Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/264

 358 The Plan of the Ages.

Of the fourth beast, Rome, Daniel says : "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dread- ful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; . . . and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; and, behold, in this horn were eyes, like the eyes of man, and a.mouth speaking great things." Dan. 7:7, 8.

Here the Roman Empire is shown ; and the divisions of its power are shown in the ten horns, a horn being a symbol of power. The little horn which arose among these, and which appropriated the power of three of them to itself, and ruled among the others, represents the small beginning and gradual rise to power of the Church of Rome, the Papal power or horn. As it rose in influence, three of the divisions, horns or powers of the Roman Empire (the Heruli, the Eastern Exarchate and the Ostrogoths) were plucked out of the way to make room for its establishment as a civil power or horn. This last specially notable horn, Papacy, is remarkable for its eyes, representing intelligence, and for its mouth its utterances, its claims, etc.

To this fourth beast, representing Rome, Daniel gives no descriptive name. While the others are described as lion- like, bear-like and leopard-like, the fourth was so ferocious and hideous that none of the beasts of earth could be com- pared with it. John the Revelator, seeing in vision the same symbolic beast (government), was also at a loss for a name by which to describe it, and finally gives it several. Among others, he called it "the Devil." (Rev. 12:9.) He certainly chose an appropriate name ; for Rome, when viewed in the light of its bloody persecutions, certainly has been the most devilish of all earthly governments. Even in its change from Rome Pagan to Rome Papal it illustrated one of Satan's chief characteristics ; for he also transforms

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