The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

"The very basis of both those systems is their claim to be the 'Kingdom of God' in reigning
power. That idea once admitted justifies their persecution of individuals and nations,
forcing them to submit and bow in obedience. Scripture accords these powers to the
'Kingdom of God'--when 'the kingdom is the Lord's, and He is the governor among the
nations; all the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the
kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee.' (Psa. 22:27,28.) He shall 'dash them in
pieces as a potter's vessel.' (Psa. 2:9.) Unto Him every knee shall bow, and every tongue
confess. (Phil. 2:11.) And if their claim be good, who can object to them for carrying out the
Scriptural statements?
"These Antichrists [that is, rulers in Christ's place], to make their claims of Kingdom power
appear true, had simply to take another step in compelling obedience, backing up their
right to do so by the Scriptures just quoted. And not only was this great evil sanctioned,
but their claim once admitted, that the Kingdom was established and the reign in progress,
those who admitted it were hindered from looking for the true Head of the Church to set
up the true Kingdom under the whole heavens, which shall break in pieces present
imperfect governments--establish righteousness in the earth and cause every knee to bow
and every tongue to confess, to the glory of God.'"
Thus by falling into and adopting the same errors as the Papacy, the two-horned beast
causes its subjects to worship or honor the first beast.
It should be borne in mind, however, that if we are correct thus far in adopting this
interpretation and application of this vision, there is much of it yet awaiting fulfillment.
One of these features is that regarding the image of the beast. It is stated that this twohorned
beast government is in some way to be used to make an "image" or likeness to the
first beast; and that in some way it is to give life, or Divine authority, so-called, to this
image. This seems to teach that under the leadership, or at least under the influence of this
Church of England government, the Protestant sects or denominations will become united
in a great federation; and this federation will be that which will constitute what in the
vision is called the "image of the beast." Other visions of the Revelation seem to teach that
this great religious federation will in some way become united to the beast, Papacy, or at
least that it will cooperate with Papacy as a necessary policy to uphold the present
governmental order, which will then, because of world-wide revolutionary troubles and
disturbances, be threatened with an overthrow. It is not difficult even now for prophetic
students to see that in this way there will be created a very general respect or reverence for
Papacy, because of its supposed, far-reaching authority over its own adherents,
supporters; and because of the use that could be made of that authority in an attempt to
hold back the rising tide of revolution and anarchy.
"He doeth great wonders"
Another way by which the government symbolized by this two-horned wild beast may be
identified is that it possesses a characteristic that has been peculiar to all the false religious
systems or governments of the centuries of the past. This is described in the words: "And