The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 77

March 20, 1900

“The Third Angel’s Message. What Is It, as to the Beast and His Image?” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 77, 12, p. 184.

WHAT is the Beast? What is the Image of the Beast? These two powers are described in the thirteenth chapter of Revelation. But since the thirteenth chapter is but the complement of the twelfth, the twelfth must be considered in connection with the thirteenth, in order to obtain the best view of what is the Beast and what his Image. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.1

At the opening of the twelfth chapter there is seen a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars, who brings forth “a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” That “man child” is Jesus Christ. Psalm 2:9; Revelation 19:15, 16; Luke 24:50, 51; Mark 16:9; Acts 7:55; Hebrews 8:1. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.2

This woman is nothing else than the church of God, in her beauty “fair as the moon,” and “clear as the sun.” And there stood before the woman a great red dragon “to devour her child as soon as it was born.” This dragon, in his own proper person, is declared to be “that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan.” But Satan in this world works through instrumentalities. His instrumentalities are men, and, chiefly, combinations of men in world-powers. What power was it, then, which was Satan’s instrument in his endeavors to destroy Christ as soon as he was born?—Herod. But who was Herod?—He was more than simply a person: he was king of the Jews and of Judea. And yet he was more than that; for he became king only by a decree of the Roman Senate, upon the special advocacy of Octavius Cesar and Mark Anthony. And he could not have been king for a day in Judea, unless he had been supported by the mighty power of Rome. Thus Herod, in his place of power, was only the creature, the representative, of the Roman power. Therefore the Roman power in the world was the instrumentality that Satan used in his endeavors to destroy Christ as soon as he was born. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.3

However, that attempt failed. Yet Satan never rested until he had, so far as possible, and so far as himself and this world were concerned, destroyed the Lord Jesus—until he had crucified him upon the cross, and had buried him out of the world, in a tomb sealed with the Roman seal. And it was by the Roman power that he did all this—through Pilate, the Roman governor. But even in this he failed; because from death and the sealed Roman tomb, the man child “was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.4

Then Satan turned all his endeavors, through his world instrumentality,—the Roman Empire,—against the woman, which is the church, and “persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.” This he did while that Roman power continued. And all the while that that power did continue, it was so identified with Satan, who is pre-eminently the dragon, and so entirely imbued with his spirit, that this power itself is called the dragon. Revelation 12:3, 4. But Rome in that phase, pagan Rome, fell: that power in that form passed away, and it was succeeded by that which, in the book of Revelation, is called “the beast.” ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.5

Accordingly, it is written: “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 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 power, and his seat, and great authority. 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. And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:1-8. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.6

Notice that the dragon gave to this beast, which is “the beast,” his power, and his seat, and great authority. Now it is true that the power of pagan Rome; and the seat of pagan Rome, which was the city of Rome; and the authority of pagan Rome, passed over to this power, which succeeded pagan Rome. And more than this is true: it is true that the dragon pre-eminently is Satan; and in this it is true that Satan gave to the Beast his power, and his seat, and great authority. Another passage in the book of Revelation, referring to Rome, speaks of it as “where Satan’s seat is.” Revelation 2:13. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.7

And thus the power, the seat, and the authority of the Beast, are all received from Satan; even as the Beast received the power, and the seat, and the authority that had belonged to the phase of Rome that had passed away. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.8

And this new phase of Rome, in its world-wide power, Satan still used in his persecution of the woman. “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” Revelation 12:14. And the Beast, the great world instrument of that old serpent that is the devil and Satan, made “war with the saints,” and overcame them, and “power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” And this power was given him to continue forty and two months—“a time, and times, and half a time,” “a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” Revelation 13:7; 12:6, 14. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.9

This period of time began in A.D. 538, and, continuing twelve hundred and sixty years, reached to A.D. 1798. It began in A.D. 538 because in that year was rooted out the last of the three powers that were plucked up by the roots, before the establishment of the papacy, not as a church, but as a world-power; and ended in 1798, when the papacy was led into captivity, by the capture and imprisonment of Pope Pius VI, under order of the French directory. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.10

