Study 6:
Identifying the Two Beasts of
Revelation 13

Chapter 13 of Revelation explains in some detail two organizations, kingdoms, or beasts, that Satan will use in his final attempt to destroy God’s remnant and frustrate His eternal purpose. Although many beasts are mentioned in Bible prophecy, there are really only two main beasts with which we need to deal. Of the two beasts, we will first focus upon the first which is simply THE BEAST; then upon the one which Daniel called the “little horn.” Of course, we will attempt to identify the “two-horned” beast as well. So to begin our search for the identity of the first beast of Revelation 13, let’s turn to that chapter in the old King James Bible. The 13th chapter will be offered along with the 17th chapter of Revelation, and relevant verses in Daniel 7 pertaining to the same subject.

(Rev. 13:1-2) Beast with Seven Heads -Ten Horns - Ten Crowns
1. “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.” 2. “And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.”

Identifying the Beast
While exiled to the Isle of Patmos, John saw a vision of things to come in the end times. Rising up before him out of the sea came a beast with seven heads. It also had ten horns with ten crowns upon them. The beast had the body of a leopard, the feet of a bear, the mouth of a lion, and the dragon gave him power and authority. What John saw was not four individual kingdoms as recorded in Daniel 2 and 7, but was a composite of those four beasts all as one; that one beast being Rome.

These beastly symbols are based on Daniel 7:1-7 which depicted the future in terms of four great powers or kingdoms that would rise up out of “the great sea.” These same kingdoms were the same as those portrayed in a dream to the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar as found in Daniel Chapter 2. From his time, until the end of time, the world would witness only four major world empires. The four world empires were: Babylon (605-538 B.C.), Medo-Persia (538-331 B.C.), Greece (331-168 B.C.), and Rome (168 B.C.-A.D. 476).

Let’s notice that these beasts came up out of the “sea” in both Daniel’s vision and that of John’s. As discussed elsewhere, various forms of water, sea in this case, metaphorically represents people (heavily populated areas). In Revelation 17:15 John wrote, “And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” So the beast that John saw, pertaining to the end times, and the beasts of Daniel, are the same.

Many students of the “end-times” scenario entirely overlook the simplicity of much scripture. Some are looking for the “beast” to be some mysterious antichrist or peculiar-looking individual. But this is not so. Although the early empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome lived and died out in past history, the fourth beast, that of Rome, will live on into the end times and will incorporate much of these other kingdoms in the process. Hence, the unification of these four beasts into one as John saw it. The “Beast” is actually the old Roman Empire, or simply, Rome. So when we consider the “mark” of the beast or the “image” of the beast, we are talking about the mark or image of Rome.

The Roman Catholic Church is often referred to as the beast, by some historians, because it has assumed the civil and political posture of Rome as it tries to revive that ancient Empire. Hopefully this will become more clear as we proceed with our discussion.

The Woman Is Not the Beast
In Revelation 17:3 we find a woman sitting upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, and the beast having seven heads and ten horns. It should be obvious that this is the same beast as in chapter 13 verse one. Here we have a “woman” riding a “beast,” not the other way around. The Bible describes the symbol “woman” to mean a church (Matt. 25:1-13; II Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:22-27; Rev. 12:1-6; 19:7). On the other hand, “beast” is a symbol of a kingdom, or empire, as pointed out in Daniel 2 and 7. So, being consistent, the beast of Revelation 13 is not a woman. The beast is an empire or kingdom, and the woman is a church. To be specific, the beast of Revelation 13 is the Roman Empire.

Who Is the Dragon?
Notice, the dragon gave his power to the beast. And who is the dragon? Being guided by Bible interpretation of its own symbols, we find that the dragon is a symbol which means Satan. In the New Testament, the term dragon is found only in the Apocalypse of John, the Book of Revelation. Notice Revelation 12:9, the term, dragon, is metaphorically applied to the devil, which is Satan: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world...” And again, “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan....” (Rev. 20:2.)

Curiously, one of the popes adopted the winged serpent or dragon as his symbol on his heraldic shield (at left).Here is the heraldic coat of arms of Pope Gregory XIII (1572-1585). The coat of arms of Gregory XIII shown here is one of two that can be found above the doors in the Gallery of Maps in the Vatican. Revelation 12 clearly tells us that the dragon is symbolic of Satan, so why did a Pope use it as his symbol? In the fresco, note what is in the upper right-hand corner (shown Right). There you will see a winged serpent, or dragon. The artist, Raffaello, was depicting a pivotal moment in the conversion of Pagan Rome to Christianity. The dragon he painted being symbolic of the old Roman Empire.

It should also be noted that the name Vatican comes from the Latin words Vatis, which means “diviner,” which means serpent. The name Vatican, therefore, is literally interpreted, “The Divining Serpent.” In fact, there are serpent door handles on the doors of the new St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco, and a large papal crest in the Vatican museum features a dragon.

(Rev. 13:11) The Two-Horned Beast in Bible Prophecy
11. “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.”

Verse 3 speaks of the beast receiving a deadly wound that was healed. But before we can fully understand that meaning, we must first move forward in our sequences of verses and discuss the two-horned beast as related in verses 11, and 14 through15.

