Prophecy No. 10: The Dragon, Leopard, and Two-Horned Beasts
By W. H. Blaisdell
THE chain of prophecy to which we now call attention commences with Rev., chapter 12, and extends to chapter 14:5. In the few last verses here referred to, we find a company spoken of by John to whom this view was given, as being redeemed from among men. This must refer to the saints that are translated from among the living at the second coming of Christ. 1 Cor. 15:51, 52; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. So this line of prophecy, like the two previously examined, ends with a view of the final deliverance of the saints. The symbols here introduced in consecutive order are the great red dragon of chapter 12, the leopard beast of chapter 13:1–10, and two-horned beast of verses 11–17. Of the first of these symbols it is enough to say that Protestant commentators generally agree that the great red dragon symbolizes Pagan Rome, the same power that is symbolized by the legs of iron in the great image of Dan. 2; and by the great and terrible beast of Dan. 7:7, which, as has been already shown, ruled the world at the opening of the gospel dispensation, and which, through the agency of Herod, a Roman governor, made an effort to destroy the child Jesus immediately after his birth; Matt. 2:16; thus fulfilling the last part of Rev. 12:4. Of the second of these symbols we can also say, that it is generally agreed among Protestants that the leopard beast of chapter 13 symbolizes the papacy or the Catholic power, the same power that is symbolized by the little horn of the fourth beast of Daniel 7. We have previously shown that this little horn symbolizes the papacy; and by comparing the predicted work of the leopard beast with that of the little horn, it may be readily seen that they do both symbolize one and the same power. We can therefore see that this chain of prophecy reaches from the beginning of the gospel dispensation to the time of the translation of the saints at the second coming of Christ, and that the first two symbols of this chain bring us down to the time when the papal power went into captivity, Rev. 13:10, which took place, as previously shown, in 1798. We can also see that the third symbol of this line of prophecy, the two-horned beast of Rev. 13, must refer to a government which is to perform its work in the world as indicated by the prophecy, between 1798 and the second coming of Christ. We will not here give the entire language of the prophet concerning this symbol, but invite the reader to a careful perusal of it, as found in Rev. 13:11–18. IN REVIEW of July 14, in No. 2 of this series of articles, we referred to a few of the many reasons which may be given to show that this symbol represents the government of the United States. A full exposition of the subject is given in a work entitled, “The United States in the Light of Prophecy,” published at the REVIEW AND HERALD Office, Battle Creek, Mich. On examination of the subject, it may be readily seen that this government occupies the right position in regard to territorial location; that it arose at the right time, and in the right manner; and that the government has thus far been of the right character, to be fitly represented by the symbol here brought to view. Of these points we do not propose now to speak definitely, but will mention the few following facts concerning them:— 1. The government of the United States is confined, not to the Eastern continent, all the available territory of which has been occupied by the governments represented by symbols previously examined, but to the Western continent, and embraces territory, new, and previously unoccupied by civilized beings; therefore the beast by which it is symbolized is called, by the prophet, “another beast.” 2. In 1798, this government was in its infancy, just coming into notoriety, and gaining a position of eminence and influence among the nations of the earth; therefore it is fitly represented as coming up at the time that the papal beast went into captivity. 3. This government has not been established by subverting and overturning other governments through the means of war and conquest like those of the eastern continent which were symbolized by wild and ferocious beasts that came up out of the sea; but in a far more quiet and peaceable manner, not one square mile of all its vast territory ever having been obtained by overthrowing and destroying any other government. Thus it is appropriately represented by a beast coming up out of the earth. 4. The civil power of this nation is not that of a monarchy, or kingly government, but of a republic, a government in which the power is vested in the hands of the people. The church power of the nation is based on the pure principles of Protestantism. The protection of these two features of civil and religious freedom is guaranteed in the constitution of the United States. Thus we see that the symbol of a beast with two horns like a lamb having no crowns upon them (crowns denote kingly governments, Rev. 12:3; 13:1) is peculiarly applicable to our own country. By a proper examination of the subject, it may be most clearly seen that the history of the government of the United States has thus far furnished a record of the perfect fulfillment of the specifications of the prophecy relating to the first part of its work; and by an examination of the remainder of the prophecy it may be seen that the government here symbolized is finally to engage in persecuting the true people of God. We are clearly taught by the prophecy, that whatever government is symbolized by this beast, it must be one that will show the features of both lamb and dragon. It is not one that will be lamblike through all its history; neither is it one that will from the beginning of its history exercise the dragon spirit; but first it is to exhibit the lamblike spirit, and afterward the spirit of the dragon. That the United States’ government has, during the first part of its