power. The term Antichrist is taken from the First Epistle of John - 

   18) Little children, it is the last time; and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time (last hour).... 22) Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:18,22. 

   The little horn is a leader, a king, who denies the sovereignty of God the Father and the divinity of His son. He is against Christ, not only denying that Christ is the Messiah but, denying the relationship between the Father and His son; claiming that God has no son. Many suggest that he comes 'in place of Christ' to unite world religions into one; the religion of the beast kingdom .. and all the world will wonder after the beast. Rev 13:3b; 17:8b.

   The little horn is antichrist. This is seen by how he mocks the God of heaven, blaspheming His name, His tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven, making war with the saints: Daniel 7:25; Rev 13:6,7. Those who bow before the dragon - who gave his power and great authority to the beast:13:2b,4, - will love this little horn or, antichrist person and worship him:13:8. 

   The Greek word translated into English as worship is: προσκυνεω which means: to merge with, follow (as in allegiance) submit to or, hold in great reverence. Those who dwell under the power and authority of the beast, share the same rhetoric as the little horn and together, they rise to war with the saints. This is shown by the seven heads, seven world kingdoms that carry the name of blasphemy Rev 13:1b, and the beast kingdom, which is full of the names of blasphemy: Rev 17:3b. 

   The religious system of the beast kingdom: the beast out of the earth also shares the antichrist rhetoric, which permeates the kingdom with religious blasphemy. The false prophet, he who prophesizes falsely, speaks the words of the red dragon: 13:11b, and transforms this religious blasphemy into religious fanaticism; a religiously empowered war machine. 

   It is the false prophet that deceives the earth by signs and false wonders: 13:13,14a. It is the false prophet who convinces those who dwell upon the earth to create an image of the beast kingdom, who  had the deadly wound but, rose from the abyss and did live: 13:3,14b;  17:8,11. And, it is the false prophet who gives life - Greek: πνευμα spirit, animation, to the image of the first beast so that it will speak, and cause those who refuse to worship (follow, submit to, bow before) the image to be killed: 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 Greek translated to English as image is: εικονα - a likeness, impression, resemblance, representation, brand, formed by art: most likely a design or an idol.  

   The image is a physical representation of the first beast. Since we know that the beast is a kingdom, the image then represents the entire essence of the beast kingdom; the intertwining of the political and religious system. This beast system will be recognized by its image. For example: a winged lion was the symbol of Babylon, the swastika was a symbol of Nazi Germany, Great Britain is recognized by its Coat of Arms, and Islam is recognized by its black banner imprinted with the Arabic Shahada - its oath and creed. Just as these kingdoms are recognized by specific images or symbols, so will the beast kingdom.

   Once the image of the beast is created, 'then' the mark is initiated. Just as the birth pains come before the baby, the image comes before the mark. The mark proves submission and loyalty to the kingdom. Before one 'takes the mark' he must show loyalty and allegiance to the beast; the earthly kingdom of the red dragon. This declaration of faith gives the bearer of the mark the ability to live freely; to buy and sell, eat and drink, plan and build: Luke 17:26-30  

   The submission to the image will decide whether one lives freely or eliminated: 13:16. 

   There are three conditions or criteria for gaining the ability to buy and sell during the last half of the tribulation. Rev 13:17. These three include worship or submission to: 1) the image, or, 2) the name of the beast or, 3) 'the number of the name of it'. Those who submit to the image, the name or, the number of the name of it will receive the mark and proudly wear it upon their right hand or, upon their forehead. The mark rewards the bearer with the ability to buy and sell.  

  Greek: αριθμον τον ονοματος αυτου literally translates into English as: the number of the name of it. 

   The Greek word for mark is: χάραγμα - charagma meaning a trademark, etching, stamp or imprint. This mark is a sign of submission, loyalty and commitment to the beast, and, is worn proudly upon the right hand or on the forehead; boasting allegiance. The Greek word to describe the location of the mark is: επι -epi which translates to: on, upon, over, outer:  Rev 13:16b. The mark is worn on, upon - over, the right hand or forehead. The KJV translates this as 'in' the skin which in Greek is: ἐν (en) and εἰς (eis) but, I believe this is simply and error in the translation of the Greek. If the mark is worn on, over, upon the skin, it's not imbedded, in, or under the skin, which eliminates several 'ideas' of what the mark could be.

   The beast kingdom is Satan's long time goal of global domination - a world that submits to him and the Godless earthly kingdom he is creating. Those who war against Israel, the remnant of her seed, and the testimony of Jesus Christ: Rev 12:17, will glorify this unholy, carnal kingdom ruled by the red dragon and his surrogate king; the little horn or, antichrist who is full of blasphemy. The mark is nothing more than a clever ruse, rewarding those who follow the dragon with earthly desires, and erasing those who keep the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Rev 12:17; 14:12. 

   We are told that the number of the name is: the number of it, the number or multitude of man / mankind and the number of it is χξς - a numerated abbreviation that has been  translated into χξϚ, 666 - a number of calculation pointing to the number of it: αριθμος αυτου. 

   So what is it? What is the image that represents the kingdom? If the small and great, rich and poor, free and bond are to be given a mark in submission to the image, the name of the beast or, the number of it, then there needs to be an identifiable image to represent and identify the kingdom. If someone claims that 'this or that' is the 'mark of the beast then, we better see an accompanying image that we must bow before and, submit to in worship!  

   So, what is the image and what does it look like? WE don't know, it's not specified in scripture. All we have are hypothesis, assumptions and sometime educated guesses - but not always. In order to understand the significance of the image we must first identify the beast kingdom and what it represents. The image of the beast is a likeness or, representation of a kingdom, that goes forth to conquer and devour. And, who ever wears its name, its mark or, the number of it, serves the  kingdom with religious reverence and, fierce loyalty. 

   Revelation 9:20,21 tells us that the rest of the men who were not killed by plagues, will not repent of their murders, their sorceries nor of their immorality or thefts. They refuse to  repent of the works of their hands, the worship of demons and devils and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood, which can neither see, or hear, or walk. 

   But the image will speak! Does the image speak because it is coded with specific words or symbols or, does the image literally speak under the power of demons? Yes, demons speak and communicate: Mark 1:23,24; 5:7-13. John writes that the image is given life: πνευμα -spirit, breath, thought. The most common belief is that the image will speak and be automated by A.I.. A.I. is a tool, a program, an enhanced digital system of computer programs and algorithms that communicate with each other continuously, similar to demons. Will Satan and his angels control A.I.? I would suggest that they already do and, technology has finally caught up to Bible prophecy; but, that is another topic, for another time. 

   Before we decide if something qualifies as the mark of the beasts' political, religious and economic system, we should look for the image that requires worship and allegiance, tied to the mark in question. So, the next time someone claims that 'this or that' is the 'mark of the beast' just look for the image or better yet, ask about the image tied to the mark. 

   If there is no image, there is no mark. 

   There is a systematic rhythm to Revelation 13, that must be acknowledged in order to understand the context; I've been scratching the surface on the mark, the image of the beast, its name and the number of it, decocting the complexity of scripture. I don't have all the answers but, sometimes clarity comes with a simple aha! moment when scripture is broken down.