So let’s ask, What or who is this two-horned beast like a lamb? Many people ignore this very vital subject completely, or merely say, “We don’t know!” But some say it will be an organization of Protestant churches or the United States aligned with the papacy. Although the major Christian denomination are leaning toward the acceptance of some Catholic philosophies, any unification would still not qualify for this prophetic fulfillment, as we will discuss shortly. The United States, on the other hand, might be in a position of fulfilling the prophecy, but it is not very likely given its current economic and political turmoil within. According to scriptural prophecy, as this writer understands it, the United States is headed for total collapse and demise, to be superceded by the growing influence of the European Union as the next world power.

But with all the mixed ideas upon this subject, the answer to this question seems rather plain. The Bible actually interprets its own symbols. When men put their own interpretation on Biblical prophecy, their conclusions are usually wrong. So let’s now consider what just might be the real answer to the riddle of the other beast coming out of the earth that has two horns like a lamb.

Notice, after John saw one beast, which is the old Roman Empire, he now sees ANOTHER beast rise up. We have learned that “beast” is a symbol for a kingdom, or civil government, and the term represents either the kingdom or its leader, as the case may be (Dan. 7:17, 23). So this other beast with the two horns is the prophecy of another kingdom or government.

What does the word “lamb” symbolize in the Bible? The answer is Jesus Christ (John 1:29). This beast has “two horns like a lamb,” meaning it pretends to be Christlike. But there’s a problem. This pretended lamb speaks like a dragon, which is its true characteristic; the dragon being a symbol of Satan, that old devil (Rev. 12:9, 20:2). So here is some kingdom or government appearing to be of Christ, or pretending to be the Kingdom of God, but is actually of the devil.

Christ did not set up a government or kingdom during His mortal ministry here on the Earth. After His resurrection the disciples asked Him if He would at that time restore the Kingdom (Acts 1:6); but He did not. The Church is not the Kingdom. Because some thought it was, Jesus spoke the parable of Luke 19:11-27 to show that He first must ascend to His Father’s throne in heaven to receive the Heavenly royal power to be King of kings to rule over the Kingdom of God.

This two-horned beast is actually a church, the Roman Catholic Church, to be specific. It is a combination Church and State form of government. Satan is a deceiver, and he has deceived the world into supposing his (Satan’s) system of churches is the Kingdom of God. One horn represents the church portion of the government, and the other horn the civil/political. Catholicism has always functioned in a Church/State capacity. During the Middle Ages it controlled the kings of Europe, and today Vatican City sends and receives Ambassadors to foreign nations, such as the United States.

(Rev. 13:14-15) The Image of the Beast
14. “And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” 15. “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”

What is an image? It is defined as a “representation ... reflection ... copy ... likeness ... similitude.”
To accomplish his work, Satan will create an image of the beast. There is much speculation upon what, exactly, is that image. First, we must ask, What is the beast? Previously we have already established that answer: the beast is the old civil Roman Empire. So that old devil is going to create an “IMAGE” of that same Roman Empire. He is not going to re-establish that empire, but only make an “image” of it.

According to many historians, Leo I (A.D. 440-461) was, in the real sense of the word, the “first” real Pope. To him the form of government of the Roman Empire was the most marvelous thing on earth. So as he organized the first real papacy, he applied the principles of the civil Roman government to the church’s government. In Philip Myer’s work entitled, Ancient History, we read: “During the reign of Leo I, the church (Catholic Church) set up, within the Roman empire, an ecclesiastical state [a government] which, in its constitution and its administrative system, was shaping itself upon the imperial [Roman] model.”

This church government, then, according to historical authority, is in fact a model or likeness — an image — of the beast, which is the civil government of the Roman Empire.

That image was created in 554 when Justinian brought about the restoration of the empire. In the year A.D. 800, the Holy Roman Empire, established and controlled by the Roman Church, was inaugurated with Charlemagne (Charles the Great) as its first Emperor. So here is a church, under Satan’s influence, saying, “Let us make a model or a likeness of the former civil Roman government. That is exactly what the image is. So, to be specific:

1.) The beast is the old civil Roman Empire, and
2.) The “IMAGE” of that beast is the two-horned lamb Roman Catholic Church.

(Rev. 13:3, 14) One Head of the Beast Wounded
3. “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” 14. “... the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

With the forgoing behind us, we might now more fully understand the meaning of the beast being wounded by the sword, and of its healing.

In verses 3, 12 & 14, we read of one of the beastly heads that was wounded to death by the sword, and that the wound was healed and the world wondered (worshiped or honored) after the beast. This is in harmony with Daniel 7:8, 20 & 24 and the little horn that came up among the ten horns. This little horn plucked up or subdued three of those ten horns, leaving seven (heads). We know that a crown represents a king, so we have that which John saw: seven heads, ten horns, and ten crowns.

From other studies we learned that in A.D. 476, when a German general, named Odovacar, deposed the last emperor of Rome, Romulus Augustulus, he took the government into his own hands. But he left the throne vacant. So Rome, the beast with great “iron teeth,” fell in 476 and that Empire officially came to an end. This was a deadly wound.

