The Marvel of Nations

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05 A CHAIN OF PROPHECY

LET us now enter upon a more particular examination of the second symbol of Revelation 13, with a view to determining its application with greater certainty. What is said respecting this symbol — the beast with two horns like a lamb — is not an isolated and independent prophecy, but is connected with what precedes; and the symbol itself is but one of a series. It is proper, therefore, to examine briefly the preceding symbols, since if we are able to make a satisfactory application of them, it will guide us in the interpretation of this. MANA 94.1

The line of prophecy of which this forms a part commences with Revelation 12. The book of the Revelation is evidently not merely one consecutive prophecy of events to transpire from the beginning to the close of the gospel dispensation, but is composed of a series of such consecutive prophecies, each line taking up its own class of events, and tracing them through from the days of the prophet to the end of time; and when one line of prophecy is completed, another is introduced into the narrative, which in order of time goes back into the past, perhaps to the beginning, and follows its own series of events down to the end. That such a new series of prophetic events is introduced in Revelation 12, is evident; since in the preceding chapter a line of prophecy comes to its completion in the great day of God’s wrath, the judgment of the dead, and the eternal reward of those that fear God and revere his name. No line of prophecy can go further; and any events to transpire in probation, subsequently mentioned, must of course belong to a new series. MANA 94.2

Commencing, then, with chapter 12, how far does this line of prophecy extend? The first symbol introduced which can be applied to an earthly government, is the great red dragon. The second is the beast of Revelation 13, which, having the body of a leopard, may for brevity’s sake, be called the leopard beast. To this beast the dragon gives his seat, power, and great authority. This beast, then, is connected with the dragon, and belongs to this line of prophecy. The third symbol is the two-horned beast of Revelation 13. This beast exercises certain power in the presence of the leopard beast, and causes the earth and them that dwell therein to worship him. This beast, therefore, is connected with leopard beast, and hence belongs to the same line of prophecy. The conclusion of the prophecy is not reached in chapter 13, and hence this line of events does not end with that chapter, but must be looked for farther on in the record. Going forward into chapter 14, we find a company brought to view who are redeemed from among men (which expression can mean nothing else than translation from among the living at the second coming of Christ); and they sing a song before the throne which none but themselves can learn. In chapter 15, we have a company presented before us who have gotten the victory over the beast, his image, the mark, and the number of his name, the very objects brought to view in the concluding portion of Revelation 13. This company also sing a song, even the song of Moses and the Lamb; and they sing it while standing upon the sea of glass, as stated in verse 2. Turning to chapter 4:6, we learn that this sea of glass is “before the throne.” The conclusion, therefore, follows that those who sing before the throne, in chapter 14, are identical with those who sing on the sea of glass (before the throne), in chapter 15, inasmuch as they stand in the same place, and the song they both sing is the first glad song of actual redemption. But the declarations found in chapter 15 show that the company introduced in the opening of chapter 14 have been in direct conflict with the powers brought to view in the closing verses of chapter 13, and have gained the victory over them. Being thus connected with these powers, they form a part of the same line of prophecy. But here this line of prophecy must end; for this company is spoken of as redeemed, and no line of prophecy, as already noticed can go beyond the eternal state. MANA 95.1

The line of prophecy in which the two-horned beast stands, is, therefore, one which is very clearly defined; it commences with chapter 12, and ends with verse 5 of chapter 14. The student of prophecy finds it one of vast importance; the humble child of God, one of transcendent interest. It begins with the Church, and ends with the Church, — the Church, at first in humility, trial, and distress; at last, in victory, exaltation, and glory. This is the one object which ever appears the same in all the scenes here described, and whose history is the leading theme of the prophecy, from first to last. Trampled under the feet of the three colossal persecuting powers here brought to view, the followers of Christ for long ages bow their heads to the pitiless storm of oppression and persecution; but the end repays them all; for John beholds them at last, the storms all over, their conflicts all ended, waving palm-branches of victory, and striking on harps celestial a song of everlasting triumph within the precincts of the heavenly land. MANA 96.1

