upon Christ and His people during the first centuries of the Christian Era was the Roman Empire , in which paganism was the prevailing religion . Thus while the dragon , primarily , represents Satan , it is , in a secondary sense , a symbol of pagan Rome .
In chapter 13 ( verses 1-10 ) is described another beast , " like unto a leopard ," to which the dragon gave " his power , and his seat , and great authority ." This symbol , as most Protestants have believed , represents the papacy , which succeeded to the power and seat and authority once held by the ancient Roman empire . Of the leopardlike beast it is declared : " There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies . . . . And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God , to blaspheme His name , and His tabernacle , and them that dwell in heaven . And it was given unto him to make war with the saints , and to overcome them : and power was given him over all kindreds , and tongues , and nations ." This prophecy , which is nearly identical with the description of the little horn of Daniel 7 , unquestionably points to the papacy .
" Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months ." And , says the prophet , " I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death ." And again : " He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity : he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword ." The forty and two months are the same as the " time and times and the dividing of time ," three years and a half , or 1260 days , of Daniel 7-- the time during which the papal power was to oppress God ' s people . This period , as stated in preceding chapters , began with the supremacy of the papacy , A . D . 538 , and terminated in 1798 . At that time the pope was made captive by the French army , the papal power received its deadly wound , and the prediction was fulfilled , " He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity ."
At this point another symbol is introduced . Says the prophet : " I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth ; and he had two horns like a lamb ." Verse II . Both the appearance of this beast and the manner of its rise indicate that the nation which it represents is unlike those presented under the preceding symbols . The great kingdoms that have ruled the world were presented to the prophet Daniel as beasts of prey , rising when " the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea ." Daniel 7:2 . In Revelation 17 an angel explained that waters represent " peoples , and multitudes , and nations , and tongues ." Revelation 17:15 . Winds are a symbol of strife . The four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea represent the terrible scenes of conquest and revolution by which kingdoms have attained to power .
But the beast with lamblike horns was seen " coming up out of the earth ." Instead of overthrowing other powers to establish itself , the nation thus represented must arise in territory
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