When we study prophecies that apply to the future and that have a direct bearing on us, it says we do well to take heed and listen to it. There is a great deal of warning and instruction in Revelation and we would do well to take heed of it.

Revelation 13:10 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 prophecy was fulfilled in 1798 when the pope was made captive by the French.

Revelation 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.

Here is another beast, another earthly government. This is another government distinct from the papacy – distinct from the ten horns (ten European Kingdoms). It’s a new earthly government and it must be seen and in existence by the year 1798 because this is when the beast (Papal Power) in the previous text loses its power and is taken into captivity. The pope was taken captive by the French. It is about this time we’re looking for another beast to emerge.

Look how it comes up “coming up out of the earth”. It grows up like a plant out of the earth. There are no winds of war striving upon a turbulent sea of peoples like the beast in Daniel. This beast grows up peacefully and gradually and is not surrounded by a sea of peoples like the previous beast.

Therefore, it could not arise amidst the crowding struggling peoples of Europe that we have already seen (the ten horns). That was the old world. But it could in the new world arise in 1798 in the Americas. There it could grow up peacefully and gradually through colonization.

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 no question – one nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophesy and it points unmistakable to the United States of America. Great Controversy p440 para2

This two-horned beast was the United States and we recognise this because it was the only independent nation in the Americas in 1798.

Revelation 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 (Papacy); saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast (Apostate Protestantism reflecting Papal sanctioned Sunday worship) which had the wound by a sword, (The Pope taken captive and stripped of power in 1798) and did live. 15 And he (The Papacy) had power to give life unto the image of the beast (United States – Apostate Protestantism), 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. 16 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. 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save that he had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

In this last part of verse 14 it says to the people of the earth (The United States) that they should make an image and this image to the beast enforces the mark of the beast. When it said to the people of the United States that they should make an image of the beast, what does it mean?

What is an image? An image is a likeness of something therefore an image of the beast must be a likeness or something resembling the beast. The beast itself refers to the first beast of Revelation 13 – the Papacy (papal government). So the image of the beast must be something resembling the papal government and it says to the people of the United States that they should make this thing an image resembling papal government.

What would constitute an image of papal government? To find out, let us read and understand what papal government is.

When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rights and customs (mongrel form) she lost the spirit and power of God and in order to control the consciences of the people she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy a church that controlled the power of the state and employed to further her own ends especially the punishment of heresy. Great Controversy 442-443

Here is what papal government is all about. Papal government is a church controlled government where an apostate church controls the power of the state to further her own ends. For the people of United States to make this thing a thing resembling this, they must make a church controlled government – gain control of the state to further their own ends? Would you say this has happened? Is the government of the United States a church controlled government now? Not yet.

Some people tell me its already a religious government. The former president of the United States George Bush has made many overtures to the groups like the coalition and many overtures to Catholics and more concessions to Catholics than any other president in America. The image of the beast must not be far off.

But does that mean that the government of the United States is a church controlled government now? Or is it still a secular government? Where do we draw the line between secular and a church controlled government? We need to keep searching it out.

We can determine what an image of the papacy will be considering what constituted the papacy itself in the days of its power. As brought to view in the prophesy it may be viewed as an ecclesiastical hierarchy exercising the self assumed prerogative of defining heresy and having control of the civil arm to punish the same. An image of this would be an ecclesiastical (church) organization having control of the civil power to carry out its own decisions and persecute. This would ofcourse be a virtual union of church and state. That’s what the papacy was a church organization or churches controlling civil power – that would be the image of the beast. A virtual union of church and state. Uriah Smith America’s Crisis p316

In the United States Coalition this is exactly what they are seeking to achieve. Let me quote one of their leaders from a recent convention they held this year.

“The notion of separating church and state with such policy as allowing prayer in public schools is a deception of Satan.” Christian Coalition.

The Christian Coalition has a whole legislative agenda with religious overtones – laws they want to make. They want to use the powers of the state to further their own end. Listen to what else was said at their convention.

“If God is in fact separated from the government then we can never possibly have a Godly government. There is no way for America to be good if she is not Godly.” ibid

They want a church controlled government and we know where that will lead. This is saying to the people of the United States that they should make an image to the beast and George Bush has made many concessions to that very group so the image of the beast is not very far away.”

