Field of present inquiry
The limits and object of the present work preclude an exhaustive treatment of prophecy in general. Our immediate purpose is to set forth particularly those prophecies of the divine Word which clearly portray and outline the character of a world-wide religious movement in the last days. To do this effectually, however, we must briefly consider those prophecies which describe the principal ecclesiastical events in history which form the basis of, or lead up to, the Last Reformation. The subject as outlined in the prophecies and as based on the facts of history, naturally divides into four parts, or epochs, as follows:
I The Apostolic PeriodII The Medieval PeriodIII Era of Modern SectsIV The Last Reformation
For the sake of brevity, we shall, as far as possible, exclude from our present inquiry those prophecies pertaining to civil and political affairs, retaining only such as have an important bearing on the church subject.
The star-crowned woman
The twelfth chapter ofRevelation introduces an important line of prophetic truth respecting the church, beginning with these words: "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: and she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered." "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days" (verses 1, 2, 5, 6).
As we have already stated and as will be made very clear hereafter, symbols drawn from human life are used to represent ecclesiastical affairs. Therefore in the symbol now before us we have a representation of the church, and from the general description given we infer that it must be the pure church of God, for the brightest luminaries of heaven are gathered around her and no evil thing is said concerning her. That this woman is the special object of God's care and concern is further shown by the fact that when she fled into the wilderness, she had "a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there." That this interpretation of the woman is correct is also shown by other texts in Revelation.
In chapter 21:9 an angel talking with John said, "Come hither, I will shew thee thebride, the Lamb's wife." And again, in chapter 19:7, where the church is undoubtedly referred to, a great multitude is represented as saying, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and hiswifehath made herself ready." In the seventeenth chapter the church apostate is without doubt described by the symbol of a vile, polluted harlot.
The pure woman of chapter 12, then, represents the apostolic church in all its beauty and glory. She is represented as clothed with the sun, a striking emblem of the light of the glorious gospel of Christ which shone forth from the early church. The moon under her feet is generally understood to designate the typical worship of the Jewish age, which was a shadow of things to come but which now stands eclipsed in the superior light and glory of the new and better dispensation. The moon is the lesser light and derives its illumination from the sun; so also the Mosaic period was the moonlight age of the church and reflected a part of the gospel which, at a later time, was to be revealed in all its glory with the rise of the "Sun of righteousness."
The crown of twelve stars adorning the diademof the church is a fit representation of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, they being in one important sense permanent fixtures in the church. According to chapter 1:20, stars are sometimes used to represent Christian ministers, the analogy as light-givers being obvious. "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever" (Dan. 12:3).
The prominent position occupied by this woman and the light which shone forth from the sun with which she was clothed stand out in marked contrast with the later description given of her flight into and seclusion in the wilderness. The latter stage of her experience I shall describe further on, but a brief allusion to it will make her first appearance more impressive. The wilderness describes the apostasy which was to envelop the woman and thus obscure her light. Therefore her first appearance as in the planetary heavens presents a sublime description of her dignity and excellence in the morning time of the gospel era. Her light shone upon all and her glory could be seen by all. She presents that fundamentally distinct characteristic of the true church of God—universality; not a mere isolated star shedding its feeble rays in competition with the other orbs of night; but a cluster of bright, shining stars andthe very sun itself. The light of the apostolic church was, therefore, all-inclusive in the sense of reflecting all the truth. It is essential to our proper understanding of the symbols that follow that we comprehend the true character of the church of God—the bride of Christ.
The man child
The next object to claim our attention in the vision under consideration is that of the man child to whom the woman is said to give birth. A variety of interpretations of this man child have been given. Some say that it refers to Jesus Christ, but this application is objectionable for different reasons. First, Jesus is everywhere represented as the founder of the church, not as its child. Second, true analogy is lacking: there is nothing about a mere child to proclaim divinity. Others have identified the child with the Emperor Constantine; but here again the consistent use of symbolic language is overlooked; for if the woman, the mother, represents the church, then the child horn of her can not represent a single, definite individual, but rather a collection of individuals or another phase of the church itself. In other words, if the one single symbol represents a particular individual, the other must also represent an individual. Thus, if the man child is identified with Christ, the mother should signify the Virgin Mary; or if Constantine is intended, then Helena, mother of Constantine, should be represented by the woman.
