03.14- THE INTERVAL BETWEEN THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH TRUMPETS.

THE INTERVAL BETWEEN THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH TRUMPETS.

1.

Revelation 10:1-11.

“And I saw another ’MIGHTY ANGEL’ come down from Heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a Rainbow was upon His head, and His face was as it were the Sun, and His feet as Pillars of Fire: and He had in His hand a ’LITTLE BOOK’ open: and He set His right foot on the SEA, and His left foot on the EARTH, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when He had cried ’SEVEN THUNDERS’ uttered their voices. And when the ’SEVEN THUNDERS’ had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the SEVEN THUNDERS uttered, and write them not. And the ’ANGEL’ which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up His hand to Heaven, and swear by Him that LIVETH FOREVER AND EVER, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be TIME NO LONGER: but in the days of the voice of the ’SEVENTH ANGEL,’ when he shall begin to sound, the ’MYSTERY OF GOD’ SHOULD BE FINISHED, as He hath declared to His servants the Prophets. And the voice which I heard from Heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the ’LITTLE BOOK’ which is open in the hand of the ’ANGEL’ which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the ’ANGEL,’ and said unto him, Give me the ’LITTLE BOOK.’ And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall he in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the ’LITTLE BOOK’ out of the ’ANGEL’S’ hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And He said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Who this “MIGHTY ANGEL” is we do not know unless he be Christ Himself. In the Old Testament the Son of God was called the “ANGEL OF THE LORD” (Exodus 3:2-18), and as we are now in that part of the Book of Revelation that deals mainly with Israel it is nothing less than what we should expect to hear, Christ spoken of as a “MIGHTY ANGEL.” Then the description of this “MIGHTY ANGEL” seems to point to the same Person that John saw standing amid the “Lampstands” in Revelation 1:12-16, or Christ Himself. The “ANGEL” was clothed in a CLOUD, there was a RAINBOW upon His head, His face was as it were the SUN, and His feet as PILLARS OF FIRE. No mere angel was ever before or since described in the Scriptures as appearing like that. Then He is described as crying with a loud voice, as a lion roareth, and Christ is spoken of in this Book (Revelation 5:5) as “THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH”; and in the chapter that follows this the same “MIGHTY ANGEL” speaks of the “Two Witnesses,” as “MY WITNESSES,” which is further indisputable evidence that this “MIGHTY ANGEL” is no other than Christ Himself. This interpretation makes clear what follows. For when this “MIGHTY ANGEL” places His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth, and swears that there shall be “TIME NO LONGER,” or “NO LONGER DELAY” (margin), it is Christ taking formal possession of the Earth and Sea, and declaring that there shall be no longer delay in dispossessing the false claimant Satan. When the “MIGHTY ANGEL” cried with a loud voice, John heard “SEVEN THUNDERS” utter their voices. These “THUNDERS” spoke, for John heard what they said, and as he had been commanded to write what he should see and hear, he proceeded to write what the “voices” of the “SEVEN THUNDERS” uttered, but he was told to “seal up those things which the ’SEVEN THUNDERS’ uttered, and write them not.” What they said has never as yet been revealed, but doubtless will be when the time comes to make the revelation.

John was then told to--“Go, take the ’LITTLE BOOK’ which is open in the hand of the ’ANGEL’ which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.” John was at this time back again on the earth. And when John took the “LITTLE BOOK,” the “ANGEL” said to him--“Take, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, and it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.” And when John had eaten the “BOOK” it was as the “ANGEL” had said, sweet to his mouth and bitter to his stomach.

What was this “LITTLE BOOK”? Some claim that it was the “SEVEN SEALED BOOK,” now open, and therefore the “TITLE DEED” to the Earth, and that the “MIGHTY ANGEL” held it in His hand, as He stood with one foot on the sea and one foot on the earth, as His authority for claiming possession. But the “ANGEL” does not make that use of it, and if it were His “TITLE DEED” to the Earth it seems a strange procedure for Him to give it to John to eat. Then it is described as a “LITTLE BOOK,” as if its contents were small. In that respect it stands in marked contrast with the “SEVEN SEALED BOOK” whose numerous “Seals” and the time taken to break them, imply that it was of considerable size. Then the effect upon John of the eating of the “LITTLE BOOK” seems to indicate that it was more than a “Title Deed.” For it contained matter that when John first ate it (glanced over it) was sweet as honey to his mouth, but when he had thoroughly digested its contents was bitter to his belly. In other words the “LITTLE BOOK” contained matter connected with John’s work as a Prophet, for the “ANGEL” immediately said to him--“Thou must prophecy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings,” which for ought we know John did. This “LITTLE BOOK,” here open, is probably the “BOOK” that Daniel was told to “SEAL UP.” Daniel 12:4; Daniel 12:9. That “Book” contained things that were not to be revealed until the “TIME OF THE END.” Not the “End Of Time,” but the “End” of the “TIMES OF THE GENTILES,” which synchronizes with the last half of Daniel’s “SEVENTIETH WEEK,” and therefore with “THE GREAT TRIBULATION PERIOD.” If this supposition be true, then the “LITTLE BOOK” was a foreview of the things that are to befall Daniel’s People in the last half of Daniel’s “SEVENTIETH WEEK.” The effect on John of reading the “LITTLE BOOK” seems to confirm this view, for as he read of the deliverances that were to come to his people, and of the final victory of the Lamb, and the setting up of “The Kingdom,” the “Book” was as “sweet as honey” to his taste, but when he meditated upon the awful sufferings that would come upon the world, and upon the Jews, under the reign of the “BEAST” (Antichrist), and during the pouring out of the “VIALS,” it was bitterness to his soul. THE FINISHED MYSTERY. When the “SEVENTH TRUMPET ANGEL” shall begin to sound the “MYSTERY OF GOD” shall be finished. This is not the “Mystery of the Church” for that was finished by the taking out of the Church in chapter four. That “Mystery” was unknown to the Prophets. The “MYSTERY OF GOD” is the “Mystery” of why God permitted Satan to cause the “Fall of Man” and thus bring sin, and misery, and death into the world. To the Old Testament Prophets God revealed the fact that in His own good time He would make clear this “MYSTERY,” and when the “SEVENTH TRUMPET” (that includes all that happens from Revelation 11:15) sounds, the “MYSTERY OF GOD” will be finished, for then the “MYSTERY of INIQUITY” (Antichrist, 2 Thessalonians 2:6-10) will be revealed, in whom Satan will incarnate himself after he is cast out of Heaven, and in his destruction, and the “Binding of Satan,” and the setting up of the “Millennial Kingdom” of Christ, shall be fulfilled the promises to the Prophets, that peace and righteousness shall reign on the earth. And when, as the result of the “Renovation of the Earth by Fire,” the redeemed human race shall take up its abode upon a redeemed and restored earth, and sin and rebellion shall forever be destroyed, the “MYSTERY OF GOD,” or why sin was permitted to wreck this world, will be finished.

2. THE TWO WITNESSES.

Revelation 11:1-14.

“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the ’ANGEL’ stood, saying, Rise and measure the ’TEMPLE OF GOD,’ and the ’ALTAR,’ and them that worship therein. But the ’COURT’ which is without the TEMPLE leave out; and measure it not; for it is given unto the GENTILES: and the Holy City shall they tread under foot FORTY AND TWO MONTHS. And I will give power unto MY ’TWO WITNESSES,’ and they shall prophesy a THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND THREE-SCORE DAYS, clothed in sackcloth. These are the ’TWO OLIVE TREES’ and the ’TWO CANDLESTICKS’ standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to SHUT HEAVEN, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to TURN THEM TO BLOOD, and to smite the earth with ALL PLAGUES, as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the BEAST THAT ASCENDETH OUT OF THE ’ PIT’ shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the ’GREAT CITY,’ which spiritually is called SODOM and EGYPT, where also our Lord WAS CRUCIFIED. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies THREE DAYS AND A HALF, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these TWO PROPHETS tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and a half the SPIRIT OF LIFE from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from Heaven saying unto them ’COME UP HITHER,’ and they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a GREAT EARTHQUAKE, and the tenth part of the City fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of Heaven.” The “ANGEL” that told John to rise and measure the TEMPLE was the same “MIGHTY ANGEL” that handed him the “LITTLE BOOK” to eat. And as they were both still on the earth, the “TEMPLE” that John was told to measure was the Temple at Jerusalem. Not the Temple of Herod, for that had been destroyed over 25 years before by Titus, in A. D. 70. This then must be a future temple that is to be built at Jerusalem. It is clear that there will be a Temple at Jerusalem during the reign of Antichrist, for he shall sit in it, and proclaim himself GOD. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. And he shall cause the “ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION” spoken of by Daniel the Prophet (Daniel 9:27), probably the “IMAGE OF THE BEAST,” to be set up in the “HOLY PLACE.” Matthew 24:15. This will not be the Millennial Temple described by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:1; Ezekiel 42:20), for that will be built at Shiloh, in the midst of the Holy Oblation (Ezekiel 48:8; Ezekiel 48:21), and not until after the physical changes that will take place at the return of Christ (Zechariah 14:4) shall have changed the surface of the Land of Palestine. The Temple that the Jews will build on their return to Jerusalem will probably be destroyed by the Earthquake that destroys the tenth part of the City, for that Earthquake will synchronize with the “Great Earthquake” that shall occur at the breaking of the “Seventh Seal,” the sounding of the “Seventh Trumpet,” and the pouring out of the “Seventh Vial.” Revelation 8:5; Revelation 11:19; Revelation 16:18.

John was told to measure only the Temple proper, and to leave out the “Court” that surrounded it. The Temple of Herod had four Courts: the Court of the Priests, the Court of Israel, the Court of the Women, and the Court of the Gentiles. The Tabernacle had but one Court; while Solomon’s Temple had two, the Court of the Priests, and the Court of the Gentiles. As the “Court” of this new Temple, as well as the Holy City (Jerusalem), is to be trodden under foot of the Gentiles for 42 months, or 3½ years, this period must refer to the last half of the “Seventieth Week,” after Antichrist breaks his “Covenant” with the Jews, and desecrates the Temple, for Jerusalem must be trodden down of the Gentiles until the “Times of the Gentiles” is fulfilled (Luke 21:24), and that will not end until the Battle of Armageddon.

After the “MIGHTY ANGEL” had given John instructions as to measuring the Temple, He said--“And I will give power unto MY ’TWO WITNESSES,’ and they shall prophesy a ’thousand two hundred and threescore days’.” As a “thousand two hundred and threescore days” are equal to 42 months of 30 days each, or to 3½ years, then the time when these “TWO WITNESSES” are to prophesy must correspond with the last half of the “Week,” or the time of THE GREAT TRIBULATION. Who are these “TWO WITNESSES”? They are men: not systems, or churches, or a body of witnesses, for they prophesy and are clothed in sackcloth, neither of which can be said of other than persons, and there are TWO of them. It is very easy to identify them. They have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the DAYS OF THEIR PROPHECY. This can refer to no other than Elijah, who had power in the days of King Ahab to shut up the heavens for the space of three years and six months (1 Kings 17:1. Luke 4:25. James 5:17), and this is the same length of time, 42 months, or 1260 days, or 3½ years, that these “TWO WITNESSES” are to prophesy. Then we know that Elijah was translated, and did not see death, that he might come back before “THE GREAT AND DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD” for the purpose of “turning the heart of the children to their fathers,” and this is the purpose of the prophesying of these “TWO WITNESSES.” Malachi 4:5-6. It is clear from the time that the Prophet Malachi said that Elijah would come again, JUST BEFORE “The Great And Dreadful Day Of The Lord,” that this prophecy was not fulfilled in John the Baptist. He announced the “First Coming” of Christ, but no “Great And Dreadful Day Of The Lord” followed. That event is yet future, and follows the testimony of these “TWO WITNESSES.” When the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to John to ask him “Who Art Thou?” he confessed--“I AM NOT THE CHRIST.” And they asked him, “What then? Art thou ELIJAH?” And he said--“I AM NOT.” It is clear from John’s answers to these questions that he was NOT ELIJAH. When Gabriel announced to Zacharias the birth of John the Baptist, he said, he shall go before Him (Christ) in the “SPIRIT AND POWER” of Elijah. That is, he will not be Elijah, but shall be like him in spirit and power. When John from his prison cell sent messengers to Jesus to ask Him if He were the Christ, after Christ had dismissed those messengers He said to the multitude of John, “IF YE WILL RECEIVE ’IT,’ THIS IS ELIJAH WHICH WAS FOR TO COME.” Matthew 11:1-14. Jesus here simply affirms that John was ELIJAH if men would RECEIVE “IT.” Not receive “HIM” (John), but receive “IT.” What did Jesus mean by “IT”? The context shows that Jesus was talking about the “KINGDOM” (Matthew 11:11-12), and if they had received “THE KINGDOM” that John announced was at hand, then John, instead of being John, would have been ELIJAH come back, but because God foresaw that the Jews would not receive the KINGDOM, He could not send ELIJAH at that time, so He had to send a substitute with the “spirit” and “power” of Elijah in his place, so He sent John the Baptist. But you say, did not Jesus say to the Disciples when they were coming down from the Mt. of Transfiguration, where they had seen Elijah--“Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you that ELIAS IS COME ALREADY, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Then the Disciples understood that He spake unto them of JOHN THE BAPTIST”? Matthew 17:11-13. Now whatever this may mean, it cannot contradict John’s own declaration that he WAS NOT ELIJAH, or Christ’s statement that if God had foreseen that the Jews would have received the Kingdom, He would have sent ELIJAH instead of John. And Christ’s statement in the above reference, that Elijah’s purpose in coming is to “RESTORE ALL THINGS,” which John did not do, and Malachi’s declaration that Elijah would not come until just before the ’GREAT AND DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD,’ makes it clear that John the Baptist was not Elijah, and that Elijah is yet to come.