When the leading churches of the United States uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and sustain their institutions, then protestant America will have formed the image of the Roman Hierarchy and the infliction of penalties upon civil dissenters will inevitably result. Great Controversy p445 para1

This is in the making already although the hand of persecution is not yet upon us, it won’t be long so we need to live fairly solemnly. It’s the image of the beast which causes the mark of the beast. We want to know what this mark of the beast is. The beast itself refers to the papacy. What is the mark of the papacy? Is it a computer chip or bar code?

If Microsoft were a beast then maybe the mark of the beast would be a computer chip. If Kmart were the beast maybe it would be a barcode. But since the beast is the papacy – what is the mark of it? Remember how the Hebrews in the Old Testament would mark their servants?

Deuteronomy 15:17 Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant forever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

They pierced the ears of their servants – interesting manner – the papacy doesn’t do that.

Marks were sometimes used by generals and masters in ancient times to distinguish their followers and servants. The mark of the beast must be some institution of the beast which will distinguish its followers. Uriah Smith

This is how the papacy marks her followers – by an institution of the papacy. And remember the Protestants of America will be the very ones enforcing this papal institution. Marks were sometimes used by generals and masters in ancient times to distinguish their followers and servants. The mark of the beast must be an institution of the beast which will distinguish its followers.

But we show ourselves followers or servants of any power only by obeying its authority; and authority is always manifested through law. {1878 UrS, TBI 104.1}

From what other company are the followers of the beast distinguished? From the followers of God; inasmuch as the warning which goes forth against the worship of the beast and the reception of his mark is designed to keep men loyal to the requirements of Heaven. “Here are they,” says the third message, “which keep the commandments of God.” But we can show ourselves followers of God only by keeping his law. Therefore the issue in reference to which the third message warns us is a conflict between the law of God and the law of this beast power, by our action toward which we are to show ourselves either the worshipers of the beast or the followers of God. {1878 UrS, TBI 104.2}

You know when you talk to protestants they really abhor anything that is to do with the mark of the beast. But they are the very ones who are going to bring it in – Apostate Protestantism. So the mark of the beast must be a papal institution that protestants actually agree with. It is not something they can willingly honour. A Catholic institution that Protestants agree with. Protestants abhor computer chip implants because they think with horror that that’s the mark of the beast – so it can’t be the mark of the beast. Because they don’t agree with it its not a Catholic instituion, it must be something both Protestant and Catholic that they agree with. A Catholic instituion which they both agree upon. Vol 9 The Biblical Institute by Uriah Smith p401 para1

What company are the followers of the beast distinguished from? The followers of the beast are distinguished from another company.

Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand. 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.

It goes on to say what will happen to them in verse 12? Here is the contrast.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The followers of the beast here are distinguished from the followers of God. What are the followers of God keeping? What does it say? They are keeping the commandments of God – that is what distinguishes them. What are the followers of the beast keeping? A Catholic institution. What institution did the Catholic Church set up by her own authority without scriptural authority? An institution which is wholly Catholic is Sunday. Its an institution which distinguishes the followers of the papacy. An institution that the Protestants agree with and willingly keep and they uphold and by honouring that thing they are following the authority of the Catholic Church

When you talk to Protestants, they vehemently protest when you say that they are followers of the papacy. They say no way and they’re horrified but in spite of their protests, they obey this papal institution because it distinguishes them as followers of the papacy instead of followers of God.

Romanists declare that the observance of Sunday by Protestants is an homage they pay themselves to the authority of the Catholic Church. So the change of the Sabbath is the mark of Catholic authority. The mark of the beast. The mark of the papacy. Great Controversy p448 para3

Revelation 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.

Now despite the fact that this is a lamblike beast it speaks as a dragon, innocent lamblike horns and yet it’s a beast. This depicts a vast contrast between profession and practice. Profession in the horns and practice in what it speaks.

What is the profession of this beast The United States Government? It is found in the United States Constitution – we profess this they say. And in this constitution they profess civil and religious liberty. The first amendment says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. No law against the free exercise of religion. Now they are going to speak against that and make it law. But this lamblike beast is portraying it’s own profession which means the United States Government will violate the constitution. It does this by speaking as a dragon. How does a government speak? It speaks by legislation.