It is clear, however, that the woman signifies, not a single individual, but the church. Therefore the child born of her mustsimply signify another phase of the church but the same family. By means of this twofold symbol—involving the closest relationship known—is set forth the fruitfulness and perpetuity of the church. There is also another reason why a double symbol should be selected to set forth the true church—to represent two distinct phases of the church's life and history, which, in the nature of the case, could not be represented under a single symbol. According to the description given, the man child was caught up to God and to his throne, while the woman remained on earth and fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared of God for 1,260 days. The man child, then, represents that phase of the church which was caught up from the earth but ascended to heaven and there lived and reigned with Christ; while the woman represents that phase of the church which continued on earth and fled into the wilderness during the period of the great apostasy.
There is also direct Scriptural testimony justifying this interpretation of the man child. In Isaiah 66 we have a sublime description of Zion, God's church and people, represented as a woman, a mother. The context shows that this scripture is a prophetic allusion to the church of the New Testament age. "Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of aman child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things?Shall the earth he made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children" (verses 7, 8). Here Zion is represented as a mother bringing forth a man child, but this is interpreted to bea nation born at once. According to Heb. 12:22, 23, this Zion, or Sion, represents the New Testament church. There is no doubt, then, that the man child of Revelation 12 refers to the great host of new converts with which the early church was blessed. The scripture in Isaiah just cited met its fulfilment on the day of Pentecost and shortly afterwards, when thousands were brought into the church in a day. The apostle Paul also refers to the great company of Jews and Gentiles who were reconciled to God as constituting"one new man" in Christ(Eph. 2:15).
The great red dragon
The next object in the vision to which our attention is directed is introduced in these words: "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born" (Rev. 12:3, 4).
The dragon is the name given by the ancients to a fabulous monster represented as a large winged lizard or serpent. It was regarded as the enemy of mankind, and its overthrow is made to figure among the greatest exploits of the gods and heroes of heathen mythology. The symbol, being drawn from the natural world, directs us by analogy to persecuting, tyrannical government. We must not suppose that this is a literal description of Beelzebub; for there is no proof that the personal devil has any such appearance as this monster with seven heads and ten horns, and a tail dragging after him a third part of the stars of heaven.
In the second verse of the next chapter John describes the rise of a beast that also had seven heads and ten horns; "and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." The fact that the dragon was succeeded by the beast, who reigned in his stead, is proof that the dragon does not signify the personal devil; for, as far as we know, the archfiend has never resigned his position, but is still doing his infernal business at the same stand.
In many respects the beast is similar to the dragon. In the seventeenth chapter the beast appears again, and the explanation given by the angel will enable us to understand the signification both of the dragon and of the beast. "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition ... and here is the mind which hath wisdom. 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; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.... And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast" (verses 8-12).
With these facts before us and with our understanding of the nature of symbols, it is easy to identify the dragon and the beast as the Roman Empire, first under the pagan form and later under the papal form. Although the beast was to succeed the dragon, yet in identifying the heads of the beast, the angel informed John that in his day five had already fallen, while one then existed and the other was future. This proves, then, that the same heads served both for the dragon and for the beast, thus establishing their essential identity. And it is a fact well known that there is no essential difference between Rome pagan and Rome papal. The seven heads of Rome, therefore, signify the distinct forms of government that ruled successively in the empire, for they are represented, not as simultaneous powers, but as consecutive powers. The five that had already fallen when John received the vision were the regal power, the consular, the decemvirate, the military tribunes, and the triumvirate. "One is"—the imperial. The seventh, or future one, was the patriciate.
It is natural that the pagan Roman Empire should be represented as a dragon. In the prophecy of Daniel the Grecian kingdom is represented by a he goat for no other apparent reason than the fact that the goat was the national military standard of the Grecian monarchy. So also the dragon was the principal military standard of the Romans next to the eagle. Arian, an early writer, mentions the fact that dragons were used as military standards by the Romans. The dragon of Revelation 12 is also described as areddragon. The dragon standards of the Romans were painted red. Ammianus Marcellinus mentions "the purple standard of the dragon." By this fabulous beast described as a great red dragon, then, is symbolically represented the heathen Roman Empire.