This first beast of Revelation 13, which we know as Rome, had 10 horns, which represent kings or kingdoms. When the Roman Empire fell apart in A.D. 476, there were ten tribes or kingdoms in the geographical space of the old Roman Empire. These ten kingdoms, or horns, were:

1. Alamanni (Germany)
2. Franks (France)
3. Burgundians (Switzerland)
4. Suevi (Portugal)
5. Anglo-Saxons (Britain
6. Visigoths (Spain)
7. Lombards (Italy)
8. Vandals (North Africa)
9. Ostrogoths (Italy/Austria
10. Heruli (Slavic)

When the little horn came up among the ten previous horns, it plucked up or subdued three of those horns (Dan. 7:8, 24). This little horn was the Papacy, and the three of the ten that were plucked up were the Vandals, Ostrogoths, and Heruli. The other remaining seven submitted to the Papal crown, but these three would not; so up by the roots they came. It was in 538 that Emperor Justinian allowed Pope Vigilus, Bishop of Rome, to claim authority over the papal chair and all of the Empire, both East and West. However, it wasn’t until 554 that Justinian totally eradicated the Ostrogoths, the last of the three that were plucked up.

It was after the deadly wound (of 476) was healed (in 554) when Justinian brought about the restoration of the empire in the West by allowing Pope Vigilus to claim authority over the entire Empire. This was not the old Roman Empire that died in 476, but a second empire modeled after the first. Consequently, this religious government of the new Roman Catholic Church (being an attempt to restore the old Roman Empire) “exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him” (Rev. 13:12.)

A Current Interpretation of the Deadly Wound
Some believe that the wound was healed in 538 when Emperor Justinian secured the way for Vigilus, Bishop of Rome, to assume the papal chair as Pope. Justinian’s destruction of three of the rebellious kingdoms was the three horns that were “plucked up” and “subdued,” by the little horn mentioned by Daniel. This Roman Catholic system was to continue for 1260 years until, in 1798, the church-state system of the Roman Catholic Church received a death wound by the sword and received its deadly blow.

During the French Revolution, and under orders from the revolutionary French government, General Alexander Berthier, one of Napoleon’s generals, issued a proclamation in Rome on February 15, 1798, informing Pope Pius VI, and the people of Rome, that the Pope should no longer “exercise any function.” General Berthier abolished the Papal government and established a secular one, and Pope Pius VI was taken captive and removed to France, where he eventually died a prisoner.

However, just after peace had been restored from the Napoleonic wars, in 1814, Pope Pius VII restored the Order of the Jesuits, which had been abolished by Pope Clement XIV in 1773. Not only that, but with Napoleon now gone, the Papacy took back political power over what was called “the Papal States.”

That’s not the only instance of the Papacy receiving a deadly wound by the sword.

Years later, between the Revolution of 1848-49, and the fall of Rome in 1870, the Vatican controlled actual soldiers and not just an army of priests. Most of the territory of the Papal States welcomed the proclamation of the new Kingdom of Italy on March 17, 1861, but Pope Pius IX clung doggedly to Rome and its surrounding vicinity. However, from 1860 to 1870 the Papal forces managed to keep the Italian General, Garibaldi, from entering Rome.

In was July of 1870, Pope Pius IX declared himself “infallible”; thus beginning the infamous “infallibility of the Pope” doctrine. And it was in September, of that year, that Pius was finally informed that the last of his troops had been disarmed, that the papal flag had been lowered on the Castel St. Angelo, and that his army and state were dissolved. Despite all the threats of Pope IX, the Italian government moved its headquarters from Florence to Rome on July 1, 1871. The political papal states were no more.

The Pope was FURIOUS and threatened the new government with eternal damnation in hell. But the sword had struck its deadly blow, wounding the Little Horn once again. But yet it still “did live.”

Being wounded by the sword is very important, for the reading of verse 14 confirms that the deadly wound of the beast was inflicted by civil government. The beast there is described as having had “the wound by a sword, and did live.” The sword represents military force. However, the deadly wound was just that, a “wound,” it did not kill the beast.

Another Thought on the Deadly Wound
The above interpretation was presented because it is a prevailing one among certain Christian sects. But even though the period from 538 until 1798 figures to be 1260 years, it still could not be the prophetic continuation of the beast as prophesied by Daniel 12:7 and Revelation 13:5. As noted above, the total elimination of the Ostrogoths DID NOT occur until 554. Even though Justinian secured the papal chair for the Pope in 538, it was not until 554 that all the political and civil obstacles were removed so the Catholic Church could fit the “image” of the old Roman Empire (the beast), and become known as the Roman Catholic Church (the two-horned beast as a lamb).

Of course there is much speculation about, and many interpretations of, all Bible prophecies, and this one is no exception. It must be kept in mind that, that which has been presented as possible fulfilment of prophecy must be considered in relation to other interpretations of prophetic fulfilment. For example, many believe that Communism is the beast that was wounded when it supposedly died, and that it will be healed and live again. Personally, I cannot see how this fits the prophecy because it was not wounded by the sword as prophesied (Rev. 13:14). It just quit on its own to suck the US of A, along with the rest of the world, into its web of deceit as it has done many times in the past. However, although this prophecy seems to have been fulfilled many times before, the principle of history repeating itself may present still another event that just might prove interesting.

(Rev. 13:3-4) All the World Wondered After and Worshiped the Beast
3. “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”4. “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?”

As stated, the woman of Revelation 17 sits on many waters, representing authority over many people, and that includes, not only political structures, but religious as well. The word Catholic means Universal. So the Roman Catholic Church is claiming to be the Universal or Worldwide Church, asserting authority over, not only all the Christians of the world, but all people and religions of the world. Let’s end our discussion by seeing what the old Dragon is up to in trying to fulfill that dream of the Great Whore of Babylon.

