The Fourth Beast | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 24, 1864

The Fourth Beast.

"AFTER this, I saw in the night visions and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns." Dan. vii, 7.

It is to be borne in mind, that Daniel saw what he describes. One after another these beasts arose. Each acted the part assigned it; and took on the changes here described. It was not, I mean, merely an ideal conception. It was an absolute vision. As figures, in a panoramic view, these three beasts arose. And after them, he saw "a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly."

The description of this beast is very striking. And you observe, that whereas each of the three preceding kingdoms had its own specific symbol: this beast is a nameless one. Its qualities are described. It was "dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly."

Its powers of destruction are pointed out. "It had great iron teeth;" and nails of brass.

Its actions are foretold. "It devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it." But no name is given to it. No fitting symbol could be furnished, for this mighty power, from among the wild beasts of the forest.

Now, the question arises, What kingdom is here symbolized? And, in answering it, we have to meet these requisitions of the prophetic word. "The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread down and break it in pieces.

"And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings;" (ver. 23, 24.) In other words, we must find a kingdom which is a fourth universal kingdom.

A kingdom which is greater and mightier and more terrible than any which came up before it, whose powers of destruction were fitly symbolized by a beast with great iron teeth, and nails of brass. A kingdom, that acted a corresponding part among the nations of the earth, greater than the Babylonian Lion; the Medo-Persian Bear; and the Græco-Macedonian Leopard; inasmuch as it was to break them in pieces, and succeed to their dominion.

A kingdom, which was "diverse" from all other kingdoms, it must also give rise to ten other kingdoms which are to exist together, even as the ten horns did on the head of the symbolic beast. It must, furthermore, give rise to another kingdom—symbolized by the eleventh, or "little horn"—which must, also, be "diverse" from the first ten kingdoms; and before which, three of the ten are to be plucked up by the roots.

Finally. It must be a kingdom, which—in that of the little horn, as well as in the first ten—shall continue until the judgment of the great day; when "the beast shall be slain, and his body destroyed and given to the devouring flame."

Now, of these prophetic marks, all are accomplished, save the last. In their light, then, we must point out the kingdom symbolized. Of course, you all anticipate its name? It is the Roman Empire. In none other, can it even be pretended that these marks are fulfilled.

It was "the fourth kingdom upon earth." The mighty empire, founded by Alexander, was swallowed up by it. New territories were added to its dominion; until the "government of the whole earth" became its favorite title.

It was "dreadful and strong exceedingly." Was there ever a nation to which these terms so appropriately applied? Hardihood, fortitude, sternness, force—were not these the qualities in which the people gloried most? And how "dreadful and terrible," in its subsequent dealings, this nation became, its history written for centuries in blood, (as was that of no other nation upon earth,) too terribly attests!

"It devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it." And what is Roman history, but a record of bloody and destructive wars upon other States? Of its cruelty and oppressiveness wherever its powers are felt? It was not merely that it fought for dominion. Its lusts of destruction rioted in bloodshed, and it "brake in pieces," even without gain to itself.

It was "diverse from all the beasts that were before it." It was to be so in many respects. And so it has proved. It is so in the length of time it has continued. It was founded in the year 746 B. C. And it is still a power among the nations of the earth; i. e., it has been so for two thousand six hundred years. What other kingdom, in active intercourse with other nations, can compare with it in this respect?

It is, "diverse," too, in the character it has worn. For nearly eleven hundred years it was Pagan; then, for a season, was Christian; and now, for more than twelve hundred years, it has been a Papal power. And then, it has been "diverse from all kingdoms," in the nature of its government. It has passed through every form of administration. It was a kingdom—a republic—an empire. Now, in this connection, it is to be remarked, that St. John saw a vision of this same beast. He says: "And I stood upon the sands of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns, ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth of a lion." Rev. xiii, 1, 2. How very expressive! Daniel saw three beasts rise before it. Then came the fourth. And this same beast—in a new form of development—John saw. It took the distinguishing feature of each of the three preceding beasts. The body of the leopard, the feet of the bear, and the mouth of the lion, all conspired to make this beast "dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly." There never has been but one kingdom of which this was true. Of only one can it be averred, that it succeeded to the dominions of the Babylonian Lion, the Medo-Persian Bear, and the Macedonian Leopard,—having, besides these, its own peculiar territory in the sovereignty of the ten kingdoms of the West. And then, the Roman Empire "resembled no state of society known among men. It displayed, in its character and proceedings, the vigor and courage of the Babylonians, the various policy

and cunning of the Greeks, and the unchanging firmness of the Medes and Persians." And then too, it had seven heads and ten horns.

Now, in Rev. xvii, we have an ecclesiastical power, representing a woman riding on this beast. Of this I shall have to speak hereafter. I, therefore, refer to it here, only to identify the beast with that which Daniel saw. In Rev. xvii, 18, we are told: "And the woman, which thou sawest, is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth." Now, every school-boy knows what great city ruled over the kings of the earth in St. John's time. It is as much a simple question, What is the capital city of these United States? There was no other city than Rome that did this. Rome, then, is symbolized by the beast of the prophet, as well as by that of the apostle. But we are further told, "The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come," etc. Verses 9, 10. Now, the seven-hilled city—was a favorite term among the Latin poets and other authors, when speaking of Rome. And we all know how, in our day, it has passed into a proverbial expression.

