Is This

Tt*,

The Bea;st?Since the theory of evolution was

advanced by Darwin in the late1800's, the trend has been for man-kind to turn away from a personalfaith in a Creator. Doubts about alife hereafter now fill their minds.Man's religion has become mainlyphilosophical in nature as he turnshis attention toward temporal pur-suits.

Man is determined to control hispersonal environment completely so

that he need no longer fear catas-trophes such as sickness, pain, war,or other adversities that have trou-bled the human race. He even

by

Jacob O. Meyer

wants to control the weather to hisown advantage.

Nevertheless, the mind of manrealizes that he needs a protectorthat is stronger and more powerfulthan a mere individual, if he is tosurvive in this world. No man is anisland. Nor has a system of anarchyever worked or could work satisfac-torily.

Having rejected the concept of anexistent Mighty One, he will nal,u-rally turn toward a physical govern-

ment as a substitute for the MightyOne of the Scriptures. This humangovernment will be assigned theobligation of caring for and protect-ing the individual against hostile

O Copyright 1976, 1983, Assemblies of YahwehBethel, PA 19507

All Rights Reseroed

forces in his environment in place ofthe Almighty Heavenly Father andHis righteous government.

Man innately realizes that insociety he needs protection and ser-

vices which only a governr r€rlt can

offer. If you read the covenantYahweh made with Israel (found inExodus chapters 20-23), you will findthere the responsibilities of eachperson who accepts it.

But this covenant is not a

one-sided agreement! It is reciprocal. When the individual promisesto obey Almighty Yahweh and keep

His laws he will receive somethingin return for his service to the MostHigh. Notice the following quote

from Exodus 23:2*26. "worship Yah-

weh Aour Elohim, and He will bless Aourbread and Aour tDater. I will take away allsiekness out of Aour midst. None shallmiscarry or be barren in your land I willgrant Aou a fult span of life." NewEnglish Bible NEB).

$ince mankind has largely re-jected the covenant with AlmightyYahweh, the next step for him is toform a substitute government tomaintain some control over the peo-

ple. In times past, these govern-ments have been relatively small(except fgr the great empires), but inour present era the trends are to-ward expansionism. Industrial com-panies merge, schools consolidate,religious organizations combine;governments are no exception.

Underlying the merger of institu-tions lies the concept of control ofIarge blocks of humanity by a fewindividuals. Now this concept is notentirely bad, since the governmentof Kingdom of Yahweh is conceivedin this manner. However, carnalman is not converted to a mind ofrighteousness that produces correctactions, while Almighty Yahweh andHis representatives are completelyrighteous in dealing with their sul,-jects. Furthermore, size is no ac-

curate criterion for judging an insti-tution, although people usually tendto submit to their herd instinct infollowing a crowd.

Your Bible predicts that in theend times there will arise a giganticgovernment that would attempt tocontrol the world. This mammothgovernment will attempt to impose

an era of peace, through humanmeans, but in the end it will be

drawn into the most terrifiring warin human history. Have you under-stood these prophecies directly fromthe pages of your Bible? Thesepredictions are recorded in the Wordof Yahweh so that we might gainconfidence as we face the futureunafraid. They encourage us tokeep our eyes on the Kingdom ofYahweh, that wonderful era lyingjust beyond the wreckage man willmake of this earth as he rejects theWord of Yahweh while trying to

rule himself. Let us take a closelook at some of these prophecies andrelate them to developments takingplace in the world today.

The Biblical Origin ofEnd-Time World Goaernment

After Israel had entered the HolyLand subsequent to their exodusfrom Eryptian bondage, they wantedto set up a king to rule over themjust as did the other nations thatsurrounded them. They came toSamuel the prophet and demandedthe right to establish a monarchy torule their nation. Prior to this timeYahweh was the King and it was Hewho ruled Israel. But Israel desireda visible monarch rather than aninvisible ruler. Samuel was dis-pleased because he knew that thiskind of governmental structure wasnot pleasing to Yahweh. When heprayed, Yahweh answered, "Listen to

the people and all that they are saying;

they haae not rejected Uou, it is I Whom

they haae reiected I Whom they will nothaoe to be their King." I Samuel 8:7,NEB.

Then Almighty Yahweh proceeded

to describe the unconverted conductof the king that Israel would soon

coronate. " 'This witl be the sort of king

who will goaern Aou', he said 'He willtake Aour sons and make them serae in his

ehariots and with his caoalry, and willmake them run before his ehariot. Some

he will appoint offieers ouer units of a

thousand and units of fifty. Others willplough his fields and reap his haroest;

others again will make ueapons of war and

equipment for mounted troops. He willtake Aour daughters for perfumers, cooks,

and eonfeetioners, and will seize the best of

Aour eornfields, oineyards, and olioe-yards,

and gioe them to his lackeys. He will take

a tenth of your grain and Aour ointage togiae to his eunuehs and lackeys. Your

slaoes, both men and women, and the best

of your cattle and Aour asses he will seize

and put to his oun use. He will take a

tenth of Aour flocks, and Aou yourselaes

will beeome his slaoes. When that daA

eomes, Aou will erA out against the king

whom Uou haoe chosen; but it will be too

late, Yahweh will not answer Aou,' " 1

Samuel 8:11-18, NEB.

One would think that Israel hadthoroughly learned their lesson inEgypt and would not again allowthemsevles to become enslaved.Perhaps they relied upon the factthat this king would be one of theirown brethren, a fellou Israelite.However, Solomon partially fulfilledthe prophecy above in many respectsduring his reign because he did notremain humble and obey the instruc-tions given to the king in Deuter-onomy 17:14-20.