It was just mentioned above that a secret sign would be given to the Jesuits when the Roman Catholic Church had successfully infiltrated every major Christian religion and every government, and that sign was given January of 1981. Alberto Rivera, a Jesuit defector to true Christianity, said that during his training, as a Jesuit Priest, he was also taught how to infiltrate Christian denominations for the purpose of dividing churches, destroying pastors and influencing doctrine. He gave a small list of the churches, which included: Adventist (7th Day Adventist), Assembly of God, Baptist, Church of Christ, Churches of God, Episcopalian, Jehovah’s Witness, Lutheran, Methodist, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Moslem, Nazarene, Orthodox Greek, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, United Evangelical, etc.

What else are they doing to reach their goal of a one-world church under the leadership of the Papacy? Let’s consider a couple of them.

The World Council of Churches
The Roman Catholic Church would use allied forces to gain their objective. What happened to this movement is that it was infiltrated with communists from the Eastern Orthodox Church. This council soon went off to engage in the social ills of the world.

The World Council of Churches began with its organization in 1948 with 147 denominations from both Protestant and Orthodox backgrounds. Today, it has grown to include 293 member denominations representing some 400 million people. It has been and is a major force and voice of what is commonly called ECUMENISM, a term used to describe the effort to bring all churches into “a visible unity in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship”. The WCC claims that it is “the most nearly comprehensive instrument of the ecumenical movement in the world today”. It should be further noted that, while the original goal of the ecumenical movement and the WCC was “the unity of the churches”, the new vision of the WCC is for the unity of all religions-and, in fact, all mankind. It should be clear to all who have been watching the WCC that it has become a modern Tower of Babel accepting not only Christian denominations but all so-called pagan or non-Christian as well.

The Parliament of the World’s Religions
The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions (CPWR) hosted the organization for the Parliaments in 1988. The 2004 Parliament was celebrated, and more than 8,900 individuals attended the Parliament in Barcelona, Spain. Having created the declaration Toward a Global Ethic at the 1993 Parliament, and attempted to engage guiding institutions at the 1999 Parliament, the 2004 Parliament concentrated on four pressing issues: mitigating religiously motivated violence, access to safe water, the fate of refugees worldwide, and the elimination of external debt in developing countries. What is a religious council doing getting engaged in social, political, and environmental affairs, unless the goal is to create a one world religion that encompasses every aspect of life?

The Great Whore of Revelation 17, who sits on many waters, claims to represent authority over all people, religious, political, and otherwise, and is putting forth great effort and influence to bring all together through whatever means possible. Like the World Council of Churches, its membership includes not only Christian religions, but pagan as well. The list of members in the Parliament of the World’s Religions is also quite numerous, and includes just about every Christian and non-Christian out there. What other entity has so much influence, worldwide, as does Roman Catholicism?

The United Religious Initiative
This United Religions Initiative is the latest emerging attempt to pull all religions together. This is one of Satan’s schemes to replace the coming Kingdom of God with an Ecumenical Tower of Babel. It is yet another vain attempt of man to bring unity and peace among men and religions apart from God’s way as found in Holy Writ. The URI was founded in 1995 by Bishop William E. Swing. It came into its official beginning on June 26, 2000, toward the Beast receiving its “One World Religion.”

What is most disturbing but not surprising is that we are dealing with a theosophical society. The theosophical mentality is based on mystical insight following the theories of Buddhism and Brahmanism, that of evolution and reincarnation. Islam and Communists have committed to this effort because it fits their agenda. Environmentalists have also been absorbed because they worship the earth.

Doesn’t this confirm that the Roman Catholic created URI (One World Church) is not concerned with filling their pews with only true followers of Christ? Read more, from their own lips, to find out who is truly in charge:

CHURCHES AGREE THAT POPE HAS OVERALL AUTHORITY
“THE Pope was recognized as the overall authority in the Christian world by an Anglican and Roman Catholic commission yesterday which described him as a ‘gift to be received by all the Churches’. ...if a new united Christian Church was created it would be the ‘Bishop of Rome who would exercise a universal primacy. The 43-page document, The Gift of Authority, has been produced by the 18-member Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, after five years of debate. The commission concluded that the Bishop of Rome had a ‘specific ministry concerning the discernment of truth’ and accepted that only the Pope had the moral authority to unite the various Christian denominations.”

Did you notice the word “universal” used in the above article? Do you realize the word, “Catholicism” is translated into the word “Universal?” What Protestants protested about in the past, they are now embracing, just as prophecy said they would. ALL the religions of the world, sooner or later, will be under the control of the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican, or be literally annihilated; that is, if Christ doesn’t intervene.

Mary, the Queen of Heaven and of All People and Nations
From ancient Babylon came the worship of a female goddess which was called the Queen of Heaven. This false goddess was often represented with 12 stars encircling her head. This pagan goddess was worshiped throughout the ancient world, and is still venerated all around the globe by pagan religions, although she is referred to by various names. One example is the Hindu religion as David R. Kinsley explains: “One of the most striking characteristics of the ancient and multifaceted Hindu religious tradition is the importance of goddess worship.” (Queen of All, p. 42.)

