Revelation 13:11-14

John saw another beast coming up out of the earth having two horns like a lamb. He does not look fierce and terrible like the first beast; he is somewhat like a lamb. But he is not as innocent as he looks; his mild look was just the sheep's clothing that covered the wolf; he had only borrowed the livery of heaven to serve the Devil in. He does great wonders and works great miracles, makes fire come down from heaven. Thus he deceives people and leads them to worship the beast whose deadly wound was healed.

This second, lamblike, beast supports and promotes the power of the first beast that had the seven heads and ten "horns. "He spake like a dragon," "he exercised the power of the first beast." He works to continue and exalt that first beast; no doubt by promoting idolatry, king-worship, and blasphemy against the true God.

Who or what is this beast? As the first beast was a civil power, this beast is evidently a religious power. He is lamblike in outward aspect, works miracles, and makes an image to the beast. This suggests religious activities. And so this second beast is rightly recognized as the Pagan religion or pagan priesthood. This Pagan religion supported the imperial power. It helped to hold up the hands of the emperors. It supported the civil authority, and especially lent its aid in the persecution of the Christians, and the Christian church. Thus it served the cause and power of the first beast.

I may mention another view of this lamblike beast that has had considerable prevalence. Many interpreters have made this second, beast to be the Papacy. They would find Popery or Papal Rome in this dragon-beast that wore the appearance of a lamb. Now we have no desire to excuse the Papacy; it has sins enough to answer for, and I am not for whitewashing its record, nor shutting any ones eyes to its dangerous power; yet I think an accurate and careful interpretation will not warrant us in identifying this second beast with the Papacy. It is all a matter of sound interpretation. And just as I repudiate the Premillennial interpretation of these Chapter s as inaccurate and impossible, so I decline to make this beast signify the Papacy; because it does not fit the case nor the place. These two beasts that persecuted the church were contemporaneous as has been clearly seen; but the persecutions of Pagan Rome and the persecutions of Papal Rome were a thousand years apart.

The beasts in this chapter co-operate. The second beast supports and magnifies the first. But we cannot say that Papal Rome was the upholder and supporter of the old dynasties of Pagan emperors. All history vetoes such a conclusion as that. Papal Rome did become a persecuting power; but not in conjunction with the old Roman empire; but centuries after Pagan Rome was dead. So however much we would like to castigate the Papacy, and however much she deserves it, the principles of sane and sound criticism will not furnish us an opportunity in these Chapter s of Revelation; for Pagan Rome and Papal Rome were never contemporaneous and co-operative.

But if this lamblike, dragon-speaking beast is not the Papacy, it certainly does fit the case and place of the Pagan religion of old Rome, which supported the imperial power and abetted the persecutions of the early Christian church.

V. 15. Here we are told: "He had power to give life to the image of the beast and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." The Pagan religion gave animus to the persecution of those who did not worship at the heathen shrines, and was hand in glove with the civil power in persecuting the Christian church.