 The
beast--which has a mark that we must avoid--obtained its power, authority,
and capital city from the dragon. According to Revelation
12:3-5, the dragon is the power that sought to destroy
the child Jesus at the time of His birth. It was Satan who inspired
Herod, a king for the pagan Roman empire, to slay all the male babies
in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:13, 16).
To whom did pagan Rome give her authority and capital city? History
is clear that pagan Rome turned over its power and capital city to
the church of Rome. The following historical quote is typical:
"The Roman church ... pushed itself into the place of the Roman
World-Empire, of which it is the actual continuation. ... The Pope,
who calls himself 'King' and 'Pontifex Maximus,' is Caesar's successor."*
This point clearly fits the papacy, as well.
*Adolph Harnack, What Is Christianity? (New York: Putnam, second
edition, revised, 1901), p. 270. |
