Warning against worshipping
the beast and his image and receiving his mark
(The last message of
mercy to a dying world)
“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, 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
for ever 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.” Revelation
14:9-11
The most
fearful threatening ever addressed to mortals is contained in the third angel’s
message. That must be a terrible sin which calls down the wrath of God
unmingled with mercy. Men
are not to be left in darkness concerning the meaning of these symbols. The
warning against this sin of worshipping the beast, his image and receiving his
mark is to be given to the world before the visitation of God’s judgments, that
all may know why they are to be inflicted, and have opportunity to escape them.
And the way
of escape is found in verse 12: “Here is the patience of the saints:
here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” In contrast to the first group they
are justified through faith in Jesus and receive the righteousness of
Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. And
so starting with Revelation 13 which also mentions these symbols, we read:
“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise
up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten
crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 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. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his
deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast…. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking
great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty
and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme
his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given
unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given
him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the
earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world…….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.” Revelation 13: 1-3,5-8, 18
There are 2 beasts
mentioned above. The above verses reveal 10 specific characteristics of the
first beast:
1.
This beast rises up out of the sea. (verse 1)
2.
This beast has 10 horns and 10 crowns upon its
horns. (verse 1)
3.
This beast has parts of 3 different beasts
within it – Leopard, Bear and Lion. (verse
2)
4.
The dragon gives this beast its power and
authority.
(verse 2).
5.
This beast rules for 42 months.
(verse 5).
6.
This beast receives a deadly wound, which becomes
healed over time. (verse 3).
7.
This beast is both a political as well as a
religious power. (verses 3, 7-8)
8.
This beast commits blasphemy against God.
(verse 5,6).
9.
This beast makes war with and overcomes the
saints. (verse 7).
10.
This beast has the number 666. (verse 18)
Characteristic #1:
This beast rises out of the sea “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw
a beast rise up out of the sea” (verse 1).
The beast symbol here
represents a “king” or a kingdom (Daniel 7:17).
The sea (or water) symbol represents “peoples, and multitudes, and
nations, and tongues” (Revelation 17:15). This kingdom arises from among the
established and densely populated nations of the then-known world. Since most
kingdoms or empires arose out of densely populated areas then characteristic #2
and #3 will help to narrow down the kingdom represented by this beast.
Characteristic #2:
This beast has 10 horns and 10 crowns upon its horns “having….ten horns, and
upon his horns ten crowns” (verse 1)
Horns here represent
“power” (Habakkuk 3:4). Since 10 horns represent 10 different powers which are
connected with this beast, and as each horn has a crown, then these 10 crowned
horns would represents 10 different kingly powers which uphold and empower this
kingdom.
Characteristic #3: This beast has parts of 3
different beasts within it “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…” (Verse 2)
So
far we have learned that this kingdom arises out of a densely populated area of
the then known world and is supported by 10 different kingly powers. And from
characteristic #3 it has features of a “leopard” kingdom, a “lion” kingdom and “bear”
kingdom. For more information on the identity of the 3 kingdoms whose features
are incorporated by this beast, we go to the book of Daniel. In a night
vision Daniel was shown 4 beasts or kingdoms coming out of the sea one after
the other: (1) Lion, (2) Bear, (3) Leopard and a (4) 10 horned beast (Daniel 7:
1-7).
The meaning of this vision was explained to Daniel as being 4
kingdoms or empires that shall rule the world (Daniel 7:17). From the scripture
text given below it will be seen that these four empires are the same that were
shown in a dream to Nebuchadnezzar emperor of Babylon as symbolised by a great
image made of 4 metals, i.e. (1) head of gold, (2) breast and arms of silver, (3)
belly and thighs of brass and (4) legs of iron and his feet part of iron and
part of clay. God gave Daniel the interpretation of the dream and he in turn
gave it to Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:1-40). The 4 world empires are as follows:
(1) Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar when explaining the dream “Thou art this head of gold.” Daniel 2:38. Since the
first beast in Daniel’s vision is a lion therefore Babylon is also represented
by the Lion.