It is clear then that one of the “TWO WITNESSES” will be Elijah, but who will be the other? Many claim that Moses will be the second Witness, while some say he will be Enoch, because they say Moses being a resurrected person cannot die again, and the “Two Witnesses” are both to die. They claim that both Enoch and Elijah were caught up in their bodies, without dying, that they might come back again in their bodies and die. There is no scriptural ground for declaring that Moses cannot die again. Lazarus was raised from the dead and he died again, and the “Wicked Dead” shall be raised from the dead, and after Judgment at the “Great White Throne,” they shall be sentenced to die again, which is the “SECOND DEATH.” Revelation 20:12-15.

It is said of these “TWO WITNESSES” that they have power--

Now we know that Moses had power to turn water into BLOOD, and to smite the earth with PLAGUES, but we are not told that Enoch had such power.

If we study carefully what shall happen during the period the “TWO WITNESSES” shall testify, which as we have seen will be the last half of the “Week,” or 3½ years, we shall see that the “TWO WITNESSES” can be no other than MOSES and ELIJAH. It is probable that Elijah will shut up the heavens that there shall be no rain, during the 3½ years of their witnessing, for we read that there is to be a “FIRE TEST” such as Elijah appointed on Mt. Carmel in the days of King Ahab (1 Kings 18:17-40), and the con-test will be between Elijah and the “FALSE PROPHET,” and that the “FALSE PROPHET” shall have power to do what the Priests of Baal could not do, bring FIRE FROM HEAVEN. Revelation 13:13. The crucial question on Mt. Carmel was, who is GOD, JEHOVAH or BAAL? In the days of Antichrist it will be, who is GOD, JEHOVAH or ANTICHRIST? The test will be the power to bring down FIRE FROM HEAVEN. As the “False Prophet” will imitate the power of Elijah and bring down FIRE FROM HEAVEN, the test will not be decisive. The true Israel of God however will acknowledge the claim of Jehovah, while the followers of “The Beast” will continue to believe in him. But Elijah shall not be as fortunate as he was in the days of Ahab, for then he escaped the vengeance of Jezebel, but he will not be able to escape the vengeance of Antichrist who will see to it that both he and Moses are slain. As the Plagues that are to accompany the pouring out of the “Vials,” are four of them similar to the “Plagues of Egypt,” who more likely to bring them to pass than Moses? The evidence seems conclusive that the “TWO WITNESSES” will be MOSES and ELIJAH. In passing it is worth noting the “TITLE” of these two men. The “MIGHTY ANGEL” (Christ) calls them My “TWO WITNESSES.” This implies that “WITNESSING” was their business. And when we recall their witnessing on the Mt. of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:3), and that it was TWO MEN that witnessed to the women at the Tomb that Jesus had risen (Luke 24:4-7), and that it was TWO MEN who stood by and witnessed to the Disciples as Jesus ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:10-11), and that in all three incidents the MEN were clothed in “shining garments,” it seems clear that Moses was resurrected and Elijah translated for the express office of “WITNESSES.”

These “TWO WITNESSES” are called the “TWO OLIVE TREES” and the “TWO CANDLESTICKS” which stand before the God of the earth. For an explanation of this symbol we must turn back to the Old Testament. The Prophet Zechariah saw in a vision a “GOLDEN CANDLESTICK,” with a bowl upon the top of it, and the seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps; and TWO OLIVE TREES by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. And he turned to the angel that talked with him and said “What are these ’TWO OLIVE TREES’ upon the right side of the CANDLESTICK and upon the left side thereof?” And he said, “These are the ’TWO ANOINTED ONES,’ that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” Zechariah 4:1-14. These “TWO ANOINTED ONES” were Zerubbabel the Governor, and Joshua the High Priest. Haggai 1:1; Haggai 1:14. Zechariah 3:1; Zechariah 4:6. They had been anointed by the Holy Spirit to rebuild and restore Jerusalem and the Temple after the Babylonian Captivity, against which Satan was raising up much opposition. Zechariah 3:1-7. What more appropriate type could have been used than this? Zerubbabel and Joshua are types of the “TWO WITNESSES” whose work it will be to proclaim that the time has come to rebuild Jerusalem and re-establish the Temple worship, for the “KINGDOM OF HEAVEN” is at hand. And they will have to do it in the face of the opposition of Satan, who at that time will have incarnated himself in the Antichrist. How beautifully this illustrates the fact that every Type in the Scriptures has its Anti-Type, and that the Old Testament infolds and unfolds the New Testament, and that until the Anti-Type appears the plan and purpose of God remains’ unfulfilled and incomplete.

These “TWO WITNESSES” are to prophecy for 1260 days, or 3½ years, and for that length of time they are immune from death. For if any man attempt to hurt them, “fire will proceed out of their mouths and devour their enemies.” But when they have “finished their testimony,” they shall be overcome by “THE BEAST” (Antichrist), who will make war against them, and shall kill them, and their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of Jerusalem, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt at that time, because the character of its inhabitants will resemble the character of the inhabitants of Sodom in the days of Lot, and the conduct of Israel in Egypt (Ezekiel 23:3-4; Ezekiel 23:8; Ezekiel 23:19), for the space of “three days and a half,” and the people of all nationalities shall not suffer their dead bodies to be buried, and they shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another, because these “TWO WITNESSES” who tormented them by their testimony and their plagues are dead. How foolish men are. They think that when they kill God’s Prophets they have destroyed His law, and cannot be punished. But the people’s rejoicing will be short-lived, for at the end of the 3½ days the “SPIRIT OF LIFE” will re-enter the bodies of the “TWO WITNESSES,” and they shall stand upon their feet, and great fear shall be upon their enemies, and a voice from Heaven will be heard saying--“COME UP HITHER,” and they shall ascend up to Heaven in a cloud as Christ Himself ascended, and their enemies shall witness their ascent. They are first resurrected and then translated. The same hour of their ascension there will be a “Great Earthquake” that will destroy a tenth part of the city of Jerusalem and 7000 of its inhabitants, and the remainder of its inhabitants will turn to God from fright. But this repentance will be short-lived, like that of Pharoah’s.

It must not be supposed that because this description of the “Two Witnesses” is given to John in the “INTERVAL” between the “Sixth” and “Seventh” Trumpets, that the “Two Witnesses” testify only during that “INTERVAL.” The time is too short, for they testify for 1260 days, or 42 months. Their witnessing was still future when John was told about them, for the “MIGHTY ANGEL” said to John--“I WILL give,” showing that the “Two Witnesses” had not as yet appeared, for John did not see them, he simply recorded what the “MIGHTY ANGEL” told him about them. As we have seen, the period of their witnessing is during the “last half” of the Week, and therefore they do not appear until the “Middle” of the Week.

“The ’SECOND WOE’ is past: and, behold, the ’THIRD WOE’ cometh quickly.”

SEVENTH TRUMPET.

THIRD WOE.

(Covers The Rest Of The Week.) Revelation 11:15-19.

“And the ’SEVENTH ANGEL’ sounded: and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD ARE BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR LORD, AND OF HIS CHRIST; AND HE SHALL REIGN FOR EVER AND EVER. And the four and Twenty Elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God, saying, We give Thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy Servants the Prophets, and to the Saints, and them that fear Thy Name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. And the TEMPLE OF GOD was opened IN HEAVEN, and there was seen in His Temple the ’Ark of His Testament’: and there were LIGHTNINGS, and VOICES, and THUNDERINGS and an EARTHQUAKE, and GREAT HAIL.” The sounding of the “SEVENTH TRUMPET” includes all that happens down to Revelation 20:3. When it sounded John heard “Great Voices” in Heaven saying--“THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD ARE BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR LORD, AND OF HIS CHRIST; AND HE SHALL REIGN FOR EVER AND EVER.” This is the announcement that the time had come for Christ to take “THE KINGDOM,” though “The Kingdom” does not fully come into His possession for 3½ years. The whole of this passage is anticipative, for the “sayings” of the Four and Twenty Elders look forward to the Resurrections and Judgments of chapter 20. The scene is located in Heaven. For it is there that John hears the Trumpet sound, and sees the “Temple of God” opened, and hears the “voices” and “thunderings” that accompany the devastation of the earth by “earthquake” and “hail.” This announcement is preliminary to the great events that are to follow, which will be the most remarkable and momentous that have ever happened on this earth. The “THIRD WOE” includes the “VIALS,” and all other judgments down to Revelation 20:3. The “Time Limit” of the “SEVENTH TRUMPET” is given in Revelation 10:7, and is spoken of as “THE ’DAYS’“ of the “Voice” of the “SEVENTH ANGEL” when he shall BEGIN TO SOUND. Implying that the blast or blasts, of the “SEVENTH TRUMPET” shall be long continued, that is, extend over the whole of the last half of the “Week.” THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK The Seven Personages

Revelation 12:1-2.

“And there appeared a ’GREAT WONDER’ in Heaven; a Woman CLOTHED WITH THE SUN, and the MOON UNDER HER FEET, and upon her head a CROWN OF TWELVE STARS: and she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” In the “Middle of the Week” two “Wonders” will appear in Heaven, for John is back again in Heaven. The Revised Version calls them “SIGNS,” that is, they are “SYMBOLS” of something, and must be thus interpreted. The first will be a “SUN CLOTHED WOMAN.” Who does this “Sun Clothed Woman” represent? Some would have us believe that this “Woman” is the Virgin Mary, others that she represents the Church. Those who say she represents the

Church claim that she represents the visible or outward Church, and her “Child” represents the “True Church” or those who are to be “caught out” at the Rapture. If this be true, and the “Child” is not caught out until the “Middle of the Week,” then the Church will have to go half way through the “Tribulation.” The fact is, the “Woman” is neither the Virgin Mary or the Church. She is ISRAEL. We have only to be reminded of “Joseph’s Dream,” where he says--“Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the ’SUN’ and the ’MOON’ and the ’ELEVEN STARS’ made Obeisance to me” (Genesis 37:9), to see the Jewish character of this “Woman.” Joseph was the “Twelfth” star.

Israel is again and again compared to a woman, and a married woman, in the Old Testament. Isaiah 54:1. And in the period of her rejection she is spoken of as a WIDOW (Isaiah 47:7-9. Luke 18:1-8), and a DIVORCED Woman (Isaiah 50:1), and an ADULTEROUS WIFE (Jeremiah 3:1-25, Hosea 2:1-23) but the Church is a VIRGIN, and an ESPOUSED Virgin at that. 2 Corinthians 11:2. Ephesians 5:25-27. The “Sun Clothed Woman” is described as being “WITH CHILD,” and “TRAVAILING TO BRING FORTH.” When was the Church in such a condition? To be found in such a condition would unfit her to be the Bride of Christ. Nowhere in the scriptures is it intimated that the Church is ever to be a Mother. But it is so prophesied of Israel. Speaking of the sevenfold privilege of Israel, Paul says--“Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, whose are the fathers, and of whom AS CONCERNING THE FLESH CHRIST CAME.” Romans 9:4-5. Here we see that Christ was to come from ISRAEL. Then we know that the “PROMISED SEED” was to come through ISRAEL, and the Prophet Isaiah looked forward to the time when Israel could say--“UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN.” Isaiah 9:6-7. Before the promised heir could be born Israel had to pass through many sore afflictions and judgments. These were her “TRAVAIL TIME.” There can be no question but what the “Sun Clothed Woman” represents ISRAEL.

2. THE DRAGON.

Revelation 12:3-4.

“And there appeared another ’WONDER’ in Heaven; and behold a ’GREAT RED DRAGON,’ having SEVEN HEADS and TEN HORNS, and SEVEN CROWNS upon his heads. And his tail drew the THIRD PART OF THE STARS OF HEAVEN, and did cast them to the earth: and the DRAGON stood before the WOMAN which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her CHILD as soon as it was born.” The second “WONDER” that will appear in Heaven will be a “GREAT RED DRAGON.” We are not left in doubt as to who is meant, for in Revelation 12:9 he is called that “OLD SERPENT, THE DEVIL,” and “SATAN.” His color is RED, the color of blood, for he was a murderer from the beginning. John 8:44.

He has “SEVEN HEADS” and “TEN HORNS,” and upon his heads are “SEVEN CROWNS.” These are the emblems of the universality of his earthly dominion, and typify the sevenfold perfection of his power: for he is the

PRINCE OF THE “POWERS OF THE AIR.”
And the
“PRINCE OF THIS WORLD.”
(Ephesians 6:12. John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11.) As such Jesus did not dispute his claim when in the Wilderness Temptation he offered Him the “Kingdoms of this World” and the glory of them. Luke 4:5-7. His “Seven Heads,” “Ten Horns,” and “Crowns,” associate him with the “BEAST OUT OF THE SEA” of Revelation 13:1, the only difference being that the Dragon’s “Crowns” are on his “Heads,” while those of the Beast are on his “Horns,” and therefore differ in number. These features, common to both, reveal the fact that there is some relation between the “Dragon” and the “Beast,” and that the “Beast” is an earthly embodiment or incarnation of the “DRAGON,” for the “Beast” does not appear on the earth until after the “Dragon” is cast out of Heaven. Though the “Antichrist” exists from the beginning of the Week, he does not become “THE BEAST” until in the “Middle of the Week.” Satan is cast out of Heaven and incarnates himself in him. Then the “Antichrist” breaks his “Covenant” with Israel, desecrates the Temple, and becomes the “Satanic Person” that rules during the last half of the Week. The “STARS OF HEAVEN” attached to his “tail” reveal the fact that Satan will take with him in his expulsion from Heaven, a third of the Angels, for the Angels are spoken of as “Stars” in the Old Testament. Job 38:7. These “Angels” will be cast with him into the earth. They will not be visible but they will secretly sow the seeds of rebellion, and ultimately they will be cast with Satan into the “Lake of Fire” which will be prepared for them. Matthew 25:41. While we are not told that Satan’s “Angels” are cast bound with him into the “Bottomless Pit,” yet the inference is that they are, for during the Millennium they do not appear to be present on the earth.

