The Beast from the Sea and the Beast from the Earth: Daniel and the Revelation, Chapter 13
- The Beast That Arises From the Sea:
- The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. v1
- In verse 1... We are carried back to the time when the leopard beast, the successor of the dragon, commences his career.
- By the dragon of the previous chapter, and the beast first introduced in this, we have the Roman power... brought to view in its two phases, pagan and papal. These two symbols have each the seven heads and ten horns.
- The dragon symbolized the Roman Empire... The leopard beast... What does that symbolize?... The Roman Empire in its professedly Christian form... there has been a change in the religious character of the empire.
*The dragon represents more than the Roman Empire. In chapter 12 that Smith refers to, the dragon is identified as Satan who led the rebellion in heaven and who desired to destroy the promise of the Messiah. Genesis 3:15, Revelation 12:3-9.
*The leopard beast also represents more than the Roman Empire. It has the leopard-like body, the mouth of a lion, feet like a bear, and ten horns. These attributes connect this beast with the four beasts of Daniel 7: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.
- Rome was pagan in John's day, who lived under the sixth or imperial head. This shows us at once that six of the heads... belong to the dragon. The head (the seventh) that was wounded to death was the papal head.
- The seven forms of government that have existed in the Roman Empire are usually enumerated as follows: (1) kingly; (2) consular; (3) decemvirate; (4) dictatorial; (5) triumvirate; (6) imperial; and (7) papal.
Daniel and the Revelation, page 535
*Smith's discourse of chapter 13 is connecting the leopard beast with the scarlet beast of chapter 17. The scarlet beast is shown as it existed in the past during its "is not" period, while the leopard beast is identified as that which "yet will come". Revelation 17:8.
*Nor does Smith identify what the ten crowned horns represent except to connect them to the ten horns, (the kingdoms of Europe) on the head of the fourth beast (the Roman Empire) of Daniel 7. It is my opinion that the presence or absence of crowns represents the prophetic timeline when these powers are concurrent or not.
- We have but to draw a parallel between the little horn of Daniel 7 and this power. From this comparison it will appear that the little horn referred to and the leopard beast symbolize the same power... a symbol of the papacy.
- The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. v2
- In Daniel 7, we find a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a great and terrible nondescript beast.
- The lion of the seventh chapter also represents Babylon; the bear, Medo-Persia; the leopard, Grecia; and the great and terrible beast, Rome.
- the great fact is apparent, and is acknowledged by all, that the next great phase of the Roman Empire after its pagan form was its papal.
- One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. v3
- This wound fell upon some form of government that existed in the Roman Empire after its change, from paganism to Christianity. But after this change, there was but one head, and that was the papal.
- It was inflicted when the pope was taken prisoner by Berthier, the French general, and the papal government was for a time abolished, in 1798.
- Thus it is placed beyond controversy that it was none other than the papal head that was wounded to death, which is afterward healed; that beast that the whole world wonders after.
- People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?" v4
- The dragon is stirred, and so controls the wicked governments of the earth that all the authority of human power shall be exerted to enforce the claims of the man of sin.
- The pope sets himself up as the one for all the church to look to for authority, in the place of God.
- The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. v5,6
- The little horn (Daniel 7:25) was a blasphemous power. "He shall speak great words against the Most High." The leopard beast... does the same.
- It is that beast... that the whole world wonders after; that beast that receives a mouth speaking blasphemies, and that wears out the saints for 1260 years.
- The end of that specified period... were fulfilled in the captivity and exile of the pope, and the temporary overthrow of the papacy by France in 1798.
*Smith is here defining the 1260 years of Papal supremacy as beginning in 538 AD and ending in 1798 AD with the arrest and exile of Pope Pius VI upon his refusal to renounce his temporal power. Pius VII succeeded him in 1800.
- It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. v7
- The little horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. Daniel 7:21. This beast also makes war with the saints, and overcomes them.
- All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast - all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. v8
*Smith makes no comment about only the unsaved people of earth worshiping the beast.
- Whoever has ears, let them hear. "If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed." This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people. v9,10
- The leopard beast was himself to be "led into captivity." Revelation 13:10. Both these specifications were fulfilled in the captivity and exile of the pope, and the temporary overthrow of the papacy by France in 1798.
- We are again referred to the events of 1798, when that power that had for 1260 years led the saints of God into captivity, was led into captivity itself.
- The Beast That Arises from the Earth:
- Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. v11
- John calls it "another beast." It is a symbol in addition to, and different from, the papal beast which the prophet had just had under consideration.
- Why does not John simply say, "He had two horns"? Why does he add, "like a lamb"? It must be for the purpose of denoting the character of this beast. Showing that it is not only of a very innocent and harmless demeanor... but also that it is a very youthful power.
*It's description in the verse above suggests rather an entity that is a deceiver; a wolf in sheep's clothing, which is what it is stated to be. Revelation 13:14
- John saw it arising from the earth. If the sea denotes peoples, nations, and multitudes, the earth would suggest, by contrast, a new and previously unoccupied territory.
