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THE BEAST.—WHAT IT IS

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 30, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 5.

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THE BEAST.—WHAT IT IS

“Study to show thyself approved unto God.”
Lesson VII.—Sabbath, February 15, 1896.

THE BEAST.—WHAT IT IS.

Review Questions.—(a) What is the origin of the term Babylon? (b) What did it mean to the worldly wise? (c) By what means did the church become Babylon? (d) To what, then, did she seek for succor? (e) What did this act constitute? Rev. 14:8.
1. What relation does the third angel of Rev. 14:9 bear to the angel of verses 6, 7?
Ans.—He “followed them,” or went with them. That the word “follow” means to go with, see Matt. 4:20, 22; Mark 2:14, and many others. The first message leads out, the others follow with, as the disciples followed Jesus. The first message is positive; the second and third, negative. Every positive truth is embraced in the first message.
2. Against what does the third angel warn us?
“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand.” Rev. 14:9.
3. What fearful penalty shows the importance of heeding this warning?
“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Verses 10, 11.
4. Where is the beast, against which we are warned, brought to view? Rev. 13:1–10.
5. What prophetic symbol is parallel to this?
Ans.—The little horn of Daniel 7. They arise in the same territory, do the same work, possess the same character, and continue the same length of time. They are, therefore, identical.
6. What four kingdoms are symbolized in Daniel previous to the rise of the little horn? Dan. 7:1–7. See note .
7. How were these symbols represented in the beast of Revelation 13?
“And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” Verse 2.
8. What eleven distinct specifications are given in the prophecy of Daniel 7 concerning the little horn?
Ans.—(1) It was to arise in a ten-divisioned kingdom. Verse 8. (2) It was to be different in nature and character from the others. Verse 24. (3) It would cause the overthrow of three kings. Verses 8, 20, 24. (4) It would possess great shrewdness and foresight (eyes like those of man). Verses 8, 20. (5) It would be strong and vigorous (stout). Verse 20. (6) It would be a blaspheming, assuming power. Verses 8, 11, 20, 25. (7) It would be a persecuting power. Verses 21, 25. (8) It would presume to change God’s law. Verse 25, R. V. (9) It would be a persecuting power for three and one-half prophetic years, or 1,260 literal years. Verse 25. (10) It would then lose its persecuting power, and shortly after, its own temporal dominion. Verses 25, 26. (11) Its power to persecute would be restored, for it would make war on the saints till the end. Verses 21, 22.
9. How many of these specifications do we find in connection with the beast of Rev. 13:1–10?
Ans.—Specification 1 (ten horns), 6 (blasphemous), 7 (persecuting), 8 (causing false worship through a changed law), 9 (42 months), 10 (deadly wound), 11 (deadly wound healed).
10. In what power or system alone are all these specifications met? Ans.—In that system known as the Papacy. See note .
11. What is represented by all these beast kingdoms? Ans.—Church and state governments, or persecuting powers.
12. What constitutes a persecuting power?
Ans.—There must in some way be a union of church and state, or of religion with the state. A religious organization apart from civil power can not persecute; and a civil power apart from religion will not persecute. The union of the two in active operation always results in injustice and oppression.
13. When did the Papacy secure the power to persecute?
Ans.—A.D. 538, when the last kingdom which opposed Rome’s assumptions was plucked up, and the bishop of Rome was made, by decree of Justinian, head of all the churches and true and only corrector of heretics. By this twofold means was it established. The emperor had decreed it in A.D. 533 (see “Croly on the Apocalypse,” pp. 167–171); and when the last of the three opposers, the Ostrogoths, was overthrown, the Papacy began its career as a persecuting power.
14. Beginning in A.D. 538, when would the 1,260 days, or years, end? Ans.—In 1798.
15. What event marked their close?
Ans.—Under General Berthier, an officer acting under the French directory, the Papacy was abolished in 1798. Rome was proclaimed a republic, and Pope Pius VI. was taken captive, dying at Valence, France, Aug. 29, 1799.
16. What scripture was thus fulfilled?
“And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death.” “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity; he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” Rev. 13:3, 10.
17. Did this act of France affect the ecclesiastical religious organization of the Papacy?
Ans.—No; it removed the head for a while; but soon after the death of Pius VI. the cardinals met and elected, March 14, 1800, Barnabas Chiaramonti to the papal see, and, under the name of Pius VII., “within a few months of his election, he entered his capital as a sovereign prince.” See “Murdock’s Mosheim,” sketch of nineteenth century, par. 1. But papal rule over other countries was broken. The blow took away his power to persecute. He was no longer acknowledged by the powers of Europe “head over all the churches and corrector of heretics.”

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