(2) And after thee shall
arise another kingdom inferior to thee”. Daniel 2:39. During the rein of
Belshazzar grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, the angel when explaining another vision
that Daniel had been given of a ram and a he goat, said “The ram which thou
sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia” which was “pushing
westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before
him” Daniel 8:20,4. So Medo-Persia also represented by the breast and arms of
silver in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and the Bear in Daniel’s first vision is the
second kingdom.
(3) Still explaining the second vision, the angel said “And
the rough goat is the king of Grecia” which “smote the ram, and brake his two
horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him,” “And the great
horn that is between his eyes is the first king.” This first king was Alexander
the Great of Greece, making it the third kingdom. After his death, four of his
principal generals divided his empire into four parts, Persia in the east,
Egypt in the south, Macedon and the Grecian Isles in the west, and the Syrian
in the north just as prophecy had predicted that the; “great horn was broken;
and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven” Daniel
8:8 “his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of
heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled:
for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.” Daniel
11:4. These 4 were rivals and made war against each other and even though not
united it was still the remains of the Greek Empire which is also represented
by the belly and thighs of brass in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and by a Leopard in
Daniel’s first vision.
(4) “And out of one
of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the
south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.” Daniel 8:9. Out of
one of the 4 horns or Greek kingdoms of North, East, South and West came forth
the 4th world Empire. It is said to come out of one of the 4 horns
because just as prophecy predicted, Rome first conquered the Western horn
kingdom of Macedon and the Grecian islands and then he “waxed exceeding great,
toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land (Judea
which was part of the northern kingdom of Syria)”. The Roman Empire is also
symbolised by the legs of iron with feet part iron and part clay in
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and also by the 10 horned beast in Daniel’s first
vision. From history we know that Roman Empire was later divided into exactly
10 different nations. These nations were: (1) Alemanni – Germany (2) Anglo-Saxons- Britain (3) Burgundians – Switzerland ( 4) Franks –
France (5) Heruli (6) Lombards – Italy
(7) Ostrogoths (8) Suevi – Portugal (9)
Vandals (10) Visigoths- Spain. This was
the pagan phase of the empire for as we shall see later the state religion would
change and Rome would enter into its second phase.
After he was shown the beast with 10 horns, the vision of
Daniel 7 continues: “I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among
them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns
plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a
man, and a mouth speaking great things… I beheld, the same horn made war with
the saints, and prevails against them…… And the ten horns out of this kingdom
are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall
be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak
great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most
High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand
until a time and times and the dividing of time”(Daniel 7:8, 21, 24, 25)
It is a historical fact that the power that ruled the world
after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 475 AD is the Roman Catholic
Church which was clothed with both religious and civil authority. This is the
papal phase of the Roman Empire since Catholicism was made the state religion.
However three of the 10 nations that came out of the Roman Empire did not agree
to be ruled by the Roman Catholic Church i.e. the Heruli, Ostrogoths and the
Vandals and had to be defeated before the Roman Church could fully establish
her spiritual supremacy and authority. These were known as the Gothic wars.
Also note that the little horn power of Daniel 7 has these
main characteristics i.e.
a)
It comes up among the 10 horns (verse 24)
b)
It commits blasphemy against God (verse 25)
c)
It makes war with the saints and prevails
against them (verse 25)
d)
It rules for a “time and times and the dividing
of time” (verse 25). This time period will be shown later on in our study to be
the same as the 42 months of the rule of the beast of Revelation 13
And since all the main characteristics of this little horn
power are all included in the first beast of Revelation 13 then it means the
two are the same thing i.e. the Roman Catholic Church.
