The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

IX. Bacon-Second Beast (of Revelation 13) Has Protestant Connotations

Early in 1799, JOHN BACON, ³⁹ Congregational clergyman, judge in the Court of Common Pleas, for years a member of the Massachusetts legislature, and later a member of the National House of Representatives, wrote Conjectures on the Prophecies, which contains certain suggestions that are noteworthy. Trained for the Presbyterian ministry at the College of New Jersey, and acquainted with theological lore and the range of prophetic interpretation of the day, Bacon opens by stating that it is “generally agreed” among Protestant expositors that the Roman Empire appears in the depiction of the latter part of Daniel 11; that the “king of the south” of verse 40 is commonly “supposed” to represent the Saracens, and the “king of the north” (verses 44, 45), the Turk. However, Bacon is intrigued by the trio of numbers in Daniel 12-the 1260, 1290, and 1335 “prophetic days,” fulfilled in years, “each day for a year.” ⁴⁰ To the solution of these three numbers he addresses himself. PFF4 72.2

These periods are to be filled with abounding wickedness, he says, and a time of grave trouble will result. When the Turk “shall go forth with great fury” to destroy, and shall plant his camp in the glorious holy mountain, then Michael will stand up. But when is all this to be? Bacon believes all three periods begin together when the Church of Rome became the Beast, or Man of Sin. Some, he says, suppose this to be from 606, when the Bishop of Rome assumed the title of “Universal Pastor,” and when Mohammed also began his period of influence. PFF4 72.3

On the basis of such a calculation the 1260 years would end in 1866 with the abolition of all “popish establishments,” and perhaps of all ecclesiastical establishments and their supporting governments. On this scheme the 1290 year-days would close thirty years later, with a similar end of Turkey and “all Mohammedan establishments.” The end of the 1335 years would lead to the fulfilling of the judgments of God and the beginning of the millennium, about 1941. Three and one-half days, or years, prior to the destruction of the power of the Beast, the slaying of the Two Witnesses-the worldwide suppression of religious freedom and human rights—will occur, at the end of which the small number of “faithful advocates for truth in Church and State” will awake and tyranny be put down. Thus Great Babylon will be cast down with violence. ⁴¹ Bacon was ever the champion of civil and religious liberty, even believing it to come within the scope of prophetic depiction in Revelation 13. PFF4 73.1

The fifth vial is poured out on the “seat” of the papal Beast, he believes, and the sixth on the Ottoman Empire. It is therefore reasonable, adds Bacon, to suppose that the terrific scenes of the French Revolution are involved under the fifth vial, since the pope has been driven from Rome (in 1798), and Italy revolutionized. Following the pouring of the fifth and sixth vials, the forces of Armageddon are gathered by the three unclean frogs—the dregs of popery, civil despotism, the remaining Mohammedans. Although the wickedness of man and the judgments of God will abound, the forty-five-year period will close with the bright shining of the “Latter Day Glory.” So there is a blessing upon those who come to the end of the 1335 years. Bacon speculates on the number “666” as A.D. 666, and by calculating the various periods from it, curiously arrives at the abolition of the “Popish establishments” in 1926j of Mohammedanism in 1956, and Armageddon and the millennium in the year 2001—the sabbatical millennium of ancient tradition. The possible identification of 666 with the name of the Beast he considers would be a corroborating factor. ⁴² PFF4 73.2

The time of the “cleansing of the sanctuary,” at the close of the 2300 years of Daniel 8:14, likewise fascinates Bacon. He is inclined to date the period from the time when Alexander invaded Asia, in 334 B.C., to A.D. 1966, ten years after the destruction of the Mohammedan power and the consequent return of the Jews to their homeland. The cleansing he understands as the conversion of the Jews. France he likens to a “scourge” used of God, and her actions attest the same predictive power of prophecy. The head of the Beast, he holds, has just been wounded by the sword. ⁴³ PFF4 74.1

Bacon is at a loss to determine the exact meaning of the two-horned beast of Revelation 13, but suggests: PFF4 74.2

“May this prophetic vision refer more particularly to the Clergy in general who will be on the stage some time after the deadly wound is given to the head of the former Beast, and who, unmindful of the pure doctrines and meek example of the Prince of Peace, will be so corrupt as to imitate the conduct of the former Beast,—act upon [the] same principles which he has always acted upon, and be influenced by the same spirit which he is influenced by? so that the former will still live in this second Beast, or, in the Image which he causeth to be made to the first? With the ‘Horns of a lamb,’ do not some of them who call themselves Protestants, already begin to ‘speak as the Dragon?’—to court his favor?—to sympathize with the former Beast?—to palliate his crimes?—to pronounce his altars which have been lately overthrown, to be no other than ‘the Altars of God,’—to advocate with vehemence, the cause of civil despotism, and to thunder out anathemas against all who oppose it? Be this as it may, we may rest assured, that, even in times of the greatest corruption, a goodly number will stand on Mount Sion who will not be defiled with the ‘Mother of Harlots; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men:—And in their mouth there was found no guile.’ ⁴⁴ PFF4 74.3

In any event, he is fully satisfied that the second beast “refers to some subject other than the pope and Church of Rome.” ⁴⁵ PFF4 75.1

In 1803 Bacon adds footnotes adapting his interpretation to later events. He hints at Napoleon in his identification of the second beast. The “two horns like a lamb” are, Bacon thinks, the “mild and benevolent principles of civil and religious liberty, which constitute the equal rights of men.” But this ruler finally conducts himself as a despot, having dethroned the first Beast and assumed his power. But he “exerciseth all the powers of the former Popes,” “in the presence of the Pope which now is,” who is only an image of the first Beast. ⁴⁶ This second beast, Bacon feels, is probably not only one particular man but a succession of men-all who follow the same principles; similarly the image includes not only the one presiding at Rome but also many little images of similar nature in all parts of the Christian world. PFF4 75.2

Bacon senses the inadequacy of his attempt to explain a “particular part of the scared sacred] prophecies, and to shew the connexion of certain events that have long been foretold, with such as are now taking place at the present day.” ⁴⁷ He closes by urging someone better equipped to pursue the subject further, “with greater advantage to the cause of pure religion, and the equal rights of men” These were the convictions of this esteemed Massachusetts jurist and legislator at the turn of the century. PFF4 75.3

Picture 2: APOCALYPTIC SYMBOLS ON PLAQUE AND PLATTER
(Upper) plaque in field museum, Chicago, showing emperor constantine clasping hands with a woman, symbolizing the church-Emblem of union of church and state; (lower) various media were employed to portray the prophetic symbols in reformation times. This portraiture of the apostate woman-church, by martial couteys, sixteenth-century french painter and enameler, appeared on an enameled copper platter
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