Review Questions.—(a) What is the beast and his image? (b) What is the mark? (c) In what two ways may it be received?
1. Until what time did God declare that a true theocracy or literal kingdom of God on the earth should be no more?
“And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God: Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him.” Eze. 21:25–27.
2. Yet, as soon as the church apostatized, what false theory came in?
Ans.—“There had in fact arisen in the church . . . a false theocratical theory. . . . This theocratical theory was the prevailing one in the time of Constantine.”—Torrey’s Neander, History of Church and Christian Religion, vol. 2, p. 132. Augustine was the propounder of this theory. Id., p. 217.
3. What did this theory carried out put in the place of God?
“Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, 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 worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thess. 2:3, 4.
4. What is declared at the present time by a body of world-wide influence?
Ans.—“A true theocracy is yet to come, and the enthronement of Christ in law and law-makers.”—W. C. T. U. Monthly Reading for September, 1886. See note 1.
5. What does the prophet say of those who predict this good time?
“And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. Therefore thou hast forsaken the people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.” Isa. 2:3–6.
6. When the political divisions of the earth decide themselves to be Christian, or that Christ reigns through them, as many have already done, whom will they put in the place of God? 2 Thess. 2:3, 4. See text under question 3.
7. What will then be fulfilled?
“And his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him.” Rev. 13:3, 4.
8. What will the great harlot, Babylon, say?
“How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” Rev. 18:7.
9. How great are her vain boasts? Ans.—She exalts herself to an equality with God.
“Now therefore hear this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and there is none else beside me.” Isa. 47:8, R. V. Compare with chapter 46:9.
10. In what and like whom is she deceived in all this?
“For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness; thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.” Isa. 47:10. Compare with Eze. 28:17, first part.
11. How many are deceived by this great apostate power? See answer to question 7.
12. What will be the mark of power in all this?
Ans.—The worship and the mark. Verses 8, 16. The world-wide message warns against both worship13and mark, and where the worship is, there will be seen the mark of the worshiper.
13. In fact, what will Sunday be thought to be by those deceived by Babylon?
Ans.—“The test of all religions” (Dr. W. W. Evarts, in Elgin Convention), “A mark of American religion to the present day” (Dr. J. G. Lorimer, in the Christian Treasury). See note 2.
14. What will they do against the people of God who oppose this false theocracy? Ans.—They will associate and confederate together to destroy them. Isa. 8:9, 10.
15. What will come in consequence of all this sin and transgression against God?
“Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare; for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.” Isa. 24:17–21.
16. That men may escape what they fear, what will they do? Ans.—Confederate together.
“For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.” Isa. 8:11, 12. See note 3.
17. How much will Babylon thus include?
Ans.—All the different confederacies of earth, endeavoring to open “a gate of God,” but which will prove confusion—Babylon.
“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Rev. 18:1, 2.
21. What will be the final result of this great wickedness?
“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 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.” Rev. 14:9–11.
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” Isa. 24:5.
“Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.” Rev. 18:8. See also Rev. 16:19; 19:20.
22. What is now our duty?
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isa. 58:1.
“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.” “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Rev. 14:9; 18:4.