erienced in the closing scenes of this age.

His present authority is by no means complete. In II Thes. 2:7 it is
stated: "The mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one
that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way." This is a
description of the work of the Holy Spirit as He restrains and hinders
the development of the power of evil. Nor can Satan direct the affairs
of that part of humanity who have been delivered from the power of
darkness and are now united to Christ (unless they yield to his wishes);
though they are in the world and their earth lives are mingled in much
of its history. These saved ones are the antiseptic salt, hindering,
like the Spirit who indwells them, the untimely dissolution of humanity.
Again, Satan's dominion is limited in that "there is no power but of
God: and the powers that be are ordained of God" (Rom. 13:1). In this
Scripture it is revealed that Satan, though in authority, is not wholly
free from his Creator, and that any direction of the governments of the
world which he exercises is by permission from God. Therefore, the
efforts of Satan and man are not supreme, but must come to their
predicted end when the eternal purpose of God has had its realization in
the gathering out from the Gentiles of the heavenly people for His own
name.

A few tremble in the face of the social and industrial problems of the
day; while the vast majority are confident that the sagacity of man is
not only controlling iniquity, but is gradually developing an improved
social order. Thus, man, in his vanity, assigns to himself that which is
of God alone, for all the elements of corruption and tribulation are
latent in the world to-day, and the mighty effort of God is required to
stay its bursting into flame until the appointed time. Tribulation will,
therefore, instantly begin when the hand of God is removed from the
unregenerate and Satan-ruled humanity.

Though under the restraining hand of God, Satan, according to Scripture,
is now in authority over the unregenerate world, and the unsaved are
unconsciously organized and federated under his leading. The fact that
there is such a federation, although stated in Scripture, is obscured in
translation. In at least thirty important passages the English word
"world" is again used without qualification. In these passages reference
is made to a great evil system or order over which Satan is in
authority, the word "world" referring to the wor