The ten horns, or kingdoms, which had not yet risen when the revelation was given, were the ten minor kingdoms that grew out of the Roman Empire during its decline and fall. These are as follows: 1. Anglo-Saxons; 2. Burgundians; 3. Franks; 4. Huns; 5. Heruli; 6. Lombards; 7. Ostrogoths; 8. Suevi; 9. Vandals; 10. Visigoths.
The dragon is described with the horns, although they were not yet in existence and did not arise until about the time the dragon became the beast. He is also represented with seven heads, although he really possessed only one head at a time and five had already fallen and one was yet to come. He is described with all the heads and horns he had ever had or was to have. The reason why the same general power is described under two forms—first as the dragon and later as the beast—will appear more clearly hereafter.
The fact that the dragon was called the devil and Satan has led some to think that the personal devil himself is meant. The foregoing explanation concerning the heads and the horns shows conclusively, however, that by the dragon is meant the pagan Roman Empire, and not Beelzebub. The Hebrews applied the term "Satan" to an adversary, or opposer, as can be seen by examining in the original the following and many other texts: Num. 22:22; 1 Sam. 29:4; 2 Sam. 19:22; 1 Kings 11:25. The term is also thus used in the New Testament, signifying merely an opposer. "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me,Satan" (Matt. 16:23). "The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice todevils" (1 Cor. 10:20). Paganism was the great opposer of Christianity; hence was a Satan to it, while the apostle Paul denominated its religious rites as devil-worship. We must remember that the text does not say that the dragon was the devil and Satan, but that he wascalledthe devil and Satan. He partook of the nature and character of the personal devil, was the chief instrument through which the devil worked, and was therefore called by his name.
The tail of this dragon"drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth." This is not a literal description, for the fixed or planetary stars never fall to the earth. If they did, they would destroy it. The stars are doubtless employed as symbols set in the ecclesiastical firmament, giving light amid the surrounding darkness. Light is so often used as the representative of gospel truth that the application of the stars to prominent characters in the church is obvious. Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness, and his ministers are bright, shining stars—light-givers. The ministers of the seven churches of Asia Minor are represented as stars (chap. 1:20). "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever" (Dan. 12:3). The casting down of the third part of the stars, therefore, signifies the warfare which the dragon power waged against the early church, in which conflict the ministers of Christ became the marked objects of heathen wrath.
The war in heaven
"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Rev. 12:7-11).
The symbolic scene suddenly changes, and instead of the woman and the man child, Michael and his angels appear in conflict with the dragon and his angels. This change of symbols indicates the introduction of a different phase of thought. From the nature of the symbols we can quickly ascertain the reason for this change. The woman represents the true church and is a proper symbol of its unity, beauty, purity, and glory. But there is another phase of the church which can not be represented symbolically by a woman—the militant phase. The church is also an aggressive, fighting power, ready to wage warfare against the powers of evil. We would not expect to see the church left helpless like a woman before a great dragon. We would naturally expect to see divine aid extended, and this is done by the change of symbolic imagery, Michael (Christ) and his angels appearing to wage war against the dragon.
The battle between Michael and the dragon signifies the great conflict which took place between primitive Christianity and the powers of paganism enthroned in the Roman Empire. It will be observed that this scripture has no reference to the origin of Satan himself, as some people have supposed; for the conflict was fought in the Christian dispensation, as is proved by the weapons which the followers of Michael employed—"And theyovercame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Under this figure, the followers of Michael are represented as victors, the dragon being cast down to the earth, or overthrown. It is a fact of history that primitive Christianity succeeded in its fight against paganism.
In the nineteenth chapter of Acts we have an account of the effect Christianity had on heathenism. Paul went to Ephesus, which at that time was the chief capital of proconsular Asia, a leading mart of heathen idolatry, and in which was situated one of the seven wonders of the ancient world—the temple of Diana. The preaching of the gospel produced such a mighty effect that the followers of Diana, fearing lest their magnificent system of worship should be destroyed, stirred up the people in a tumult until the city was in an uproar, a great mob shouting, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians."
