~~~ Uriah Smith's Revelations I ~~~
The Beast from the Sea and the Beast from the Earth: Daniel and the Revelation, Chapter 13

    ~~~ Page numbers refer to Uriah Smith's book, Daniel and the Revelations. ~~~

    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. Revelation 13:1

  1. The Beast That Arises from the Sea:
    • 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. (430)
    • In verse 1... We are carried back to the time when the leopard beast, the successor of the dragon, commences his career. (430) To this beast the dragon gives his seat, his power, and great authority. (431)
    • Take >the dragon: what does it symbolize? The Roman empire in its pagan form... is the undeniable answer. (431)
    • We now come to the leopard beast... What does that symbolize? The answer still is the Roman empire... in its professedly Christian form. There has been a change in the religious character of the empire. (431)
    • [It] is acknowledged by all, that the next great phase of the Roman empire after its pagan form was its papal. (431)
    • 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. (432)
    • Both the leopard beast and the little horn utter blasphemies against God. Both wage war with the saints and overcome them. Power is given to both to continue for the same period of time, 1260 years. (432)

      *The leopard beast 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.

    • 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. (535)

      *There were only three forms of Roman government: The Monarchy, the Republic, and the Empire.
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      *Smith is here connecting the leopard beast with the scarlet beast of chapter 17. The scarlet beast is shown as it existed in the past during its "once was, now is not" period, while the leopard beast is identified as that which "yet will come".

    • 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. (433)
    • It (the deadly wound) was inflicted in 1798 when the pope was taken prisoner and the papal government was for a time abolished. (433)
    • The deadly wound was healed in 1800 when the papacy was re-established by the election of a new pope. It is that beast... that the whole world wonders after. (433)

      *Does this brief disruption of the papacy, which occurred during the French Revolution, constitute a deadly wound?.

    2. Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 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. Revelation 13:11-12

  2. The Beast That Arises from the Earth:
    • It was at the time when (the leopard beast) went into captivity (1798) that John saw the two-horned beast coming up. (437)
    • 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. (438)
    • Why does not John simply say, "He had two horns"? Why does he add, "like a lamb"? It must be for the purpose of showing that it is not only of a very innocent and harmless demeanor... but also that it is a very youthful power. (438)

      *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, from which the leopard beast arose denotes peoples, nations, and multitudes, the earth would suggest... a new and previously unoccupied territory. (440)
    • 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. (440)
    • 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. (444)
    • It also symbolizes a government which is Protestant in religion. The United States is a Protestant nation. (445)

      *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."
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      *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 Constitution begins as follows: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” (444)
    • These articles profess the amplest guarantee of civil and religious liberty, the entire and perpetual separation of church and state. (444)
    • Of the two-horned beast we read that he causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast. (444) The people of this government do not render this worship till caused to do so by the civil power. (445)
    • 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. (446)
    • The two-horned beast "doeth great wonders"... wrought for the purpose of "deceiving them that dwell on the earth." This identifies the two-horned beast with the false prophet of Revelation 19, for it is the power that works miracles before the (leopard) beast.(447)
    • The deception accomplished by the working of the miracles prepares the way for... the formation of an image to the beast. (449)
    • What would be an image of the papacy? Another ecclesiastical establishment clothed with similar power. (449)
    • Let the Protestant churches be clothed with power to define and punish heresy... under the pains and penalties of the civil law should we not have an exact representation of the papacy. (449)
    • The mark of the beast is enforced by the two-horned beast... The penalty attached to a refusal to receive this mark is a forfeiture of all social privileges. (451)
    • The mark of the beast (the papacy) is the substitution of the observance of Sunday for the Sabbath, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority. (456)
    • The mark and worship of the beast are enforced by the two-horned beast. The receiving of the mark of the beast is a specific act which the two-horned beast is to cause to be done. (459)
    • The number of the beast "is the number of a man." His number is 666. (472) The natural conclusion would be that it must be the name or title of some particular man. (473)
    • The most plausible name... as containing the number of the beast, is the title which the pope applies to himself, Vicarius Filii Dei. (473)
    • Taking the letters out of this title which the Latins used as numerals, and giving them their numerical value, we have just 666. (473)
  3. Summary:
    • The dragon is pagan Rome.
    • The leopard beast is papal Rome.
    • The little horns of Daniel 7 & 8 are symbols of the papacy.
    • The seven heads are seven successive Roman governments.
    • The ten horns are divisions of Europe after the fall of Rome.
    • The two-horned beast is the United States.
    • The two-horned beast is also the false prophet.
    • The image of the leopard beast is apostate Protestantism.
    • The mark of the leopard beast is the observance of Sunday for the Sabbath.
    • The mark is enforced by the two-horned beast.
    • The number of the leopard beast (666) identifies it with the papacy.
    • The number is the numerical value of the pope's latin title.