to what we just went through on the board, where these three powers end up aligned at the end of the world, but first it's paganism, then papalism and paganism, and then the United States, papalism and paganism. This is from Signs of the Times, November 1st, 1899. Under the symbols of a great red dragon, a leopard-like beast, and a beast with lamb-like horns, the earthly governments, which would especially engage in trampling upon God's law and persecuting his people, were presented to John. Now notice what she said there. I'll go back and start over again, but what I want you to notice here is she used different symbols, once again, to describe these three powers than she used before, and different than John uses in Revelation 16, but here she specifies them as earthly governments. She's emphasizing their political aspect, not their religious aspect, necessarily. Under the symbols of a great red dragon, a leopard-like beast, and a beast with lamb-like horns, the earthly governments, which would especially engage in trampling upon God's laws and persecuting his people, were presented to John. The war is carried on until the close of time. Through paganism, and then through the papacy, Satan exerted his power for many centuries in an effort to blot from the earth God's faithful witnesses. When the papacy, robbed of its strength, was forced to desist from persecution, John beheld a new power coming up to echo the dragon's voice and carry forward the same cruel and blasphemous work. This power, the last that is to wage war against the church and the law of God, was symbolized by a beast with lamb-like horns. Thus, Protestantism follows in the steps of the papacy. Spirit of Prophecy clearly identifies and upholds this truth that these three powers all are here at the end of the world, playing their part in leading the world to Armageddon. Part of their story is how they have related to one another and how they came into history. Now, in a very important quote for our study here, Sister White's going to say that we have a responsibility to trace history and prophecy, and that's going to be the focus of this study as we continue. And listen for this. Mind, Character, and Personality, Volume 1, page 346. The Bible is its own expositor. Scripture is to be compared with Scripture. The student should learn to view the word as a whole and see the relation of its parts. He should gain a knowledge of its grand central theme, of God's original purpose for the world, of the rise of the great controversy, and the work of redemption. He should understand the nature of the two principles that are contending for supremacy and should learn to trace their working through the records of history and prophecy to the great consummation. He should