Before the end of the first century, according to the testimony of the younger Pliny, the temples of the gods of Asia Minor were almost forsaken. Well has Butler said, "The final victory of Christianity over heathenism and Judaism, and the mightiest empire of the ancient world, a victory gained without physical force, by the moral power of faith and perseverance, of faith and love, is one of the strongest evidences of the divinity and indestructible life of our holy religion."
It is a fact worthy of mention that the early Christians regarded the Roman Empire as a great enemy to the truth, and described it as a dragon, the victory of Christianity over heathenism being represented by the overthrow of the dragon. Constantine and others of his time describe these events thus. Says Bishop Newton, "Moreover, a picture of Constantine was set up over the palace gate, with a cross over his head, and under his feet the great enemy of mankind (who persecuted the church by means of impious tyrants), in the form of a dragon, transfixed with a dart through the midst of its body, and falling headlong into the depth of the sea."
Verse 11 seems to indicate that many of the followers of Christ lost their lives in this conflict, and this doubtless is parallel with the statement that the man child was caught up to God and to his throne. It may also imply that in the conflict the dragon employed the arm of civil power in his opposition to the truth. But Christianity increased notwithstanding the violent opposition. During the reign of the Emperor Septimus Severus, about the close of the second century, when a violent persecution of the Christians occurred, Tertullian, the first of the great Latin Fathers, wrote a notable apology for the Christian faith, addressed to the Emperor. In this important document this noble defender of Christianity sets forth so clearly the nature of the conflict between truth and error that I shall make rather a lengthy quotation from his writing.
"Rulers of the Roman Empire," he begins, "you surely can not forbid the truth to reach you by the secret pathway of a noiseless book. She knows that she is but a sojourner on the earth, and as a stranger finds enemies; and more, her origin, her dwelling-place, her hope, her rewards, her honors, are above. One thing, meanwhile, she anxiously desires of earthly rulers—not to be condemned unknown. What harm can it do to give her a hearing?... The outcry is that the state is filled with Christians; that they are in the fields, in the citadels, in the islands. The lament is, as for some calamity, that both sexes, every age and condition, even high rank, are passing over to the Christian faith.
"The outcry is a confession and an argument for our cause; for we are a people of yesterday, and yet we have filledevery place belonging to you—cities, islands, castles, towns, assemblies, your very camp, your tribes, companies, palace, senate, forum. We leave to you your temples alone. We can count your armies: our numbers in a single province will be greater. We have it in our power, without arms and without rebellion, to fight against you with the weapon of a simple divorce. We can leave you to wage your wars alone. If such a multitude should withdraw into some remote corner of the world, you would doubtless tremble at your own solitude, and ask, 'Of whom are we the governors?'
"It is a human right that every man should worship according to his own convictions ... a forced religion is no religion at all.... Men say that the Christians are the cause of every public disaster. If the Tiber rises as high as the city walls, if the Nile does not rise over the fields, if the heavens give no rain, if there be an earthquake, if a famine or pestilence, straightway they cry, Away with the Christians to the lions.... But go zealously on, ye good governors, you will stand higher with the people if you kill us, torture us, condemn us, grind us to the dust; your injustice is the proof that we are innocent. God permits us to suffer. Your cruelty avails you nothing.... The oftener you mow us down, the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is seed. What you call our obstinacy is an instructor. For who that sees it does not inquire for what we suffer! Who that inquires does not embrace our doctrines? Who that embraces themis not ready to give his blood for the fulness of God's grace?"
The woman's flight
Under the figure of Michael and his angels, the early church is represented as victorious in casting down the powers of heathenism; but under the symbol of the woman, the church is apparently represented as defeated; for after the casting down of the dragon it is said, "To the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent" (verse 14). This agrees with verse 6, where it is said that "the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score days."
The flight of the woman into an obscure place in the wilderness presents a striking contrast with her first appearance in the planetary heavens, where she was "clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." By this sudden change in the symbolic representation of the woman's position is set forth the ecclesiastical change that took place in the early part of the church's history. First she appears as the glorious bride of Christ adorned in beauty and splendor and radiating the light of his glorious gospel. She was then "the light of the world." Later we find a great change taking place. Instead of the church representing all the truth to the world, we find the beginning of a great apostasy, which in time was to eclipse and well nigh extinguish the light and glory of primitive Christianity by substituting in its place the darkness of the apostasy born in ages of ignorance and superstition.
