Luke 21:8

Christian, Be Not Deceived!

CHAPTER NINETEEN 

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BEAST OF REVELATION 13 AND THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST OF REVELATION 17? 

An authoritative statement as to what is designated by the beast of Rev. 13 is given by the servant of the Lord. She says 

"Then to learn what the image is like, and how it is to be formed, we must study the characteristics of the beast itself –the papacy. When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel, 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 it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of `heresy'. In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the State will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends. 

"Whenever the church has obtained secular power, she has employed it to punish dissent from her doctrines. . . . It was apostasy that led the early church to seek the aid of civil government, and this prepared the way for the development of the papacy–the beast... . 

"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 to sustain their institutions; then protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman Hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result. . . . The image to the beast represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas" (GC. 443, 445 

Thus we have a clear statement as to what is designated by "the beast" and "an image to the beast". The beast of Rev. 13 is plainly declared to be "the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the State, and employed it to her own end, especially for the punishment of 'heresy'". The image to the beast will be formed "when the Protestant churches seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas". Because in Rev. 17 the woman sits upon the beast, thus representing the church controlling the State, it is sometimes thought that the beast "from the abyss" (R.V.) cannot be exactly the equivalent of the leopard beast of Rev. 13, for it takes the woman and the beast to do that. This has led some to consider that this beast of Rev. 17 finds its counterpart, not in the beast of Rev. 13 but in the beast of Rev. 11, which is also said to come from the abyss. In another chapter we have shown that the beast of Rev. 11 does indeed represent a power emerging from the abyss just as it is said concerning the beast of Rev. 17, but as we have shown, their coming from the abyss is to point to the fact that they are both of Satanic origin. In Rev. 11 the beast represents the rise of an anti-clerical, atheistic 

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power that made war upon the Papal-controlled system operating in France particularly. In Rev. 17 the beast represents the civil power which does the bidding of the apostate church until the time of the 6th and 7th plagues, after which it is very similar to the beast of Rev. 11 in its anti-clericalism. However, until the time of the 6th and 7th plagues the beast of Rev. 17 represents the power of civil governments which is controlled by the church. 

The addition of a woman–the apostate church–to Rev. 17 should not convey the idea that there is a vast difference between the beast of Rev. 13 and the one of Rev. 17. The beast of Rev. 13 we are informed by God's servant, represents "the Papacy, a church that controlled the power of the State". That beast's mouth is said to be "as the mouth of a lion" (the symbol for Babylon in Dan. 7.) Thus Babylon is said in Rev. 13 to speak for the kingdoms included in the beast. Babylon also in Rev. 17 is pictured as controlling the beast. Thus in the essential features, the two chapters deal with exactly the same things. By picturing the woman sitting on beast truth is presented in a clearer, plainer way: the Church controls the State. Any effort to differentiate between the beasts of Rev. 13 and 17 because in Rev. 17 a woman has been added to the picture, misses the obvious reason why that woman is brought prominently to view, namely, to stress the fact that is already indicated in Rev. 13, that the Church controls the State. There are a number of similarities between the beasts of Rev. 13 and 17, such as both having ten horns, seven heads, names of blasphemy on their heads, in both there is a death and resurrection, in both this is followed by the world wondering after the beast. 

The additional symbol of the woman in Rev. 17 must not conceal the similarities between the two beasts. In both instance it represents the State hat becomes a part of the Babylonian system and enforces Babylonian dogmas. The number and name of the beast ate not said to be the name and number of the woman. The image of the beast is not said to be the image of the woman. The warning message (Rev. 14:9-11) is not said to be against the worship of the woman, her image and the reception of her mark. The beast of Rev. 13 combines both Church and State; in Rev. 17 there is still the same combination of Church and State, but the woman is shown as a separate entity from the State in order to make clearer the deceptive part that Babylonian teachings have in causing the States to persecute God's people. In Rev. 19:19, 20 and 20:4 we do not find that the woman appears as well as the beast, the Scripture merely refers to "the beast" in these instances which occur after Rev. 17. As we all know, the beast in these references means the apostate church and the nations under her guidance; thus the woman is 165 

again included (in Rev. 19:19, 20; 20:4) in the term "the beast", which shows that the mention of the woman in addition to the beast in Rev. 17 was only for the purpose of revealing and emphasizing the part which the Babylonian teachings and system play in deceiving the world to war against God and His people. 

