“The apostle saw the church . . . ‘drunken with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.’”
Papal Image to Be Formed
By A. R. Bell
The Dark Days of Papal Supremacy—Papal Power Receives a Death Stroke—Another Power Then Seen Coming Up That Will Make an Image to the Papacy—It Will Speak as a Dragon
By A. R. BELL
This is the second of A. R. Bell’s articles on that portion of Revelation which predicts a religious despotism and tyranny to bear sway throughout the world just before the second coming of Christ. His article last week presented in brief some of the leading points in the twelfth chapter of Revelation, showing the conflict through which the church passed as the papacy arose, during the Dark Ages.
The article this week is the first of three articles on the thirteenth chapter of Revelation. Mr. Bell presents in brief some of the evidences that show why the people represented by this power have taken the position, for more than half a century, that the two-horned beast of the thirteenth chapter of Revelation is a symbol of the United States government, and that the prophecy gives a forecast of the persecuting power that will yet arise in this great nation—a nation whose corner stone was liberty and freedom as never before manifested anywhere in all the history of the world. The article this week really lays the foundation for next week’s article, which will present the evidence showing that Protestantism is to turn away from its foundations, and become a persecuting power itself, through forming an “image” to the papal power.
It may be inconceivable, for some Protestants, that their principles of soul liberty will be so completely reversed as to permit of religious bigotry and persecution. But be it remembered that some of the worst persecutions that have ever been inflicted upon the world have been through Protestants. It is not Protestantism that will keep people from persecuting, but it is holding, in fact and not merely in theory, to the principles and the spirit of the teaching of Christ.
Many men were saying, two years ago, that they would never have another war; but witness what is occurring in Europe to-day. The prophets had predicted war as a prevailing passion in these times; and those who were following the book of books, knew what was coming. In like manner, men are saying to-day that we will never have any more religious persecution. But the prophets of God have predicted it; and those who will open their eyes to facts, and see the forces gathering amid the present storm conditions, can readily see how powerfully things are shaping in the world to fulfil literally the inspired prediction of the word of God.
EDITOR.
In the thirteenth chapter of Revelation, it is recorded that there was opened before the seer of Patmos, in vision, the sad experiences through which the people of God were to pass because of apostasy and its attendant persecution. The time of the rise of the papacy is brought to view, the period of its continuing, and the time of its overthrow; and the prophet is privileged to observe “the last word” in earthly government developing with unparalleled rapidity and strength—the mightiest and freest people of all history—only to see that nation forsake the principles which had been its life, and in that forsaking, find naught but death.
The heart of the apostle must have been saddened as he saw this nation forsake the pathway of the men who, in the providence of God, were the makers of it, and behold this “last hope of constitutional government in all the earth” prove to be but a passing shadow, to meet its overthrow as an opposer of God’s work and a persecutor of His people.
PAGANISM GAVE WAY TO THE PAPACY
“Finis” was being written to the last chapter of pagan history in Europe at the time to which the beginning of the vision points. The passing of that time of paganism, however, did not open up to the world the Elysian plains of the Isles of the Blessed. That hour marked the beginning of a time never equalled in its record of cruelty and blood—the most awful that has ever stained the pages of history with its shame.
Paganism was passing, but a greater power than paganism arose to blight the world. Paganism was the open and avowed enemy of Christianity. As such, it had failed to accomplish the purpose of Satan—the destruction of God’s people. Satan, however, was not to be turned from his purpose. Disappointed though he was, he turned his face in another direction, and succeeded in inoculating the church of Christ with his infernal virus. He led it to forsake the throne of grace for the throne of the Cæsars. He caused it to cast away the sword of the Spirit, and to unsheathe the sword of Peter.
The apostle saw the church lay aside her robes of white, and array herself in purple and scarlet, and in her infamy become “drunken with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” He saw the professed church of Jesus Christ so change in character and aims and purposes, that heaven presents it as a beast having upon its head the name of blasphemy, and not only making “war with the saints,” but also opening its mouth “in blasphemy against God.”
He saw an effort made to destroy the beast; but, alas, the deadly wound is healed, “and all the world wondered after the beast,” crying out, “Who is able to make war with him?”
THE PERIOD OF PAPAL SUPREMACY
Verses 1–10 of Revelation 13 mark the record, in the matter of time, from A. D. 330 to A. D. 1798. The seat and power and great authority of the dragon—pagan Rome, the power through which Satan, the real dragon (see Rev. 12: 9), was operating—was passed on to papal Rome, beginning, practically, with the removal of the seat of the empire from Rome to Constantinople, in A. D. 330, in the days of Constantine, and reaching to the seating of the bishop of Rome upon the throne of Rome, by the arms of Justinian, in A. D. 538. To this period Rev. 13: 5 points, saying, “And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.”
This is the same time brought to view in chapter 12, verse 6, “a thousand two hundred and threescore days”; and in verse 14, “a time, and times, and half a time.” It is that long, dark night which covered the world with its woe, beginning A. D. 538, and ending A. D. 1798.
