Contending WIth Two Ferocious Wild Beasts - Waging War Against the Holy Ones

 Note:  Have had some problems with medicine my doctor gave me. Will try to continue today.

The wily Satan had plans for manipulating the wild beast to his own endes.  John explains this: "And a mouth speaking great things and blasphemes was give it [the seven- headed wild beast], and authority to act forty-months  was given it. And it opened its mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name  and his residence, even those residing in heaven.  And there was granted to it to wage war with the holy ones and conquer them, and authority was given it over every tribe and people and tongue  and nation.  And all of those who dwell on the earth will worship it; the name of not one of them stands written in the scroll of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered, from the founding of the world."  -REVELATION 13:5-8. 

The forty-two months mentioned her appear to be the same as the three and half years during which the holy ones are harassed by a horn arising from one of the beasts in Daniel's . (Daniel 7:23-25; see also Revelation 11:1-4.) Thus, from the end of 1914 on into 1918, whild the warring nations were literally tearing at one another like wild beasts, citizens of thsoe nations  were pressured to worship the wild beast, to indulge in the religion  of nationalism, even to be ready to die for their country.  Such pressure led  to intense suffering on the part of many of the anointed ones, who felt that  their higher obedience to Jehovah God and his Son, Christ Jesus. (Acts 5:29)  Their trial  came to a climax in June 1918, when they were 'conquered,' in the United States, prominent officer  and other representatives of the Watch Tower Society were wrongly imprioned, and the organized  preaching by their Christian brothers were greatly hindered.  Having authority "over every tribe and people and tongue and nation," the wild beast clamped down on God's work nationwide. 

Next  time:  Contending With Two Ferocious Wild Beast - Waging War Against the Holy Ones

From the jw. org publications