In Daniel 7:17, Daniel explains that his four beasts (Daniel 7:1-8) symbolize four world empires, one following the other. And it has long been widely understood by Seventh-day Adventists and Christians in general that they are:
- Lion (first beast)—Babylon,
- Bear (second beast)—Medo-Persia,
- Leopard (third beast)—Grecia, and
- Non-descript (fourth beast)—Rome.
- With 10 horns (Pagan Rome)
- With the little horn-head (Papal Rome)
The little horn in the second phase of Daniel’s fourth beast (Dan. 7:7, 8), shows a rise of a brutal, tyrannical power, — a power against the people of God (Dan. 7:19–21, 23–25).
The Revelation, being a complement of the book of Daniel (Acts of the Apostles, pg. 585), tells us what happens to that demon power in chapter 13, which is the continuation of Daniel’s fourth beast:
Rev. 13:1 — “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.
Rev. 13:2 — “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.”
Rev. 13:3 — “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.”
Note that John’s leopard-like beast has:
- The head of a lion (first beast),
- The feet of a bear (second beast),
- The body of a leopard (third beast), and
- Ten horns (fourth beast).
And so, you see, the leopard-like beast is a composite beast of Daniel’s four beasts, a descendant of them. It must therefore represent the world after the fall of the fourth empire, after Pagan Rome.
Moreover, the ten crownless horns of Daniel’s fourth beast being symbolical of kings that were to arise out of the Roman Empire (Dan. 7:24), the crowns on the leopard-like beast show that the beast represents the period in which the kings arose and took their crowns, the period after the disintegration of the Pagan Roman Empire.
Still further, the leopard-like beast blasphemed God and His tabernacle just as long as did Daniel’s fourth beast in his second phase, Ecclesiastical Rome; that is, “a time and times and the dividing of time” (3 years and 6 months), forty and two months (Dan. 7:25 | Rev. 13:5).
Plain it is, then, that the leopard-like beast reigned contemporaneously with the non-descript beast in his second phase, the phase of the little horn-head (Papal Rome).
It is clear that Ecclesiastical Rome (the second phase of the non-descript beast) was a combined church and state power (a horn-head, having “the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things” — Dan. 7:8), and that the Protestant Reformation caused the separation of the two.
So:
- While Ecclesiastical Rome’s rise and reign are prefigured by the non-descript beast’s horn-head,
- Her downfall is depicted by the leopard-like beast’s wounded common head — the horned part (the civil power) having been taken away.
The church was stripped of the sovereign power with which the state had clothed her, with the result that the governments are now independent of the church, and the church is in subjection to the governments.
Hence:
- His deadly wound represents the deadly blow which Ecclesiastical Rome received from the Protestant Reformation.
- His wounded head represents the horn-head power of Daniel’s fourth beast (an amalgamation of civil and religious powers — church and state) divested of his civil power — dehorned.
It being true that the wounded head symbolizes a religious body (the Papacy), and that there is no distinction in appearance between the wounded head and the six uninjured heads, then the fundamental truth is that they all are figures of religious bodies.
Moreover, as these symbolical prophecies deal with the Western Civilization, the home of Christendom, the heads definitely characterize the Christian denominations, just as do “the seven churches of Asia” (Rev. 2, 3), the one difference being that the churches of Asia perhaps cover a longer period of time than do the heads.
Furthermore, whereas the beast’s receiving the deadly wound pictures Christianized Rome humiliated unto death (deprived of her civil power), its recovering from the wound pictures her exalted unto life again (having regained her civil power).
And as the wound was inflicted by the hand of the Reformation, it could never have healed had the hand continued wielding at it the sharp two-edged sword, the Word of God. There is therefore need of starting the reformation all over again –wounding the beast so that he will never recover.
The healing, therefore, vividly depicts
The Fall of Protestantism And The Rise of Despotism.
Detail by detail, we shall continue seeing that the healing of the wound is indicative not only of the church’s failing to carry the Protestant Reformation to completion, but also of the world’s governments’ soon reverting to the despotic principles of the Dark Ages — to the rule of action before the wound was inflicted:
Rev. 13:4-10 — “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped 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.”
This repetition of the past is to be brought about by
The Two-Horned Beast
We have read the description of one beast (Rev. 13:1-10), but the remaining verses bring to our attention another beast:
Rev. 13:11 — “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.
Unlike the first beast and previous beasts that arose from the “sea”, this second beast comes from the “earth,” and has been accepted as a symbol of the United States:
“What nation of the New World was in 1798 rising into power, giving promise of strength and greatness, and attracting the attention of the world? The application of the symbol admits of no question. One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America.” The Great Controversy,” pp. 439–441.
Having only two horns, not ten, the beast therefore depicts a local, not a universal, government. His two horns point to its two political ruling powers — Democrats and Republicans.
Spake as a dragon
Quoting the United States constitution, the first amendment concerning religious matters:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
The lamb-like character of the horns gives it the appearance of innocence, harmlessness, and charitability. Its speaking like a dragon nevertheless repudiates the lamb-like appearance. It clearly reveals that the beast is to repudiate its constitution, and the God-given liberty of its subjects will be taken away:
Rev. 13:12 — “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.”
The two-horned beast exercises all the power which the first beast, the leopard-like, exercised, again showing it to be a world power.
Indeed, it requires just such a power to compel all the inhabitants of the earth to worship as he commands, and to implement a likeness of a church and state government that is as outdated as are the Middle Ages themselves. Yes, it takes such a power to influence the world, save those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, to bow down to it.
