evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the Violent Man to overthrow him� (Psalms 140:10,11). The Violent Man is a name which fully accords with his Beast-like character. It tells of his ferocity and rapacity.

13. THE ASSYRIAN.

�O Assyrian, the rod of Mine anger, and the staff in their hand in Mine indignation...Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed His whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks� (Isaiah 10:5,12). We cannot here attempt an exposition of the important passage in which these verses occur - that, in subsequent chapters, we shall treat in detail of the Antichrist in the Psalms, and the Antichrist in the Prophets - suffice it now to point out that it treats of the End-time (see vv. 12,20), and that the leading characteristics of the Man of Sin can be clearly discerned in what is here said of the Assyrian. Almost all pre-millennial students of prophecy are agreed that �the King of Isaiah 30:33 is the Antichrist, and yet in the two verses which precede, this �King� is identified with �the Assyrian�.

14. THE KING OF BABYLON.

�Thou shalt take up this proverb against the King of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!� (Isaiah 14:4). We do not wish to anticipate what we shall discuss at length in our future studies, enough now to state it is our firm conviction that Scripture plainly teaches that there will be another Babylon which will eclipse the importance and glories of the one of the past, and that Babylon will be one of the headquarters of the Antichrist. He will have three: Jerusalem will be his religious headquarters, Rome his political, and Babylon his commercial. For those who desire to anticipate our future expositions, we recommend them to make a minute study of Isaiah 10; 11; 13; 14; Jeremiah 49:1:51; Zechariah 5, and Revelation 18.

15. SON OF THE MORNING.

�How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer, son of the Morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations� (Isaiah 14:12). �Lucifer is a Latin word which signifies the �morning star�. �All the ancient versions and all the Rabbins make the word a noun denoting the bright one, or, more specifically, bright star, or according to the ancients more specifically still, the Morning Star or harbinger of daylight� (Dr. J. A. Alexander). This term �Lucifer� has been commonly regarded as one of the names of Satan, and what is here said of the Morning Star is viewed as describing his apostasy. Against this interpretation we have nothing to say, except to remark that we are satisfied it does not exhaust this remarkable scripture. A detailed exposition must be reserved for a later chapter. Sufficient now to point out that however Isaiah 14 may look back to the distant past when, through pride, Satan fell from his original estate, it most evidently looks forward to a coming day and gives another picture of the Antichrist. In this same passage �Lucifer� is termed �the Man that did make the earth to tremble� (v. 16), and in his blasphemous boast �I will be like the Most High� (v. 14), we have no difficulty in identifying him with the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4. The force of this particular title �Morning Star� is seen by comparing it with Revelation 22:16, where we learn that this is one of the titles of the God-man. The �Morning Star� speaks of Christ coming to usher in the great Day of rest for the earth. In blasphemous travesty of this Satan will send forth the mock messiah to usher in a false millennium.

16. THE SPOILER.

�Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the Spoiler: for the Extortioner is at an end, the Spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land. And in mercy shall the throne be established: and He shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness� (Isaiah 16:4,5). It will be observed that the verse in which the Antichrist is spoken of as the Spoiler comes immediately before the one where we read of the throne being established, a reference, of course, to the setting up of the Messianic Kingdom. These two things synchronize: the destruction of Antichrist, and the beginning of the real Messiah�s reign; hence we read here �the Spoiler ceaseth�. A further reference to the Man of Sin under this title of the Spoiler is found in Jeremiah 6:26: �O daughter of My people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mournings, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the Spoiler shall suddenly come upon thee�. This is another title which views the Antichrist in connection with Israel. After the return of many of the Jews to Palestine, and after their rights have been owned by the Powers, and their security and success seem assured; their enemy, filled with satanic malice, will seek their extermination. �The Spoiler� contrasts him with the Lord Jesus who is the great Restorer (see Psalms 69:4).

17. THE NAIL.

�In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the Nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lord hath spoken it� (Isaiah 22:25). The last ten verses of this chapter should be read carefully. They furnish a striking foreshadowment of the End-time. Shebna was holding some office over (note �government� in v. 21) Israel. Apparently he was a usurper. God announced that he should be set aside in shame, and the man of His choice - Eliakim - should take his place. These historical figures merge into prophetic characters. In v. 22 we read that God says, �And the key of the house of David will lay upon His shoulder, so He shall open, and none shall shut; and He shall shut, and none shall open�. As we know from Revelation 3:7 this refers to none other than the Lord Jesus, and of Him it is here said, �And I will fasten Him as a Nail in a sure place; and He shall be for a glorious throne to His father�s house� (v. 23). Then, in the closing verse of the chapter we read, �In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the Nail that is fastened in a sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall�. Just as Eliakim foreshadowed Christ, so Shebna pointed forward to the Antichrist; and just as in v.23 we have a prophecy announcing the establishment of Messiah�s Kingdom, so in v. 25 we have foretold the overthrow of the false messiah�s kingdom.

