What is the image of the beast and what is the act of worshiping it?
"But what is the “image to the beast”? and how is it to be formed? The image is made by the two-horned beast, and is an image to the beast. It is also called an image of the beast. Then to learn what the image is like and how it is to be formed we must study the characteristics of the beast itself—the papacy." GC 377
"When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of “heresy.” In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends." GC [443]
"When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result." GC 379
SUMMARY OF THE KEY CONCEPTS BASED ON THE GREAT CONTROVERSY REFERENCE ABOVE:
1. What is the "Image to the Beast"?
· The "image to the beast" is a replica of the papal system that arose when the church of Rome used secular power to enforce its doctrines. This union of church and state led to the persecution of those labelled as heretics.
· In Protestant America, the "image" refers to a similar union where Protestant churches will influence the state to enforce religious decrees and sustain their institutions, similar to what the papacy did.
2. How is the "Image to the Beast" Formed?
· Formation of the image begins when Protestant churches in the United States unite on shared doctrines and influence the civil government to enforce religious laws or decrees, thus controlling the state for religious purposes.
· This image is a reflection of how the early Christian church became corrupted by adopting pagan practices and losing the simplicity of the gospel. To maintain control, the church sought secular power, resulting in the papacy, where the church and state worked together to punish heresy.
3. Two Times the Image Will Be Formed
· First: The image is formed in Protestant America, specifically the United States, when religious powers (Protestant churches) unite and influence the state to enforce religious laws. This event will reflect the union of church and state that characterized the papacy.
· Second: The image is extended beyond the U.S., manifesting in Protestant churches worldwide as they similarly seek the aid of secular governments to enforce their doctrines, leading to a broader replication of the papal system.
In essence, the formation of the image of the beast is a prophesied event that involves the union of Protestantism and civil power, reflecting the earlier union of church and state during the papacy reign.
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY AFFIRMED THAT THE ENFORCEMENT OF SUNDAY OBSERVANCE BY CIVIL AUTHORITY IS SEEN AS THE ACT OF FORMING THE IMAGE TO THE BEAST. HERE’S A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THIS CONCEPT:
"But in the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches would themselves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of Sunday keeping in the United States would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image." GC 382
1. Sunday Worship as a Common Doctrine help by all churches
· The common doctrine that unites Protestant churches in this prophecy is Sunday worship. Ellen White explains that when Protestant churches in the United States, uniting on this shared belief, use secular power to enforce Sunday as the day of worship, they will be replicating the practices of the papacy, where religious laws were enforced by civil government.
2. The Role of Secular Power in Forming the Image
· According to GC 382, in "the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power," the churches will be forming the image to the beast. This means that when Sunday laws are enacted and enforced by the state, it is a direct parallel to the papal system, where church and state were united to enforce religious conformity.
3. Sunday Observance as Worship of the Beast and His Image
· Ellen White emphasizes that the enforcement of Sunday keeping in the U.S. will not just be a matter of religious observance, but will equate to enforcing the worship of the beast and his image. The enforcement of Sunday observance through legal or civil means reflects an alignment with the practices of the papal system, which imposed religious practices on society by secular authority.
4. Wider Implications of Sunday Law Enforcement
· The image of the beast is not limited to the U.S. alone but expands to Protestant churches globally, as they too may seek to enforce Sunday laws through secular means. This act of uniting church and state on religious grounds will fulfil the prophecy of forming an image of the beast worldwide.
The "image to the beast" is formed when Protestant churches in the U.S. (and later globally) unite to enforce Sunday observance by law, using secular power. This mirrors the historical actions of the papacy, where church and state were combined to enforce religious conformity.
The enforcement of Sunday as the day of worship through civil power was foretold in the Testimonies as worship of the beast and his image, marking a key moment in prophetic history.
Important Note: Churches that are NOT YET using civil power to enforce their commonly held doctrines which is Sunday sacredness are not yet the image of the beast. They will become the image of the beast only when they legalize this common doctrine, enforce it upon the conscience of others, and punish those who dissent.
5. The True Sabbath and Enlightenment
· At the same time, the world will be enlightened about the true Sabbath, which fall on Saturday, the seventh day of the week, as outlined in the Fourth Commandment. People will be made aware that God’s true command is to observe the Sabbath on Saturday, not Sunday.
6. Choosing to Obey Rome Over God
· After receiving this enlightenment, if people choose to disregard God's commandment (the true Sabbath) and instead follow the Sunday law, they are seen as choosing to obey a human-made tradition—one that has no authority other than that of the Roman Catholic Church ("Rome"). By doing so, they are effectively placing the authority of the papacy above the authority of God.
7. Homage to Rome and the Beast
· According to this prophecy, those who comply with the Sunday law are paying homage to Rome, which established Sunday worship as a day of rest. By adhering to a law rooted in Catholic tradition, they are honouring "popery" (the papal system) over God's explicit command to observe the seventh-day Sabbath
· In this context, they are "worshiping the beast and his image." The beast refers to the Roman Catholic Church (or papal system), and the image of the beast refers to apostate Protestantism that follows in the same path, enforcing religious laws through civil power.
8. Spiritual Implications
· The act of following the Sunday law is viewed as a spiritual decision where individuals align themselves with human authority (Rome) rather than God's divine law. This act of submission to the Sunday law is equivalent to worshiping the beast and its image.
Summary: In essence, when Sunday observance is enforced by law, people will be faced with a choice between obeying God's command to keep the true Sabbath (Saturday) or following a man-made law rooted in Roman Catholic tradition (Sunday observance). Those who choose to follow the Sunday law, despite being enlightened about the true Sabbath, are seen as honouring the authority of the Roman Catholic Church above God's authority, thus worshiping the beast and its image.
