1950 This Means Everlasting Life - A2Z.org

SUBJECTION TO THE AUTHORITIES 195
Rome : and the seventh and chiefest was to come,
viz., the great Antichrist and his empire . The ten
horns may be understood of ten lesser persecutors."
At Apocalypse 12 :9,12 the Revelation says
that the "dragon" is Satan the Devil .
6
Religious interpreters of Scripture thus agree
that the visible ruling system in control of the
earth received its power and strength from the
great dragon, "that old serpent, who is called the
devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world ."
Revelation 17 :12 says : "The ten horns which thou
sawest are ten kings, which . . . receive power
as kings one hour with the beast ." Revelation,
chapters 12, 13, 17, 19, also shows that the dragon
and the beast from the sea and their allies all
range themselves up against Jehovah God and his
kingdom by Jesus Christ . This pushes into the
place of chief dispute the issue of universal sovereignty,
Who is the Most High and whose sovereignty
must the universe acknowledge and obey?
Jesus Christ on earth set the right example for
his followers to copy in deciding this issue . For
his faithfulness to a martyr's death in favor of
Jehovah's rightful sovereignty Jesus was exalted
to the place of superior authority with only Jehovah
God as Head over him . Just before his betrayal
and death Jesus said to his faithful apostles
: "The ruler of the world is coming. And yet
he has no hold on me . . . . the ruler of this world
has been judged ." John 14 :30 and 16 :11, NW
6, 7. a Against whom do the world powers range themselves
and force what issue? b In the clash to whom
must we be subject?