FRIDAY MORNING MANNA
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eight and is of the seven, and goeth to perdition. Revelation 17: 11, K.J.V.
That is, the “eighth beast” who “was,” and “is not”—is “of the seven beasts,” “and “goes into perdition.”
This last “beast” or “eight” beast is not another separate beast in the line of succession of the prophetic beast of sacred and world history. He is “of the seven” previous beasts, and, clearly, the final composite form of the outstanding characteristics of all the rest. This follows the given explanation of the leopard-like beast in the introduction of Revelation 13. “Was,” meaning, was in power, then, as of John’s telling in Revelation 13, and “is not”— lost its power. “One of the heads” of this beast was “wounded as to death” but was unexpectedly fully heals and “the world wondered and worshipped it. ” In Paul’s telling, its prophesied, unalterable end is: it “goes into perdition. “
To the apostle to Gentiles was revealed the emergence of the papacy from Christianity by way of prophecy. Directed by the Holy Spirit, he explained to the early converts (both Jew and Gentile) in Thessalonika why their expectation of Christ’s promised quick return was a miscalculation, causing them to unnecessarily be “shaken in mind,” “troubled either in spirit or in word,” or by misinterpreting “a letter” from Paul and his fellow workers sent to them, speaking of “that day of Christ is at hand.” He warns but also comforts and educates them (and all Christians since to this very moment) that Christ would not come before something mysterious and even unfathomable to them at that time, would emerge from within church, saying:
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (Christ’s second advent) shall not come, except their come a falling away [apostasy] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” See 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-3 [emphasis mine].
Paul immediately identifies the defining hallmark characteristics and character of “the man of sin” and “the son of perdition” which is so similar that it is more of a reiteration described by prophet Daniel of the “little horn” (Dan. 7: 8) and later, by John of the “blasphemous, persecuting beast” of Rev.13: 4, 5. Paul wrote:
“Who opposeth and exalteth itself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” Verse 4.
Chronology of these seven, and “eighth beast” of Revelation 17: 11:
NOTE: there are other interpretations out there by Bible scholars and avid Bible students. I did not choose this view out of nothing. It is based on the following:
(1) In Bible prophecy “beasts” stand for “kingdoms,” or empires. See Dan. 7: 23.
(2) Eight is the number representing new beginnings, resurrection, or a return to power. See Ezekiel 43: 27; 1 Pet. 3: 20.
(3) The reckoning of these prophetic beasts begins in Daniel’s vision revealing the key world empires and nations directly associated with the persecution of God’s faithful followers whose lives and testimony preserve His testing truths, particularly the Sabbath of and the Decalogue down to the close of time. It begins with Babylon, not Egypt, or Satan” as some interpretations hold.
(4) Revelation, for the New Testament church is a supplement and a continuum of Daniel’s prophecies in the Old Testament dispensation. One cannot be studied and interpreted separately. In giving and explaining the impending destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the desolation of the Jewish nation by the Roman powers—“the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet . . .whoso readeth [Daniel’s prophecy] let him understand” (Matt. 24: 15). (4) While inspired writings of the Spirit of Prophecy do not specifically give this description (must be for a good reason), enough relevant information is provided from various but related references that brought me to this present understanding. It may change later but only if a more compelling argument based on the inspired Word itself, is given.
Thus, these seven beasts of Revelation 17: 11, most naturally, if nothing else, follow through the pattern and order established in Daniel 7: 2-4 of the four great kingdoms as coming up one after the other.
1 Lion with eagle’s wings—Dan. 7: 2-4. Nebucchadnezzar’s ancient Babylonia Empire. In Jeremiah 49: 19, 22, 28, a lion is used symbolize the kingdom [empire] of Babylon (605-538 B.C.). The gold head in the image of Daniel chapter 2.
2 Bear whose one side is raised and had three ribs in its mouth—Daniel 7:5. “The Persian, or Medo-Persian Empire (538-331 B.C.) corresponding to the silver of the image (see ch. 2: 39). As silver is inferior to gold, so, in some respects at least, the bear is inferior to the lion. The bear is, nevertheless, cruel and rapacious, characteristics that are attributable to the Medes in Isaiah 13: 17, 18.” One raised side.” – A “comparison with ch. 8: 3, 20 seems to clearly indicate that this kingdom was composed of two parts. Of the Medes and Persians, the latter became the dominant power a few years before the dual empire conquered Babylon (see on ch. 2: 38).” The three ribs: ‘Many commentators have considered them a symbol of the three principal powers conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire—Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt (see on Isa. 41: 6).”
