The Second Beast
In Apocalypse 13 there are two beasts. The first is Antichrist, the second is not; although he is an Antichrist, and will be almost as evil as Antichrist was. Apocalypse 13:11-18: And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth: and he had two horns, like a lamb: and he spoke as a dragon. And he executed all the power of the former beast in his sight. And he caused the earth and them that dwell therein to adore the first beast, whose wound to death was healed. And he did great signs, so that he made also fire to come down from heaven unto the earth, in the sight of men. And he seduced them that dwell on the earth, for the signs which were given him to do in the sight of the beast: saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make the image of the beast which had the wound by the sword and lived. And it was given him to give life to the image of the beast: and that the image of the beast should speak: and should cause that whosoever will not adore the image of the beast should be slain. And he shall make all, both little and great, rich and poor, freemen and bondmen, to have a character in their right hand or on their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man: and the number of him is six hundred sixty-six. Reread Apocalypse 13. Note well that the second beast performs miracles. He also causes people to take the Mark of the Beast, that is of Antichrist. Many of the Fathers of the Church hold this to be a spiritual mark rather than a physical mark. Is this second beast Antipope Benedict XVI or should we look for another. Will Ratzinger (Antipope Benedict XVI) move his antipapacy to Jerusalem? Apocalypse 11:7-10: And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the abyss shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them. And their bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city which is called spiritually, Sodom and Egypt: where their Lord also was crucified.
