ont of a man, a terrible leader
of the forces of unrighteousness. Paul speaks of him as "the Lawless
One." John's name for him is "the Antichrist." He becomes the human
representative or incarnation of Satan. As Satan is cast down out of the
heavens this leader comes to the front on earth.

He seems to have official position at the head of some great coalition
of nations, with a wide area of authority. He seems to be some former
notable leader known in history, who died, but is now brought back to
life again by Satan's supernatural power.

As he forges to the front there follows on earth a horrible time of war,
famine, pestilence, death, and persecution. He arbitrarily breaks the
agreement with the Jews under which they have re-established their
nation, and begins a terrible persecution of them. He sets up in the
temple a blasphemous image, and requires that all people shall worship
it. This strikes not only at the Jew, but at the Christian as well.

At one stroke of genius he compels absolutely universal attention to his
command by forbidding the doing of any business except by those willing
to worship the image. Those refusing the worship are killed. He will
have an assistant doing wonderful miracles by Satanic power to deceive
and persuade the people. During this time there is a loosing out on the
earth of countless hordes of unseen demons to torment men.

All this continues for three and a half years. The time is stated in
three different ways to make quite clear just how long is meant. This is
the first of the two seen events. It centres at Jerusalem and seems to
reach out practically to all the earth.

The second event is significant. During all this terrible time of
persecution and blasphemy and the riot of evil, there will be two men in
Jerusalem preaching the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, and calling on men to
repent. As an emphasis of their witness against the awful wickedness
current they will be clothed in mourning. They will have miraculous
power to attest their witness, and to protect themselves against attacks
upon their lives. The great crowds of many nationalities in Jerusalem
will make their witness practically world-wide in its direct as well as
its indirect influence.

This also continues for three and a half years. As the Holy Spirit is
withdrawn from the Church as the witness of the Lord Jesus, these two
special witnesses appear. In His great faithfulness and patience God
never leaves Himself wit