earlier beasts are kings, each having some special feature represented by the lion, bear, or

leopard. The beast of Rev. 13: will be a combination of all these and more.

There is to be observed here a similarity to the final phase of the same Gentile

dominion as represented by the great image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream.  While

successive monarchies are positively intended by the various metals (for Daniel thus

interprets the parts), nevertheless, when the stone which is Christ's kingdom strikes the

feet of the image, the whole image (gold, silver, brass, iron and clay) is smashed at the

same time, indicating that at the time of the end Gentile misrule will be concentrated in

one awful monster energized by the devil, and Babylon will be its seat of government.

As at the beginning, the power, the throne and the great authority of the beast will be

those received from Satan. These are given to the beast in exchange for the greatest thing

that Satan covets--WORLD WORSHIP.  Think of the temptation of Christ in the

wilderness. Satan there shows Christ all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of

them, and says, "All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship

me". What a tragedy! How art thou fallen, Lucifer, son of the morning!

One of the heads of the beast was wounded, or "slain to death", and the deadly wound

was healed. This travesty of the resurrection of Christ causes all the world to wonder

after the beast, and to worship the dragon. The inner thought of the people is expressed

by the words, "Who is like unto the beast, who is able to make war with him?" We do

not wish to be fanciful, yet we are confident that Scripture fully anticipates the end.

Military experts, as well as the man in the street, know that the next war is to be a war in

the air. Britain's boasted isolation and ocean bulwark have been breached, the invasion

of these islands has been considered well-nigh impossible; now we know that the

introduction of aerial warfare has broken down all such frontiers. That nation, large or

small, which has dominion of the air, will conquer the world. Satan is called "the Prince

of the authority of the air" (Eph. 2:). Satan gives his great authority to the beast, the

result being that all the world at once recognize his position; "Who is able to make war

with him?"

There are indications that the beast will be small and obscure in its origin, but this will

matter nothing then. Daniel sees among the ten horns another little horn, which emulates

the beast that carries it by plucking up three of the horns by the roots, as the beast had

devoured the three beasts before it:--

The parallel in Rev. 13: is remarkable:--