Isis Study

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To: Tami Home <tami@powerfuldrink.com>, TJ Chandler <keytotherightunderstanding@gmail.com>

There is a ton of info here but we can read it over time...think about what we are currently witnessing with Isis and other radical groups as you read.........I believe we are on the cusp of a Holy War......

XXII. The Great War Storm

The God of the dispersed tribes of Israel has given them the following express command concerning their restoration to a national power:

"Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent." (Zeph. 3: 8, 9.)

Before the Israelitic movement takes place, i.e., the gathering of the laboring masses and their going forward in common to a definite goal, the hold and influence of the Turkish power over Palestine must come to an end. That country, first of all, belongs to the dispersed tribes and must therefore, prior to their redemption from Babylon, be accessible to them. But as long as the great powers of Europe support the sultan's sovereignty over Palestine it remains in the control of the Mohammedans and as such inaccessible to any large numbers of other races.

The Berlin Tract must be dissolved, and then, according to the 11th chapter of Daniel, the power of the North will be engaged in a war with the power that controls the South. These two powers are none others than Russia and England, and prophecy directly points out these two powers as the principal champions in the great world war, and with them the other powers will ally themselves. These two powers will vie with one another for supremacy, and both will endeavor, not only to conquer one another, but to gain supremacy over the whole world. The power in the extreme North will eventually come out victorious, and will then also get Palestine under its ruling power. But while the battle between these two powers is being fought, the labor movement increases in speed and gains the object determined in the prophecy.

Tripoli war great sign of the time

The Mohammedans will at last, when they declare the holy war, attract them all to themselves and then call on them all to fight even unto death.

The rise of the Pope. In the degree the power of the Roman imperial power was weakened, both the state and the church turned to the power and authority of the bishops for support, and because of this the bishop in Rome finally got the whole governmental power into his hands. He sought to be declared the father of the church, but in this he was hindered, until, in the year 606 A.D., when Boni-face, through the consent of Emperor Phocas, was crowned Pope — father of Christendom. Before long he represented both the officially accepted Christianity and the Chaldean world-creation - hence two widely separated kingdoms and governmental interests — in one and the same person. This strengthened the governing power of the human works, while at the same time it suppressed the kingdom and governmental interests of Christ. Means of persecution unto death were applied in order to suppress the recalcitrants. Such was the condition when the beginning of the prophecy in Isa. 21st chapter made itself felt.

In the deserts of the south a nation came into existence, which, like the Semites and the house of Abraham, led a nomadic life. They got their livelihood from their herds. Ishmael was their ancestral father, and they were controlled religiously by the knowledge they had received from Ishmael's father, Abraham.

In the middle of the 5th century, at the same time the Pope elevated himself to power, there arose among this people the holy city of Mecca; there they erected their central sanctuary. In this city was born, 570 A.D., the prophet Mohammed. According to a legend his mother, Amina, was visited by an angel during the time of her pregnancy, and he is alleged to have said to her: "You are carrying the lord and prophet of your people beneath your heart."

The original name of Mohammed was Kotham. The name Mohammed, which means "the longed-for," he took at the time he began to receive his revelations. He was about 40 years old when, on mount Hira, he received a revelation to the effect that he was to appear as the prophet of his people. From this the Koran, the sacred book of the Mohammedans, originates.

Mohammed surrounded himself by twelve apostles, who led his followers according to the rules of the Koran. There and then their forward march began, under the conviction that they would conquer the world.

We now come to the prophecy that foretells the warpath of this people. The goal, as we have seen by Isaiah 21, is the ultimate fall of Babylon. There is a rather long road ahead of them before they reach their goal. The prophecy describes the movement as dividing itself up into certain predetermined periods ―periods of "woe." These periods are described as follows:

"And I beheld, and heard an angel (eagle) flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels (remaining blasts), which are yet to sound!" (Rev. 8:13.)

The flying eagle symbolizes the eagle standard of Rome, for on this was depicted an eagle in a flying posture. And under this military symbol the whole population of the Roman empire was suppressed. Emperor Constantine divided up the realm into ten military districts, appointing a general as governor of each district. These, because they led the army, were called dux (dukes), from the Latin ducere, to lead, and they were at the same time vassals — feudal lords — of the emperor, for he considered both the land and the people as his own possession, and the vassals were also his district sheriffs, who collected the taxes and attended to military matters.

Through this the people were turned into submissive slaves under their respective oppressors, and great many became serfs as a result of this system. It was during this time the whole Roman empire was owned by only 1800 individuals. The entire realm was a military state, completely controlled by the military authority. Everywhere the soldiers were the favored ones, and if anyone dared to voice his opinion against this, he was soon liquidated.

This foundation of political oppression, which to a certain extent still continues, has aroused the anger of the Almighty, and He has expressed His opinion about it in the following prophetic words:

"Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he bath utterly destroyed them, he bath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood." (Isa. 34:1 3.)

No wonder that the mighty armies of Rome, both those of Western and Eastern Rome, were at last strewn on the ground as corpses. The eagle standard had led them on in their forward march to the fate that eventually befell them. But although this eagle standard met with such defeat, most great nations have, nevertheless, placed the same emblem on their standards, hence they are, when their turn comes, included under the cry of woe.

Here is a description of the gathering together and forward march of these hosts:

"And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit." (Rev. 9:1,2.)

The star signifies the leader who set the warring hosts in motion, and the bottomless pit the martial center which gathered together the hosts and set them in motion on the path of war.

A star fallen from heaven is the opposite to the prophecy in Isaiah 14, which evidently denotes the rise and activity of the papal power. The papal star has led the people into Babylon — the Chaldean creation—and brought the seed of Abraham down beneath the Babylonian pressure, with its endless burdens of taxes. But through the Mohammedan star the liberation will come. Hence the prophecy that announces the defeat of the papal star says:

"For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the scepter of the rulers. He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing." (Isa. 14:1 7.)

In verses 12-14 it speaks of this papal star, which has led the entire world in under the Babylonian creation, as follows:

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (or, O day star), son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."

We are familiar with that star. The Constantinian throne brought the people down under militarism, until all of the people became serfs of the dukes. The dukes were the vassals of the emperor, and these, as generals, were given districts of land as fiefs. And then when the Pope arose and mixed the Christian profession with the power of the state, giving the state church the Christian name, then the already oppressive yoke became doubly heavy on the necks of the people.

