Daniel 11:40 indicates that the King of the South (atheism) rules for a while, from 1798 until a certain point in history, until he is overwhelmed suddenly by the King of the North (the papacy and its fallen Protestant allies) [1]
Certainly, from 1798 we have seen atheism grow as a religious power until now, where it dominates much of the Western world [2]. Despite all its denials that it is a religion [3], atheism in fact makes a theistic statement: “God does not exist.” Therefore it operates within the realm of theism, and therefore, while not an organized religion as such, it is still a school of religious thought [4]. Indeed, since the non-existence of God cannot be proven, atheists have an article of faith—that is, God’s non-existence.
The term atheist is derived from the Greek “anti-theos,” which loosely translated means against God. When I was an atheist, I did not believe in any supernatural phenomenon or being. But much of atheism is more nuanced than that, and while a rejection of God and organized religion is a major feature of atheism, its adherents seem to be pluralistic regarding belief in the supernatural [5][6]. Nonetheless, for much of the past two centuries, secularists have devastated a good deal of the organized church in the West.
Since the prophetic image In Daniel 2 covers only the history of Western civilization, it is only in the West where we need consider the prophecy of Daniel 11—which, of course, to be consistent, must continue the prophecy begun by the statue in Daniel 2. Thus we now have a situation where in Western society, with the exception of the USA [7], atheism dominates and hence can be regarded as having inflicted a deadly wound on the papacy and much of the rest of Christendom.
The puzzling part for many people is, How can the papacy not only regain the ground it lost in 1798 but have its power established around the whole world (Rev 13:3)? Revelation 13 indicates the USA will give the papacy back its power. Through much of its history the USA seems to have had a special relationship with the papacy [8]. But just how does it cause the whole world to worship the papacy?
American Decline
It has been amazing to watch the growth of America’s military, political, and economic power since 1798 [9]. One would think that because many now regard the United States as the world’s unofficial policeman, it would be easy to see how they could force the world to worship just about anything. Indeed, one can observe what they have done so far relative to the LGBT issue [10].
But we see other evidence just now that America might be in serious decline. [11][12][13]. The arguments for the decline of America are subject to much debate, and one could argue America has been there before, while subsequently recovering to advance to greater power and wealth. One thinks of the American Civil War, which looked like the end of the United States altogether, but ended up being anything but. The Great Depression likewise appeared to be the end of capitalism, American power, and wealth. Again, that did not happen. In light of these precedents, it isn’t hard to posit that there could be a future turnaround of America’s fortunes again.
Ellen G White, however, seems to say that at the time of the Sunday laws, America will be experiencing a serious decline which will lead to such legislation:
And then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing these evils. The class that have provoked the displeasure of Heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to God's commandments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors. It will be declared that men are offending God by the violation of the Sunday-sabbath, that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be strictly enforced, and that those who present the claims of the fourth commandment, thus destroying reverence for Sunday, are troublers of the people, preventing their restoration to divine favor and temporal prosperity [##14|Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 590.##].
If in the foreseeable future America loses its economic might and thus also its military and political power, how can it achieve what is outlined in Revelation 13 and Daniel 11? I believe there is a way.
Another Angle
I, and perhaps others, have always assumed that America can only enforce the worship of the papacy by economic, military, and political might. However, if we step back and look at history, we can see there is another way this prophecy could be fulfilled while America’s economic, military, and political position continues to decline, perhaps even to nothing.
The Roman Catholic Church imposed its power throughout medieval and early modern Europe, but not by the support of a mighty empire such as pagan Rome had been. Yes, it operated within the setting of a unified church and state, but the state was often the weaker arm of this union. Indeed, popes could and did set kings on their thrones, and when the papal will so desired, depose them [15]. The papacy’s power was spiritual. Not, of course, the Spirit of God, but a spiritual power that came about by the ignorance and superstition that prevailed after the collapse of the original Roman Empire. Kings and people alike believed the papacy held the keys to heaven [16] [17], and could decree who’s in and who’s out. Who, believing such things, could resist a power like that?
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (Rev. 13:4).
The second beast of Revelation 13 is also going to wield its power by the working of miracles.
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live (Rev. 13:13-14).
Ellen White also tells us that these miracles will be undeniable.
