Rise up out of the sea.—See Rev. 17:15; Psa. 65:7; 93:3, 4; Isa. 57:20. At the time of papacy’s birth the masses of the Roman people had ceased to have reverence for the ancient mythology of Pagan Rome. Constantine, a shrewd politician, discerned this and discerned the growing influence of the Christian religion. In adopting it, in forcing the adoption of the Nicene Creed, and in removing his capital from Rome, he gave the papacy its start.
Having TEN HORNS AND seven heads [and ten horns].—See Rev. 12:3; Dan. 7:7, 20; Rev. 17:3, 9‐12; 5:6; 1 Sam. 2:10; Deut. 33:17; 1 Ki. 22:11.
And upon his horns ten crowns.—In this calculation are included the three potential races plucked up to make way for the papacy. (Rev. 12:3; 17:3, 9.) In this picture the location of the crowns upon the horns instead of upon the heads, as in Rev. 12:3, denotes the changed situation after the papacy came into control. The papacy ruled not directly, as did Pagan Rome, but through other powers to which it was joined.
And upon his heads.—The seven kingdoms that still survive: Spain, Portugal, France, England, Germany, Austria, Greece, and their past and present dependencies.
The name of blasphemy.—Every one of these kingdoms falsely claims, or has claimed, to be a part of the Kingdom of God, though actually all part of the one great kingdom ruled by “The god of this world.”—2 Cor. 4:4.
13:2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard.—“The body of the Papal beast was like a Leopard. The Leopard was the third beast seen by Daniel, viz., Grecia. Greece was noted as the center of learning, piety and wisdom (Acts 17:23); so Papacy’s chief claim, to be the ruler of all kingdoms, is based on the claim that it is the center of wisdom, learning and piety. Other peculiarities of the Leopard are its activity, vigilance and secretiveness; so with Papacy. Again, a Leopard is spotted irregularly, so too Papacy’s policy in various parts of the earth.” (Z. ’79‐12‐2.) “In one place it is liberal, almost white in its professions or appearances; in another quarter black, corrupt, degrading, brutal; and in still other places it has various neutral and tawny shades of correspondence to the natural depravity of the people it rules with its rod of eternal torment and its staff of Purgatory. In Spain, for example, which has been for centuries one of its dark spots—as dark as the general civilization of the people will permit,—the ‘leopard’ has been accustomed to have its way, and is incensed that freedom of worship, or even of thought, should be dreamed of.”—Z. ’99‐262.