There is much hype these days about what the "image of the beast" really is. In previous posts I have clearly outlined what that expression refers to, the UN, including supporting historicity of the UN's creation and capacity for global influence (created by, and it's "voice" given to it by the second beast, the USA). Many, however, are obsessed with a bizarre concept of the word, "image", as being some kind of A.I.-controlled robot or cybernetic being, an "image" of the coming son of perdition often erroneously called "the beast", all a load of sci-fi-like falderal and a product of corrupt modern culture. It is the consequence of the same old ongoing problem (which I have previously touched upon) of interpreting ancient language using modern concepts of various words outside of the scripture itself. The scripture always provides its own interpretation if we are prepared to look and see it without preconceptions which we cling to out of pride, blinding us to what the Lord is telling us. I want to put to rest the meaning of "image" as used in the new testament scriptures.
First of all, the word translated as "image" in some versions of the bible or "likeness" in others in the book of Matthew, chapter 22, where Yeshua was being tested by the disciples of the Pharisees with the Herodians regarding the issue of taxation, is the same Greek word as that used for "image" in Revelation, chapters 13, 14, etc. The English representation of that word, used to help us pronounce it correctly (or as near to correct as possible), is "eikon" or "ikon". It is Strong's concordance number G1504.
Mat 22:17-21 KJV Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? (18) But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? (19) Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. (20) And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? (21) They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
Here are the Strong's concordance entries related to the word in question, although they are really not essential except to note that it is the same word for "image" or "likeness" used in both Matthew 22:20 and Revelation 13:14.
G1504
εἰκών eikōn i-kone'
From G1503; a likeness, that is, (literally) statue, profile, or (figuratively) representation, resemblance: - image.
G1503
εἴκω eikō i'-ko
Apparently a primary verb (perhaps akin to G1502 through the idea of faintness as a copy); to resemble: - be like.
Sometimes the argument turns to the false argument of appeal to authority, wherein a naysayer may claim that they are appealing to the authority of a scholar of ancient Greek. However, should God have required that we refer to scholars of ancient Hebrew and ancient Greek in order to correctly interpret His word then He should have supplied such a scholar with every printed copy or, at the very least, provided us with irrevocable evidence that the scholars involved in the translation are our true source of understanding, rather than His Spirit. This would be similar to the way that the Roman Catholic church hierarchy, the Mohammaden Imams and the ancient Hebrew Scribes and Pharisees operated, keeping the common people from understanding and lording their authority over the masses of the "great unwashed".
Not so God, that is never how the Ever Living God operates, for He is generous and kind, though He hides Himself from the arrogant and proud but is a glorious, blazing fire and brilliant light before any humble servant who truly loves His name. The Lord has given us all we need to understand the scripture through and in His Spirit.
Think about what a person in the days of, let's say, Julius Caesar, meant by using the word for "image". Were not the artistic busts of ancient emperors called images? Now consider what the Lord Himself was saying when he asked those trying to cause Him to stumble (regarding a question on taxation) about whether or not it is lawful (for the Jews) to pay tribute to Caesar. The Lord referred them to a minted coin, wherein there was an "image" or "likeness" (depending on which specific bible version one uses) of Caesar imprinted upon it. The only possible understanding of this is that, like in today's world and alike throughout all the history of minted coinage, there's an image of the head of the king or queen or principle governing person, in this case, Caesar, on at least one side of the coin.
So, we see that the word, image, is referring to a head, such as that of a bust or the head on a coin, that is, a head without a body, being an image of what it represents because it identifies its own source directly. Therein lies the obvious clue to identifying the "image of the beast". A beast is an empire of some kind, like a powerful nation or group of nations, whether physical or spiritual, united under some common system of governance, which is made clear to us in the book of Daniel in the old testament scriptures. The reference to being a beast is a parable of what it represents. In the case of the coming global government, the uniting system or ideology will be global socialism or communism, which is why Revelation 13:15 indicates that all are made to worship, that is, give total obeisance, to the image of the beast, since under statist regimes, the state is almighty and there can be no greater authority and, therefore, no greater God than the state, a central tenet of socialist and communist systems. The head is the governing entity and the body is all the rest. One can also associate other specific biological elements with sociological elements, such as energy and goods transport with the cardiovascular system, information communications systems (whether snail-mail, on-foot messenger or the modern Internet) with the nervous system, military and police forces with biological defenses such as immune systems, etc. This is not just lucky, it is a persistent and consistent theme in all creation... just like we see that the mathematical equations used to model energy transfer all come back to the same forms regardless of the manner of energy transfer, the form of the energy or the medium in which it moves, likewise we see systems throughout creation that emulate one another so that the concept of parables makes perfect sense. God has always spoken through parables because parables are analogous systems of ideas and processes and God is a consistent designer. Without that consistency, the universe is simply not possible for it is founded on a uniting principle, the justice and righteousness of God. (There is much to that last line but I will leave it to you to understand it more deeply so that you gain something immensely valuable by that process... if you work at it).
So, the head of the beast is the governing entity, and the image of the beast is merely a head without a body. This aligns perfectly with the form of the UN. We see it is much like the head of the first beast, whose current incarnation is the EU government (even in appearance and structure they have striking similarities) but it has not a body, no specific nation or empire, whether physical or spiritual, over which it directly rules, though the second beast seeks to elevate it to being the governing head over all who live on the face of the earth.
Now, whether or not the question is settled for you remains to be seen, for it is your choice to believe or disbelieve regardless of the evidence. That is how humanity has always operated since the fall of Adam and the only thing that blinds us to the truth is our own pride. Be very wary of your own propensity for the sin of pride, a flaw suffered by every human being save for the Lord Himself. We must be ever vigilant to guard against our own vanity and arrogance for it is like a venomous serpent, with its head raised, waiting to spit venom into our eyes to blind us and waiting to strike at any moment once we are blind, taking us down to the pit of destruction. As the word says, the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom... but one who is proud does not fear God. As always, seek God on your understanding of this and test anything anyone tells you against the revealed word of God, for therein you will find an answer to every question but only if you seek it through the eyes and understanding afforded you by the Spirit of the Ever Living God, and for that you must be born again, or otherwise you do not have His Spirit at all and, without that, you are as a dead man, having no true sight or correct hearing or real understanding.
