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| 1 And I placed on the sand of the sea. And I saw out of the sea a wild-beast coming up, having horns ten and heads seven, and on the horns of him ten diadems, and on the heads of him names of blasphemy. |
I – The John class, the church in the flesh during the time of our Lord's second advent.
Stood upon the sand of the sea – This is not exactly the same picture as Rev. 15:2. There the saints are described as standing on the sea, not on the sand of the sea. What could be the indication here? How does the sand of the sea differ from the sea or from the earth? This would seem to change (to some degree) the aspect from which the saints are viewing the events here described.
This, perhaps, could indicate this view is not taken from the aspect of the restless masses (sea) mingled with the spirit of anarchy (fire), but rather from the standpoint of the more stable elements of society (symbolic earth) that has been more strongly influenced by the sea class (thus the sand on the sea).
John is standing on the seashore because this is the best place to watch this event of the beast rising up out of the sea.
This class can look back through the history of the Gospel Age and trace the events that are here described.
Saw a beast – Government (from God's standpoint the governments of fallen man are indeed beastly. Dan. 7)
Rise up out of the sea – The restless masses. This is not a God-ordained government. R498
Note that in Dan. 7:3 the four beasts (universal empires) "came up from the sea."
???Historically these beastly governments came up out of the sea class, those who did not have the stabilizing influence of organized religion. These governments were not formed by believers in the one true God.???
Having seven heads and ten horns – The fact that the seven heads are mentioned indicates this is the Roman Empire which had seven heads or types of government throughout its history. see Additional Comments Rev. 12:3.
While this beast is Rome, it is also Papacy because at this time it was Rome under the control of the Papacy. This is seen by the reference to the name of blasphemy later in this verse.
"The ten-horned beast represented the Papal government, which for a time ruled over all Europe, then the Roman Empire." – R5349
see SM406:3
And upon his horns ten crowns – A crown is given to royalty and indicates rulership over a kingdom. Horns have always been a symbol for power. Here we have ten powers, or rather ten divisions of power in the beast (Papal Roman government.)
And upon his heads the name of blasphemy. – Papal Rome (the Mother), as well as her daughters (Protestant churches) were united to the state and fostered the idea that God had appointed these kings to rule, thus the "Divine Right of Kings." While they were indeed permitted by God to rule, they did not have the right to rule. That right belongs to our Lord. see Eze. 21:27. This would seem to be "the name of blasphemy," the taking of something which belongs to our Lord and applying it to fallen men. |
| 2 And the wild-beast which I saw, was like to a leopard, and the feet of him as of a bear, and the mouth of him as a mouth of a lion. And gave to him the dragon the power of himself, and the throne of himself, and authority great. |
The beast – Papal government.
Which I saw – Recognized (seen) by the John class (church at the end of the age.)
Was like unto a leopard..bear..lion – See Dan. 7:4-6, also Expanded Bible Comments for this verse.
see R318
Leopard - see R2538, R2308.
And the dragon gave him his power – The civil power of Pagan Rome gave his power to Papal Rome.
And his seat – Throne. Strong's 2362. This word occurs 61 times. 46 times it is translated as 'throne' or 'thrones' and 15 times as 'seat' or 'seats.' The only exceptions to 'throne' are when it is speaking of other than God, Christ, or saints. Then it is translated as 'seat.'
And great authority – The Roman Emperors were styled "pontifex maximus" or chief religious ruler. This 'great authority' they gave over to the pope. - Note. It does not say they gave this over willingly. |
| 3 And one of the heads of him as if having been slain to death; and the stroke of the death of him was healed. And wondered whole the earth after the wilds beast, |
I saw one of his heads – The Papacy. Remember here that this beast had seven heads (Rev. 12:3), one of which was the Papacy and that is the head here being referenced.
As it were wounded to death – Not actually a fatal wound, although it at first appeared it might be so. This 'deadly wound' was the Protestant Reformation.
