his forehead, or in his hand, the same
shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God."(734) A correct
interpretation of the symbols employed is necessary to an understanding of
this message. What is represented by the beast, the image, the mark?

The line of prophecy in which these symbols are found, begins with
Revelation 12, with the dragon that sought to destroy Christ at His birth.
The dragon is said to be Satan;(735) he it was that moved upon Herod to
put the Saviour to death. But the chief agent of Satan in making war upon
Christ and His people during the first centuries of the Christian era, was
the Roman empire, in which paganism was the prevailing religion. Thus
while the dragon, primarily, represents Satan, it is, in a secondary
sense, a symbol of pagan Rome.

In chapter 13(736) is described another beast, "like unto a leopard," to
which the dragon gave "his power, and his seat, and great authority." This
symbol, as most Protestants have believed, represents the papacy, which
succeeded to the power and seat and authority once held by the ancient
Roman empire. Of the leopard-like beast it is declared: "There was given
unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies.... And he opened
his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His
tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And 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." This prophecy, which is
nearly identical with the description of the little horn of Daniel 7,
unquestionably points to the papacy.

"Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months." And, says the
prophet, "I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death." And again,
"He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth
with the sword must be killed with the sword." The forty and two months
are the same as the "time and times and the dividing of time," three years
and a half, or 1260 days, of Daniel 7,--the time during which the papal
power was to oppress God's people. This period, as stated in preceding
chapters, began with the supremacy of the papacy, A.D. 538, and terminated
in 1798. At that time, the pope was made captive by the French army, the
papal power received its deadly wound, and the prediction was fulfilled,
"He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity."

At this point another symbol is introduced. Says the prophet, "I