The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

not to resist; we are to be obedient to the powers that be. This does not mean, however,
that we shall willingly submit to the coat or cloak or other articles being taken from us
illegally or unjustly without process of law."
"The Apostle [Paul] declared that he was a debtor both to the Jews and to the Greeks; and
looking at matters from a similar standpoint, we may say likewise, that we are under
many obligations to many people. . . . We owe a debt to the community and
commonwealth in which we live for the measure of peace, order, social convenience, and
advantages every way, which we, in common with others, share; we owe a debt to our
nation at large in consideration of the many blessings, liberties, advantages, etc., which
come to us through it by Divine providence."
Here is the patience of the saints
From these clear Scriptural unfoldings of our duty and relation to the powers that be, it
will be seen that this great predicted federation of civil and ecclesiastical power will in
some way be moved to exercise such an arbitrary authority as to bring the enlightened
Christian into a position in which the choice of obedience to God or man will be the
supreme test. In the light of the foregoing this could be nothing less than a compulsory
enactment to either unite with or give support to this great federation's usurpation of
God's place in the conscience of the Christian. This is doubtless what is meant in the words
of the Revelator, "Here is the patience [patient endurance] of the saints; here are they that
keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." (Ver. 12.) It will be remembered
that a similar statement to this was made in connection with the first beast's usurpation of
Divine power, causing the terrible persecutions of the Dark Ages. (See Rev. 13:10.) The
teaching evidently is that the great trials of true Christians at that time and those who live
in the last time, will require patient endurance of wrong under most trying and difficult
circumstances. One writer has said, "Here the patience of the saints is sustained in a reign
of terror such as never yet has been." Mr. Barnes comments on this verse (Rev. 13:10) as it
relates to the Dark Ages:
"Nowhere on earth have the patience and the faith of the saints been put to a severer test
than under the Roman (Papal) persecutions. The same idea occurs in chapter 14:12."
We give his comment on this latter verse respecting those who exercise this patience in
these persecutions and trials:
"They will show that they belong to those who keep the commandments of God, and are
His true children. Or, perhaps the meaning may be--'here is a disclosure respecting the
final destiny of these persecutors, which is adapted to comfort and sustain the saints in the
trials which they will endure; an encouragement to constancy in obeying the commands of
God, and evincing the meek faith of the Gospel.'"
It will be noted that Papacy is still, at the time of this fulfillment, denominated the beast,
because it still (although having lost temporal power) possesses and will then exercise all
the beastly characteristics. It is so recognized because it continues to claim temporal as