But then, if this were all, there would be slight need of the caution in the ninth verse. "And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are, etc. It surely would not require much wisdom to number the seven-hills on which the city was built, and where the woman sitteth. They, therefore, have a further meaning. Literally, it is the seven heads and seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And they are seven kings." In other words they are symbols—i. e., symbols of the seven kinds of rulers who administered the government. The mountains or hills were surrounded by "waters." And these, we are expressly told, "are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." The spectacle, therefore, which John saw, symbolized the "ancient rulers of the empire as well as its kings, in its last form," and also the subjects over which it ruled. And in this, in clear, symbolic sense, the fact is undoubtedly as the apostle states it. When the English law says, "The king never dies," it simply means that while a State lasts, the kingly power never departs from it. Its form may change, but the supreme power always remains. And so, when Charles I was beheaded, and Cromwell assumed the reins of government, that maxim was still true. The kingly power remained, though no king ruled then in England.

So it is here. There were to be seven forms of kingly power. Five had then passed. One was, and the other had not come. Now history tells us that they were, 1. Kings; 2. Consuls; 3. Dictators; 4. Decemvirs; and 5. Military Tribunals. The government was imperial when John lived. And so the angel said, "One is." And the other was yet to come. This, most probably, was "false, Christian Imperial, commencing with Constantine, in the year 312, and falling at the subversion of the Western Empire in 476." And the ten horns, which had not then arisen, were the ten kingdoms which were to appear when the beast arose out of the abyss of waters. They were to exercise their power with the beast. And so they have ever done. And so, in the ten toes of the image; and the ten horns of the beast of the Apocalypse; we have the same truth that is revealed in this vision of Daniel.

Returning, then, to the points in which this kingdom was to be "diverse from all kingdoms;" we find that it was to be so in the forms of its government. What other nation ever passed through so many? Seven forms of administration of the supreme power! And the seventh is to re-appear in a new phase; thus making it the eighth. With what emphatic meaning could it be said to be "diverse from all kingdoms?"

And it is so, too, in the greatness and extent of its dominion. Take an ancient map of Europe; examine its territories; recount the nations that owned its sway; and confess it is well termed the government of the whole earth.

And then it was to give rise to ten other kingdoms. We had this division referred to in the toes of the image; and in both visions they are called for, as arising out of the same power. They were to be separate kingdoms; but only separate as are the toes of a man's feet, or the horns of the beast's head, i. e., growing out of one and the same body. I press this remark upon you as a certain guard against the false interpretations which are sought to be given to this passage. You will find many more than ten kingdoms in Europe. But that matters not. We are only concerned to find ten, which were formed out of, which grew up on, the territories of Daniel's fourth beast, i. e., of the Roman empire. Now, of these kingdoms I shall have to speak, when the kingdom of the little horn claims our attention. I therefore only refer to them now, to ask, Of what other kingdom could this ten-fold division be affirmed? You know, we all know, that in this respect the Roman was "diverse from all other kingdoms." But, it was diverse, also, in giving rise to the kingdom of the little horn. Among the ten horns of the beast, another little horn arose. The kingdom which is symbolized was to be diverse from all the others; and before it, three of the first ten were to be plucked up by the roots. All this will shortly come before us; and therefore I press it not now.

Now, brethren, these are the points of diversity. Some of them you may find in many other nations. But all of them you will find nowhere but in one. And when you have found them, there cannot be a shadow of a doubt that you have the kingdom symbolized in this vision. The meeting of all these characteristics in one kingdom, becomes an infallible proof that that is the one pointed out. History lays down her testimony at its feet. And feelings of awe come over us as we gaze. We behold a power whose distinctive traits are strongly drawn; whose acts are vividly portrayed; and for whom a fearful end is reserved. We behold it, century after century, unconsciously taking to itself every item of the proof by which it was to be known; and calling upon the world to witness the identity! Look at it in the light of these collected characteristics; and say if it is not impossible to find a kingdom which combines them all, outside of that of Rome?

Rome, then, is the kingdom of the fourth beast; "dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly." Its power circled the earth. There was no escape from its grasp. "Remember," says Cicero, to the exiled Marcellus, "wherever you are, you are equally within the power of the conqueror." It was the fourth universal kingdom. It succeeded to the dominions of the three that had gone before it. It supplied in history the terrible combination of powers and characteristics which the prophet enumerated. It gave rise to ten separate kingdoms, which still exist. And in the midst of these another little kingdom arose, diverse from the other ten; and before which, three of the ten were plucked up by the roots; i. e., never to be restored. I suppose we must all agree that all this occurred in the history of Rome. And that that, and no other kingdom, is the one pointed out by the prophet.