Having found the line of prophecy of which the symbol before us forms a part thus definitely located and defined, we now enter upon its examination. The first inquiry is, What power is designated by the great red dragon of Chapter 12? The chapter first speaks of a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. A woman is the symbol of the Church, a lewd woman representing a corrupt or apostate Church, as in Ezekiel 23:2-4, etc., which refers to the Jewish Church in a state of backsliding, and in Revelation 17:3-6, 15, 18, which refers to the apostate Romish Church; and a virtuous woman representing the true Church, as in the verse under consideration. At what period in her history could the Church of Christ be properly represented as here described? Ans. At the opening of the gospel dispensation, and at no other time; for then the glory of this dispensation, like the light of the sun, had just risen upon her; the former or Mosaic dispensation, which like the moon, shone with a borrowed light, had just passed, and lay beneath her feet; and twelve inspired apostles, like a crown of twelve stars, graced the first organization of the gospel Church. To this period these representations can apply, but to no other. The prophet antedates this period a little by referring to the time when the Church, with long expectation, was awaiting the advent into this world of the glorious Redeemer, and represents the new dispensation as already opened, and the Christian Church organized as this was the condition in which Christ was to leave it at the conclusion of his brief earthly ministry. MANA 97.1

A man child, here represented as the offspring of this woman, appears upon the scene. Verse 5. This child was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and was caught up to God and his throne. These declarations are true of our Lord Jesus Christ, but of no one else. See Psalm 2:7-9; Ephesians 1:20, 21; Hebrews 8:1; Revelation 3:21. There is therefore no mistaking the time when, nor the place where, the opening of this prophecy is located. We mention these facts for the purpose of identifying the power symbolized by the dragon, which is the point we are seeking to ascertain; for the dragon stood before the woman to devour her child as soon as it should be born. Who attempted the destruction of our Lord when he appeared as a babe in Bethlehem? — Herod. And who was Herod? — A Roman governor. Rome, which then ruled over all the earth (Luke 2:1), was the responsible party in this transaction. Rome was the only power which at this time could be symbolized in prophecy, as its dominion was universal. It is not without good reason, therefore, that Pagan Rome is considered among Protestant commentators to be the power indicated by the great red dragon. And it may be a fact worth mentioning that during the second, third, fourth, and fifth centuries of the Christian era, next to the eagle, the dragon was the principal standard of the Rome legions; and that dragon was painted red. MANA 98.1

There is but one objection we need pause to answer before passing to the next symbol. Is not the dragon plainly called the Devil and Satan, in verse 9? How, then can the term “dragon” be applied to Pagan Rome? That it is primarily applied to the Devil, there seems to be no doubt; but that it should be applied also to some of his chief agents, would seem to be appropriate and unobjectionable. Now Rome, being at this time pagan, and the supreme empire of the world, was the great and sole agent in the hands of the Devil for carrying out his purposes, so far as they pertained to national affairs. Hence the use of that symbol to designate, and the application of that term to describe, the Roman Power. MANA 98.2

Having identified the power symbolized by the dragon, it is not necessary here to enter into other particulars concerning it, the object being to hasten on to the second symbol of chapter 13. We therefore, pass on to an examination of the next symbol, which is the leopard beast of the first part of chapter 13. To this beast the dragon gives his seat, his power, and great authority. Verse 2. It would be sufficient on this point simply to show to what power the dragon, Pagan Rome, transferred its seat and gave its power. The seat of any government is certainly it capital city. The city of Rome was the dragon’s seat. But in A.D. 330 Constantine transferred the seat of empire from Rome to Constantinople; and Rome was given up — to what? to decay, desolation, and ruin? — No; but to a power which would render it far more celebrated than it had ever before been, not as the seat of pagan emperors, but as the city of St. Peter’s pretended successors, the seat of a spiritual kingdom which was not only to become more powerful than any secular government, but which, through the magic of its fatal sorcery, was to exercise dominion over the kings of the earth. Thus was Rome — the seat of the dragon — given to the papacy by the transfer of the throne of the emperors to Constantinople by Constantine in A.D. 330; and the decree of Justinian, issued in 533, and carried into effect in 538, constituting the pope the head of all the churches and the corrector of heretics, was the investing of the papacy with that power and authority which the prophet foresaw. See Croly on the Apocalypse, pp. 114,115. MANA 99.1

It is very evident, therefore, that this leopard beast is a symbol of the papacy. But there are other considerations which prove this. This beast has the body of a leopard, the mouth of a lion, and the feet of a bear. In Daniel’s vision of chapter 7, he was shown a lion, bear, and leopard; and the fact that this beast has the features of each of these, shows it to be some power which succeeded the kingdoms symbolized by those three beast of Daniel’s prophecy, and one which retained some of the characteristics of them all; and that was Rome. But this is not the first, or pagan form of the Roman government; for that is represented by the dragon; and this is the form which next succeeded that, which was the papal. MANA 100.1

But what most clearly shows that this beast represents the papacy, is its identity with the little horn of the fourth beast of Daniel 7, which all Protestants agree in applying to the papal power. MANA 100.2

