Who gave authority to the beast?
Those sentences which are colored in orange are from Maharishi Dayananda Saraswati book Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Truth) and those which are colored in black are Jerry Thomas’s response.
And power was given into him to continue forty and two moths. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." (13:5, 6, 7.)
C. Is not He, that sends the Devil and a beast, etc., to tempt the inhabitants of the earth and gives him power to make war with the saints, more like the ringleader of a party of robbers? Such a thing can never be one by God or His devotees.
Answer: The devil was thrown out and not sent. The beast was sent by the devil and the one who sent the devil can never be the God. Had Maharishi read one verse preceding the verse he quoted, he would have understood this.
Revelation 13: 4-6 “So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
