Take the dragon: What does it symbolize? The Roman Empire is the undisputed answer. But this is not enough. No one would be satisfied with such an answer as this. It must be more definite. We then add, the Roman Empire in its pagan form; to which all parties also agree. But just as soon as we say, Pagan, we introduce a religious element; for paganism is one of the hugest systems of counterfeit religion that Satan ever devised. The dragon, then, is so far an ecclesiastical power that the very characteristic by which it is distinguished is a false system of religion. And what made the dragon persecute the church of the Messiah? It was because Christianity was swallowing up paganism, sweeping away its superstitions, overturning its idols, and dismantling its temples. The religious element of that power was touched; and persecution was the result.
We now come to the leopard beast of chapter 13. What does that symbolize? The answer still is, The Roman Empire. But the dragon symbolized the Roman Empire, and why does not the same symbol represent it still? Ah! there has been a change in the religious character of the empire; and this beast symbolizes Rome in its professedly Christian form. And it is this change of religion, and this alone, which made a change in the symbol necessary. This beast differs from the dragon only in that he presents a different religious aspect. Hence, it would be altogether wrong to affirm that it denotes simply the Roman civil power.
To this beast the dragon gives his seat, his power, and great authority. By what power was Rome Pagan succeeded? We all know that it was by Rome Papal. It matters not to our present purpose, when, nor by what means, this change was effected; the great fact is apparent, and is acknowledged by all, that the next great phase of the Roman empire after its pagan form, was its papal. It would not be correct, therefore, to say that Pagan Rome gave its seat and power to a form of government merely civil, having no religious element whatever. No stretch of the imagination can conceive of such a transaction. But two phases of empire are here recognized; and in the prophecy, Rome is pagan until Rome is papal.
But it may be said that it takes the leopard beast and two-horned beast together to constitute the papacy, and hence it is to these that the dragon gives his power, seat, and great authority. But the prophecy does not say so. It is the leopard beast alone with which the dragon has to do. It is to that beast alone that he gives his power, seat, and great authority. It is that beast that has a head that is wounded to death [verse 3], which is afterward healed; that beast that the whole world wonders after; that beast that receives a mouth speaking blasphemies [verse 5], and that wears out the saints for 1260 years; and all this before the succeeding power, the two-horned beast, comes upon the stage of action at all. The leopard beast alone, therefore, symbolizes the Roman empire in its papal form, the controlling influence being ecclesiastical."
from: "Thoughts on the Revelation", by Uriah Smith, 1883, pp. 264-266. Editor: changed the name of our Father in Heaven in his really name; and insert the name of our Master Yahshua the Messiah; [...]
Rev./Offb. 13,3 Und ich sah seiner Häupter eines, als wäre es tödlich wund; und seine tödliche Wunde wurde heil. Und der ganze Erdboden verwunderte sich des Tieres.
KJV + EL = And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev./Offb. 13,4 und sie beteten den Drachen an, der dem Tier die Macht gab, und beteten das Tier an und sprachen: Wer ist dem Tier gleich, und wer kann mit ihm kriegen (den Kampf aufnehmen)?
KJV + EL = And they worshiped the dragon which gave power to the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like to the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev./Offb. 13,5 Und es wurde ihm gegeben ein Mund, zu reden große Dinge und Lästerungen, und wurde ihm gegeben, daß es mit ihm währte zweiundvierzig Monate (= 1260 Tage = Jahre bis 1798) lang.
KJV + EL = And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given to him to continue forty and two months (1.260 days = years till 1798).
Kap 11,2
Rev./Offb. 13,6 und es tat seinen Mund auf zur Lästerung gegen JAHWEH, zu lästern seinen Namen und seine Hütte und die im Himmel wohnen.
KJV + EL = And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against YAHWEH, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
* note: "This beast opens his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name. What can be more blasphemous than for a mortal man to assume the titles which the pope assumes? He calls himself, Lord God, the pope; King of kings, and Lord of lords; King of the world; Holy Father; Vicegerent of the Son of God; the Lion of the tribe of Judah; and by other titles which belong to Christ [the Messiah] alone. And besides, the pope has, in our own day, backed by the deliberate action of the Ecumencial Council of 1870, assumed the divine prerogative of infallibility!
He blasphemes his tabernacle by turning the attention of his subjects to his own throne and palace instead of to the tabernacle of God in Heaven; by turning their attention away from the city of God, Jerusalem above, and pointing them to Rome, as the eternal city. And he blasphemes them that dwell in Heaven, by assuming to exercise the power of forgiving sins, and so turning away the minds of men from the mediatorial work of Christ [the Messiah] and his heavenly assistants in the sanctuary above."
from: "Thoughts on the Revelation", by Uriah Smith, 1883, p. 270. Editor: [...]
Rev./Offb. 13,7 Und wurde ihm gegeben, zu streiten mit den Heiligen und sie zu überwinden; und wurde ihm gegeben Macht über alle Geschlechter und Sprachen und Nationen (Heiden).
KJV + EL = And it was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds/ tribes, and tongues, and nations.
Kap 11,7; Dan 7,21
Rev./Offb. 13,8 Und alle, die auf Erden wohnen, beten es an, deren Namen nicht geschrieben sind im Buch des Lebens des Lammes, das erwürgt ist, von Anfang der Welt.
KJV + EL = And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain/killed from the foundation of the world.
Rev./Offb. 13,9 Hat jemand Ohren, der Höre!
KJV + EL = If any man has an ear, let him hear.
Rev./Offb. 13,10 So jemand in das Gefängnis führt, der wird in das Gefängnis gehen; so jemand mit dem Schwert tötet, der muß mit dem Schwert getötet werden. Hier ist die Geduld (die Standhaftigkeit/das Ausharren) und der Glaube der Heiligen.
KJV + EL = He that leads into captivity shall go into captivity: he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Matth 26,52; Kap 14,12
Erklärung von Ernst Simon:
Das Tier, das aus dem Meere aufstieg und auf den Hörnern zehn Diademe hat, ist die Nachfolgemacht des Römerreiches, ist Sinnbild des päpstlichen Roms (13,1). Die Germanen, durch die Hörner dargestellt, hatten durch die Völkerwanderung als Werkzeuge Gottes den Untergang Roms herbeigeführt und eigene Reiche auf dem Gebiete Westroms errichtet. Das Tier zeigt charakteristische Züge der Weltreiche Babel [Babylon], Medien-Persien [Medo-Persien] und Griechenland (Dan. 7,1-7). Der Drache, Sinnbild Satans, der aber auch das heidnische Rom darstellt, gab ihm “seine Macht, seinen Thron und große Gewalt” (13,2): Kaiser Konstantin verlegte 330 n. Chr. seinen Regierungssitz nach Konstantinopel und überließ den Thron des römischen Reiches dem