3 Leopard having four heads and four wings—Dan. 7: 6. The Grecian Empire, notably during Alexander the Great’s brief but record-setting, world-conquering reign. This Grecian empire’ period is reckoned 221-168 B.C. A leopard is very alert, and adding to this symbol four wings would indicate that Grecia would make rapid conquest, which was true. Alexander the Great marched his army 5, 100 miles in eight years and conquered the then-know world. The four heads on the leopard denote the four final divisions into which the empire was split after Alexander’s early death.
4 The nondescript, hideous beast. Dan. 7: 7. Daniel said: “I beheld a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue [remnant] with the feet of it: and it was diverse [distinct, different] from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns.’” Dan. 7: 7. The fourth world kingdom-empire (there had yet to arise the first “government of the people, for the people and by the people.”). Scholars across the religious aisle agree that that this “fourth kingdom” is none else but Rome and the Roman Empire that grew out of it, and, that the interpretation of these four beasts, in their order of succession given in Daniel’s vision, is true.
5 Leopard-like beast — Rev. 13: 1, 2. This leopard-like beast, had “feet were like that of a bear, and a mouth like that of the lion.” “This symbol, as most Protestants believe, represents the papacy, which succeeded to the power and seat and authority once held by the Roman Empire.” (GC 439).
6 Beast that “ascendeth from the bottomless pit”—Rev. 11: 1-13. Atheistical France during the horrors of the infamous French Revolution placed at 1793-1797, three and a half years. Our current miniseries is on this “beast that ascends from beneath” as having two dominant characteristics of being Egypt-like atheistic, and, Sodom-like immoral. Such is the compelling testimony of France’s own national history. The Bible, God’s “two prophets/witnesses” was publicly burned A.K.A. as auto da fe. Previously unheard-of laws were legislated by the National Assembly made up of intellectual and “enlightened” men outlawing all religions and declaring Jesus to be a “WRETCH.” “The “Goddess of Reason,” a vile woman, replaced Deity, was paraded and worshipped by the Assembly itself. The marriage union was dissolved quickly giving rise to a national state of moral debasement and corruption. Of note was St. Bartholomew’s Massacre still referred to as the “blackest of the black catalogue, most horrible of the fiendish deeds of all prophetic centuries.”
7 Beast with lamb-like horns that transforms into “one speaking like a dragon. ” Rev. 13:11-18. Herein is symbolized described a “time of the end” nation of enormous power, unique in that it emerges in the west coming up from the earth,” earth totally different from the previous beasts that “arose from four winds” (strife) in the Old World of Europe, and bloodshed) he rise and development of America. Pagan Rome [the dragon], followed by papal Rome [the “beast,” and the “abomination that maketh desolate,” followed by atheistical France [“the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit.”].
And here is where we refocus exploring (by way of review for others) this “beast with lamb-like horns” and it’s surprising development into “one speaking like a dragon” because of the compelling rapid-fire and volcanic developments specifically in America, although also true in throughout the world, in general.
AMERICA IN PROPHECY
“America is facing new and unprecedented threats that are different from anything we’ve seen before[emphasis mine].” So said Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla) in a statement as next chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Services Committee after Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) death. This quote I obtained from a report the on-line news source, The Hill, written by Rebecca Kheel—09/05/18 o6:11 11 PM EDT.
Sen. Inhofe was not likely referring to the threat to the most unique and desirable kind of earthly government after the one-and-done theocracy form in ancient Israel. This government guaranteeing religious and civil liberty formed during “the time of the end” beginning in 1798, the end of the 1260 years of the Dark Ages when Pope Pius VI was captured in Rome by Gen. Berthier of Napoleon’s French Republican army and taken to France where he died in Valence the next year as a captive. This government is founded on the principle that both church (religious) and state (civil) powers can both exist without anyone infringing upon or controlling the other. This reproduced, or was a product of the principle Jesus Christ Himself laid down as “Render to Caesar the thing that belong to Caesar and to God the things that are God’s.” Here is true religious liberty and freedom of conscience that was denied and forcefully taken away by the Church of Rome upon the kingdoms and nations of the Old World in Europe for over a thousand years, 1793-1798.
But what, according to the prophets is the greatest threat against the United States of America? What have the history-making events of the present time, roiling the three arms of government—executive, legislative, judicial—have to do, if any, with this threat? First Hint: it has hardly anything to do with the perceived national adversaries of the ISIS, Russia, China, Islamist radicalism’s infiltration of sharia law,etc. Second Hint: it comes from a direction least suspected from, and “precedes” its “national ruin.” (Continued next week)