That such a change in the history of the true church should occur was predicted by Christ and the apostles. Jesus said, "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold" (Matt. 24:12). Peter said, "There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies" (2 Pet. 2:1). Paul said, "Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:30). To the Thessalonians who had been troubled with the report that the second coming of Christ was then near at hand, Paul said, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there comea falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, and showing himself that he is God.... For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming" (2 Thess. 2:3-8).
The reader can scarcely consider these texts without perceiving clearly that change which came over the primitive church resulting in a transition from her glorious state of innocent beauty to the full-grown papacy—the "mystery of iniquity."
The fact of history pertaining to the true church which Paul described as a "falling away" is represented by the Revelator by the symbol of the woman fleeing into the wilderness. The other fact mentioned by Paul pertaining to the rise and development of the man of sin is represented in the visions of the Revelation as follows:
The ten-horned leopard-beast
"And I stood upon the sand 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 as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? and there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints" (Rev. 13: 1-10).
From the nature of the symbol employed, we should naturally infer that a persecuting, tyrannical kingdom or empire is meant. That such an application of the term "beast," when used in connection with prophetic symbols, is correct, is shown by a reference to the interpretation given concerning the fourth beast of Daniel's vision. "The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth" (Dan. 7:23). We have already shown conclusively that by the dragon was meant the pagan Roman Empire, and the same heads and horns are apparently ascribed to this leopard-beast, the only difference being that the crowns—a symbol of sovereignty—have been transferred from the heads to the horns. This substantial agreement with the facts of history makes certain the identification of this beast with the revised western Roman Empire under the papal form, thesovereignty being vested in the ten minor kingdoms until they chose to "give their power and strength unto the beast" (Rev. 17:13).
The symbol of a beast considered merelyas a beast, could not, in the nature of the case, signify anything more than a temporal kingdom or political empire. It will be noticed, however, that this particular prophetic symbol ismore than a beast; for, combined with his beastly nature, there are certain characteristics which unmistakably belong to the department of human life—a mouthspeakinggreat things; power to magnify himself against the God of heaven, to set himself up as an object of worship, to single out the saints of God and kill them, etc. This combination of symbols from the two departments—animal life and human life—points us with absolute certainty to the political-religious system of Rome.
Every historian knows thatpaganRome was succeeded bypapalRome. The transfer is expressed thus: "And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority" (verse 2). The rising papacy succeeded to the power and authority formerly exercised by pagan Rome; and when the political capital was removed to Constantinople, the pope was left in possession of the ancient seat of empire and government. "The beast" therefore refers to Rome either as a political power or as an ecclesiastical power, the context determining whether the political or the ecclesiastical phase is meant in a given instance. It will be observed, however, that the leading actions ascribed to this beastare derived from its human characteristics, pointing unerringly to the papacy for its fulfilment.
This beast the world admired. "And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" The expression "worshipedthe dragon" shows that reference is made to the dragon, not as a political power, but as a religious power. This worship of the dragon by those who worshiped the beast which succeeded the dragon was fulfilled by the perpetuation under the papacy of the rites and ceremonies of paganism. Roman Catholicism is a strange amalgamation of Judaism, Christianity, and heathenism. The part derived from paganism occupies such a prominent place in Roman Catholic practise and worship that we can not fail to observe its close resemblance to, if not absolute identity with, heathenism. Just to mention a few points:
1. The high priest of the pagan religion was called Pontifex Maximus, and he claimed spiritual and temporal authority over men. The pope of Rome borrowed the title and made the same claims, even being clad in the same attire.
2. The heathen wore scapulars, medals, and images for personal protection. Romanists wear the same things for thesame purpose.
3. Pagans, by an official process calleddeification, raised men, after their death, to a dignified position and accorded them special honors and worship. Papists, by a similar process calledcanonization, exalt men after their death to the dignity of saints and then offer up prayers to them.
4. Papists' adoration of idols and images was also borrowed direct from the heathen; for all such practises were absolutely forbidden by the Mosaic law and had no place in primitive Christianity.
