Why So many Symbols used to Represent The Papacy

Why So Many Symbols used to Represent The Papacy in SDA Eschatology?

The idea concerning the symbolical application of the false prophet of Revelation 19:20, the woman on the scarlet colored beast of Revelation 17, the leopard-like beast of Revelation 13, the scarlet colored beast of Revelation 17, and the non-descript beast of Daniel 7, as being symbols of the papacy, is unbiblical and also illogical.

• Rome 1^st Stage

Actual:
Pagan Rome

Symbol:
The Non-descript Beast

Origin:
Dan. 7:7

Expiration:
Dan. 7:8

From the evidence gathered, it is plain to see that the Roman monarchy was a tool for either Pagan, Jew, or Christian; alternating in favor of one, and then of the other.  Inasmuch as the character of the Imperial Roman jurisdiction could not be defined as Pagan, Jew, or Christian, “non-descript” is the only fitting symbol.

• Rome 2^nd Stage

Actual:
Papal Rome

Symbol:
The Leopard-Like Beast

Origin:
Dan. 7:8; Rev. 13:1-3

Expiration:
Rev. 13:10

The leopard-like beast of Revelation 13:1-10 is the only symbolical prophecy that tells of 1) the fall of the Roman monarchy, 2) the crowning of the ten kings, 3) the wound of the papacy, 4) the reformation and 5) rise of Protestantism, and 6) the captivity of the pope.

The leopard-like beast arises out of the sea in the same manner as the four beasts before it. (Daniel 7:3.)  Therefore, the beast of Revelation 13:1-9 is created from the result of war and commotion among the nations, in the same manner as Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome.  Since the evidence revealed by the symbol cannot be questioned, the leopard-like beast assumes the period after the fall of imperial Rome, corresponding to the feet and toes—iron and clay of the great image in Daniel 2.  In other words, the leopard-like beast arrives with the closing period represented by the first stage of the non-descript beast, while the second stage of the latter (papal Rome) continues up to 1798.  Consequently, the unfolding process of the one, overlaps the downward course of the other.  To John the leopard-like beast was shown not in its unfolding process, but rather in its closing act for he says, “And his deadly wound was healed.”  He saw in vision the beast after the deadly wound had been healed, for he uses the past tense, “was.”   But in Daniel’s vision the work of the non-descript beast was all in the  future.  Said the Prophet: “And he shall speak great words against the most high, and shall wear out the saints of the most high, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” (Dan. 7:25.)   Daniel in vision viewed the history represented by the beasts, forward; while John looked backward; or in other words, Daniel saw what the beast was to do, while John was shown what the beast had done.

• The Two-Horned Beast

Actual:
USA

Symbol:
The Two-Horned Beast

Origin:
Rev. 13:11

Expiration:
Rev. 19:20, 21

It will be noticed that every beast representing the New Testament time has ten horns except this one.  The ten horns stand as a symbol of universal systems.  This fact proves that the two-horned beast represents a local government.  As civil powers or governments are symbolized by horns, this particular beast having two, it is evident that the nation represented by this symbol, shall have a double form of government. (See: GC:439.3-441.1)

• The False Prophet

Actual:
Religious Man

Symbol:
The False Prophet

Origin:
Rev. 13:13, 14

Expiration:
Rev. 19:20, 21

The following verse discloses the fact that the old dragon shall exercise his power to deceive as many as possible: “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 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.” (Rev. 13:13, 14.)  Thus he is to exercise persecutive powers as well as the working of miracles.

As the Word exposes this great deception, one would think that the world would open its eyes and refuse to be charmed by such Satanic wonders.  But Satan knows that the people are unmindful of the Word of God, and that their emotions are easily moved by supernatural marvels and the eloquence of men.  Therefore, he will perfect the contrivance and many will fall into it regardless of warnings.  The human mind cannot comprehend that mysterious and irresistible power that is soon to spread its dreadful shadow over the inhabitants of the earth.  No mortal being can stand against that supernatural, civil and religious system.  Those who are students of the Word, trusting in God without reservation, and thus filled with the Holy Spirit, will escape that dreadful trap.

The destruction of both the “false prophet” and the “beast” is clearly foretold: “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him... These both were cast alive into a lake of fire... And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.” (Rev. 19:20, 21.)  Their final end is accomplished by being cast alive into a lake of fire.  But the rest of the world (“the remnant”) were all slain with the “sword which proceeded out of His mouth: and the fowls were filled with their flesh.”

