The Man of Sin, the Antichrist, and Babylon
Table of Contents
The Man of Sin, the Antichrist, and Babylon: Part 2
BUT it is a well-known fact, that the Jews will return to their own land, and build again the temple, and fortify Jerusalem, and there offer sacrifices, and perform the temple ritual as in days of old; for it will happen unto them according to the true proverb, " The dog turns to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire." This city, then, which they build up, is first of all likened to a " woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars," which gives birth to a "man child " (for it is of the Jews as a nationality " whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever "). She flees by the aid of " the two wings of the great eagle" (the eagle represents the Roman power, whose standard was an eagle),, into the wilderness unto her place "-i.e., into Palestine -where she is nourished (i.e., strengthened and fortified), a time, times, and half a time. Then will all the kings of the earth go a whoring after it. It is figuratively called "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." The city is elsewhere called spiritually ‘` SODOM AND EGYPT," because there it is looked at in its relation to the Gentiles as such, and in respect to the governmental dealings of God, and not in its relation to Christendom. It is called " Babylon " because of the system of its religion which would lead men into independence of God and rebellion against Him. She is called a " Harlot " because of her persistent treachery against her LORD, Jehovah, the God Almighty. " How is the faithful city become a harlot " (Isa. 1:21). For a description of the city in this last character read carefully the second and third chapters of Jeremiah, the sixteenth chapter of Ezekiel, and the second, third, and fourth chapters of Hosea. It is called the mother of" abominations," because of its idolatry -they " worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which van neither see, nor hear, nor walk."
This great city, the center of this vast system of religion-a religion that will sit as it were upon " many waters," i.e., upon " peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues," and " reign over the kings of the earth " (for by her " sorcery were all the nations deceived "), will ride upon a " scarlet colored beast " -a sovereign or emperor of great power. This beast will probably be an emperor of Rome, who, like Nero, will reign over Jerusalem, and support it by his great power and wealth. He has " seven heads," and " ten horns." " Horns " represent rulers of principalities, provinces, or dependencies. " Heads " represent " mountains," and also forms of government. Now Rome is a seven-hilled city; and it has also had seven forms of government; six had already existed in the time of John, the writer of the Apocalypse. They are, I think, the governments, such as the regal, the democratic, or republican, the decemvirate, &c. " The beast " will be of the seventh form revived, and will be of dreadful tyrannical power, cruel as a "leopard" with " bear's feet " and a " lion's mouth" (Paul, in referring to his first defense before the emperor, says, " I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, i.e., out of Nero's cruelty and power). Satan, the dragon, being cast. down out of heaven " as lightning," in thee midst of the week, will give his own authority unto the beast, who will carry on his career for three and is half years, that is, until he is destroyed by the manifestation of Christ's coming. He is called " the man of sin, the son of perdition," and " the lawless one," in the New Testament; in the Old Testament, " the evil man," and " the wicked man," e.g., " to deliver thee from the evil man " (Prov. 2:12). The Branch of the stem of Jesse "with the breath of his lips shall slay the wicked man " (Isa. 2:4). "Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man " (Psa. 140:1). " Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked man " (Psa. 140:4). " Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man " (Psa. 10:15) "The wicked man is snared by the work of his own hands " (Psa. 9:16). (The Septuagint has in this last quotation, instead of " the wicked man," " sinner," from which expression no doubt the words, " the man of sin " in New Testament are taken.) " Deliver my soul from the wicked man " (Psa. 17:13.) " For yet a little while, and the wicked man shall not be " (Psa. 37:10). " Attend unto me, and hear me; because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked man " (Psa. 55:2,3). "Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked man " ("sinner," Sept. Psa. 71:4). " Blessed is the man whom thou chasteneth, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law; that thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be Jigged for the wicked man " (" sinner," Sept. Psa. 94:12,13). " Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise; for the mouth of the wicked man (" sinner," Sept.) is opened against me " (Psa. 109:2). " Surely thou wilt slay the wicked man, O God " (Psa. 139:19).
He is also called " the king of the north," because his dominion will be situated north of Palestine. The eleventh chapter of Daniel states a great deal about him. " The king will do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honor the god of forces; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things." While he fights against "the king of the south " the ships of Chittim (i.e., English ships from Cyprus) come against him, " therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant; so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them (i.e., ally himself with them) that forsake the holy covenant. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries; but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help; but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end." The Lord warns the disciples saying, " Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold. But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved " (Matt. 24:9-13). " And it was given unto him (the beast, the above-mentioned king) to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people, and tongue, and nation. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb slain " (Rev. 13:7,8). He is also spoken of in Dan. 8:23. " And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power (i.e., it is by the dragon's); and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many; and he shall stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand." He shall plant the tents of his camp between the seas against the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him," for the Lord Jesus will slay him with " the breath of his mouth," and bring him to naught by " the manifestation of his coming.