- One conclusion can be drawn, and that is that the two-horned beast must be located in the Western Hemisphere, and that it symbolizes the United States.
- The two-horned beast symbolizes a nation with a republican form of government. This is shown by the absence of crowns both upon its head and its horns.
*The application of this symbol identifying it solely with the United States government is questionable at best. The description in verses 12-14 is strongly suggestive that this power is global in its reach. "It deceived the inhabitants of the earth."
- The two-horned beast also symbolizes a government which is Protestant in religion... The United States is a Protestant nation.
*The United States has never had a state religion such as some nations have. Since it became the destination for emigrants from all over the world, it is now home to people of many religions, not all of which are Christian.
- The first amendment of the (US) Constitution profess the amplest guarantee of civil and religious liberty... What better symbols of them could be given than "two horns like a lamb"?
- If the United States is the power intended by this symbol which speaks as a dragon, it follows that this government is to enact unjust and oppressive laws against the religious profession and practice of some of its subjects.
- It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. v12
- It was at the time when this beast went into captivity,... or had one of its heads wounded to death (verse 3), that John saw the two-horned beast coming up.
- Of the two-horned beast we read that he causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast... The people of this government do not render this worship till caused to do so by the civil power.
- And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. v13,14
- This identifies the two-horned beast with the false prophet of Revelation 19:20; for this false prophet is the power that works miracles before the beast.
- In this specification we have still further proof that the United States is the government represented by the two-horned beast.
*This identification of the two-horned beast as a false prophet is further evidence that this entity is a religious power as well as a political one, just as were all of Israel's and Christendom's ancient oppressors.
- The deception accomplished by the working of the miracles prepares the way for compliance with this demand for the formation of an image to the beast.
- What would be an image of the papacy? — Another ecclesiastical establishment clothed with similar power. How could such an image be formed in the United States?
- Let the Protestant churches be clothed with power to define and punish heresy,... should we not have an exact representation of the papacy during the days of its supremacy?
- They seek a shorter path to the accomplishment of their purposes through political power... Why not avail themselves of the power of the ballot to secure their ends?
- Let the government legalize such organization,... and what do we have? — an image to the papal beast, endowed with life by the two-horned beast.
*Since I question Smith's identification of the two-horned beast as the United States government, it follows I also have a problem with his interpretation for the image of the beast."
*The stated goal of the two-horned beast is to enforce the worship of the first beast. Revelation 13:12 The construction of this image is indicative of the introduction of idolatry. Pagan people showed devotion to their gods by worshiping their idols.
- The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. v15
- Just what the prophecy represents, — an image to the papal beast, endowed with life by the two-horned beast, to speak and act with power.
- The acts ascribed to the image are, speaking, and enforcing the worship of itself under the penalty of death.
*It is apparent this image is not an inanimate object like those made of stone, wood, or some other material. We must look beyond the symbol to see that this represents another human agency empowered by and subservient to the two-horned beast.
- It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. v16,17
- The mark of the beast is enforced by the two-horned beast, either directly or through the image. The penalty attached to a refusal to receive this mark is a forfeiture of all social privileges... The mark is the mark of the papal beast.
- The worship of the beast and his image, and the reception of his mark, must be something that involves the greatest offense that can be committed against God.
- The mark, as literally used, signified that the person receiving it was the servant of, acknowledged the authority of, or professed allegiance to, the person whose mark he bore.
- So the mark of the beast, or of the papacy, must be some act or profession by which the authority of that power is acknowledged.
- “What constitutes the mark of the beast?” and that answer is simply this: The mark of the beast is the change which the beast has attempted to make in the law of God.
- This is what the papal power claims to have done respecting the fourth commandment.
- This change of the fourth commandment must therefore be the change to which the prophecy points, and Sunday-keeping must be the mark of the beast!
- Then all Sunday-keepers have the mark of the beast... and all Christians of the present day who are keeping Sunday as the Sabbath, have the mark of the beast? We answer, Not so!
- There can therefore be no worship of the beast, nor reception of his mark, such as the prophecy contemplates till it is enforced by the two-horned beast.
*The mark of the beast symbolically placed on the right hand or forehead of those that receive it is a mark of loyalty, recognizing the absolute authority of the leopard beast by thought or deed.
- This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666. v18
- The number, says the prophecy, is the number of a man... the natural conclusion would be that it must be the name or title of some particular man.
- The most plausible name we have ever seen suggested as containing the number of the beast, is the title which the pope applies to himself, Vicarius Filii Dei.
- Taking the letters out of this title which the Latins used as numerals, and giving them their numerical value, we have just 666. The letter U had the same value as V in ancient Latin.
*Following Smith's instruction above leaves VICIU ILII DI from the title. However, the letter U was not added to the alphabet until the middle ages and never had a numerical value attached to it.
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