Awesome Truths and Amazing Facts
Richard Vaughn

Today: “Prophecy – The Image to the Beast – Part 2”
Last week we learned that the United States is the lamblike beast mentioned in Revelation 13:11 and that it would eventually speak like a dragon. I concluded the article  with the following paragraph:
Keeping God's fourth commandment Sabbath will become the focal issue and heaven is watching how we take our stand. Listen, if we are not a commandment keeper, we will receive the mark of the beast and be lost. America will lead out in forcing people to receive the mark of the beast. This magnificent country will soon repudiate religious freedom and will force people into false worship.
You might be thinking, oh that can’t be anytime soon? Friends, Soviet communism seemingly crumbled overnight, when many never thought they would see that in their lifetime. There are many in congress that would gladly vote for a National Sunday law. As of April 2004, there is no legislation before or pending in congress regarding a National Sunday law. But there are grass root organizations that have formed with that task as their goal. As they continue to swell and their cries become louder and louder, their organizations will become very large, with many prominent religious leaders in the forefront. That coupled with a sudden increase in terrorist and natural disasters, along with disease and judgments falling on our land, the blame will be put on the moral decay, and efforts will be underfoot to right the wrongs. A National Sunday law will get the attention of Congress.
How will the second beast convince people that they should listen to him? Revelation 13:13,14 "And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 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."
Now let’s look at that again. To whom will this second beast make an image? Revelation 13:14 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." God tells us through Revelation that it is the United States that will make the image to the Papacy.
An image is a copy. The first beast supported false worship by the arm of the state and persecuted and killed those who refused to comply. 50 to 120 million of God’s people were slain by the Papal decrees during the dark ages. The second beast will do the same. We see the uniting of church leaders and government leaders to enforce religious morality to stem the tide of evil in our decaying society. Their motives are very good, but forced worship is always evil. Forced prayer in schools and forced Sunday laws can be dangerous for the same reason. God has never forced worship on anyone. The second beast, the USA, will utilize boycott and death threats to force people into line. Revelation 13:15-17 "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."
Verse 15 shows this law and the violation will ultimately lead to the death penalty. Verse 16 says he will cause all to receive the mark. Verse 17 infers that some will stand opposed and lose their right to buy and sell.
Who could the little group of people be that refuse the Mark of the beast? Revelation 12:17 "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God,"
Now please note - This end time prophecy is talking about God's true church, represented by the woman, and Satan causing persecution to this remnant group of believers. (A remnant is the very end, like a carpet) Only God's people will be all Ten Commandment keepers. All the rest will bear the mark of the beast.
In persecuting God's commandment keepers, they will actually believe that they are doing the Lord's work. Remember Paul, one of the greatest Christians that ever lived? He was once Saul the persecutor. He rounded up the Christians that were eventually fed to the lions. He believed he was doing the Lord's work. It is possible to be sincerely deceived. 
Next Week: “Prophecy – The Image to the Beast – Part 3”