John tells us that the “Dragon” stood before the “Sun Clothed Woman” ready to “devour her child” as soon as it was born. It is intensely interesting reading to trace in the Scriptures the story of Satan’s efforts to prevent the birth of the “Man-Child” CHRIST, and then after His birth to destroy Him before He could reach the Cross and purchase man’s redemption. As soon as Satan had accomplished the Fall of Adam and Eve, he found himself under the curse of God, and was told that the “SEED” of the Woman should bruise his head. Genesis 3:14-15. This aroused the enmity of Satan and he determined to prevent the birth of the promised “Seed,” or, if that were not possible, to destroy the “Seed” after birth. So as soon as Abel was born, from whom the promised “Seed” was to come, Satan schemed for his destruction, and finally got his ’brother Cain to kill him. Then the “Sons of God” (Angels) doubtless at Satan’s instigation, married the “Daughters of Men” (Cainites), and their “sin,” and the character of their offspring moved God to destroy mankind from off the earth. This was what Satan planned for, and would have been a victory for Satan and a defeat for God, so God decided to spare the race, and begin over again with a representative man, Noah. But it was not long before Noah planted a vineyard and drank himself drunk with the wine therefrom, the result the curse of Canaan the Son of Ham. Genesis 9:18-27. Then the people began to multiply and Satan filled their heart with pride and presumption and they rose and built the “Tower of Babel,” the result the “Confusion of Tongues” and the unity of the race broken up. Genesis 11:1-9. Then the Lord called Abraham and the fight narrowed down to his seed. Abraham was 75 years old, and had no children, and Sarah his wife was 65 years of age and barren. Genesis 16:1. Doubtless Satan laughed at the situation because of Sarah’s barrenness, in which probably he had a hand, but to show Satan that He could work a miracle if necessary, to produce the promised “seed,” God waited until Sarah was “past age,” until she was 90 years old (Genesis 17:17), and then He caused her to conceive and bear the promised “seed.” Genesis 18:9-15; Genesis 21:1-3. When Isaac was about 12 years of age Satan moved God to test Abraham by commanding him to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice upon Mount Moriah. It was similar to the test of Job. Job 1:6-12; Job 2:3-6. The plan for Isaac’s destruction failed, for when God saw that Abraham was willing and ready to slay his son, He intervened and spared his life. When Isaac grew up and married Rebekah, Satan, to prevent her having offspring, caused her to be barren, but Isaac prayed and God heard his prayer (Genesis 25:20-21), and twins were born. Then Satan, when they had grown up, stirred up enmity between them hoping that the tragedy of Cain and Abel would be repeated, and Jacob, through whom Christ was to come, would be slain. When the time came for Moses to be born, Satan put it into the heart of Pharaoh to order that all male Hebrew children should be destroyed at birth, his purpose being to destroy the male line of descent altogether. But his plan was frustrated by a baby’s tear. Exodus 2:5-10. And so it went on, until at the death of King Jehoshaphat his son Jehoram slew all his brethren with the sword (2 Chronicles 21:13), thus reducing the “seed royal” down to one life. But Jehoram had children. Then the Arabians slew all his children but one, Ahaziah the youngest. 2 Chronicles 21:17 (margin). 2 Chronicles 22:1. But Ahaziah had children. These in turn were slain by Athaliah his mother, doubtless at the instigation of Satan. She thought she had slain them all, but God interposed and rescued the infant son at the hands of his aunt, who hid him in the Temple (2 Chronicles 22:10-12), and for 6 years all the hopes of God’s people as to the promised “seed” rested on that infant’s life. During the Captivity Satan tried to destry the whole Hebrew nation at the hands of Haman, but a very little thing, a king’s sleepless night, frustrated that plan. Esther 3:8-15; Esther 6:1-11. But the story is too long. At last the promised “SEED” was born. Then Satan, failing to prevent His birth, determined to destroy Him before He could reach the Cross. To that end he prompted Herod, through jealousy and fear, to slay all the male children at Bethlehem under 2 years of age, but Joseph warned of God in a dream, had fled with the infant Christ to Egypt. When Christ entered on His ministry Satan met Him in the Wilderness and suggested that He throw Himself from the Pinnacle of the Temple. Foiled in that Satan sought Christ’s life by getting His own townspeople to attempt to cast Him over a precipice. Luke 4:29. The two storms on the Sea of Galilee were but attempts of Satan to destroy Christ. You cannot rebuke a thing, you can only rebuke a person, and when Christ rebuked the winds and the sea, He rebuked the person (Satan) who had caused their disturbance. Matthew 8:24-27.

Then Satan renewed the fight through Priests and Pharisees until he succeeded at last in getting one of Christ’s own disciples, Judas, to sell his Master. Then amid the shades of Gethsemane, through physical exhaustion, he sought to kill Christ. And when he at last succeeded in having Christ crucified, through the agency of Pilate, he thought he had conquered, but to be doubly sure he took good care to have the place of burial sealed and guarded. But when Christ rose from the dead Satan’s rage knew no bounds. In all probability Satan and his angels contested the Ascension of Christ, for only thus can we account for the necessity of His going up 10 days before Pentecost, that He might have ample time, convoyed by “Twelve Legions of Angels,” for any “Battle of the Clouds” that Satan might attempt. The history of the Christian Church is but one long story of the “Irrepressible Conflict” between Satan and God’s people. Paul writing to the Thessalonians said--“We would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again, but SATAN hindered us.” 1 Thessalonians 2:18. And now as the time draws nigh for Christ to receive “The Kingdom,” which means that He will come back to the earth, and that Satan’s power and dominion over the earth shall cease, and Satan be bound for 1000 years, Satan filled with wrath will oppose His return with his armies and there will be “WAR IN HEAVEN.”

3. THE MAN-CHILD.

Revelation 12:5-6.

“And she brought forth a ’MAN-CHILD,’ who was to rule all nations with a ’ROD OF IRON’: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His Throne.” As the result of her “travail” the “Sun Clothed Woman” brought forth a “MAN-CHILD” who was to rule the nations with a “ROD OF IRON.” There can be no question as to who is meant by the “Man-Child.” He is CHRIST. The Second Psalm settles that--“Ask of me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a ’ROD OF IRON’: Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” The “Man-Child” cannot be the Church, as some claim, because the “Man-Child” is caught up to the FATHER’S THRONE, where He is now seated, while the Church, which is not as yet caught up, is to be caught up to CHRIST IN THE AIR. 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

Those who claim that Christ and the Church together constitute the “Man-Child,” because in the Message to the Church at Thyatira, the promise to the “Overcomers” is, that they shall rule the Nations with a “ROD OF IRON,” forget that this promise is not to the Church as a whole, but only to the “Overcomers” of the “Thyatiran Church Period,” A. D. 606-1520. In other words the “Overcomers” of the “Thyatiran Church Period” shall hold some prominent “Ruling Power” with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom.

“And the ’WOMAN’ fled into the ’Wilderness,’ where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”

Here is where many interpreters of this chapter have been led astray. They have supposed that the “Woman” flees into the Wilderness immediately after the birth of her child, and because the time of her flight is in the “Middle of the Week” (for the 1260 days of her preservation in the Wilderness corresponds with the “last half” of the “Week”), they cannot see how her “Child” can be Christ, for Christ was born and “caught up” to His Father’s Throne centuries ago, while this event is still future. But they overlook the fact that between the 5th and 6th verses of this chapter the present CHURCH PERIOD comes in. Between these verses the “GAP” between the “Sixty-ninth” and the “Seventieth” Week of Daniel’s “Seventy Weeks” is found. The 5th verse describes the “BIRTH” of Christ, and His “ASCENSION,” and then John jumps over the “GAP,” and describes in the 6th verse the “Flight” of the Woman ISRAEL into the Wilderness to escape from the Antichrist. The reason for this is that John is not dealing here with the Church, and having introduced the “Woman” and her “Child” to account for the “Dragon’s” wrath against her because he did not succeed in destroying her “Child” (Christ) when He was born, John jumps over the “GAP,” that he may again take up God’s dealing with ISRAEL. The “Flight” of the “Woman” is mentioned here by anticipation, for she does not flee until after the “War in Heaven.”

Here is evidence that the “Sun Clothed Woman” is not the “Virgin Mary,” for she does not flee into Egypt, as Joseph and the Virgin did (Matthew 2:12-15), but into the WILDERNESS. Neither does she flee “with her child,” for it was taken away from her and caught up to the “Throne of God.” Neither does she flee for her child’s protection, but for her own safety. From this passage we learn that Christ’s Millennial rule will be AUTOCRATIC, for He shall rule over the Nations with a “ROD OF IRON.” This does not signify that His rule will be tyrannical. It simply means that His WILL shall be supreme. We cannot imagine Christ’s rule to be other than a rule of love. Politics will have no place in the government, the masses will not be oppressed by those in power, equal rights will be accorded to everyone, and every man shall sit under his own vine and figtree.

4. THE ARCHANGEL.

Revelation 12:7-12.

“And there was ’WAR IN HEAVEN’: MICHAEL and his angels fought against the DRAGON: and the DRAGON fought and his angels, and prevailed not: neither was their place found any more in Heaven. And the GREAT DRAGON was cast out, that old SERPENT, called the DEVIL, and SATAN, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the Kingdom of God, and the power of His Christ: for the ACCUSER OF OUR BRETHREN IS CAST DOWN, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him (the Dragon) by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB, and by the WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY; and they loved not their lives unto the death (Martyr’s Death). Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the INHABITERS OF THE EARTH AND OF THE SEA! for the DEVIL is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a SHORT TIME.” The “WAR IN HEAVEN” is started by the attempt to expel the DRAGON and his angels From the Heavenlies. That the DRAGON (Satan) and his angels were not cast out of Heaven at the time of his “Rebellion” (which antedates the present earth), and confined in some “prison house,” is clear, for he was at liberty to visit the Garden of Eden and tempt Adam and Eve, and he had access to God in Heaven in the days of Job, 2000 years before Christ (Job 1:1; Job 2:8), and he was free to visit the earth in Christ’s day and tempt Him in the Wilderness, and later to sift Peter. His origin is more or less shrouded in mystery, but one thing is certain, he is a “created being,” and that of the most exalted type. He was before his rebellion “The Anointed Cherub That Covereth.” That is, he was the guardian or protector of the “Throne of God.” He was perfect in all his ways from the day that he was created until iniquity was found in him. In him was the “fulness of wisdom,” and the “perfection of beauty,” but it was his “beauty” that caused the pride (1. Tim. 3:6) that was his downfall. He was clothed in a garment that was covered with the most rare and precious gems, the sardius, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, emerald, carbuncle, all woven in with gold. He dwelt in Eden, the Garden of God. This probably refers not to the earthly Eden, but to the “Paradise of God” on high, for Satan dwelt on the “Holy Mount of God.” All this we learn from Ezekiel 28:11-19, where the Prophet has a “foreview” of the Antichrist under the title of the “King of Tyrus,” and as Antichrist when he becomes the “Beast” is to be an incarnation of Satan, the Prophet here describes Satan’s original glory from which he fell, for there has never as yet been such a King of Tyrus as here described. The cause of Satan’s rebellion, or fall, is given in Isaiah 14:12-20. He is there called “LUCIFER, SON OF THE MORNING.” This was his glorious title when he was created, and this world of ours was made, at which time--“The ’Morning Stars’ (probably other glorious created ruling beings like himself), sang together, and all the ’Sons of God’ (angels) shouted for joy.” Job 38:7.

It is well to note that the one here called “LUCIFER,” is in verse four (Isaiah 14:4), also called the “King of Babylon.” As there never has been a King of Babylon like the one here described, the description must be that of a future King of Babylon. And as “Antichrist” is to have for his Capital City Babylon rebuilt, this is probably a “foreview” by the Prophet of Antichrist as indwelt by “LUCIFER” (Satan) in that day when he shall be King of Babylon, and also King of Tyrus. The common notion is that Satan and his angels are imprisoned in Hell. This is not true. The angels described in 2 Peter 2:4, and Jude 1:6, as having left their “first estate,” and being “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness,” are not Satan’s angels. They are a special class of angels, spoken of as “Sons of God,” whose sin of marrying the “Daughters of Men” caused the Flood. Genesis 6:1-8. They are the “Spirits in Prison” of whom Peter speaks in 1 Peter 3:18-20. They are now confined in “Tartarus” awaiting the “Great White Throne” Judgment. Jude 1:6. As this Book of Revelation that we are now studying is a prophecy of “Things To Come” that were future in the Apostle John’s day, and it declares that Satan was still in the Heavenlies at that time, A. D. 96, as he has not been cast out since he must still be there.