As spiritualism more closely imitates the nominal Christianity of the day, it has greater power to deceive and ensnare. Satan himself is converted, after the modern order of things. He will appear in the character of an angel of light. Through the agency of spiritualism, miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and many undeniable wonders will be performed. And as the spirits will profess faith in the Bible, and manifest respect for the institutions of the church, their work will be accepted as a manifestation of divine power [##18|White, The Great Controversy, p. 588.##].
The first beast (the papacy) claimed miracles to support its unscriptural doctrines in its early days [19], and even in more recent times continues to do so [20]. However, these miracles are in many cases unconfirmable; there is no unmistakable, verifiable evidence that they have occurred. In general, the papacy has been sustained by the ignorance of their followers and the latter’s fear of purgatory and eternal hell. By contrast, the working of undeniable miracles performed on behalf of the second beast power would give it the same level of counterfeit spiritual power, or more, than what Rome enjoyed during the Middle Ages.
While we cannot know the exact timing of the fulfilment of prophecy relative to the passing of a Sunday Law, or the timing of its attendant miracles, it seems from the inspired predictions that these spiritual manifestations will be the decisive engine behind the power that will be exercised by the second beast of Revelation 13, as distinct from economic or military power.
What This Means to Us
Many Seventh-day Adventists through the years have nurtured the attitude: “I will get my life right when I see the first Sunday law, or at least when it reaches the floor of the U.S. Congress.” The assumption behind this mentality has often been that it will take many years for such legislation to develop and get passed, thus meaning that procrastinators like themselves will have many years to get their lives right with God. Such thinking is fallacious for several reasons.
First, it reflects spiritual carelessness. If one defers the imperative of dealing with personal sin, it is often because one is enjoying sin and therefore unlikely to ever get around to dealing with it. Without a thorough conversion, such a spirit will lead to ultimate damnation.
Second, even if the close of human probation is only a few years away, the close of our personal probation occurs at death—and how far ahead that is, none can know. To put it bluntly, one could be run over by the number nine bus tomorrow, suffer a stroke or heart attack, or experience death by any number of means. The time of salvation is now (II Cor. 6:2).
But a third possibility emerges with this understanding of undeniable wonders powering the second beast, instead of economic, political, or military might. That is, that things are going to happen very fast. The miracles will begin the moment Jesus allows Satan to do them. That happens in an instance. Then the events that follow will indeed be rapid.
The agencies of evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones [##21|White, Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 11.##].
Thus prophecy should not be regarded as some countdown schedule with points to be ticked off to launch-time like an Apollo mission, but as a reminder that “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Cor. 6:2).
REFERENCES
1. http://advindicate.com/articles/2020/6/12/costa-draft-1-327gd-mpree-hegrg-ydj5j-jp57b-wl7px-73b6a-8sw98-39kx8-ydd29-hknsn
2. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/12/06/10-facts-about-atheists/
3. https://www.atheists.org/activism/resources/about-atheism/
4. https://www.thebanner.org/columns/2019/01/is-atheism-a-religion
5. https://bigthink.com/thinking/atheist-supernatural/
6. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/12/06/10-facts-about-atheists/
7. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/12/06/10-facts-about-atheists/
8. https://newrepublic.com/article/122890/brief-history-us-papal-relations
9. https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/rise-of-industrial-america-1876-1900/overview/
10. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-lgbt-idUSKBN2A42KF
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_decline#:~:text=American%20decline%20is%20the%20idea,and%2For%20on%20environmental%20issues.
12. https://hbr.org/1992/07/is-america-in-decline
13. https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2022/08/europe-america-military-empire-decline/670960/
14. Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 590.
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_deposing_power
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keys_of_Heaven#:~:text=The%20keys%20of%20heaven%20or,is%20committed%20to%20him%2C%20the
17. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/the-meaning-of-the-keys-of-peter
18. White, The Great Controversy, p. 588.
19. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-herkimer-westerncivilization/chapter/the-development-of-papal-supremacy/
20. https://www.magiscenter.com/blog/the-miracle-that-made-pope-john-paul-ii-a-canonized-saint
21. White, Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 11.
Tony Rigden, a former atheist/deist, came into the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1980 as the result of a miraculous conversion and the reading of the book The Great Controversy by Ellen G White. He has since been a regular Sabbath School teacher, very part-time lay preacher, elder and briefly head elder. Formerly an electronics technician and computer programmer, Tony is currently still part-time programming but mostly retired. Former hobbies included diving and private flying. Currently he is a volunteer guard (train conductor) for one of New Zealand's leading vintage railways.