18. THE BRANCH OF THE TERRIBLE ONES.

�Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud; the Branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low� (Isaiah 25:5). The first five verses of this chapter contemplate the Enemy�s stronghold - Babylon - and the remainder of the chapter pictures the blessedness of the millennial era. In the fifth verse the Antichrist�s overthrow is announced: �The Branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low�. With this should be compared Isaiah 14:19, where of Lucifer it is said, �Thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable Branch�. This points another contrast. The �Branch� is one of the Messianic names: �Behold, I will bring forth My Servant, the Branch� (Zechariah 3:8); �Behold the man whose name is the Branch� (Zechariah 6:12). By placing together Isaiah 4:2 and Isaiah 14:19 the antithesis will be more evident. Of Christ it is said, �The Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious�. Antichrist is called �an abominable Branch�: Christ is �the Branch of the Lord�; Antichrist is �the Branch of the terrible ones�.

19. THE PROFANE AND WICKED PRINCE OF ISRAEL.

�And thou, profane wicked Prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God; remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him� (Ezekiel 21:25-27). The Profane and Wicked Prince of Israel here can be none other than the Antichrist, for we are expressly told that his day shall be when iniquity shall have an end�. The reference is, of course, to Israel�s �iniquity�, and their iniquity shall end at the appearing of the Messiah (see Daniel 9:24) when �He shall be a priest upon His throne� (Zechariah 6:13). �Here in Ezekiel we see how the Son of Perdition shall ape the Christ of God, for he, too, will be a priest-king: �Remove the diadem� refers to the insignia of his priesthood (in every other place in the O. T. where this occurs the Hebrew word here translated �diadem� it is rendered �mitre� - worn only by the high priest of Israel); �take off the crown� is the symbol of his kingship.

20. THE LITTLE HORN.

�I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another Little Horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this Horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things� (Daniel 7:8). For a full description of the Antichrist under this title see Daniel 7:8-11,21-26; 8:9-12,23-25. We must reserve our comments on these verses till a later chapter. �Little Horn� refers to the lowly political origin of the Antichrist, and describes him as he is before he attains governmental supremacy.

21. THE PRINCE THAT SHALL COME.

�And after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself: and the people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary� (Daniel 9:26). This title connects the Antichrist with the Roman Empire in its final form, and presents him as the last of the Ceasars.

22. THE VILE PERSON.

�And in his estate shall stand up a Vile Person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries� (Daniel 11:21). This contrasts the Antichrist from �the Holy One of Israel�. His identity is established by noting what is predicted of him.

23. THE WILFUL KING.

�And the King shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done� (Daniel 11:36). The Antichrist will not only be the High Priest of the world�s religion, but he will be King supreme at the head of its government.

24. THE IDOL SHEPHERD.

�For, lo, I will raise up a Shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young ones, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. Woe to the Idol Shepherd that leaveth the flock! The sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened� (Zechariah 11:16,17). This is in evident contrast from the Good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep. The Idol Shepherd of deluded Israel will prove himself the monster Desolator, who shall bring upon that people the severest tribulations ever experiences by that race.

25. THE ANGEL OF THE BOTTOMLESS PIT.

�And they had a king over them, which is the Angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon� (Revelation 9:11). �Abaddon� and �Apollyon� mean Destroyer. It is the �Spoiler� of Isaiah 16:4 rendered �Destroyer� in Jeremiah 4:7. That his name is here given in the Hebrew and the Greek shows that he will be connected with both the Jews and the Gentiles.

Other names of the Antichrist which the student may look up are, �The Rod of God�s anger� (Isaiah 10:12); �The Unclean Spirit� (Matthew 12:43); �The Lie� (2 Thessalonians 2:11); �A Star� (Revelation 8:10 and 9:1); and �The Vine of the Earth� (Revelation 14:18).

In our next chapter we shall deal with the genius of the Antichrist, and point out the many striking comparisons and contrasts between him and the Christ of God. Let the student see how many points of resemblance and opposition he can find.

THE ANTICHRIST.

