THE ISSUE - II

CONT., page 17

 

THE BEAST

We come now to the complex matter of who is the seven-headed, ten-horned beast. We know what Christians say about this - that the beast is a man out of the Common Market (which has never cooperated by being the ten nations Christians expected) who will set up a completely dominating economic system and world rulership. You can cast off that idea, for it will never be. The beast has been marking Christians for 2,000 years. Let us examine who the beast truly is.

First, in Revelation and in Daniel 7, both beasts identified in these two books are associated with the number ten - both have ten horns. In Daniel 7, from these ten horns a little horn comes up and three of the ten horns are "pulled out by the roots." In a previous writing, considerable evidence is given demonstrating that the little horn is Satan (whose horned image is engraved on the continent of Africa, and whose influence upon Christianity is equally identified by the attesting "little horn" on their buildings - their Babylonian little horn steeples [this is not intended as a slur, but is a very real and true testimony]). It is Satan's presence that causes the three-part church (the three horns) to be pulled out by the roots. Daniel 7 addresses the work of this little horn, or Satan:

"The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it" (vs. 23).

Satan is the only being who has this broad authority. No man has ever had nor will have this authority; it is the sole rightful possession of Satan. 1 John 5:19 clearly states - "the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." The antichrist will not be a man, but as John declared (who is the only one in the entire Bible to use the word "antichrist") at the time of his writing concerning the antichrist - "it is already in the world" (1 John 4:3). This is Satan, who is the antichrist, and he is and was the prince or ruler of this earth. To Yahshua, Satan declared concerning the domain and glory of this earth - "it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish" (Luke 4:6). And what becomes of this world under his domain? As written here in Daniel 7 - Satan treads it down and crushes it. As we will see, this leads to Prince Satan's ruin. Proverbs 14:28 tells us - "in the dearth of people is a prince's ruin." Prince Satan has dearthed the inhabitants of the earth for 6,000 years, 2,000 years in the kingdom, and it will lead to his ruin.

Let us continue reading in Daniel 7 concerning the works of the little horn, or Satan.

"As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings" (vs. 24).

This little horn that subdues the "three kings" is Satan, who subdues the three-part church. This is the same truth found in the parallel verses in Revelation 17:17 concerning the ten horns that give "their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be fulfilled." One of the major problems for the church is that it is the kingdom of God upon an earth that still belongs to Satan. Christianity has abdicated the kingdom to Satan, evidenced by numerous things - the division of the body of Christ into 22,000 denominations, the leaven of numerous lies that the church teaches, the church's acceptance of the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches which Yahshua had rejected from Satan (Luke 4:5-8), the church's immorality and worldly dress and behavior, the failure of its leaders to become slaves and servants to the people (Matthew 20:25-28), its harlotry with the world, and actually, Christian man's sickness and death (which are not supposed to be a part of the promised land/the kingdom). On this final point, we read in Hebrews 2:14 in literal translation that Satan has (present tense) the power of death. To yield to him in death is to be defeated by Satan, who brought death to man beginning in the garden. We read in THE ISSUE that Yahshua restored the original garden where men were not to die. So, why is it that men still die in this restored kingdom? Because the kingdom has been subdued by Satan, evidenced by man's death. If the kingdom is truly under Yahshua's dominion, then the enemy, death, would not be free to prevail over man.

Let us look at a third and final verse here in Daniel 7 - verse 25.

"And he will speak in regard to the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time."

Most translations incorrectly read that he will speak out "against" the Most High, but the Hebrew word is actually - "in regard to." It is the same Hebrew word used in Daniel 6:4 which is correctly translated - "Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to the kingdom affairs." Not against, but in regard to or relative to. So, how has Satan spoken "in regard to the Most High"? The fact is, he has done this so effectively that even as this passage is altered unnoticeably, so the truth regarding Yahweh has been altered unnoticeably. Satan has spoken to Christians "in regard to the Most High" in such a deceiving way (of course supported with scriptures) that they have thoroughly believed him, to the end that he has worn down the saints, causing division, deception, and death. For example, "in regard to the Most High" - Is Yahweh truly one who will burn men in a literal fiery hell for eternity? Absolutely not! This is not Yahweh, as that idea is totally contrary to His laws and His ways and the Scriptures. Who has spoken this "in regard to the Most High," but the beast with the little horn - Satan?

Or, is the "Most High" one who winks at men's sin and immoral behavior? Can the church just keep going in sin and Yahweh never do anything about it, never holding them accountable? Can Christianity really be the bride of Yahshua without spot or wrinkle? Absolutely not! Yahweh holds men accountable for continuing in unrighteous behavior. Even the sacrifices, which pictured the death of the Savior, were all for sins committed "unintentionally" (e.g., Leviticus 4:1-3, 27-28, Numbers 15:22-31). But Satan has spoken "in regard to the Most High" in such a deceptive way that Christianity thinks it can be of this world and not be held accountable.