Daniel 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will, and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished of that that is determined shall be done.

Here is a king or a kingdom and he speaks marvelous things against God. This refers to the revolutionary government of France. In the government of France they made laws and enacted laws against God. The French assembly in 1793 outlawed the worship of God and they instituted in its place the cult of reason – an atheistic cult. The French assemblies spoke marvelous things against the God of gods. A government speaks through its legislative assembly to make laws and then enforce them through the judicial part of the government. So a government speaks through the laws it makes and for the United States to speak as a dragon it must enact dragon like laws. It must enact laws which violate the constitution (The first amendment). It must enact laws which are contrary to religious liberty established in the American constitution.

When will it speak as a dragon? Has it spoken as a dragon?

The Sunday movement is now making its way in darkness (in 1888) the leaders are concealing the true issue and many who unite in the movement do not themselves see whither the undercurrent is trending. Its professions are mild and apparently Christian but when it shall speak it will reveal the spirit of the dragon. When it will speak it will make laws. Review and Herald Dec 1, 1888

This is speaking about the Sunday law movement in 1888. The American Government wanted to make Sunday laws. They wanted to enact those laws, they wanted to speak but had they spoken this quote? It says when it shall speak so back in 1888 it had not spoken. Yet in 1889 look what was written;

Prophecy represents Protestantism as having lamb-like horns, but speaking like a dragon. Already we are beginning to hear the voice of the dragon. There is a satanic force propelling the Sunday movement, but it is concealed. Even the men who are engaged in the work, are themselves blinded to the results which will follow their movement. Let not the commandment-keeping people of God be silent at this time, as though we gracefully accepted the situation. There is the prospect before us, of waging a continuous war, at the risk of imprisonment, of losing property and even life itself, to defend the law of God, which is being made void by the laws of men. This Bible text will be quoted to us, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers…. The powers that be are ordained of God.” [Ellen G. White {RH January 1, 1889, par. 4}]

We are beginning to hear the voice of the dragon in 1889 – Sunday laws were being agitated and even enforced in some states.

As Sunday law issues intensified in the late 1800s and the agitation for a national Sunday law in the United States increased – as the law calling for observance of Sunday in certain of the southern states were enforced and Adventists were arrested, imprisoned and forced to labour in chain gangs for not observing these laws, the Sunday/Sabbath issue took on a greater significance and came in for earnest. 1SM p381

What happened? A hundred years later we’re still here. Agitation for Sunday legislation gradually waned but in succeeding years Ellen White kept the issues of the final conflict before church leaders. Don’t become complacent – this was the Sunday law crisis of the late 1800s. Because they did that in the late 1800s, does that mean this prophesy is all fulfilled now and the two horned beast is going to speak all it has as a dragon and that there is no more to it?

The decree enforcing the worship of this day is to go forth to all the world – has that happened yet? In a limited degree it has already gone forth. In several places the civil voice is speaking with the voice of a dragon. You see the speaking of a dragon has been done by enforcing Sunday laws and it has already been done to a limited degree. Signs of the time May 6, 1897 para15

Religious powers, allied to heaven by profession, and claiming to have the characteristics of a lamb, will show by their acts that they have the heart of a dragon, and that they are instigated and controlled by Satan. The time is coming when God’s people will feel the hand of persecution because they keep holy the seventh day. . . . But God’s people are to stand firm for Him. And the Lord will work in their behalf, showing plainly that He is the God of gods. –Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 229, 230. {ChS 156.2}

That’s what’s going on. They were speaking as the dragon. What happened? We’re still here one hundred years later. Agitation for Sunday legislation gradually waned but in succeeding years Ellen White kept the issues of the final conflict before church leaders. Don’t become complacent about it. This was the Sunday law which led to persecution for Sabbath keepers (this was the dragon speaking). Enforcement of Sunday laws contrary to religious liberty, congress shall make no law respecting the free exercise of religion. And because they did that in the late 1800′s, does that mean this prophecy is all is fulfilled now and that the two horned beast has spoken all that it is going to speak?

The decree enforcing the worship of this day is to go all over the world. In a limited degree it has already gone forth. In several places the civil power is speaking with the voice of a dragon (Southern States in America.) Signs of the times May 6, 1897 para15

The speaking as a dragon is done by enforcing Sunday laws and it has already been done to a limited degree during that crisis in 1888. But it has not been done fully yet.