And historians state that:
“The
Church gradually became a defining institution of the Roman Empire (see
The Church in the Roman Empire Before A.D. 170, Part 170, by Sir William
Mitchell Ramsay). Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313
proclaiming toleration for the Christian religion, and convoked the First
Council of Nicaea in 325 whose Nicene Creed included belief in ‘one holy
catholic and apostolic Church’. Emperor Theodosius 1 made Nicene
Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire with the Edict of Thessalonica
of 380 (see The Ecclesiastical Edicts of the Theodosian Code, by William
Kenneth Boyd, Columbia University Press, 1905).
So from just 3 characteristics we have identified the first
beast of Revelation 13 as the Roman Catholic church. But in order for the
Catholic church to be this beast it must manifest all 10 characteristics.
Continuing on with Characteristic #3 of Revelation 13, which says “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…” (Verse
2). We have now identified the leopard, bear and lion kingdoms as Greece,
Medo-Persia and Babylon respectively. Then the question is, does the Roman
Catholic religion have features of these 3 kingdoms. We will look at just a few of these:-
Babylon:
We find its counterpart in the Catholic Church as we read from their own
encyclopaedia: ” The (Catholic) Church, on the other hand, after changing
the day of rest from the Jewish Sabbath, or seventh day of the week, to the
first, made the Third Commandment refer to Sunday as the day to be kept holy as
the Lord’s Day.” The Catholic Encyclopedia, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04153a.htm).
Please note, God commands us to “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it
holy….the seventh day is the Sabbath” Exodus 20:8,10 i.e. Saturday, but the
Roman Catholic Church in direct opposition to the word of God, says no the first day of the week “Sunday” a
normal working day is the “day to be kept holy”
So we see clearly the aspects of
Babylon are indeed in the Roman Catholic Church. There are many more pagan
doctrines that the Catholic Church borrowed from pagan kingdoms of the past
such as christmas, festivals, death, afterlife, hell, the priesthood, etc.
Medo-Persia: The law of
Medo-Persia was such that when the king issued a decree, that decree or law
could not be changed or even amended it was final. We find this example in
Daniel 6:6-17. In summary: Darius King of
Medo-Persia, has elevated Daniel to the highest office in the kingdom, exciting
the jealousy of the leading men of the kingdom. Knowing of Daniel’s devotion to
his God, his enemies trick Darius into issuing a decree ordering that anyone who,
during the next thirty days, prays to any god or human being except to the King
shall be thrown into the lion’s den.
Daniel
however continues to pray to his God and so King Darius is forced by his own
decree to throw Daniel into the lion’s den but God delivers His faithful
servant by shutting the mouths of the lions. In these verses we see that when the king of
Medo-Persia spoke law, he was considered to be infallible. Once given, it was
not possible to change the law. This finds its counterpart in the doctrine of
the infallibility of the Pope which again has no Biblical backing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_infallibility). So aspects of
Medo-Persia are indeed within the Roman Catholic Church.
Greece: The
Greeks are famous without doubt for their philosophers such as Plato and
Socrates and Aristotle. For instance; Plato believed in the natural immortality of the soul and his
consciousness in death. In his understanding, when heroes and notable persons died they went
immediately to mansions and places of reward, while the common people went down
to the infernal regions to receive punishment for sinful pollutions until they
had been cleansed.
Here we see the Roman Catholic belief of the elevation of the saints to
heaven at death, and also the doctrine of purgatory both of which has no
Biblical backing. Plato also believed in the concept of separating the body from the soul.
He believed this was achieved by afflicting the body, by depravation, and by
separation from society. Thus was laid the groundwork for the later emergence
of the Catholic belief for monasticism and penances, again this has no Biblical
support. So these pagan aspects of Greece – are indeed within the Roman Catholic
Church. It is a combination of paganism and Christianity.
Characteristic
#4: “and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great
authority” (verse 2).
Who is the dragon? “And the great dragon was cast out, that old
serpent called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world…”
(Revelation 12: 9). The Roman Catholic
Church was given power by Satan. But exactly how did Satan give the Roman
Catholic Church power and authority and why?