This has especially happened to Israel, the ten tribes lost in Babylon, because it has fallen to their lot to serve the nations. But then, at last, the Ishmaelitic star comes to meet them in order to make an end to their sighing. The star of Jacob will also eventually appear, which we will show when we come to deal with the second period of woe. The first period of woe was measured off to be 150 years. Prophecy designates the beginning of the period by stating that the desert hosts gather under a king — an angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in the Greek language it is Apollyon — the destroyer. The first woe-period was to last 150 years, signified by five months, counting a day — a prophetic day — for a year.

The first cry of woe dates from the time Osman (Ottoman) organized the Mohammedan hordes under a civilian head and set up among them a governmental system. This was in the latter part of the 13th century. He marched to war against the Roman empire on the 27th of July, 1299, and the prophecy shows that this war would continue five prophetic months — 150 years. At the end of this period the Roman imperial power was so shattered that the throne ascended only by the consent of the sultan.

After this rose up Mohammed II, who continued the war, which terminated by leaving the mighty imperial city of Constantinople completely in the hands of the Mohammedan hordes, they making it their capital city.

There we see how the Ishmaelitic sword, inspired by the Koran, cleared away the imperial power, with its oppressive vassal representatives. But there remained still another sword, namely, the religious, in order to blast away the papal oppression. This sword was lifted through the Reformation.

The first woe-period came to an end where the Reformation began. And let us look at the condition existing in the Roman empire at that time. Through the Pope's political power the Catholic Church then controlled every country, and the religious oppression was even worse than the political. Everywhere the people were taxed under the pretext that churches and religious institutions had to be built, and the voice of the Pope was as if it had come from heaven. The rulers were Catholics, and they received great privileges and titles of honor through the manipulations of the Pope. And the priesthood controlled the people by means of the religious influence.

Such was the situation when the monk Luther appeared on the scene. His mind was especially aroused by the sales of indulgences. The entire so-called Christian world was then trembling before the mighty Pope, who demanded obedience and complete submission. The bull of excommunication constituted an invincible sword which neither priest nor king dared to defy. It was linked to the stake, and the defiant soon became the prey of the flames.

And then when Luther publicly burned the bull of excommunication issued by the Pope, this acted like a declaration of war that never had seen its equal. The bull was burned in the autumn of 1520, and this event just about paralyzed all who belonged to or knew the papal power. The Thirty-Year War followed on this burning of the bull of excommunication.

Emperor Charles V, of Austria, who also was king of Spain, was the highest political leader, to whom all turned for defense and assistance. The German princes took more or less part in the Reformation, and the Elector Frederick, of Saxony, was the most influential, sided in with Luther.

The Arabian warring hordes continued their forward march, having at this time entered into Hungary and threatened the Austrian capital. The emperor appealed to the German princes to come and help him drive the Turk out of Europe. But because he had refused to recognize the Protestant confession, Luther and the other reformers rose up against the emperor, advising the princes to reject the appeal of the emperor. Luther then uttered the historically known words: "The worst Turk is seated in Rome, let us drive him away first." He then added: "If we drive away the Turks, then Daniel's prophecy will be fulfilled, and then, be certain of this, the day of judgment is at hand."

Under the circumstances quoted the first woe-period terminated. It was the Mohammedans who paved the way for the Reformation to be able to get through. The once so powerful Constantinian imperial throne was now in the hands of the Turks, and their caliph was now, according to the word of prophecy, seated as victor on the throne in Constantinople.

The second woe-period is prophetically designated as follows:

"And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them." (Rev. 9:13 16.)

We notice that it says in the preceding verse that, "One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter." Hence the sixth woe belongs exclusively to the second period of woe. This period begins with the loosening of the bound angels — the representatives of the powers — who are bound in the river Euphrates. Between the termination of the first period of woe and the beginning of the second, there is a period of 391 years, signified by a day, and a month, and a year, thus 391 days according to the lunar system of reckoning, and a prophetic day signifies an ordinary solar year, having 360 days.

Loosen the four angels, who have been bound for 391 years. We are of the opinion that the angels, in the first place, represent the principal quarters within the Mohammedan world. The Mohammedans are scattered in Asia, Africa and Europe, great many of them in Arabia. Everywhere they have been bound by the great powers of Europe, who have held their armed fist over them, as in Egypt, India, Morocco, Persia, Tunis, and wherever they are found, even in Turkey and on the Balkan peninsula.

"Loose them," is the decisive message which now goes forth. When Luther burned the Pope's bull of excommunication, that public act, terrifying the whole world, signalized that a new era had been ushered in, and that God now had a special work to carry out against the religious part of the Babylonian power. But while this work is developing to its full maturity according to God's plan, the four angels, with their swords, are bound. Through the bold aggression and defiant stand of the Reformation, it was signaled to the entire world that Europe's unity was broken, and, as a natural result, that its power of opposition was weakened. The aim of the Mohammedans was to conquer the world, and they had then already vanquished the armies of both the Western and Eastern Rome and had made the imperial city the center of the caliph. And when Emperor Charles V was unable to gather the German princes to wage war on the Mohammedan hordes, it appeared that the road was open for these military hosts to proceed onward to their goal.

But a wonderful power accompanied the Reformation. In the degree the struggle between the Catholic Church and the Protestants increased, the Mohammedan martial hosts withdrew, just as if they had been bound and hindered in proceeding with their war activities. Hence we reckon their binding from the time the signal was given to burn the bull of excommunication, namely, in the year 1520.

The loosening, according to the indication of prophecy, was to take place 391 years from 1520, which takes us down to the autumn of 1911—the time the Tripoli-War broke out. The loosening of the Arabian war hordes had, necessarily, to be brought on through war, as it is through this soldiers are taken away from other interests to be gathered on the field of battles. And it is old Rome, whose armies they once conquered, which now has her standard waving over territories the Mohammedans had laid under their power with the sword. If anything is to loosen and gather them, it ought to be this attack.

When one compares Rev. 9:12, where it says, "One woe is past," with 11:14, "The second woe is past," it shows that it is during the second woe period that that which is spoken of in the 10th and 11th chapters is being fulfilled. And what are these chapters dealing with?

