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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same
shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out
without mixture into the cup of his indignation.” [
Revelation 14:9,
10
.] An interpretation of the symbols employed was necessary to an
understanding of this message. What was represented by the beast,
the image, and the mark? Again those who were seeking for the
truth returned to the study of the prophecies.
In the book of the Revelation, under the symbols of a great red
dragon, a leopard-like beast, and a beast with lamb-like horns, [
Rev-
elation 12 and 13
.] are brought to view those earthly governments
which are especially engaged in trampling upon God’s law and per-
secuting his people. Their war is carried forward to the close of time.
The people of God, symbolized by a holy woman and her children,
are greatly in the minority. In the last days only a remnant exists.
John speaks of them as those that “keep the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” [
Revelation 12:17
.]
Through the great powers controlled by paganism and the papacy,
symbolized by the dragon and the leopard-like beast, Satan for many
centuries destroyed God’s faithful witnesses. Under the dominion of
Rome, they were tortured and slain for more than a thousand years;
but the papacy was at last deprived of its strength, and forced to desist
from persecution. [
Revelation 13:3, 10
.] At that time the prophet
beheld a new power coming up, represented by the beast with lamb-
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like horns. The appearance of this beast and the manner of its rise
seem to indicate that the power which it represents is unlike those
brought to view under the preceding symbols. The great kingdoms
that have ruled the world obtained their dominion by conquest and
revolution, and they were presented to the prophet Daniel as beasts
of prey, rising when the “four winds of the heaven strove upon the
great sea.” [
Daniel 7:2
.] But the beast with horns like a lamb is seen
“coming up out of the earth;” [
Revelation 13:11
.] signifying that
instead of overthrowing other powers to establish itself, the nation
thus represented arose in territory previously unoccupied, and grew
up gradually and peacefully.
Here is a striking figure of the rise and growth of our own nation.
And the lamb-like horns, emblems of innocence and gentleness,
well represent the character of our government, as expressed in
its two fundamental principles, Republicanism and Protestantism.