There are many other things (e.g., the false idea that the nation called "Israel" has the promises to the Israelites, when they are Jew/Edomites, or that Christmas honors Yahshua and celebrates His birth, or that men die and go to heaven, or ..., or, ...or ...), but it would not do for us to attempt to address them here. But let it be noted that this beast speaks "in regard to the Most High," not against, actually perverting men's ideas of who the Most High truly is, with the result that he has worn down the saints.

Let us also briefly address the second part of verse 25 - "and he will intend to make alternations in times and in law." Equal to Satan's ability to alter who the Most High truly is, the little horned beast has been most effective in altering the times and laws of God. One of the appointed times Satan has altered are the Feasts. Christians had rather give attention to and celebrate feasts set by Satan, rather than Yahweh's appointed Feasts. Instead of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, Satan has replaced them with Easter, Halloween, Christmas, and birthdays. Where did Yahweh ever speak that we were to celebrate any of those times? And while Yahweh commanded men to keep the Sabbath holy, Satan has altered this appointed time and the church defiles this commandment, calling another day - Sunday - the "Sabbath." And equally true, Christians have no concept or understanding of the laws and ways of Yahweh, thus Satan has altered them for man's carnal gain. "Hath God said" continues to be Satan's perverting and altering question, even in the church.

All of these point to one thing - little-horned Satan has subdued the three-horned church. This brings us once again to the question of the ten horns. Why do they appear in number here in this passage in Daniel 7, yet seem to have no specific significance? Because the purpose of their number here is to bear testimony to world-ordered Christianity; and it is the fate of Christianity that is being considered here. How does this ten-horn testimony bear out in the Revelation passages? We can briefly address this, but in the case of both of these accounts, there is much here we simply must pass over.

First, let us once again point out that at the time of the Reformation, the reformers clearly addressed who the beast was. From their perspective of universal Christianity, the beast with the seven heads or the seven mountains was the Pope. They were really not far from truth, because the beast is Satan in the church, or Christianity. It is very interesting, and makes for very difficult understanding, when in Revelation 17 the beast per se is said to have seven heads and ten horns, yet in verses 16 and 17 we read to the contrary that these ten horns have separate identities from "the beast." First we read of a beast "having seven heads and ten horns." In contrast, in verses 16 and 17 we read of "the ten horns ... and the beast," and the ten horns giving "their kingdom to the beast."

These last two verses distinguish the ten horns separate from "the beast." "The beast" actually goes beyond the simpler truth that the ten horns and 7 heads represent Christianity. "The beast" represents a system whose origin is the "abussos." From "a," intensive, and "bussos," a depth, it is the immeasurable depth of the dead (Romans 10:7) where one Apollyon (or, destroyer) is king (Revelation 9:11). This is the same abyss in Revelation 11:7 from which the beast emerges to kill the two witnesses (or, the first Remnant). Again, who has the power of death, but Satan, the destroyer? Revelation 20:1-3 clearly tells us that the abyss is the abode of Satan, the devil, who is the beast. And it is this abyss that is the origin of much having to do with the world, religion, and even Christianity.

Is then the origin of the church Satan? Absolutely not! The origin of the church is 180 degrees opposite. It is the restored kingdom of God provided by Yahshua. But herein is the problem we have addressed before - the holy is united with the profane. The kingdom of God was given to corrupt carnal man; and with the presence of Satan, the kingdom is once again corrupted by the one whose origin is the abyss, and who is the ruler of this world. The beast is the corrupted religious system under Satan, is found in all religions of the world, and has equally influenced, perverted, and gained dominion over Christianity - the number-ten-identified church, having given their kingdom to the beast.

Christians are critical of the World Council of Churches, or of Catholicism, or of other religions, or even of other denominations; but the fact is, the beast has been in Christianity for 2,000 years! Christians absolutely do not understand how much Satan has altered the kingdom. And there is only one hope - the establishment of the second Remnant and return of Yahshua.

One then has to ask the question - How can Christianity be represented by both the harlot and the seven-headed, ten-horned beast that she sits upon? Verse 16 even says the ten horns "will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire." How can Christianity afflict itself? It does. Even as Christianity-representing Judas hung himself, or Christianity-representing Saul fell upon his own sword, so Christianity essentially ends up destroying itself by its own actions. One must remember, these passages concerning beasts and horns are parables or pictures of truth. They are not actual concrete accounts, but very important pictures of something that exists or is to come in the heavenly realm.

While it is foreign and difficult to think of Christianity in a parable in which one picture of it actually hates the other, makes it desolate and naked, eats its flesh, and burns it with fire, there is a passage in Daniel that is equally as shocking (in relation to the church), but much more straightforward about Christianity's self-destruction. In Daniel 9:26 we read :

"and the people of the Prince who is to come (the same "Messiah the Prince" only two verses prior in verse 24 - i.e., Yahshua "who is to come") will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood ...."

Once again, a great deal of space cannot be spent on this verse (though it and its typical interpretation by the one who speaks "in regard to the Most High" demands it), but it is a most remarkable thing that "the people of the Prince" (i.e., Christians) will themselves destroy Jerusalem and the sanctuary. How do they do this? Not by destroying a literal Jerusalem or sanctuary, but by their own actions they destroy the Jerusalem and sanctuary kingdom of God. This is the same thing seen in Revelation 17:16 concerning the harlot and beast. In truth, Christianity actually destroys itself, falls on its own spear, hangs itself, and destroys its own city, its own kingdom!

