Who is Like Unto the Beast?
It is remarkable that God gave during the last century such clear light upon prophecy. Much that is now taking place in the world and in the professing Church, and which is filling the minds of serious people with surprise and dismay, was then most distinctly pointed out from the Word of God.
We find ourselves now in the midst of the alarmingly rapid development of those very things which formed the subject matter of much that these servants of the Lord were led of Him to minister from His Word. When first they wrote, Christians were but ill prepared to receive their testimony. It was the common belief that the world was getting better and that the Millennium would soon be set up. To be told that the Lord was coming to remove the Church in the twinkling of an eye met with little favor.
But today the state of the world is such that men are startled into inquiring what can be the end of these things.
So far as the world is concerned things will go from bad to worse. We say this not as a mere matter of opinion, but as the distinct forecast given to us by God Himself in the Scriptures of truth. Of course, if men refuse the light of God’s inspired Word, darkness must be their portion. But whether or no, the spectre of Communism and anarchy is already filling the world with terror. Everything is in a state of unrest. Satan is breathing out sedition and strife amongst the nations of the earth.
In Daniel 7:2 The four winds of heaven are seen striving upon the great sea. What a vivid picture rises to the mind of a seething, boiling mass of waters. Out of that the great Gentile powers arose. Revelation 13:11And 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. (Revelation 13:1) presents the same figure, and foretells the uprising in its resuscitated form of the last imperial power.
Principles are at work today which are leading to world-wide catastrophe. Mass movements are seen in Russia and China, and spreading to other lands, with which governments are unable to cope. The world cannot continue its existence under such conditions. All seem powerless to remedy it. The conflict between capital and labor, and the embitterment of feeling between the masses and the classes is paralyzing industry and bringing many countries within measurable distance of civil war.
Government is impotent.
Wanted a Man!
This is a constant cry. Who knows but what this man is even now maturing his plans for the settlement of all this strife? The eyes of Europe are now upon Italy, and in Mussolini we see a man who has risen almost miraculously out of obscurity into irresistible power. His word is law! His power in Italy is supreme! To all outward appearance he seems a sort of prototype of the superman people so often speak of. We are far from suggesting that Mussolini himself is the beast out of the sea, but we have little doubt that he is rapidly preparing the way for the man who will fulfill in every detail what is given in Revelation 13:1-81And 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. 2And 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. 3And 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. 4And 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? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And 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. 8And 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. (Revelation 13:1‑8).
The beast will rise up out of the sea (Rev. 13:11And 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. (Revelation 13:1)). The “sea” may have a double significance. Some see in this expression a hint of locality, the Mediterranean sea. Italy is now claiming supreme acknowledgment in the Mediterranean. But as we have suggested the “sea” may be interpreted symbolically. Above the wild noise of human anarchy the lion’s roar will soon make Europe tremble (vs. 2). Satan will invest him with his authority, and will revive the mighty Roman Empire, causing once again an Emperor to take supreme command. The earth long dismayed and perplexed by the tyranny of anarchy will hail the advent of this great Emperor as a Deliverer. Men will be filled with admiration of his astuteness, and having given God up, will themselves be given up to the worship of Satan and his human tool.
Who is Like Unto the Beast?
This is the cry that will resound throughout Europe. Who is able to make war with him? will be the challenge laid down before the colossal powers of Russia, Germany, and the Far Eastern nations.
To some it may seem strange to write with such precision, but the prophetic Scriptures leave no room to doubt that the revived Roman Empire, composed of the ten kingdoms of Western Europe, will at the close find itself arrayed against the massed forces of Gog and Magog.
“And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim (i.e., the West), and shall afflict Asshur (i.e., the East), and shall afflict Eber (i.e., Israel), and he (i.e., Chittim) also shall perish forever.”
In these few lines the Spirit of God has compressed the stupendous events, so far as earthly matters are concerned, of the closing drama of the nations, viz., the conquest of the East by the West and the destruction of this latter in its turn.
From Scripture it is clear that the Roman Empire is to revive (Rev. 17:8,8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Revelation 17:8) R.5). In its closing phase it will consist of ten kings under one imperial head. By comparing Daniel 7. with Revelation 13, we cannot but be impressed with the identity of the little horn of the former chapter with the beast of the latter. In each case arrogant and blasphemous words are spoken against God and against the heavenly saints, or, “saints of the high places.” By this latter term we understand the saints caught up at the coming of the Lord. The beast cannot touch them though he hates them, any more than he can touch the Most High Himself. It is but impotent rage.
But there are those on earth, as we have seen, whom he can touch, against these he makes war, and is allowed of God to overcome them. These are Jewish saints, who at that time will be carrying out the ceremonial law of God. But “the little horn” will change all this and prevent the Jewish remnant from performing their religious observances. These Jewish “laws and times” are given into his hands for “a time, times and the dividing of time.” This expression means the well-known period of three and a half years, or the last half of the seventieth week.
The Little Horn.
It is remarkable to see the move that is now being made by Italy towards imperialism. The daily press is constantly speaking of this, little knowing, of course, the rόle that Italy is to play in the future of this world’s politics. Prophetic students have long been aware of this, and are now watching with the deepest interest, mingled with awe, the developments of our times. May not the great movement now taking place in that land be preparatory to the accomplishment of this prophetic forecast?
When the ten kingdoms have been brought into being and are territorially recognized, another kingdom shall arise amongst them; so we learn from Daniel 7:88I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (Daniel 7:8). Small in its beginning this little horn will rapidly extend its power until three of The ten kingdoms are subdued. It thus becomes an eighth.
The Beast and the Ten Kings.
It may seem difficult to disentangle and apportion the places that will be separately filled by all these powers of the last crisis, and we must remember that Scripture is not given to us as a geometrical puzzle but for moral and spiritual application. Nevertheless it seems clear that at the time of the end after the ten kings are definitely established—it may be by means of treaties and such an organization as the League of Nations—that then an unknown man will arise amongst them who by means of extraordinary intellectual insight (“the eyes of a man”), coupled with violent pretensions to power (“whose look was more stout than his fellows”) will seize the reins of earthly rule and mature his plans of world dominion regardless of man or God. Later on we shall see that he will hurl himself against the Lord coming out of heaven followed by His armies (read Daniel 7, Revelation 13, 17., 19.).
All that dwell upon the earth will worship him; these are not merely the inhabitants of the earth, but a moral class, those that have made the earth their dwelling place by positive and deliberate choice—in other words, apostate Christendom. These are distinguished from the kingdoms, tongues and nations of the previous verse (see also 11:9, 10, and 14:6). Their names may have been written in books of church membership, but they have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain. That this is the order of the words of verse 8 may be inferred by comparing chapter 17:8.
We then are given a principle applicable at all times, and especially at the time when these things will be taking place (vss. 7,10). The saints are not called to resist but to suffer, sustained by their faith in Jesus (ch. 14:12). These will be the saints of the Apocalyptic period, many of whom will be martyred and others who will flee to hiding places in the mountains and in the wilderness.