Iron AND clay

Daniel 2 in Four Parts>Daniel 2 in four parts>feet ➧ 〈iron - pagan Rome〉 + clay>

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Branch Note:

This iron and clay combination makes a new entity. The feet of iron and clay in Dan. 2 equates with the woman who rides the beast in Revelation 17. Since a woman in the Bible represents a church and a beast represents a kingdom, this woman/beast combination symbolizes this entity's structural system, a religious/political system. This new entity is called the papacy. Note how the papacy developed. There is a compromise between paganism and Christianity that results in an apostasy in the church. An apostate church, losing the power of love, unites with the state, controlling the power of the state and employing it to enforce and execute her decrees, especially for the punishment of heresy. The inevitable result of this union of church and state is intolerance and persecution.

The iron and clay symbolizes the two systems of the papacy:
1) A compromise between paganism and Christianity, which creates its ideological system [its manner of thinking]
2) A union of church and state, which creates its structural system, a religious/political system

The Roman Catholic Church, [united] the forms of paganism and Christianity. {GC 569.2}

This compromise between paganism and Christianity resulted in the development of "the man of sin" foretold in prophecy as opposing and exalting himself above God. That gigantic system of false religion is a masterpiece of Satan's power--a monument of his efforts to seat himself upon the throne to rule the earth according to his will. {GC 50.1}

What was the origin of the great apostasy? How did the church first depart from the simplicity of the gospel? By conforming to the practices of paganism, to facilitate the acceptance of Christianity by the heathen. The apostle Paul declared, even in his day, "The mystery of iniquity doth already work." 2 Thessalonians 2:7. During the lives of the apostles the church remained comparatively pure. But "toward the latter end of the second century most of the churches assumed a new form; the first simplicity disappeared, and insensibly, as the old disciples retired to their graves, their children, along with new converts, . . . came forward and new-modeled the cause."--Robert Robinson, Ecclesiastical Researches, ch. 6, par. 17, p. 51. To secure converts, the exalted standard of the Christian faith was lowered, and as the result "a pagan flood, flowing into the church, carried with it its customs, practices, and idols." --Gavazzi, Lectures, page 278. As the Christian religion secured the favor and support of secular rulers, it was nominally accepted by multitudes; but while in appearance Christians, many "remained in substance pagans, especially worshiping in secret their idols."--Ibid., page 278. {GC 384.5}

When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of "heresy." {GC 443.2}

The founders of the nation wisely sought to guard against the employment of secular power on the part of the church, with its inevitable result - intolerance and persecution. {GC 442.2}

Thus the secular power was in the hands of the church. It was not long before these measures led to the inevitable result - persecution. {GC 292.3}

The mingling of churchcraft and statecraft is represented by the iron and the clay. {4BC 1168.8

This divided fourth kingdom of the feet and toes are professedly Christian, but they are in essence pagan.