A European Union poster is illustrated with a modern version of the Tower of Babel on it (top right), and above the tower is a set of Satanic stars in the sky. Those stars can be seen over the statue of the Babylonian goddess with 12 stars (pictured left); but the 12 stars over the building are inverted into the satanic pentagram of the Mendes goat-star (bottom right). So, “Right in your face,” they are letting us know who is in charge of the European Union, and ultimately the world — the Roman Catholic Church.

(THE FOREGOING OF THIS PROPHECY WAS EXTRACTED, AS IS, FROM THIS AUTHOR’S STUDY, “THE NEW ONE WORLD RELIGION.” FOR MORE IN-DEPTH CONSIDERATION OF THIS PROPHECY, PLEASE SEE THAT STUDY.)

(Rev. 13:5-6) The Beast Which Blasphemes God
5. “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” 6. “And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.”

In Verse 5 John said that the beast was given, “a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies against God, his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. Daniel records the identical thing about this same beast, the little horn: “... behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” (Dan. 7:8, 20.)

In the Bible, blasphemy is defined in two ways. The first is when a person claims to be God or His representative: “..for a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God” (John 10:33.) The second way of committing blasphemy is by granting absolutions, claiming the power to forgive sins: “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7.) Let’s consider a few of the many quotes showing that the Roman Pontiff does, indeed, blaspheme God.

“The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ, hidden under a veil of flesh.” (The Catholic National, July 1895.)

“But the supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff... [who] requires...complete submission and obedience of will.., as to God Himself.” (Pope Leo XIII, the Great Encyclical Letters, p. 193.)

“We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.” (Pope Leo XIII, in an Encyclical letter, June 20, 1894.)

“It seems that Pope John Paul II now presides over the universal Church from his place upon Christ’s cross.” (Taken from an article entitled. ‘Auckland Bishop Says Pope Presides From the Cross,’ Auckland, New Zealand, Sept. 20, 2004.)

“Indeed, it is not too much to say that in view of the sublimity of their offices the priests are so many gods.” (Pope Innocent III.)

“This judicial authority will even include the power to forgive sin.” (The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 12, p. 265.)

“And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priest and either not to pardon or to pardon, according as they refuse to give absolution, provided the penitent is capable of it.” (Dignity and Duties of the Priest, p. 27, 1888.)

As I said, these are just a few of the many statements that could be quoted indicating how God is blasphemed by the Papacy. So the beast, this religious/political power and kingdom, has blasphemed God by pretending to be in the place of God on earth, and by assuming to forgive the sins of others. No wonder the beast has the “name of blasphemy” and speaks “blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.” The Roman Catholic Church, claims powers that are the sole prerogative of God.

(Rev. 13:7) The Beast Makes War Upon the Saints and Overcomes Them
4. “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” 7. “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.” 8. “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

John also sees that this beast was to, “... make war with the saints, and to overcome them.”(Rev. 13:7.) Daniels also saw the same thing: “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.” (Dan. 7:21.) Why the persecution? Because many would not submit to the paganistic practices of this Roman Church. Consequently the Inquisition was instituted to rid the church of her “heretics,” as they were called.

The Roman Catholic Church persecuted Christians during a 1260-year period. During this historical period, known as the “Dark Ages,” the Catholic Church held a strong sway over Europe. Every citizen was required to be a Roman Catholic. Anything short of total submission to the Pope was punishable by torture or death, usually both. This led the Church of Rome to become one of the most persecuting religions the world has ever known. More people were killed by the Papacy during its 1260 year reign than by Adolf Hitler during World War II. In fact, Hitler once said, “I am just carrying on with the same policy which the Catholic church has adopted for fifteen hundred years,... and perhaps I am doing Christianity a great service. (The Nazi Persecution of the Churches, by J.S. Conway, pp. 25-26 & 162; Smokescreens, p. 23.) Read what others had to say about the inquisition:

“For professing faith contrary to the Church of Rome, history records the martyrdom of more than one hundred million people.” (Brief Bible Studies, p. 16.)

“We must rank the Inquisition ... as among the darkest blots on record of mankind.” (Will Durant, The Story of Civilization, Vol 4, p. 78.)

“That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other Institution that has ever existed among mankind will be questioned by no Protestant who has a complete knowledge of history. It is impossible to form a complete conception of the multitude of her victims, and it is quite certain that no powers of imagination can adequately realize their sufferings.” (W. E. H Leeky, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, Vol. 2:32, 1910 edition.)

In the Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol 12, page 266, the reader will find a lengthy article describing the authority of the Roman Catholic Church in punishing “heretics,” whose only crime was that they were faithful Bible-believing Christians.

(Rev. 13:12) Two-horned beast Exercises Power of First Beast
12. “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.”

Now notice carefully verse 12: “And he [the two-horned beast as a lamb] exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him. As we have learned, the first beast is the Roman Empire. So here is another government pretending to be the government of Christ. It is a “false” kingdom of God pretending to be the first beast (Rome) by exercising all the power of the first beast which came “before” the second two-horned beast.

(Rev. 13:13-14) It Does Great Wonders and Deceives the Whole World
13. “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,” 14. “And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast;...”

One sign of this two-horned lamb’s deception is that a lamb does not have horns. So we know it is a false lamb and not of Christ. This Church/State entity does not speak for Christ, it speaks deceptively like a dragon, for the truth is not found in Satan, for he is the father of all lies. So, apparently, this two-horned beast, the Roman Catholic Church, will have the power of the Vatican to deceive the people of the earth through miracles and “great wonders.” (see Rev. 16:13-14; Matt. 24:24.)