It would be foolish to seek to make a wide divergence between the woman and the beast when the Scriptures before and after Rev. 17 employ the term "the beast" when portraying the same work which is accomplished by the woman and the beast of Rev. 17. In Dan. 7 the "little horn" of "the beast" utters great words against the Most High, and persecutes His saints "until a time, times, and the dividing of time", which is the same as the 42 months of Rev. 13. In Rev. 13 it is "the beast" that blasphemes God and makes war on His saints for 42 months. The "little horn" is said to do what "the beast" is said to do. The difficulty of making a clear-cut distinction between the "little horn", or church aspect, and "the beast", or civil aspect, is illustrated by the fact that in Dan. 7:11 we are informed that "the beast" will continue until it is slain at the time of the second advent "and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame". In Rev. 13 it is "the beast" whose head receives a "death-stroke"; it is "the beast" that is "killed with the sword". In Rev. 17:8, 11 it is "the beast" that goes "into perdition", and yet in 2 Thess. 2:3, 4 it is "that man of sin"–the Papacy–that is called "the son of perdition". 

We find the same designations and the same work and fate applied to "the beast", "the little horn", and "the man of sin". As the Lord does not over-emphasize the distinction between the woman and the beast–they are partners in the crimes they commit against God and His people–it is obvious that any attempt made by expositors to make a wide distinction will result in confusion and misinterpretation. The little horn of Dan. 7 wears out the saints through the beast, his instrument, over which he reigns. The beast in Rev. 13 represents the same combination of Church and State in the same symbol, the Lord thus indicating the closeness of their association or the nearly indivisibility of their power and function. The beast of Dan. 7, ruled by the little horn, is the same as the beast and the woman of Rev. 17, yet the beast of, Rev. 13 does the same work, refers to the same powers as the little horn and the beast of Dan. 7, and the woman and the beast of Rev. 17. 

The difficulty of differentiating between Church and State in such symbolism is rendered thus because the same people are often involved in the two aspects of national life. That is to say, men who are kings, rulers, politicians, or people who support them, are often also at the same time church people. It is the same 166 

nation but in it are the throne or Parliament house and the cathedral; the same people hold an allegiance to both the civil and religious life of the nation. Two separate nations are easily portrayed as symbols entirely separate because different people and different territories are involved; but such clearcut distinction cannot be made between the civil and religious life of the same people and the same territory. However, from these prophetic symbols involving Church and State it is made clear that the apostate church with its assumptive claims to be "the" only true church, being founded upon "the primacy of St. Peter", and claiming the right to use the strong arm of civil tower in the enforcement of her dogmas, must have the power of the State as an agent of persecution. It is in this capacity that the beast of Dan. 7 is shown as the agent of the little horn. The beast of Rev. 17 is also revealed as the agent upon which the woman depends for the execution of her designs against the true church. While the woman is said to be drunken with the blood of the saints (Rev. 17:6), the beast also is charged with making "war with the saints" (Rev. 13:7). Thus the Scriptures do not make a wide distinction between the woman and the beast, only when seeking to emphasize the important part that doctrines, false teachings, have in leading the States to persecute the people of God. 

The difficulty of differentiating widely between the woman and the beast is further illustrated by comparing the following extracts from the pen of God's servant:  "In the book of Revelation under the symbols of a great red dragon, a leopard-like beast, and a beast with lamblike horns are brought to view those earthly governments which are especially engaged in trampling upon God's law, and persecuting His people" (GC. 276, 1886 edition). 

Having declared, that the lamblike beast is a government, the Lord's servant also applies the symbol of the lamblike beast to "the churches represented by Babylon". Observe the following extract: 

“The churches, represented by Babylon are represented as having fallen from their spiritual state to become a persecuting power against those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. To John this persecuting power is represented as having horns like a lamb, but as speaking like a dragon" (TM. 117). 