It has been maintained by some, that this willful king is antichrist, the false prophet; but to a careful and unprejudiced reader, I think it will appear to be not so; for verse 36 resumes the thread of the history from verse 31, viz., " And arms shall stand on his part.... And the king shall do according to his will." Moreover, antichrist does not sit in the temple of God setting himself forth as God; but he only places the image of the beast in the temple to be worshipped; and acts as under the authority of the beast; whereas the beast himself magnifies himself above all, or that is worshipped, so that " all the earth worship him."
This king is " the lawless one," the ringleader of the apostasy; whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish: because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe the lie; that they all might be judged who belies ed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness; " i.e., judged " at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power, in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus; who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints in that day."
The antichrist, the king of Jerusalem (Rev. 13:11), will be viceroy to this " man of sin," just as Herod was to Augustus, and Pontius Pilate to Tiberius. He is " he that denieth the Father and the Son " ("Who soever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father; he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also "). That is to say, he will deny that God is a Father, even. a Father that hath begotten an only Son, and that " the Son of man." In fact, he will deny the incarnation altogether, and will not confess that "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh." And in place of God the Father and His Son, " the image of the invisible God," he will cause all men to worship the beast, and his image, which he sets up. This is " the mystery of lawlessness," which " doth already work; only there is one (the Holy Ghost in the Church) that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way." " Even now have there arisen many antichrists." Nevertheless, " ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." The contrast to " the mystery of lawlessness " is " the mystery of godliness," which is-"God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, received up in glory."
The antichrist is spoken of in the Old Testament,. as " the man that speaketh deceitful things," " the unrighteous and cruel man," " and the violent man,' &c., e.g., " To deliver thee from the man that speaketh deceitful things " (Prov. 2:12). "Preserve me from the violent man " (Psa. 140:1,4). " Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man " (Psa. 71:4). " Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise; for the mouth of the deceitful man is opened against me " (Psa. 109:2). "O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man " (Psa. 43:1). " Thou halt delivered me from the violent man " (Psa. 18:48.
In the New Testament it is said of him: " He deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast. And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed." Christ exhorted the Jews that when this image of the beast, the abomination of desolation, was set up, to " flee to the mountains." But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! For then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now; no, nor ever shall be. And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."
This idolatry of worshipping the beast (and Beelzebub that works in him) is like the unclean spirit of a man which, when it is gone out of him, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. Then he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first." This passage applies to the Jews properly; but the Gentiles will turn out quite as bad; for men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof." Read carefully the seventeenth and eighteenth. chapters of Revelation.
(To be continued.)
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The Man of Sin, the Antichrist, and Babylon: Part 1
When wisdom hath entered into thy heart, And knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, Understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man; From the man that speaketh deceitful things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice to do evil, And delight in the deceit of unrighteousness; Whose ways are crooked, And they perverse in their paths: To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the alien which flattereth with her words; Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God.
For her house leads down unto death,
And her paths unto the shades.
None that go in unto her return again,
Neither take they hold of the paths of life.
That thou mayst walk in the ways of good men,
And keep the paths of the righteous.
For the upright shall dwell in the land,
And the perfect shall remain in it.
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth,
And the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.
THE book of Proverbs is divided into five parts: the first of which ends with the ninth chapter, and treats chiefly about two women: the one called " the strange woman," and the other called the " wife." Which thing contains an allegory: for the wife (v. 8, 9) represents wisdom personified (i. 20-33; viii.-xi. 6);
that is, the wisdom of God in contrast to the wisdom of this world, which is foolishness with God; and the strange woman represents the wisdom of this world personified. Both wisdoms are described in 1 Cor. 1 " For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us that are saved it is the power of God. For it is written" I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the prudence of the prudent will I reject."
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its. wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe. Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumbling block, and unto Gentiles foolishness; but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."
All men in the world are the children of the one wisdom or of the other. We that have heard the voice of Wisdom calling to us and attended " are saved; " but those who refuse to listen to her, and disregard her, " perish," and Christ the embodiment of wisdomWill also laugh at their calamity, Will mock when their fear cometh; When their fear cometh as desolation, And their destruction cometh as a whirlwind; When distress and anguish cometh upon them, Then shall they call upon him, but he will not answer, They shall seek him earnestly, but they shall not find him.
