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Body Of Antichrist

Part XIX

 

 

 

 

 

In keeping with the present look at the Body of Antichrist, we note that one of the most important Scriptural passages on the subject also does not use the precise nomenclature of the "body" of Antichrist – yet it is arguably the singular most informative text on the subject. I'm referring to the "Image of the Beast" as portrayed in the book of Revelation.

 

In other words, the Body of Antichrist IS the Image of the Beast.

 

The difficulty in this identification is further amplified by the fact that the subject comes up in Scripture in association with the "False Prophet" Beast – as opposed to the "Antichrist" Beast -- the first Beast that comes up "out of the sea."

 

"And I beheld [a second] beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him" (Revelation 13:11,12).

 

We've spent a considerable amount of time and effort reiterating the metaphoric concept of the Sand and the Sea, with the "sand" pointing to the earth, and the "sea" allegorically associated with the Spiritual realm. The short version is the "False Prophet" entity is closely associated with earthly existence, while the first Beast (the "Antichrist" entity) is associated with the Spiritual realm.

 

Although both "Beasts" get their power from the dragon, it is their purpose and mission that is differentiated, in that the first beast is connected to earthly kingdoms (read political power) through the recognition of the identities in the historical components of the Lion, Bear, and Leopard elements in the description.

 

"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard [Germany, and Nationalist/Fascist rule], and his feet were as the feet of a bear [Russia, and Socialist/Communist rule], and his mouth as the mouth of a lion [Britain, and Colonial/Populist rule]" (Revelation 13:2).

 

However, when we continue studying the "False Prophet" entity, it is clear there is a religious component to his identity as he had horns like a lamb, with the lamb clearly a symbol associated with religion.

 

"And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth…[compelling] them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast" (Revelation 13:14).

 

It is here that the Rapture Cult (and derivative sects), already following a physicalized/literalist version of the narrative, immediately imagines some form of idol, or statute, or even an image as seen on a television or computer screen.

 

Since we have repeatedly shown there is no physical "Antichrist," nor is there a literal "False Prophet," it naturally follows that these are Spiritual entities who do their dirty work through the influence they manifest in the earthly population. In fact, we have published and broadcast extensive Scriptural studies that show when the LORD is rebuking named world leaders (such as Pharaoh, the king of Tyre, the "Ancients of Gebal," and even nations), he is actually addressing the Spiritual entities that empower these.

 

Furthermore, the context of God's reproaches not only shows the LORD addressing various god names as the power behind the political figures. For esample, in Isaiah, He identifies the two primary identities as "Death" and "Hell," the concealed personages lurking behind the veil.

 

"Ye have made a covenant with death, and with hell are [you in] agreement" (Isaiah 28:15).

 

In the lengthy passage rebuking the king of Tyre, it is obvious that it is Satan the Lord is actually reproaching, for Tyrus "hast said, I am of perfect beauty" (Ezekiel 27:3), a dead giveaway considering how adjacent verses say that Lucifer was "perfect" (Ezekiel 28:15) before his fall. The text then lists dozens of nations and people corrupted by this entity.

 

When the LORD destroys "Tyrus," all the names listed lament the loss.

 

"And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying what city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea? Thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise" (Ezekiel 27:32,33).

 

In Revelation, we see this same judgment occurs under the name Babylon.

 

"And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her…and the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more" (Revelation 18:9,11). 

 

In the book of revealing, we learn at what stage of human history that "Death" and "Hell" are prominent again in successive eras, as they are specifically named during the "Pale Horse" stage of events:

 

"I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him" (Revelation 6:8).

 

A close familiarity with the many Prophetic Pairs in Scripture demonstrates that the "spirit of Antichrist" (I John 4:3) referred to by the Apostle John (who also penned Revelation), is simply a euphemism for the spirit he identifies as "Death," the rider of the pale horse. The other "half" of the Prophetic Pair is "Hell," seen in Revelation as the Spirit that is identified as the "False Prophet."

 

"And I saw three unclean SPIRITS like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet" (Revelation 16:13).

 

Thus, when the second beast who is the spirit referred to as the "False Prophet" (which is actually the spirit of "Hell" seen throughout the Bible) influences the earthly vessels who dwell upon the earth to form an "image to the beast," the Word of God is telling us the "image" is the earthly population that exists in conformity to the first beast – the "Antichrist" collective of government in opposition to the God of heaven.

 

The key to perceiving this is found in the Scriptures that identify Jesus Christ as the image of God, which is the original move of the Lord that Satan seeks to counterfeit.

 

An "image" is essentially a copy, or reproduction of the original. The Greek word for image is Eikon, where we get our word icon. The Bible says that Jesus is the image of the "invisible God."

 

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: who is the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:14,15).

 

The New Testament confirms that Satan's ambition is to be like the most High, through his evil tactics on the earth which seek to hide the redemption of God in Jesus Christ.

 

"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (II Corinthians 4:4).

 

In the very verses that speak of Christ as the image of God, they also describe the deity of Him as the one who created us. The Scriptures tell us to do away with anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy communication. In this regard, we are to "put off" the "old" man, and "put on" the new man.

 

"Ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" (Colossians 3:10).

 

Since that "new man" was created by Christ, our "new man" in Christ is in the image of Jesus.

 

"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible….all things were created by him, and for him" (Colossians 1:16).  

 

So because JESUS CHRIST, in His unique human incarnation, is the image of God, we are to follow the example He set for us. It therefore follows that the last thing that Satan wants is for us to be conformed into the image of Christ.

 

"Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2).

 

The Devil, through his False Prophet/Hell Spirit, does not draw us to his Antichrist/Death Spirit in the same way the Holy Spirit draw us to Christ.

 

"When the [Holy Spirit] is come…even the Spirit of truth…he shall testify of me" (John 15:26).

 

This is related to how Jesus came not to do His own will, but the will of the Father – just as the Holy Spirit does not testify of Himself, but testifies of Christ. Conversely, the False Prophet/Hell Spirit serves self, just as Lucifer serves himself, and he wants you to do the same.

 

"I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:13,14). 

 

Therefore, if you serve yourself, you are in effect, functioning as a copy – read image -- of the beast.    

 

The person of God desires to give us Life – just as Christ came to reignite the Life that we lost through the fall.

 

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).  

 

As those who have been re-created in the image of Christ, the body of Christ desires to give Life to others. In sharp contra-distinction of that goal, the body of Antichrist desires to give Death to all.

 

"The image of the beast [seeks to] cause as that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed" (Revelation 13:15).

 

Please note that verse differs from what might be expected, as the image does not seek to kill those who will not worship the beast, it seeks to kill any that would not worship – read conform to – the image itself. Because the image is comprised of people that have not been born again as "new creatures" in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17), the people herein described continue in the fallen state of sin which serves itself.

 

In the revealing verse which we just cited, we see the "image" seeks after its own will because it "copies" the same serving of self as Satan. Thus, the body of Antichrist desires that anyone that does not do the same "should be killed." I am persuaded that you cannot find a more succinct verse in Scripture describing the Spiritual attributes of the body of Antichrist.

 

Once again, note that the False Prophet/Hell Spirit, in deceiving the earth "and those which dwell therein" into serving their own interests, this activity "causes" the earth dwellers to embrace the Antichrist/Death Spirit.  

 

"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" (Revelation 13:12).  

 

- James Lloyd

 

To Be Continued