I desire, brethren, to have this truth clearly before you. You may not rest in the conclusion that it is probably so. There is no such neutral ground for you to adopt. This proposition is absolutely true, or wholly false. Of some one kingdom all these statements are true. The angel meant but one. He described but one. And history records their fulfillment in but one. There cannot be two fourth universal empires. And that which fulfilled this condition must also be of greater power than the three which went before it; must be diverse from all other kingdoms; must be broken into ten separate kingdoms; and out of these another little kingdom, an ecclesiastical kingdom, cruel and persecuting, and "drunk with the blood of saints," was to arise. I submit to you, brethren, it is difficult to find a conclusion to which you can more safely come in reference to any subject; and about which you may rest with more absolute confidence than this: i. e., Rome is the kingdom symbolized by Daniel's fourth beast.

The great results to which this will lead us, remain for future examination.

We learn from all this, God's ceaseless regard for His Church. It is not kings and conquerors, the marshaling of armies, and the building up and the pulling down of thrones, that are great things in His sight. When His eye foresaw, and His Spirit announced, the rise and fall of empires, the contests of monarchs and leaders, and the great results that were to flow therefrom; it was not these things that attracted His regard. As one by one the nations of the earth appeared, acted their part and passed away, there was nothing in this; though like a grand panoramic view, it was all clearly displayed before Him; there was nothing in all this to commend it to His care. Not for themselves would the splendor of the Babylonian; nor the sterner courage of the Medo-Persian; nor the wondrous achievements of the Macedonian; nor the wider renown of the Roman monarchy ever have had a place on the pages of His Word, or existence in point of fact. The History of His Church, in its various manifestations, was to be connected with them. And, therefore, they are pointed out. With each one of them the history of that Church is interlinked. And in all the changes that came over them, its connection was made distinctly to appear. Sometimes they were the shield of power which God held over it. Sometimes, the rod with which He chastened it; always the instrument with which its progress was to be connected. And, in some of its most momentous and striking forms, that connection will yet be made to appear. Take the volume of History, and say what is permanent therein save that which this connection has made so? And that which of all nations has set the impress of its influence in deepest lines on the mind of our race; and survived the greatest convulsions; and lasted for the longest time, but for which a future overthrow is distinctly reserved; that is the one which of all others has had the longest and most intimate connection with that Church. Nothing is great apart from this. Nothing is little which its preservation requires. Of it, God says: "I, the Lord, do keep it. I will water it every moment; lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." Isa. xxvii, 3. And no man has read History aright, until he reads it in the light of this promise.

"Behold," says the prophet, "I have created the waster to destroy." Why then, how absolutely they are subject unto Him! And so the declaration continues: "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper." Isa. liv, 16, 17. How necessarily this conclusion follows. God creates "the waster" for his work. Will He permit him to use His power against His own designs? Shall the instrument which He has formed be permitted to turn its edge against His own ransomed Church? "No, it shall not!" responds the book of History.

I know of course, that those words were spoken of God's literal Israel. But then, as a portion of the Gentile Church; which is only a graft on "the good olive tree," we, too, may claim this promise for ourselves. And so claiming them, I ask you, brethren, can you point out the weapon which has been formed against His Church and prospered? Unnumbered times have weapons been formed against it. Unnumbered times have they been raised against it. But, when have they prospered? The battle axe of earth's mightiest powers has been wielded against it. But the stroke has been turned aside; or power given to resist; or the sinews of the arm that dealt it have been palsied in the moment of the blow. Never have they prospered! History, like a battle-field after some great contest, is strown all over with the broken relics of designs formed, and weapons fashioned against the Church of Christ. There they lie. Broken, dishonored, cast out! Only preserved in the memory of man as eloquent witnesses for the truth of the word of God.

Do the interests of His Church require it? God will sway the heart of Pharaoh's daughter to His will by the mute eloquence of the tear-drop on the cheek of the infant Moses. Do they require it? Conquerors shall be turned aside from their purpose of vengeance; by an impulse they can neither resist nor explain. Let one instance suffice. Alexander had just completed his victory over Tyre. He burned the city to the ground. He destroyed the inhabitants in cold blood, and then marched against Jerusalem. His purpose was, to mete out to it a like destruction. The report of his crucifying two thousand Tyrian prisoners went before him. The people trembled. They felt exposed to his power. They fasted. They prayed. And as the maddened conqueror approached, the High Priest, in his gorgeous robes, followed by a long train of priests and people in white, went forth to meet him. It seemed as if they were marching on to certain destruction. Alexander draws near. But now what means

he? He bows down before the High Priest and reverently salutes him, adding that he did so because of the God whose Priest he was. He then enters the city; gives them toleration in religion, and sets them free from tribute every seventh year. His assigned work was not yet done. And, until then, he must protect the people of God with the power which the God of the people gave into his hands. Verily, He "maketh the wrath of man to praise Him; and the remainder thereof He will restrain."

Well, brethren, this Church of the Living God—founded in the councils of eternity—kept by His power—ransomed by His blood—oh! have you a part therein?

You may have all else. But, if you have not this, you are miserably poor. You read over the conquests of the great ones of earth; and as you tell the story of Cyrus and Alexander, and the world's mightiest heroes, a still small voice is sounding in your ears. "What will it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"—Lectures on Daniel.