And his deadly wound was healed – The Papacy recovered from this wound. Not only did it continue, but the various Protestant churches became her daughters when they followed in her footsteps by playing the harlot and 'marrying' or uniting with the kings of the earth – church-state unions.
R318
And all the world wondered after the beast – The people were amazed that the papal beast recovered in such fashion. |
| 4 and they did homage to the dragon, because he gave the authority to the wild-beast, and they did homage to the wild-beast, saying: Who like to the wild-beast? and who is able to make war with him? |
They worshipped the dragon – The civil power exercised at the behest of papacy.
"They respected the civil power all the more, because it had so honored ecclesiastical authority." R318:17
Which gave power unto the beast – "Because he gave his authority to the beast." NASB
And they worshipped the beast – Papacy.
Saying, Who is like unto the beast – There never had been anything that could be compared to how thoroughly the Papacy ruled the civilized world. The pope had an army of his own and yet he was able to make the various kingdoms under his control fight his battles for him.
Who is able to make war with him – After all, even though it at first seemed the Protestant reformation was going to be the 'death nail' in papacy's coffin, it had recovered and it still maintained its control over the various kingdoms. Who then could even think of making war against this 'God on earth?' |
| 5 And was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and was given to him authority to act months forty two. |
R319
There was given unto him – Unto Papacy.
A mouth speaking great things and blasphemies – Compare Dan. 7:8.
And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months – 1260 symbolic days or 1260 literal years, from 539 to 1799 A.D. |
| 6 And he opened the mouth of himself for blasphemy against the God, to blaspheme the name of him, and the tabernacle of him, and those in the heaven, tabernacling. |
He – Papacy.
Opened his mouth in blasphemy against God – Teaching (speaking) horrible doctrines (trinity, hell-fire, etc.) which blaspheme the true character of God.
To blaspheme his name – By claiming false titles, many of which belong to God. B307
And his tabernacle – The True Church.
Rev. 13:6
And them that dwell in heaven – Since the Papacy has already been described as blaspheming against God AND against the True Church (his tabernacle), this phrase seems to require us to look for a different group. We see two possibilities here.
1) The holy angels.
2) The Protestent churches during the time of the Reformation. |
| 7 And it was given to him war to make with the holy ones, and to overcome them; and was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. |
It was given unto him – Papacy.
To make war with the saints – Dan. 7:25.
To overcome them – Dan. 7:25
And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations – see Rev. 12:5. This reference to the papacy as the man of sin ruling over all these fits well because it was the papacy that grew out of and eventually took over rulership of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was the fourth "Universal Empire" as shown in Daniel chapters 2 and 7. |
| 8 And will worship him all those dwelling on the earth, of which not has been written the name in the scroll of the life of the lamb of that having been killed, from a casting down of a world. |
All that dwell upon the earth – Organized society under religious restraint. See Earth Dwellers.
Shall worship him – Worship the Papacy.
Whose names are not written in the book of life – The saints do not worship the Papacy. Instead they get the victory over it. compare Rev. 15:2.
Of the Lamb – Jesus, the lamb of God. John 1:29,36
Slain from the foundation of the world – The Ransom was the center-piece of the plan of God even before He created man. Christ our Passover (lamb) is slain for us. 1 Cor. 5:7 |
| 9 If any one has an hear, let him hear. |
If any man have an ear, let him hear – This is what is said to every stage of the church. The fact that it is here seems to say that, in spite of this great persecution and blasphemy against the true church, there are still saints during this period who do indeed have an ear to hear the Truth. see Rev. 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22 |
| 10 If any one captivity leads together, into captivity he shall be led; if any one with a sword will kill, it is necessary him with a sword to be killed. Here is the patient endurance and the faith of the holy ones. |
In the following article Pastor Russell uses a different translation of this verse. Upon close examination of the Greek we must agree that the KJV is close but not quite correct. The RVIC seems to capture the correct thought. Therefore we will follow the RVIC for this verse.
