The Image to the Beast

The first time the word “image” appears in Scripture is when God decided, “Let Us make man in Our image” (Genesis 1:26). However, the more than 170 other times “image” appears in the Bible, it’s mostly in the negative context of idolatry—as in today’s verse.

Today’s verse actually parallels another verse in Revelation: “the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived” (19:20). “The false prophet” is simply another moniker for the second beast. Notice that this description clearly describes America, at this point in time, as a religious power, a “prophet,” albeit a counterfeit one.

Here, we see that the purpose of these demonic miracles is global deception. This is the specific agenda of “the false prophet,” to use supernatural manifestations to convince “those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast.” Thus, the “image” is not a structure forced upon the people; it is made with their consent.

The Bible also does not want us to mistake which beast it is referring to. This is an image to the first beast, the papacy, which underwent the counterfeit resurrection. An image is a “likeness” (Genesis 1:26), a copy. So, an image of this first beast would be some kind of entity that copied the papacy’s governmental structure.

Revelation 13:12 has actually given us a precursor to this: The United States will become “an image” of the papacy by joining its two horns of Protestantism and republicanism, thereby transforming into a religiopolitical power; the civil rights and civil laws will not be decided by the people but by an apostate Protestant ruling class.

Remember, however: The second beast isn’t called “the false prophet” (emphasis added) for nothing. The “image to the beast” does not depict the pure Protestant faith, whose founding tenet uses the Bible as its only word of law. A “false prophet” produces false, or apostate, Protestantism. Apostate Protestantism imitates Catholicism in placing the dictates of men above the laws of God.

Blessed Creator, while the devil erects his own idolatrous image, please mold me solely into Your image.

For Further Study: Exodus 20:4–6; Romans 1:20–23; 2 Corinthians 3:18

Key Bible Texts

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. (Revelation 13:14 KJV)