A continuation of the Reformation. This, also, came to a standstill and bound condition. The prophecy concerning Babylon is now, during the second woe period to be brought about. It is Babylon that has occasioned the binding of both Ishmael's war movements and the work of the Reformation.

The words: "Bound in the great river Euphrates," explains the meaning with both the binding and the loosening. The river Euphrates flowed through the old or prefigurative Babylon. It flowed under the massive wall. The wall was so high and strong that the weapons of war of that time were unable to penetrate it, and the gates were of thick copper plates.

Figure of speech is the artistic language of prophecy, and it presents the objects by way of comparison. The christened Babylon is now on the scene, and through this is flowing the. Mohammedan stream of people, and as long as no special change takes place in the world of nature, Babylon's cannon wall remains firm, protecting its interests.

But while the representatives of the powers bound at this stream are loosened, something will take place that will materialize the acts that are described in the 10th and 11th chapters of Revelation. And at the same time there will be a great agitation among the seed of Abraham — the toiling Jacob, dwelling inside the wall of Babylon. His star will then arise. It was prophesied of this already when, on his journey out of Egypt, he was camped at the border of the promised land. Even Balaam, who was called on to curse this liberated mass of slaves, was compelled to prophesy as follows concerning their future:

"He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." (Num. 24:16,17.)

By the context one will see that he is speaking of the coming Messiah, and he is linking His arrival with the house of Jacob's second movement out from the oppression of slavery. It is in the second act the kingly Scepter, which the Roman state and the Jewish church placed under the cross, shall rise up and become victorious.

Like the first coming of Christ was announced through a star, namely, a sign of the time signalizing to Judah that a new era was ushered in, so there will arise a star to the house of Israel—the ten tribes dispersed among the nations — announcing or signalizing the time of their deliverance. This star will shed light on the great day of Jacob, and, radiating the illuminating rays of prophecy it will proclaim that the kingly scepter shall rise up out of Israel.

The people of Jerusalem, both learned and unlearned, did not see the star; the wise men from the East saw it, followed and testified of it.

The third woe-period enters in after the fulfillment of that which is written in Rev. 10th chapter, also in the 11th, from the 1st verse to the 14th. The Elijah-period, namely, that of 3½ years of drought, designated in Rev. 11 and foretold in Joe. 1:15 20, is to take place on the day of the Lord.

The great day of the Lord, as we have shown, entered in when the Son of Man appeared on His mission, but His work was cut off in the midst of the years. John the Baptist was a forerunner, coming in the spirit of Elijah, but at the time the power was required in order to prepare the way for the King, John was seized and cast into prison and finally beheaded. Through this his work, too, was interrupted before it was finished. What is left undone belongs to the remaining part of the day of the Lord.

In the hour of His death, the King uttered the following remarkable words: "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" The people who heard it spoke to the guard, who was about to give Him vinegar to drink, and said: "Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him." With this was signalized the mission of Elijah in its remaining part. The priests, naturally, gave another meaning, namely: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" With this they meant that He died in despondency, for thus His enemies wished to have it.

The prophecy concerning the work of Elijah, according to Malachi 4, is linked with the great day, when Jehovah the second time will gather together the family of Jacob for the purpose of turning the hearts of the children to the faith of the fathers. It will then come as a preparer of the way for the kingly scepter.

In following up the historic events, that have brought forth both the political and cultural movements, it will be seen that they have served as a fostering means for the human family in order to call forth and develop the thinking faculties — cultivate the mind. In times when everything is quiet and still, the human race is like the uncultivated soil. The mind becomes inactive, and like the desert is covered with weeds and all sorts of plants — a mixture of everything in a disordered condition — thus it is with the human family in times when no special political, social or religious movements are in evidence. Hence the Creator, in His superior wisdom, has determined to keep the fostering work alive through alternating movements — the coming and passing of kingdoms, political, religious and social agitations.

Every dispensation has such movements, and due to these, firm and active minds are brought forth, and these act upon others in the manner the plow makes its furrows in the uncultivated ground. Weeds and roots are torn up and useful green is sown instead. This power of development and cultivation enters into God's plan as a prerequisite that all objects connected therewith appear in pairs. In the development of the last mate, the first stands forth as an historical fact, the latter as a prophetic reality, but they are so much alike that the observer can plainly see that they are a pair — they belong to one another, for without the one the other would be incomplete.

Now, in the last and decisive periods, when everything is to be completed, all kinds of movements appear, both political, religious and social, also wars, with most aggressive and deep-going effects, and all this to foster a class of people suitable to reign in the Son of man's kingdom. But all these movements terminate in such a way that on the pages of history one might get a portrait of their mates.

The Reformation, for instance, comprised both religious and political nuclear power, but it came to a standstill without gaining any more for the people than liberty for them to read and search for themselves. It did not liberate from the Babylonian cords; they have actually grown stronger, even though the religious liberty has increased. When the mate of the Reformation comes with power, then the work of the Reformation will be completed, and the movement of freedom that is begun will at last bring about complete liberty both religiously, politically and socially.

Thus it is with respect to the Mohammedan movement. Its object, according to the indication of prophecy, is. the fall of Babylon. But Babylon did not fall then, merely preparations were in evidence at that period, and these show how it is to be brought about when the mate appears in order to complete the whole.

In this comparison, when we follow up the whole plan, we thus have the key that unlocks the prophetic mysteries, and the more we make use of it the more sure it becomes.

SIGNALIZING SOUNDS

There are certain signalizing sounds which already announce that the seventy-year tarrying time, alluded to in Mat. 25:5 (compare Dan. 9:24 and Zec. 1:12), is drawing toward its termination. With "tarrying time" is meant that the prophetic work is interrupted for a definite period, and that at the expiration thereof it will be taken up where it came to a standstill, then to continue until the whole work is completed. It was the virgin-movement, to meet the bridegroom, that came to a standstill about seventy years ago. The virgin-movement is of the same meaning as the temple movement, preceding the appearance of the covenantal city and throne.

The temple movement, like the loosening of the Ishmaelitic hosts, demand for their renewal a loosening process that will call forth the sleeping virgins, so that they will examine their lamps (prophetic illuminating power), so as to be able to continue their journey. This awakening and examining of their oil is alluded to in Mat. 25:6 10. It will be a midnight cry — a condition that has its counterpart in the position of the children of Israel in Egypt during the night they were eating the passover lamb. (Compare Exd. 12:29.) There it says,"that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt." And in the 42nd verse it says further: "It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt."

