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will ye liken Me； or shall I be equal？ saith the Holy One。 Lift up your eyes
on high； and behold who hath created these things。〃 〃Thus saith the Lord
that created the heavens； God Himself that formed the earth and made it： 。 。
。 I am the Lord； and there is none else。〃 Isaiah 40：25； 26； 45：18。 Says the
psalmist： 〃Know ye that the Lord He is God： it is He that hath made us； and
not we ourselves。〃 〃O come； let us worship and bow down： let us kneel before
the Lord our Maker。〃 Psalms 100：3； 95：6。 And the holy beings who worship God
in heaven state； as the reason why their homage is due to Him： 〃Thou art
worthy； O Lord； to receive glory and honor and power： for Thou hast created
all things。〃 Revelation 4：11。
In Revelation 14； men are called upon to worship the Creator； and the
prophecy brings to view a class that； as the result of the threefold
message； are keeping the commandments of God。 One of these commandments
points directly to God as the Creator。 The fourth precept declares： 〃The
seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God： 。 。 。 for in six days the
Lord made heaven and earth； the sea； and all that in them is； and rested the
seventh day： wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day； and hallowed it。〃
Exodus 20：10； 11。 Concerning the Sabbath； the Lord says； further； that it is
〃a sign； 。 。 。 that ye may know that I am the Lord your God。〃 Ezekiel 20：20。
And the reason given is： 〃For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth；
and on the seventh day He rested； and was refreshed。〃 Exodus 31：17。
〃The importance of the Sabbath as the memorial of creation is that it keeps
ever present the true reason why worship is due to God〃because He is the
Creator； and we are His creatures。 〃The Sabbath therefore lies at the very
foundation of divine worship； for it teaches this great truth in the most
impressive manner； and no other institution does this。 The true ground of
divine worship； not of that on the seventh day
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merely； but of all worship； is found in the distinction between the Creator
and His creatures。 This great fact can never become obsolete； and must never
be forgotten。〃J。 N。 Andrews； History of the Sabbath； chapter 27。 It was to
keep this truth ever before the minds of men； that God instituted the
Sabbath in Eden； and so long as the fact that He is our Creator continues to
be a reason why we should worship Him； so long the Sabbath will continue as
its sign and memorial。 Had the Sabbath been universally kept； man's thoughts
and affections would have been led to the Creator as the object of reverence
and worship； and there would never have been an idolater； an atheist； or an
infidel。 The keeping of the Sabbath is a sign of loyalty to the true God；
〃Him that made heaven； and earth； and the sea； and the fountains of waters。〃
It follows that the message which commands men to worship God and keep His
commandments will especially call upon them to keep the fourth commandment。
In contrast to those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of
Jesus； the third angel points to another class； against whose errors a
solemn and fearful warning is uttered： 〃If any man worship the beast and his
image； and receive his mark in his forehead； or in his hand； the same shall
drink of the wine of the wrath of God。〃 Revelation 14：9； 10。 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 （Revelation 12：9）； 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。
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In chapter 13 （verses 1…10） 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 leopardlike 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 beheld
another beast coming up out of the earth； and he had two horns like a lamb。〃
Verse II。 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 great kingdoms that have ruled the world were
presented to the prophet Daniel as
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beasts of prey； rising when 〃the four winds of the heaven strove upon the
great sea。〃 Daniel 7：2。 In Revelation 17 an angel explained that waters
represent 〃peoples； and multitudes； and nations； and tongues。〃 Revelation
17：15。 Winds are a symbol of strife。 The four winds of heaven striving upon
the great sea represent the terrible scenes of conquest and revolution by
which kingdoms have attained to power。
But the beast with lamblike horns was seen 〃coming up out of the earth。〃
Instead of overthrowing other powers to establish itself； the nation thus
represented must arise in territory preciously unoccupied and grow up
gradually and peacefully。 It could not； then； arise among the crowded and
struggling nationalities of the Old Worldthat turbulent sea of 〃peoples；
and multitudes； and nations； and tongues。〃 It must be sought in the Western
Continent。
What nation of the New World was in 1798 rising into power； giving promise
of strength and greatness； and attracting the attention of the world？ 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。 Again and again the thought； almost the exact
words； of the sacred writer has been unconsciously employed by the orator
and the historian in describing the rise and growth of this nation。 The
beast was seen 〃coming up out of the earth；〃 and； according to the
translators； the word here rendered 〃coming up〃 literally signifies 〃to grow
or spring up as a plant。〃 And； as we have seen； the nation must arise in
territory previously unoccupied。 A prominent writer； describing the rise of
the United States； speaks of 〃the mystery of her coming forth from vacancy；〃
and says： 〃Like a silent seed we grew into empire。〃G。 A。 Townsend； The New
World Compared With the Old； page
462。 A European journal in 1850 spoke of the United States
as a wonderful empire； which was 〃emerging；〃 and 〃amid the silence of the
earth daily adding to its power and pride。〃 The Dublin Nation。 Edward