Thus in the one extract the Lord's servant applies the symbol of the lamblike beast to the government of the United States and in the other she applies the same symbol to "the churches represented by Babylon". This is no contradiction, for surely churchmen, or those influenced by church teachings, had much to do with drafting the original constitution of the United States, and the government today is surely not devoid of those having some form of church affiliation. When the image to the beast is formed 167 does not the Lord's servant say that it will be "Protestant America"  that will form that image? (see GC. 445). In a "Christian" nation where some of the law-makers are also members of churches, where State and Church personnel commingle, and especially when church men and women exercise strong influence over the legislators to enforce religious dogmas, it is not easy to exactly define their boundaries or to make a clear-cut line of distinction between them. 

We scarcely need to remind our readers that one of the principles employed in both Daniel and the Apocalypse is that of  "repeat and enlarge". Daniel two is repeated and enlarged upon in Dan. 7; Dan. 7 is also enlarged upon in succeeding chapters, which is also true of chapter 8. The same things are mentioned with additional features which were intended to be understood in the earlier chapter or chapters. Thus the woman and the beast mentioned separately in Rev. 17 are the same as the beast in Rev. 13 which is a combination of the papal church working through the State. The reason why the two are shown in almost a separate capacity in Rev. 17 is because one of the lessons Heaven seeks in that chapter to teach the remnant church is that doctrines, the things men believe, determine their actions, whether good or bad. 

In Rev. 13 a church is portrayed as employing the power of the State to further her own ends, especially with reference to the punishment of heretics. This is precisely what is taught in Rev. 17; the only difference being that the church or doctrinal aspect is emphasized in order to draw attention to the fact that it is the doctrines-the doctrines of evils, referred to in the previous chapter, see 16:13, 14-that lead the State authorities to be employed as tools in the hands of the Babylonian woman for the persecution of God's people. 

The miracles performed by the "unclean spirits" which enable them to "go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world" to deceive them into warring against their Maker in obeying His Heavensent Message and persecuting His people, are those performed to give support to the claim that Sunday, should be observed as the holy day. Those miracles are done in connection with "the mark of the beast"see Rev. 19:20. As the Lord's servant has plainly declared: "The miracle-working power manifested through Spiritualism will exert its influence against those who choose to obey God rather than men. Communications from the spirits will declare that God has sent them to convince the rejectors of Sunday of their error, affirming that the laws of the land should be obeyed as the law of God" (GC. 591). 

It is thus that "the kings of the earth and of the whole world" are gathered "to the battle. of that great day of God Almighty". (For 

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further study regarding this feature of the Revelator's description of e world's final crisis over the Sabbath, see GC. 561, 562, 623, 656; TM. 465; and other extracts from the servant of the Lord quoted in my publications dealing with the final conflict and Armageddon.) 

The book of Zechariah is one of those books from which John quotes when describing the final conflict, and there can be no doubt that in his reference to the "unclean spirits" (Rev. 16:13)"the spirits of devils" (v. 14) who deceive the nations into warring against God and His people–he refers back to Zech. 13:2-7. The work of the gospel (v. 1) is to teach people the truths regarding salvation through the work of Jesus; those who heed God's Message will thus be freed from "the prophets and the unclean spirit" who have hitherto deceived the people into believing that they were sent of God, whereas they were only false prophets, false teachers; and, as such, the betrayers of the Lord Jesus, Who complains that He "was wounded in the house of My friends" (v. 6) –those who professed to serve Him but Who persecuted His people. Thus we discern the fitness of the application by the Revelator of Zech. 13:2 regarding "the prophets and the unclean spirit" who deceived Israel and who wounded Christ, when applying such in reference to "the kings of the earth and of the whole world" being led by false teachers to accept the false Sabbath because of the mighty miracles that will be wrought to sustain this false claim and who urge the nations of the world to persecute those who remain loyal to the Sabbath of Jehovah, the sign of obedience to all of Heaven's requirements. 