The night — not only the midnight hour but the whole night — was to continue to be a commemoration of Jehovah's work of deliverance. It is because of this it now is repeated in connection with the people and work of the new covenant.

The seventy years, which we see by Jeremiah's letter to the captives in Babylon, was also to them a long and difficult tarrying time, like the seventy years now appear to be to us. In his letter the prophet cheers them as follows:

"For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you." (Jer. 29:10 12.)

And if, further, we follow up the prophetic chain in this connection, we will find that the seventy years at that time do not only concern the house of Judah, captives in the prefigurative Babylon then, but they concern just as much, in and through the dual application, the house of Israel, the ten tribes, in whose act of deliverance the two houses are brought together and separated from the nations.

The seventy years were also prefigured in and through the seven days of unleavened bread in the camp of the old Israel. They represented the tarrying time, and are increased to seventy weeks of years in connection with future prophetic movements.

The signalizing sound concerning the coming of the bridegroom, which was given seventy years ago, called forth the virgin-movement, and the entering in of the tarrying time was signalized through the fact that He did not come then. The temple movement was to come to a standstill for seventy years.

The conditions existing then, both within Islam's, or the Mohammedan people's camp and among the great powers of Europe, were like the conditions existing now. The Turkish power threatened to break asunder its bands and declare the holy war. This had the effect that the great powers of Europe acted in concert and tied Turkey and the sultan with still stronger cords. Their joint contract was signed on the 11th of August, 1840.

This act had a wonderful effect on the then started virgin movement, for the leaders of the movement saw in this the fulfillment of certain prophetic points, and this brought the movement into a lively activity. And now, through the Italian-Turkish war, a similar condition is brought about, but this time it will serve as a loosening means of both the bound and the binding powers. As regards the gathering movements of Islam, the following item in the Paris "Temps," of May, 1912, might serve as an illustration:

"Summons to the holy war is spreading. A proclamation to all of Islam to prepare themselves to take part in the holy war is steadily spreading, going from one tribe to another. It is a secret and very sacred movement among the Mohammedan people."

We notice by the following that God is telling the prophet to write this:

"Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it." (Jer. 30:2,3.)

Then the great day of Jacob is described, and this answers to the length of time the patriarch Jacob served Laban, and to his bargaining with him concerning the wages. This period comprises the history of the international labor movement from the year 1896 and on. (See "The Great Controversy" in past volumes of the periodical, The Prophetic Light.) In the 31st chapter follows a description of the severance of the people's movement from the nations. In the first part of the chapter it says:

"At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people."

All this shows that the seventy years measured off as tarrying time concern us as much as they concerned the prefigurative house of Judah, also that they in the second or last act, the prophecy is brought to a completion. And when the seventy long years of waiting have expired, what do we then have to look for? New signalizing sounds, of course. And what do these mean? That the night comes during which the work of deliverance is to be carried out. During this night the remaining part of the covenantal week, with its period of drought, will come, and in the middle of the night, at the time the two witnesses of Jesus, and with them many innocent lambs, are slain, the midnight hour enters in. On the basis of the prophetic prefigures, we can suppose that this dreadful night will extend over seven long years, 3½ years before the midnight hour and 3½ years on the other side of it. It is during the midnight hour the avenging angel carries out his work, which will be a sword of revenge on the enemies of Christ for their murderous act, when they slew His witnesses of judgment and all the other witnesses.

PAPAL SIGNALIZING SOUNDS

When the Italian flag waved over Tripoli, the Pope, Pius X, signalized that he looked forward to the time and occasion when he would be crowned king of Jerusalem. The Turks hold the protectorate over Palestine and Jerusalem, but now, through the defeat of the Turk, it was anticipated that Palestine would come under the power of Italy and that this would prepare the way for the Pope to declare himself king of Jerusalem.

He has, furthermore, designated the year 1912 as being especially suitable for the celebration of a sixteen-hundred-year anniversary of Emperor Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge, which spanned the Tiber about two miles from the city of Rome. Maxentius retreated over this bridge. It broke and he drowned in the Tiber, and through this Constantine became the victor. He rode into the city and there assumed the ancient distinction and title Pontifex Maximus — he who spans the bridge between heaven and earth. This title is now applied on the Pope.

However, Pope Pius does now think it is time to make the signification of this title known by the celebration of Constantine's victory. But according to latest reports he has decided to postpone the celebration until 1913, when he thinks, if he is living, that he might be able to celebrate this, for all Catholics so great a holiday, in the St. Peter's cathedral, on the very same spot where Constantine built the church sixteen hundred years ago.

These signalizing sounds indicate to the prophetic people where we are as to the time. One need not be uncertain, only with calmness pay attention to the signs of the time and prepare for what is coming.

As for the "Tripoli War," it will very likely have its ups and downs — at times appearing to have terminated, then to flame up again, hence we are not so concerned about this. The principal thing is that all nations will gradually unite against the Mohammedans, as this will call forth the holy war, which in accordance with all the rest will be carried out in two great acts, with an intermediate or tarrying time between.

The third or last woe period will follow immediately on the termination of the second, as we see by Rev. 11:14. The last mentioned comprises the completion of the temple of Christ. The two witnesses, through whom heaven is closed so that rain might not fall while they are carrying out the work belonging to the remaining part of the covenantal week or the Lord's day, are killed at the close of the second period. This act was foreshadowed in Christ's death on the cross. This very act, called forth by a certain class that does not permit the events of time to foster them, is bringing on the last and decisive woe-period. At that time the results of all preceding works will be manifested, hence the signalizing sound thereof is as follows:

"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." (Rev. 11:15.)

This proclamation means that all preceding works have had for their object to foster a people to be made suitable for the kingdom, which then becomes a reality, also to foster the class that is to pass over from the present world into the coming kingdom as the anointed of Christ, that is, to be kings and priests in the everlasting kingdom. These will then take over the kingdom, and then the government of Christ will gradually extend from pole to pole.

In the light of what has been quoted, it is easily understood that the fall of man was an absolute necessity, namely, necessary for the culture of his intellect and ennoblement of his character. Man's mind is elastic, can therefore be stretched infinitely, and when through this he learns to differentiate between good and evil, and chooses the good, he will thereby distinguish himself as one whose life is worth to be eternalized. And if then, because of the suffering that generally accompanies the true development of mind, he links himself by virtue of faith with Him Who has power to eternalize him, He will both eternalize and separate him as a candidate for the everlasting kingdom.