The " hidden wisdom " is veiled to those that perish, through the god of this world blinding their minds by unbelief. But unto us, the called, this Wisdom " was foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: " (which none of the rulers of this world knoweth: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory); as it is writtenThe Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old.
I was set up from everlasting,
From the beginning, or ever the earth was.
When there were no depths I was brought forth;
When there were no fountains abounding with water,
Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills was I brought forth.
While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
Nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
When he prepared the heavens, I was there:
When he set a compass upon the face of the deep:
When he established the clouds above:
When he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When he gave to the sea his decree:
That the waters should not pass his commandment:
When he appointed the foundations of the earth:
Then I was by him, as one brought up with him:
And I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth:
And my delights were with the sons of men.
When Christ was on earth he was the expression of this wisdom to men: but it was " hidden " from the wise and prudent of this world, and " revealed " only unto babes, like Peter of old, who knew Him by revelation, not of flesh and blood, but of God the Father in heaven.
Let us, therefore, as many of us who are Wisdoms' children, follow after and grow therein, let us put away all carnality and fleshly wisdom, which is incompatible with our spiritual growth, and press on from babyhood in Christ to full grown men. If any man thinketh that he is wise among us in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise: and let none of us glory in men. Who is wise and understanding among us? Let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom. But if we have bitter jealousy and faction in our heart, we are not to glory and lie against the truth. This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthy, sensual, devilish. For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peacable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy.
Moreover, let as many of us as preach the gospel, preach not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but with demonstration of the Spirit and of power, conducting ourselves with " fear and much trembling " knowing the weakness of the instrument and the solemnity of the work: though as to the truth itself, we must have faith in God's power and boldness of speech corresponding thereto). Picture to yourself a surgeon about to make a painful operation on a patient; does he not hold his breath, as it were, while executing his task, lest he make a wrong cut with his lancet, and so endanger the life of his patient? And how much more should a worker together with God take heed how he uses His word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of the soul and spirit, and of both joints and marrow.
In the foregoing passage quoted from James' epistle, we have the sources of the two wisdoms traced out. The one " from above," the other " earthy, sensual, devilish." In Proverbs they are indeed personified as women; but these women, again, represent the two religions of the present day, and of all eternity-from Adam to the eternal state: (The one is the religion of Christ, the motto of which is " DONE; " but the other is that of the world, whose motto is " Do." The one is characterized by faith and godliness, the other by ritualism, ordinances, and law-keeping); and which two religions, in the form of women, are represented as having taken up their abode on earth in houses" Wisdom hath builded her house, She hath hewn out her seven pillars."
Her (the strange woman's) house leads down unto death, &c.
The house of one is a spiritual house composed of living stones, even " the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." James, Cephas, and John were three of the pillars of this house. The house of the strange woman is " the synagogue of Satan," built with wood, hay, and stubble, and containing not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, even some to honor, and some to dishonor.
To which of these two religions (for there are only two in God's sight) do you cling, my reader? Do not deceive yourself; you must belong to one or the other; there is no neutral ground.
When Christ was on the cross He wrought out our redemption, giving Himself a ransom for all; and He cried, " It is finished." He then finished all works required to be done to make us righteous, leaving us none to do. (" For not by works of righteousness, which we have done ourselves, but according to His mercy " must we be saved). And God was so satisfied with that one work or act of Christ in dying the just for the unjust, that He justifies all that believe in Jesus, and in the merits of that blood, which He shed upon the cross to make our peace with God-God who made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Abel was of the religion of Christ, he believed in sacrifice, a substitute in death. But Cain was of the religion of the world, he offered to God of the fruit of his own works, even the produce of his own cultivation of an accursed earth.
If you, my reader, are of the religion of works, listen to these verses" Weary, working, burdened one, Wherefore toil you so?
Cease your doing, all was done Long, long ago.
Till to Jesus' work you cling
By a simple faith;
Doing is a deadly thing-
Doing ends in death.
Cast your deadly doing down, Down at Jesus' feet;
Stand in Him, in Him alone, Gloriously complete.
It is finished.' Yes, indeed, Finished every jot.
Sinner, this is all you need, Tell me, is it not?
Take heed lest you be deceived by the religion of works; for she is very seducing.
" For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, And her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death,
Her steps take hold on hell.
Lest thou shouldst ponder the path of life,
Her ways are movable, that thou shouldst not know them."
Hearken unto me, now, therefore, O ye children,
And attend to the words of my mouth.
Let not thine heart decline to her ways,
Go not astray in her paths.
