Like a Lamb

1998-12-6 11:06:00

The verses under discussion are:

¹¹And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
¹²And 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 13:11-12

Several of you were on the right track when you said the two horns like a lamb had something to do with Christ since Christ is called the "lamb of God." But the second beast is deceptive because "he spake as the dragon."

Now let us examine it in a little more detail. First we are told that this beast comes up out of the earth. It may help here to give a more accurate translation. "Coming up" comes from the Greek ANABBAINO which means to grow and spring up like a plant. The word 'Earth" comes from GE which literally means "soil or land." Sometimes it can be translated as "country or earth." A more accurate rendering would be: "And I perceived another beast quickly growing like a plant out of the land (earth or soil)."

This is actually a second symbol of Christ, the other being the "two horns like a lamb." Legend and inspired writings tell us that Christ was born in a cave. In other words Christ himself sprang out of the earth, literally. The earth is also a symbol of Virgo, the Virgin Mary who bore the Christ child. The earth is also a symbol of the developing Christ life on the physical plane. The trouble is that each of us struggles to deliver the Christ child in our hearts, and we struggle as if in a fog, seeing everything upside down. We first serve the anti- Christ outside of ourselves for many lifetimes until we finally wake up. Then we discover that was illusion and the real Christ is within ourselves.

This drama has been played out in our recent history for the second beast is the United States. The second beast grew up like a plant in a new land and that was America. Those who were drawn to the new country came for the sake of freedom, worship and opportunity - and qualities enunciated by the Master. The two horns like a lamb were the U.S. Constitution with the new political order of freely elected representatives, and the establishment of freedom of religion and self determination.

In addition to this several important religions were established here. First, the LDS or Mormons were created on the idea that revelation and miracles did not cease with the Bible, but should always be a part of the church of Christ. An integral part of this was that every person with a witness of Christ should be a prophet. The Christian Science church was founded on valid principles of healing that had potential to help many people. The Jehovah's Witnesses did not intend to be a church but began as groups of people just getting together and seeing what the Bible had to say with no dogma attached.

Unfortunately, even though these three churches began with these important Christ principles, they have all drifted from them. The Mormons no longer publish new revelation from God nor do they allow ordinary members to be prophets. Christian Science seems to have no more healings than any other church and the Jehovah Witnesses are now so dogmatic they irritate 90 percent of the populace. All of them have turned authoritative and strictly control what a member can learn and teach, yet remain in good standing.

So the second beast is the United States that began its political and religious life as the lamb, but as it matured it became authoritative in both areas. This country now feels a need to use strong authority to decide which dictators of the beast will be cultivated, and which ones will be destroyed. The conservatives feel the need to spread their dogmatic Bible belt religion world wide by whatever means necessary; and the liberals feel the same need with their illogical extremist beliefs in the name of saving everything from the ozone layer to snails. Now both sides have their good points, but the big promoters of both points of view would be destructive if either got their way. Both sides support the strong authority demanded by the dragon. So now the United States has left its Christ like roots of free thought and religion and now is a strong promoter of mindless authority throughout the world.

I do not say here that the US is evil in the normal sense. It still has the two horns like the lamb and may be the best country to live in on earth, but it has left its roots. Consequently, it has lost much of its power given through free election, and has given power to unelected authorities in both church and state. Thus because authority is enshrined, the deadly wound of the first beast is healed and the worship (kissing up) has been renewed.

NEXT VERSE

And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, Revelation 13:13:

How did the United States make fire come down out of heaven in the sight of men?

The answer will amaze you.