We concluded the last article by writing, “All the sieges align with the formation of the image of the beast that leads to and concludes at the mark of the beast.”
“The enforcement of Sunday keeping on the part of Protestant churches is an enforcement of the worship of the papacy—of the beast. Those who, understanding the claims of the fourth commandment, choose to observe the false instead of the true Sabbath are thereby paying homage to that power by which alone it is commanded. But in the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches would themselves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of Sunday keeping in the United States would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image.” The Great Controversy, 448, 449.
The mark of the beast is enforced at the Sunday law, thus identifying a point in time that is called “the very act.” The image of the beast is formed over a period of time, but it must begin with some type of typification of the mark of the beast. Sister White identifies the beginning as an “edict.”
“If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past. If he would know how papists and Protestants united will deal with those who reject their dogmas, let him see the spirit which Rome manifested toward the Sabbath and its defenders.
“Royal edicts, general councils, and church ordinances sustained by secular power were the steps by which the pagan festival attained its position of honor in the Christian world. The first public measure enforcing Sunday observance was the law enacted by Constantine.” The Great Controversy, 573.
The Edict of Milan marked the beginning of an eight-year period that led to the first Sunday law. The formation of the image of the beast begins with the civil powers passing some type of legal act that typifies and leads to the Sunday law. It begins with an edict that leads to general councils. The general councils lead to church ordinances sustained by secular power. The edict leads to or is the “cause” that marks the beginning of general councils. The legislative branch is brought into activity in response to Trump’s executive order. The legislative activity leads to civil legislation upholding church ordinances, which conclude with the soon-coming Sunday law. Our test is to recognize “the steps by which the pagan festival attained its position of honor.”
“Our land is in jeopardy. The time is drawing on when its legislators shall so abjure the principles of Protestantism as to give countenance to Romish apostasy. The people for whom God has so marvelously wrought, strengthening them to throw off the galling yoke of popery, will by a national act give vigor to the corrupt faith of Rome, and thus arouse the tyranny which only waits for a touch to start again into cruelty and despotism. With rapid steps are we already approaching this period.” The Spirit of Prophecy, volume 4, 410.
We are “already approaching” the “period” “when” “legislators shall so abjure the principles of Protestantism” as to enact a Sunday law. Those events began at 9/11 and continue unto the Sunday law. The fractal of that overall period began on December 31, 2023, and finishes at the prophetic Edict of Milan.
“Already preparations are advancing, and movements are in progress, which will result in making an image to the beast. Events will be brought about in the earth’s history that will fulfill the predictions of prophecy for these last days.” Review and Herald, April 23, 1889.
The “preparations”, “movements” and “events” represent the “steps” that lead to the Sunday law, but more importantly, they represent that the edict at the beginning is the sign we must know as we stand on the threshold of their fulfillment. The “events” that identify the period of the formation of the image of the beast must be known in advance.
“All that God has in prophetic history specified to be fulfilled in the past has been, and all that is yet to come in its order will be. Daniel, God’s prophet, stands in his place. John stands in his place. In the Revelation the Lion of the tribe of Judah has opened to the students of prophecy the book of Daniel, and thus is Daniel standing in his place. He bears his testimony, that which the Lord revealed to him in vision of the great and solemn events which we must know as we stand on the very threshold of their fulfillment.
“In history and prophecy the Word of God portrays the long continued conflict between truth and error. That conflict is yet in progress. Those things which have been, will be repeated.” Selected Messages, book 2, 109.
We “must know” the events, movements and preparations that make up the steps involved with forming the image of the beast. Those “steps” are represented in the prophetic history that has been fulfilled in the past, which has occurred “in its order.” Our test is to understand the steps and the order in which the steps are taken, based upon the order identified in the past sacred histories that illustrate our current history.
“The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes; for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided. Your position is such a jumble of inconsistencies that but few will be deceived.
“In Revelation 13 this subject is plainly presented; [Revelation 13:11–17, quoted].
“This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed. All who proved their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath, will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God. Those who yield the truth of heavenly origin and accept the Sunday sabbath, will receive the mark of the beast.” Manuscript Releases, volume 15, 15.
In Revelation thirteen, the United States passes the soon-coming Sunday law when it speaks as a dragon in verse eleven. It then goes forth and deceives the entire world into setting up an image of and to the beast. Once established, the worldwide image of the beast also speaks. Revelation thirteen identifies the beginning of the image of the beast testing time as a Sunday law that initiates a period that leads to the world forming an image and then enforcing Sunday laws, for Jesus always identifies the end with the beginning. This “subject” as Sister White identified it, has been “plainly presented.” The image of the beast is formed before probation closes.
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. Revelation 13:15–18.
The “wise” in the Scriptures “understand” and in this passage the wise understand that the number of the beast is “Six hundred threescore and six.” In the Revelation there is only one other passage where the wisdom of the wise is noted.
And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. Revelation 17:9–11.
The “wise” understand that the number of the beast is 666, and also that the beast is the eighth kingdom that is of the seven. The beast that is the eighth king is the final earthly kingdom who forms an image of the beast when the ten kings agree to give their seventh kingdom to the beast for a short space, or one hour.