The seventh trumpet, according to Paul in 1Th. 4:16, resurrects the dead. This is the trumpet of God, and it will sound triumphantly over the human world — the great Babylon, the kingdom of the sun-gods—and it will raise from the dead all innocent ones slain by this Babylon. Great hosts will appear in all parts of the world. Think what a triumph for all who have innocently suffered prisons and death! But woe to the tormentors and murderers!

"Go up, O Elam (Islam): besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof (of the Jacob family) have I made to cease." (Isa. 21:2.)

The prophet speaks of the result of this siege as follows:

"Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he has broken unto the ground." (Isa. 21:9.)

But prior to this the nations lay waste Islam's coastal cities. This has already begun.

From Dual Plan pg Holy War, Declaration of war

All nations, heathens or Christians, have been actuated by the aspiration of a holy war. Each class believes that the god it worships is the mightiest and that he will finally demonstrate his unlimited power in its favor. The Mohammedans have long looked for the time to come when their highest representative would unfold the mantle of the prophet to the winds believing that their Allah would then subdue all their enemies before them. In the event referred to, they will to some extent find their hope realized.

Dual plan Seven trumpets

5. "The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth, and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. He opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace." An exploding meteor falls from heaven with a crushing blow on Babylon. Mohammed, by a seemingly supernatural power, developed a powerful and fearless army. He opened his batteries on Rome which already was shaken way down to its foundation. By the invention of what they called "Greek fire" (a composition similar to powder that a Greek by the name of Callinicus invented), the long-haired Arabs astonished and overpowered the Romans. That invention was the very key to the "bottomless pit," from which the nations ever since have gathered their firearms. To illustrate that pit, we will quote a passage from a paper that describes Krupp's gun-factories, from which the nations have received a great amount of their war-implements:

6. "The sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, which is before God, saying to the angel which had the trumpet: Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men." This makes 391 years and 15 days. The natural River Euphrates flowed through old Babylon and was the very means by which Cyrus entered that great city when he conquered it. It constituted a foreshadow to the Mohammedan stream running through the mystical Babylon.

The four angels represent the four divisions into which the Mohammedan people were divided. Their headquarters were at Damascus, Aleppo, Iconium and Bagdad. When the sixth trumpet called to battle, the religious ties that held the divided people to those posts burst, and the warrior, Mohammed II., started the whole stream of people flowing towards Constantinople. With their powerful firearms, they finally conquered that old stronghold of the Coesars and made it their own capital.

Adding the 391 years and 15 days to the 27^th of July, 1449, when the 150 years of the fifth trumpet ended, their termination would be the 11^th of August, 1840. What marked that time? The "Berlin-treaty," which made the Sultan subject to the great powers of Europe, was framed on that day, and from that time the Sultan has been called "the sick man." The sixth trumpet was limited, and the Mohammedan stream was again tied to four dividing posts by the above-mentioned treaty. The mistress of the world, great Babylon, has a resting spell again; but in fear of what is coming, she is now raising up the old beast from the "bottom,-less pit" to defend her. She feels her foundations shake at the mere reports of an approaching demolisher. The smoke from the "bottomless pit" is now coiling up toward heaven night and day, which signifies the united trust that the "Christian" nations place in the red dragon which is to defend them against the "Prince of the covenant." The river Euphrates running through the mystical Babylon is to swell and will cause a terrible disturbance in the camp of the Babylonians. The `Berlin-treaty" will be broken and then comes the crash. But the fifth and sixth war-trumpets have yet to call to battle. The sixth one does not finish its sounding until the blood of the two witnesses of Jesus has been drunken by the woman who rides the ten-horned beast. At that time, the seventh trumpet commences to sound.

In Is. 21^st chap., the prophet deiscribes the great conflict which shakes down Babylon.

"As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert (Arabia) from a terrible land. A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, 0 Elam! (Ishmael—Hagar's son's descendants): besiege 0 Media! (barrier—one that draws the boundary line). All the sighing thereof (in Babylon, caused by the oppressive class) have I made to cease."

The prophet follows the war-scene to the end by means of the prophetic telescope and becomes heartsick because of the terrible things he heard and saw. He says:

"I was dismayed at the seeing of it. My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me—Prepare the table, watch in the watch-tower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield" (he hears the sound from the battlefield). Finally he hears one cry, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen!

"The most Holy" means the highest state of holiness which the people of God attain in their mortal condition during the movement of the living sanctuary out from the mystical Babylon. They do not enter into that state until they are fully separated from the brick-creation, after the two witnesses of Jesus are slain. Then they have passed through the time of the spiritual Elijah, who has separated all the false teachers from the people. The Elisha period, which develops the priests and kings of the new creation, follows. As they develop in the holiness of God, standing in all the light of heaven—as the Word made flesh—they become anointed as kings; the most Holy becomes anointed then.

Dual plan Gods of the sun

They are the kings of the "sun-rising," who take the kingdoms after the Mohammedan flood has accomplished its work on the mystical Babylon and the flood itself has finally dried up. The Mohammedan flood finally becomes extinguished by the destructive elements prevailing at that time.

Dual plan great passover of the future

In the 9^th chap. of Rev, the golden altar is again referred to. The Revelator says he heard a voice from the four horns of it. (The horns on the altar represent the mercy of God extending to the guilty. Comp. Exod. 97 : 25, 26; 1 Kings 2: 28; Psalm 118: 27.) That voice proclaimed, "Loose the four angels, which are bound in the great river Euphrates."

It is to these four angels or powers that the angel holding the seal of the living God speaks at the time his sealing-work begins. That work is finished by the time the two witnesses are slain. He commands them to hold the four winds of the earth, that the wind shall not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree, while he seals the 144,000.

The wind symbolizes the national wars which will have caused great disasters on both land and sea up to that time. At the end of the sealing-time, the command is revoked and the voice from the golden altar commands that they shall be loosened. This means that a most terrible war-storm will follow; it will come over the earth and the sea, and it will burn down the trees and everything that comes in its way.