The chief agent of Satan in making war upon Christ and his people
during the first centuries of the Christian era, was the Roman Empire, in which
paganism was the prevailing religion. Thus while the dragon, primarily,
represents Satan, it is, in a secondary sense, a symbol of pagan Rome.
Satan through pagan Rome wanted to kill Jesus at his birth but
failed. It was during the rule of the Roman Empire (“in the days of Herod the
king” who was a Roman client king of Judea) when “the dragon stood before the
woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it
was born” Revelation 12:4 but “the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a
dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into
Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young
child to destroy him….. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise
men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were
in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according
to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.” (Matthew
2:13,16). Having failed to kill Jesus,
Satan worked though the Jewish leaders to crucify Jesus and hoped that His
death would eternally separate Him from His father. But Jesus rose from the
tomb and declared “I am he that liveth, and was dead, and, behold, I am alive
for evermore, Amen; and I have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18)
Again Satan failed and Jesus Christ was the victor.
After Jesus Christ ascended to heaven Satan persecuted the church
of God at first through pagan Rome but failed to extinguish them. So Satan came
up with a plan to infiltrate the church of God. Emperor Constantine was
“converted” and in AD 313 he issued the Edict of Milan which tolerated
Christians. Persecution ceased and working through the bishop of Rome, Emperor Theodosius 1 in AD 380
as stated earlier made the church of Rome (Nicene Christianity) with its doctrines the religion of the Roman
Empire with the bishop of Rome as the leader. But Paul inspired by the Holy
Spirit saying that the coming again of Jesus Christ will not happen until there
is first apostacy in the church with the development of the papacy: “and that man
of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself
above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth
in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3,4).
So, the Roman Empire which was under Satan gave the bishop of Rome
supremacy over all other bishops and made Catholicism (paganism + Christianity)
the state religion thus abandoning paganism as the state religion. And in the
year 330 AD Emperor
Constantine moved his capital to Constantinople leaving Rome with the pope and as
prophecy had predicted “and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and
great authority”. And
when The Roman Empire fell, the Roman Catholic Church stepped in, took control
and carried on the very same purposes of pagan Rome – which was world dominion
and persecution of the people of God. May the Holy Spirit guide you, as you
continue to study God’s Word.
Characteristic #5: “and
power was given unto him to continue forty and two months” (verse 5).
Since each month in the Bible is exactly 30
days (see Genesis 7:11 & 8:4 where the flood waters were upon the earth for
5 months, and in Genesis 7:24 for 150 days–so 150/5 = 30 days/month), then 42
months would be 42 x 30= 1260 days. Also since each prophetic day represents 1
year of literal time (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6), then this kingdom is
prophesied to rule over the world for 1260 literal years.
After
the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, the Catholic church sought to
step into Rome’s place and rule over Western Europe. But as we have stated that
3 of these nations i.e. the Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths refused to yield to the Catholic religion and
authority. Therefore the Catholic church made war against these 3 nations. The
last of these nations i.e. the Ostrogoths were defeated in March 538 and forced
to leave Rome. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Rome_(537–538)
Therefore
March 538 marks the beginning of the years of papal supremacy.
And
the end of this period is February 10, 1798 when the French general Louis
Berthier under directions from Napoleon Bonaparte entered the city of Rome,
took pope Pius VI prisoner and exiled him to France. Thus the year of February
10, 1798 marked the end of the years of papal supremacy exactly 1260 years
later as prophecy had predicted!! (March 538 to February 1798 equals 1260
years).
And
where was God’s true Church during these “dark ages” when the Roman
Catholic Church ruled supreme and persecuted all who disagreed with her
doctrines?
“And
the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God,
that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”
Revelation 12:6. So God’s true church was in the “wilderness” i.e. in obscurity
for 1260 years exactly the number of years of the “dark ages” or of papal
supremacy.
