195 rhe Revelation of Jesus Christ her last glory, as she is to be revived by the "man of sin" who will appear in Europe after the true church has been trans lated. (See II Thes. 2: 1- I0.) When he appears, he will con solidate those nations that now occupy the territory once belonging to the old Roman Empire. The seven heads repre sent seven forms of government. John tells us that five were, one was, and one is yet to be. History tells us that up to the time when John was living, five forms of government had passed away, and the imperial form was then in existence. The form that is yet to come will be the revival of the empire under the "man of sin," the Antichrist. The ten horns repre sent those ten confederated kingdoms that will be under his jurisdiction. Careful students of prophecy can not fail to realize that today we are seeing the old Roman Empire come once again into being. It was only a few months ago that Mussolini con quered Ethiopia, announcin!l to the world the statement quoted in the headlines of "The Los Angeles Times" and in every leading newspaper of many countries, in words some what like this: "Mussolini Declares Roman Empire Revived." And yet more recently he visited Libya, an Italian colony in northern Africa, seeking the goodwill of the people there, many of whom are Mohammedans. He promised them every consideration in their worship of "Allah," their name for God. When we remember that all of northern Africa, as well as the other countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. belonged to the Roman Empire of the Cresars, we realize something of the significance of these things that are even now coming to pass. And when we remember also that "the man of sin" cannot be revealed until the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit dwelling in the true church is taken away at the rapture, then we take courage in the "blessed hope" of our Lord's soon re turn for His own. "Then" only "shall that Wicked One be revealed" and the old Roman Empire come once more· upon the stage of world history for a brief period, yet with satanic power. -~=\~':JtE'i But let us look again at the picture described in the seven teenth chapter of Revelation. There we see "the great whore," riding "a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."
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