One of the letters in Revelation was written to the church in Pergamos/Pergamum. This Emperor worship had to do with, just as it implies, literally worshiping the Emperor, worshiping the Caesar, bowing down, giving homage to him, and recognizing him not just as an earthly king, not just as an earthly ruler, but giving this ruler an understanding of, the position of, deity! Obviously, he was not divine, but that was what the Caesars wanted the people to believe. The Caesars wanted to be considered a deity. There was a priesthood that was associated with this. There was a system of worship, and so on. That was the condition of the time that John wrote this.

But let’s notice verse 15. “He [the earth beast] was granted power to give breath to the image of the [sea] beast, that the image of the [sea] beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the [sea] beast to be killed.”

Several writers suggested and even cited examples where it was the practice of many pagans and heathen priests, and so on, to actually employ ventriloquism whereby they could “throw” their voice to make an image or someone else appear to be speaking. Perhaps, that’s what John has in mind here.

Were there some Christian martyrs in the time that John wrote this? Oh, my, yes! And they would continue to die. Why? Because Christians could not, would not bow down, would not proclaim the earthly ruler as being divine, thus, displacing Christ as their Lord with this earthly ruler.

Let me read this imaginary anecdote. This is from W. B. West’s book, titled Revelation Through First Century Glasses. Let me just read this brief section here, because I think it’s enlightening:

While in the Roman world, we turn to the city of Pergamum [also, Pergamos] where “Satan’s throne” was, where men erected the imperial temple skyward, and where men and women, the hundreds of who lived in Pergamum, were worshiping the Roman Emperor.

It’s the Lord’s Day evening. The sun has set across the western hills of Asia Minor. Members of the church slowly make their way after dark, because it is against the law to assemble for worship, making their way to a certain building. Maybe it is better to say they met in different homes. We are present on a Sunday night.

We see two mothers who meet each other upstairs. One falls into the arms of the other and says, “Mary, do you know what happened in our family this week?”

Mary will say, “No. I’d like to know if you would like for me to know.”

She will say, “Well, my husband was thrown to the lions because he refused to worship Domician as Lord and God.”

[And then this story goes on.]

A father meets another father and says to him, “John, do you know what occurred in our household this week?”

John says, “No. I’d like to know if you want me to know.”

And he says, “Our oldest son was burned at the stake because he refused to worship Domician as Lord and God.”

[And then, just a little final sentence by Brother West:]

“Those things happened.”

That was the circumstance, that was the condition, in this day. And so, it may very well be that that is what the Holy Spirit has in view as he guides John, as he sees this vision, as he writes this epistle.

Moreover, there is an extended sense, as well, just as there was with the first beast [the sea beast]—an extended sense to apply to ALL false religions. And we know...we know that false religions have abounded throughout the ages. In the 2000 years since the church was established, we know that false religions have grown uncontrollably. They continue to grow, even to this day. And there are so many who follow that beast.