Elsewhere
this time period is mentioned in the verse:
“And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might
fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time,
from the face of the serpent.” (Revelation 12:14). In other words 1260
years. Please note that the little horn
power of Daniel 7:25 also rules for exactly this time period i.e. for a “time, times and the dividing of time”.
This shows that indeed the little horn power and this beast of Revelation 13
are the same thing as stated earlier. Praise the Lord for His Word!!!
“The
suppression of the Scriptures under the dominion of Rome, the terrible results
of that suppression, and the final exaltation of the word of God, are vividly
portrayed by the prophetic pencil. To John the exile on lonely Patmos was given
a view of the 1260 years during which the papal power was permitted to trample
upon God’s word and oppress his people. Said the angel of the Lord: “The
holy city [the true church] shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand
two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.” Rev. 11:2,3. “The
periods here mentioned are the same, alike representing the time in which God’s
faithful witnesses remained in a state of obscurity.
“The
two witnesses represent the Old and New Testament Scriptures. Both are
important testimonies to the origin and perpetuity of the law of God. Both are
witnesses also to the plan of salvation. The types, sacrifices, and prophecies
of the Old Testament point forward to a Saviour to come. The Gospels and
Epistles of the New Testament tell of a Saviour who has come in the exact
manner foretold by type and prophecy…
“The
papal power sought to hide from the people the word of truth, and set before
them false witnesses to contradict its testimony. When the Bible was proscribed
by religious and secular authority; when its testimony was perverted, and every
effort made that men and demons could invent to turn the minds of the people
from it; when those who dared proclaim its sacred truths were hunted, betrayed,
tortured, buried in dungeon cells, martyred for their faith, or compelled to
flee to mountain fastnesses and to dens and caves of the earth,–then indeed
did the faithful witnesses prophesy in sackcloth.” E. G. White, The Great
Controversy, 1884, pages 188-189
So although the Roman Catholic church
persecuted God’s followers, she could not completely wipe them from the face of
the earth. And the time period of 42 months is fulfilled by the Roman Catholic
church.
Characteristic #6: This
beast receives a deadly wound “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his
deadly wound was healed” (verse 3)
As mentioned earlier this deadly
wound was inflicted upon the papacy and prophecy was fulfilled in 1798 when the French general Louis Berthier
under directions from Napoleon Bonaparte entered the city of Rome, took pope
Pius VI prisoner and exiled him to France, and proclaimed there would be no
more popes elected.
But
according to prophecy the wound becomes healed over time “and his deadly wound
was healed”. This was fulfilled in 1929 when Cardinal Gasparri and Benito
Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty between Italy and the Vatican. It was
signed by Benito Mussolini for the Italian government and by cardinal secretary
of state Pietro Gasparri for the papacy. Upon ratification of the Lateran
Treaty, the papacy recognized the state of Italy, with Rome as its capital.
Italy in return recognized papal sovereignty over the Vatican City and restored
temporal powers to the papacy.
Characteristic #7:
This beast is both a political as well as a religious power “…and all the world
wondered after the beast.…and power was given him over all kindreds, and
tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,
whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world” (verses 3, 7-8)
Characteristic
#8: “and upon his heads the name
of blasphemy…..And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemies…. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme
his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.” (verses 1,5,6).
What is blasphemy against God?
The Jews wanted to stone Jesus for blasphemy because
He told them that He is God, and indeed He is God when He said “I and my Father
are one” (John 10:30) and then the spiritually blind Jews “answered him,
saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that
thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”(John 10:33). So if one claims to be God
when he is not then that is blasphemy.
So does the
pope claim to be God?
“It is one of
the leading doctrines of Romanism that the pope is the visible head of the
universal church of Christ, invested with supreme authority over bishops and
pastors in all parts of the world. More than this, the pope had arrogated the
very titles of Deity. He styles himself “Lord God the Pope,” assumes
infallibility, and demands that all men pay him homage.” (E.G White The Great
Controversy, 1884, page 53)
What else is
considered blasphemy in the Bible?
