The Marvel of Nations

07 WHEN MUST THE GOVERNMENT INDICATED BY THIS SYMBOL ARISE?

HAVING become satisfied where the power symbolized by the two-horned beast must be located, we now inquire respecting the time when we may look for its development. At what period in this world’s history is the rise of this power placed in the prophecy? On this point, as on the preceding, the foundation for the conclusions at which we must arrive is already laid in the facts elicited in reference to the preceding, or leopard beast. It was at the time when this beast went into captivity, or was killed (politically) with the sword (verse 10), or (which we suppose to be the same thing) had one of its heads wounded to death (verse 3), that John saw the two-horned beast coming up. If the leopard beast, as we have conclusively proved, signifies the papacy, and the going into captivity met its fulfillment in the temporary overthrow of the popedom by the French in 1798, then we have the epoch definitely specified when we are to look for the rising of this power. The expression, “coming up,” must signify that the power to which it applies was but newly organized, and was then just rising into prominence and influence. The power represented by this symbol must, then, be some power which in 1798 stood in this position before the world. MANA 114.1

That the leopard beast is a symbol of the papacy there can be no question; but some may want more evidence that the wounding of one of its heads, or its going into captivity, was the overthrow of the papacy in 1798. This can easily be given. A nation being represented by a wild beast, the government of that nation, that by which it is controlled, must as a very clear matter of course, be considered as answering to the head of the beast. The seven heads of this beast would therefore denote seven different governments; but all the heads pertain to one beast, and hence all these seven different forms of government pertain to one empire. But only one form of the government can exist in a nation at one time; hence the seven heads must denote seven forms of government to appear, not simultaneously, but successively. But these heads pertain alike to the dragon and the leopard beast, from which this one conclusion only can be drawn; namely, that Rome, during its whole history, embracing both its pagan and papal phases, would change its government six times, presenting to the world seven forms in all. And the historian records just that number as pertaining to Rome. Rome was ruled first by Kings; secondly, by Consuls; thirdly, by Decemvirs; fourthly, by Dictators; fifthly, by Triumvirs; sixthly, by Emperors; and seventhly, by Popes. See “American Encyclopedia.” MANA 114.2

John saw one of these heads wounded as it were to death. Which one? — Can we tell? Let it be noticed, first, that it is one of the heads of the beast which is wounded to death, and not one of the heads of the dragon; that is, it is some form of government which existed in Rome after the change of symbols from the dragon to the leopard beast. We then inquire, How many of the different forms of Roman government belonged absolutely to the dragon, or existed in Rome while it maintained its dragonic, or pagan form? These same seven heads are again presented to John in Revelation 17; and the angel there explains that they are seven kings, or forms of government (verse 10); and he informs John that five are fallen, and one is; that is, five of these forms of government were already past in John’s day, and he was living under the sixth. Under what form did John live? — The imperial, it being the cruel decree of the emperor Domitian which banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where this vision was given. Kings, Consuls, Decemvirs, Dictators, and Triumvirs were all in the past in John’s day. Emperors were then ruling the Roman world; and the empire was still pagan. Six of these heads, therefore, — Kings, Consuls, Decemvirs, Dictators, and Triumvirs, and Emperors, — belonged to the dragon; for they all existed while Rome was pagan; and it was no one of these that was wounded to death; for had it been, John would have said, I saw one of the heads of the dragon wounded to death. The wound was inflicted after the empire had so changed in respect to its religion that is became necessary to represent it by the leopard beast. But the beast had only seven heads, and if six of them pertain to the dragon, only one remained to have an existence after this change in the empire took place. After the Emperors, the sixth and last had that existed in Rome in its dragonic form, came the Popes, the only head that existed after the empire had nominally become Christian. The “Exarch of Ravenna” existed so “short a space” (Revelation 17:10) that it has no place in the general enumeration of the heads of this power. MANA 115.1

