Mark of the Beast Monday Symbols | Sharing Christ with Others

Mark of the Beast Monday
Symbols in Prophecy
Revelation 13
The difference between a symbol and a sign is that a symbol can convey a deeper and more complex meaning than a sign. A sign is an indicator or marker for something very specific, very concrete and, in general, unambiguous in meaning. Road markers are called signs because they usually convey something specific - the speed limit, "Stop", or a street name. There is nothing open to interpretation with these signs. On the other hand, a symbol is a form of a sign that may have a deeper meaning. It can be interpreted in different ways since its meaning may not be universally shared by different people. Whether it’s a cross, a dove, or a ring, it can have a complex meaning and nuance that differs from one person to another depending on their experience, culture, or upbringing.
The book of Revelation is full of symbols. And one might ask why cloak bible prophecies in symbols? In Luke 8:10 Jesus said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.”
Many of the apocalyptic prophecies were given while the prophets were in a hostile foreign land. One reason God cloaked the prophecies in symbols was to protect the messages. To properly understand the book of Revelation you must know the proper meaning of each symbol. If you do not appropriately decode the meaning of each symbol, you will be led to an incorrect meaning of what the chapter is talking about.
When you see the word:
*Dragon = Satan or his agency (Isaiah 27:1; 30:6; Psalm 74:13, 14;
Revelation 12:7-9; Ezekiel 29:3; Jeremiah 51:34)
*Beast = Kingdom / Government / Political Power (Daniel 7:17, 23)
*Lamb = Jesus / Sacrifice (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7)
*Lion = Jesus / Powerful king i.e., Babylon (Revelation 5:4-9; Jeremiah 50:43, 44; Daniel 7:4, 17, 23)
*Bear = Destructive power / Medo-Persia (Proverbs 28:15; 2 Kings 2:23, 24; Daniel 7:5)
*Leopard = Greece (Daniel 7:6)
*Serpent = Satan (Revelation 12:9; 20:2)
*Mark = Sign or seal of approval or disapproval (Ezekiel 9:4; Romans 4:11; Revelation 13:17; 14:9-11; 7:2, 3)
*Forehead = Mind (Deuteronomy 6:6-8; Romans 7:25; Ezekiel 3:8, 9)
Revelation thirteen is a chapter of particular importance to our specific time. And if you consider yourself a Christian today you must realize that you are in a hostile and foreign land. But fear not, because God has a message for you in the apocalyptic prophecies found in Revelation. Now that you can accurately decode the symbols found in Revelation thirteen, read it with this new understanding and see what you did not see before. See what God is specifically revealing to you in these symbols of this prophecy.