After Jesus had healed a paralytic and declared to
him that his sins are forgiven again the spiritually blind Jews murmured and
said “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God
only?” (Mark 2:7).
Does
the Roman Catholic Church claim to be able to forgive sins?
“The accession of the Roman Church to
power marked the beginning of the Dark Ages. As her power increased, the
darkness deepened. Faith was transferred from Christ, the true foundation, to
the pope of Rome. Instead of trusting in the Son of God for forgiveness of sins
and for eternal salvation, the people looked to the pope, and the priests and
prelates to whom he delegated authority. They were taught that the pope was
their mediator, and that none could approach God except through him, and,
further, that he stood in the place of God to them, and was therefore to be
implicitly obeyed.” (E.G
White, The Great Controversy, 1884, page 58)
So quiet clearly the Roman Catholic church is
committing blasphemy against God and therefore manifests this characteristic of
the beast of Revelation 13.
Characteristic #9: “And
it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them” (verse
7).
Did
the Roman Catholic church make war with and persecute the followers of God?
“In
the thirteenth century was established that most terrible of all the engines of
the papacy,–the Inquisition. The prince of darkness wrought with the leaders
of the papal hierarchy. In their secret councils, Satan and his angels
presided, while unseen in the midst stood an angel of God, taking the fearful
record of their iniquitous decrees, and writing the history of deeds too
horrible to appear to human eyes. “Babylon the great ” was
“drunken with the blood of the saints.” The mangled forms of millions
of martyrs cried to God for vengeance upon that apostate power.” E.G. White,
The Great Controversy, 1884, page 64.
“The
establishment of the Holy Office, or the Inquisition, as the persecuting arm of
the Roman Church against all heretics. This effort accounted for the slaughter
of 50 million martyrs over a period of about 300 years” The Other End of the
World, p 127, by Roger Rusk, Plantation House, 1988.
Therefore
history tells us that this characteristic has been fulfilled as well.
Characteristic
#10: This beast has the number 666 “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.”
(Verse 18)
According to this verse the number 666 is the number of a
man and the man at the head of the Roman Catholic Church is the pope. Therefore
this number will be connected to the pope’s title. What is the pope’s title? We will
let the Catholic answer “The title given to the Pope is ‘Vicarius Filii Dei.’” Sacrosancta
concilia ad regitionem exacta, by Philippe Labbe, SJ., vol. I, p 1534: Paris,
1671.
And again we
read
As Vicarius Filii Dei is the
official name for the pope, then how does one count the number of this name?
Before the use of numbers, letters of the alphabet were given numerical
significance. Most are familiar with Roman
numerals. The numbering system used in ancient Rome is as follows: the
letters:
I =1 V
or U= 5 X=10 L=50
C=100 D=500
Since Latin was the official language of
ancient Rome, and the pope’s official name is in Latin, then let us apply this
Roman numbering system to the pope’s name and see what numerical total we get
from “Vicarius Filii Dei”:
V=5
I=1 C=100 A=0
R=0 I=1 U=5
S=0 F= 0 I=1
L=50 I=1 I=1 D=500
E=0 I=1.
And the total is 666 and
this means the Roman Catholic Church manifests all 10 characteristics of the
first beast of Revelation 13.
In warning us about the Roman Catholic Church
and the rest of Babylon and evil that they intend to do, God wants us to be
saved and not share in their punishment which is the plagues and the lake of
fire. But God will not force anyone to receive salvation in Jesus Christ. The
decision rests with the individual. And that decision must be made before God’s
judgements start to fall upon the earth or before the sleep of death.
The second beast
“And I beheld another
beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb” Revelation
13:11.
Which world power is this?
“At this point
another symbol is introduced. Says the prophet, “I beheld another beast coming
up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb.” [Revelation 13:11.]