From these considerations it is evident that the head which received the mortal wound was none other than the papal head. This conclusion cannot be shaken. We have now only to inquire when the papal head was wounded to death. It could not certainly be till after the papacy had reached that degree of development that caused it to be mentioned on the prophetic page. But after it was once established, the prophecy marked out for it an uninterrupted rule of 1260 years, which dating from its rise in 538, would extend to 1798. And right there the papacy was, for the time being, overthrown. General Berthier, by order of the French Directory, moved against the dominions of the pope in January, 1798. February 10, he effected an entrance into the self-styled “Eternal City,” and on the 15th of the same month proclaimed the establishment of the Roman Republic. The pope, after this deprivation of his authority, was conveyed to France as a prisoner, and died at Valence, Aug. 29, 1799. MANA 117.1

This would have been the end of the papacy had this overthrow been made permanent. The wound would have proved fatal had it not been healed. But, though the wound was healed, the scar (to extend the figure a little) has ever since remained. A new pope was elected in 1800, and the papacy was restored, but only to a partial possession of its former privileges. MANA 117.2

Rev. Geo. Croly, A.M., speaking upon this point, says:— MANA 117.3

“The extinction of torture and secrecy is the virtual extinction of the tribunal. The power of the pope, as a systematic persecutor, has thus been annulled by the events growing out of the Republican era of 1793.” Croly on the Apocalypse, p. 257. MANA 117.4

Let the reader look carefully at this event. It furnishes a complete fulfillment of the prophecy; and it is the only event in all Roman history which does this; for, though the first six heads were each in turn exterminated, or gave place to a succeeding head, of no one of them could it be said that it received a deadly wound, which was afterward healed. And as this overthrow of the papacy by the French military must be the wounding of the head mentioned in Revelation 13:3. so, likewise, must it be the going into captivity and the killing with the sword mentioned in verse 10; for it is an event of the right nature to fulfill the prophecy, and one which occurred at the right time; namely, at the end of the time, times, and a half, the forty-two months, or the 1260 years; and no other event can be found answering to the record in these respects. We are not left, therefore, with any discretionary power in the application of this prophecy; for God, by his providence, has marked the era of its accomplishment in as plain a manner as though he had proclaimed with an audible voice, “Behold here the accomplishment of my prophetic word!” MANA 118.1

Thus clearly is the exact time when we are to look for the rise of the two-horned beast indicated in the prophecy; for John, as soon as he beholds the captivity of the first or leopard beast, says, “And I beheld another beast coming up.” And his use of the present participle, “coming” up, clearly connects this view with the preceding verse, and shows it to be an event transpiring simultaneously with the going into captivity of the previous beast. If he had said, “And I had seen another beast coming up,” it would prove that when he saw it, it was coming up, but that the time when he beheld it was indefinitely in the past. If he had said, “And I beheld another beast which had come up,” it would prove that although his attention was called to it at the time when the fist beast went into captivity, yet its rise was still indefinitely in the past. But when he says, “I beheld another beast coming up,” it proves that when he turned his eyes from the captivity of the first beast, he saw another power just then in the process of rapid development among the nations of the earth. So, then, about the year 1798, the star of that power which is symbolized by the two-horned beast must be seen rising over the horizon of the nations, and claiming its place in the political heavens. In view of these considerations, it is useless to speak of this power as having arisen ages in the past. To attempt such an application is to show one’s self utterly reckless in regard to the plainest statements of inspiration. MANA 118.2

Again, the work of the two-horned beast is plainly located, by verse 12, this side the captivity of the first beast. It is there stated, in direct terms, that the two-horned beast caused “the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” But worship could not be rendered to a beast whose deadly wound was healed, till after that healing was accomplished. This brings the worship which this two-horned beast enforces unmistakably within the present century. MANA 119.1

Says Eld. J. Litch (Restitution, p. 131):— MANA 119.2

“The two-horned beast is represented as a power existing and performing his part after the death and revival of the first beast.” MANA 120.1

Mr. Wesley, in his notes on Revelation 14, written in 1754, says of the Two-horned beast:— MANA 120.2

“He has not yet come, though he cannot be far off; for he is to appear at the end of the forty-two months of the first beast.” MANA 120.3

We find three additional declarations in the book of Revelation which prove, in a general sense, that the two-horned beast performs his work with that generation of men who are to behold the closing up of all earthly scenes, and the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; and these will complete the argument on this point. MANA 120.4