5. Their religious orders of monks and nuns were also in imitation of the vestal virgins of antiquity.
The beast is described as a blasphemous power. Adam Clarke has stated that "blasphemy, in Scripture, signifiesimpious speaking, when applied to God; andinjurious speaking, when directed against ourneighbor." A name of blasphemy would therefore properly signify the prostitution of a sacred name to an unholy purpose. An example of this kind is given in Rev. 2:9, where we read, "I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagog of Satan." In this case certain wicked men blasphemed the name by calling themselves Jews, since according to Scripture 'heonlyis a Jew who is one inwardly.' But to prostitute a sacred name to an unworthy use would be no more impious or blasphemous than would the assumption by man of those rights and prerogatives which belong to God alone. This the pope has done for ages. Among the blasphemous titles which he has assumed are these: "Lord God the Pope," "King of the World," "Holy Father," "King of kings and Lord of lords," "Vicegerent of the Son of God." For ages he has claimed infallibility, and this claim became a dogma of the church when adopted by the General Council of 1870. Further, he claims power to dispense with God's laws, to forgive sins, to release from purgatory, to damn and to save. To call the Roman Catholic Church theholychurch of the Bible is to prostitute a sacred name to an unworthy institution. And to elevate a man to the place where "he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself thatheis God," by claiming those prerogatives which belong to God only, is most flagrant blasphemy.
A persecuting power
"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations" (chap. 13: 7). Here we have a direct prediction of that reign of tyranny in the Dark Ages in which millions of people suffered martyrdom at the hands of papal Rome.
I am aware that many Catholics affirm that their church never persecuted, that it was the civil power that did this dread work of slaughter. We must remember, however, that the beast of Revelation 13 signifies the imperial and the ecclesiastical power in the closest union possible; for the beast appearsas one, the two phases being represented by the combination of symbols from the two distinct departments of life—human and animal. In the seventeenth chapter we have the same distinct characteristics again set forth, but in a different combination, the beast appearing simply as a beast, thus representing the political power of Rome; while the ecclesiastical power is represented by a corrupt woman sitting on the beast and directing its course. In that description it is stated, "And I sawthe womandrunkenwith the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus" (verse 6). The Romish church itself is, therefore, represented as participating in the work of martyrdom.
Does this divine prediction agree with the facts of history? It is altogether impossible to compute correctly the number of those who were in different ways put to death for opposing the corruption of the Church of Rome. A million Waldenses perished in France. Nine hundred thousand Christians were slain within thirty years after the institution of the Jesuits. The Duke of Alva boasted that he had put to death 36,000 in the Netherlands by the hands of the common executioner. The Inquisition destroyed 150,000 within thirty years. If it be asserted that this was accomplished by the secular arm, I reply that sentence of death was pronounced upon so-called heretics by the church and that the secular power was simply a tool for carrying the barbarous sentence into execution. We can not forget that the pope applauded Charles IX of France and his infamous mother, Catherine de Medici, for their part in the massacre of St. Bartholomew, and ordered a medal struck in honor of the event; that following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, when 300,000 were cruelly butchered during the reign of Louis XIV, Pope Innocent XI extolled the king by special letter, as follows: "The Catholic Church shall most assuredly record in her sacred annalsa work of such devotion toward herand CELEBRATE YOUR NAME WITH NEVER-DYING PRAISES ...for this most excellent undertaking."
Popery has for ages claimed the right to exterminate by death those who were heretics. Numerous provincial and national councils have issued cruel and bloody laws for the extermination of the Waldenses and other so-called heretics. Besides these, at least six of theirGeneralCouncils, the highest judicial assemblies of the Roman Church, with the popes themselves sometimes present in person, have by their decrees pronounced the punishment of death for heresy: 1. The Second General Council of Lateran (1139) in its twenty-third canon. 2. The Third General Council of Lateran (1179), under Pope Alexander III. 3. The Fourth General Councilof Lateran (1215), under Pope Innocent III. 4. The Sixteenth General Council, held at Constance in 1414. This council, with Pope Martin present in person, condemned the reformers Huss and Jerome to be burned at the stake, and then prevailed on the Emperor Sigismund to violate the safe conduct which he had given Huss and signed by his own hand and in which he had guaranteed the reformer a safe return to Bohemia; and this inhuman sentence against Huss was then carried out. 5. The Council of Sienna (1423), which was afterwards continued at Basil. 6. The Fifth General Council of Lateran (1514).