He is a great “Celestial Potentate.” He is the “PRINCE OF THE POWERS OF THE AIR” (Ephesians 2:2), and the “GOD OF THIS WORLD.” 2 Corinthians 4:4. He is the “God” not of the earth, for that belongs to its Maker--GOD. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof.” He is the “God” of the “WORLD SYSTEMS” of the habitable earth. These “World Systems” embrace business, society, politics, and religion. He is the Ruler of the “Powers of Darkness” of the “Spirit World” (Ephesians 6:11-12), and his position is so exalted that even Michael the Archangel dare not insult him. Jude 1:9. So mighty is he that man cannot successfully resist him without Divine help.

Satan is a King, and has a KINGDOM. Of it Christ said--“If Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself; how then shall his ’KINGDOM’ stand”? (Matthew 12:24-30.) Speaking of the “Evil Powers” Paul wrote--“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against ’Principalities,’ against ’Powers,’ against the ’Rulers of Darkness Of This World’ (Age), against ’Spiritual Wickedness’ in HIGH PLACES” (the Heavenlies). Ephesians 6:12. From this we see that Satan’s Kingdom consists of “Principalities,” “Powers,” “Age Rulers of Darkness,” and “Wicked Spirits” in the Heavenlies. These “Principalities” are ruled by “Princes” who control the nations of the earth as in the days of Daniel the Prophet, when a Heavenly Messenger was sent to Daniel, but was hindered “three weeks” from reaching him by the “Prince of the Kingdom of Persia,” Satan’s ruling “Prince of Persia,” until Michael the Archangel came to his rescue. Daniel 10:10-14. The opposing “Commanders in Chief” of the “War in Heaven” will be MICHAEL and the DRAGON (Satan). We are first introduced to Michael in the Book of Daniel, and his appearance here is a confirmation that this part of the Book of Revelation is Jewish, and a continuation or supplement to the Book of Daniel. Michael is called in the Book of Daniel “one of the CHIEF PRINCES” (Daniel 10:13), “YOUR PRINCE” (Daniel 10:21), and the “GREAT PRINCE WHICH STANDETH FOR THY PEOPLE.” Daniel 12:1. That is, Michael has been chosen from among the “Chief Princes” that stand before God, to be the protector of Daniel’s People, the Jews. In Jude 1:9 he is called the “ARCHANGEL,” and as there is but one “Archangel” spoken of in the Bible, Michael must be he. He also has something to do with the resurrection of the dead, for he is associated with the “Resurrection” mentioned in Daniel 12:1-2, and he contested with the Devil the resurrection of Moses (Jude 1:9), and the “Voice” of the Archangel that will be heard when the “Dead in Christ” shall rise (1 Thessalonians 4:16), will be the “voice” of MICHAEL. When the “Dragon” is cast out of the “Heavenlies” there will be great rejoicing in Heaven because the “Accuser” of Christ’s “Brethren” (the Jews) is cast down, but there will be “woe” for the “inhabitants of the earth,” for the “Dragon” will be filled with “great wrath” because he knows that he will have but a “short time” (3½ years) to vent his wrath on the inhabitants of the earth before he is chained and cast into the Bottomless Pit.

While Satan has been the “Accuser of the Brethren” in all Ages, the context shows that reference is here made to the “Jewish Remnant” (the brethren of Christ), who during the first 3½ years of the “Tribulation Period” pass through great persecution, and die as “martyrs.” They are referred to in Revelation 6:9-11 as the “souls of them that were slain for the Word of God,” and we are here told (Revelation 12:11) that they overcame by the “Blood of the Lamb,” and the “Word of their Testimony,” and died as “martyrs,” for they “loved not their lives unto the death.” As they overcame by the “Blood Of The Lamb,” then the “TIME” of their overcoming must be subsequent to the shedding of Christ’s blood on Calvary, that is, Satan according to this account, could not have been cast out of the “Heavenlies” prior to the Crucifixion of Christ. When Jesus said--“I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18), He was not referring to some past fall of Satan, but it was a prophetic utterance, by way of anticipation, of his future fall, when he shall be hurled headfirst out of Heaven by Michael the Archangel. As further evidence as to the time of Satan’s casting out, Daniel the Prophet tells us that it will be at the “Time of Trouble” that is to come upon Daniel’s People, the Jews, and that “Time of Trouble” is the “GREAT TRIBULATION.” At that time Michael shall “stand up” to deliver Daniel’s People, and the result will be “WAR IN HEAVEN” and Daniel’s People shall be delivered, not from the “Great Tribulation,” but out of it. When the Dragon and all the Principalities and Powers of evil that now occupy the “Middle Heaven” of the Heavenlies, that is, the Heaven between the atmosphere of our earth, and the “Third Heaven” where God dwells, are cast out and down, then the Heavens will be CLEAN, for they are not now clean in God’s sight. Job 15:15. And as all these “Evil Powers” will doubtless be imprisoned during the Millennium, with Satan, the Heavens will be CLEAN during that period, and this will account for the universal rule of righteousness and peace of those days.

“THE PERSECUTION OF THE “SUN CLOTHED WOMAN.”

Revelation 12:13-16.

“And when the ’Dragon’ saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the ’Woman’ which brought forth the ’MAN-CHILD.’ And to the ’Woman’ were given two wings of a Great Eagle, that she might fly into the Wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a ’time,’ and ’times,’ and ’half a time’ (3e face of the ’Serpent’ (The Dragon). And the ’Serpent’ cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the ’Woman,’ that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the ’Woman’; and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth.” When the Dragon is cast out of Heaven into the Earth, knowing that his defeat has been brought about by the elevation of the “MAN-CHILD” to the place of power, he will concentrate his hatred and malice on the “Sun-Clothed Woman” (Israel), who gave the “Man-Child” birth. To the “Woman” will be given the “WINGS OF A GREAT EAGLE” that she may fly into the “Wilderness,” into “HER PLACE” where she shall be nourished for a “TIME, TIMES and HALF A TIME,” or 3½ years. This takes us back to the flight of Israel from Egypt, of which God said--“Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on ’EAGLE’S WINGS,’ and brought you unto myself.” Exodus 19:4. As the “Woman” and the “Dragon” are symbols, so are the “Eagle’s Wings.” They speak of the rapid and safe flight of the “Woman” (ISRAEL) into the “Wilderness” where she shall be safely kept and nourished for 3½ years until the Dragon is bound. The Prophet Isaiah speaks of this time when he says--“Come, my people (ISRAEL).enter thou into thy CHAMBERS, and SHUT THY DOORS ABOUT THEE: HIDE THYSELF AS IT WERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE (3½ years) UNTIL THE INDIGNATION (The Great Tribulation) IS OVERPAST. . . . In THAT DAY (the Day of the casting out of the Dragon) the Lord with His sore and great and strong sword shall punish ’LEVIATHAN’ (the “Dragon” or “Serpent”) the piercing SERPENT, even ’LEVIATHAN’ the crooked SERPENT, and He shall slay ’THE DRAGON’ that is in the sea.” Isaiah 26:20; Isaiah 27:1. This may mean the “BEAST” that comes up out of the sea, the “ANTICHRIST.” Revelation 13:1-2. This is the time that Christ refers to in Matthew 24:15-22. “When ye therefore shall see the ’ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION,’ spoken of by Daniel the Prophet (Daniel 9:27), stand in the Holy Place (whoso readeth, let him understand), then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: for then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the ELECT’S SAKE (the elect of Israel) those days shall be shortened.” The flight that Matthew here speaks about is not the same flight that Luke speaks about. “And when ye shall see Jerusalem COMPASSED WITH ARMIES, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains: and let them which are in the midst of it depart out: and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and JERUSALEM SHALL BE TRODDEN DOWN OF THE GENTILES, UNTIL THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES BE FULFILLED.” Luke 21:20-24. A careful comparison of these two passages will reveal their difference. Luke refers to the “Destruction of Jerusalem” by Titus, A. D. 70, at which time Jerusalem was compassed by the Roman Army, and the sufferings of the inhabitants of the city were so great that mothers cooked and ate their own children. This is past. And Luke 21:24 has been fulfilled for the Jews have been “led away captive into ALL NATIONS,” where they still remain, and Jerusalem has since then been “TRODDEN DOWN OF THE GENTILES,” and will continue to be until the “TIMES OF THE GENTILES” shall be fulfilled. But the “flight” that Matthew speaks about is still future. He locates it at the time of the “Great Tribulation,” which he says is to be preceded by the setting up of the “ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION,” spoken of by Daniel the Prophet. The gods, or idols of the heathen, are spoken of as “ABOMINATIONS.” Milcom, or Molech, was the “abomination” of the Ammonites; Chemosh, the “abomination” of Moab. 1 Kings 11:5-7. This interprets the “ABOMINATION” spoken of by Daniel, as nothing other than an “IDOL” or “FALSE GOD.” In the “Middle of the Week,” a “DESOLATOR” (Antichrist) will appear and cause the sacrifices and oblations to cease, and set up in the “Holy Place” of the Temple an “IDOL,” and that “Idol” will be an “IMAGE OF THE BEAST.” Revelation 13:14-15.

Let us now return to the “Flight of the Woman” and see if we can locate “her place,” the “chamber” to which she is to flee, and “shut to the door,” and “hide herself for a little while,” and be nourished by God for a “Time, and Times, and Half a Time,” or 3½ years. THE CITIES OF REFUGE. The “Cities of Refuge” of Old Testament times are a type of this “Wilderness Refuge” of the Children of Israel. The “Cities of Refuge” were designated cities, 3 on each side the river Jordan, where the “Man-Slayer” could flee for safety from the “Avenger of Blood.” If it was proved after trial that he had slain a man “wilfully,” he was turned over to the “Avenger of Blood,” but if he did it unwittingly, his life was spared, but he had to remain in the city until the death of the High Priest. If there were no “Man-Slayer” there would be no “Avenger of Blood,” and therefore no need for a “City of Refuge.”

Now if I find in the New Testament that a certain class of people are called upon to flee to a “Place of Refuge” for the protection of their lives, then I must believe that they flee because an “Avenger of Blood” is after them, and that they flee because they are guilty of “Manslaughter.”

Such a class of people I find in the Jewish Race. They were the cause of the death of Christ, and though He was crucified by the Roman authorities they assumed the guilt for they cried--“His blood be on Us, and on Our Children.” Matthew 27:25. At first sight it looks like “wilful” murder, yet from the prayer of Jesus on the Cross--“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” it is clear that Jesus’ death was not so much a premeditated murder as it was a murder committed in a blind religious frenzy. Paul says--“had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.” THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

It is clear then that the Jewish race is only guilty of “Man-slaughter.” As the “Man-Slayer” of Jesus they have been for over 1800 years running for a “City of Refuge” and have not as yet reached it. The “Avenger of Blood” has been on their track and has hounded them from nation to nation, and the epithet of “The Wandering Jew” has followed them down the centuries, and the prophecy of Moses is being fulfilled that they should find no rest for the sole of their foot. Deuteronomy 28:64-67.

If the Jews are the “Man-Slayer” who is the “Avenger of Blood”? Antichrist. And now as to the “City of Refuge” that God will provide for Israel when the “Avenger of Blood” (Antichrist), who shall then be indwelt by the Dragon, is on her track. When the Lord God brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt they journeyed from the Red Sea, tarrying for a while at Mt. Sinai to receive the Law and build the Tabernacle, until they came, one year, after leaving Egypt, to Kadesh Barnea. There they sent up spies to spy out the land of Canaan, but refused to go up and take possession of the land, and were compelled to wander in the Wilderness south of the Dead Sea. There God took care of them and fed them for 40 years. Now it is in the same Wilderness that God is going to provide for them a place of “Refuge” in the day when the “Avenger of Blood” shall seek to destroy them.

Speaking of the Antichrist, the Prophet Daniel says--

“He shall enter also into the Glorious Land (Palestine) and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom and Moab and the chief of the Children of Ammon.” Daniel 11:41.

Now Edom takes in the Wilderness where Israel wandered for 40 years. And it is here in Edom that the “City of Refuge” that God has provided for Israel is located, and is known today as Petra. It was a great commercial centre in the days of King Solomon. In A. D. 105 the Romans conquered the country and called the province Arabia Petra. When the power of Rome waned Petra gradually fell into the hands of the Arabs and became completely lost to the civilized world in the seventh century, and remained so until it was rediscovered by Burckhardt in 1812.

It is located in the mountains like as in the crater of a volcano. It has but one entrance, and that is through a narrow, winding defile or canyon from 12 to 40 feet wide, the sides of which are precipitous and at times so close together as to almost shut out the blue sky above and make you think you are passing through a subterranean passageway. The height of the sides varies from 200 to 1000 feet, and the length of the canyon is about two miles. No other city in the world has such a wonderful gateway. The sides of the canyon are lined with wonderful monuments and temples carved out of the rocky sandstone of the sides. Once inside the rocky inclosure of the city we find the ruins of magnificent buildings, tombs and monuments. The cliffs that surround the city are carved and honeycombed with excavations to a height of 300 feet above the floor of the valley, and the excavations cut as they are out of different colored strata of the rock, such as red, purple, blue, black, white and yellow, lend a beauty to their appearance that is indescribable and overpowering to the beholder. When the time comes for the “Man-Slayer” (Israel), to escape from the hands of the “Avenger of Blood” (Antichrist), the rocky fastness of the ancient city of Petra will be her “City of Refuge.” We read that when the “Woman” (Israel) shall flee into the Wilderness that the “Serpent” (Antichrist, indwelt by Satan) shall cast a flood of water out of his mouth after her to destroy her, but that the earth shall open her mouth and swallow the flood. That is, Antichrist will send his army after the fleeing Israelites, and it will probably be swallowed up in a “Sand storm” of the desert, and Israel shall safely reach her place of refuge, where she shall be safe, not until the death of the High Priest, but until the return of “The High Priest” (Jesus) from Heaven, who as “King-Priest” of the Armies of Heaven will deliver her and allow her to leave her place of refuge. During the period of Israel’s ’hiding” in the Wilderness God will “nourish” her as He did during her 40 years’ wandering in the same Wilderness in the days of Moses.