R319
If any man is for captivity – The captivity here referred to is the captivity of Papacy. There are those who need a structure that tells them what to do and how to think. Many prisoners get so accustomed to prison life with its rigid structure that they no longer know how to function without that structure. That is exactly what the Papacy offered.
He goeth into captivity – In other words all such who prefer the structure (captivity) of the false system of Papacy to the liberty wherewith Christ makes free, will be allowed to go that way. The Lord is not forcing any to go against their own will.
If any man shall kill with the sword – The sword (of the spirit) is the word of God (Eph. 6:17). To kill, or slay, in symbolic language means to destroy one's belief or one's standing. Those who destroy false beliefs with the Word of God (sword) would be the saints.
With the sword must he be killed – The symbol of the sword as being the Word of God retains its consistency. It still represents God's Word, the bible. In this case it is speaking of the misuse of the Lord's word, i.e., its corruption by the Papacy. The pope declared that those called heretics (in reality, those who are speaking the Truth) are not to be allowed to continue, i.e., they are to be symbolically killed.
Here it is described as being killed with the sword. The fact thousands were literally put to death does not mitigate against this symbolic killing. That it does not refer to literal killing with the sword seems evident in that relatively few of those who were literally killed were killed by the sword. Many were burned, buried alive and killed by all sorts of despicable methods.
The primary thought is that the faithful were killed in the eyes of those who dwelt in the symbolic earth. The saints did not find favor with the religious authority in the earth at that time, i.e., with the Papacy. Therefore they are described as being 'killed' with the sword (the corrupted teachings of anti-Christ, claiming to be the teachings of God.)
Here is the patience and the faith of the saints – This continued for 1260 years. No wonder it is described as being the patience of the saints! This tested their faith as nothing else could do. |
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| 11 And I saw another wild-beast coming up out of the earth, and he had horns two like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. |
Another beast – Since the current 'beast' (Papal Rome) is a civil and religious combination it seems logical that this 'other beast' also consists of a civil and religious combination.
Coming up out of the earth – The others came from the sea but this from the symbolic earth. This beast comes from organized society under religious restraint. R498
This is an important consideration and one which helps to lock down where to look for this beast. It must be after the time of pagan Rome. Therefore we should be looking for the fulfillment of this beast after Papal Rome has become well established.
And he had two horns – Two powers or two divisions of power (horns are a symbol for power), just as we saw with the ten horns of the beast.
This one beast with its two divisions of power was "The Church of England and Ireland" which was established in 1538 and continued until January 1, 1871 when it dropped the church of Ireland and reverted back to being "The Church of England." At that point it ceased to be a two-horned beast.
From 1538 to 1871 – 333 years – the title of the church was "The Church of England and Ireland," thus recognizing both horns."
On January 1, 1871 (by action of parliament and the consent of the Queen, the head of the church) the Irish Church was disestablished, or that horn cast off. R320
Like a lamb – This beast has lamb-like qualities. This is a union of church and state but is not nearly so vicious as the first beast.
The "two horns like a lamb," would seem to indicate that this BEAST would be peaceably inclined – not inclined to be aggressive, but merely using the horns for defense. R320
And he spake as a dragon – Not as the dragon (the devil) but as a dragon, the civil power.
But notice that it does not say the, but a dragon. We understand this to mean simply that its utterances resembled those of a purely civil (dragon) power, and in its words there would be little, to denote that it is an ecclesiastical government. All know how true this is. R320 |
| 12 And the authority of the first wild-beast all he does in presence of him; and he makes the earth and those in her dwelling that they should worship the wilds beast the first, of whom was healed the stroke of the death of him; |
He – The two-horned beast, the Church of England and Ireland.
Note: It takes both horns to be the two-horned beast.
Exerciseth all the power – Authority.
Of the first beast – Of the Papacy.
Before him – In the presence of the papal beast.
And causeth the earth – Organized society under religious restraint.
"And all the authority of the first beast [Papacy] he executes in his presence [this shows that the second does not take the place of the first beast, but that they exist contemporaneously], and makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship [respect] the first beast whose mortal wound was healed." R320
And them which dwell therein – Those who seem to prefer this arrangement.
