“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.”
The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed - the image of the beast represents the cult of the state, a demand for absolute loyalty expressed through worship and the suppression of dissent. Refusal to worship means refusal to live under the beast's system.
Church Fathers on Revelation 13:15
“And he shall make fire come down from heaven in the sight of men.” Yes (as I also have said), in the sight of men. Magicians do these things, by the aid of the apostate angels, even to this day. He shall cause also that a golden image of Antichrist shall be placed in the temple at Jerusalem, and that the apostate angel should enter, and thence utter voices and oracles. Moreover, he himself shall contrive that his servants and children should receive as a mark on their…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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