5. THE JEWISH REMNANT.

Revelation 12:17.

“And the Dragon was wroth with the ’WOMAN,’ and went to make war with the ’REMNANT OF HER SEED,’ which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Baffled in his attempt to destroy the “Woman,” the Dragon, in his rage will make war against the “REMNANT OF HER SEED,” that is, against those Israelites left in Palestine or among the nations that keep the “commandments of God,” and have the “testimony of Jesus Christ.” To this end he will give to the “BEAST” (Antichrist) his “Power,” and his “Seat,” and “Great Authority.” Revelation 13:2.

Here again we have indirect evidence that the “Woman” is not the Church but ISRAEL. When the Church is caught out no REMNANT is left behind, all that are “IN CHRIST” are taken away; but when the “Woman” (ISRAEL) flees into the wilderness a “REMNANT” is left behind. This “Remnant” is composed of two classes’. First, those who “keep the Commandments of God,” that is, Orthodox Jews who observe the Old Testament Law, and second, those who “accept the testimony of Jesus Christ,” that is, accept Jesus as their promised Messiah. The latter class will be converted by the preaching of the “Gospel of the Kingdom” by the “Two Witnesses.” Those will be trying times for those Israelites who will not commit idolatry by bowing the knee to the “Image of the Beast,” for it will be a remorseless war of persecution that Antichrist will wage against them, and thousands will die a martyr’s death.

6. THE BEAST OUT OF THE SEA. The Incarnation Of “The Dragon,” “The Anti-God.”
In “The Beast”Or “Anti-Christ.”

Revelation 13:1-10.

“And I (He, the Dragon, R. V.) stood upon the sand of the sea and (I) saw a ’BEAST’ rise up out of the SEA having ’SEVEN HEADS’ and ’TEN HORNS,’ and upon his horns ’TEN CROWNS,’ and upon his heads the name of BLASPHEMY. And the ’BEAST’ which I saw was like a LEOPARD, and his feet were as the feet of a BEAR, and his mouth as the mouth of a LION: and the ’DRAGON’ gave him his POWER, and his SEAT (Throne), and GREAT AUTHORITY. And I saw one of his HEADS as it were wounded to death: and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the ’BEAST.’ And they worshipped the ’DRAGON’ which gave power unto the ’BEAST,’ and they worshipped the ’BEAST,’ saying, Who is like unto the ’BEAST’? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 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. And all that dwell upon the earth shall WORSHIP HIM, whose names are not written in the ’BOOK OF LIFE’ of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”

John next saw the “Dragon” standing on the seashore, and as he stood, a “Beast” rose up out of the sea having “SEVEN HEADS” and “TEN HORNS,” and upon his “Horns” “TEN CROWNS,” and upon his “Heads” the name of BLASPHEMY, and the body of the “Beast” was like a LEOPARD, and his feet were as the feet of a BEAR, and his mouth as the mouth of a LION, and the “DRAGON” gave him his POWER, and his SEAT (Throne), and GREAT AUTHORITY. This does not necessarily mean that the “Dragon” gave him his own throne, but he gave him power, and a throne, and great authority. As John was back on the Isle of Patmos, the “sea” from which he saw the “Beast” arise was probably the Mediterranean, though the “sea” in prophecy signifies the nations.

What does this “COMPOSITE BEAST” signify? This is not the first time we have read in the Scriptures of a “Beast” coming up out of the sea, so we must go back to the Book of Daniel for an explanation. While Daniel was a Statesman and did not hold the “Prophetic Office,” he had the “Prophetic Gift,” and was not only an interpreter of dreams, but a Prophet, and to him was revealed the whole course of the “Times of the Gentiles,” and the character of its last “Great Leader” the “ANTICHRIST.” His prophecy is mainly concerned with the things that shall befall his people, the Jews, in the “LATTER DAYS” (Daniel 10:14), and as we are now dealing with the things that shall come to pass in the “Last” or “Seventieth Week,” of Daniel’s “Seventy Weeks,” we necessarily must turn back to the Book of Daniel for an explanation of this symbol of the “BEAST.” But before we take .that up it is important to note that both the Old and New Testaments speak of a “MYSTERIOUS AND TERRIBLE PERSONAGE” who shall be revealed in the “Last Times.” He is called by various names. In The Old Testament

“The Assyrian.”-- Isaiah 10:5-6; Isaiah 30:27-33.
“King of Babylon.”-- Isaiah 14:4.
“Lucifer.”-- Isaiah 14:12.
“The Little Horn.”-- Daniel 7:8; Daniel 8:9-12.
“A King Of Fierce Countenance.”-- Daniel 8:23.
“The Prince That Shall Come.”-- Daniel 9:26.
“The Wilful King.”-- Daniel 11:36. In The New Testament

“The Man Of Sin.”-- 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8.
“Son Of Perdition.”-- 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8.
“That Wicked.”-- 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8.
“Antichrist.”--1. John 2:18.
“The Beast.”--Revelation 13:1-2.

Jesus also made a prophetic reference to him. “I am come in my Father’s Name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” John 5:43.

I. ISAIAH’S FOREVIEW. The Prophet Isaiah sees the Antichrist as the “ASSYRIAN.” Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 10:24; Isaiah 30:27-33. In Isaiah 11:4, a chapter which is evidently Messianic, we read that among other things which the Messiah will do--“He shall smite the earth with the ’rod of His mouth,’ and with the ’breath of His lips’ shall He slay ’THE WICKED’.” The word translated “THE WICKED,” is in the singular number, and cannot refer to wicked persons in general, but to some one person who is conspicuously wicked. The expression is strikingly like that of Paul’s in 2 Thessalonians 2:8. “Then shall that ’WICKED’ be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the ’Spirit of His Mouth,’ and shall destroy with the ’Brightness of His Coming’.” It is evident that Isaiah and Paul refer to the same individual, who can be no other than the Antichrist. In Isaiah 14:4-17 there is a description of a “King of Babylon” who shall smite the people in his wrath, and rule the nations in anger. He is called “LUCIFER, Son of the Morning,” and his fall is described. He is cast down to Hell (Sheol, the Underworld), where his coming creates a great stir among the kings of the earth that have preceded him, and who exclaim when they see him--“Art thou .also become weak as we? Art thou become like unto us? . . . Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; that made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?” There has never as yet been such a King of Babylon as is here described. It must therefore refer to some future King of Babylon, when Babylon shall be rebuilt, as we shall see it is to be. Isaiah 14:12-14 evidently refer to Satan, and are descriptive of him before his fall, but as he is to incarnate himself in the Antichrist, who is to be a future King of Babylon, it explains the source of the pride and presumption of Antichrist, which will lead to his downfall, as it did to Satan’s.

II. DANIEL’S FOREVIEW.

1. The Colossus.

We now turn to Daniel. The Book of Daniel may be divided into two parts. The first six chapters are Historical, the last six are Prophetical. The Book contains one “Dream” by Nebuchadnezzar, and four “Visions” by Daniel, all relating to the “Times of the Gentiles.” Nebuchadnezzar in his “Dream” saw a “Great Image” or “COLOSSUS.” The Head of the “Image” was of fine gold, its Breast and Arms of silver, its Belly (Abdomen) and Thighs (Hips) of brass, its Legs of iron, and its Feet of iron and clay. This Image was destroyed by a “Stone” cut out of a mountain supernaturally. The “Stone” in turn became a great mountain and filled the WHOLE EARTH. Daniel 2:31-35. The four metals of which the “COLOSSUS” was composed represented Four Worldwide Empires which were to arise in succession. Daniel 2:37-40. Four great Empires, and only four, were to succeed each other in the government of the world, from Nebuchadnezzar (B. C. 606) to the “Second Coming” of Christ--the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman. These Empires are not only made known as to number, but their names, in the order of their succession, are given. The First--“BABYLONIAN” is indicated by Daniel while interpreting the vision to Nebuchadnezzar. “THOU art this Head of Gold.” Daniel 2:38. The Second--the “MEDO-PERSIAN,” Daniel points out in
Antichrist and the ’Times of the Gentiles’ his account of “Belshazzar’s Feast,” by the emphatic words--“In that night was Belshazzar the King of the Chaldeans slain, and Darius the MEDIAN took the Kingdom.” Daniel 5:30-31. The Third--the “GRECIAN,” is mentioned in Daniel 8:20-21, “the Ram which thou sawest having ’two horns’ are the kings of Media and Persia, and the ’Rough Goat’ is the King of Grecia (Greece).” The Fourth--the “ROMAN,” is referred to in Daniel 9:26 as--“the PEOPLE of the ’Prince’ that should destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the Sanctuary,” and we know that it was the ROMANS under Titus, that destroyed Jerusalem in A. D. 70. While these Four Great Empires were to follow each other in the order named, they were not to follow without a break. The Babylonian lasted from B. C. 606 to B. C. 538. The Medo-Persian from B. C. 538 to B. C. 330. The Grecian from B. C. 330 to B. C. 323. Then the Grecian was broken up into four parts, Thrace, Macedonia, Syria, and Egypt, and the last of these was conquered by the Romans in B. C. 30, and the Roman Empire lasted from B. C. 30 to A. D. 364, when it was divided into its Eastern and Western Divisions. Since then there has been no leading world Empire, and cannot be according to this prophecy until Christ sets up His “STONE” or “Millennial Kingdom,” as represented by the “Stone” that smites the “COLOSSUS” on its feet, for this “STONE KINGDOM” is to fill the whole earth, and thus be universal. This “STONE” cannot be Christianity, for it does not fill the earth by degrees, and thus crowd out the “COLOSSUS,” but it at One Blow DEMOLISHES IT. The action of the “STONE” is that of JUDGMENT not Grace, and is SUDDEN and CALAMITOUS. Again the TIME of the destruction is not until after the formation of the Toes, and we know that the “TWO LIMBS” did not appear until A. D. 364, and the “TEN TOES” have not yet developed. The TIME when the “STONE” falls on the “FEET” we are told is “in the days of THOSE KINGS” (Daniel 2:44), that is the Kings represented by the “Ten Toes,” which as we shall see corresponds with the “Ten Horns” of Daniel’s “Fourth Wild Beast,” Daniel 7:7-8, and with the “Ten Kings” of John’s “Beast.” Revelation 17:12. The first Four Kingdoms were literal Kingdoms, and so must the “Stone Kingdom” be, for it is to take the place of those Kingdoms and fill the whole earth. It represents therefore the “Millennial Kingdom” of Christ, for He is the “STONE” of the Scriptures. Matthew 21:44. From what has been said we see that the “COLOSSUS” of “Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream” symbolized the “World Kingdoms” in their Unity and Historical Succession. Gentile dominion is represented by a huge “METALLIC MAN.” The degeneration of the “World Kingdoms” is seen in the diminishing value of the metals used. Silver is worth less than gold, brass than silver, iron than brass, and clay than iron. The weight of the “COLOSSUS” also declines; the specific gravity of gold is 19.5, of silver 10.47, of brass 8, of cast-iron 5, and of clay 1.93. The “Colossus” is TOP HEAVY. The character of the governing power also deteriorates from an “Absolute Monarchy” under Nebuchadnezzar, to an “Autocratic Democracy” symbolized by the mixture of the iron and clay of the Feet. In other words the governing power passes from the Head, the organ that ought to direct the members of the body, to the Feet, which are only made to carry the body whither the Head directs. We have dwelt thus at length on the “Colossus,” for it is only as we understand it, that we can understand the meaning of the “Wild Beasts” that Daniel saw come up out of the sea.

2. The Vision of the “FOUR BEASTS.”

Forty-eight years after Nebuchadnezzar had his “Dream,” B. C. 555, Daniel in vision stood upon the shore of the “Great Sea” (the Mediterranean), and saw four “Great Beasts” come up out of the sea in succession.

FIRST BEAST. The “First Beast” was like a LION and had Eagle’s Wings, and as the Prophet watched it, he saw it lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon its feet as a Man, and a Man’s Heart was given to it. Daniel 7:4. We have only to visit the British Museum, London, and examine the Colossal Stone Lions with the “wings of an eagle” and the “head of a man,” disinterred from the ruins of Babylon and Assyria by Sir Henry Layard between the years 1840 and 1850 A. D., to see that this “FIRST BEAST” stands for Babylon and its King--Nebuchadnezzar. The peculiarity of this “FIRST BEAST” was that it had “Eagle’s Wings.” This combination of the LION, the “King of Beasts,” and the EAGLE, the “King of Birds,” corresponded to the Royalty of the “Head of Gold” of the “COLOSSUS,” and typified the “Eagle-like” swiftness of the armies of Nebuchadnezzar. The “Plucking of the Wings” doubtless referred to the “Beastly Insanity” of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:20-27), and the “lifting up,” and causing to stand upon its feet “as a MAN,” to his restoration to sanity.

