Part 15 (1/2)

14. 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.

15. 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 wors.h.i.+p the image of the beast should be killed.

16. 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:

17. 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.

18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

The symbolic description of this beast directs us also to a political and a religious system rising at the expiration of the twelve hundred and sixty years' reign of the first beast, but that he was no such terrible beast politically as the one before him is proved by the fact that he had but two horns and they _like a lamb_. This beast rose ”out of the earth”--the Apocalyptic earth, or the territory of the Roman empire. The first beast rose out of the sea, which, as before shown, signifies the heart of the empire in an agitated state; for the ten horns came up through the greatest political convulsions that the page of history records. When John beheld the second beast ”coming up,”

however, the empire was in a state of comparative quiet, although fierce wars followed afterward. He stands as a symbol of _Protestantism_ in Europe; although his power and influence afterwards extended beyond the ”earth”--the Apocalyptic earth--into ”the whole world.” Chap. 16:14.

That this beast came up upon the same territory occupied by the Papacy is proved also by the statement that ”he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him.” It was predicted in a subsequent chapter (17:16) that the ten horns, or kingdoms of Europe, after supporting the Papacy during the Dark Ages, would later turn against her. This has met a remarkable fulfilment under the reign of Protestantism.

The first two nations to turn violently against Popery were England and Germany. They have ever since been the chief supporters and defenders of Protestantism, and they are doubtless the two kingdoms symbolized by the two horns of the beast. While at one time the Pope was a temporal sovereign and could, by his political and ecclesiastical power, humble with ease the mightiest nations of Europe before him, his authority has been wrested from him by degrees, so that to-day not a vestige of his temporal power remains, and his anathemas fall harmlessly. The nations have a.s.serted their rights as kings. When King Victor Emmanuel entered Rome on the twentieth day of September, 1870, the Pope's temporal sun set forever, and he does not control even the city in which he lives--Rome. He is often referred to as ”the prisoner of the Vatican.”

”He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity,” said the prophecy; ”he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” It was by force of arms that the Popes obtained and maintained their temporal power over the nations, and by the force of arms they have had their authority torn from them. Religion has been referred to as ”the basis of government”; for the legislators of any country are to a great degree influenced in their deliberations by religious sentiments. In all Protestant countries that greatest of Protestant principles, religious liberty, is as truly recognized by statute as was that infernal principle of the Papacy, religious intolerance, when formerly enforced by law. Protestant principles have so far permeated the nations of Europe formerly controlled by the Papacy that religious toleration is generally granted. In Italy, the headquarters of Popedom, where the Catholics are greatly in the majority, religious liberty is granted by law. And even Spain, denominated by the Encyclopaedia Britannica ”the most Catholic country in the world,” exhibits ”a general indifferentism to religion,” meaning that the fanaticism and intolerance of former ages that caused thousands, and perhaps millions, to be slain, is rapidly dying out. In the vision before us, however, the special actions ascribed to this beast--_speaking_, working miracles, deceiving, making an image and imparting life to it, etc., which all belong properly to the department of human life--show conclusively that it is the character of this beast as an _ecclesiastical power_ that is the chief point under consideration. He was not to become such a terrible beast politically (for his horns were only _like a lamb_), but ”he _spake_ as a dragon.” As soon as we enter the department to which _speaking_ by a.n.a.logy refers us, we find this beast to be a great religious power; and it is in this character alone that he is dilineated in the remainder of the chapter. That the description of a religious system is the main burden of this symbol, is shown also by the fact that it is in every case referred to in subsequent chapters as the ”false prophet.” Chap. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10. Therefore every reference I make to this second beast hereafter should be understood as signifying the religious system of Protestantism, unless otherwise stated.

That Protestantism in its many forms can be properly represented by a single symbol--a beast or false prophet--may seem a little strange at first; but when we come to consider next the making of an image to the beast, it will be seen that the Protestant sects, from G.o.d's standpoint of viewing, are all alike in character, as were the mult.i.tudinous forms of heathen wors.h.i.+p represented under the single symbol of the dragon.

Hence only one beast, or the making of one image, was necessary to stand as representative of the entire number. It will be noticed by the reader that from verse 12 to the close of the chapter the term _beast_ signifies the first beast, or the Papacy, and that the second beast, or Protestantism, is designated by the p.r.o.noun _he_.