Both the appearance of this beast and the manner of its rise indicate that the
nation which it represents is unlike those presented under the preceding
symbols. The great kingdoms that have ruled the world were presented to the
prophet Daniel as beasts of prey, rising when the “four winds of the heaven
strove upon the great sea.” [Daniel 7:2.] In Revelation 17, an angel explained
that waters represent “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.”
[Revelation 17:15.] Winds are a symbol of strife. The four winds of heaven
striving upon the great sea, represent the terrible scenes of conquest and
revolution by which kingdoms have attained to power.
“But the beast with
lamb-like horns was seen “coming up out of the earth.” Instead of overthrowing
other powers to establish itself, the nation thus represented must arise in
territory previously unoccupied, and grow up gradually and peacefully. It could
not, then, arise among the crowded and struggling nationalities of the Old
World,—that turbulent sea of “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and
tongues.” It must be sought in the Western Continent.
“What nation of the
New World was in 1798 rising into power, giving promise of strength and
greatness, and attracting the attention of the world? The application of the
symbol admits of no question. One nation, and only one, meets the
specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of
America.” E.G. White, The Great Controversy, 1888, page 439-440
The United Sates is the second beast of Revelation 13 with
its two fundamental principles of governance i.e. Republicanism: the freedom from the despotic and arbitrary rule of
kings and emperors of Europe, by allowing all its citizens to control their own
government. Protestantism: the
freedom to follow what you believe to be true in any religious matter, without
threat, intimidation or persecution by the Roman Catholic Church or any other
denominational or civil power..
The USA constitution states
that “First Amendment : Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of
grievances.”
The image of the
beast
But the stern tracings of the prophetic pencil reveal a
change in this peaceful scene. The beast with lamb-like horns speaks with the
voice of a dragon, and “exerciseth all the power of the first beast before
him.” The spirit of persecution manifested by paganism and the papacy is
again to be revealed. Prophecy declares that this power will cause “the earth
and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast” and say “to them
that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast” Rev.
13,14”
And what is the image of the beast and how is it formed?
The image of the beast is all the churches that are united upon
common points of faith such that they will speak with one voice to influence
the State to enforce their decrees and sustain their institutions. Most
of the churches have united under the World Council of Churches families (WCC)
which has other ecumenical bodies under it such as the Christian World
Communion (CWC), National Council of Churches (NCC), etc. And since they don’t pay taxes, they are in
effect being sustained by the State. The only thing that is left is for the
State to enforce her decrees then it will become a persecuting power as was the
Roman Catholic church against dissenters in former years, in other words an
image of the beast. And like the Catholic religion which is a
combination of paganism and Christianity, the image of the beast church (WCC)
also believes in pagan doctrines such as Sunday sacredness and the immortality
of the soul. And belief in spiritual manifestations opens the door to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils, and thus the influence of evil angels is felt
in the WCC churches.
Members of the CWC are: The Roman Catholic Church, Seventh
Day Adventist Church, Pentecostal, Baptist, Evangelical, Anglican, Lutheran,
Methodist churches, etc. https://www.oikoumene.org/church-families
The WCC will do exactly what the Roman Catholic Church was
doing in the past before she received her deadly wound i.e. using the state to
enforce her decrees and persecute God’s true people.
And what will the decree be?
“that as many as
would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 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: 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.”
Revelation 13:16,17.
So the United States of America will in partnership with the
Catholic Church and the WCC issue a decree to enforce the mark of the Roman
Catholic church and persecute all those that do not comply.
The mark of the beast
And what is the mark of the beast or the mark of Roman
Catholic church?
