13 - Images of the End | Allusions, Images, Symbols

In this series, we have seen that the images in Scripture share a central theme. Without knowledge of this theme, they remain incomprehensible. The theme is that life is about our dependence on God or our independence from Him – which leads to death.

Christ came to free us from death and our self-deception. The sanctuary service shows how laborious this work is. We do not recognize our deception because we believe that everything is fine. How can God free someone who thinks they are already free? That is why difficulties help us to recognize our unconscious dependence and false identity. In the final crisis, this will no longer be possible.

In the image of the beast, what it is specifically is less important than its function: it causes people to put a mark on their hand or forehead that symbolizes the identity of the beast (“I am God”). Those who accept this mark become enemies of good. Those who reject it remain free.

We regard Jonah and Nineveh as images of God's efforts and our mission to proclaim the three angels message. The most important sign of the end is that it will come unexpectedly and without return, especially for those who ignore the warnings (Matthew 24). What all this means in detail – more on that in the thirteenth part of our series “Allusions, Images, Symbols.”