THE TWO-HORNED BEAST by N. Mead

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Nov 15, 1853

THE TWO-HORNED BEAST.

By N. Mead

"AND I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 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. xiii, 11, 12.

After what time is he seen coming up? In this prophecy, John tells us that he saw a beast coming up out of the earth, that caused the earth and them which dwelt therein to worship the first beast. When does he, the two horned beast, cause them to worship the first beast? Evidently, after the first beast is wounded, and his deadly wound healed; as the last clause of verse 12, says, "And causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed." Then he was seen by John, coming up, after the first beast was wounded. To learn when this was, we must ascertain when the first beast received a deadly wound. In speaking of the first beast, he refers to the beast he saw having seven heads, given in this chapter, verse 7. Verse 3, says, "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed."

We will for convenience, term this the blasphemous beast, as it is called. It is our object in this article, more particularly to ascertain if we can from the symbols of this prophecy, which one of the seven heads of this blasphemous beast was made dead. Because after it is wounded, the two horned beast comes up. And it is after the wound is given, that the image to the first beast is made, spoken of in verse 14.

We have no means in this chapter by which to tell which head was made dead; because the heads of this beast are not explained here. We are not told here what these heads symbolize. We shall therefore, be obliged to find an explanation some where else. Verse 2, says, "And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." But when he did it, we cannot tell by this symbol alone. Whether he gave it to his fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh head, we are not told here. There was but one of the seven heads wounded. We will now bring forward the dragon of chapter xii, of whom he gets his power.—The dragon symbolizes Pagan Rome, which exercised the authority, when the man-child was born who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. Rev. xii, 5. The dragon is also given as having seven heads. But we are not told here what they represent. Therefore we cannot tell by him alone when he gives his power to the beast. We find in chapter xvii, the symbol of another beast, scarlet-colored, on which the woman sits, having seven heads and ten horns. Just the same number of heads and horns that the dragon and the blasphemous beast have each. And we conclude they represent the same on those two symbols first noticed, that they do on this beast. We would say here, that as the dragon was in existence when Christ was born, wishing to destroy him, we conclude he commenced with the rise of the Roman kingdom; or, at least, the seven heads did. And it is understood he symbolizes Rome in pagan form, or the civil power and their pagan religion united, he, of course, bears rule until he gives up his form of religion; and then he gives his seat to the blasphemous beast. It will also be understood that this scarlet beast commences with the rise of Rome.

Now for an explanation of the seven heads of the scarlet beast. The angel says, "The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth, and they [Whiting's Translation] are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come." Rev. xvii, 9, 10. How shall we understand the seven heads which the angel says are seven mountains? Can they be literal mountains? The angel said, five had fallen. Had five literal mountains fallen on which Rome stood? If so, there was a mountain to come up after John had his vision: the seventh. Again: Could a literal mountain be wounded to death by a sword? No one for a moment will suppose them literal mountains. They are called seven kings also. Therefore the seven mountains and the seven kings, are of the same character as the seven heads, symbolizing the seven different and successive forms of government in the Roman kingdom. As we have learned what the heads are given to represent, we will now with the heads of the scarlet beast, try to ascertain which head of the blasphemous beast received power of the dragon. This we know: The dragon has the power first, as he gives it to the beast, or it could not be said he gave it to him. Now dear reader let us bring before our minds, the symbols of the two beasts, and also of the dragon; all three having seven heads. The angel said of the scarlet beast, "Five heads are fallen, one is, the other is not yet come."

1. Five are fallen. 2. And one is. 3. And the other is not yet come.

1. Of the five that are fallen. We learn that five had fallen before John had his vision, as the angel said. Then let us imagine five heads taken off from the symbol of the scarlet beast, five from the dragon, also five from the blasphemous beast. Then the rule of five heads of these symbols was in the past when John had his vision. Did the dragon give his power to the beast when his fifth head fell? He did not; as we shall find in noticing the sixth head.

2. Of the head that was, when John talked with the angel. If the fifth had fallen from all these symbols, the one that the angel said then was, must be the sixth head; and that one, the sixth, of the dragon, was the head or form of government, Imperial Pagan Rome, that sought to devour the man-child as soon as it was born: it being the dragon, or Pagan Rome, which put Christ to death; and his sixth head as we have shown by the head that then was, in John's day, on the scarlet beast, and also on the dragon, proves that when the fifth head of the dragon fell, he did not then give his power to the beast; because there was no change of religion in the sixth, from that of the fifth: both being pagan. We doubt not that John could say when he was put into the cauldron of boiling oil, the dragon had not given his power up, even then, in his day; and certainly not at the end of the fifth. The fifth, gave his power to the sixth. Now as the sixth existed in John's day, and that was Imperial Pagan Rome, as we know, the dragon had not given up his power then; but how shall we find it when the sixth falls. It will be seen that when the seventh head of the scarlet beast came, the sixth had fallen.

