The Beast

“But Jesus answered him, saying, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”’” Luke 4:4.

But the beast manages with bread alone. There is not just one gospel in the world; there are many. There are as many gospels as there are people fighting for power on the earth. Jesus came with His gospel for mankind, a gospel of salvation and blessing, and He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Satan does not want to admit that. Even though he has lost his power in heaven, he does not intend to give up willingly his power on earth. Rev. 12:9-12. He also proclaims a message to the people through his servants, and great multitudes are deceived by these gospels. Yet it is important to notice that his gospel contains the promise of bread alone. If you do not receive any other food, you will turn into a beast.

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Gen. 2:7.

Our bodies consist only of what is of the earth; and to keep our bodies healthy, we turn to the earth. Everything we eat—our bread—comes from the earth. By the same token, our spirit, which comes from God, must also receive nourishment. Therefore we must turn to God and live by every word that proceeds from His mouth. People neglect this nourishment for their spirit, and as a result, they become like beasts, and everything in their lives revolves around their bodies and earthly things. That is why when you see an animal in the field, its head is to the ground. Likewise the vast majority of people only have a mind for the temporal, i.e., the earthly.

There are many political parties fighting for power in the world. They are fighting for raw materials and living space, and each of them proclaims its own gospel. Their promises are only for the body. They do not want to acknowledge that all authority has been given to Jesus. In order to gain the confidence of all levels of society, there are political parties that offer a message tailored for each individual. There is a song some of them sing:

We’ve no expectation that from heav’n comes salvation,
From gods up above or from any high pow’rs.
No, we’ll ourselves gain it, together attain it.
In one front we are joined; we’ll make victory ours.
For all that’s been stolen, we demand retribution.
We want a free place for our knowledge to grow.
We wield our own hammers to forge our solution
While the iron is hot, we will strike every blow.

And another one:
Give me the bitter, brazen ones, fearless and filled with ire—
The proud and godless who to mystical things do not aspire,
Who boldly will create their heaven here as they desire.

They say “religion is opium for the masses; only weak people feel a need for it.” Yet sayings like this are repulsive to many, so Satan must also be able to provide something that sounds better. The beast has the harlot on its back, so there must also be a Christian People’s Party. Now they can all rule in union until the time comes when Satan can gather them all together into one beast—one party with one leader, and that leader will be the Antichrist.

“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” 1 Cor. 12:13.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” Verse 27. God’s Word is a hammer. Jer. 23:29.

We are called to be the body of Christ, which we become by being baptized with the same Spirit. Christ is the Head. Every head has a spirit; therefore those who receive that spirit become the body that belongs to that head. We need to be on guard there because the beast has many heads, and there is a particular spirit that comes along with each head.

We see that when the winds blow over the sea of humanity, these beasts make their appearance. Dan. 7:2-3. People are dissatisfied, and everything is in turmoil. “Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; they cry out for help because of the arm of the mighty. But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’” Job 35:9-11.

They do not turn to God; but a head comes up from the sea of humanity with a new gospel, a new message for the suffering masses. This message is proclaimed in such a powerful spirit that it sweeps the people along with it. This new head has a glorious program to raise the standard of living, and the people are enthusiastic about it. Thus the head begins to receive a body. The people are filled with the same spirit, and they become the body of the beast. They are forged under the hammer of the beast.

Since this head arises from the sea of humanity, the sea must have given it nourishment. In the fullness of time, when people are ripe for it, the head will emerge. Then gradually the whole body will appear and assume power.

This is how the beast emerges. Such a beast can become so large that it appears as if its body could fill the whole earth. Each beast has its time, and then another beast replaces it. Dan. 7:12. Each of them have their development until the last beast arises, having seven heads and ten horns; and all the world will marvel at it and follow it. Rev. 13:3. All the other beasts will be united in this one beast. The first beast Daniel saw was a lion, but the people were not ready to receive it. There was too much power in the salt; therefore the lion was forced to undergo a change: to stand on two legs and have the heart of a man. But then we see that it reappears as a bear, but it had to undergo another change, until finally it can appear in the fullness of its power. Even though the harlot is still riding on this last beast’s back, she is no longer able to tame it. The salt has lost its flavor, its power. The time has come for her to be trampled by the beast. The bride will already have been taken up when this happens. She was not defiled by these beasts and was not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. She knows that ruling together with these beasts will only result in misery. She thinks like Jesus who said, “My hour has not yet come.” She waits for Jesus, her Bridegroom. Then the time will come for her to rule.

The harlot does not have this living hope, because she wants to rule with several men at the same time. Her thoughts are only of gain and enjoyment until the time has come when Jeremiah 4:30-31 will be fulfilled: “And when you are plundered, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with crimson, though you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with paint, in vain you will make yourself fair; your lovers will despise you; they will seek your life. For I have heard a voice as of a woman in labor, the anguish as of her who brings forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion [the harlot of that day] bewailing herself; she spreads her hands, saying, ‘Woe is me now, for my soul is weary because of murderers!’” Then the bride will sing a new song on Mount Zion together with the Lamb.

When the harlot is cast off the back of the beast and the bride is taken up, the beast will have full freedom. Then he who has restrained the beast will have been taken out of the way, and the man of sin, the son of perdition, the lawless one, will be revealed. 2 Thess. 2:6-8. Now the beast can do as it has sung for many years: Lift up its own hammer and smite the hot iron, creating a heaven to its own liking. To accomplish its purpose the beast needs the godless and the proud. Now the beast will begin to set its “mark” on everyone, and those who will not take the “mark” of the beast will be killed. They will not be permitted to buy or sell. This signals the advent of the great tribulation—not only because the beast is ruling, but also because the time for God’s judgment has come.

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’” Rev. 14:6-7.

Even in this time of need God does not leave people to themselves. He gives them a gospel. However, it is not the gospel of the bride anymore. Rather it is an appeal to the people to worship God who judges, to give Him the glory, and to humble themselves under His mighty hand. How needful it will be for them to hear this gospel during a time when everyone is forced to worship the beast if they want to stay alive.

Listen, you who belong neither to the bride nor to the harlot, you who do not even hear the Word of Jesus, let alone do it: “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.’” Rev. 14:9-10.

This tells us that no one has a future apart from the body of Christ. The bodies of the beasts have only a time, two times, and half a time, and that is the end of them. Listen, you who are part of the body of one of the beasts: “I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.” Dan. 7:11-12.