IN the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation we have an interesting prophecy pertaining to our own times. In prophetic vision the prophet of God sees the long stretch of human events, as related to the history of the church, from his own day to the end of time. These events he describes in startling vividness and convincing minuteness. The several phases of this prophecy have been discussed by other writers. The purpose of this article is to discuss the single phase of the mark of the beast and its enforcement. To do it intelligently, however, a brief definition of terms will assist our understanding. Will the reader turn to this chapter of the inspired Book and follow us in our study?
The Beast, Verses 1-10.
This is a symbol of papal Rome. In these few lines a plain but comprehensive delineation is given of the Papacy from the time of its rise in the sixth century to its overthrow by the French arms in 1798. The comparison of this prophecy with the prophecy of the little horn of Daniel 7 will indicate clearly its application. The great words it should speak against the Most High, the bitter war that it should wage against the saints of God, and the definite continuance of its temporal power for a time, times, and half a time, or forty-two months, equaling 1,260 prophetic days or literal years, beginning in 538 A.D. and ending in 1798 A.D., clearly show the application of this prophecy to the papal system.
The Beast with Two Horns Like a Lamb, Verses 11-17.
This is a symbol of our own country, the United States of America. Coming upon the stage of action in 1798, just as the papal beast was going into captivity, standing as the enunciator of great and glorious principles symbolized by its lamblike horns, it was later to develop the attributes and characteristics of the dragon, and to unite with the papal beast in an earnest warfare against the truth and the children of God. This is a painful consideration, and not at all flattering to our national pride. And yet, sad as it may seem, we can not escape the application of the prophecy as so forcibly demonstrated by the logic of facts.
Image of the Beast.
The beast itself, or the Papacy, was a union of Church and State. The image to the beast must be that which will resemble the beast in all essential features, and must be likewise a union of Church and State. That we find in the great church federation movements, and in other religio-political movements now taking place, an effort to bring about a union of Church and State in this country, or in other words, to create an image to the papal beast, recent articles in this paper have clearly demonstrated.
The mark of the beast must be some distinguishing feature, or doctrine, or command, which distinguishes the Papacy from other powers or governments. What is
This Distinguishing Mark?
By what act or series of acts, by what law or system of laws, does the Papacy stand forth singular from all others? This is clearly indicated in the statement of the prophet as found in Daniel 7:25. He says that this power should change times and the law, making distinct and direct reference to the law divine of the great Jehovah.
The apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2 speaks of this same great system of error, which should work in the church of God, and states that he would oppose and exalt
himself above God. This opposition to God, this exalting himself above God, stands forth as the special mark of the papal power above all other powers that ever existed. By what act has the Papacy sought to exalt itself above its Maker? If it were to enforce the law of God, it could then only make itself equal with God; but if we shall discover that the Papacy has changed the law of God, and enforces its own change and its own revision in preference to the original, we shall then be able to determine wherein the great mark of difference consists, and the act on its part by which it exalts itself above God. This will not be hard to determine. It has taken the law of God and has robbed the fourth commandment of the one day which God sanctified and blessed and enjoined to be kept holy, and placed in its stead a sabbath of its own creation. This change, then, which it has made constitutes its mark and authority; and the Papacy sets forth this very change as the mark of its authority. This is shown from its own published, authoritative church books, and its frequent utterances from the pulpit and rostrum. In "Doctrinal Catechism," pp. 174, 352, we find the following:
"Ques.—Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept?
"Ans.—Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her,—she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority."
"Ques.—When Protestants do profane work upon Saturday, or the seventh day of the week, do they follow the Scripture as their only rule of faith? do they find this permission clearly laid down in the Sacred Volume?
"Ans.—On the contrary, they have only the authority of tradition for the practise. In profaning Saturday, they violate one of God's commandments, which He has never clearly abrogated,—'Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.'"
From another church book of recognized authority, "The Abridgment of Christian Doctrine," page 58, we quote:
"Ques.—How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holy days?
"Ans.—By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church.
"Ques.—How prove you that?
"Ans.—Because by keeping Sunday they acknowledge the church's power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin; and by not keeping the rest by her commanded, they again deny, in fact, the same power."
This mark of the papal beast, this symbol of its power, this counterfeit sabbath to the rest day of Jehovah, the prophecy plainly declares shall be enforced upon the people of this earth. And our own beloved country, with its foundations of liberty, with its claim of freedom from religious bigotry and superstition, becomes the active agent in the enforcement of this mark.
A Solemn Warning.
That heaven does not look with indifference upon these rapidly fulfilling events, the warning given in Rev. 14:9-12 clearly indicates. Says the inspired penman:
"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."
It is not for us to say at what stage in God's dealing with the human family this time shall be reached, nor can we determine at what point in any person's experience God will count him as having the mark of papal authority. Many devoted children of God have lived and died in ignorance that they were observing a human sabbath. Many are living to-day in the firm belief that in the observance of the Sunday they are meeting the requirements of the Lord Jesus. In the absence of light and knowledge, all these have been accepted in Christ Jesus. God holds man responsible for the light he possesses, and for the light he might obtain.
The Entrance of Light.
But now there comes a change. The long period of papal supremacy, during which the consciences of men were enthralled, the Bible chained, and the study of the sacred pages prohibited, came to an end more than one hundred years ago. Since that time glorious light has been shining from the sacred Book. Bible societies have been formed, millions of copies of the sacred Scriptures have been distributed, Bible study has been encouraged, and light is breaking forth. We have now reached the hour of God's preparation; soon He will come whose right it is to reign.
A great warning message is preparing the world for that event. As an integral part of that warning message the claims of God's holy law and the binding perpetuity and obligation of His holy Sabbath are being advocated to earth's remotest bounds. And the agitation is spreading by the living missionary, by the printed page, by the direct impression of the Spirit of God drawing the minds of men to a study of His word. As the knowledge of the coming of the Lord and of the great message to prepare the people for His coming is spreading to earth's remotest bounds, this serves to excite the opposition of the enemy of all truth, and there is begun a great counter-agitation which has for its object the enforcement of the counterfeit sabbath. These are the great counter-movements now agitating the world. These are the two great principles, and under one banner or the other will the nations of men be arrayed.
Where Will You Stand?
Reader, where do you stand in relation to this great moral conflict? Will you stand for God and right as against every system of error? Will you stand alone so far as the great multitude is concerned? He who stands for truth may stand against his fellows; but he does not stand alone, for he stands with God and heaven. This is your privilege. 'Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.' May your eyes be clearly anointed to discern the right, and may you have strength to choose the right, and to stand for God and truth in the mightiest controversy of the ages, and in the thrilling events which are now rapidly meeting their fulfilment in the history of the human race.