1. The first is the message of the third angel, brought to view in the 14th of Revelation. It is not our purpose to enter into an exposition of the three messages of that chapter. We call the attention of the reader to only one fact, which must be apparent to all; and that is, that the third of these messages is the last warning of danger and the last offer of mercy before the close of human probation; for the event which immediately follows is the appearance of one like the Son of man, on a white cloud, coming to reap the harvest the earth (verse 14), which can represent nothing else by the second advent of the Lord from heaven. Whatever views, therefore, a person may take of the first and second messages, and at whatever time he may apply them, it is very certain that the third and last one covers the closing hours of time, and reaches down to the second coming of Christ. And what is the burden of this message? It is a denunciation of the unmingled wrath of God against those who worship the beast and his image. But this worship of the beast and his image is the very practice which the two-horned beast endeavors to enforce upon the people. The third message, then, is a warning against the work of the two-horned beast. And as there would be no propriety in supposing this warning to be given after that work was performed, since it could appropriately be given only when the two-horned beast was about to enforce that worship, and while he was endeavoring to enforce it, and since the second coming of Christ immediately succeeds the proclamation of this message, it follows that the decree enforced by the two-horned beast, constitute the last test to be brought to bear upon the world; and hence the two-horned beast performs his work, not ages in the past, but among the last generation of men. MANA 120.5

2. The second passage showing that the work of the two-horned beast is performed just before the close of time, is found in Revelation 15:2, which we have shown to refer to the same company spoken of in chapter 14:1-5. Here is a company who have gained the victory over the beast and his image, and the mark and the number of his name; in other words, they have been in direct conflict with the two-horned beast, which endeavors to enforce the worship of the beast and the reception of his mark. And these are “redeemed from among men” (14:4), or are translated from among the living at the second coming of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. This again, shows conclusively that it is the last generation which witnesses the work of this power. MANA 121.1

3. The third passage is Revelation 19:20, which speaks of the two-horned beast under the title of the false prophet, and mentions a point not given in Revelation 13; namely, the doom he is to meet. In the battle of the great day, which takes place in connection with the second coming of Christ (verse 11-19), the false prophet, or two-horned beast, is cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone; and the word “alive” signifies that this power will be at that time a living power, performing its part in all its strength and vigor. This power is not to pass off the stage of action and be succeeded by another, but is to be a ruling power till destroyed by the King of kings and Lord of lords when he comes to dash the nations in pieces with a rod of iron. Psalm 2:9. MANA 121.2

The sum of the argument, then, on this matter of chronology, is this: That the two-horned beast does not come into the field of this vision previous to the year 1798; that it performs its work while the last generation of men is living on the earth; and that it comes up to the battle of the great day a living power in the full vigor of its strength. MANA 122.1

As it was shown in the argument on the location of the two-horned beast that we are limited in our application to the Western Continent, so we are limited still further by its chronology; for it must not only be some power which arises this side of the Atlantic, but one which is seen coming up here at a particular times. Taking our stand, then, in the year 1798, the time indicated in the prophecy, we invited the careful attention of the reader to this question: What independent power in either North or South America was at that time “coming up” in a manner to answer to the conditions of the prophecy? All that part of North America lying to the north of us was under the dominion of Russia and Great Britain. Mexico, to the southwest, was a Spanish colony. Passing to South America, Brazil belonged to Portugal; and most of other South American States were under Spanish control. In short, there was not then a single civilized, independent government in the New World, except our own United States. This nation, therefore, must be the one represented in the prophecy; for no other answers the specifications in the least degree. It has always taken the lead of all European settlements in this hemisphere. It was “coming up” at the exact time indicated in the prophecy. Like a lofty monument in a field all its own, we here behold the United States grandly overtowering all the continent. So far as God’s providence works among the nations for the accomplishment of his purposes, it is visible in the development of this country as an agent to fulfill his word. On these two vital points of LOCATION and CHRONOLOGY, the arguments which show that OUR COUNTRY IS THE ONE represented by the symbol of the two-horned beast are ABSOLUTELY CONCLUSIVE. MANA 122.2