For six thousand years Satan has had full opportunity afforded him to study fallen human nature to discover its weakest points and to learn how best to make men do his bidding. The Devil knows full well how to dazzle men by the attraction of power, and how to make them quail before its terrors. He knows how to gratify the craving for knowledge and how to satisfy the taste for refinement and culture, he can delight the ear with melodious music and the eye with entrancing beauty. If he could transport the Saviour from the wilderness to a mountain, in a moment of time, and show Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, he is no novice in the art of presenting alluring objects before his victims today. He knows how to stimulate energy and direct inquiry, and how to appease the craving for the occult. He knows how to exalt men to dizzy heights of worldly greatness and fame, and how to control that greatness when attained, so that it may be employed against God and his people.

It is true that up to now Satan�s power has been restrained, and his activities have been checked and often counteracted by the Spirit of God. The brightest fires of the Devil�s kindling can burn but dimly whilever God sheds around them the power of heavenly light. They require the full darkness of night in order to shine in the full strength of their deceiving brightness; and that time is coming. The Word of God reveals the fact that a day is not far distant when Divine restraint will be removed; the light of God will be withdrawn; and then shall �darkness cover the earth and gross darkness the people� (Isaiah 60:2). Not only will that which has hindered the full development of the Mystery of Iniquity be removed, but God will �send them strong delusion that they should believe the Lie� (2 Thessalonians 2:13), and Satan will take advantage of this; he will then make full use of all the knowledge which he has acquired during the last six thousand years.

Satan will become incarnate and appear on earth in human form. As we have shown in previous chapters, the Antichrist will not only be the Man of Sin, but also �the Son of Perdition�, the Seed of the Serpent. The Antichrist will be the Devil�s masterpiece. In him shall dwell all the fulness of the Devil bodily. He will be the culmination and consummation of Satan�s workings. The world is now talking of and looking for the Superman; and the Devil is soon to supply him. The Antichrist will be no ordinary person, but one possessed of extraordinary talents. He will be endowed with superhuman powers. With the one exception of the God-man he will be the most remarkable personage who has ever appeared upon the stage of human history. But to particularize:

1. HE WILL BE AN INTELLECTUAL GENIUS.

He will be possessed of extraordinary intelligence. He will be the Devil�s imitation of that blessed One �in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge� (Colossians 2:3). This Son of Perdition will surpass Solomon in wisdom. In Daniel 7:20 he is represented as �A horn that had eyes�. It is a double symbol. The �horn� prefigures strength; �eyes� speak of intelligence. Again, in Daniel 8:23 he is referred to as �A King of fierce countenance�. who shall �understand dark sentences�. That which baffles others shall be simple to him. The Hebrew word here translated �dark sentences� is the same as the one rendered �hard questions� in 1 Kings 10:1, where we read of the Queen of Sheba coming to Solomon with her �hard questions� in order to test his wisdom. It is also the word that is used in Samson�s riddle in Judges 14. It indicates that the Antichrist will be master of all the secrets of occult science. Ezekiel 28:3 declares of him �Beholding, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee�. This will be one of his most alluring attractions. His master mind will captivate the educated world. His marvelous store of knowledge, his acquaintance with the secrets of nature, his superhuman powers of perception, will stamp him as an intellectual genius of the first magnitude.

2. HE WILL BE AN ORATORICAL GENIUS.

In Daniel 7:20 we are told that he has �a mouth that spake very great things�. As a wizard of words he will surpass Demosthenes. Here also will the Devil imitate that One �who spake as never man spake�. The people were �astonished� at Christ�s doctrine (Matthew 7:28), and said �Whence hath this man this wisdom?� (Matthew 13:54). So will it be with this daring counterfeiter: he will have a mouth speaking very great things. He will have a perfect command and flow of language. His oratory will not only gain attention but command respect. Revelation 13:2 declares that his mouth is �as the mouth of a lion� which is a symbolic expression telling of the majesty and awe producing effects of his voice. The voice of the lion excels that of any other beast. So the Antichrist will out rival orators ancient and modern.

3. HE WILL BE A POLITICAL GENIUS.

He will emerge from obscurity, but by dint of his diplomatic skill he will win the admiration and compel the cooperation of the political world. In the early stages of his career he appears as �a little horn� (or power), but it is not long before he climbs the ladder of fame, and by means of brilliant statesmanship, ascends its topmost rung. Like the majority of politicians, he will not scruple to employ questionable methods; in fact it will be by diplomatic chicanery and intrigue that he will win his early successes. Daniel 11:21 tells us that at first they will not give to him