Chapter 20 - Three Buddies; The Dragon, The Beast, The False ProphetAll That Matters Is If You’re Sincere, Right?When we cautiously view John’s words and consider the meaning of them in their proper context as apocalyptic literature based on a vision of symbols, we can pose a question to ourselves. Are we part of the false religious system that has changed the word of God and deceived us along with millions? This system, which is designed by men opposed to the truth, called “devils,” is responsible for deceiving multitudes of very sincere people. True the participants in the false religion are sincere as most worshippers of any system are. However, is sincerity enough according to the Bible? Sincerity is good and it is important but if sincerity alone is the determinant for true religion, then one might claim any sincere person is correct in their religious views. Consider a cult who raises the children of its adherents to sacrifice animals and drink the blood, according to the sincerity rule, that is then “true religion.” Ponder for a moment all the billions of people who have walked the earth and been involve in diverse religions that are made up of very sincere people. I am sure that the citizens in Pharaoh’s kingdom were very sincere about their religion and modes of worship. They though were given a choice. They could either be part of the “Exodus” from the polytheism of paganism and move into a realm of religious life that had a One God philosophy or they could stay in pagan Egypt. There were many Egyptians and some from other nations who left with the children of Israel after the 10 plagues. They are referred to as the “mixed multitude” in Scripture and became equal partakers in the covenants of Israel by believing in the One God. Below is the passage that identifies the mixed multitudes’ participation in leaving Egypt. Exodus 12:37-38 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. If sincerity is the measuring stick to judge whether a person is being a participant of a “true religion” or not, then the Egyptians were wrongly plagued by Yahweh. As with most ancient and present religion, the adherents were and are categorically sincere in their efforts. Therefore if sincerity is the barometer to determine judgments they should have been judged favorably on the sincerity with which they worshipped their gods. The millions of Muslims who make hajj [1] to Mecca at least once in their lifetime display profound sincerity and surely then shouldn’t they be judged according to their sincerity. What of the terrorist bomber in the Middle East who blows up the motor brigade of a foreign dignitary, he certainly is sincere. And that apparently misguided martyr believes with all his heart and body, that he is serving God. So let’s be careful when we laud the sincerity of a person of faith because sincerity is not an indicator of true religion. Stand Back While Your Leader Performs A Miracle.The anti-God doctrines and lies that came forth from the Babylonian false religious system are called “spirits of devils” and are said to have deceived the world by the “miracles” they have performed. A miracle in this context is not some form of supernatural magic. It is an indication of power and authority that is received by the world. The word for “miracle” can be seen to mean a sign and the dragon the beast and the false prophet certainly demonstrated signs of their power through influencing multimillions of people. I stated earlier that the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet are in their essence, one and the same. This is very likely so in so far as they all were false religious systems that have evolved to great and powerful systems of religion. What they are does not represent nor honor the Creator as He has been asked to be represented. Each of them has proven to be syncretistic in applying pagan practices to its religious tenets and to impose the subtleties of its mindset upon its willing subjects. It is possible that the dragon represents the Babylonish Rome in the first century. The beast may be the second beast that represents the Pharisaical Judaism, which has held so many Jews captive to the anti-Messiah precepts with a system of rigid adherence to layers of man-made laws. Laws that have been developed not by God but by man since the Babylonian exile. The false prophet then could be seen to be Roman Catholicism and the Christianity that protested and became a reformed version of Catholicism. It is arguable that none of these three systems are adhering to Scriptural truths and all three have claimed they each are. Their dynamic system of religious practice and dogma suggests that Yahweh is a changing God. Yet the Scriptures claim God changes not. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Rabbinic Judaism claims the words of the Rabbis supersede those of the Torah. The Catholics claim ecclesiastical authority. This religious institution has done such things as admit to changing the injunctions and import of the Saturday Sabbath to Sunday. Sunday however was a pagan day of worshipping the sun. The Sabbath was the weekly day of worship and rest, kept by the post–resurrection apostolic community until the Catholic leaders began altering God’s word by honoring their own word. And Christianity may well be a part of the false religion that has neglected the ways of God. It has disregarded the laws of Yahweh by teaching that the “Old” law was no longer necessary to obey for the believer. In doing so, they have turned Yeshua the Torah teaching Messiah, into Jesus the Law breaking Christian. According to their doctrine, if Jesus is supposed to be the same as Yeshua, then they have made Him to be a false prophet who leads people away from keeping the commands of God out of a right heart and motive. Therefore, deciding that the beast, the dragon, and the false prophet, are either all the same entity or they are three separate entities with anti-God philosophies, will not affect the fact that it or they has spewed false doctrine and heretical religion by teaching that which is not true since long, long ago. It is these concepts that oppose truth that are “the spirits of devils.”
1 Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is a pilgrimage to Mecca during the month of Dhu al-Hijja; at least once in a lifetime a Muslim is expected to make a religious journey to Mecca and the Kaaba.
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James R. Brayshaw