WORKING EXEGESIS OF REVELATION 13:11-18
As a theologian, a clergy, and someone live in America, my Church members kept asking me whether the world is coming to an end in 2012, whether the mark of the beast 666 (Revelation 13:18) has come out/would come out in America, Whether President Obama's Health Care Bill; RFID Chip Implants is the 666 referred in the Scripture?
Because of questions, I felt
As a theologian, a clergy, and someone live in America, my Church members kept asking me whether the world is coming to an end in 2012, whether the mark of the beast 666 (Revelation 13:18) has come out/would come out in America, Whether President Obama's Health Care Bill; RFID Chip Implants is the 666 referred in the Scripture?
Because of questions, I felt
obliged to draw a working exegesis of Revelation 13:11-18.
The second beast is identified in the Bible as a "false prophet" (16:13; 19:20; 20:10), this is a ancient reference to those who encourage worship of the Roman emperor and participation in Roman idolatry (empirical religion). The prophets performs miracle (Mark 13: 21-23; 2Thess. 2:9-10). The "mark of the beast" should not be interpreted literal, it point to economic discrimination endured by faithful Christians under Roman leadership (200 BC-400 AD), during this period only those who paid homage to the statue of the emperor are allowed to buy and sale ( Church historians call them "the lapse").
The number of the beast (666) is the sum of the numerical value of it letters. John wrote this before the invention of the Arabic numerals we now use. The language the author knows and uses was-Greek, Latin, Aramaic, and Hebrew all have used numbers as equivalent to letters, that very name has a numerical sum. Theologically scholars have identifies the beast who once bear the 666 as "Emperor Nero" (ca. 54-68). His numerical total in Hebrew is 666. Nero was the first emperor who started persecuting the church. Emperor Domitian (ca. 81-96) exiled John in the island of Patmos. So John while in exile thought Nero has come to life. There is no Biblical or traditional connection between Obama’s regime and mark of the beast.
MY CRITIQUE
-The Bible refers to the beast as "second beast," if Obama is the second beast who then is the first beast? I guess you will say Bush! Then you are wrong.
-The Bible says the beast is a "false prophet" we all know Obama is not a prophet, in case you don't know, he is a politician.
-Again the Bible says the beast has power to perform miracle, we know Obama has never perform miracle.
-The Bible says the mark of the beast is for the whole nations of the earth, but Obama's RFID Chip Implants is only for US citizens. What about other nations? When would their mark arrive?
-You see! Please stop using the Bible to tarnish the image of America and Obama. The man is really doing a good job.
(Reference: The New Interpreters Study Bible 2003).
The second beast is identified in the Bible as a "false prophet" (16:13; 19:20; 20:10), this is a ancient reference to those who encourage worship of the Roman emperor and participation in Roman idolatry (empirical religion). The prophets performs miracle (Mark 13: 21-23; 2Thess. 2:9-10). The "mark of the beast" should not be interpreted literal, it point to economic discrimination endured by faithful Christians under Roman leadership (200 BC-400 AD), during this period only those who paid homage to the statue of the emperor are allowed to buy and sale ( Church historians call them "the lapse").
The number of the beast (666) is the sum of the numerical value of it letters. John wrote this before the invention of the Arabic numerals we now use. The language the author knows and uses was-Greek, Latin, Aramaic, and Hebrew all have used numbers as equivalent to letters, that very name has a numerical sum. Theologically scholars have identifies the beast who once bear the 666 as "Emperor Nero" (ca. 54-68). His numerical total in Hebrew is 666. Nero was the first emperor who started persecuting the church. Emperor Domitian (ca. 81-96) exiled John in the island of Patmos. So John while in exile thought Nero has come to life. There is no Biblical or traditional connection between Obama’s regime and mark of the beast.
MY CRITIQUE
-The Bible refers to the beast as "second beast," if Obama is the second beast who then is the first beast? I guess you will say Bush! Then you are wrong.
-The Bible says the beast is a "false prophet" we all know Obama is not a prophet, in case you don't know, he is a politician.
-Again the Bible says the beast has power to perform miracle, we know Obama has never perform miracle.
-The Bible says the mark of the beast is for the whole nations of the earth, but Obama's RFID Chip Implants is only for US citizens. What about other nations? When would their mark arrive?
-You see! Please stop using the Bible to tarnish the image of America and Obama. The man is really doing a good job.
(Reference: The New Interpreters Study Bible 2003).
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