That such teachings and practises were an integral part of Romanism is easily shown. St. Aquinas, the "angelic doctor," argued that heretics might justly be killed. Cardinal Bellarmine, in a Latin work,De Laicis, still extant, entered into a regular argument to prove that the church has the right of punishing heretics with death and should exercise that right. Bellarmine was a nephew of one pope and a close friend and associate of others, a champion of Romanism, and a defender of its doctrines. In the work above referred to be declares that "heretics were oftenburnedBY THE CHURCH." "The Donatists, Manicheans, and Albigenses were routed and annihilated by arms."
Many timid-hearted Christians in the present age of religious toleration think that it is almost unchristianlike for us to bring up and lay to the charge of Rome such a sweeping indictment for those massacres of Christians in a barbarous age. Such it would be had Rome ever disavowed these acts or shown any signs of true repentance. The fact is that it is the boast of Catholics that "Rome never changes." Well has Charles Butler said, "It is most true that the Roman Catholics believe the doctrines of their church to be unchangeable; and that it is a tenet of their creed, that what their faith ever has been, such it was from the beginning,such it is now, and such it ever will be."
In a copy of the eleventh edition of "The Faith of Our Fathers," by Cardinal Gibbons, page 95, I read: "It is a marvelous fact, worthy of record, that in the whole history of the church, from the nineteenth century to the first, no solitary example can be adduced to show that any pope or general council ever revoked a decree of faith or morals enacted by any preceding pontiff or council. Her record in the past ought to be a sufficient warrant that she willtolerate no doctrinal variations in the future." So the doctrine of her inherent right to persecute and slay every one who disagrees with her, which has been enacted by popes and general councils and carried out in the past, is still in vogue.
"And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus."
In our study of Revelation 12 and 13 we have observed that Rome in its twofold form—pagan and papal—is represented by the dragon and the beast respectively. This has been established so clearly as to remove well nigh all doubt concerning the identification. It will be profitable, however, to give brief consideration to certain parallel prophecies in Daniel; for in addition to covering the same ground and describing under other symbols the same general facts of history, they furnish us an infallible starting-stake, thus establishing definitely the truth of the interpretation concerning the Roman power, and giving us a solid basis from which we can proceed with logical certainty to the interpretation of other symbols in the Revelation.
The image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream
In the second chapter of Daniel we have the narrative of a dream which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had during the time of the Jewish captivity in that city. After the king awoke, he was so confused that notwithstanding the deep impression made by his nocturnal experience, he could not recall to mind the dream itself. He therefore had recourse to the Chaldeans and wise men of his realm. They failed to make known his dream, whereupon he became furious and decreed their death. At this juncture Daniel came forward and announced that if given time he would fulfil the king's desire, and shortly afterward he appeared before the king and addressed him as follows:
"Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee: and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth" (Dan. 2:31-35).
The interpretation of this dream, as given by the prophet, particularly concerns and interests us. Said Daniel: "This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king." "Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold" (verses 36-38).
At the time of this vision the Chaldean monarchy was in the height of her power and glory. Babylon, the capital city, was the chief "pride of the Chaldees' excellency," containing those magnificent hanging gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Nebuchadnezzar was pointed out particularly as the head of gold in the image, but we should bear in mind that in the general language of prophecy, "kings" signify not merely individual monarchs but monarchies under a succession of princes of the same nation. That the real significance of the head of gold is the Babylonian Kingdom or Monarchy is shown by the fact that in the description of the other three divisions of the same image they are referred to directly askingdoms. The Babylonian Kingdom came to an end with the death of Belshazzar, and the overthrow of his father Nabonadius in 538 B.C.
"And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee" (verse 39). This is the explanation given of that part of the image represented by the breast and arms of silver. This refers to the Medo-Persian empire, which, under Cyrus the Great, captured Babylon 538 B.C. and terminated the Chaldean empire. The Persian kingdom was in certain respects inferior to the Chaldean, just as silver is inferior to gold. It was neither as wealthy nor as prosperous, and was particularly inferior in the character of itskings, for from the death of Cyrus they are said to have been "as vile a set of men as ever disgraced human nature."