_Image_ is defined to be ”an imitation, representation, similitude of any person or thing; a copy, a likeness, an effigy.” The second beast, then, is to manufacture something in _imitation_ of the first beast. If any doubt exists as to which phase of the first beast, political or ecclesiastical, is copied, it can be settled by considering what is said of the image made from the original. ”The image of the beast should--_speak_.” This directs us by a.n.a.logy, as heretofore explained, to the department of religious affairs; hence the second beast forms an _ecclesiastical organization_ in imitation of the hierarchy of Rome. At this juncture the Protestant will doubtless exclaim, ”Oh, our churches are nothing like the church of Rome!” But consider a little in the light of truth. G.o.d's Word teaches that they bear the close relations.h.i.+p of _mother_ and her _daughters_ (Rev. 17:5), and by the help of the Lord we shall point out a similarity of character in this and subsequent chapters. The symbol of the church of Rome in chapter 17 is that of a corrupt _prost.i.tute_, while the symbol of Protestantism is that of her _harlot daughters_. The Roman church is a humanly organized inst.i.tution governed by a set of fallible men, their claims of infallibility to the contrary notwithstanding. Protestant sects, likewise, are all human organizations (even though they may sometimes deny it), and are governed by a man or a conference of men. The Roman Catholic church makes and prescribes the theology that her members believe. Protestant churches, also, make their own disciplines and prescribe rules of faith and practise. The Word of G.o.d, inspired by his Spirit, could not be enforced in Romanism without destroying it; for its main spirit is Antichrist.

So, too, the whole Word in Protestantism would soon annihilate her G.o.d-dishonoring sects; for they are all contrary to its plain teachings, which condemn divisions and enjoin perfect unity and oneness upon the redeemed of the Lord. What is said concerning the image of the beast applies to sectarianism as a whole and the human organization of all her so-called churches, regardless of the differences that exist between them as individual inst.i.tutions; for they may differ as widely as the various systems of heathen religions symbolized by the dragon, yet they can be represented by the single symbol of an image to the first beast, because they are built upon the same general principles--are but human organizations, falsely called churches of Christ, and are all contrary to the Scriptures.

Imparting life to the image of the beast simply signifies the complete organization of the ecclesiastical inst.i.tutions so that they are capable of self-government and their decrees possess authority. Every living body is animated by a spirit. The sectarian spirit that animates the Methodist body will lead people into that body, etc.; but the one Spirit of G.o.d will, if permitted, baptize us all into the one body of Christ, where we can all ”drink into one Spirit.” 1 Cor. 12:13. ”And he spake as a dragon” signifies the great authority by which his laws are enacted and enforced upon the people.

”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.” Fire from heaven upon Elijah's sacrifice was the attestation of G.o.d to his divine mission. Bringing down fire from heaven, then, symbolically describes the claims of this beast to being a true prophet of the Lord.

At this point we must make a distinction which, being true in the facts of history, must necessarily be intended in the symbolic representation.

According to the symbols of the preceding chapter the woman, or true church, ”fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of G.o.d, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” The time-prophecy is the same and covers the same period as the reign of the Papal beast; therefore just as an important change in the Papacy occured at the expiration of the prophetic period, so also we must expect a radical change with respect to the true church: it must no longer be completely obscured in the wilderness.

As the Reformation, and Protestantism as a religion, was the means of ending Rome's universal spiritual supremacy, so also the same movement must be regarded as possessing sufficient light and truth to again bring into prominence the work of the Spirit and the true people of G.o.d. ”Fire from heaven” may therefore be regarded as describing the divine work of reformation, the unfolding of truth accompanied by the saving power of G.o.d. Such spiritual work has accompanied the origin of various religious movements during the Protestant era.

The general description of the two-horned beast, however, brings into prominence an evil characteristic--the disposition to lead people into deception by making an image to the beast and then wors.h.i.+ping it. The evil does not inhere in the work of bringing down ”fire from heaven,”

but in image-making and image-wors.h.i.+p, for which the Spiritual work simply furnished an occasion. The Spiritual work of reformation is therefore to be distinguished from the later work of creed- and sect-making. And since the beast takes advantage of Spirit manifestations, in order to deceive men, he becomes a sort of apostate and is denominated ”the _false prophet_.” See Chap. 16:14; 19:20.