Israel had the tendency to copythe traditions and customs of thenations around them rather than toadhere strictly to the way of Yah-weh. Assimilating these customsand traditions diverted them awayfrom Yahweh and caused them totake on the characteristics of othernations.

Almighty Yahweh had selectedIsrael to be the model for othernations to follow. He intendedIsrael to portray to the world thebenefits of commandment keeping.Their minds and attitudes were tobe totally different from the nationsaround them as they lived a right-eous life so they would receiveblessings for keeping Yahweh's com-mandments, rather than to be cursedfor disobedience as are the worldlynations.

Paradoxically, instead of fulfillingtheir mission, Israel followed theways of the world. One of thoseways was to incorporate the worldlystyle of government which had al-ready been proven wrong from theirEgyptian bondage.

"And Oholah plaaed the harlot when she

was mine; and she doted on her looers, on

the Assyrians her neighbors, who were

clothed with blue, goaernors and rulers, allof them desirable Aoung men, horsemen

riding upon horses. And she bestowed her

whoredoms upon tliem, the choicest men ofAssyria all of them; and on whomeoer she

doted with all their idols she defiled

herself, Neither has she left her whore-

doms since the days of DWpt; for in heryouth they lay with her, and they handled

the bosom of her oirginitA; and theypoured out their whoredom upon her.

Therefore I delioered her into the hand of

her loaers, into the hand of the Assrrians,

upon whom she doted These uncouered her

nakedness,' they took her sons and her

daughters; and her they killed with the

swor* and she beeame a byword among

uomen; for they executed iudgments upon

her." Ezekiel 23:5-10Read the entire chapter and see

how the warnings apply to our day.Let us look at some examples of

worldly government that are foundin the Bible. First of all, we mustrealize that when one has rejectedthe government of Almighty Yahwehhe will be looking toward the

mighty one of this utorld towatch over him. "And eaen if our

message of good tidings is aeiled, it is

aeiled in them that perish: in whom the

MightA One of this world has blinded the

minds of the unbelieoing, that the light of

the good tidings of the glorY of the

Messiah, who is the image of Elohim,

should not dawn upon them," 2 Corin-thians 423-4.

It is Satan who has rePlaced

YAHWEH as the Mighty One ofthis world and the peoPle todaY

unknowingly or unthinkingly seek

his rulership. Satan's method is tointroduce a doctrine of rejection ofthe commandments of Yahweh. BY

rejecting the commandments of Yah-

weh, the constitution of His right-eous government, theY follow thephilosophy of Satan which is rebel-

lion against Yahweh's authoritY.I]ndermine the commandments ofYahweh and no restraint remains tofulfilling the unbridled lusts in thehuman heart.

The First King That Re-placed Yahweh

When Adam and Eve were Placedin the garden of Eden they weregiven dominion (rulership) over thegarden and this rulership was even-

tually to be extended to all the

earth as their descendants multi-plied, Genesis 1:28. This means thatAdam was to be a vassal king underYahweh. Satan immediately entered

the picture and influenced Adamand Eve to follow him in rejection ofthe government of Almighty Yah-

weh. Consequently, the Heavenly

Father rejected the first man andwoman and evicted them from thebeautiful garden of Eden, forcingthem as a punishment to make theirown way on this cruel earth.Nevertheless, Yahweh promised a

Messiah to be born of the seed of the

woman who would crush the head ofSatan and be the Savior of theworld, Genesis 3:15.

Adam and Eve had two sons,

named Cain and Abel. Cain, the

firstborn, followed the line of Adamand was to be the one throughwhom the Messiah would come, buthe developed into a wicked man. He

was so wicked that he killed his ownbrother Abel and then tried to hidethe fact. Yahweh rejected the Cainline and this is the wicked family ofpeople that was destroyed in theflood.

The Messianic lineage was tocome through Seth, the third son

born to Adam and Eve. Cain

actually began the system of govern-

ment in opposition to Yahweh bY

building a city for his descendants

which he named after the name ofhis son Enoch (the name means

teaching or initiation in Hebrew),

Genesis 4:17. We do not know whY

Cain built the city, but it may have

been his way of constructing protec-

tion for himself and his familY and

to keep them together under his

influence, since he feared the judg-

ment of Yahweh, Genesis 4:13-16.

The Origin of the FalseMessiah

After the flood a false Messiah

appears. He was from the familY ofHam. Let us read the recorded

history in Genesis 10:8-12, NEB."Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began

to show himself a man of might on the

earth; and he was a mighty hunter before

(in opposition to) Yahweh, as the saying

goes, 'Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before

(in opposition to) Yahweh.' His kingdom in

the beginning consisted of Babel" Ereeh,

and Accad, all of them in the land of

Shinar. From that land he migrated to

Asshur and built Nineaeh, Rehoboth-Ir,

Calah, and Resen, a great city between

Nineaeh and Calah."

Here we have the accurate his-

torical record of a kingdom being

created by a man who claimed to be

a mighty one in the earth. Thisman, Nimrod, was a mightY hunterof men in opposition to Yahweh.

Must we marvel that so fewpeople today will accept the King-dom government of Yahweh? Adoctrine in opposition to Yahweh's

laws is ALWAYS more Pleasing to

the carnal nature of man than to be

obedient to the Heavenly Father.Nimrod hunted men for his kingdomthrough rebellion against Yahweh's

covenant laws. Rather than ad-

hering to Almighty Yahweh and

building His worship, Nimrod de-

sired worship for himself and so he

hunted men to populate his king-

dom. He set himself uP to be the

Messiah of his day.