The power referred to under the symbol of the River Euphrates is the Mohammedan kingdom, which, like the River Euphrates that divided the old Babylon into two parts by running through that city, runs through the Christian nations and holds them divided politically: i. e., with respect to their long-sought aim of conquering one another—Turkey holds the powers of Europe divided.

The Mohammedans are the descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham with Hagar, of whom the Lord prophetically said that he should be "a wild man; his hand against every man and every man's hand against him, and he shall dwell among his brethren," the scattered tribes of the seed of Abraham. The Mohammedans have been a beam in the eye of the Christian nations, and it will finally be to them what the great River Euphrates was to mother Babylon when Cyrus marched his men through its channel under the walls and conquered that great and well fortified city.

The word translated "the daily sacrifice" in Dan. 8: 12,13; 11: 31 and 12: 11, is Hatamid and signifies continuance or that which is determined. It has direct reference to the Passover. It points to a passover-act similar to the one that the Egyptians realized on the dreadful night when Israel stood ready to sever their bonds of servitude from them.

We notice that the prophetic language connected with the command going forth from the golden altar refers to a military power that is capable of setting in motion an army numbering "two hundred thousand thousand" (Rev. 9: 16) , which includes, of course, small and great. The Mohammedans number about 300,000,000. All other peoples that the Christian nations have oppressed will then join in and repay them doubly.

One thing that is very remarkable is the fact that the leading or officiating men among that people bear the name, Pascha, as an honorary title. Governors and military commanders are honored with that title.

The last action that is prophetically recorded regarding the cherubs of the temple of Christ is their war with the beast (the united Catholic and Protestant powers), which occurs at the time the cherubs have finished their testimony: namely, at the closing up of the three and one-half years. Surrounded by the camp of Israel, they lead and instruct that great assembly. The beast conquers, captures and kills them under circumstances similar to those that prevailed in Palestine when Christ their Lord was murdered. Their blood then constitutes the blood-sign on the door posts of all true Israelites. From that time, the people of God become separated from all unclean beings and from those outside of the Word of God.

The scene that follows the killing of those two witnesses of Jesus, according to the testimony given beforehand by their Lord, will cause the Christian nations to become so overwhelmed by fear and apprehension because of the wrath of God, that all their military strength will be lost in confusion and despair.

Just then the great army that carries out the second woe (comp. chap. 11: 14, with 9: 12) will break loose over the Christian nations and carry out a terrible slaughter. Armenia already stands as an example of what is in store for the antichristian people when their appointed time comes. Ishmael, this time, will execute the passover-act, when the hour comes.

Already, there is a great sign pointing to that event: namely, the uniting of the Mohammedans with Soviet Russia. They join hands with each other because both are similarly treated by the nations. The final consequence of this can be read in the prophetic Word. It is the passover-act of the new covenant.

Logos

XXII. The Great War Storm

The God of the dispersed tribes of Israel has given them the following express command concerning their restoration to a national power:

"Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent." (Zeph. 3: 8, 9.)

Before the Israelitic movement takes place, i.e., the gathering of the laboring masses and their going forward in common to a definite goal, the hold and influence of the Turkish power over Palestine must come to an end. That country, first of all, belongs to the dispersed tribes and must therefore, prior to their redemption from Babylon, be accessible to them. But as long as the great powers of Europe support the sultan's sovereignty over Palestine it remains in the control of the Mohammedans and as such inaccessible to any large numbers of other races.

The Berlin Tract must be dissolved, and then, according to the 11th chapter of Daniel, the power of the North will be engaged in a war with the power that controls the South. These two powers are none others than Russia and England, and prophecy directly points out these two powers as the principal champions in the great world war, and with them the other powers will ally themselves. These two powers will vie with one another for supremacy, and both will endeavor, not only to conquer one another, but to gain supremacy over the whole world. The power in the extreme North will eventually come out victorious, and will then also get Palestine under its ruling power. But while the battle between these two powers is being fought, the labor movement increases in speed and gains the object determined in the prophecy.

In this connection we will quote what we wrote concerning Russia and England a decade ago with respect to their destiny pointed out in advance by prophecy:

The Host and the Sanctuary

The host is first visible. In the manner the house of Jacob marched through the Red Sea, so this harried and by all appearances defenseless mass will appear in places outside of the borders of Babylon on the day of slaughter. Their appearance is described in Jer. 31:7-9. "They shall come with weeping, and with supplications," just as when they were carried into captivity. Their movement begins in the North — in the land of Ephraim and of Manasseh. Ephraim, or the Swede, is described as the leader in this popular march, the Lord therefore calls him His "firstborn son" — a son who has a right to double the inheritance that the others have. In the number of the sealed (Rev. 7:4-8) he is also designated under the name Joseph — the favorite in the family of Jacob.

Manasseh, or the corresponding part of the Norwegian people, is not lacking a wonderfully great distinction in the great battle on the day of the Lord. In the connection where God speaks through the prophet of ending "every battle of the warrior… and garments rolled in blood," He says that He shall fight against the enemies of Israel as in the time of Midian, when through Gideon and under his leadership, God exterminated the Midianitic army with only three hundred men. (See Is. 9: 4-7.) This hero was of the tribe of Manasseh — a shadow thrown from "Harma-geddon."

Armageddon means the mountain of Gideon — call it the Norwegian mountains. There a terrible encounter will take place at the time the human train is formed in the North for its onward journey. The Salvation Army, described in this context (see Rev. 16: 13-16) , having in advance gone out to the kings of the earth, will at this time be ripe for their real object, namely, like Jannes and Jambres in Egypt to appear with spiritual signs and wonders in order to strengthen the belief of the powers that the human train is a work of Satan and that the leading power thereof is the Antichrist of the Scriptures. The spiritual magic powers deceive the governments to march on to Armageddon with the object in view of exterminating this singular and feared new movement, and just then the sword of the Lord (through Ephraim) and that of Gideon (through Manasseh) will carry out the act foreshadowed in the camp of the Midianites below the Gideon-mountain. (See Judges, chapter 7.)

In connecting the prophetic description quoted above with the 12th chapter of Daniel the matter becomes still plainer. The question in the 6th verse: "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" is answered in the last three verses.

Verse 11: "And from the time the permanent is taken away, and the devastating abomination is set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days" — 1290 years.

The permanent, or the passover, was entirely taken away from God's people when the highest leader among them was crowned pope, or father, for by this they severed themselves from the fatherly might of God, and the position they had taken under the governmental protection of Rome occasioned that the Babylonian father-power covered them and pressed them under the statutes of Baal.

