The beast of Revelation

The beast which John saw had not only seven heads, but ten crowned horns. These signify the ten kingdoms into which, on its being broken up, the western Roman empire was divided. It follows that the beast which John saw rising out of the sea was not pagan Rome, nor imperial Rome, but papal Rome. It was Rome after its imperial head had been wounded to death by the incursions of the Goths—after it had been divided into ten separate governments or kingdoms—and after its deadly wound had been healed by crowning the Pontiff, and making him sovereign of a considerable part of Italy.

It was this imperial papal Rome which afterwards "opened its mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven." It was this power which "made war with the saints, and overcame them," and which all the wicked of the earth have been inclined to follow and to worship.—The Apocalypse Explained, p. 134.

Having identified the man of sin, the little horn, and the wild beast as one and the same power, and that the papacy, it is well to note the oppressive conduct of the wild beast insofar as it affects the church and people of God:

1. "All the world wondered after the beast."

2. "And they (the world) worshiped the beast."

3. "And power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations."

4. "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them."

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TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: A marvelous work and a wonder: the Gospel restored, Author: Daniel Macgregor, AN ELDER OF THE REORGANIZED CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS, Edition 3. Publisher: Herald Publishing House, 1917. Original from: Princeton University. Digitized: Apr 28, 2010. Length: 168 pages. For sale by Herald Publishing House, Lamoni. Iowa.