The Two-horned Beast Performs Great Wonders
The movement has been on for hundreds of years and is now gaining great momentum to bring all the world religions under one head, that of the Roman Pontiff. Apparitions of the supposed Mary, Mother of Jesus, have been on the upswing and are becoming alarmingly more frequent. What is most disturbing is the message she is giving to the world through these evil influenced so-called appearances. Her message is clear, it is for a one-world religion, and people of all religions are buying it. In their well documented book, Queen of All, the authors have irrefutably demonstrated that the goal of these Mary apparitions are for the purpose of bringing together all world religions into one grand ONE WORLD RELIGION.

Whenever Mary appears she is referred to as “Our Lady,” and she appears in virtually every nation of the world. Here is a quote from a Mary apparition in Amsterdam, where she claims to be the “Lady of All Nations”:

I am the Lady – Mary – Mother of All Nations. You may say, ‘The Lady of All Nations’ or ‘Mother of All Nations,’ who once was Mary. I have come precisely today in order to tell you that I wish to be known as this. Let all the children of men, of all the countries in the world – be one! (Queen of All, p. 93.)

Not only does this Mary claim to be the Queen or Lady of All Nations, she now has taken the title of Co-Redemptrix, and Mediatrix. From another apparition on May 31, 1954, we hear:

“Once more I am here. – the Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate is now standing before you. I have chosen this day: on this day the Lady will be crowned. Theologians and apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, listen carefully: I have given you the explanation of the dogma. Work and ask for this dogma. You should petition the Holy Father for this dogma ... On this date ‘the Lady of All Nations’ will receive Her official title of ‘Lady of All Nations.’” (Ibid, pp. 96-97.)

What did the late Pope John Paul II have to say about this in his book, The Threshold of Hope? In this book he wrote about the “universal Church,” and universal, as is well known, means Catholic:

“After my election as Pope, as I became more involved in the problems of the universal Church, I came to have a similar conviction: On this universal level, if victory comes it will be brought by Mary.” (p, 215.)

This “universal” religion is designed, under the direction of the Papacy, to be the religion of the future ONE WORLD ORDER; and the One World Order will be the empire which will enforce that religion upon all people. Truly, the whore church rides the scarlet beastly kingdom as seen by the Prophets, Daniel and John.

The Two-horned Beast Deceives the Entire World
Satan has his civil government on Earth. He gave it “his power, and his seat, and great authority” (v. 2). He also has organized religion as his instrumentality in deceiving the world. We know that Satan can show himself as an “angel of light (11 Cor. 11:14). According to Revelation 12:9 and 20:3, he has deceived the whole world. That old devil has his ministers who pretend to be the ministers of righteousness, but are actually false apostles, deceitful workers, claiming to be ministers of Christ (11 Cor. 11:13-15).

The political and civil aspect of the Protestant world seems to be destined for a change, as it is being influenced by most of the Protestant leaders who are ready to bury the hatchet with the Catholics. This could lead to the combining of the church and state, instead of the prevailing “separation” of the two. Here are just three of the many quotes that could be used from some of the notable ones:

BILLY GRAHAM: “I’ve found that my beliefs are essentially the same as those of orthodox Roman Catholics.” (McCall’s, January 1978.) Graham also called Pope John Paul II: ‘The greatest religious leader of the modern world.’” (The Saturday Evening Post, January-February 1980.)

PAUL CROUCH: “I’m eradicating the word Protestant even out of my vocabulary...I’m not protesting anything... [it’s] time for Catholics and non-Catholics to come together as one in the Spirit and one in the Lord.” (“Praise the Lord” program, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Oct 17, 1989.)

ROBERT SCHULLER: “It’s time for Protestants to go to the shepherd [the Pope] and say, ‘What do we have to do to come home?’” (Los Angeles Herald Examiner, September 19, 1987, Religion page.)

So there we have some of the major Protestant and religious leaders with their attitude toward the Roman Catholic Church and its Vatican Papacy. With a president that the Protestants want to praise for his “born again” approach, things could get out of hand; especially when President George W. Bush’s claim to being “born again” was not a rebirth in Christ, but a Satanic rebirth into the Luciferin occult; although the Protestant leaders seem to be oblivious to this fact.

(Rev. 13:16-17) All to Receive the Mark of the Beast
16. “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.” 17. “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

“This two-horned beast, the Roman Catholic image, causes all to receive a mark, without which ‘no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.’” (Rev. 13:17.)

According to John, this lamb-like beast resorts to force, globally speaking, to make all people receive a mark of the first beast mentioned in verse two. Since no one will be able to buy or sell (hold a job or own a business) without the mark, it appears that the world’s economy is involved. It sounds like the two-horned, lamb-like, beast will use economic pressures to force men to identify themselves with the beast by a “mark” of some sort.

Receiving the mark in the hand could be by one’s action, or receiving it in the forehead could be by actually making a deliberate and mental choice to receive the mark. The Book of Revelation presents several points that identify this important mark and its nature. First, it will involve worship. Those who receive it worship the beast (verse 8, 12, 15). Second, it is something upon which nearly all professed Christians, Catholics and Protestants alike, will agree. Third, those who receive the mark are contrasted in Revelation 14:9-12 with those who keep the commandments of God.