Rev. 13:13 — “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,”
This power will identify itself with “the false prophet,” for together they are “cast alive into a lake of fire.” Rev. 19:20. From this it is plain to see that the wonders which the beast does in the sight of men, and by which he deceives them “that dwell on the earth” (Rev. 13:13, 14), are wrought by the false prophet (Rev. 19:20) “in the sight of the beast.” Rev. 13:14:
Rev. 13:14 —“And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”
That is, he revives the governmental principles of the first beast, the principles in force before the first beast received his deadly wound — a likeness of a church and state government.
Clearly, then, the beast’s civil authority, combined with the prophet’s supernatural power, points to a union of beast and prophet — an affiliation of state and of church representatives.
He will influence all Christendom to “make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live”; that is, he will engineer a world-wide governmental setup, re-enthroning the principles of the church-state rule of Ecclesiastical Rome.
Rev. 13:15 — “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”
Here you see that this unification of the world, engendered to bring peace and harmony out of the present chaos, will instead bring an even greater time of trouble. And why? —
Because though the beast may bring Communism and Capitalism to mutual agreement, and cause them to bow down to the image of the beast, yet those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will never comply.
From this you see that the whole plan is directed by a supernatural power whose aim is to boycott the people of God. They shall nevertheless be delivered.
Being the restorer of these principles, he, along with the prophet, will become the world’s chief dictator, and shape not only the political and the religious policies of the governments, but also the world’s commerce. He shall decree “that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Rev. 13:17.
Rev. 13:16, 17 — “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
This power, you see, is to control the world’s markets, too.
This drastic decree of the two-horned beast shall be adopted by the nations of the world, and the image of the beast, which will demand obedience to an ecclesiastical form of worship, will be internationally set up.
The mark of the beast is Sunday observance. Under one pretext or another, the careless and indifferent will worship the image of the beast, and receive the mark.
When the beast’s decree is passed that no one can buy or sell, and should be killed for non-conformity, then God only can protect His people, the people whose names are written in “The Book.” Such is His faithful promise:
Dan. 12:1 — “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the Book.”
The Number, 666
Rev. 13:18 — “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six. ”
This beast represents a man who stands at the head of a nation, and whose influence goes far and wide among the kings of the earth. He is further identified by a number — the mystical number “666”.
In “A Word to the Little Flock,” one of the earliest S.D.A. publications, Sister White confirms that the number 666 belongs to the lamb-like beast:
“I saw all that ‘would not receive the mark of the Beast, and of his Image, in their foreheads or in their hands, could not buy or sell. I saw that the number (666) of the Image Beast was made up’.” — “A Word to the Little Flock”, p. 19.
“Michael is to stand up at the time that the last power in chap. 11 [Daniel], comes to his end, and none to help him. This power…is brought to view in Rev. 13:11-18. His number is 666.” — “A Word to the Little Flock”, pp. 8, 9
The prevailing belief that the number “666” is the numerical identification of some other power, is the spawn of the Prince of Darkness, and is calculated to conceal if possible the identification of this two-horn power. Inspiration puts the number on the two-horn beast, and there we must leave it. When the number is finally made up, the servants of God will be able to convince all the “wise” as to just whom the beast symbolizes.
We now see, though, that no one who studies the Word of God, need be deceived when this power does appear on the stage of action. Yet notwithstanding God’s warning against giving allegiance to the beast, the world fails to give heed, with the result that even after his number is made up, “he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.” Rev. 13:16.
The passage, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,” denotes that all who, after hearing the truth, continue to pay homage, either religiously or secularly, to the image, “shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation.” Rev. 14:9, 10.
A full realization of the glorious reward that awaits mankind will even now compel men to shout for joy! And a like realization of the dreadful penalty that awaits all who fail to make God their refuge, will cause them even now to weep and gnash their teeth. That all might realistically see these alternative prospects, and be impelled thereby to repentance, the Lord has been at supreme pains not only to record a graphic description of the evil which, through the instrumentality of the beast Satan has determined upon the whole world, but also aforehand to make of a similar evil, a perfect
Type of “The Image of the Beast”
In the outworking of Nebuchadnezzar’s drastic and unrighteous decree in Dan. 3:1-6, there are three outstanding aspects:
- The first warningly reveals the manner in which the beast will compel all the nations and peoples within his dominion to worship him and the image which he shall make;
- The second sustainingly promises that just as in Nebuchadnezzar’s day, Michael delivered and promoted those who refused to worship the golden image (Dan. 3:12-30), so today will He deliver and promote all who refuse to worship the beast and his image; and
- The third glorifyingly reveals that just as all who then stood faithful, led a multitude of both high and low to acknowledge Him as the Most High God, so today will all who heed the warning not to worship the beast or his image, “shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Dan. 12:1-3.
Conclusion
This symbolic forecast of the world government to be set up, plainly points out that the coming world government is to be neither the U.N., nor Communism, but an ecclesiastical power. We know that it is not Communism, because Communism is against religion, and the beast is for it.
When this comes to pass, which is no longer beyond the horizon, then those whose names are written in the “Book of Life” shall be delivered, but all others will have received the mark of the beast. There will be no middle ground, or middle class.
These events, one following the other are to separate the church from the world as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats; and the church becomes a pre-millennial government of its own, as is pointed out by the stone smiting the image and bringing the world to an end.
We should now decide what to do, so that we will not be caught off guard. For this very cause the light of Truth has come to us now.
The world government which is to develop from the “League of Nations” and the “United Nations,” is not actually to be absolutely universal, and there are still to be “two worlds,” but rather than there being Capitalism and Communism, they are to be those who worship the beast and his image, and those who worship God and have their names written in the Book.
The latter are the only people who will not bow down to the future world government.
13. The Final World Government, Communistic Or Capitalistic — Which? - Though Communism appears to be the next power to rule the world, this symbolical prophecy points out that the world will next be ruled by an international religious system, by Babylon the Great, a rival of the religion of Christ, and a counterfeit of the woman in Revelation chapter 12: 