That one of the outstanding features brought to view in Rev. 17 is the fact that doctrines, beliefs, teachings determine people's action, is further shown when we remember that in Rev. 14 where the three-fold message is depicted as warning against the worship of the beast and his image, the people who give that message are said to 'keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" 

(Rev. 14:2). Because of their loyalty to Heaven's teachings, they are also said to be with Jesus on Mount Sion, and it is also said of them that they "were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth" (vs. 1-4). These same people, the remnant people of God, are specifically declared in Rev. 12:17 to be Commandment keepers, for which reason they are persecuted. Rev. 12:17 says: "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Thus, as the woman of Rev. 12 is said to symbolize the people, the church, who obey God's commandments, it is perfectly obvious in a book where the contending forces are contrasted, that as the woman 169 

represents the followers of Jesus who are said to be Commandment keepers, so the woman described in Rev. 17 must symbolize a church professing to serve and obey the Lord but which actually persecutes those who obey Him. As all intelligent Protestants know, it is the false doctrines, the false assumptions of power, the primacy of Peter and such-like superstitious and false teachings, that cause the apostate, deceived church to afflict the people of God. And, alas, it is through the erroneous teachings concerning Sunday being the supposed holy day, through belief in the immortality of the soul, and also by such false conceptions that such beliefs should be enforced upon the people through the State, that Protestants will join hands with the papal power in persecuting the people of God. To draw attention to the power of false teaching–false teaching supposedly based upon the Bible but in actuality opposed to it–the church aspect of the forces of Babylon is presented somewhat separate from the political power. But while that doctrinal aspect is presented as a factor apart from the power of the State, yet even in this prophecy it is clearly revealed as guiding and directing the State. 

As Commandment keepers are represented as being with Christ in Rev. 14:1, 4, 12, so they are also represented in Rev. 17:14 as being "with Him", as those who "are called, and chosen, and faithful". Rev. 17:8 declares that these people have had their names "written in the book of Life from the foundation of the world". By comparing Rev. 21:27 with Rev. 22:14 we know that those whose names are written in the book of Life are the ones who enter the holy city because "they do His commandments". Thus in Rev. 17 we are shown that evil teachings lead to evil deeds; even leading professing Christians to make war against God and His people. In this chapter it also shows that following right teachings leads to persecution, to fellowship with Christ in His sufferings, but ultimate triumph with Him when He overthrows Satan's evil system of false teaching. It is Babylon's wine, her false teachings, that make the nations drunk–see Rev. 17:2, 4; 18:3. When nations are deceived into believing that Sunday is the day to be observed, and mighty miracles will apparently sustain that claim; and when nations are deceived into believing it to be their religious duty to persecute those who refuse to fall into line with what they think is Christian teaching, then they will be made "drunk with the wine of her fornication", that is, with Babylon's illicit association with the powers of earth. 

 God has not empowered any church to increase her membership by uniting with the State; such, in Bible parlance, is "fornication”. Rev. 17 and Rev. 18:1-4, 9 reveal that through false teachings concerning Sunday observance and the supposed duty of States to enforce this false Sabbath, all the nations of the world will be 170 

led to persecute the people of God who remain loyal to the Government of Heaven. It is the woman–the church–sitting upon the beast who is thus represented as leading the nations to war against God and His people. 

The woman is represented as sitting upon two things: in v. 1 we are informed that "the great whore sitteth upon many waters", and in v. 3 we read: "And I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast". Verse 7 also speaks of "the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her". Verse 9 contains a further explanation concerning the woman sitting on the beast, showing that she sat on the beast during the 7 heads–one existing at a time. The angel says: "The seven heads are seven mountains or governments–see Jer. 51:25; Dan. 2:35; etc.], on which the woman sitteth; they are seven kings."  

Undoubtedly the many waters of the Euphrates upon which this whore sitteth are the same as the beast upon which she is also said to sit. Now we are definitely informed that "the waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues". Thus we know that this is what is also intended by the beast. The waters of the Euphrates refer to those people who do the bidding of the Babylonian leaders in persecuting the people of God. Thus we are shown that, by the captivation of Satanic delusions, false teachings that paralyse the spiritual sensibilities and darken the understanding with reference to the things of God, Babylon sits upon the nations and guides them in their war against God and His people, and gathers the nations to their doom.