Dr. Couch, did the religious beast make an image of the beast in Revelation?
ANSWER: We all get a little confused about this issue because of 13:14-15. It is the people who construct an image of the beast but the verses say: "There was given to the (religious) beast to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed." And "he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead."
So while the religious beast does not build the image of the beast he still causes apparent "miracles" to happen through it that fools the people of the earth! We sometimes have a slip of the tongue in how we speak of the image. The bottom line, the people build the image—the religious beast manipulates it and deceives the people.
Thanks for asking.
—Dr. Mal Couch (7/11)