APOSTASY LEADS TO THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST
This quote from The Great Controversy (p. 378) explains that apostasy, or a falling away from true faith, is the key factor that leads Protestant churches to form an image of the beast. Here’s an explanation of the key points:
"It was apostasy that led the early church to seek the aid of the civil government, and this prepared the way for the development of the papacy—the beast. Said Paul: “There” shall “come a falling [444] away, ... and that man of sin be revealed.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3. So apostasy in the church will prepare the way for the image to the beast." GC 378
9. Apostasy as a Pathway to Forming the Image of the Beast
· Apostasy refers to the abandonment of true biblical teachings and principles. When Protestant churches depart from the simplicity and purity of the gospel, they open themselves up to seeking secular power to enforce their doctrines, just as the early Christian church did.
· This falling away from faith is what will lead these churches to form an image of the beast, which represents a church-state union similar to the papal system (the beast).
10. Historical Parallel with the Development of the Papacy
· The quote draws a parallel between the early church’s apostasy and the development of the papacy. The early Christian church began to adopt pagan customs and lose the Spirit and power of God. In order to maintain control and influence, the church sought the help of civil government, eventually leading to the creation of the papacy—a system where the church used state power to enforce its doctrines and punish dissenters.
· This union of church and state is what the beast (the papacy) represents. In a similar way, apostasy in the Protestant churches—their deviation from biblical truth—will lead them to seek the aid of the civil government to enforce their religious views, which will form the image of the beast. The image is a reflection of the papal system, where religious authority (the church) uses secular power (the state) to impose its will.
11. Paul’s Warning in 2 Thessalonians
· The quote references 2 Thessalonians 2:3, where Paul warns that a falling away (apostasy) would occur before the “man of sin” (the papal power) is revealed. Ellen White applies this same concept to the Protestant churches, suggesting that their apostasy will similarly prepare the way for the image of the beast.
12. Preparation for the Image of the Beast
· Just as apostasy in the early church prepared the way for the development of the papacy, apostasy in Protestant churches will prepare the way for them to form an image to the beast. This means that Protestantism, in its compromised state, will eventually replicate the actions of the papacy by enforcing religious laws through civil power and persecuting dissenters.
Summary:
Apostasy, or a falling away from true faith, is the key factor that will lead Protestant churches to form an image of the beast. This mirrors how the early Christian church, through apostasy, sought the aid of civil government, leading to the development of the papacy. In the same way, apostate Protestantism will seek civil power to enforce its doctrines, creating an image of the papal system (the beast), characterized by a union of church and state.
Note: When a church is in an apostate state, it is not yet the “image of the beast” because apostasy is only the third step in the process. The complete progression involves:
1. Ecumenism
2. Church-state partnership
3. Apostasy
4. Having a common doctrine
5. Using the civil arm to legalize and enforce this doctrine
6. Then they become the “image of the beast”
Here’s an in-depth look at each step:
1. Ecumenism:
· Ecumenism refers to the effort of different churches and denominations to come together in unity, even though they might have significant doctrinal differences. While this may seem like a positive movement toward unity, Bible and Testimonies sees it as the beginning of compromise, where truth is set aside in favour of common ground.
· This creates a foundation for later events, as churches begin to work together despite doctrinal errors, preparing for broader compromises.
2. Church-State Partnership:
· The next step involves churches forming a partnership with the state, either seeking political influence or directly working with the government to achieve their goals. This stage is significant because it mirrors the early church’s actions when it sought the support of secular rulers to enforce its will, leading to the formation of the papacy.
· This partnership lays the groundwork for future enforcement of religious doctrines through legal and political means.
3. Apostasy:
· Apostasy refers to the falling away from biblical truth. In this stage, the church adopts false teachings or practices that depart from the original gospel. This state of spiritual compromise positions the church to embrace further errors and rely on external authority, rather than remaining faithful to God’s word.
· Though apostasy is critical, it is only part of the progression and does not by itself lead to the formation of the image of the beast. The church still needs to take additional steps to reach that point.
4. Having a Common Doctrine:
· As these churches fall into apostasy, they will eventually agree upon a central doctrine that unites them. In the context of the Testimonies, this common doctrine is typically identified as Sunday worship, a practice rooted in Roman Catholic tradition, but widely adopted by Protestant churches.
· This step solidifies the unity among these apostate churches, making it possible for them to collectively seek enforcement of their shared beliefs.
5. Using the Civil Arm to Legalize and Enforce the Doctrine:
· Once the churches have agreed on a common doctrine, they will use the power of the state to enforce it. This involves creating laws that require adherence to this doctrine, thus using civil authority to impose religious observance. In this scenario, those who dissent, or refuse to follow the imposed doctrine, will be subject to penalties.
· This mirrors the actions of the papacy, where church authorities used the state’s power to impose their will and punish heretics.
6. Becoming the Image of the Beast:
· Only after these churches have reached the point of enforcing their religious laws through civil power do they fully become the image of the beast. At this point, they reflect the characteristics of the papal system, where a union of church and state is used to impose religious doctrines on society, often at the cost of religious freedom.
· The image of the beast is, therefore, the replication of the papal system within Protestantism, where the church wields civil authority to enforce its will.
Conclusion: A church does not immediately become the image of the beast simply by falling into apostasy. Instead, it must go through a progression of events: ecumenism, forming partnerships with the state, falling into apostasy, uniting on a common doctrine, and finally using civil power to enforce this doctrine. Only then does it reflect the image of the beast, which symbolizes the fusion of religious and secular power, as seen in the papal system.
God Bless
Moses Yauma