Be Willing to Die, Never Worship Another God

Revelation 13:11-18 

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.   18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

Another beast from the serpent follows the first one who will mislead many and blaspheme God and all who are His in heaven, but this one looks like a lamb while talking like a dragon.  This one also has temporary authority granted to it so that it can make others bow down to the first blasphemous servant of Satan.  He is able to do signs and wonders to deceive (Matthew 24:24) others into making an idol of the first wounded and healed beast, again keeping people from worshipping God by coming to confession and repentance.  If they do not obey and worship the false god, they are killed by this enforcer of evil.  They are even marked as his or are unable to make a living to survive, forcing a choice of life or death between serving God in heaven through the Lamb, or the evil false idolatrous impersonator.  We know the beast has a number, but nobody knows for certain what this symbolizes or is exactly; the important thing is worship of the one true God and no other, no matter the cost.  We must be willing to die if necessary, but never worship another.