Ever since Satan gained control of the human race through Adam's transgression, he has endeavored to continue this control by deceit, intimidation, bribery, and the use of politico-religious power. It was not until after the Flood that he was to fully utilize this power when he established the lion kingdom of Babylon and its sun worship, the bear kingdom of Medo-Persia and its fire worship, the leopard kingdom of Greece and its worship of reason, and ferocious beast kingdom of pagan Rome and its pagan gods. And so the baton of satanic power was passed from one kingdom to the next as manifestations of the great red dragon.
But then a strange beast arose out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns, with a composite body of all the beasts before, and it became the beast power that played a crucial role in the persecution of the early church which continues against the remnant in the last days. However, this beast suffered a deadly wound, and so Satan searched for another baton bearer, and he found one in a new beast different from all the rest. This beast did not arise out of the conquest of any of the previous beasts, but instead arose from a relatively unpopulated area. It was also different in that it was not war-like, but is described as being lamb-like.
Satan knows that this new beast power will never accept the baton of satanic power as long as it maintains its lamb-like horns of civil and religious liberty, so his plan must entail the corruption of that democratic government into one that he can dominate. Therefore, it no accident that terrorism has become a universal threat throughout the world. It is no accident that the dominant political force today in America is a response to this threat to our security and safety. Gradually, our religious and civil liberties will be surrendered until every tenet of the constitution which guarantees our freedoms will be abrogated. This will be done so logically and lawfully that it will be with the consent of the majority of citizens. Yes, the baton of satanic power has been passed, and soon the lamb will become the image of the great red dragon, it will still look like a lamb, but it will have a dragon voice which is an expression of satanic power that down through the ages has dominated the human race.