The taking of the mark has to be a “conscious choice” to make it serious enough that those who take it “shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” They will either choose God, and His ways, or they will choose the beast, and the ways of Lucifer. This warning is no respecter of person, class, condition, or religion. It is addressed to all humanity. Choosing the latter might be out of expediency for the sake of some sort of protection for self or loved one, but the choice WILL be a conscious and mental decision to take the mark in lieu of choosing the way of Jesus Christ.

Whatever the mark, it will be the two-horned, lamb-like, beast who speaks like a dragon — the Roman Catholic Church — that will HAVE IT ruthlessly enforced upon the people of the world. I say, “have” enforced, because a church has NO power in itself to enforce anything. That is why there is the Church/State combination. The Catholic influence over political and civil authority will “have” it enforced, Just as that “Mother” church had it enforced during the inquisition. The church did not kill the heretics during the inquisition, she caused them to be killed; such was carried out by civil authority under the direction of the Papacy. Truly the woman rides the beast as mentioned in Revelation 17. She, the Catholic Church, rides and controls the Roman-style beast.

As with the image, this one has really had people guessing. John has had the entire world guessing on this for countless years: Some believe that it’s the personal “smart card” with a bar-code that the government wants everyone to have; others believe it’s the “chip” under the skin, either in the right hand or the forehead; many 7th-Day Sabbath keepers believe the mark is the keeping of the 1st day of the week as the Sabbath instead of the 7th; the Social Security number is one of the top guesses, and theories go on and on. So, other than what has been said here, we’ll leave it up to history to identify that mark.

(Rev. 13:18) The Number of the Beast — 666

18. “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

We know the number to be 666, but who or what is the 666? Robert W. Faid, in his book, Gorbachev! Has the Real Antichrist Come?, believes it’s Mikhail Gorbachev, because his name’s numerical equivalency adds up to 666; many say the 666 is the Bar Code found on products bought in stores, and placed upon some identification cards; and this list of guesses can go on and on, also. But others feel it isn’t all that complicated; for the Pope, himself displays that number.

The Roman Catholic Church has the mysterious number 666. The official title of the Pope is “Vicarius Filii Dei,” which translated is, “Representative of the Son of God.” To confirm, the Catholic newspaper Our Sunday Visitor, of April 18, 1915, wrote: “The engraved letter on the pope’s triple crown is as follows: ‘Vicarius Filii Dei’.” Each letter has a corresponding number, for instance, in Roman numerals, I = 1; V and U = 5; L = 50; C = 100; and D = 500. Whether we write the name in Hebrew, Greek or Latin, the numerical value of that name always totals 666.

Since in Latin certain letters have numerical values, we only need to add them up:

V = 5
I = 1
C = 100
A = 0
R = 0
I = 1
U = 5
S = 0
Sub-total = 112

F = 0
I = 1
L = 50
I = 1
I = 1
Sub-total = 53

D = 500
E = 0
I = 1
Sub-total = 501

TOTALS: 112 + 53 + 501 = 666

But there is still another way of looking at the number. Not only is it a “number of a man, as verse 18 points out, but it is also “the number of his name,” according to verse 17.

The Number of His Name

Each Pope has a “suffix” number placed after his designated name to help identify him from the other popes who might have had the same designated name. For example: Pope Pius IV is identified from the previous popes in history who were Pope Pius I, II, and III. By adding all of the “suffix” numbers placed at the end of each Pope’s names, we can arrive at a grand historical count for that particular name.

Chapter 17 of Revelation has been noted by some theologians, that it portrays the Papacy after the beast received its wound in 1798. Having this clue, we examine the papal record from 1798, when Napoleon’s general had Pope Pius VI removed from his position, to the present;

Popes since 1798:
1. 1. Pius VI (1775-1799)
2. 1. Pius VII (1800-1823)
3. 2. Leo XII (1823-1829)
4. 1. Pius VIII (1829-1830)
5. 3. Gregory XVI (1831-1846)
6. 1. Pius IX (1846-1878)
7. 2. Leo XIII (1878-1903)
8. 1. Pius X (1903-1914)
9. 4. Benedict XV (1914-1922)
10. 1. Pius XI (1922-1939)
11. 1. Pius XII (1939-1958)
12. 5. John XXIII (1958-1963)
13. 6. Paul VI (1963-1978)
14. 7. John Paul I (1978)
15. 7. John Paul II (1978-2005)
16. 4. Benedict XVI (2005+)

According to official history of the Roman Catholic Church, there were the following number of each Pope with the specific seven names as indicated above:

1. Pius (12 each) 78
2. Leo (13 each) 91
3. Gregory (16 each) 136
4. Benedict (14 each) 105
5. John (21 each) 231
6. Paul ( 6 each) 21
7. John Paul ( 2 each) 3
Sub-total 665
8. (Antichrist - New Name) 1
Total 666

There were 15 Pope Benedicts, but the current Pope Benedict XVI is considered an “antipope,” so his number is not added. Therefore, we only consider 14 Benedicts instead of 15. Pope Benedict is expected to only reign for a short term of an unknown duration. He will then, most likely (if this theory holds true) be followed by the antichrist. Benedict would ultimately become an antipope, if he is deposed or replaced. The count would then remain at 665, awaiting the antichrist-pope, who will not adopt any of the previous papal names, but use his own name or a new name that has, of yet, not been used. This would give the new name the count of one (1). The result of adding the 1 to 665, would make a total of 666; that last Pope being the antichrist.