The lake of fire into which the beasts and the false prophet are cast, cannot be at the coming of Christ in the clouds, for the wicked are not destroyed by fire at that time, but “With the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” (2 Thess. 2:8.)  The beast and the false prophet are cast into a lake of fire after the sixth plague and before the end of the world.  This destruction of the “remnant,” those that were left after the destruction of the beast and the prophet, is not after the millennium, for the wicked at that time are not destroyed by the sword that “proceeded out of His mouth,” but by fire that came “down from God out of heaven and devoured them.” (Rev. 20:9.)  After the millennium and the destruction of the wicked no living creature will eat another. (See Isaiah 11:6-9.)  Hence, the beast and false prophet are cast into a lake of fire before the millennium; and that lake of fire becomes a type of the destruction of the wicked on the other side of the millennium—the second death—for the final destruction of the entire multitude is described in the following words: “And death and hell were cast into a lake of fire.  This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:14,15.)  Thus the world would be given an ensample before the millennium, of the destruction after the thousand years had ended.  The example of the beast and the false prophet is to show that all the wicked will be thrown alive into a lake of fire, and that is the second death.  Speaking of the everlasting ruin of the devil, the Word says: “And the devil that deceived them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are.” (Rev. 20:10.)  That is, the beast and the false prophet do not come up in the second resurrection, exemplifying that there is no resurrection from the second death.  Again, we see there is a type for every event, and let none despise types, for where there is no type, there is no truth.

• The Scarlet Colored Beast

Actual:
Int. Sunday Law

Symbol:
The Scarlet Color Beast

Origin:
Rev. 17:3

Expiration:
Rev. 16:19; 17:8; 20:9, 14

This particular beast cannot be a symbol of Rome as some have thought.  The first reason is, that the non-descript beast of Daniel 7, as previously explained, is a symbol of Rome, and was seen coming up from the sea; but the scarlet colored beast, John says, was in the desert.  Therefore, the forces that brought the scarlet colored beast on the stage of action is the opposite of that which produced the non-descript.

 

• The Woman

Actual:
Mother of Harlots

Symbol:
The Woman

Origin:
Rev. 17:1, 9, 3; 18:24

Expiration:
Rev. 17:16; Rev. 18:9

The second reason is, as the angel was about to show the vision to John, he said to him, “Come hither; I will show thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” (Rev. 17:1.)  Then John was carried into the wilderness and there he saw the woman riding on the beast.  The reason the vision is given is to show him the judgment of the woman.  But she was not judged in the days of Rome; her judgment is yet in the future, and will be executed under the “Loud Cry” angel of Revelation 18. (See verses 8, 10.)  The riding on the beast is her last act; therefore, the beast must represent the period in which she is judged.  There is a third reason why the beast cannot be a symbol of Rome.  The book of Daniel, and the book of Revelation were written especially for the generation living at the time of the end, and not so much for the Roman world. (See Dan. 12:4.)

The same is true with the Protestant churches. They in reality are not Babylon and thus far only to a degree have they subjected themselves to Babylon. Says the “Great Controversy”: “Not until...the union of the church with the world shall be fully accomplished throughout Christendom, will the fall of Babylon be complete. The change is a progressive one, and the perfect fulfillment of Rev. 14:8 is yet future.” (Great Controversy, p. 390.)

Therefore, a confederation of the Christian churches, united with civil governments (Great Controversy, p. 442) will form a likeness of the papacy; namely, church and state (horn-head). To construct such a combination is nothing less than to bring to life the spirit of intolerance and persecution that was manifested by the papacy before receiving “the wound.” (Rev. 13:3.) Thus the papal broken rock being cemented together by the two-horned beast (Rev. 13:14) is the formation of the image to the leopard-like beast in the period when prevailing against the saints of the Most High for 42 months (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:5), to which the Great Controversy, p. 445 is calling our attention. All who allow themselves to be put in subjection to this forth-coming religio-political power, which is nothing less than Babylon the third; that is, ancient Babylon to whom God’s people were placed in subjection for 70 years was the first, the wearing out of the saints by the papacy for “a times, and times, and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:25) was the second; and the Image of the beast” above mentioned is the third, of which the scarlet colored beast of Rev. 17 is symbolical. This is the only beast in the Revelation that is called Babylon, of which the S.D.A. church cannot be a part. (Testimonies to Ministers, 58, 59.) When Babylon the third comes into power, she is again to fall as predicted in the Revelation 18:2-24.

• Man of Sin

Actual:
Pope

Symbol:
Little horn w/eyes

Origin:
Dan. 7:25

Expiration:
2 Thess. 2:8; GC:578.3

Mark carefully, according to the following testimony, the destruction of the papacy is at another time and by a different process.  “Paul states plainly that the man of sin will continue until the second advent.  To the very close of time he will carry forward his work of deception.”—“The Great Controversy,” p. 579.  Thus the papacy is to remain to the second coming of Christ, at which time the wicked are to be destroyed by the brightness of His coming.  Therefore, the papacy is one thing, and the false prophet another, and the beast still another.  The beast “666” and the false prophet, who are to be cast alive into the lake of fire, are the ones who develop the image of the beast—a likeness of the worship in the period of the 1260 years.

In the light which this prophecy sheds on the subject, no one can possibly escape the conclusion that a prophet—a person—is to be sent "before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord," and that thus only can there be a group of people in connection with Elijah's message.  What a blasphemous theft! —should one endeavor to steal away the truth about the prophet's office, to pass on a lie instead,—to say that Elijah is not an individual but a group of people. (See: Mal. 3:1; 4:5; TM:475.4 “…Somebody…” not “bodies”; 6T:420.3)