Then comes in the rise and the description of the Image of the Beast, as it is written: “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. 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. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles 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. 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. 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: 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.” Revelation 13:11-17. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.11

And this power which is here called “the image of the beast,” speaking as a dragon, and using all the power of the first beast, is, in its turn and place, used by Satan, “the great dragon,” still in persecuting the church; as it is written: “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.12

And this brings us definitely to the Third Angel’s Message; because the Image of the Beast compels all to worship the Beast, and to receive his mark. And the Third Angel’s Message warns all against worshiping the Beast and his Image, and against receiving his mark. Satan uses these powers in his wrath against the remnant of the church, which particularly stirs his wrath by keeping the commandments of God, and having the testimony of Jesus Christ. And the Third Angel’s Message, in saving men from the worship of the Beast and his Image, calls them all to the keeping of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This is all done in the time of the remnant of the church, which is the last of the church. And the Third Angel’s Message closes with the coming of the Lord, and the victory over the Beast and his Image by those who have received the Third Angel’s Message. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.13

Now, from the description given in the Word, anyone can see that the Beast is the Papacy; and, in the nature of things, the Image of the Beast is the Image of the Papacy. What, then, in a word, is the Papacy?—It is a union of the church and the state, with the church supreme, and using the power of the state for her despotic and persecuting purposes. And the Beast was formed by the union of the fallen church with the mighty world-power of Rome. In the nature of things, therefore, the Image of the Beast would be another great and notable instance of the fallen church uniting with a mighty world-power, and using that power of the state in the likeness of the Papacy. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.14

Where, then, in the world must the Image of the Beast be found? notice that the Image of the Beast must be “made;” for it was said “to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast.” And the only place where such a thing could be made, would have to be in a nation where, at first, there was no such thing. And since the Beast is the union of church and state, and the Image of the Beast must be “made” in a nation where, to begin with, there was no such thing, it is perfectly plain that the Image of the Beast must arise—must be “made”—in a nation where, to begin with, there was no union of church and state. And this order of things out of which comes the Image of the Beast, was seen “coming up” at the end of the twelve hundred and sixty years, at the time when the Beast was led into “captivity.” ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.15

Where, then, in 1798, could there be found on the earth any nation coming up, in which there was no union of church and state? Indeed, where at any time in the history of the world in the Christian era has there been a nation planted, in which there was no union of church and state?—In the United States, and in this alone, of all places on the earth. In 1789 this nation was fully formed and established, in order, under its Constitution. On March 4, 1797, ended the second administration of the nation’s first president, and occurred the inauguration of its second president. Thus, in 1798, this nation could be seen “coming up” to its place among the powers of the earth, since, by that time, it had become firmly established, and was moving quietly, safely, and steadily forward, in a national career. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.16

And it was without a union of church and state. The total separation of religion and the state was one of the fundamental principles in the establishment of the nation, and was the just pride of the nation before the world. And this was the only nation on the earth at that time, or in all history since the book of Revelation was written, that did so begin, and that had no union of church and state. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.17

Accordingly, this nation is the place, and the only one in the world, where it could be properly be said “to them that dwell on the earth” that they should “make” a union of church and state—“an Image of the Beast.” Consequently, in the United States, in connection with this power as a nation, is the place where the Image of the Beast must be found. This is so certain that in no other nation are the specifications of this scripture met at all, while in this nation they are fully met. For though this can not be further dwelt upon just now, it is the truth, as will abundantly appear, that the Image of the Beast is already nearly, full-formed in this nation. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 184.18

Thus, the twelfth chapter of Revelation is a sketch of the powers used by Satan against the church of God, from the first advent of Christ unto his second. These powers are three: the Dragon, the Beast, and the Image of the Beast. And these three are pagan Rome, papal Rome, and American Rome. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.1

“Studies in Galatians. Galatians 3:21, 22” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 77, 12, p. 185.

