Religion and Economics
In the Book of Revelation, John saw a “Beast ascending from the Earth,” the “False Prophet.” He was intent on deceiving the “Inhabitants of the Earth” on behalf of the “Beast from the Sea.” The latter was characterized by its political power, while the “False Prophet” used religious propaganda to deceive men, and economic might to suppress anyone who did not conform to the demands of the World Empire.
Those
who were members of the “Inhabitants of the Earth” rendered obeisance to
the “Beast from the Sea,” and by proxy, to the “Dragon,” namely, Satan
himself. With members of this group, no coercion was needed to secure their
subservience to the “Beast.”
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| [Photo by Colin Watts on Unsplash] |
The “False Prophet” promoted religious devotion to the “Beast” and gave it concrete expression by encouraging the “Inhabitants of the Earth” to erect an “image” in honor of the “Beast.” He also employed economic sanctions against the followers of the “Lamb” who refused to give their allegiance to the “Beast” and otherwise did not comply with imperial decrees that were contrary to the word of God and the “Testimony of Jesus” - (Revelation 13:4-8).
The
“Beast from the Sea” had “ten heads” and “seven horns,” and
one of its “heads” appeared to be “slain.” But its “death stroke
was healed,” and the description of it “as having been slain” was applied
previously to the “Lamb.” Likewise, the “Beast” was wounded “and
lived,” just as Jesus “died and lived” - (ezésen - Revelation
2:8, 5:6, 13:3-4).
The
restoration of the wounded “head” mimicked the death and resurrection of the
“Lamb,” and the restoration of the “Beast” to life struck the “Inhabitants
of the Earth” with awe. Thus, the “Beast from the Sea” was (and
remains) the counterfeit of the Lamb - (Revelation 13:3-6).
Likewise,
the “False Prophet” had two “horns like a lamb.” It was not
identical to the “Lamb,” but it imitated him by speaking with what sounded
like his voice. Moreover, while the “Lamb” had “seven horns,” the
second “Beast” had only “two.” Thus, it was a pale imitation of
the true “Lamb.”
The
“False Prophet” also had the power to summon fire from heaven, making it
the satanic counterpart to the “Two Witnesses” who consumed their
opponents with “fire from their mouth.” However, unlike the Witnesses,
the “False Prophet” did not bear the “Testimony of Jesus,” but
instead, promoted the ideology of the “Beast.” Like the “Two
Witnesses,” it was a “prophet” though a false one, and this is why the
Book called him the “False Prophet.”
RELIGION AND ECONOMICS
This
“False Prophet” employed religious devices to direct the “Inhabitants
of the Earth” to venerate the first “Beast.” But it used economic pressure
to punish anyone who resisted, especially, the overcoming saints who, like the
three Jewish exiles in Babylon, refused to render homage to this “image”
- “O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, you serve not
my god or RENDER HOMAGE TO THE golden IMAGE THAT I HAVE ERECTED!”
- (Daniel 3:13-14).
His
attempt to deceive the “saints” was anticipated in the letters to the Seven
Assemblies of Asia with their warnings against “false apostles,” the “Nicolaitans,”
the “prophetess Jezebel,” and the “teachings of Balaam.” Each of
these deceivers encouraged believers to “commit fornication and eat food
sacrificed to idols,” allusions to attempts to trick or coerce the churches
into participating in the imperial cult.
Thus,
the “Beast from the Earth” was active already among the Seven Assemblies.
The economic attacks by the “False Prophet” were reflected in the
economic deprivations suffered by the congregation in Smyrna, a foretaste of
the more severe attacks yet to come - (Revelation 2:2-6, 2:14-15, 16:13,
19:20).
Moreover, the seven churches certainly would have recognized in the vision’s language and imagery the pressure by local magistrates of the cities of Asia on believers to venerate Caesar and his image.
The
stress in Chapter 13 is on the use of religious deception to seduce the
“Inhabitants of the Earth,” and to coax the churches into giving their allegiance
to the first “Beast.” When coercion becomes necessary, the “False
Prophet’s” tool of choice is ECONOMIC POWER.
In
the Book, humanity is divided into two groups: Those who “follow the Lamb”
and those who render homage to the “Beast.” Total allegiance is given
to one or the other, and there is NO middle ground or third
alternative.
COUNTERFEIT RELIGION
The
“False Prophet” imitates the “Lamb” and his true prophets. He employs
a counterfeit of the true faith of Jesus Christ to deceive men and thereby cause them to give
their allegiance to the “Dragon” and his earthly surrogate, the “Beast
from the Sea.”
The
beastly goal is to destroy the church through deception and apostasy, or more
directly, by economic pressure and persecution. Already deceived, the “Inhabitants
of the Earth” are willing supporters of the “Dragon” in his quest to
annihilate those who have the “testimony of Jesus.”
The
marginalized congregations of Asia would have recognized the arrogant
pretensions of Rome in John’s visions, especially the demand for the veneration
of Caesar.
If there is a lesson for today, it is that
the “Beast” will imitate the true faith to deceive the “saints.” For
disciples of Jesus, this counterfeit religion will look and feel all too
familiar, and very likely, it will deceive them into giving the total allegiance
that belongs to Jesus ALONE to the political rulers of the World
Empire.
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