3. And the other is not yet come. Why? because the sixth was then ruling, and continued his rule through John's day; and after him more than four hundred years. After that the other, the seventh, came. We will now imagine the sixth head taken from our symbols, the two beasts, and also the dragon, and the seventh to appear. Shall we find a change of religion here in the Roman kingdom as we shall of the form of ruling? We shall. It is very well known, that when the form of rule which was in John's time, the sixth head, was changed, pagan religion ceased. Therefore the ending of the rule of the sixth head of the dragon, is the time when he gave his power to the beast. At that time he gave up his kind of religion, idolatry, and the beast gets the power, and sets up his religion. The sixth head of the dragon gave his power and seat to the seventh head of the blasphemous beast. Then the first six heads of the beast had no power; they were dead heads we may say; as his seventh was, after it was made so by the sword. So also we conclude, as the sixth head of the dragon gave his power, seat and great authority to the seventh head of the beast, his own seventh head is to be considered dead, not having the power. Then it was on

this wise: The emperors, the sixth head, were the last of the dragon's rule. Pagan rites and ceremonies were then taken away, and kingly rule and the papal religion established.

Read 2 Thess. ii, 3-7. Paul saw that the dragon then withheld the power from the beast. He (the sixth head) hindered, and would, until taken out of the way; and then he should give it to the one that exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped. This is like the blasphemous beast, and the same. The seventh head, or Papacy, received his power, A. D. 538: the only head that had power on this beast; and it was the only head that could be wounded; for taking away what the dragon gave, was killing him; and restoring it again, was healing him. When was the seventh head wounded to death? Verse 5, says, "And power was given unto him to make war forty-two months." He received power 538; was to make war 1260 years; then he was to be killed with a sword: which brings us to 1798. It is well known that Papacy received its wound at that time. Although healed, he is not to make war with the saints after the forty-two months. We think it is evident which head was wounded; viz., the seventh; for the dragon had the power during his sixth head. But says one, perhaps not: how do you know but that it might be the fifth head of the dragon that gave his power to the beast? In this way we know: If the dragon's heads represent the same as the scarlet-colored beast, we know by what the angel said to John, as we have stated: we repeat it; said he, Five are fallen, and one is. Now if the fifth had fallen the one that then was, must be the sixth. Now apply this language to the dragon. Five are fallen and one is now; which was the sixth. And was it not the dragon and the same head of the dragon that sought to devour the man-child as soon as he was born, that was ruling while John was on the isle of Patmos. It certainly was. Then it is certain which head of the dragon gave his authority to the blasphemous beast. And as we know when the seventh head of the beast was wounded, we know after what time the two-horned beast exercises power; because it is not said that he exercised power before the first beast was wounded; and we know, too, that healing the first beast does not make another beast of him, having only two horns, as some say; but he has still ten horns. Still further: another, and a second, cannot be the first but altogether a distinct beast. Then after the wounding we may look for the two-horned beast, and not before.

What power was seen rising, at the time the beast received the wound, answering to the symbol of the two-horned beast? Could it in any way be the wounded beast restored? We answer, No, for this reason: It is said that the second beast works miracles in the sight of the first beast; showing two distinct beasts, both having power at the same time. Was it any government where either of the ten horns bear rule? It was not; for all ten rose before the first beast himself came into power, and before he was wounded, of course; because he could not be wounded until after he had received power. The ten horns came up during the rule of the sixth head of the dragon. Then no power was seen coming up at the time the beast was wounded, where these ten kingdoms exist.

It is evident that this power is none other than the government of these United States. It was at that time rising and has ever since been increasing in power.

We have been through with an examination of the symbols, and we see no difficulty in determining which head of the first beast received power of the dragon, and was wounded; also, when it was done. We believe the honest and inquiring saint need not be in the dark respecting this. That the two-horned beast comes up after the head is wounded, is according to the prophecy; and he makes the image to the first beast; which is yet to be done. As the saints who lived during the reign of the dragon, overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, may the Lord grant us grace that we may overcome the blasphemous beast and also his image in the same way.

Washington, N. H. 1853.