cally as
being the embodiment of evil and of opposition to God, is called: "O
destroying mountain ... which destroyest all the earth, (I) will make of
thee a burnt mountain."[143] It speaks here also of "a great star,[144]
burning as a torch," that fell upon the rivers and makes them bitter as
wormwood. These two things seem to suggest clearly that the great hurt
done to sea and vegetation, to all life, and through the obscuring of
the heavenly lights, is a result directly of the powers of evil having
been loosened out.

The long restraint upon evil through the presence of the Holy Spirit in
the Church is now withdrawn in the withdrawal of the Spirit. His
withdrawal is practically an answer to the tacit prayer both of world
and Church. That prayer is being answered. The "One" who restraineth has
been withdrawn. This it is that makes the tribulation on its negative
side. The awful character of the demons from the pit is so utterly
beyond human experience up to that time that there seem no adequate
words to describe them.

The Gospels are full of the awful activity of demons on earth in
possessing men. In our own land there is not wanting plenty of evidence
of men horribly possessed by demons. In the older countries of Europe
this experience is much more marked. But it is in heathen lands that it
is most marked, where even the very air seems charged with evil forces,
as though these unseen demons swarmed about.

Yet all this sort of thing is now under restraint. What it will mean to
have that restraint withdrawn, and the horrid hordes here described free
to do as they will, no imagination can depict. This is well called the
first _woe_, and an awful woe it will be. Mercifully there is a time
limit set on this demon activity.

Following this comes the loosing out of another horde of demons, as
difficult of description, and yet more terrible. They seem countless,
yet there is a limit to their numbers. The supreme Hand is never wholly
withdrawn. These have power to kill as well as to torment. This is the
second woe. It is most strikingly noticeable that neither of these
things has influence to make men penitent.

The last item of this view is given in chapter xi. 14-19. The
announcement is made that the sovereignty of the world is transferred to
our Lord and His Christ. The temple of God is seen open, and some
further action takes place, but the detail of it is reserved for another
view. Such is the terrible sight in t