1. Their Chronology. (1) After the great and terrible beast of Daniel 7, which represents Rome in its first, or pagan form, is fully developed, even to the existence of the ten horns, or the division of the Rome empire into ten parts, the little horn arises. Verse 24. (2) This leopard beast likewise succeeds the dragon, which also represents Rome in its pagan form. These powers — the little horn and the leopard beast — appear, therefore, upon the stage of action at the same time; i.e., next after the decadal division of the Roman empire, as shown by the ten horns of Daniel’s fourth beast, and after the same division into ten parts, as symbolized by the ten horns of the dragon. MANA 100.3

2. Their Location. (1) The little horn plucked up three horns to make way for itself. The last of these, the Gothic horn, was plucked up when the Goths were driven from Rome in 538, and the city was left in the hands of the little horn, which has ever since held it as the seat of its power. (2) To the leopard beast, also, the dragon gave its seat, the city of Rome. They therefore occupy the same location. MANA 101.1

3. Their Character. (1) The little horn is a blasphemous power; for it speaks great words against the Most High. Daniel 7:25. (2) The leopard beast is also a blasphemous power; for it bears upon its head the name of blasphemy; it has a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and he opens his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. Revelation 13:1, 5, 6. Therefore, they both maintain exactly the same character. MANA 101.2

4. Their Work. (1) The little horn, by a long and heartless course of oppression against the saints of the Most High, wears them out; and they are given into his hand. Daniel 7:25. He makes war against them, and prevails. Verse 21. (2) The leopard beast also makes war upon the saints, and overcomes them. Revelation 13:7. This shows that they do the same work, and against the same class of people. MANA 101.3

5. The Time of Their Continuance. (1) Power was given to the little horn to continue a “time and times and the dividing of time.” Daniel 7:25. A time in Scripture phraseology is one year. Daniel 4:25. (The “seven times” of Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation, Josephus informs us, were seven years.) Times, that is two times, the least that can be expressed by the plural, would be two years more; and the dividing of time, or half a time, half a year more, making in all three and a half years. (2) To the leopard beast, power was also given to continue forty-two months. There being twelve months to the year, this period gives us again just three and a half years. And this being prophetic time, a day for a year (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6), and there being, according to Scripture reckoning, thirty days to a month, or three hundred and sixty days to the ordinary Bible year (Genesis 7:11, 24; 8:4), we have in each case twelve hundred and sixty years for the continuance of the little horn and the leopard beast. Thus we see that they continue the same length of time. MANA 101.4

6. Their Overthrow. (1) At the end of the “time, times, and a half,” the dominion of the little horn was to be taken away. Daniel 7:26. (2) At the end of the forty-two months, the same length of time, the leopard beast was also to be slain, politically, with the sword, and go into captivity. Revelation 13:3, 10. MANA 102.1

These are points which prove not merely similarity, but identity. For whenever two symbols, as in this instance, represent powers that, — MANA 102.2

1. Come upon the stage of action at the same time,
2. Occupy the same territory,
3. Maintain the same character, 4. Do the same work,
5. Continue the same length of time, and
6. Meet the same fate,

These two symbols must represent one and the same power. MANA 103.1

And in all these particulars there is, as we have seen, the most exact coincidence between the little horn of the fourth beast of Daniel 7 and the leopard beast of Revelation 13; and all are fulfilled by one power; and that is the papacy. For, 1. The papacy succeeded to the pagan form of the Roman empire; 2. It has, ever since it was first established, occupied the seat of the dragon, the city of Rome, building for itself such a sanctuary — St. Peter’s — as the world nowhere else beholds; 3. It is a blasphemous power, speaking the most presumptuous words it is possible for mortal lips to utter against the Most High; 4. It has worn out the saints, the “Religious Encyclopedia” estimating that the lives of fifty millions of Christians have been quenched in blood by its merciless implements of torture; 5. It has continued a “time, times, and a half,” or “forty-two months,” or twelve hundred and sixty years. Commencing in 538, when the decree of Justinian in behalf of papal supremacy was first made effectual by the overthrow of the Goths, the papacy enjoyed a period of uninterrupted supremacy for just twelve hundred and sixty years, to 1798; and 6. Then its power was temporarily overthrown, and its influence permanently crippled, when the French, under Berthier, entered Rome in triumph, and the pope was taken prisoner, and died in exile. MANA 103.2

Can any one doubt that the papacy is the power in question, and that the interpretation of this symbol brings us down within eighty-seven years of our own time? We regard the exposition of the prophecy thus far as clear beyond the possibility of refutation; and if this is so, our future field of inquiry lies within a very narrow compass, as we shall presently see. MANA 103.3