I'm not sold on the idea of the image of the beast being technology.
IMO, It is 'pharmakia'/ drugs for sorcery/ hallucinogens that animate the statue (generally translated as 'sorcery' like below)
Rev 18
this is in tandem with the 'deceived' of Rev 13
the shocking thing about the image is that it talks and appears to be alive, in contrast to the repeated motif of idols not talking.
Hab 2:18
“What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols!
Psalm 115
4Their idols are silver and gold, The work of man's hands. 5 They have mouths, but they cannot speak; They have eyes, but they cannot see; 6They have ears, but they cannot hear; They have noses, but they cannot smell;
etc etc
Hallucinogens / 'pharmakia' would explain the 'whisked away rapture' (ketamine gives one an 'out of body experience', a 'rapture, geddit?) and 'interdimensional greys' (meth makes people see shadow people) and allow for the making of the idol to 'come to life' . I have seen these motifs dozens of times in random movies over the years (Ghostbusters has one of the more distinct versions of the idol coming to life, ie the Statue of Liberty fighting the monster) .
IMO, It is 'pharmakia'/ drugs for sorcery/ hallucinogens that animate the statue (generally translated as 'sorcery' like below)
Rev 18
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,
“So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
and will be found no more;
22 and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters,
will be heard in you no more,
and a craftsman of any craft
will be found in you no more,
and the sound of the mill
will be heard in you no more,
23 and the light of a lamp
will shine in you no more,
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
will be heard in you no more,
for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. ( 'pharmakia'/ drugs for sorcery)
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slain on earth.”
“So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
and will be found no more;
22 and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters,
will be heard in you no more,
and a craftsman of any craft
will be found in you no more,
and the sound of the mill
will be heard in you no more,
23 and the light of a lamp
will shine in you no more,
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
will be heard in you no more,
for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. ( 'pharmakia'/ drugs for sorcery)
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slain on earth.”
this is in tandem with the 'deceived' of Rev 13
11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people,
14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
the shocking thing about the image is that it talks and appears to be alive, in contrast to the repeated motif of idols not talking.
Hab 2:18
“What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols!
Psalm 115
4Their idols are silver and gold, The work of man's hands. 5 They have mouths, but they cannot speak; They have eyes, but they cannot see; 6They have ears, but they cannot hear; They have noses, but they cannot smell;
etc etc
Hallucinogens / 'pharmakia' would explain the 'whisked away rapture' (ketamine gives one an 'out of body experience', a 'rapture, geddit?) and 'interdimensional greys' (meth makes people see shadow people) and allow for the making of the idol to 'come to life' . I have seen these motifs dozens of times in random movies over the years (Ghostbusters has one of the more distinct versions of the idol coming to life, ie the Statue of Liberty fighting the monster) .