_ "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 ut tered, and write them not." He cried with a loud voice "as when a lion roareth." The Lion of the Tribe of Judah will lift up His voice, and He will be answered by seven thunders. Someone has suggested, in The Revelation of Jesus Christ 136 on the earth." When the children of Israel were at the brink of the River Jordan, ready to pass over, the Lord said to Joshua: '"Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread · upon, that have I given unto you" (Joshua 1:3). So we see here the Son of God, as the Angel of the Covenant, placing one foot upon the land and one upon the sea, thus speaking of universal government; that is, when the Son of God re turns to the earth, He will take possession of every foot of ground and every drop of water. At the present time the devil, who is "the prince of the power of the air," has dominion over the earth. When Jesus "was led by the Spirit into the wil derness," there to be tempted of the devil, Satan said to Him, as he took Him up into an high mountain, "All this power (that is, all the kingdoms of the world) will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whom .soever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine" (Luke 4:6, 7). Jesus did not dispute the power of the devil to give Him the kingdoms of the earth, because the kingdoms of the earth are now under the rule of the prince of darkness. Paul tells us, in II Cor. 4 :4, "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not." And again in I John 5: 19 we are told that "the whole world lieth in wickedness." That is true now; but in the dark hour of the tribulation, when the Antichrist is on his throne, it will be even worse; for there will not be the restraining power of the Holy Spirit to hold the evil forces in check. But thank God, dark though the picture is, a ray of light shines through the gloom when we remember that the devil's little hour will last for a brief time only. Then the Son of God will return in His power and might, and destroy the forces of the devil. With "his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth," He will cry "with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth."
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