THE MESSAGE FROM THE SANCTUARY.
By Uriah Smith
WE have now briefly noticed some of the more important chains of events that have brought us down step by step to the great work of our High Priest in the tabernacle above. We have seen the door of that inner temple thrown open before us, and have obtained a deeper insight into the mysteries of salvation, and the plan and work of redemption, while beholding the entrance of our great High Priest therein, and his last act of ministration for rebellious man. While this is accomplishing, a last and final warning goes forth to a guilty world. Solemn thought! How few will avail themselves of the privileges now within their reach, till they are forever past! The first two angels of Rev. 14, brought us down to the commencement of the second division of the Sanctuary work. But a third angel follows them, Verse 9. The mission of this angel therefore is accomplished while this last work of the Sanctuary is closing: an examination of his message will show us that it has for its foundation this very work. "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. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:9-12. A denunciation of wrath more terrible cannot be found in the sacred word. It becomes us every one therefore to examine it carefully, if we may ascertain against whom these threatenings stand. And hence the inquiries will arise, What is the beast? what is his image? what is his mark? and what is his worship? since it is the worshipers who will be the objects of God's unmingled displeasure; and further, why is there, in contradistinction to these, a little company spoken of, who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus? These are inquiries which will command our consideration. Upon the chronology of this message we need not here speak; for whatever determines the time of the first and second messages of Rev. 14, is equally applicable to any other which immediately follows; and upon their chronology we have already spoken. In order to an investigation of the other queries, the reader is requested to turn with us to the 12th chapter of Revelation. We have brought to view in this chapter, a power under the symbol of a great Red Dragon. From the part which this power acts in reference to the man-child [verses 4, 5] we understand it to be a symbol of Pagan Rome. Without any controversy Christ is brought to view by the man-child. It was Pagan Rome who stood before the woman to devour him as soon as he was born. It was Herod who sent forth and slew all the children in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under. It was Pagan Rome that did finally nail Jesus Christ to the cross. But says one, the dragon is said to be the devil. Verse 9. Very true; and we understand that Pagan Rome was represented by such a symbol for the very reason that it was so far controlled by and under the influence of that old serpent, the devil. In the following chapter we have another symbol brought to view; namely, a beast with the body of a leopard, feet of a bear, and mouth of a lion, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns. To this beast the Dragon gives his seat, his power and great authority. To whom did Pagan Rome give its seat (the city of Rome) and power, and great authority? Ans. To the Papacy. This fact alone is sufficient to prove to us that the Papacy is here introduced; but there are at least ten other specifications which furnish evidence to the same end. 1. The beast rises from the sea—the sea denoting "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues." 2. It has seven heads, denoting the seven forms of government which have existed in the Roman empire. 3. It has ten horns, showing it to be identical with the fourth beast of Dan. 7, which all know symbolizes Rome. 4. The horns had each a crown, showing that the governments which sprung from the Roman empire would be monarchical. 5. This beast has the characteristics of the three first beasts of Dan. 7; namely, a leopard's body, a bear's feet, and a lion's mouth, showing its existence to be after those beasts had passed away, and making it again identical with the fourth of the series there presented. 6. It has power to make war with, and overcome the saints, the same as the little horn of Dan. 7:25. 7. It opens its mouth in blasphemy, which is also said of the little horn. 8 It was to continue forty and two months, 1260 days (years). Just this length of time the Papacy did continue from its establishment in 538, till 1798, when it was for a time suppressed by the French. 9. This beast has one of its heads wounded to death. Thus was the Papacy wounded in the event just alluded to, when Berthier, a general of Bonaparte, took prisoner the Pope then occupying St. Peter's chair, and carried him into exile, where he died. 10. The deadly wound was to be healed. This was accomplished in Bonaparte's restoring the Papacy, but not to its former power. These items are sufficient to fix the application of this symbol. But by reading on in the chapter [Rev. 13] from verse 11, we find another beast introduced, having two horns like a lamb. This beast is cotemporary with the one just spoken of; for it says [verse 12]523that he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him; the word, before, signifying, in the presence of, in the sight of; which is the literal meaning of enopion, from which it is rendered. Not to dwell at length on a subject which is explicitly treated of in our publications, we will only say that we have here a symbol of the United States of America. This will be apparent by considering, 1. Its location. 2. The manner of its rise. 3. The time of its rise. 4. Its character. 5. The form of its government; and, 6. Its acts. Its two horns may fitly denote the two great branches of power that exist in this country, commonly designated, Ecclesiastical and Civil, Religious and Political, Protestantism and Republicanism, or Church and State. These both are mild and lamb-like in appearance, but dragonic in their acts. In regard to the two beasts brought to view in Rev. 13, let one fact be born in mind; and that is, that the Papal beast is always called the beast, or the first beast, while the two-horned beast is never designated by the term, beast, except in verse 11, where it is introduced as "another beast." It it thenceforward represented by the pronoun, he. It is this two-horned beast which causes an image to be made to the first or Papal beast. The Papal beast was a church clothed with civil power, or authority to punish and correct heretics. An image to this beast must bear some resemblance to it. It would be carried out in every respect by a Protestant church endowed with similar privileges. Thus we gain a knowlege of some of the characters which act a part in the third angel's message.