Review Questions.—(a) What does the beast represent? (b) What is the Papacy? (c) What is represented by the two-horned beast? (d) What is its character, and how represented? (e) What would it deceive the people into doing?
1. What is an image to the beast? Ans.—A union of church and state, by which the church will use the state to accomplish its own objects.
2. What have we already seen accomplished in this direction? Ans.—The churches in various ways have brought pressure to bear upon the government until the government has committed itself in its several departments to the principle of religious legislation. See note .
3. What further step may be taken by the Federal Government? Ans.—The next logical step of the government would be to change the organic law so that it would conform to the decision of the Supreme Court, tho all this may be accomplished irregularly by some construction of the Supreme Court. Man does not know what phase the movement will take.
4. When governments legislate on the things of God, what are logically considered the highest laws and the most heinous crimes? Ans.—The laws relating to man’s duty to God and their violation.
5. With what is the violation of the highest laws generally punished? Ans.—With death. See note .
6. What part of the prophecy would be thus easily fulfilled?
“And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Rev. 13:15.
The Mark of the Beast.
7. Against what does God warn us besides the beast and his worship?
“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.
8. What must the mark of the beast be? Ans.—The badge of his authority, the sign of his power.
9. What does the mark show him who receives it to be? Ans.—A servant. It was a custom anciently to brand slaves with the mark of their master, as men now brand cattle. The mark showed to whom the slave belonged and whom he served.
10. Of whom would the mark of the beast show men to be worshipers?
“And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” Rev. 13:12.
11. In worshiping the beast whom would we serve? Ans.—To worship the beast is to serve him instead of God. The real essence of worship is service. Matt. 4:10.
12. What would therefore mark the difference between the worshipers of the beast and the worshipers of God? Ans.—The difference in the service rendered.
13. What would regulate the conduct of the two classes of servants? Ans.—The law and spirit of their respective earthly governments?
14. What is the rule of God’s government?
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.” Eccl. 12:13.
15. What have we found to be the sign, mark, or badge of his power? Ans.—The Sabbath. Eze. 20:20.
16. What would therefore be the mark, or badge, of the rival worship, the worship of the beast? Ans.—The rival sabbath, or that part of the law of the beast which differs from God’s law.
17. What change has the prophet declared this apostate power would make in God’s law? Dan. 7:25, R. V.: “The times and the law.” Spurrell: “The appointed times and the law,” referring directly to that part of the law relating to God’s appointed times, the day and the week, the crown of which is the Sabbath.
18. How would this power thus exalt itself?
“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.
19. What does the Papacy claim as the mark of its power?
Ans.—“Q.—How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holy days?”
“A.—By the very act of changing Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants themselves allow of. . . .”
“By keeping Sunday they [Protestants] acknowledge the church’s power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin.”—Abridgment of Christian Doctrine. See “The Lord’s Day,” pp. 83 to 85, for other testimony. See also note .
20. What is there to show that the churches of this country are using the civil power to enforce the mark of the beast? Ans.—Almost every effort thus far made to unite church and state in this country has had for its center the Sunday question, and has had Sunday legislation or establishment as its object.
21. What, therefore, in the light of the prophecy, is the mark of the beast? Ans.—Sunday enforced by civil law. See note .
22. Under what penalty will it be enforced?
“And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause 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 forehead.” Rev. 13:15, 16.
23. What solemn warning has God given concerning it?
“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.
