The European Union in Prophecy The EU in Prophecy I | Page 353

The European Union in Prophecy
By such action it will give the lie to those liberal and peaceful principles which
it has put forth as the foundation of its policy. The prediction that it will speak "as a
dragon" and exercise "all the power of the first beast" plainly foretells a development
of the spirit of intolerance and persecution that was manifested by the nations
represented by the dragon and the leopardlike beast. And the statement that the
beast with two horns "causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the
first beast" indicates that the authority of this nation is to be exercised in enforcing
some observance which shall be an act of homage to the papacy.
Such action would be directly contrary to the principles of this government, to
the genius of its free institutions, to the direct and solemn avowals of the Declaration
of Independence, and to the Constitution. The founders of the nation wisely sought to
guard against the employment of secular power on the part of the church, with its
inevitable result-- intolerance and persecution. The Constitution provides that
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof," and that "no religious test shall ever be required as a
qualification to any office of public trust under the United States." Only in flagrant
violation of these safeguards to the nation's liberty, can any religious observance be
enforced by civil authority. But the inconsistency of such action is no greater than is
represented in the symbol. It is the beast with lamblike horns--in profession pure,
gentle, and harmless--that speaks as a dragon. "Saying to them that dwell on the
earth, that they should make an image to the beast." Here is clearly presented a form
of government in which the legislative power rests with the people, a most striking
evidence that the United States is the nation denoted in the prophecy.
But what is the "image to the beast"? and how is it to be formed? The image is
made by the twohorned beast, and is an image to the beast. It is also called an image
of the beast. Then to learn what the image is like and how it is to be formed we must
study the characteristics of the beast itself--the papacy. When the early church
became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting
heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control
the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result
was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to
further her own ends, especially for the punishment of "heresy." In order for the
United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the
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