SECOND BEAST. The “Second Beast” was “like to a BEAR, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had “Three Ribs” in the mouth of it, between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it Arise, devour much flesh.” Daniel 7:5. The bear is the strongest beast after the lion and is distinguished for its voracity, but it has none of the. agility and majesty of the lion, is awkward in its movements, and effects its purpose with comparative slowness, and by brute force and sheer strength. These were the characteristics of the Medo-Persian Empire. It was ponderous in its movements. It did not gain its victories by bravery or skill, but overwhelmed its enemies by hurling vast masses of troops upon them. Xerxes’ expedition against Greece was undertaken with 2,500,000 fighting men, who with the camp followers made up an army of 5,000,000. Other Persian generals had armies running up into the 100,000’s of men. It is easy to be seen that the movements of such enormous bodies of men would “devour much flesh,” not only in the destruction of their enemies, but thousands would die of disease and exposure and the countries through which they passed would become famine-stricken by the loss of food seized to feed such armies. The side of the “BEAR” which raised up to attack signifies Persia, in which lay the greatest military strength, and corresponded to the “right shoulder and arm” of the “Colossus.” The “Three Ribs” stood for the three Kingdoms of Lydia, Babylon and Egypt, which formed a “Triple Alliance” to check the Medo-Persian power, but were all destroyed by it.

THIRD BEAST. The “Third Beast” was “like a LEOPARD, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the ’BEAST’ had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.” Daniel 7:6. The Leopard is the most agile and graceful of creatures; but its speed is here still further assisted by “wings.” Slight in its frame, but strong, swift and fierce, its characteristics render it a fitting symbol of the rapid conquests of the Greeks under Alexander the Great, who, followed by small but well-equipped and splendidly brave armies, moved with great celerity and in about 10 years overthrew the unwieldy forces of Persia, and subdued the whole civilized world. The “four wings of a Fowl” indicate, that, as a “fowl” does not fly high, the armies of Alexander were fitted mainly for lowland fighting. There is an incongruity between the number of “wings” and the number of “heads” of the Leopard. “Four heads” call for “four pair of wings.” Why only “four” wings we do not know, unless they denote the four quarters of the earth into which Alexander sought to extend his Kingdom. The “Four Heads” of the LEOPARD represent the “Four Kingdoms” into which the Empire of Alexander was divided by his generals, namely Thrace, Macedonia, Syria and Egypt. The “Third Beast” corresponds to the “Abdomen” and “Hips” of the “COLOSSUS.”

FOURTH BEAST. The “Fourth Beast” was unlike any Beast that Daniel had ever seen or heard about. It was “dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly, and it had great IRON TEETH. It devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue (the other Beasts) with the feet of it; and it was diverse from all the ’BEASTS’ that were before it, and it had ’TEN HORNS’.” Daniel 7:7. The fact that the “Fourth Beast” had “Iron Teeth,” and that there were “Ten Horns” on its Head, the “iron” corresponding to the “Iron Limbs,” and the “Ten Horns” to the “Ten Toes” of the “COLOSSUS,” would cause Daniel to see that the “Fourth Beast” stood for the Fourth World Empire, the ROMAN. But as Daniel “considered” the “Ten Horns,” he was amazed to see another “Horn,” a LITTLE one, come up among them, and before whom there were “three” of the “First Horns” plucked up by the roots, that is destroyed. And as he examined the “LITTLE HORN” more closely he noticed that it had Eyes like the eyes of a Man, and the Mouth of a Man speaking great things. Daniel 7:8. This mystified and troubled Daniel. He had seen nothing corresponding to it on the “Ten Toes” of the “COLOSSUS.” It must mean some new and additional revelation that God had not seen fit to impart to the Gentile King Nebuchadnezzar, and that was reserved for Daniel and his people (the Jews), for we must not forget that Daniel’s own visions, in the last six chapters’ of the Book, have to do with God’s dealings with the Jewish People in the “LATTER DAYS.” Daniel 10:14. So Daniel approached one of the “Heavenly Messengers” that stood by and asked him the meaning of what he had seen. He was told that the “Four Beasts” stood for “FOUR KINGS” or “KINGDOMS” (vs. 23), that should arise out of the earth. Then Daniel wanted to know the “truth” about the “FOURTH Beast,” which was so diverse from the other three, and particularly about the “LITTLE HORN” that came up among the “Ten Horns” on its head. In explanation Daniel was told that the “Ten Horns” on the “Fourth Beast” represented “TEN KINGS” that shall arise, and that the “Little Horn” was a “King” that should rise among them and subdue three of them, and that he would be a “PERSON” of remarkable intelligence and great oratorical powers, having a mouth speaking great things. That he would be audacious, arrogant, imperious, and persecuting, and change “times and laws,” and that the “Saints of the Most High” (Daniel’s People) would be given into his hands for a “Time, and Times, and the Dividing of Time,” or 3½ years. In this Vision of the “Four Beasts” we see “Degeneration” just as we saw it in the metals of the “COLOSSUS.” The descent is from the LION, the “King of Beasts,” to a nondescript “MONSTER” that defies description. The reason why these “Four Kingdoms” are rep-resented first as a “Golden Headed Metallic Image,” and then as a succession of “Wild Beasts,” is to show the difference between Man’s view and GOD’S view of the World Kingdoms. Man sees in them the concentration of wealth, majesty and power; GOD sees them as a succession of rapacious Wild Beasts devouring one another.

3. The Vision Of The “RAM” And The “HE-GOAT.”

The explanation as to the meaning of the “LITTLE HORN” perplexed Daniel, and he voiced it by saying “My ’cogitations’ much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me (he had a sad look); but I kept the matter in my heart.” Daniel 7:28. To comfort His Servant, God, two years later, transported Daniel in vision to Shushan, the Capital of Persia, and as he stood on the bank of the river Ulai, he saw a RAM which had “Two Horns,” one higher than the other, and the higher came up last. He saw the RAM push “Westward,” and “Northward,” and “Southward,” and nothing could stand before it, and it did according to its will. Daniel 8:4. While Daniel was “considering” what the Vision of the RAM meant, he saw a HE-GOAT come from the West unmolested, and he noticed it had a “NOTABLE HORN” between its eyes, and when it reached the RAM it was moved with “choler” or anger against it, and smote it with “fury,” and broke its. “Two Horns,” and knocked it down and stamped upon it. Then the HE-GOAT waxed great, but when it became strong its “GREAT HORN” was broken off, and “Four Notable Horns” came up in its place, and out of one of them sprang a “LITTLE HORN” which waxed exceedingly great toward the “South,” and toward the “East,” and toward the “Pleasant Land” (Palestine), Daniel 8:1-27; Daniel 5:1-31, Daniel 6:1-28, Daniel 7:1-28, Daniel 8:1-27, Daniel 9:1-27.

When Daniel sought for the meaning of this Vision he heard a voice say--“Gabriel, make this man to understand the Vision.” Then Gabriel said to Daniel the Vision belongs to the “Time of the End” (the End of the Times of the Gentiles), and is to make thee know what shall come to pass in the “Last End of the Indignation” (the Great Tribulation). Daniel 8:15-19. Gabriel then informed Daniel that the “RAM” stood for the “Medo-Persian Empire,” with its two Kings, Darius and his nephew Cyrus, that the “HE-GOAT” stood for the “Grecian Empire,” the “GREAT HORN” between its eyes for its first King (Alexander the Great), and that the “FOUR HORNS” that took the place of the “GREAT HORN,” stood for “Four Kingdoms” into which the “Grecian Empire” should be divided. This explanation cleared up things considerably for Daniel. It revealed to him that the “TWO HORNS” of the RAM, one higher than the other, and the “TWO SHOULDERS” of the BEAR, one higher than the other, and the “TWO ARMS” of the COLOSSUS, stood for the same thing, the double Empire of Medo-Persia. He also saw that the “FOUR HORNS” that came up in the place of the “GREAT HORN” corresponded to the “FOUR HEADS” of the LEOPARD, and therefore must correspond with the “ABDOMEN” and “HIPS” of the COLOSSUS, and stand for the Grecian Empire, and its “Fourfold Division” among the Generals of Alexander the Great. But Daniel was still troubled as to the meaning of the “LITTLE HORN” that he saw come out of one of the “Four Horns” of the HE-GOAT, and Gabriel told him that it stood for a King of “Fierce Countenance” who should stand up in the “LATTER TIME” of the Kingdom, and who should stand up against the “PRINCE OF PRINCES” (Christ). Daniel 8:23-25. The description of this “LITTLE HORN” so clearly corresponded to the description of the “LITTLE HORN” that Daniel saw arise amid the “Ten Horns” of the “Fourth Wild Beast,” that he saw they described and stood for the same Person. The revelation so overcame Daniel that he “fainted,” and was sick certain days. Daniel 8:27 4. The Vision Of The “KINGS OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH.”

While Daniel had revealed to him that the “LITTLE HORN” should come out of one of the “Four Kingdoms” into which the Empire of Alexander the Great was divided, he was not at that time told which one, but 20 years later, in B. C. 533, the information was imparted to him in a Fourth Vision. He saw in vision two Kings warring against each other. One was called the “King of the North,” the other the “King of the South.” This chapter (Daniel 11:1-45) is one of the most wonderfully minute as to prophetic details of any chapter in the Bible. It corresponds exactly with the profane history of the kings of Egypt and Syria for over 350 years. Daniel 11:5-31 we have an account of what is called the “wars” of the “Kings of the North” (Syria) and of the “Kings of the South” (Egypt). These end with the close of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, B. C. 164. Daniel 11:32-35 cover the whole period from B. C. 164 down to the “Time of the End,” that is, until the “Seventieth Week” of Daniel’s “Seventy Weeks.” At Daniel 11:36 the “WILFUL KING” appears, and from that verse down until the end of the Book of Daniel we have an account of what is to befall Daniel’s People in the “Latter Days.” As the description of the “WILFUL KING” corresponded with the description of the “LITTLE HORN” of the “Fourth Wild Beast” and the “LITTLE HORN” of the “He-Goat,” and they were all to appear at the same time--the “Time of the End.” Daniel understood that they referred to one and the same Person, and as the “WILFUL KING” would be the “King of the NORTH,” that is, of Syria, Daniel saw that the “LITTLE HORN” was to rise on the “SYRIAN HORN” of the “He-Goat,” in other words that the “LITTLE HORN,” or “Antichrist,” shall come out of SYRIA, and as Syria included Assyria that the “LITTLE HORN” of Daniel is the same as the “Assyrian” of Isaiah. “When the Lord hath performed His whole work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem (which will not be until Christ comes back), I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the KING OF ASSYRIA (Antichrist) and the glory of his high looks.” Isaiah 10:12. I will break the ASSYRIAN (Antichrist) in My Land (Palestine), and upon My mountains tread him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from off them (Israel), and his burden from off their shoulders.” Isaiah 14:25. The context shows that this prophecy is connected with the restoration of Israel to their own land, not after the Babylonian Captivity, but a restoration that is still future, for the Assyrian Empire had been swallowed up by the Babylonian when the Prophet wrote and the ASSYRIAN King here mentioned must be some future Assyrian King, for he is to be brought to Palestine and destroyed there.

We must not allow ourselves to be confused by the different names given the Antichrist, as the “King of Tyrus,” the “King of Babylon,” and the “King of Assyria,” for that section of the world will comprise one territory in the days of the Antichrist and he will be known by all of these titles. From what we have thus far learned of the Antichrist, the probability is that he will be a SYRIAN JEW, for it is not likely that the Jews will accept as their Messiah one who is not a Jew, unless the claimant by false pretense makes them believe he is one. This, however, does not prevent the Antichrist being a Roman citizen, and the political head of the revived Roman Empire, for Saul of Tarsus was both a Jew and a Roman citizen.

Those who claim that the “LITTLE HORN” of Daniel 7, and the “LITTLE HORN” of Daniel 8:1-27, are not the same, because the “LITTLE HORN” of Daniel 7 arises amid the “Ten Horns” of the “Fourth Wild Beast,” which represents the Roman Empire, and the “LITTLE HORN” of Daniel 8, arises on one of the Horns of the “He-Goat” which represents the Grecian Empire, and corresponds to the “Third Wild Beast,” forget that the Vision that the Apostle John had of the revived Roman Empire (Revelation 13:1-2), the Roman Empire in its last stage, reveals the fact that the “last stage” of the Roman Empire will include all the characteristics of the whole Four Empires, Babylonian,

Medo-Persian, Grecian and old Roman. This is seen in the character of the “BEAST” John saw come up out of the sea. It was like unto a LEOPARD (Greece), with the feet of a BEAR (Medo-Persia), and the mouth of a LION (Babylon). The fact that the BODY of the “BEAST” was like a LEOPARD (Greece), reveals the fact that the preponderating feature of the revived Roman Empire will be GRECIAN, and that therefore the “Ten Federated Kingdoms,” represented by the “Ten Horns” of the “Beast,” will include the FOUR KINGDOMS into which the GRECIAN Empire was divided, viz., Egypt, Macedon, Thrace and SYRIA. It follows therefore that the “LITTLE HORN” of the “He-Goat” (Greece), will be the LITTLE HORN that rises among the “Ten Horns” of the “Fourth Wild Beast” (Rome), for Syria, one of the four divisions of the Grecian Empire, will be one of the component parts of the Revived Roman Empire.