And note that the timing of this passage in Daniel is significantly marked by a flood. Where have we already seen the testimony of a flood on the higher kingdom of God level? At the end of the 120 Jubilee probation period of the garden kingdom, marking the completion of time before a flood can come - not a literal flood once again, but a flood of the set-apart Spirit water that raises a Remnant up from this earth. Peter draws our attention to this same testimony concerning the return of Yahshua, when people mock "the promise of His coming" - "For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice" that by water (the flood) "the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water" (2 Peter 3:5-6). What then will be the sign of the return of Yahshua? It will be "water," floods of "water"! But it will not be natural water; this time it will be the water of the Spirit, lifting a Remnant above this earth. Thus we see that this flood spoken of in Daniel 9:26 identifies the end of this period in which the Jerusalem kingdom of God is destroyed by "the people of the Prince," or Christians. Here again we see that indeed the church kills or destroys itself! The body of Christ, or Christianity, is put to sleep so that a bride can be brought out with the flood waters that come from the body's pierced side.

One additional matter is briefly worth noting here that further unifies the woman and the beast she rides upon; and that is, the fact that both the harlot and the beast are clothed in the same color - scarlet. Revelation 17:3 says that the woman was "sitting on a scarlet beast," while verse four draws the association of these two by noting that the woman was equally "clothed in purple and scarlet." In other places in the Scriptures, this is the color associated with the temple, with two offerings (the first dove and the red heifer), and with the robe Yahshua wore in Matthew 27:28 when being mocked. This is the color associated with the work of God or the kingdom of Yahweh, which the church is and has possessed. Thus the scarlet color is a uniting testimony of the single identity of both of these elements of the vision, as they both represent the (though defiled) scarlet kingdom of God.

And finally concerning the beast, we find that his impact and control upon Christianity is so profuse and complete, that Christianity and Satan are prophetically one. There are two sets of paired prophetic identities that within each pair are so related to one another, that the two comprising identities are difficult to separate from each other prophetically. First are the paired two Remnants. Prophetically, the two Remnants are often interchangeable in their identities. Though they are two separate works, in truth they are actually one work. For example, prophetically the second Remnant is the Elijah work that never dies, but ascends alive to meet Yahshua. And though the prophets Elijah and Elisha are clearly contrasted as the two Remnants, separated by Christianity chariots of fire and horses of fire, we find that Elisha equally represents the second Remnant in that he received the double portion of the Spirit (even as the second Remnant receives). Thus we see the two Remnant testimonies, yet both have a prophetic identity with the second Remnant. This is only one of many examples of this interchangeable testimony of the two Remnants, who in truth are one (separated by the breach).

The second pair which similarly share an almost interchangeable identity is Satan and Christianity, or the beast and Christianity. For example, in Ezekiel 28 we read of the beauty and splendor of the king of Tyre. This chapter is classically viewed by Christians as prophetic of Satan; yet in truth it is prophetic both of Satan, as well as Christianity. Both Satan's and Christianity's hearts have been lifted up, both of these are matchless in beauty and riches, and both are destined to fall. Equally, in Revelation 12:4 we read that "a third of the stars of heaven" were swept away and thrown down to the earth by the tail of the dragon. Traditionally, this is viewed that when Satan fell, he took one-third of the heavenly angels with him. This may well be true, but in like truth it is one-third of Christianity that will be thrown down, remaining on the earth in their carnal bodies in the Millennial reign (Zechariah 13:9). A third testimony of the interchangeable identity of Satan and Christianity is the bronze serpent on the pole. While Yahshua was lifted up on the cross to die for our sins, it is bronze Christianity on the pole that most clearly takes on the form of the serpent Satan. And even as the Israelites later burned incense to this bronze serpent, and it was eventually destroyed, so Christianity, following the perfect work of Yahshua, has become a bronze object of false worship that equally must be torn down.

And finally (though the list could go on), Africa is clearly prophetic of Christianity; yet, the image engraved upon that continent or great "rock" (Zechariah 3:9), is none other than the head of the beast with the little horn - Satan. (The Signs That Cause Belief) Thus we see that Christianity and Satan are repeatedly interchangeable in identity, making for a clearer understanding why the beast Satan and the harlot ten-horned Christianity are seen here in a mutual relationship to each other, yet ending in conflict and destruction.

Let us keep in mind that all of this we are presently considering concerning the identity of "ten" with Christianity was written to relate the significance of Jeroboam receiving ten tribes. Jeroboam is a picture of Christianity. And even as the harlot sat upon a seven-headed and ten-horned beast, yet both are one, so Jeroboam equally "sat" over ten tribes, and they too were one. The two in each case actually represent one. It is the union of the two in each case that provides the complete picture - Jeroboam over the ten tribes, and the harlot on the ten-horned beast.

 

Continue to page 18 of THE ISSUE - II for THE BEAST, CONTINUED

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