It was from this original attemPtof a human being to build a king-

dom in opposition to AlmightY Yah-

weh that the religions of the worldtoday are derived. Nimrod and

Semiramis, his wife, originated doc-

trines and established a worshiP

contrary to what is taught in the

Inspired Scriptures. These doctrineshave come down to us throughtraditional churchianity, and other

religions, and are today the bindingforce of humanity among the nations

of the world.These were the doctrines that the

prophets of Yahweh warned Israel

against assimilating. Inasmuch as

Israel did not heed, theY graduallY

incorporated these false doctrinesand eventually paid for their abom-

inable deviation by going into Assyr-

ian and Babylonian captivity, being

taken captive bY the same nations

whose customs theY had accePtcC

and whose founder was Nimrod, the

arch-rebel against Yahweh.

The Ten T?ibes in AssyrianCaptiaity

Let us take into account thehistory of the Israelite nation of theten northern tribes. They sinnedagainst Yahweh and He deliveredthem to a foreign nation. They

began looking toward human savlorsand erroneous idolatrous practices ina worship which angered Yahweh.Notice how the prophet Hosea describes this apostasy. In chapter 7 ,

verses 10-16 we read, "And the pride of

Israel does testify to his face: Aet they

haae not returned to Yahweh their Dlohim,

nor sought him, for all this. And Ephraim

is like a silly doae, without understanding:

they call to EgApt, they go to Assyria.

When they shall go, I will spread my net

upon them; I will bring them down os the

birds of the heaaens; I will chastise them,

os their eongregation has heard. Woe to

them! For they haoe wandered from me;

destruetion to them! For they haoe

trespassed against me: though I would

redeem them, Aet they haae spoken lies

against me. And they haae not eried to me

with their heart, but they howl upon their

beds: they assemble themselues for grain

and neu wine; they rebel against me.Though I have taught and strength-ened their arms, yet do they turn,but not to him that is on high; thea

are like a deeeitful bow; their princes shall

fall ba the sword for the rage of their

tongue: this shall be their derision in the

land of Egypt."Here was a people who had been

miraculously released from EsryPt,

but they were backsliding and bentupon returning to the idolatrousworship of their former enslaved

condition. Yahweh had told Israelin Exodus 12:12 that He wouldexecute judgment against the elohim(idols) of Egypt. Israel apparentlydid not remember the importance ofthat great Passover day when Yah-weh took the life of all of thefirstborn in the land of Erypt. Theyrepeatedly returned to the tradition-al worship they had supposedly leftbehind.

Egypt was a part of Nimrod'sempire since he was said to have

moved from Mesopotamia into EgyptIater in life. See Hislop's The TwoBabylons, p. 12-13 & 40-46. Since

the Assyrian empire had originatedwith Nimrod's rebellion against Yah-weh and since the worship of Egypt,Assyria and Babylon were similar,except for the names employed inworship, the reason why Yahweh

Eaen todaUcan see thatmodern prophets

of Israel had sinned against Yahwehtheir Elohim, who brought them upout of the land of Egypt from underthe hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt,and had feared other elohim, andwalked in the statutes of the na-tions, whom Yahweh east out frombefore the children of Israel, and ofthe kings of Israel, which theyrnade. And the children of Israeldid secretly things that were notright against Yahweh their Elohim:and they built for themsehses high places

in all their eities, from the tower of the

watehmen to the fortified citU; and they set

up pillars for themselaes and Asherim upon

eaera high hilL and under eaera green tree;

and there they burnt incense in all the

high places, as did the nations whom

Yahweh eamied awaA before them; and

they worked wicked things to prot:oke

Yahweh to anger; and they seroed idols, ofwhich Yahweh had said to them, You shallnot do this thing. Yet Yahweh testified to

Israel, and to Judah, by eaery prophet, and

eaera seer, saAing, Tfurn from aour eoil

uaAs, and keep mA commandments and my

statutes, aeeording to all the law which Icommanded Aour fathers, and which I sent

to Aou bA mA seroants the prophets.

Neaertheless, they would not hear, but

hardened their neek, like the neck of their

fathers, and his testimonies which he

testified to therr,,- and they followed aanity,

and became uain, and went after the

nations that were around them, coneerning

whom Yahweh had charged them that they

should not do like them. And they forsook

all the eommandments of Yahweh their

Elohitn, and made molten images for

themseloes, eaen two calues, and made an

Asherah and worshiped all the host ofhearsen, and seroed BaaL And they eaused

their sons and their daughters to pass

through the fire, and used dioination and

enehantments, and sold themselaes to do

that which was eoil in the sight of Yahweh,

to proooke him to anger. Therefore

Yahweh was oerA angia with Israel, and

remooed them out of his sight; there was

none left but the tribe of Judah only."

Judah Followed Israel IntoRejecting Yahweh's Kingship

Although Yahweh had warnedJudah, the nation comprising thetwo tribes surrounding the Temple

wetheof

the Most High areculling His peopleback to pureu)orship.

used Assyria to punish waywardIsrael is obvious. They were pun-ished by a people whose worshipthey had assimilated.

I€t us notice also that YahwehSayS, "They returno but not to the Most

High." Even today we can see thatthe modern prophets of the MostHigh are calling His people back topure worship. But how many people

respond by separating themselvescompletely from the false worship ofworldly religion? Some people mayaccept various sound doctrines of theBible, but unless they worship Yah-weh and eliminate the names of theBaals from their vocabulary, theyhave not returned to the trueMighty One, Yahweh the MostHigh.

The writer of 2 Kings 17 has

recorded the indictment of Yahwehagainst His people the House ofIsrael. It is found in verses G18.

Let us read it carefully and realizethat it is a solemn warning for us inour time. "fn the ninth aear of Hoshea

the king of Assyria took Samaria, and

earried Israel awaA to AssAria, and placed

them in Halah, and on the Habor, the rioerof Gozan and in the cities of the Medes.

And it was so, because the children

{

in Jerusalem, the tribes of Judahand Benjamin, they ignored Hiswarning. They began to assimilatethe worship of the Babylonians and

eventually found themselves in captivity in Babylon. The proPhet

Jeremiah deals especially with Yah-

weh's warning to Judah and how itwas rejected by the people. The

worship of the Babylonians was

appealing to Judah and they incor-porated some of those traditions intotheir worship, Ezekiel 23. Consequently, Judah went into Babylon-

ian captivity.The book of Daniel was written

by a man who was taken into thatBabylonian captivity. It describes

how those captives who remainedfaithful to Yahweh did not capitu-Iate to the enticing Babylonian cul-

ture, but they received protectionfrom Yahweh as they stood resolutely for His truth.

Here is a lesson for us in ourtime. Although we find ourselves

living in an environment not of ourmaking, a society that adheres to a

pagan Babylonish standard that was

handed down to us from manygenerations ago, we, the members ofthe Assemblies of Yahweh, study theBible and seek to eliminate thestigma of paganism from our lives.We do this to please AlmightyYahweh so that He will receive us

as His children. We voluntarilyaccept the government of AlmightYYahweh in our lives and we rejectthe government motivated by Satanwho is the power behind the govern-

ments of this world.The prophet Daniel found himself

in Babylon but he continued to serve

Almighty Yahweh. He enduredmany trials to remain faithful to his

faith. While in Babylon, AlmightYYahweh gave him visions of thingsto come. Here is revealed the

relationship of the book of Daniel toour time, the last days.

Daniel, chapter 2, records one of

the most thrilling prophecies of thebook. It was in this chaPter thatDaniel interpreted the vision forNebuchadne zzar in which is foundthe prediction that a system ofworld governments would arise, withBabylon as the head. This is indeed

significant. The head is the part ofthe anatomy that controls the re-

mainder of the body by doing the

thinking for it. Today the govern-

ments of this world constitute a

modern Babylon. They adhere tothe ancient Babylonian religion.They are motivated by the BabYlon-

ian-type government that has come

down through the ages.

This dream outlines a Progressionof world-ruling empires that wouldfollow Babylon. Second in thisline of world-ruling empires follow-ing Babylon would be Media-Persia.

Media-Persia conquered Babylon and

established an empire that ruled inthe Middle East until the conquest

of Alexander the Great and his

Grecian empire. Following the Gre-

cian empire came the rise ofRome-a truly awesome emPire ofgigantic dimensions which ruled over

the Mediterranean area of the worldfor about seven hundred Years.

The Roman Empire finallY sepa-

rated into two parts (depicted by the

two legs of the image) and it had

capitols at Rome and Constanti-nople. Bventually, from this empirewere to come ten toes that wouldrule until Almighty Yahweh wouldset up His Kingdom on this earthand smash the image into dust.

Daniel, chapter 7, is another as-

pect of this prophecy from a dif-ferent viewpoint. Here Daniel was

shown a progression of beasts whichrepresented the four great

world-ruling empires, BabYlon,

Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome.

The fourth beast was dreadf'rJ and

terrible and had great iron teeth. Itstamped down the peoPle with itsfeet and it had ten horns. Hornsare the symbol of power and theY

correspond to the ten toes of Danielchapter two. These ten horns willbe ruling when Yahshua the Messiah

/lr,5,1

{Irt

-nt

The Beast- Reaelation 13: 1-2.

returns and the saints of the MostHigh take the Kingdom and rule inthe Kingdom forever and ever.

Revelation 13 harmonizes com-pletely with these prophecies. Youwill notice that the basic viewpointof both prophecies is identical.Daniel saw four winds striving uponor converging upon the great sea.

Although the sea can be construedas masses of people, Isaiah 57:20, itmust be understood as nations situ-ated in a certain specific land area.This great sea is none other than theMediterranean. John, in Revelation13, said that he was standing on thesand of the sea when he saw a greatbeast (the last one of Daniel 7)

coming up out of the sea. John wasstanding on the Island of Patmoswhen he saw this vision, Revelation1:9. The Island of Patmos is locatedin the lower Aegean. John wasIooking down the Mediterranean

Sea. This great waterway has beencalled by some historians, "The MainStreet of the Roman Empire." Itcarried most of the commerce be-

tween Rome and her colonies.Consequently, both prophecies, Dan-iel 7 and Revelation 13, are dealingwith the same situation-the RomanEmpire-and its reconstitution inthe last days.

We must recall that Rome con-quered and ruled vast land areasaround the Mediterranean Sea. TheRoman Empire, at her height, alsocontrolled the Atlantic coastline ofwestern Europe, most of the BritishIsles, France, Germ&try, along withthe Balkan nations, in addition tothe areas surrounding the Mediter-ranean. When the Roman Empirefinally collapsed, the western European nations continued to recognize

.'their roots in Rome and they calledthemselves the Holy Roman Empire.

What Is a Beast?

Many Bible readers become terri-fied when they read some of theseprophecies and encounter descriptions of "beasts." This is frighteningto those who do not understand thata beast merely represents a government.

Please turn to Daniel 7:17-18. Weread there, "These great beasts, which

are four, are four kings, that shall arise

out of the earth. But the saints of the

Most High shall reeeiae the kingdom, andpo$sess the kingdom foreuer, eaen foreaer

and euer." A beast in Bible prophecyrepresents a kingdom. A king rulesover a kingdom. The Hebrew word"Malkuth" has been translatedkingdom and could well be trans-Iated empire in this instance.Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, andRome were ruled by emperors. Theywere great beasts or gigantic govern-ments. They held sway over many

fu. Wa recognize the beast ?

It looks like an animal d.oesn't it? Look closelE and you uill recogn'ize the Roman Empire at i,ts greatest extent.

It wos thit "bcut" thot the prophet Danicl and, the Apostle John sato. But, the end, time "beast" will aute the utorld,

because it will be euen grander, incorporating nations which are colonies of this beast.

surrounding nations. Let us remem-ber that beasts means gouernmentsand not churches. Some propheticstudents have somehow shifted thebiblically defined term "beast" tomean church, which it does not.Daniel 2:37-39 indicates that thesegovernments are empires comprisedof many smaller nations, ruled byan emperor with vassal kings underhim. "You, O king, are king of kings, to

whom the Elah of heaaen has gioen the

kingdom, the power, and the strength, and

the glorA; and whereaer the children ofmen dwell, the beasts of the field and the

birds of the heaoens has he giaen into Aourhand, and has made you to rule oaer them

att; Aou are the head of gold-" Thegreat harlot of Revelation 17 thatrides on the beast is a spiritualorgani zation The beast is theworldly government on which theharlot rides.

The Latter Days

The Roman Empire did continuedown through time as the HolyRoman Empire. After Rome's de-

struction by the barbarian hordes itfell into desolation, described as itsdescent into the bottomless pit (thegrave, destruction), Revelation 17:8.

The idea of a world-ruling empirewas kept alive down through thedark ages by the Holy Roman Em-pire, as European emperors, such as

Charlemagne, were installed into

this office. These kings becameprotectors of the papacy, but sub-jected themselves to papal authority(the woman, ;ehurch, rode on thebeast). However, the Bible shows

that in the end days a group ofnations will combine and form thebeast that will be destroyed whenYahshua the Messiah returns.

Let us understand more clearlynow. These prophecies indicate thatjust before Yahshua returns a gigan-tic government will arise made up often horns (powers) or ten toes.

These ten powers will combine toform the beast. These ten powersneed not be merely ten nations, butthey can be groups of nations.These nations will be centered inEurope and the Mediterranean area,as we have already seen. Most ofthem will have been originally apart of the Roman Empire.

These ten nations or groups ofnations (powers) will not be locatedexclusively in the Mediterraneanarea, but the center of governmentwill be there. When we use theterm "groups of nations" it is ob-

vious that ethnic people, who wereonce unified as one family but laterseparated to become several differentnations, must be considered as onenation or power. We must alsorealize that Buropeans have been a

colonizing people and undoubtedlyvarious colonies which the European

nations have planted in far-flungareas around the world must be

considered as one with the mothercountry. When Yahshua returns Hewill gather His people from allaround the earth, from one end ofheaven to the other, Matthew 24:31.

Again we must emphasize thatboth the prophet Daniel and theApostle John were shown the same

vision, but from slightly differenttime frames. Both men saw the riseof a fantastically powerful empiresituated astride the MediterraneanSea. John additionally saw only thefinal resurrection of the RomanEmpire as it would appear in thetime of the ten horns, in the lastdays.

For someone to attempt to Iocate

the beast (government) in anotherarea of the world would be a grave

error in the undet'standing of Bibleprophecy. End-time Bible prophecies

focus upon a resurrected RomanEmpire, an empire that would ariseafter a considerable period of time.It would not exist for a time as anactual government, but merely in a

figurative spiritual way to dominateby directing national governments(the woman rides the beast). Itsgovernment would be situated inwhat was once the geographic areaof the Roman Empire, but it wouldinclude colonies that came out ofEurope.

Notice the clear statement ofDaniel 9:26. "And after that sixty-two

weeks shall the anointed one be eut off,

and shall haae nothing: and the people ofthe prince that shall come shall destroy the

city and the sanctuary; and the end of itshall be with a flood, and eaen to the end

shall be war; desolations are determined."

Which nation destroyed the HolyCity after Babylon had done so?

Obviously it was Rome, who did so

in 70 C.E. Therefore, from Romewill come the last prince, the beastof Revelation.

The EuropeanMarket

Common

The western European nationshave long considered themselves as

the rightful rulers of the world.

This picture shouss a ground aiew of the Euromart Headquarters building

blso shoutn in aerial aiew on page il. Note the distinctiae design in the shape

of the cross, which coupled utith its adjacent anner includes the male and female

biological ser symbols.

Even though the nations are small,their influence in world affairs h,*s

been exceedingly great. After WorldWar 2 they felt their influenceslipping as they stood between thetwo giants, Russia on the east andthe llnited States on the West.Without unity they knew it wouldbe impossible to exist any longersince they would be gobbled up byone or the other. Western Europesensed that they could easily becon ie

the forthcoming battleground of a

horribly destructive war between theeast and west. The European nlz-

tions had learned the lesson-uni.edwe stand, divided we fall. As aconsequence, a movement was begunto unite the nations of Europe intoan integrated government of com-bined nations that would be able tomake its voice heard in inter-national diplomatic circles.

This idea of a European Commu-nity of nations was originated byDr. Paul Henri Spaak, a Frencheconomist. He envisioned a tradingcommunity of European nations thatwould unite, first for economic rea-

sons, but would later turn theirattention toward political matters.The European Economic Communitywas established by the treaty ofRome, March 25, 1957, and tookeffect January 1, 1958. It was anoutgrowth of the European Coal andSteel Community. Under the treatyof Brussels, effective July 1, 1967,the policy-making bodies of theE.E.C. were merged with the European Coal and Steel Community.European statesmen apparently feltthat a beginning should be made forEuropean unity through economicintegration of the member nationsand then shift their attention intothe political sector. An all Euro-pean Parliament now meets with apremier at its head (an actualwoman, Simmone Vail rides the

beast today).Let us look carefully at the roots

of the Common Market. The Buropean Bconomic Community was be-

gun by the treaty of Rome. One

need not be shocked then to see thisorgani zation as a revival of the

Roman Empire. The treaty of Romeapparently had the blessing of theRoman Catholic Pope Pius XII. Theheadquarters of this organi zationwas set up later at Brussels, whichis in the geographic center of Eu-rope. Belgium had been a part ofthe old Roman Empire. It was alsoa part of the Holy Roman Empire.It is presently ruled by KingBaudoin, who is of the Royal Houseof Saxe-Coburg. The form of govern-ment is a constitutional monarchy.It is in Brussels that the head-quarters of the Common Market issituated.

Six nations originated the European Economic Community, alsocalled E.E.C. and the Common Mar-ket. They were Belgium, Nether-Iands, Luxemburg, France, Italy,and West Germany. Since 1958 fourother nations have joined the Com-mon Market. They are: The IlnitedKingdom (England), Denmark, Ireland, and Greece. Spain and Portu-gal applied for membership in 1977.

As of 1983, 61 nations are con-sidered associates. Norway had alsobeen approved as a member but thepeople rejected the proposed entryby a referendum. Among associate

members of the Common Maiket areT\rrkey, Cyprus, Malta, and 24 Afri-can countries. Negotiations also areundetway to bring in the six nationsof the European Free Trade Associa-

tions.It is obvious to the alert observer

that this rising government is beingcentered around the MediterraneanSea. The E.E.C. today includes a

great deal of the area dominated bythe original Roman Empire. Wecannot overlook this significant factbecause it is vital to our understand-ing of Bible prophecy.

Some years ago, ministers whoare teachers of Bible prophecy main-tained that England would not be apart of the Common Market. Theauthor of this article has alwaysdeclared that England would indeedbe included in the Common Marketbecause it had once been a part ofthe Roman Empire. And this isonly one reason out of several that

brought us to this conclusion. The

British people have for centuriesbeen involved in world politics, andtherefore it was imperative thatthey also become a part of theCommon Market so that their influ-ence could be extended there also.

The British people are descendants

of the ten lost tribes of Israel (as aremost western European peoples), andtherefore they will be a part of theend-time beast of Revelation 13.

But, let us not forget the coloniesthat have come out of this mothercountry-the United States, Canada,Australia, Republic of South Africa,Rhodesia, and others. When thefinal beast emerges, in all of itspower and might, these nations willalso have some part to play in it.The prophecy indicates that thebeast would have ten horns (powers)

not merely be 10 nations.

A Unified EconomA Leads toCommon Monetary Policy

If you have noticed the articles inyour newspapers recently you willhave seen a reference to the inten-tion of the Common Market toinstitute a common currency in thenear future. This common currencywill no longer fluctuate as have thevarious national currencies in thepast. This common currency willfurther unite the nations of Europeand supposedly stabilize economics.

This new monetary unity has been

designated "the snake."It was in 1945 that the Inter-

national Monetary Fund was estab-

Iished to assist member nations intrading and maintaining financialstability. The nations involved as

lenders are the western industrialnations, some of whom are involvedin the Common Market today. Allof these factors combine to drawtogether nations that are involved inforeign trade with each other. Acommon currency will take the west-ern world just one step furtheralong the road to the formation ofthe beast government prophesied inRevelation 13.

The trend toward unity is also

taking the form of a universal

standard of measure. For some timethe metric system has been thestandard of measure in the nationsof Europe. Now it is being urgedupon the llnited States also. Propo-nents of the metric system declarethat it will encourage trade when allmeasurements worldwide will be

standardized. They neglect to tell usthat it will cost billions of dollars toinaugurate the system here in Amer-ica and will provide an ideal climatefor avaricious businessmen to raiseprices on goods being sold to anunsuspecting and uneducated public.Making the ephah small (the mea-sure small) and the shekel great(currency) was prophesied in Amos8:5.

Political [InityThe first direct elections for a

European Parliament were held in1978 and from this election emerged

a European prime minister. Subse-

quent to these elections the finalphase of the integration of Europeannations into a unified governmentwill become complete. The sinisterforces at work in the world todaycan almost be described in terms ofthe biblical frogs (Revelation16:13-14), unclean spirits loose in theworld to unite them for a satanicpurpose (It is no coincidence that thesnake is a symbol of Satan, Revela-tion l2:9).

It is obvious that over the pastdecade or more the trends in theIlnited States have been to bringthis country down to a position ofrelative importance among nations.The reason for this trend is un-doubtedly so that our once greatnation could be integrated into a

world government with little diffi-culty. When the League of Nationswas formed after World War 1, thepeople of the llnited States resistedthe efforts of the internationalistpoliticians to include our country.Although we entered the llnitedNations after World War 2, thisorgani zation, dedicated to worldgovernment, has proven itself in-effective in halting wars. Now thetrends are toward the unity of

industrial nations of the WesternWorld.

A very interesting clipping ar-rived here at the Home Offices ofthe Assemblies of Yahweh. Thisclipping will be quoted as follows:"The Atlantie Union Resolution was passed

in the Senate during the last Congress, and

barely failed (197 to 210) in the House ofRepresentatiaes. ft is now onee again

under eonsideration and already has more

than 100 sponsors in the House. If passed

the Atlantic Union Resolution would permit

a delegation of eighteen Ameriean eitizens

to meet with representatioes of foreign

goaernments to; a) declare that the goal of the

American people is to surrender the sovereignty of the

United States to a central internationalist authority; b)

set a timetable for various stages of that surrender; and,

c) agree 0n a formal written warrant granting the

power to perform acts that would hasten the process.

And so you can observe that theUnited States is moving ever closer

to being included in an AtlanticUnion of nations that will eventual-Iy emerge from the European Com-mon Market integration of indus-trial and trading nations. The NATO

organi zation has firmly bound ustogether in mutual defense. The

trends are unmistakable and if theycontinue os they are at present we

will see the beast emergingsoon, possibly within anotherdecade. However, setbacks canoccur in the plans of the inter-nationalist planners who are themajor proponents of world govern-ment.

The Role of Religion inWorld Goaernment

One would hardly imagine that a

world government could take on a

religious significance. However, wemust remember that humanism istoday the religion of the world.Since the advent of the doctrine ofevolution, which has made such a

deep impression upon our society,the importance of the Bible and itsmessage has been minim ized. Butmankind still realizes that they needa protector.

Consequently, a substitution has

been made in which government nowplays the role of the Almighty. Thenations of Europe have been growingprogressively more socialistic in poli-tical philosophy during the presentcentury and the European EconomicCommunity is hastening the process

toward the new socialist worldorder.

riffiffi

9,+*

,,t

h*,it'::.....

la, i,

,.l1,',r,,,,,,i..:''':.''$.,.,:t *

St. Peter's Cathedral, Rome. Note

especially eaidenced by the obelisk inon phallic symbolism,

The United States is no exception,but we are following meekly in thepathways of imported socialisticphilosophy. Because of the substitu-tion of government for a viable faithin Almighty Yahweh, it is notstrange then, that the headquartersbuilding of the Common Market is

constructed in the shape of a cross.

Our visit to the Common Marketheadquarters in Brussels revealedquite a surprise. We were startledto observe that the design of themain headquarters office building is

constructed in the shape of a cross(the sign of the female and ancientasherah phallic worship)! Could itbe that the Common Market organi-zation has now taken on a religioussignificance? Certainly the use ofthe cross in this architectural design

is not a coincidence. And thenwhen we consider that the auxiliaryoffice building has the shape of an

arrow, the sign of the male, one

must realize that any coincidentalfactor is removed by this second

structure taking on such significantform. Please look closely at thepicture accompanying this article.

Do you know the significance ofthe cross in ancient worship? If you

have never made a study of thehistory of this religious object, whynot write to the Home Offices of the

Assemblies of Yahweh here at Beth-el, Pennsylvania, and request yourfree copy of our article on thissubject. You will find it mostenlightening when you relate it tothe subject of the Common Market.

The Vatican has repeatedly calledfor European unity. This also issignificant. Pope Paul as said years

ago that he hopes that the CommonMarket Summit "maa signal a step

forward toward the unity of European

peoples." SurelY we can see the

fulfillment of prophecy as Rome

rides upon the beast, Revelation17:3-6. Pope John Paul II has

strongly urged Poland to break from

Russia and ally themselves with the

United States. It is significant thatsuch an emminent statesman as

Charles DeGaulle designated Europe

as running to the lJral Mountains.

Computer Pouser

With the advent of the computertechnology since World War 2 wecan see the possibility of a machinecontrolling and monitoring the peo-

ple of the world. Occasionally, one

hears of publications asserting thatthere is already a computer inoperation at the Common Marketheadquarters building in Brusselswith the capability of registeringevery man, woman, and child in theWestern World. However, otherreliable newspaper reports discountthis assertion. When we visited the

Common Market headquarters we

were unable to verifu or disproveeither of the reports. Consequently,we have not been able to prove theexistence of such a computer as has

been described.However, even though such a

computer is probably not yet inexistence, the capability is certainlyavailable with modern technology.It will require a computer to regu-

late the people of the beast gover-

nment to the extent of knowing who

is able to buy or sell. We read inRevelation 13:1F17, "And it was sioen

to him to gioe breath to it, eoen to the

image of the beast, that the image of the

beast should both speak, and eaase that as

mana as should not worship the image of

the beast should be killed And he causes

alL the small and the great, and the rich

and the poor, and the free and the bond,

that there be giaen to them a mark on

their hand or on their forehead; and that

no man should be able to buu or to sell,

except he that has the mark, eaen the

name of the beast, or the number of his

name." For those who do not accept

the mark of the beast there will be

death and persecution. This harmo-nizes with the predictions of persecu-

tion and martyrdom predicted byYahshua the Messiah in LukeZl:lGI7. We read here, "Bnt aou

shall be deliaered up eaen bA parents, and

brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and

some of you shall they eause to be put todeath. And Aou shall be hated of all men

for my name's sake."