In the year 606 A. D. Bishop Boniface was, by permission of Emperor Focas, crowned pope. Therefore the 1290 years extend from this period of time. During this whole time the Babylonian father-power has had the upper hand to suppress all popular movements that appear to be similar to the Israelitic human train that went out of Egypt, and this it is that has barred the way for Israel's march out of Babylon.

When we add these 1290 years to 606, the whole sum equals 1896.

Verse 12: "Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days" — 1335 years.

These 1335 years are, with respect to the suppressed condition under the Babylonian power of limitation, connected with the 1290 years of the preceding verse, and together they indicate the whole length of time for the captivity of the host and the sanctuary. 1290 and 1335 equal 2625. Hence 2625 years. When, then, did the host — the ten tribes — enter into the captivity? In the year 724 B. C. We therefore subtract 724 from 2625 and there remain 1901.

"Blessed is he that waiteth," etc. These words contain both consolation and warning.

Beginning with 1896, signs appear that indicate to the prophetic people that the time called "the time of the end" is then beginning, a period that is stormy and perilous, and with which the dispensation of the nations will be terminated. It is of this very period that Christ utters the following words:

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (Luke 21: 28.)

We have already shown the sanctuary mensuration of the 2300 years, this with the exception of the time signified by the term "falling away." From the birth of Christ, when the New Testament sanctuary work — the Word made flesh — took form, until the meeting in Nica=a in the year 325 A. D., when the apostasy, i.e., removal from its God-appointed place, was completed, there extend 325 years. Hence these 325 years, with respect to the mensuration of the suppressed condition of the sanctuary, are omitted. Therefore, when we measure off the length of time for the suppression of the host, these 325 years must be added to the 2300 years.

2300 and 325 equal 2625, or exactly the same as the 1290 and 1325 in Dan. 12: 11, 12. With this addition the 2300 years also terminate in 1901, or simultaneously with the sum total of the final termination of the 1290 and 1335 years.

We will return to the passover in order that we might better grasp its great significance. We are reminded of the fact that it was the passover, or the work of the avenging angel, that caused the redemption of the children of Israel from the Egyptian bondage. This is to be repeated. By adducing a few testimonies this will also be made clear.

The eye of the prophet is directed to the time when "the nations shall be driven asunder" and "the everlasting mountains (fortifications) be scattered" in order to prepare a way for the remnant of the children of Israel, and in astonishment over this he exclaims:

"0 LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: 0 LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran." (Hab. 3: 2, 3.)

Mount Paran is situated in Arabia, and in the wilderness below this mountain, Ishmael, the son of Hagar, was brought up, and from there the Arabian hordes streamed to Europe and finally to Constantinople. There this human river was dammed up in order to prevent its flowing over the whole land.

Now, when the captives of Babylon are to be released from their yoke, God will again, by means of this river, break down the Babylonian fortifications and cause the sea of confusion

to appear on the earth, it is therefore the prophet is seeing God as coming from Paran, i.e., by means of the Arabian people.

The work is renewed in the midst of years — the seven years set apart and marked out in prophecy for the establishment of the Covenant. Daniel tells us (Dan. 9: 27) that a seven-year week is set apart for the confirmation of the New Covenant, but that the Messiah belonging to this Covenant shall be slain in the midst of the covenantal week. Thus the latter half of this week will remain. When the time of the nations has filled its prophetic measure, then the remaining half of the week, or the three and one half years, for the continuation of the establishment of the Covenant, will be ushered in. Just then the river Euphrates will break loose and the war flame will be kindled in Europe.

The revelator's attention is attracted to the same event, and he describes it thus:

"And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." (Rev. 7: 2, 3.)

These four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, are the Mohammedan races, the remnant of Ishmael, Abraham's son with Hagar. They represent Turkey, Egypt, Sudan and Arabia, but are now bound under the great powers of Europe.

We will now glance over the field that is the object of the contending powers and with it compare the declaration of prophecy concerning the development of events.

It is Babylon, the kingdom originating from the manufacturing of brick in the valley of Shinar, which is now to lose its power over the enslaved tribes of Israel within its bosom. The road to this goal leads through the river Euphrates — the Ishmaelitic human stream. What now is taking place or that which is coming is only a continuation of the work commenced by Mohammed. Prophecy describes the road as follows:

"And I saw, and I heard an Eagle (not angel) flying in Mid-heaven, saying with a loud Voice, Woe! Woe! Woe! to

THOSE WHO DWELL on the EARTH, from the REMAINING Blasts of the TRUMPET Of THOSE THREE Angels who are ABOUT to sound." (Rev. 8: 13, Emphatic Diaglott.)

The prophet had, when seeing this vision, seen four warring powers, signified by the voices of the trumpets and the angels, go to war against the fourth universal kingdom, which is now protected and enlarged under the eagle-flag. The eagle, which the prophet saw and heard, represents this flag or protective power. Three disastrous wars, paving the way for its fall and ultimate extermination, are still ahead of this kingdom.

All of the last three woe trumpets are connected with the "bottomless pit." This shows that the same race of people, although at different times, is carrying out the war movements, signified by the woe trumpets.

In the book, The Dual Plan, pp. 191-194, all the trumpets are described in their order; here we will only quote the appointed times.

It was the "prophet" Mohammed who called forth the Ishmaelites from the wilderness of Paran and conducted them on the war path, inspiring them with the hope that they eventually would conquer the world. Under this leadership they won unheard of victories, which established them both in Asia, Africa and Europe. In the 13th century, Osman took up the battle-glove Mohammed left behind, organizing the Arabians into a regulated kingdom and leading them on in a renewed war movement against the fortifications of Babylon. Through this was fulfilled the time marked out in prophecy for the progress of the fifth war trumpet.

This time is five months, which according to the prophetic signification constitute as many years as there are days in five months, namely, 150 years. These 150 years terminated in the year 1449 A. D.

The duration of the sixth war trumpet is measured off to be for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, which added together is 391 years. These, beginning at the termination of the 150 years, or in the year 1449, terminate in 1840. That very year the great powers threw themselves over the Turkish sultan in order to prevent the Arabians from any further attempts to conquer their opponents. They bound Turkey, Egypt, Sudan and Arabia.