Religious powers allied to heaven by profession and claiming to have characteristics of a lamb will show by their acts they have the heart of a dragon and that they are instigated and controlled by Satan. The time is coming when God’s people will feel the hand of persecution because they keep holy the seventh day. Bible Commentary Vol 7 p975 p8 1902

In 1902 the speaking of the dragon was put into the future. Have God’s people felt this had of persecution? In the late 1800′s they felt it to a limited degree. In World War One and World War Two there was to a limited degree some persecution because of the Sabbath but since then we’ve had freedom to keep the Sabbath in America, Australia and in Europe therefore this two horned beast has not yet spoken all that it is going to speak as a dragon. There’s more to come.

Revelation 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.

When did this beast come up? 1798. When did it speak as a dragon? It hasn’t spoken yet in its fullest sense. Are we told when it would speak as a dragon? See Verse 15.

Revelation 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.

It’s the image of the beast that speaks as a dragon. Church controlled government. The church has to control it for them to bring in their laws. It’s the image of the beast that makes laws of persecution. This last phrase in verse 11 is not completely fulfilled until we reach verse 15.

Revelation 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.

This beast that was seen coming up out of the earth, has it been as yet exercising all the power of the first beast? Has he compelled all them that dwell on the earth to worship the papacy? Has he employed the power of the state to compel the conscience? No, not in its fullest sense.

The enforcement of Sunday keeping on the Protestant churches is enforcement of the worship of the papacy. Great Controversy p448

Has this been done? No, not in its fullest sense. So verse 12 is not completely filled until verse 15 because it is the IMAGE that enforces the worship of the papacy. Therefore these two verses in the prophecy are not all fulfilled in the order in which they are set down. What about verse 13 &14?

Revelation 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 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 would by a sword and did live.

When did the image perform miracles in the sight of the beast?

Satan works with lying wonders even bringing fire from heaven in the sight of men thus the inhabitants of the earth will be bought to take their stand. Great Controversy p612 para 1

The miracles that are done are going to cause people to take their stand – but upon what issue? The miracles are done to deceive the people to make them take a stand with reference to what? 

If you look at this prophesy in verse 11, what does it have to with? Sunday Laws. What is verse 12 to do with? Sunday Laws. What is verse 15 to do with? Sunday Laws. What is verse 16 to do with? Sunday Laws as with verse 18, 13 and 14. It’s fearful and it’s all set down for us as Sabbath keepers.

In this study we have seen some of the things fulfilled but there is still more to be fulfilled. Should we make that a reason for complacency? No absolutely not. Should we say My Lord delayeth his coming? Look what’s happening in America at the moment, all the people are getting back to God after September 11. 

We need to get ready because when Sunday Law comes in, there will be no time. It will be all panning out and will be too late. As we see the current of religious things gathering strength in the United States, we don’t know how long we’ve got and we need to prepare for whatever eventuates but more importantly we need to prepare our hearts for heaven.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock” if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Have you opened the door of your heart to Jesus? We have something to do here. We need to remove the rubbish of worldliness from the door of our hearts and open our hearts door to Jesus. He stands knocking outside our heart.

The Laodicean message applies to all who profess to keep the law of God and yet are not doers of it. Bible Commentary Vol 7p962 para1

To be a doer of the law we need Jesus in our heart because there is no other way we can do it. What will we receive when we are doers of God’s Law? The sealing starts in the time of judgement 1844 onwards.

The 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their forehead was written God, New Jerusalem and a glorious star containing Jesus new name. Early Writings {115:1}

A star in the forehead to show that the daystar has arisen in the heart. The star in the forehead is to show that you are a commandment/Sabbath keeper and that you have Jesus in your heart. Jesus made it all possible because He is living in us.

The mark of the beast is not so fussy because you can receive it in your forehead or in your hand. With the mark of the beast you can just nominally adhere to it and not really mentally adhere to it, many people will do this.

But with the seal of God you can only receive it in your forehead, not in your hand. To receive God’s seal of protection we need to mentally adhere to Sabbath keeping and have Jesus in our hearts.

Amen.