history, presented to the world a declaration of principles the most lamblike of any nation on earth we think no one can reasonably deny; and that it will yet exhibit the dragon spirit the prophecy most positively declares. Here then we find that in the chain of prophecy now under consideration our own government is brought in to fill up the brief period of time between 1798, and the translation of the saints at the second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. We may find also on a further examination of the subject that there are the best of reasons for believing that we are even now in close proximity to the time when the dragonic features of the prophecy will also meet their fulfillment. Thus far in our examination of the prophecies we have been mainly giving the evidence of the fulfillment of those to which we have referred; but here we have certain predictions concerning this nation which are not yet fulfilled, therefore we cannot of course give the evidence of their fulfillment; but we propose to give some of the evidence that very strong indications and probabilities are already seen that such fulfillment will soon be witnessed. Let us now notice a few of the features of the last part of this prediction. We think it can be clearly shown from the prophecy what the leading questions will be that will constitute the last final issue between the people of God and their enemies. The prophet tells us that this two-horned beast spake like a dragon; last part of verse 11. The speaking of a government must refer to its laws and decrees which are publicly set forth to the people, and to which the government requires the people to render obedience. The dragon represents Pagan Rome, which was a persecuting power. By this it is shown that the saints are yet to receive persecution from this government. “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.” Verse 12. The first beast, whose deadly wound was healed, was the leopard beast of the first part of the chapter, which symbolizes the Catholic power. Thus we see that if the government here symbolized is to exercise the power of the leopard beast, it must certainly become a persecuting power. “And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” Verse 14. This beast was seen coming up out of the earth; therefore the expression, “those that dwell on the earth,” evidently refers to those who are citizens, or subjects of the government, and occupy the territory where it arises. Here is still additional evidence that this symbol represents the United States; for the language here used shows that a government is referred to in which the power is in the hands of the people, it being the people who are called upon to make the image. Then, according to this prediction, there is to be made in this country an image to the leopard or papal beast. What does this mean? The image must be a likeness, similarity, or representation, of the beast itself. Therefore but one reasonable conclusion can be drawn from the language used on this point, which is, that there must be formed in the government symbolized by the two-horned beast, a power similar to that represented by the papal beast; and as that was a power which persecuted the saints, and as our own government is the one symbolized by the two-horned beast, we may look for the development of such a power in our own country. The papacy was the Catholic church, an apostate ecclesiastical body, clothed with civil power and authority to punish the saints (called by them dissenters, heretics, &c.) with imprisonment, torture, and death; so we may expect a union of church and State power in this government so nearly similar to the papacy as to be appropriately called an image to that power. We learn from verse 15 that this power, when fully established, will cause or decree that all who will not obey its mandates shall be killed. We do not understand from this, that it will actually succeed in putting to death the saints of God. We are informed in verse 16 that he causeth all to receive a mark, and yet all do not actually receive it. The saints get the victory over the beast and his image, and do not receive the mark. Chapters 15:2; 20:4. So the power here brought to view, the image beast, will pass its decrees, and enact its laws, with the view of putting the saints to death, thus becoming guilty in purpose of committing the deeds; yet we learn from evidences which we have not space here to give, that in this time of trouble and anguish to the people of God, they will not be put to death, but will finally be delivered from all their sorrows by translation at the second coming of Christ, an event which takes place soon after the formation of the image. It may be asked right here how it can be reasonably expected, that the churches of this country which contain the people of God will ever unite with the civil power in persecuting themselves. In answer we will say that, although God has many true saints among them, who sigh for the abominations done in their midst, it is quite often admitted by some of the eminent churchmen of the country that, as a mass, the Protestant churches generally are becoming sadly degenerate and corrupt; and God has especial truths in store for this last generation, that are already being proclaimed, which are destined to cause a separation between the true children of God, and those who are such only by profession. Those truths will be accepted by the one class, and rejected by the other. All the true people of God of all denominations will embrace these truths, and thus become united in the observance of them. Those who reject the truths with which God will test his people, will also become united in opposition to those who receive and obey those truths; thus will the way be prepared for the corrupt and apostate church to unite with the civil power which is also becoming very corrupt, to persecute the true church. Such a power might truly be represented as an image to the beast.