Ecclesiastically considered, the two-horned beast stands as the symbol of the religious system of Protestantism as a whole--a peculiar combination of truth and error, of good and bad, of ”fire from heaven”

and false, miracle-working power (chap. 16:14); while the ”image to the beast” signifies the sectarian inst.i.tution--the man-made, man-controlled, unscriptural sect machinery manufactured in imitation of the Papal original. To exalt such earth-born churches and lead people to adore and wors.h.i.+p them is but a species of idolatry and the rankest deception. It is a sad fact that mult.i.tudes of people in Protestantism are more devoted to their particular church than they are to the Lord Jesus Christ. They can witness the open rejection of G.o.d's precious Word and the vilest profanation of his holy name, without uttering a word of protest; but let anyone say a word against _their church_, and instantly they are aroused to the highest pitch of excitement--beast-wors.h.i.+pers!

The Protestant era has witnessed many wonderful reformations in which the true fire of G.o.d fell upon waiting souls, but this initial work of the Spirit has in each case been employed as an excuse for taking the next step--making an image. Thousands of honest souls, lacking better light, have been induced to submit to such human organization. But the truly saved have always loved and adored their Lord more than the human church to which they were attached, therefore they should not be regarded as beast-wors.h.i.+pers. They are the ones whom the Lord denominates his people when the voice is heard calling them out of Babylon. Chap. 18:4.

The ”mark of the beast” next claims our attention. The beast referred to is the Papacy. How did the Papacy mark its subjects? Undoubtedly, by the false spirit which animated that organization, branding them all with its delusive doctrines and errors. In a previous chapter the servants of G.o.d were represented as receiving the seal of G.o.d in their foreheads.

This was shown to signify the pure Word and doctrines of the Bible being planted within them by the Holy Spirit. In making the sect image in imitation of the Papal original, then, the principle of marking subjects has also been copied. The members of every sect organization are indelibly marked. You can not become one of them without solemnly agreeing to believe the doctrines taught in their discipline and accepting the government of their man-made inst.i.tutions. Subscribing to the rules of faith and practise that originated with the sect shows how its members wors.h.i.+p the image. They are also said to wors.h.i.+p the first beast, the original of the image. How is this fulfilled? In the same manner that the wors.h.i.+pers of the first beast wors.h.i.+ped the dragon that preceded it; namely, by accepting and believing false principles of faith that originated in the system immediately preceding. Protestant sects have transferred many of the false doctrines of Romanism to their own creeds, hence they wors.h.i.+p the first beast just as truly as the Papists wors.h.i.+ped the dragon by accepting heathenish principles. The greatest principle of false doctrine that originated with Catholicism, and one that has been transferred to _every Protestant sect_, is, that a human organization is necessary to complete the church of Christ on earth. The church of Rome has an earthly head and a human government; and Protestants, also, firmly believe the unscriptural doctrine that they must bow to an organization of men and thus be under a visible heads.h.i.+p: they receive the mark of the beast. Many sects have also copied other Popish doctrines, such as infant baptism, the destruction of all outside of the pales of the church (?), infantile d.a.m.nation, sprinkling, and other things too numerous to mention. Thus, they wors.h.i.+p the first beast as well as his image.

They also receive the ”name of the beast.” Here again ”beast” refers to the Papacy. The Papal beast was represented as being full of the names of blasphemy, which blasphemy was shown to signify the usurpation of prerogatives and rights belonging to G.o.d alone. The greatest ecclesiastical usurpation reached by the Romish hierarchy was that of claiming to be the head of the church and the right to prescribe and enforce their doctrines, naming their organization the _Holy Catholic Church_. In making their sect organizations in imitation, Protestants, as above stated, have transferred the same principle and make the same blasphemous claim of a right to make disciplines to govern G.o.d's people, and then name their sect machinery a _church_ of G.o.d. The name may be Methodist, Baptist, Mennonite, Episcopalian, or what not, it is only a _beast name_, yet a name that you must accept if you desire to become one of them.

They not only receive the name of the beast, but also receive the ”number of his name.” It will be necessary first to explain what is meant by the number of a name. ”The modern system of notation by the nine digits and the cipher, was not introduced until the tenth century, but on account of its superior excellence, has since superseded every other. Previous to this great discovery, the letters of the alphabet were used to denote numbers, each letter having the power of a _number_ as well as a _sound_. The same system is still retained among us for certain purposes. The Roman letters I. V. X. L. C. D. M., have each the power of expressing a number. This, however, was the common and the best mode of notation that the ancients possessed.” The number of a name, therefore, was merely the number denoted by the several letters of that name.

The number of the name of the beast--the first beast--is said to be the number of a _man_. When we enter the Romish hierarchy and search for a man the number of whose name will be six hundred and sixty-six, where could we go more appropriately than to the Pope himself, its authorized head? The Scriptures point him out particularly as the ”_man_ of sin,”