To worship the first beast – To respect the Papacy.
Whose deadly wound was healed – The Papacy recovered from the Protestant Reformation. |
| 13 and he makes signs great, and fire so that out of the heaven it may come down into the earth, in presence of the men. |
He doeth great wonders – What wonders? Chiefly the miracle of establishing a group that would become a recognized authority by most (if not all) Protestant churches. Previously to do something like this "in the sight of the beast" would have been impossible. The Papacy had such power they would have swiftly (and no doubt successfully) moved to crush such an organization.
So that he maketh fire come down from heaven – R5349As, we understand this Chapter of Revelation, the Image, as soon as vitalized, will very promptly use its influence, prestige, power, in every way to "make fire come down from heaven" (Rev. 13:13); that is, to punish in the name of the Lord those who in any sense of the word it shall consider to be its opponents.
On the earth – Organized society under religious restraint. R498
In the sight of men – For mankind to view, much like he lifted up Babylon for the whole world to see it for what it really was. Consider Volume IV esp. Study IV, Study V and Study VI. |
| 14 And he deceives those dwelling on the earth, by means of the signs which it was given to him to do in presence of the wild-beast; saying to those dwelling on the earth, to make an image to the wild-beast, which has the stroke of the sword and lived. |
Deceiveth them that dwell on the earth – See last additional comment on Rev. 11:10.
By the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast – The word here used as 'miracles' is the same as 'wonders' in vs. 13. See additional comments vs. 13.
Saying to them that dwell on the earth – See last additional comment on Rev. 11:10.
Note. Br. Russell's thought is different. He agrees that there is a difference between "the earth" and "them that dwell on the earth." His explanation for those that dwell on the earth is "independent Christians who do not support either of these systems" - the systems being Papal Rome and The Church of England and Ireland. R321
See list of Revelation texts that refer to these "earth dwellers."
That they – Those who dwell on the earth.
Should make an image – A likeness. The Evangelical Alliance – formed in 1846 in England. C119:1-2
To the beast – To (or like) Papal Rome.
Which had the wound by a sword, and did live – see vs. 3.
It would appear this phrase is inserted here to make it clear that this does not refer to the two-horned beast but to the first beast. |
| 15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the wild-beast, so that both should speak the image of the wild-beast, and should cause, as many as not would do homage to the image of the wild-beast that they should be killed. |
He – The two-horned beast, the Church of England (horn #1) and Ireland (horn #2).
Had power to give life – This sounds a lot like begettal, the beginning of life. It does not say "Had ability to give power..," but to give life, which fits since the Church of England was at the Evangelical Alliance formation meetings in 1846, at which time it was still a "two-horned beast."
Unto the image of the beast – To the Evangelical Alliance. See Dx
That the image of the beast – The Evangelical Alliance.
Should both speak – Give authoritative utterances (like the Papacy.)
And cause that as many as would not worship the image – Those who do not bow down to the false creed [primarily the saints.]
Of the beast – Of Papal Rome.
Should be killed – Symbolically slain, i.e., their beliefs and/or standing (position in the eyes of men) would be destroyed. - In other words those who do not go along with the teachings of this Image of the Beast will be ostracized from the nominal religious world. R322 |
| 16 And hew causes all, the little ones and the great ones, and the rich ones and the poor ones, and the freedom and the bondmen, that they should give to them a mark on the hand of them the right, or on the forehead of them; |
He causeth all – All who are a part of the symbolic earth class.
Both small and great – The humble and unknown as well as those who are proud and exalted (in the eyes of men).
Rich and poor – In worldly things. Also those who consider themselves to be rich (Rev. 3:17) and those who do not.
Free and bond – In the world. This does not refer to those who are free in the Lord, the little flock, for these overcome the beast and his image. Rev. 15:2.
The Bond here describes those who are in bondage to the errors of Christendom.