Again those who claim that Antiochus Epiphanes (B. C. 175-165), a king of Syria, was the LITTLE HORN” of the “He-Goat,” overlook the fact, that, while Antiochus Epiphanes devastated Palestine and caused an “idol altar” to be erected on the Brazen Altar of the Temple, on which he offered swine-flesh, which was an abomination to the Jews, he does not fulfil the description of the “LITTLE HORN” of the “He-Goat” (Daniel 8:9-12; Daniel 8:23-25), for Antiochus Epiphanes, nor any other ruler of the past, ever stood up against JESUS, the “Prince of Princes.” Neither was Antiochus Epiphanes “broken without hand.” He died a natural death at Tabae in B. C. 165. But the “LITTLE HORN” of the “He-Goat” is to be “broken without hand.” His Kingdom is to be destroyed by a “stone cut out of the mountain WITHOUT HANDS,” and he himself shall be “paralyzed” by the “brightness of the Lord’s Coming” (1 Thessalonians 2:8), and he shall be cast ALIVE into the “Lake of Fire.” Revelation 19:20. There is no intimation in Scripture that Antiochus Epiphanes is even to be regarded as a “type” of Antichrist. They are distinct historical personages, and though they resemble each other in some respects, yet they must not be confounded with each other. After this prolonged exposition of Daniel’s “Foreview” of the Antichrist, which has seemed necessary to a proper understanding of the meaning of the “Beast” which John saw come up out of the sea, we now turn to-- III. PAUL’S FOREVIEW.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for ’that Day’ (the Day of the Lord) shall not come except there come a ’falling away first,’ and that ’MAN OF SIN’ be revealed. The ’SON OF PERDITION,’ who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he As God sitteth in the Temple of God (the rebuilt Temple at Jerusalem), showing himself that he is God . . . For the ’MYSTERY OF INIQUITY’ doth already work (in Paul’s day); only He (the Holy Spirit) who now letteth (restraineth R. V.) will let (restrain), until He be taken out of the way. And then shall ’THAT WICKED’ be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit (breath) of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness (manifestation R. V.) of His Coming. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth (Christ) that they might be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10. In the American Standard Edition of the Bible the Antichrist is called the “MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS” or the “LAWLESS ONE.” As such he is not the cause of Lawlessness, he is the result or fruit of it, for he will arise out of the seething cauldron of Lawlessness that is now becoming more pronounced and manifest in the world. The name that the Apostle Paul gives the Antichrist--the “SON OF PERDITION,” is not without significance. The name is used but twice in the Scriptures. It is first used by Christ of Judas (John 17:12), and then here of Antichrist. The Apostle also calls the Antichrist in this passage the “MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.” What does that mean? In 1 Timothy 3:16 Christ is spoken of as the “MYSTERY OF GODLINESS,” that is, that He was God MANIFEST IN THE FLESH. How did He become “manifest in the flesh”? By being born of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit. Thus it was that Jesus became the SON OF GOD. Luke 1:35. Now as iniquity is the opposite of godliness, then the “MYSTERY OF INIQUITY” must be the opposite of the “MYSTERY OF GODLINESS.” That is, if Christ is the “MYSTERY OF GODLINESS,” Antichrist must be the “MYSTERY OF INIQUITY,” and as Christ was the “Son of God,” then Antichrist must be the “SON OF PERDITION,” that is, of SATAN. And as Christ was born of a virgin by the Holy Spirit, so Antichrist will be born of a woman (not necessarily a virgin) by Satan. This is no new view for it has been held by many of God’s spiritually minded children since the days of the Apostle John, and there is some warrant for it in the Scriptures. In Genesis 3:15, God said to the Serpent (Satan), “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between ’THY SEED’ and ’HER SEED’.” Now the Woman’s SEED was CHRIST, then the Serpent’s SEED must be ANTICHRIST. In John 8:44 Jesus said to the Jews--“Ye are of your father THE DEVIL . . When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of IT.” In the Greek there is the definite article before “lie,” and it should read “THE LIE,” so when the Devil speaks of “THE LIE,” he is speaking of his own (child), for he is a liar, and the FATHER OF “IT”--“THE LIE.” And it is worthy of note that in the verse (2 Thessalonians 2:11) that follows the passage we are considering that the Apostle says--“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie.” Here again the definite article is found in the Greek, and it should read “The LIE,” the “SON OF PERDITION,” the ANTICHRIST. But why was Judas called the “SON OF PERDITION”? Was he a child of Satan by some woman, or was he simply indwelt by Satan? Here we must let the Scriptures speak for themselves. In John 6:70-71 we read that Jesus said “Have not I chosen you Twelve, and one of you is a DEVIL? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon; for he it was that should betray Him, being one of the Twelve.” In no other passage than this is the word “Devil” applied to anyone but to Satan himself. Here the word is “diabolus,” the definite article is employed, and it should read--“and one of you is THE DEVIL.” This would make Judas the Devil incarnate, or the “MYSTERY OF INIQUITY,” and explains why Jesus in John 17:12, calls him the “SON OF PERDITION.” This is the only place in the Scriptures where the word “diabolus” is applied to a human being, and it implies an incarnation.

While “Perdition” is a PLACE (Revelation 17:8; Revelation 17:11), it is also a “condition” into which men may fall (1 Timothy 6:9; Hebrews 10:39), and while men who have committed the “Unpardonable Sin” are “sons of perdition,” because they are destined to the place of the irrevocably lost, yet Judas and Antichrist are the “SONS OF PERDITION” in a special sense, for they are the SONS of the author of “Perdition”--THE DEVIL. That is they are not merely “obsessed” or controlled by the Devil, the Devil has incarnated himself in them, and for the time being, to all practical purposes, they are the very Devil himself. The next question that arises is, “If Judas and the Antichrist are both called the ’SON OF PERDITION,’ are they one and the same, or are there two ’Sons of Perdition’?” Here we must anticipate. Turning to Revelation 11:7, we read that the “Beast” that slays the “Two Witnesses” ascends out of the “Bottomless Pit” (ABYSS), and that “Beast” is the ANTICHRIST. Now how did he get into the “ABYSS”? Well, if there is only one “SON OF PERDITION,” and Judas and Antichrist are one and the same, then he got in the ABYSS when Judas went to his “Own Place” (the ABYSS). Acts 1:25. Of no other person is it said anywhere in the Scriptures that he went “to his own place.” Again in Revelation 17:8 it is said--“The ’Beast’ that thou sawest was, and is not: and shall ascend out of the ’Bottomless Pit’ (Abyss), and go into PERDITION.” As this “Beast” is the same that slays the “Two Witnesses” he is the ANTI-CHRIST. Now there are four things said of him. First, he “WAS.” Second, he “IS NOT.” Third, he shall “ASCEND OUT OF THE BOTTOMLESS PIT.” Fourth, he shall “GO INTO PERDITION.” From this we learn that in John’s day the “Beast” “Was Not,” but that he had been before on the earth, and was to come again, that he was to ASCEND FROM THE BOTTOMLESS PIT. This is positive proof that the ANTICHRIST has been on the earth before, and that when he comes in the future he will come from the “ABYSS.” The question then arises, when was “Antichrist” on the earth before? If Judas and Antichrist are one and the same the enigma is solved. When Judas was on the earth, he WAS; when Judas went to his “Own Place” he “WAS NOT”; when Judas comes back from the “Abyss” he will be--THE ANTICHRIST. The Author does not insist on this view of Judas and Antichrist being correct, but with open mind he accepts it, because it seems to be the only logical solution of both Judas and Antichrist being called the “SON OF PERDITION.”

IV. JOHN’S FOREVIEW.

“John saw “A ’BEAST’ rise up out of the sea, having ’SEVEN HEADS’ and ’TEN HORNS,’ and upon his horns ’TEN CROWNS,’ and upon his heads the name of BLASPHEMY. And the ’BEAST’ which I saw was like a LEOPARD, and his feet were as the feet of a BEAR, and his mouth as the mouth of a LION: and the ’DRAGON’ gave him his POWER, and his SEAT (Throne), and GREAT AUTHORITY. And I saw one of his HEADS as it were wounded to death: and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the ’BEAST.’ And they worshipped the ’DRAGON’ which gave power unto the ’BEAST,’ and they worshipped the ’BEAST,’ saying, who is like unto the ’BEAST’? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” When we compare these “Foreviews,” and note the similarity of conduct of Daniel’s “LITTLE HORN,” Paul’s “MAN OF SIN,” and John’s “BEAST,” and that Daniel’s “LITTLE HORN” and John’s “BEAST” are to continue for the same length of time--“Forty and Two Months,” or 3½ years, and that Daniel’s “LITTLE HORN,” Paul’s “MAN OF SIN,” and John’s “BEAST,” are all to be destroyed in the same manner at Christ’s “Second Coming,” we see that they all prefigure the same “Evil Power,” which is after the “Working of Satan,” and which John in 1 John 2:18, calls THE ANTICHRIST. In other words when we find in prophecy “Three Symbolic Personages” that come upon the stage of action at the same time, occupy the same territory, exhibit the same character, do the same work, exist the same length of time, and meet the same fate, they must symbolize the SAME THING.

Before we examine in detail John’s “BEAST,” it would be well for us to compare it with Daniel’s “FOURTH WILD BEAST.” In comparing these two “BEASTS” we find that they both come up out of the sea (the nations), and that they are utterly unlike

any beast we have ever heard of. Daniel’s “Beast” was dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth, and nails of brass; while John’s “Beast” was like a LEOPARD, with the feet of a BEAR, and the mouth of a LION. As Daniel’s “Beast” represented the “FOURTH KINGDOM” upon the earth, the Roman Empire, it is evident that its characteristics describe the old Roman Empire, while the characteristics of John’s Beast represent the revived Roman Empire. We know that the Old Roman Empire was “strong exceedingly” and its grip and power were like a beast with “great iron teeth” and “nails of brass,” and from the description of John’s “Beast” we learn that the revived Roman Empire shall embody all the characteristics of the Four World Empires, as seen in its LEOPARD like body, its feet of a BEAR, and its mouth of a LION. That both “Beasts” have TEN HORNS reveals the fact that they will be in existence at the time indicated by the TEN TOES of the Colossus, with which they correspond, which will be just before the setting up of the “Stone” or Millennial Kingdom of Christ. We are told that the “TEN HORNS” of Daniel’s “Beast” stand for “TEN KINGS,” and the “TEN HORNS” of John’s “Beast” stand for the same. Revelation 17:12. From this we see that both Daniel and John foresaw that the Roman Empire was to be eventually divided into “Ten Separate but Federated Kingdoms.”

While both “Beasts” have TEN HORNS, they differ in that John’s had “SEVEN HEADS” while Daniel’s had but ONE, and among the “TEN HORNS” on Daniel’s “Beast” there came up a “LITTLE HORN,” which is not seen amid the “TEN HORNS” of John’s Beast. These, as we shall see, are features that refer to the last stage of the “Beast” and show that we cannot ’understand the last stage of the “Beast” without carefully comparing Daniel’s and John’s “Beasts,” for the “LITTLE HORN” of Daniel’s “Beast” plucks up THREE of the “TEN HORNS” and destroys them, or takes their kingdom away, a thing that John omits to tell us. Again the Antichristian character of Daniel’s “Beast” is seen in its “LITTLE HORN” whose conduct corresponds with not a part, but the whole of John’s “Beast,” and that for the same length of time, “TIME” and “TIMES” and the “DIVIDING OF TIME” which equals “FORTY AND TWO MONTHS.”

It now remains to analyze the “Beast” that John saw come up out of the sea, and try to discover the meaning of its various members.

We have two descriptions of this “Beast.”

Daniel’s “Fourth Wild Beast” as we have seen, represents the Roman Empire as it existed from B. C. 30, until as a nation it shall cease to exist. While it was divided in A. D. 364, as the result of an ecclesiastical schism, into its Eastern and Western Divisions, and lost its national life as a world power, yet it has never lost its religious existence or influence as seen in the continuance of the Greek and Roman Churches, and Roman Law is still a controlling power in our laws. In this sense the Roman Empire in its influence has never ceased to exist. We are now to consider it in its last stage as out-lined in John’s “Beast.” In the two descriptions of John’s Beast as given above it is very important to see that the “Beast” has a “Dual” meaning. It represents both the revived Roman Empire, and its Imperial Head the JOHN’S TWO VISIONS
OF THE BEAST

Antichrist. As the revived Roman Empire it is seen coming up out of the sea of the nations, as the Antichrist it comes up out of the ABYSS. For instance it cannot be said of the Roman Empire of John’s day, that it WAS, and IS NOT, for it was at the height of its power in John’s day. Neither can it be said of it that it shall ascend out of the pit and go into PERDITION, that could only be said of a person. Again we must distinguish between the body of the “Beast” and its heads and horns. The body being that of a LEOPARD, with the feet of a BEAR, and the mouth of a LION is to show that the revived Roman Empire in its last stage will include the characteristics of the first “Three Wild Beasts” of Daniel, that is, of the LION (Babylon), the BEAR (Medo-Persia), and the LEOPARD (Greece), and as the largest part of the “Beast,” the body, is represented by the LEOPARD, the prevailing characteristic of the revived Roman Empire will be GRECIAN. The “Beast” that comes up out of the sea (Chap. 13), has SEVEN HEADS and TEN HORNS, and the “Horns” are CROWNED. This represents the “Beast,” or Empire, at the height of its power, when it will have all its “Heads,” and when the TEN KINGS, the heads of the TEN KINGDOMS into which the Empire shall be divided, will have been crowned. The “Beast” that comes up out of the ABYSS also has SEVEN HEADS and TEN HORNS, but they are not crowned, for the TEN KINGS represented by the TEN HORNS, have not as yet received their kingdom. (Revelation 17:12.) This implies that the “Beast” of Revelation 17:1-18, represents the Antichrist at the beginning of the “Week.” As confirmation of this view the “WOMAN” is seen at this stage riding the “Beast.” For while the “Scarlet Clothed Woman” is not seen until Revelation 17:1-18, it is clear that she rides the “Beast” from the beginning of the “Week,” for she represents the “PAPAL CHURCH” that comes into power after the true Church has been caught out. During the wars preceding the rise of Antichrist the nations that will then be found in the geographical limits of the Old Roman Empire will form an “Alliance” for mutual protection. Those nations will be ten in number, represented by the “TEN HORNS” of the Beast. No doubt the “Papal Church” will play a prominent part in those proceedings. She will be rewarded by restoration to political power, and this union of Church and State, in which the Church will have control, is shown by the WOMAN riding the Beast, thus dominating it. But when the “Ten Kings” shall receive their Kingdoms and be CROWNED, they “shall hate the WHORE, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.” (Revelation 17:16)