“IS the law then against the promises of God? God forbid; for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.1

The law could not possibly be against the promises of God. For when God had given a promise, why should he, and how could he, set up anything against the promise? Why should he desire to weaken or to frustrate his own promise? Therefore his “God forbid” is set against any such suggestion. Instead of the law being against the promises, it is, as we have again and again seen, an aid to men in attaining unto the promises. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.2

The divine reason here given as to why the law is not against the promises is that “if there had been a law given which could have given life,” then “verily righteousness should have been by the law.” And if righteousness had been by the law, there would have been no need of any promises. Indeed there would then have been no place for any promises. For “to him that worketh [obtains righteousness by the law] is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” Romans 4:4. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.3

If righteousness could be obtained by working, it would be possessed in the very act of the work performed. And when possessed, there could not possibly be any room for any promise of it. And if righteousness could be obtained by working, then the reward of righteousness would be earned, and so would be a debt due; and any with holding of it from him who had earned it, and to whom it was so due, would be in justice. Thus again, if righteousness were by the law, there would be no room for any promise; for even to promise to a person that which he had already earned, and which was already due, would be a withholding of the thing earned and due, and so would be injustice. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.4

Therefore upon every consideration, if righteousness could be obtained by the law, then the law would be against the promises of God. And for any one to expect righteousness by the law, he in that very thing does set the law against the promises of God. But against all thought of obtaining righteousness by the law the Lord sets his “God forbid” that the law should be against the promises. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.5

Another reason given why righteousness can not be by the law is that the law can not give life—“if there had been a law given which could have given life,” THEN “VERILY righteousness should have been by the law.” Thus it is certified by the word of God that righteousness and life come from precisely the same source, and in precisely the same way; and that is, as the free gift of God by his creative power as, the Author and Prince of life. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.6

But there is no law that can possibly give life to men; because all men have lost their lives by transgression of the highest law in the universe—the law of God. And since all men have transgressed that highest law in the universe, and so have lost their lives, no law subordinate to that can possibly give them life, And even that highest law itself can not give them life; because, having transgressed it, and so forfeited their lives, they, being sinners and under sentence of death, can not possibly observe it, but can only continue to transgress it. So that for men there is no life in any law. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.7

Now it is true that the law was “ordained to life,” but because of transgression it was “found to be unto death.” Romans 7:10. It is true that it is written: “The man that doeth them shall live in them;” but there is none that doeth them. “There is none righteous, no, not one.” “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable.” Romans 3:10, 12. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.8

But, bless the Lord, “what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,“—weak through the sinfulness of the flesh,—“God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh” did. “What the law could not do,“—it could not do even that to which it was ordained, it could not give life,—“God sending his own Son” did. In the likeness of sinful flesh he “for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:34. “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.9

Therefore “the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” And the only way in which anybody can be concluded “under sin” is by the law of God—the law by which alone “is the knowledge of sin.” And since the Scripture hath thus concluded
all under sin, that—so that, in order that—the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe, it is perfectly plain that instead of the law being against the promises of God, it is the God-given means of men’s attaining to the perfect surety of the promises of God by faith of Jesus Christ, perfectly plain that instead of the law being against the promises of God, it is the God-given means of men’s attaining to the perfect surety of the promises of God by faith of Jesus Christ. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.10

Therefore that law can no more be done away than the promises of God can be done away, and no more than the faith of Jesus Christ can be done away. And any one who would in argument or in thought do away that law, does in argument or in thought do away the promises of God and the faith of Jesus Christ, and so destroys the way of God’s salvation to men. But that can not in truth be destroyed—except in the individual experience of men. And to destroy the way of God’s salvation in individual experience, is to work eternal destruction to the soul. Therefore the claim that the law of God—the ten commandments—is done away is the most stupendous and destructive error that could possibly be entertained by anybody anywhere. ARSH March 20, 1900, page 185.11