The Free here, we suggest, refers to a worldly class who, while not in bondage to Christendom's errors, nevertheless are impressed with Christendom and respect its usurped authority.
To receive a mark in their right hand – The right hand signifies strength. This would indicate that those who have this mark are active in the service of either the Beast or its Image.
Or in their foreheads – Intellects. Those who have this mark have bought in to the false doctrines of the nominal church systems, the various creeds of Christendom. These false doctrines have become a part of their (incorrect) understanding. |
| 17 and that no one may be able to buy or to sell, if not the one having the mark, the name of the wild-beast, or the number of the name of him. |
That no man might buy or sell – Trade, do business in the spiritual market-place. Remember, this is a symbolic book. It would be illogical to expect that this one thing would have a literal fulfillment when all others have a spiritual fulfillment.
For an example of this please see Aiii:2.
Save he that had the mark – see Additional comments on vs. 18.
Or the name of the beast – The name of Papacy, i.e., Catholic church or Roman Catholic, Church of Rome, etc.
Or the number of his name – 666, see vs. 18.
Note here that whatever this mark or number is, it will be something that is held in common with both the beast (Papacy) and its image (Organized Protestants). |
| 18 Here the wisdom is; the one having a mind, let him compute the number of the wild-beast; a number for of a man it is, and the number of him six hundred and sixty-six. |
Here is wisdom – Noting the "law of first mention" see Exo. 28:2,3. In order to make the garments of glory and beauty of the high priest (picturing the garments of the Christ, head and body) the artisan must be filled with the spirit.
Let him that hath understanding – The correct understanding of this can only come from the spirit-begotten, i.e., those who have the wisdom just mentioned.
Count the number of the beast – Count the number here given.
For it is the number of a man – Literally "It is the number of man [the a is added]."
And his number is Six hundred threescore and six – In other words we have the number 6 appearing three times in one number. In bible symbology we understand the number six to refers to fallen man. Here we have what is described as "the number of man" and it is repeated three times, yet it is but one number. So what is it? Is it one number [666] or is it three numbers [6,6,6]? – The answer comes to us when we remember the characteristics being described here. Those who have this number in their forehead (intellectual understanding) are able to buy and sell in the (spiritual) marketplace. Without this mark they are considered to be heretics. This refers to the doctrine of the Trinity! Are there three gods (Father, Son, Holy Spirit as separate beings) or is there one God (Father+Son+Holy Spirit)? If you do not believe in the trinity you are most definitely considered to be a heretic and are unable to buy and sell in the spiritual marketplace. As an example of not being able to buy or sell please see Aiii:2
Concerning the mark of the beast, please note the following quote [the brackets are ours] from "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" – Gibbon:
"The victorious faction [Trinitarians] received all their [Arians] proposals with haughty suspicion, and anxiously sought for some irreconcilable mark of distinction, the rejection of which might involve the Arians in the guilt and consequences of heresy." – Chapter 21
This "Mark of distinction" was the doctrine of the Trinity.
Further evidence that this mark of the beast is the Trinity is furnished us in the Catholic Encyclopedia under "The Blessed Trinity"
"The dogma of the Trinity "The Trinity is the term employed to signify the central doctrine of the Christian religion – the truth that in the unity of the Godhead there are Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, these Three Persons being truly distinct one from another. "Thus, in the words of the Athanasian Creed: "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God." In this Trinity of Persons the Son is begotten of the Father by an eternal generation, and the Holy Spirit proceeds by an eternal procession from the Father and the Son. Yet, notwithstanding this difference as to origin, the Persons are co-eternal and co-equal: all alike are uncreated and omnipotent. This, the Church teaches, is the revelation regarding God's nature which Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came upon earth to deliver to the world: and which she proposes to man as the foundation of her whole dogmatic system."
The Catholic Church (the "beast") considers the Trinity as "the central doctrine of the Christian religion" and "the foundation of her whole dogmatic system."
There is no other doctrine we can oppose that gets nominal church members in a greater "huff" than this one. |