The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-05
"A Study Of Il Commenced at the
Seventh Day Adventist
Church.
Jesus Christ ana tho Power Sym
bouzod by tho Great
Red Dragon.
Hsrod's Attempt 60 KIN the saviour when
lie App ed ~ Babe Ia
Bothiehom

ing In part: We begin tonight the study
OF iino OF prophecy extending through
the twelfth, thi teonth ami fourteenth
chtpto . OF Revelation. We ore aware that
the book Of Revelation Ia considsred by
many a book OF mysteries and not 10 be
uude stood; but as We begin the study Of
these chapters. II 10 with a good degree Of
confidence. for We read In the third verse
OF the fret chapter Of this book; Blessed
Ia be that readstb aud they that hear the
words of this rophecy." No other portion
81 tie Bible has 90 direct a blessing pro-
nounead upon the reading aud observance
OF its teachings as this. What encourage
ment then have We for lie study; and shall
va say that 10 can not be understoodl
'RsVelation" 10 tho title OF ths book. A
revelation Is something revealed. some
thing clearly made known. not something
hidden aud concealed. With these
few remarks We will begin
the study OF the twelfth chapter of this
book; And there APPEARED great wonder
in heaven; q woman clothed with the sun.
and the moon under her feet, and uvon
her head q crown Of twelve stars. And she,
being with child. cried, Travelling in birth
and pain. TO be delivered. And there ap-
pea ed another wonder in heaveni and be-
hold great red dragon having seven heads
and ten horns and seven crowns upon his
heads" This portion OF the chapter needs
but little more than definition of the
symbols introduced. "A woman" the
true church. See 2 Cor. 1l;2. The
sun" the light aud glory Of the gospel dis
pensation. "ihe moon" the Mosaic dis
pensation. AZ the moon shines with bor-
rowed light derived from the sun. so the
former dispsnsation shone with light
borrowed from this dispensation.
"A crown of twelve stars." the twelve
APOSTLES. "A great red dragon, pagan
kome. Vsrses l and ? cover Period
Of time commencing Just previous to the
o. eniuR of the resent dispensation, when
the church was earnestly longing for and
expecting the advent OF the Messiah, and
extending TO the time OF tbs full establish.
ment of the gospel church with its crown oil
twelve apostles. No symoos more h'une
and imp essive could be found THAI afe
here employed. Tne Mosaic disp snsation
shone like n light borrowed from the chris
tian dispensation, Just as the moon shines
with light borrowed from the sun. How
Gplrop late, therefore, to represent the Tor
msr by the moon and the latter oy the sun.
The woman. the church, had the moon IN
der he feet; that IL. the Mosaic dispense
ton had just ended, and the woman
vna clothed in the light OF the
gospel sun which had just risen.
he church IL represented as fully =
pAnizsd, with lite twelve apostles. Verses
TO 6. And the dragon stood before the
woman which was ready TO be delivered,
fof 20 devouT her child as soon as 10 was
born. And she b ought forth man child,
who was to rule all nations with rod OF
iron; aud her child was caught up TO God
and 90 his throne. And the woman hed
into the wilderness, where she had place
prepared of God. that they should feed her
there thousand two hundred and three
score days" Here We are carried back q
little In the prophecy, TO the birth OF
Christ as will hereafter appear. The
dragon stood before the woman to devouT
her child. II now becomes necessary 20
Identify the power symbolized By the
dragon, and this 0nn very easily be done.
The testimony concerning the man
child" which the diaRon seeks 20 destroy 10
applicable TO only one being that has ap-
peared "a this world. and that IL our lord
Jesus Christ. No other one has been
caught mp 10 God and his throne; but he
has been thus exalted. Eph. l;2O; Heb.
81; Rev. 1921. No other one has reoeived
from God ths commission 10 rule all IA
tions with rod OF iron; but be has bosn
appointed TO this work. Pa. 2:I-a
There can certainly be no doubt that the
man-child represents Jesus Christ. The
time TO which the prophecy refers Is equal
ly evident. II was the time when On ist
appeared in this world os babe In Beihls-
hem.
Having now asoe tanned who the man
child was. namely, Christ; and having
fixed the chronology OF the ophscy 40 tue
time when he was born into this world. u
viii be easy TO end the power symbolized
by the dragon: for tue dragon represents
frh "a Al ant IN
him at his birth. Was any such attempt
made? And who made ~ No formal an
swer TO this question need be given 80 any
one who hsa read how Hsrod, IN fiendish
effort to destroy the infant Jesus, sent
forth and slew all the children In Bethle-
hem from two years old and under. But
who was HeFodl Roman govsrnor.
From Home Herod de ivsd his power.
Rome ruled az that time over
all the world (Luko 2;l. and
was therefore the responsible pa " In ihis
Transaction. Moreover, Rome was az that
time, the only earthly government which
could be symbolized IN prophecy, for this
very esson that It's dominion was untver-
sal Il is not, the efore. without the most
conclusive reason that the Roman empire
II considered by Protestant oommen,atofe
generally 20 lie the Iower Indicated BY she
great red agon. Aud "a may be fact
worth mentioning that during tao saeonc'
IL
Christian era. next 60 the eagle the dragon
was tho principal standard Of the Roman
lseions; aud that dragon was painted red,
~ though, in faithful response 40 The pic
ture held up by the seer OF fatmos theT
would exelAim TO tbs world; We are the
nation which that picture rep esenis.
AZ w have said. Rome, In the person Of
Herod. attempted TO destroy Jesus Christ
whsu he sent folth and destroyed all ths
children Of Bethlehem from two years old
aud under. The child which VAS born 10
the expectant desires OF a waiting ana
watching church, was our adorable iodeem-
o., who IL soon to rule the nations with a
tod of iron. Herod could not destroy him;
tho combined powers uf earth an he'll
could not overcome him; and though he i
FOR time under the dominion OF ths grave
he rent its cTutl bands. opened a way OF
life for the race aud was caught up 10 God
aud his thTont. q agcended az 20 heaven IN
the sight OF his descipies. leaving 90 them,
10y tue words of the angels, this sweetest Of
ali hrs promises. that like ~ he was taken
away from them. 80 he would come again.
And tie church fed into tbe wilde ness
~ The time tue pauacy Was established, m
h3S, where ~ was nouTshsd by TIE word OF
Col anu the min istration Of angels during
the long. dGrk, and bloody rule Of that
10 ser !. 30 wears.
The "dfaCon" which represents Rome u
also called satan In verse T. Tue symbol u
appi'ed 30 Rome. because that power vas
satan ngent VA the events there INTRO
ducsd, bus the irsgon 10 not yet through
With bis work. Verse n brluCs 90 view an
other unl hnHl outhu - Of uis wrath; thus
tins against the last genrr ltion % Chris
usua, 10 live upun she earth. W say ths
last eensfation, 70 the war OF the dragon
10 directed against the remn nt Of thv 40