And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. Revelation 17:12–14.
In July of 2023, a voice in the wilderness began to “call.” Those who were called entered into a three-step testing process. In that process the “wise” who “understand” the increase of knowledge that was opened up on December 31, 2023, were “chosen.” At the litmus test of the sign of the siege, they demonstrate that they are “faithful.” The ten kings, who are the United Nations, agree under duress to give their kingdom to the papal beast, because they are deceived by the power of the earth beast of Revelation thirteen.
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Revelation 13:11–15.
The sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy, the earth beast, who is also the false prophet, forces the ten kings, the seventh kingdom of Bible prophecy, to give their kingdom to the sea beast, the fifth kingdom of Bible prophecy, who is resurrected as the eighth kingdom that was of the seven previous kingdoms. Those three kingdoms form the threefold union at the Sunday law in the United States.
“By the decree enforcing the institution of the Papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with Spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near.” Testimonies, volume 5, 451.
The threefold union comes together at the soon-coming Sunday law, and it then goes forth to force the world to follow the example of the United States.
“Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world.” Testimonies, volume 6, 395.
The image of the beast test that confronts the entire world is based upon the example of the formation of the image of the beast in the United States. The image of the beast testing time begins and ends with a Sunday law, whether typified as the edict and decree of Pergamos. At the Sunday law, a door of probation closes. In the world testing time, the door of probation is closed for all mankind when Michael stands up, and in the United States the door closes at the soon-coming Sunday law, marking the end of the judgment of the house of God, and the nation where the house of God was prophetically located. That soon-coming Sunday law is typified by the years 586 BC, 70, 321 and 538. At that point the United States is fully disconnected from righteousness as it begins its role of the false prophet, working in conjunction with the United Nations, who is the dragon, and the papacy, who is the beast. Together the three lead the world to the close of human probation and Armageddon.
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. Revelation 16:12–16.
The “wise” “understand” that the papacy is the eighth beast that is of the seven, and that the number of his name is the number of a man in the threefold expression of 666. Three sixes represent the dragon, the beast and false prophet who make up the final threefold kingdom of Satan, which wars against the threefold kingdom of the church triumphant. They understand that when the beast and dragon come together with the false prophet at the soon-coming Sunday law, the period of the formation of the worldwide image of the beast has begun, only to end when Sunday worship is forced on every nation of the world. The “wise” must see the final threefold kingdom as the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy that is made up of the dragon, the beast and false prophet before the period begins.
The description of the threefold union leading the world to the close of probation and Armageddon contains a “blessing” for those who keep their “garments.” The only garment the wise will wear is the garment of Christ’s righteousness, and that garment is manifested when probation closes, but it is obtained before probation closes. They must have the garments in advance of the image of the beast testing time, and the truth they must possess to keep their garments is the truth concerning the threefold union that leads the world to the close of probation. Yet verses twelve to sixteen are represented as occurring during the sixth plague, and the plagues do not begin until probation closes. The “wise” must understand that the number 666 represents the number of man void of divinity, and that the final kingdom of Bible prophecy represents three kingdoms that each are marked by the number of a man, and the number of a man is six, for man was created on the sixth day.
The salient point is that the image of the beast testing time for the eleventh-hour workers who are still in the communion of Babylon begins with the threefold union of 666, the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. This identifies that there must be a threefold union at the Edict of Milan, when the image of the beast testing time began in the United States. That threefold union should also be typified at 9/11, which is the beginning of the overall image of the beast testing time in the United States.
The Panium to Sidon campaign identifies an alliance between Antiochus and Philip of Macedon, thus representing an alliance between Trump and the European Union. Panium began in 200 BC, the same year that the robbers of thy people exalted themselves to establish the vision. At the soon-coming Sunday law, the United States prophetically marries the papal power, thus identifying the sixth and final treaty marriage of Daniel eleven. The fifth marriage occurred in 538 when the kings of Europe joined the papal power. At the Edict of Milan, the marriage treaty between Licinius of the east and Constantine of the west was accomplished, thus identifying a marriage treaty at the beginning of the formation of the image. Trump enters into an alliance with the papal power at Panium, while also being allied with the European Union. Trump’s alliance at that point was typified by Reagan’s secret alliance in the 1984 to 1989 time period. In 200 BC at Panium, aligned with Milan’s edict of 313, Trump, a symbol of the false prophet, is allied with the European Union, a symbol of the dragon, and forms an alliance with the papal power, a symbol of the beast.
At 9/11 the alliance that was formed by Reagan in the eighties was still in force. President George W. Bush, a symbol of the false prophet, addressed a joint session of Congress on September 20, 2001 (nine days after the 9/11 attacks). In that speech he said: “Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” He later used similar language when he addressed the UN General Assembly on November 10, 2001, urging nations to join the fight against terrorism. Bush as the false prophet, allied with the papal power, symbol of the beast, went to the United Nations, a symbol of the dragon, and formed a threefold union. 9/11, Nashville and the soon-coming Sunday law all identify a threefold union of the dragon, the beast and false prophet, and in each case, Islam is the justification for the union.
And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. Genesis 16:12.
We will continue these things in the next article.