3254.—The Beast that Was
By Editor
Will you please explain Rev. 17:8-14, where it speaks of the beast that was, is not, and yet is; also of the seven kings from which five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come? When is that to be? Who are these kings? We can give only the briefest suggestive comments on this question, and will ask our inquirer to wait until we reach the scripture in our study of the book of Revelation. In brief, however, first, the beast represents that system of church-and-state government, or state religion, which has dominated the world from Babylon's time down under seven different heads. See Revelation 12, 13. The character of the beast is always determined by the character of the head, because the head is the seat of intellect, or mind, and rules the body. Under the Babylonian head the beast was Babylon; following Babylon came Medo-Persia; Medo-Persia succeeded by Grecia, then Rome pagan, then Rome papal; and Rome papal is the beast that was, and is not, and as the Revised Version and many other versions have it, "shall be," and "shall be present," and not "yet is." The Revised Version has "shall come." The papal dominion was lost in 1798; following that came the church-and-state régime of apostate Protestant churches; individual governments connected with the church and interfering in matters of religion. Following that which exists now will come the restoration of the Papacy. Five are fallen, one is, the other is not yet come. Much fuller exposition of this prophecy will be given in the future.