"And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth." This refers to the Macedonian, or Greek, empire founded by Alexander the Great. After subduing Greece and reducing Egypt, Alexander penetrated into Asia, took Tyre, met and overthrew Darius the Persian at Arbela, in 331 B.C., thus terminating the Persian Empire. The Grecian Kingdom had less external magnificence than those which preceded it and was founded and maintained by force of arms; but it was more extensive than the others, including many dominions in Europe, Africa, and regions farther to the east in Asia than had before been penetrated. It was foretold that this kingdom should "bear rule over all the earth"; it was the main boast of Alexander that he had subdued the whole world.
"And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise" (verse 40). This corresponds to the "legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay," in the dream itself. The reference is to the Roman Empire, which succeeded the Grecian. Whether or not the two legs had any special significance is not stated, but commentators frequently refer us to the two divisions into which the empire of Rome was afterwards divided—East and West. So also the ten toes of the image are often explained as signifying the ten minor kingdoms which grew out of the empire. But we should bear in mind that this is not stated either in the vision itself or in its inspired interpretation. Only four kingdoms are referred to as such. The fourth division, representing Rome (in both its strong and its weak condition), is described simply as "the kingdom," "the fourth kingdom." The Roman Kingdom was at first "as strong as iron." No other people have ever made such extensive conquests through a long period of time as did the Romans.
If Nebuchadnezzar's dream brought a man into prominence as a symbolic object, we should think that, in accordance with the nature of symbols, a religious power or powers only were intended; but the symbol is not a man, but only theimageof a man, and that image is composed of inanimate materials, which, drawn from the department of nature, refer to something political. We therefore have political kingdoms set forth. The very fact that they are represented as appearing in the form of a man, however, may at least allude to their being political powers combined with religious systems. But the combination is not such a one as would naturally lead us to conclude that reference is made to God's church.
The description of Nebuchadnezzar's dream represented "a stone cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces" (verse 34). The interpretation of this event is given as follows: "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (verse 44).
The kingdom of God appears as the fifth universal kingdom, destined to survive and surpass all others. It is of divine origin, cut out "without hands." The other kingdoms are similar in their nature and closely connected, in the single image of a man; but the kingdom of God is altogether different and antagonistic. The prophecy refers to the establishment of the kingdom of God in the early days of Christianity; for,be it observed, this stone struck the imagewhen all its four divisions were yet standing. Not, only was the iron and the clay broken by the impact, but "the iron, the clay,the brass, the silver, and the gold" were "broken to piecesTOGETHER, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors" (verse 35).
Here is a most important fact wholly unnoticed by those millennialists who look to the future of our day for the establishment of the kingdom of Christ. If the stone has not yet struck the image, then the chief part of the prophetic descriptionnever can be fulfilled; for there is no sense in which the advent of the divine kingdom in this late age of the world can break in pieces the entire image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, there being no way in which it can truthfully be said that its four divisions are yet standing. All these facts were true in the days of Rome, however, when Christ appeared. The Roman Kingdom possessed all the distinguishing marks and characteristics of the preceding empires. This is true not only of their territorial possession but of their distinctive characteristics. The opulence of the Babylonians, the splendor of the Persians, the strength and discipline of the Greeks, were all merged into the Roman Empire. And more than this, these kingdoms were all idolatrous, and the religion of the Babylonians was merely absorbed in the Persian Kingdom (not destroyed); that of the Persian was perpetuated under the Greek reign; and all these found recognition in the divers forms of paganism existing under Rome.In this sensethe image, as opposed to the divine kingdom of Christ, was all standing at the time of the first advent of the Messiah, and the overthrow of paganism by early Christianity corresponds with the stroke given by the little stone of Daniel 2.
Notice how this fulfilment is parallel with the prophecies of the Revelation. In chapter 12 the Roman Empire under itspagan form is represented by the dragon. Christianity waged warfare with this huge system of false religion and overthrew it. "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,Nowis come salvation, and strength,and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ" (chap. 12:10).
The kingdom represented in Nebuchadnezzar's dream came in the day of incarnation and soon smote the kingdoms of heathen darkness as existing in the embrace of Rome, and broke them in pieces. It was then in the stage represented by astone. At a later time we shall observe the kingdom in itsmountainepoch, when it becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth.