The book of Revelation, Chapter 13, speaks of a beast rising up out of the earth with two horns like a lamb. A beast in Bible prophecy symbolizes a kingdom or nation. Furthermore, horns represent kings, kingdoms and emblems of power; Daniel 7 and 8 clearly point this out. It is widely accepted among Seventh-day Adventists that the prophetic beast rising from the earth symbolizes the United States of America, yet when it comes to the beast’s “two horns like a lamb” (Revelation 13:11) Seventh-day Adventists interpret the beast’s horns in the literal sense. Why is that?
Literalism vs. Symbolism
Post 1844, the early Sabbatarian Adventist understanding of the beast’s two lamb-like horns underwent a progressive shift and change in interpretation. The Samuel Rhodes-Otis Nichols 1850 prophecy chart (first issued in January 1851) depicted the beast’s horns as symbolically representing ecclesiastical powers, “papist and protestant”. [1] In May 1851, J.N. Andrews wrote an article in the Review and Herald titled, THOUGHTS ON REVELATION XIII AND XIV. In the article, Andrews not only presented his reasons why the beast from the earth (Rev. 13:11-17) pointed to the United States of America but equated the beast’s horns with the characteristics of literal lamb horns.
J.N. Andrews had this to say: “The youth, as well as the apparent mildness of this power, seems to be indicated by its Iamb-like horns. What do these horns mean?… In appearance, if we may judge from the symbols used, this beast [from the earth] represents the mildest power that ever rose; for in the prophetic history of the governments that have preceded this, no one has been represented by symbols so mild. We understand these horns to denote the civil and religious power of this nation [The United States of America]—its Republican civil power, and its Protestant ecclesiastical power.” Review & Herald, May 19, 1851, p. 83.
Ellen White later added: “The lamb-like horns indicate youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly representing the character of the United States when presented to the prophet [John] as ‘coming up’ in 1798.” The Great Controversy (1888), p. 441; Furthermore, “The lamb-like horns, emblems of innocence and gentleness, well represent the character of our government, as expressed in its two fundamental principles, Republicanism and Protestantism.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4 (1884), p. 277.
A subsequent and slightly modified edition of the Rhodes-Nichols 1850 prophecy chart reveals this shift in Adventist thinking with the beast’s two lamb-like horns representing civil and ecclesiastical powers, “Republicanism [1] and Protestantism.”
The idea of the two horns representing republicanism and Protestantism originates with the Sabbatarian Adventist Hiram Case: “Theologically [Hiram] Case was among the earliest (1850) to interpret the two horns of the lamblike beast of Revelation 13 in terms of Protestantism and republicanism.” The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: vol. 1 (Review and Herald, MD, 2014), p. 805.
When it comes to the little horn power found in Daniel 7:24-25, its appearance is after three other horns (kingdoms) have fallen. History not only reveals the three kingdoms that fell, but clearly points to the Roman papacy as the little horn which rose up in their place, but was it a religious-civil power when it first came on the scene? Ellen White had this to say: “That a church is represented by a horn is proved in Daniel 7, the ‘little horn’ representing the Roman Church, even before it was possessed of civil power. So also in Revelation 13. The dragon (pagan Rome) gave the beast (the church) his power (civil power), and seat (city of Rome), and great authority.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, p. 502
If a horn can symbolically represent religious powers such as the little horn of Daniel 7, “even before it was possessed of civil power”, or the religious power of Protestantism, then Rhodes’ and Nichols’ idea of the beast’s lamb-like horns representing Christ-like religious powers seems more plausible than Andrews’ interpretation based on the characteristics of a real lamb.
Is there further support for this idea from Ellen White’s writings?
Ellen White had this to say: “Religious powers, allied to heaven by profession, and claiming to have the characteristics of a lamb, will show by their acts that they have the heart of a dragon and that they are instigated and controlled by Satan.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 229
“Religious powers, allied to heaven by profession,”
As far as religious powers under the profession of Christianity, there are three separate ecclesiastical bodies that stand out in the world today: Catholicism which includes the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church which is considered both orthodox and catholic; Protestantism which includes evangelicals; and Mormonism[3] which rose up in America separate from Protestantism and Catholicism.
“and claiming to have the characteristics of a lamb,”
If the word lamb is to be understood literally, then the characteristics of a real lamb may include: religious powers that are either youthful, innocent, and/or gentle in nature.
If on the other hand, the word lamb is symbolic, then the lamb-like characteristics would be in reference to religious powers claiming to have the characteristics of Jesus Christ—the Lamb with seven horns (Revelation 5:6).
“will show by their acts that they have the heart of a dragon… Satan”
It is obvious that the heart of a dragon is in reference to Satan who magnified himself to be like God. “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars (angels) of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation… I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:13-14, KJV).
In summary, Ellen White is telling us that the religious or ecclesiastical powers that claim to be Christ-like (Catholicism, Protestantism and Mormonism) will in the latter days be the same powers that come together and show by their non-Christlike actions, to be one in heart with the dragon (Satan) himself.
Does republicanism mark one of the beast’s two lamb-like horns?
Under the Great American Experiment, republicanism rose up out of the American revolutionary war against the monarchy of Britian. Was this transition of power from colonialism to republicanism in the literal sense lamb-like (gentle) in nature? Certainly not!
Furthermore, to suggest that the American ideals of republicanism were literally lamb-like (innocent) in nature, is to ignore the fact that the U.S. Constitution didn’t afford the same inalienable rights (freedoms) to black Americans as it did to white Americans. As for the dignitaries who signed the U.S. Constitution, a fair number of them were slave owners which included two future U.S. Presidents: George Washington and James Madison.
IN CONCLUSION:
When it comes to the beast’s “two horns like a lamb” (Rev. 13:11), the Bible’s description is not only symbolic as with the seven horns on the Lamb (Rev. 5:6), but is best understood when the Bible’s own interpretation is applied. As for the two lamb-like horns, they may best represent the two Christ-like religious powers that were most closely associated with America’s rise as a civil power. Those religious or ecclesiastical powers being Protestantism as a reformation movement and Mormonism as a restoration movement. Furthermore, when it comes to Hiram Case’s accepted theory of republicanism as one of the beast’s two horns (emblems of power), it shouldn’t be overlooked that America’s rise to power as a constitutional republic coming up out of war was anything but lamb-like (gentle and innocent) in nature.
[1] LeRoy Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4 (Washington D.C.: Review and Herald, 1954), 1074
[2] “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,” U.S. Constitution, Article IV, Section 4
[3] The largest sect within Mormonism is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with over 17 million members.