While we are told in Revelation 17:9 that the “SEVEN HEADS” of the “Beast” represent “SEVEN MOUNTAINS” (this is to identify it with the Roman Empire), we are told in the next verse (R. V.) that they (the “Seven Heads”) also represent “SEVEN KINGS” of whom “Five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh he must continue a short space.” That is, in John’s day “Five” of these Kings had fallen, one was the then ruling Emperor, and the “Seventh” was yet to come. Who are meant by the first “Five Kings” that had fallen we do not know. The King that was on the throne in John’s day was Domitian, who had banished John to the Isle of Patmos. The last or “SEVENTH KING” who is yet to come is undoubtedly the ANTICHRIST. We are told in Revelation 13:3, that one of the “SEVEN HEADS,” or “KINGS,” received a deadly wound. Which one is not stated. The inference is that it is the last, for the Beast has all of his “HEADS” before one of them is wounded. In Revelation 17:11 he is called the Beast that WAS, and IS NOT, even he is the “EIGHTH,” and is of the “SEVENTH,” and goeth into PERDITION. The only clear explanation of this passage is that the “SEVENTH HEAD”--THE ANTICHRIST, is the one who receives the “deadly wound,” probably at the hand of an THE ANTICHRIST

assassin, and as his body is lying in state prepared for burial, he rises from the dead (Revelation 13:14), and thus becomes the “EIGHTH,” though he is of the “SEVENTH.” By this resurrection of the Antichrist, Satan imitates the Resurrection of Christ and makes the world “wonder after the Beast” (Revelation 13:3), and this adds to his prestige and power. If this happens at the “Middle of the Week,” at the time the Dragon is cast out of Heaven, it will account for the great change that takes place in the Antichrist, for before receiving his “deadly wound” he will be sweet and lovable, but after his resurrection or recovery he will become Devilish, the result of the Dragon incarnating himself in him. It is at this time that he breaks the Covenant with the Jews and desecrates the Temple by setting up the “Abomination of Desolation” which is an “Idol Image” of himself--the “DESOLATOR.” As the “LITTLE HORN” of Daniel’s “Fourth Wild Beast” he will destroy three of the “Ten Kings” and firmly establish himself in the place of power, and as he, as the “LITTLE HORN,” does not appear until after the “TEN HORNS,” or “Ten Federated Kingdoms,” come into existence, it is clear that the Antichrist does not form the Federation, but is the outgrowth of it.

He will be a “composite” man. One who embraces in his character the abilities and powers of Nebuchadnezzar, Xerxes, Alexander the Great and Caesar Augustus. He will have the marvelous gift of attracting unregenerate men, and the irresistible fascination of his personality, his versatile attainments, superhuman wisdom, great administrative and executive ability, along with his powers as a consummate flatterer, a brilliant diplomatist, a superb strategist, will make him the most conspicuous and prominent of men. All these gifts will be conferred on him by Satan, whose tool he will be, and who will thus make him the--

SUPERMAN.

He will pose as a great humanitarian, the friend of men, and the especial friend of the Jewish race, whom he will persuade that he has come to usher in the “Golden Age” as pictured by the prophets, and who will receive him as their Messiah.

He will intoxicate men with a strong delusion and his never varying success. And when he shall be slain and rise again he will have lost none of these powers, but will be in addition the embodiment of all kinds of wickedness and blasphemy.

“He shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws.” Daniel 7:25.

“He shall also stand up against the ’Prince of Princes’“ (Jesus). Daniel 8:25.

“He shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of Gods.” Daniel 11:36.

“Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he AS GOD sitteth in the Temple of God (at Jerusalem) showing himself that he IS GOD. . . . whose coming is after the Working of Satan with all Power and Signs and Lying Wonders.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9.

There has never as yet appeared on this earth a person who answers the description given in the above Scriptures. Such a character is almost inconceivable. No writer would have invented such a character.

7. THE BEAST OUT OF THE EARTH. The “Beast” Or “Anti-Spirit.”

Revelation 13:11-18.

“And I beheld another ’BEAST’ coming up out of the EARTH; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a DRAGON. And he exerciseth all the power of the ’First Beast’ before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the ’First Beast,’ whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the ’Beast’; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an ’IMAGE TO THE BEAST,’ which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give LIFE UNTO THE ’IMAGE OF THE ’BEAST,’ that the ’IMAGE OF THE BEAST’ SHOULD BOTH SPEAK, AND CAUSE THAT AS MANY AS WOULD NOT WORSHIP THE ’IMAGE OF THE BEAST’ SHOULD BE KILLED. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a ’MARK’ in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might BUY or SELL, save he that had the ’MARK,’ or the ’NAME OF THE BEAST,’ or the ’NUMBER OF HIS NAME.’ Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the ’NUMBER OF THE BEAST’: for it is the ’NUMBER OF MAN’: and his number is SIX HUNDRED THREESCORE AND SIX.”

After the Apostle John had seen and described the “Beast” that came up out of the SEA, he saw another “Beast” come up out of the EARTH. This “Second Beast,” while John does not say it was a lamb, had “Two Horns” “like a lamb,” that is, it was LAMB-LIKE. Because of this resemblance many claim that the “Second Beast” is the Antichrist, for Antichrist is supposed to imitate Christ. While the LAMB (Christ) is mentioned in the Book of Revelation 22 times, the description given of Him in Revelation 5:6, is that of a lamb having “SEVEN HORNS” and not “TWO.” This differentiates Him from the “lamb-like Beast” that comes up out of the earth, who, though he is “lamb-like in appearance SPEAKS AS A DRAGON.” The “Second Beast” has a name. He is called the “FALSE PROPHET” three times. First in Revelation 16:13, then in Revelation 19:20, and again in Revelation 20:10. Twice he is associated with the “First Beast” (Antichrist) and once with the “Dragon” (Satan) and the “First Beast,” and as they are PERSONS so must he be. The fact that he is called the “False Prophet” is proof that he is not the “Antichrist.” Jesus had a foreview of him when He said--“There shall arise ’FALSE CHRISTS’ and ’FALSE PROPHETS,’ and shall show GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS: insomuch that, if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24:24. Here Jesus differentiates between “FALSE CHRISTS” and “FALSE PROPHETS,” therefore the “ANTICHRIST” and the “FALSE PROPHET” cannot be the same. That the “Second Beast” comes up out of the EARTH may signify that he will be a resurrected person. If, as was hinted at, “Antichrist” was Judas resurrected, why should not the “False Prophet” also be a resurrected person? There will be two persons, as we have seen, who shall come back from Heaven as the “Two Witnesses,” Moses and Elijah, why not two persons come up from “The Underworld,” brought up by Satan to counteract the work of the “Two Witnesses”? The fact that the “First Beast” (Antichrist), and the “Second Beast” (False Prophet) are cast ALIVE into the “Lake of Fire” (Revelation 19:20) is further proof that they are more than ordinary mortals, and that the “First Beast” is more than the last ruling Emperor of the revived Roman Empire. He is the Antichrist, Satan’s SUPERMAN. In the “Dragon,” the “Beast,” and the “False Prophet,” we have the “SATANIC TRINITY,” Satan’s imitation of the “Divine Trinity.” In the unseen and invisible “Dragon” we have the FATHER (the ANTI-GOD). In the “Beast” we have the “SON OF PERDITION” (the ANTI-CHRIST), begotten of the Dragon, who appears on the earth, dies, and is resurrected, and to whom is given a throne by his Father the Dragon. In the “False Prophet” we have the “ANTI-SPIRIT,” who proceeds from the “Dragon Father” and “Dragon Son,” and whose speech is like the Dragon’s. The “Dragon” then will be the “ANTI-GOD,” the “Beast” the “ANTI-CHRIST,” and the “False Prophet” the “ANTI-SPIRIT,” and the fact that all three are cast ALIVE into the “Lake of Fire” (Revelation 20:10) is proof that they together form a “Triumvirate” which we may well call--“THE SATANIC TRINITY.”

Again the “Antichrist” is to be a KING and rule over a KINGDOM. He will accept the “Kingdoms of this world” that Satan offered Christ, and that Christ refused. Matthew 4:8-10. He will also EXALT himself, and claim to be God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4. But the “False Prophet” is not a King, He does not exalt himself, he exalts the “First Beast” (Antichrist). His relation to the “First Beast” is the same as the Holy Spirit’s relation to Christ. He causeth the earth

and them which dwell therein to worship the “First Beast.” He also has power to give life, and in this he imitates the Holy Spirit. And as the followers of Christ are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the “Day of Redemption” (Ephesians 4:30); so, the followers of Antichrist shall be sealed by the False Prophet until the “Day of Perdition.” Revelation 13:16-17. The False Prophet will be a “Miracle Worker.” While Jesus was a “miracle worker,” He did all His mighty works in the “power” of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38. Among the miracles that the False Prophet will perform he will bring down FIRE FROM HEAVEN. As we have seen under the work of the “Two Witnesses,” Revelation 11:1-14, there will probably be a “FIRE-TEST” between Elijah and the False Prophet, and the test as to who is God of Mt. Carmel will be repeated. That Satan, who will then energize the False Prophet, can do this is clear from Job 1:16, where Satan, having secured per-mission from God to touch all that Job had, brought down “fire from heaven” and burned up Job’s sheep and servants. The False Prophet then commands the people to make an “IMAGE OF THE BEAST.” This is further proof that the “First Beast” is the Antichrist. It is a strange weakness of mankind that they must have some VISIBLE God to worship, and when the Children of Israel, who had been delivered from Egypt under Moses’ leadership, thought he had forsaken them because he did not come down from the Mount, they called Aaron to make them gods which should go before them, and Aaron made for them the “GOLDEN CALF.” Exodus 32:1-6. So the False Prophet will have the people make for the purpose of worship an “IMAGE OF THE BEAST.” But the wonderful thing about the “IMAGE” is that the False Prophet will have power to give LIFE to it, and cause it to SPEAK, and to demand that all who will not worship it shall be put to death. In other words the “IMAGE” will be a living, speaking, AUTOMATON. This “Image” reminds us of the “GOLDEN IMAGE” that Nebuchadnezzar commanded to be made and set up in the “Plain of Dura,” in the Province of Babylon (Daniel 3:1-30), before which, at the sounding of musical instruments, the people were commanded to bow down and worship under penalty, for those who disobeyed, of being cast into a “BURNING FIERY FURNACE.” Doubtless there will be many in the “Day of Antichrist” who will refuse to bow down and worship the “Image of the Beast,” and who will not escape as did the “Three Hebrew Children,” though God may inter-pose in a miraculous way to deliver some. And as if this was not enough the False Prophet shall cause--“ALL, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a ’MARK’ in their RIGHT HAND, or in their FOREHEAD; and that no man might BUY or SELL, save he that has the ’MARK’ or the ’NAME OF THE BEAST,’ or the ’NUMBER OF HIS NAME’.” This “MARK” will be known as the “BRAND OF HELL.” This is what the world is fast coming to. The time is not far distant when the various “Trusts” and “Combinations of Capital” will be merged into a “FEDERATION OF TRUSTS,” at the head of which shall be a “NAPOLEON OF CAPITAL.” Ultimately this “Federation of Trusts” will extend to the whole world, at the head of which shall be THE ANTICHRIST, and the producer and consumer will be powerless in the tentacles of this OCTOPUS, and no man shall be able to BUY or SELL who has not the “MARK OF THE BEAST” either upon his “right hand” or on his “forehead.” This “Mark” will be BRANDED or burnt on. It will probably be the “NUMBER OF THE BEAST” or “666.” The number “666” is the “NUMBER OF MAN,” and stops short of the perfect number SEVEN. Man was created on the SIXTH day. Goliath, the opposer of God’s people, a type of Satan, was 6 cubits in height, he had 6 pieces of armor, and his spearhead weighed 600 shekels. 1 Samuel 17:4-7. Nebuchadnezzar’s Image, a type of the “Image of the Beast,” was 60 cubits in height, 6 cubits wide, and 6 instruments of music summoned the worshippers. Daniel 3:1-7. In that day men will doubtless prefer to have the “MARK” on the back of their right hand so it can be readily seen in the act of signing checks, drafts, and receipts. There will doubtless be public officials in all public places of business to see that no one buys or sells who has not the “MARK.” This will apply to women as well as men. No one can shop, or even buy from the huckster at the door, without the “MARK,” under penalty of DEATH. Those will be awful times for those who will not WORSHIP THE BEAST. If they can neither buy or sell without the “MARK,” they must beg, or starve or be killed. The instrument of death will be the guillotine (Revelation 20:4), and the daily papers will contain a list of the names of those who were beheaded the day before so as to frighten the people into obedience to the law. The doom of the “Satanic Trinity” will be, that at the close of that awful time of Tribulation the Lord Jesus Christ will return, and the “Dragon,” the “Anti-God,” will be cast into the “BOTTOMLESS PIT” for a 1000 years (Revelation 20:1-3), and the “Beast,” the “Anti-Christ,” and the “False Prophet,” the “Anti-Spirit,” will be cast ALIVE into the “LAKE OF FIRE.” Revelation 19:20.