For those people who do notsubmit to the dictates of the beastgovernment, there will be a time ofsevere trial awaiting them. Alreadylegal precedents for another wave ofgenocide are being laid with the

abortion legislation now on the

books. (Does any human being have

protect€d rights? Think about this!)This could lead to further legislationbased upon the same principlesapplied against those who willchoose to serve Yahweh rather thanmen, Acts 5:29. Those "religious

fanatics" who are undesirable in the

era of the beast government will be

killed, just as in past ages, because

they cannot be a part of a worldlYsystem opposed to scriptural law.

"And when he had opened the titth seal, Isaw underneath the altar the souls of them

that had been killed for the word of

Yahweh, and for the testimony which they

hetd: and theU cried with a great rsoiee,

saying, How long, Oh Yahweh, the holY

tnd true, do you not iudge and aaenge our

blood on them that dwell on the earth?

And there was giaen to each one a white

robe; and it was said to them, that they

should rest yet for a little time, until their

fellowseraants also and their brethren, who

should be killed euen as thea uere' should

haoe futfitled their eottrse." Revelation6:9-11

Since the nations of Europealready have a system in which each

individual carries an identificationcard, a subsequent news item came

as no surprise. From the meeting ofthe European Common Market dele-

10

gations in Rome came a report thatthe Common Market countries aredetermined to overcome nationalisticand economic differences in order tounifu the member nations. One wayis to inaugurate a single passport forthe entire European Economic Com-munity. This will take the CommonMarket one step closer to completecontrol of each individual citizen.The scientific advances of man willeventually bring about his own en-

slavement in these last days. Nowcards with computer chips are possi-

ble that will allow closer scrutiny ofeach person's identification.

Conclusion

Although few people today can

see the full extent to which the

merging of nations will reach in the

last days, your Bible describes a

great union of nations that willarise just before the Messiah re-

turns. We must not be limited bythinking in terms of a Europeangovernment alone, which is much too

small in scope. We must keeP inmind the prophecy that shows therewill be ten united powers. Thisgovernment will be centered in an

area once ruled by the RomanEmpire, but will include other areas

also. Obviously, it is not a coinci-

dence that the original treaty of thisunion of nations was made in Rome;

and even today Rome plays a veryimportant part in the negotiations.

We must remember that thisend-time revival of the Roman Em-pire will include colonies that have

come out of the European countrieswhich were once a part of Rome.

Therefore, this coming union of na-

tions will perhaps be called "The

Greater Atlantic Union." These

combined nations will comprise the

beast government and this will be

the government which the Messiahwill destroy when He returns toestablish the Kingdom of Yahweh.

The beast government will makevirtual slaves of its subject peoples.

It will dominate the individual tosuch an extent that the people willbe working day and night to satisfothe beast's demands.

Almost eaerumoae that is made ininternational politicstodaU is directed to-u)ard facilitatingthis tt)orld gouern-ment.

I]ndoubtedly the book of Revela-

tion describes a wartime situation.The beast government will oppose

the eastern nations in a conflict so

great in scope that each side willraise armies in the hundreds ofmillions of men. Please see Revela-

tion 16:12. This war will end at theBattle of Armageddon when theMessiah returns to establish theKingdom of Yahweh on this earthand He destroys the belligerentarmies.

What lies just ahead for thepeople of our world today? We can

expect the Internationalists, who arein reality the International Bankers,to continue their insistence that a

huge government of western nationsbe formed to ensure peace on earth.The insistence that a strong govern-ment be established will undoubted-ly reach a rising crescendo due to aninternational incident of some kind,possibly a war in the Middle East inwhich atomic weapons will be used.

The International Bankers do notwish to see their worldwide propertydestroyed. They intend to maintaincontrol over the world by manipula-tion of the people through the propa-ganda that they constantly pour intothe news media.

Almost every move that is madein international politics today isdirected toward facilitating thisworld government. This governmentwill supercede the United Nationswhich is already in disrepute. Itwill also be more powerful than the

Ilnited Nations is today. The na-

tions of Europe are well on the wayto being totally unified. The UnitedStates is being reduced in power so

that we can be merged into thiscoming Atlantic government. Thisis being done by sinking our nationever deeper into debt from which itis now impossible to extricate our-selves. We will be the slaves of the

Internationalists. No one has thedetermination today to stand up andtell the world the truth-ObeyYahweh or suffer His punishmentfor sin. No one, that is, except theAssemblies of Yahweh.

The seeds of world governmenthave been sown for the past century.But the coming government, knownas the beast system, will be broughtinto existence quickly, mainly forthe purpose of solidifying the West-ern World into a bulwark againstthe eastern nations who are also ingreat need of Middle Eastern oil,just as in Europe and the UnitedStates. While the diplomah of theWestern World hail this new worldorder as a coming era of peace, awar of gigantic magnitude willbreak out almost immediately afberthe final union of the nations. Justas Hitler was determined to build athousand year reich (that ended in12 years), this kingdom will topplealso in a very short time. Withoutthe Almighty to direct the efforh ofmen to form such a government itwill never bear good fruit.

The only lasting government willbe the Kingdom of Yahweh. Out ofthe ruins of these end times willarise a world government that willnever end. It will be raised up byYahshua the Messiah, the Son ofYahweh. This world governmentwill stand forever and it will bringabout an era of lasting peace andprosperity. This government is call-ed the Kingdom of Yahweh.

It has representatives right hereon this earth today. Wouldn't youlike to become acquainted with someof its citizens? You may do so bydrawing closer to the Assemblies ofYahweh, a group whose citizenshipis in Heaven, Philippians 3:20.

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