ABOUT ANTIPOPES: The term antipope refers to any person who claims to be Pope, but whose claim is treated as invalid today by the Roman Catholic Church. This should be a straightforward concept, but in practice it is much more difficult and complex than it might appear.

The problems lie in determining who qualifies as Pope and why. It isn’t enough to say that their election did not follow standard procedures, because those procedures have changed over time. Sometimes the rules aren’t even followed. Innocent II was elected in secret by a minority of cardinals but his Papacy is treated as legitimate. It isn’t enough to say that an alleged Pope did not lead an adequately moral life because many legitimate popes led terrible lives while the first antipope, Hippolytus, is a saint.

Over time, names have shifted back and forth between the lists of popes and antipopes because people have changed their minds about what to do with them. The Vatican’s official list of popes is called the Annuario Pontificio, and even today there remain four instances where it isn’t absolutely clear on whether someone was a legitimate successor of Peter.
(Check out Antipope @: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipope.)

Not Latin But Greek

Are the ideas we have just entertained the answer to the 666, or should we look for it elsewhere? Let’s look at another idea concerning this mysterious number.

Now we are told that the number 666 is the number of the beast, that it is “the number of his name,” and that it “is the number of a man.” The expression “the number of his name” makes plain that the number 666 is the number of the name of the kingdom or empire. And the expression “it is the number of a man” shows we must also count this number in the name of the king, or ruler, over the kingdom identified as the “beast.”

When John wrote this Revelation he wrote in the Greek language. Consequently, we should look for this name and number in this language in which the New Testament was written; NOT Latin, but GREEK. Most of us are familiar with Roman numerals, where letters are used for numbers, and most understand that,

I = 1, V = 5, and X = 10, etc.

But many do not know that the Greek language, in which the book of Revelation was written, also uses letters for numbers.

The founder and first king of Rome was Romulus. The Roman Empire was named after him. His name, the name of a man, also is the name of the kingdom. And every citizen in the kingdom bears the same name — a Roman. In the Greek, the language in which Revelation was written, this Latin name was understood in the second century A.D. to have originally been spelled Lateinos. It signifies “Latin man” or “the name of Latium.” Lateinos is the region from which the Romans originated and from where their language came. This word means “Roman.”

In the Greek, the L = 30, A = 1, T = 300, E = 5, I = 10, N = 50, O = 70, S = 200.

Count up these figures. They count to exactly 666. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the name of the kingdom, its founder and first king, and of each man in the kingdom, counts to exactly 666 in the language the Book of Revelation was written.

Thus we have the old Roman Empire identified as the beast with the number 666, and the previous explanation, using the Pontifical crown, identifies the “IMAGE” of the beast, that of the Roman Catholic Church and its popes, with the number 666 as well.

In Conclusion

Our study of Chapter 13 of Revelation was to identify the beasts mentioned in verses 1-3, which we did as that of Rome, itself. We also attempted to identify the two-horned, lamb-like beast of verse 11, which appears to be the Roman Catholic Church, which tried to reestablish within itself the Roman empire, thereby becoming an “image” of the beast.

For hundreds of years after 554, the emperors of Europe acknowledged the supreme power of the Catholic religion. The church was organized as a government — as a dual, two-fold government (symbolized by its two horns or kingdoms). It embodied church government, and it also was a state or civil government, always occupying a certain amount of territory over which it, alone, ruled as an independent sovereign state — in addition to actually ruling over the vast civil kingdom called the Holy Roman Empire. Even today, this second beast, this two-horned lamb, is a separate, independent and sovereign state. And it is still trying to exercise the power of the first beast before it. So, to state it once again, clearly:

1. In A.D. 476, the beast, the old civil government of the Roman Empire, came to an end.
2. In A.D. 554, Justinian brought about an attempt to “HEAL” the wound which would restore the empire.
3. In A.D. 554, the Roman Catholic Church became the two-horned beast like a lamb which speaks as a dragon.
4. The Roman Catholic Church IS the “image” of the first beast, the old Roman Empire, which died in A.D. 476.
5. The Roman Catholic Church IS the “Little Horn” of Daniel 7:8 before whom three of the first horns (Vandals, Ostrogoths, and Heruli) were plucked up by the roots.

There are other interpretations of this prophecy of the beastly head that was wounded but still lived. There are types and shadows in history. When something happens it often is repeated again, although it might take place somewhat differently. We, therefore, should not conclude that just because one historical event seems to fulfill Biblical prophecy that it precludes another similar event from occurring in the future.

Not withstanding the conclusions presented, the Book of Revelation shows that there are many sincere individuals in modern Babylon, the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in all nations. God recognizes these honest-in-heart and makes a call for them to flee Babylon’s influence. “...Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”(Rev. 18:4). God does not condemn such ones, only those who “purposely” accept the mark, whatever that mark might be. It is not the individual within the Catholic Church, or any church or government, to which God objects, rather, it’s the systems, themselves — the mingling of church and state and the secret conspiracies upon which it depends for survival that He hates.

So in the last days, just proceeding the eminent appearance of Jesus Christ, who is coming to redeem this earth and His people, we are to look forward to that great event in faith, and, through the trials that will beset this planet at that time, we are to patiently await that coming. As Revelation 14:12 states: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of god, and the faith of Jesus.”