It is a story without a parallel. It is the history of a system whose boast is that it “never changes.” It is the record of a church which, through the centuries, has been proving her claim that she is the “true church,” by the stake, the rack, the gibbet, and the block.
The forty and two months terminated in 1798. In that year, Pope Pius VI was taken prisoner, and stripped of all his power, civil and ecclesiastical, and of all his property, by the arms of France. The papacy, for the moment, was abolished. Rome was proclaimed a republic. The pope was carried an exile into France, where he died in captivity.
SHE THAT HAD USED THE SWORD
This was the wounding to death foretold in verse 3 of Revelation 13, and which met its fulfillment in verse 10. The church that had led captive the hosts of earth for centuries, that had used for so long “the power of the state for the furtherance of her aims,” was herself led into captivity. She had used the sword (verse 10), the symbol of the state, to lead into captivity, and to kill. That same sword was her undoing. Temporal power was taken away. The voice which, when it spoke, had made kingdoms quake, was stilled. The wounding to death of verse 3 was inflicted.
A BEAST COMES OUT OF THE EARTH
It was at this time that the prophet’s attention was called to the rise of another power—our own nation. He saw “another beast coming up out of the earth.” Verse 11. So rapid was its rise that John seemed actually to see it coming up.
No nation save our own fits the prophetic mold and the time. Nine years before the prophecy received its “death stroke” by France, the constitution of the United States went into effect. She is seen “coming up out of the earth,” the very opposite of the beast in verse 1, which is seen to “rise up out of the sea.” In Scripture, the sea symbolizes “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” Rev. 17: 15.
The term “earth,” then, would suggest that the place where the beast of Rev. 13: 11 was seen “coming up” was far removed from the densely populated territory of Europe, where the beast of verse 1 had its rise.
The time of this nation’s coming up, and the manner of it, and the place of it, correspond in every detail with the prophecy.744
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LAMBLIKE HORNS
The two horns like a lamb (see verse 11), would imply some specially prominent, characteristic features of the power brought to view. And what do we find as we look for the answer?—We find the United States of America to be the only nation in all the history of all the world that founded the whole superstructure of government upon two great principles; namely, civil and religious liberty.
These principles, upon which this nation is built, have been the foundation of her greatness, making her a magnet that has attracted to her shores, from every land and from every clime, men who, like the ones that gave to this nation its constitution, have “recognized the eternal principle that man’s relation to his God is above human legislation, and his right of conscience inalienable.”
Under the great providence of God, through these two fundamental principles, America became a beacon light of liberty to the whole world—a new and wonderful thing in government.
IS TO SPEAK AS A DRAGON
But the prophecy continues. It says, “And he spake as a dragon.” Verse 11. What a tremendous change! How sad to contemplate!
We found, last week, in our study of Revelation 12, that the dragon was a persecuting power, bending every energy toward the destruction of God’s people. Verse 12 of this chapter we are studying, tells us this nation is to exercise “all the power of the first beast”—the papacy. The papacy used the power of the state to persecute and destroy. The prophecy tells us that this nation is to make men worship the papacy. Supernatural forces will operate, and men will be deceived, and led to believe that this work of compelling their fellows in matters of conscience is of God. This deception will be so great that the principles which have been the nation’s life and power and greatness will be set aside, and an image to the papacy will be erected in their stead. Verses 12–14.
Nor is this all. We read that life will be given to “the image of the beast,” to the end that the image of the beast should be heard to speak. Verse 15.
THE IMAGE WILL SPEAK
Note also that when life is given to the image, it is the image that speaks. That voice will be the voice of the dragon, which is brought to view in chapter 12 as a relentless persecutor of the people of God. The image of the beast speaks, and its voice is heard even to the issuing of the death penalty. This would lead us to the conclusion that the image to the beast is supreme, and that the state is simply the tool used to do her bidding.
Photo Underwood & Underwood
AUTO TRUCK AMMUNITION TRAIN LEAVING FOR THE FRONT
As therefore the papacy is the very embodiment of the union of church and state, with the church ruling the state, so also is the image to the papacy.
This being true, we are confronted, in the prophecy, with the fact that this nation will be led to forsake the position she has occupied for a hundred and twenty-five years, guaranteeing to every man protection in his right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and form an illicit union with the church. State and church will be united, with the church ruling the state. This is an exact likeness to the papacy.
HUMAN RIGHTS TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT
When that day is reached, the inalienable rights of men will be trampled underfoot, and civil and religious liberty will be only a matter of remembrance.
The story penned by inspiration is “written for our learning.” Just a little way ahead are Mount Zion and a redeemed host.
To these days of apostasy belongs the promise of the Deliverer; and a waiting remnant are looking forward with hope to that day which soon will dawn, when He whose right it is to reign shall come and claim His own, “every one that shall be found written in the book.” “They shall trust in the name of the Lord, . . . and none shall make them afraid.”
Reader, Christ and His glorious kingdom, a sure possession by faith, now are the guarantee of heaven to the glorious reality soon to be experienced. “Have faith in God.”
Next week, the study of this subject will be continued further.
SERVIAN AMMUNITION CARS LEAVING FOR THE FRONT, DRAWN BY OXEN
