ter--a dense smoke eclipsing the sun and darkening the heavens.
Have we not here a fit representation of a delusive faith proceeding
from its true source, "the bottomless pit"? And is not a fallen star an
appropriate symbol of its propagator?

In representing a system of religion by these objects from nature we
depart from the general rule first laid down--that objects of nature
symbolize political affairs, while the department of human and angelic
life is chosen to represent religious affairs. But the reader should
bear in mind one important exception to this rule--that things
prominently connected with the history of the people of God in former
ages are frequently employed (regardless of the department to which they
belong) to represent spiritual things, their interpretation being easily
seen; such as candle-sticks, altar, temple, incense, etc. When the
plague of "thick darkness" covered the land of Egypt for three days,
"the children of Israel had light in their dwellings." In the exodus the
Lord went before them "by night in a pillar of fire, to give them
light." After the erection of the tabernacle the holy place was
constantly illuminated. This natural light in the Jewish age constitutes
a beautiful type of the spiritual "light of the glorious gospel of
Christ" that has "shined in our hearts" in the Christian dispensation.
This spiritual light comes from Christ, the "Sun of righteousness," the
"true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world"; and
proceeds, also, from his people, who "shine as lights in the world." But
it is the "light of the _gospel_." This light proceeds in a special
sense from God's ministers, who are represented as "stars" (chap. 1:20)
and who possess "the keys of the kingdom of heaven." Mat. 16:19; 18:18.
How appropriate, then, that a _fallen_ "star," possessing "the key of
the bottomless pit," should be a symbol of a religious impostor, and
that the smoke which darkened the heavens, eclipsing the sun, the source
of light, should represent a prominent delusive faith! I have already
mentioned the fact that the symbols of this vision lead to a series of
events entirely separate in their nature from the spiritual history of
the church as developed under other symbols. We find its fulfilment in
Mohammed and the delusive system he promulgated. In the year 606 Mahomet
retired to a cave in Hera, near Mecca, and there received his pretended
revelations, although it was not until six yea