Let us now read Rev. 9:15. The command is that they be loosed.

"And the four angels were loosed (those who had been bound by the representatives of the great powers) , which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men."

The wording, "which were prepared," shows that the time here measured off also measures off the time of this their depressed position. However, here the time is subject to an application deviating entirely from the usual mode of prophetic mensuration, but the wording not only permits it, it directly expresses that so it must be. In this application our usual mode of reckoning enters in, this when we permit the divided objects to indicate fixed measures of time. "The hour" represents one of these measures of time. But "the hour," as related to the day, is only a 24th of the day. "The day," therefore, represents twenty-four measures of time. The month is divided into days—hence thirty such, the day does not here represent any larger time-measure than the hour, it is only the number of days in the month as well as the hours in the day which in this mensuration of time is of consequence. "The year" does not only represent one of the measures of time, it also measures the greatness of them all, so that each measure of time represents one year. The hour and the day represent twenty-five years and the month thirty years, which together make fifty-five years. The year added to this makes it fifty-six years.

During fifty-six years the Ishmaelitic people in their four different parts of the earth have been prepared for their work, but have been bound and prevented from executing it. Add, then, fifty-six to 1840 and the whole terminates in 1896. Thus the time was up in 1896 for the bands to commence to be loosened, at least somewhere along the river Euphrates. The historical events of that year ought to settle whether any significant signs concerning this were in evidence. If, for instance, we turn to Armenia, what answer does her history give to the question: "Did you hear of anything which indicated that the Turkish human stream was let loose somewhere during 1896?"

Armenia answers with a crying voice and says: "The Turks! Yes, during the years 1895-6 they murdered nearly 100,000 Armenians, burnt 2500 cities and villages, destroyed 568 convents and churches and left 500,000 homeless and suffering."

Over these hordes, which are thirsting to avenge themselves of all the suffering the Christian nations have brought upon them, sits the avenging angel — the sultan of Turkey. Gladstone calls him "the murderer in Constantinople," and the Scriptures call him in Hebrew "Abaddon," in Greek "Apollyon" and the king of the bottomless pit. (Rev. 9:11.)

Although the bottomless pit, which signifies war and general confusion, is opened by the Turkish power, yet this power, as such, has no more time of victory before it, but instead a general disintegration. But this condition acts upon the Arabic masses so as to impel them in the form of depredatory bands, lurchers and gangs of robbers to force their way in among the so-called Christian people and inflict on them unparalleled damage. If we keep in mind the work of the prefigurative avenging angel during the darkest hours of the night, when the Egyptians were least prepared to receive the visit, we can grasp the meaning of the out-flowing stream from the bottomless pit.

This bottomless, or war, flood kindles the wrath of the Christians, and the old Catholic beast will rise from this abyss with the object in view of making an end to everything it considers to antagonize church and state. Here a hint to this effect:

The metropolitan in Athens has sent the following telegram to the metropolitan in St. Petersburg:

"I implore wishes of victory of the Russian Church for our Cretan brethren, who fight for their faith and their existence."

Another telegram has been sent to the archbishop of Canterbury, in which it says: "In the name of Jesus Christ, raise your voice on behalf of the welfare and liberty of your cruelly oppressed Christian brethren."

When the archbishops of the different church denominations extend the hand to one another in a common interest, then the time is soon at hand when the pope will take the central place among them. And on this follows the laws and acts of militarism. And the proclamation of General Weyler in Cuba might be quoted as an example of what is to come. Weyler's proclamation is as follows:

1. "Within eight days all the inhabitants inside or outside the lines of fortification and state must gather under the protection of the troops. Those who, at the end of this period, are found outside the lines will be considered as revolutionists and will as such be accused."

2. "It is strictly prohibited to take provisions out of the cities, and nothing can be conveyed either over water or land without the permission of the military authorities. All who trespass this regulation will be accused and punished as abettors of the revolutionists."

The following clipping shows that the pope also is keeping steps with the time:

"The pope has received in Christmas audience officers who formerly belonged to the papal army and has then expressed himself concerning the political situation, seen from the point of view of the Vatican. He thanked the officers for their loyalty to want to faithfully defend the papal chair, and he considered their attendance no longer as formal demonstration. Even from Canada, Ireland, Belgium, France and other countries did he receive offers from warriors, who with life and blood were willing to seal their loyalty to the holy chair, and he hoped that the moment soon would arrive when again he would see his braves at their respective posts. Nothing would be more unreasonable than the assumption of the Quirinal that the pope should take it comfortably and forget. On the other hand, it is time now that the great battle should take place."

The aurora of the day of the Lord is spreading over hills and valleys. Just as this awful scene is progressing, the messenger from the rising of the sun appears, i.e., as a result of the dawn. He has the seal of God in his hand. This is explained in Ez. 9:2, to be "a writer's inkhorn." We understand that the sealing is carried out educationally, i.e., by means of the enlightenment of the Word of God both by means of preaching and reading. The Word of prophecy is impressed deeper and deeper in the intellect of those who are sealed, and at last, by having experienced and practiced what they have grasped with the intellect, they have received the fullness thereof.

Hence the third watch consists of wars and revolutions, which like a forest fire begin at a certain point, then continue until the entire Christendom is enveloped in a war flame. Meanwhile Mount Zion is forming, and the sanctuary, or the tabernacle of David, in accordance with the Logos-development, is elevated above it in the manner members of parliament in a kingdom are elevated above the people.

Isaiah, chapter 13:3-13, gives us a short but clear description concerning the progress of this development. It reads:

"I have commanded my sanctified ones (the bride in the embryo) , I have also called my mighty ones (the valiant warriors) for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness… The LORD of hosts mustereth (mobilizes) the host of the battle. They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty," etc.

In this movement of the people we notice two hosts, both belonging to the family of Jacob. The prefigure is seen in the return march of Jacob from Laban, with Rachel and Leah divided into separate groups. Rachel is representing the sanctuary, or the Bride in the act of her evolutionary process, and Leah the laboring host, escorting the Bride.

The Bride is the New Jerusalem. In the first place this Jerusalem consists of the temple, or the tabernacle of David, going out from the power of the nations. Under the guidance of the King it is first escorted to Mount Zion — the consolidated position of the working masses outside the institutions of man. There this temple, by virtue of experience, is elevated upon this mountain as the throne of the great King.