The Dragon, the Leopard Beast, and the Two-Horned Beast

Notes

1. "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; 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."—"Great Controversy," page 438.

2. "In chapter 13 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 possessed by the ancient Roman empire. . . . This prophecy which is nearly identical with the description of the little horn of Daniel 7, unquestionably points to the papacy."—Id., page 439.

3. The fulfilment of this prophecy is well described by Cardinal Gibbons in his work, "The Faith of Our Fathers," pages 164-166. He says: "Constantine gave to the Roman Church munificent donations of money and real estate, which were augmented by additional grants contributed by subsequent emperors. Hence the patrimony of the Roman pontiffs soon became very considerable. . . . An event occurred in the reign of Constantine which paved the way for the partial jurisdiction which the Roman pontiffs commenced to enjoy over Rome, and which they continued to exercise till they obtained full sovereignty in the days of King Pepin of France. In the year 327, the Emperor Constantine transferred the seat of empire from Rome to Constantinople, the present capital of Turkey."

4. "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 began with the establishment of the papacy, A. D. 538, and terminated in 1798. At that time, when the papacy was abolished and the pope 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.'"—"Great Controversy," page 439.

5. "Both the appearance of this beast and the manner of its rise indicate that the nation which it represents is unlike those presented under the preceding symbols. . . The application of the symbol admits of no question. One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America. . . . The lamblike horns indicate youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly representing the character of the United States when presented to the prophet as 'coming up' in 1798. The Christian exiles who first fled to America sought an asylum from royal oppression and priestly intolerance, and they determined to establish a government upon the broad foundation of civil and religious liberty. The Declaration of Independence sets forth the great truth that 'all men are created equal,' and endowed with the inalienable right to 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' And the constitution guarantees to the people the right of self-government, providing that representatives elected by popular vote shall enact and administer the laws. Freedom of religious faith was also granted, every man being permitted to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience. Republicanism and Protestantism became the fundamental principles of the nation. These principles are the secret of its power and prosperity. The ⟦oppressed?⟧ and down-trodden throughout Christendom have turned to this land with interest and hope. Millions have sought its shores, and the United States has risen to a place among the most powerful nations of the earth."—Id., page 441.

6. "The lamblike horns and the dragon voice of the symbol point to a striking contradiction between the professions and the practise of the nation thus represented. The 'speaking' of the nation is the action of its legislative and judicial authorities. By such action it will give the ⟦lie?⟧ to those liberal and peaceful principles which it has put forth as the foundation of its policy. The prediction that it will speak 'as a dragon,' and exercise 'all the power of the first beast,' plainly foretells a development of the spirit of intolerance and persecution that was manifested by the nations represented by the dragon and the leopard-like beast."—Id. page 442.

7. "As America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honor the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example." "Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world."—"Testimonies for the Church," No. 7, pages 18, 395.