Since we have already
learned that the pope has blasphemed God in claiming to forgive sins and
claiming to be God on earth, then his mark or sign of authority will be when he
exalts his laws above God’s laws. In Daniel 7:25 we read that the pope “will think to change times and
laws” and also that in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, he “opposeth and exalteth himself
above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth
in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
In God’s law the 4th commandments says: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days
shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of
the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy
daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the
sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD
blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
Exodus 20:8-11
This commandment has 3 elements that constitute a seal or
mark: (1) The Author of the law is Jehovah. (2) His position is that of
Creator. (3) His dominion is heaven and earth and the sea. Therefore the
Sabbath law is God’s seal or mark.
So in order for the
Roman Catholic church to be able to exalt herself above God’s laws she has to
have a counterfeit sabbath.
The Roman Catholic church says: “The Ten Commandments….Written by the
finger of God on two tables of stone, this Divine code was received from the
Almighty by Moses amid the thunders of Mount Sinai….. Christ resumed these
Commandments ….He proclaimed them as binding …The Church (Roman Catholic), on the other hand, after changing the day
of rest from the …. seventh day of the week, to the first, made ….Sunday as the
day to be kept holy.” The Catholic Encyclopaedia, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04153a.htm.
“Of
course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act… and the act is a mark of her
ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters.”
Letter from H.F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons.
“Protestants…accept
Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic
Church made the change…In observing
the Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for
the church, the Pope.” Our Sunday Visitor, February 5, 1950.
From the quotations above and in many other official writings the
Roman Catholic church proudly boasts of attempting to change God’s law and
thereby making a counterfeit sabbath.
What does it mean to receive the mark “in their
right hand, or in their foreheads”?
“the forehead” is evidently used as a figure, to denote the
intellect or mind, as “the heart” is used to denote the disposition or
affections. To mark or seal in the forehead is the same as to “write in the
mind.” Hebrews 10:16. Receiving
this mark in our forehead would signify mental acceptance of the mark i.e. you
actually believe the Catholic Church has the authority to change God’s Sabbath
day from Saturday to Sunday. As the “forehead” represents the intellect,
the “hand” represents power, as Psalm 89:48, “Shall he deliver his soul from
the hand of the grave?” So to receive the mark in the “hand” means power or
force is used to make you obey and you reluctantly submit to the powers that be
in order to escape punishment.
As we have seen all denominations have
united to form one global church or Babylon which is the WCC. Babylon is
derived from the word “babel” meaning confusion (Gen. 11:9). The churches that
make up Babylon or the image of the beast have conflicting creeds and false
doctrines. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 4:1 which reads:
“And in that day
seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and
wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our
reproach.”
The number seven here symbolises fullness or completeness or
all. And a woman symbolises the church (2 Corinthians 11:2) therefore the one
man that the seven women want to be called by is Christ. Bread is a symbol of
the word of God (John 6:51, 63; Jeremiah 15:16.). And apparel or clothes is a
symbol of righteousness/unrighteousness (Zechariah 3:3,4).
So without the
symbols, the prophecy in Isaiah 4:1 reads:
“And in that day all churches shall take hold of Christ,
saying, we will teach our own doctrines, and put on our own righteousness: only
let us be called by your name (Christ), to take away our reproach”
The prophecy of Isaiah 4:1 tells us that all denominational
churches of today without exception are teaching their own doctrines, in other
words Satan and not Christ is the leader of these churches. That is why they
have become the “habitation of devils” and are ready to be destroyed by the
seven last plagues sent by God. The final call is “Come out of her, my people,
that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”
Revelation 18: 4,5
Jesus Christ the
Saviour of mankind
The Saviour Jesus Christ when announcing His mission on
earth said: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath set me to heal the broken hearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to
set at liberty them that are bruised” Luke 4:18. Jesus Christ offers freedom of
escape to those trapped in Babylon. And we can be set free if we repent of our
sins and put on the righteousness of Christ by faith and be freed from the
bondage of Satan. Not only has He promised to forgive our sins if we accept Him
(1 John 1:9) but He has also promised to give us power to overcome sin “But as
many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God” John
1:12. Amen.
Andrei Lesiapeto
24/06/2021
Updated 02/09/2023