Soviet Union as one of the heads of the beast?

Organist · Senior Member

Soviet Union as one of the heads of the beast?

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

So the wound was like the falling of the Berlin Wall sort of? hmm... this could get interesting...

mirkwood · Senior Bucketkeeper

I think that is accurate.

beefche · Profuse Pontificator

Where do you think the European Union fits into prophecies? Or do you think it is just a little thing that will go away?

mirkwood · Senior Bucketkeeper

Go here: http://www.redhotlogo.com/freedomfiles.htm

and read The Great and Abominable Church by H. Verlan Anderson.

arbilad · Head Chef

There are those who say that the Soviet Onion never really went away, that it just saw the writing on the wall and decided to go dormant while it fixed some problems.

mirkwood · Senior Bucketkeeper

I believe that.

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

Whoa. Now seriously. That would be some AMAZING planning... across generations, too.

arbilad · Head Chef

It actually wouldn't be hard - the leaders of Russia since the end of the Soviet Union have pretty much been people who had important roles before the breakup of the Soviet Union. It's been the same people in charge, just slightly relaxed policies.

Pt314 · Senior Member

I took 2 institute classes that I found interesting (2nd half of the NT in the perspective of the book of Revealations, and the Book of Revealations). If you look at the other verses in that chapter it is even more creepy.

From the LDS website resources
1 ^aAnd I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the ^bsea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his ^apower, and his seat, and great authority.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the ^abeast: and they ^bworshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

5 And there was given unto him a ^amouth speaking great things and ^bblasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his ^aname, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and ^apower was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the ^abook of life of the ^bLamb slain from the ^cfoundation of the world.

9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that ^akilleth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the ^bpatience and the faith of the ^csaints.

11 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.

12 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.

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And ^adeceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those ^bmiracles 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.

15 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.

16 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:

17 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.

18 Here is ^awisdom. 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.

This chapter describes the political powers in the last days.

Symbolically 7 means completeness (days in a week, periods of creation), and 10 means a full measure (10 fingers to count with.) The beast with 7 heads and 10 crowns represents how the devil is perfectly evil, over all forms of sin.

42 Months is 3 1/2 years. 3 1/2 is half of 7 and represents a work that is not yet complete. The term 1260 days is used through out the book as well. The prophets in Israel are described to be left in the streets for 3 1/2 days before resurrected. Revelations is full of symbolism, and numbers at the time were powerful symbols.

Reading verse 2 I find it interesting that today powerful countrys are often likened to wild beasts. For example Russia is often described as a bear. The verse also makes clear that these nations on the earth have recieved dominion from the dragon(the devil).

Verse 4 is also interesting, in that it says "Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?". What kind of things have we been hearing recently with this war of Russia and Georgia?

Verse 11 references the false prophet that has authority from the dragon, and the beast. This trio is mentioned several times.

Verse 13 seems to imply modern weaponry, possibly nuclear.

Verses 14-15 sounds like the worship of television and other media to me. And its use for propoganda.

These verses also remind me of how President Kimball said something like we are an idolitrous people because we worship or tanks, weapons, and other things made by our hands, and expect them to protect us.

Verses 16-18 have had a lot of speculation about them. It probably has something to do with goverment control of the economy. To me it also brings to mind an economy built on debt. As to the number 666, nobody knows, but the best explanation I have heard is that it represents the counterfeit godhead of the dragon, beast, and false prophet mentioned in Revealations. 3 represents godhead and divinity, and 6 (when treated as 7-1 and not 3x2) represents incompleteness, or in this case something counterfeit. It may also be connected to the other time in the bible this number is used, when descibing the amount of gold King Solomon had. In any case I'm pretty sure it represents worship of worldly things.

-- Edited by Pt314 at 10:08, 2008-08-20

-- Edited by Pt314 at 09:38, 2008-08-21

Pt314 · Senior Member

I get carried away sometimes.

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

Excellent, pt!

Where's the King Solomon gold reference?

Pt314 · Senior Member

I believe that in 2nd Kings, when it is enumerating the tribute that King Solomon is getting that there is mention of 666 talents of gold. Which is a whole lot. I don't have it off of the top of my head the chapter and verse.

Organist · Senior Member

42 months are also the length of time of Elijah's famine, so may also represent apostacy or lack of revelation.

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

I was wondering about that "lack of revelation" thing.

How would we exactly know? I mean, would we still have General Conference? Would we be without electricity or something and that would put GC on hold for a time...? Or would we just be receiving your basic "good counsel" and nothing that's new "revelation"? (Gosh, maybe we're in it now!

)

arbilad · Head Chef

We could very realistically be going to war with Russia soon. Not in some tin foil hat, that'll never happen sort of scenario. Russia has baldly stated that if Poland allows US missiles in their country that Russia will use military force against them. Poland has agreed to US missiles in their country.
Poland is a part of NATO. We are bound by treaty to come to the defense of NATO countries. If Russia attacks Poland, as they have said they will do, we will have to send troops over to fight Russian troops.
I don't think that Russia's threat is empty, either. Look what they did to Georgia. They've also hinted that they might attack Ukraine. I should probably see what I can do about getting my wife over there to visit her mom before things blow up, because she might not have a chance later.

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

More like maybe you should see about having her mom come HERE for a visit.

arbilad · Head Chef

Considering that her mom is in the hospital right now, and that her wounds from a hip replacement surgery several months ago still haven't healed, it's unlikely that she's well enough to travel.
That and it's hard for someone from Ukraine to get a tourist visa, especially when her only daughter lives over here and it's hard for her to prove that she wouldn't overstay her visa.
It'd be nice if she could come over and stay in a hotel (I'm callous, I know, but I don't want my mother in law living in the same house as me), but I don't see it happening in the near future.