For she hath cast down many wounded:
Yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
Her house is the way to hell.
Going down to the chambers of death."
This religion is also very plausible, showy, and clamorous: just suitable for all proud self-righteous men, who think they are all right, and on the right road, but who pay no particular heed to examine themselves by the light of God's truth.
" A foolish woman is clamorous:
She is simple, and knoweth nothing;
For she sitteth at the door of her house, On a seat in the high places of the city,
To call passengers
Who go straight on their ways:
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither:
And as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him,
Stolen waters are sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant,
But he knoweth not that the dead are there;
And that her guests are in the depths of hell."
Moreover, let us Christians, who have believed in Christ, beware of this false religion; since it is one of ordinances and of the rudiments of the world.
In Christ dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily, and in Him we are made full and complete. Why, then, as though living in the world do ye subject yourself to ordinances, handle not, nor taste, nor touch, after the precepts and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh."
This " strange woman " is really an adultress, who hath forsaken her true husband, the " guide of her youth," and forgotten the covenant of her God-the marriage-bond instituted of God. That is, this religion is departure or apostasy of the heart from God (which equals idolatry, see 1 John 5:21); and it is first manifested as such-I mean, the name "strange woman" is first applied to it-in the time of Solomon: Jerusalem being then the center of this religion. For the Jews were " going away backward " [lit " estranged " i.e., they were becoming like a woman estranged to her husband, through having left him and gone to another man] Isa. 1:4. Ezekiel says (14:5), " They are all estranged from me through their idols."
Compare. Deut. 24:1-4 with Jer. 3:1-5. Jehovah says to Israel:" For thy Maker is thine husband, The Lord of hosts is his name."
" Wherefore, O Harlot, hear the word of the Lord: I will judge thee, As women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged." " Then he forsook God which made him, And lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, With abominations provoked they him to anger, They sacrificed to demons, not to God; To gods whom they knew not, To new gods that came newly up." " They like Adam have transgressed the covenant: There have they dealt treacherously against me."
Adam was engaged to God as a friend or companion with whom to converse and commune by a covenant of friendship or peace, in virtue of creation; he, through transgressing it, became " alienated " or estranged in mind. Christ made up our peace with God by the blood of His cross, and now we even as many of Adam's children who believe in the Lord Jesus, are reconciled. Israel was, however, engaged to Jehovah by a covenant of marriage in virtue of redemption from Egypt.
The Jews turned their law into a wrong use; for they went about seeking to establish their own righteousness by keeping the letter thereof, and did not discern that the law was spiritual, and they carnal, sold under sin: whereas God ordained it to show man how weak and sinful he was, and to point him to Christ, who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. There never was a law made that could give either life or righteousness. They did not know the ways or heart of God: for He " desired mercy and not sacrifice."
In Paul's time the Jews sought to Judaize the Christians, i.e., to unite the Christian faith with their religion, even to make the Christians circumcise themselves and keep the law: to whom Paul " gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; " that the truth of the gospel might continue with us. And he wrote strongly to the Galatian Christians, saying, " Behold, I, Paul, say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace." " I would that they which unsettle you would even cut themselves off." Peter rebuked the Judaisers sharply, " Now, therefore, why tempt ye God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? "
Their religion is directly opposed and antagonistic to ours: they can never be reconciled together, though men may try to amalgamate them. Theirs is prefigured by Hagar the handmaid, who had a son born after the flesh-our's by Sarai (who represents Jerusalem that is above, our mother); the freewoman, who had a son born through promise. " Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But as then, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Howbeit what saith. the Scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. With freedom did Christ set us free; stand fast, therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage."
But the time is quickly coming when the Church will be taken out of the world; then shall the Christian profession be overthrown; for Christ will spue it out of His mouth; and the apostasy-" the falling away " from the Christian faith to Judaism-will take place (2 Thess. 2:3). For " the Spirit speaketh expressly that in latter times some shall fall away [apostatize] from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines (taught) of demons, through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth."
I would specially direct your attention to this fact, as to the apostasy; because the passage of Proverbs, chapter 2, quoted herein, properly applies to the period of time after the Church is caught up; though, of course, the teaching therein may, and does, apply in principle now.
The metropolis of Christianity was first at Jerusalem; but when Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus, it removed to Antioch or Constantinople, and then afterward to Rome; and, lastly, when the Church is caught up out of the world, the metropolis of Christendom will return to Jerusalem-and, this is the apostasy.
The Hebrew Christians or believers would, naturally speaking, be the first in danger of falling back to Judaism-their old religion. Therefore Paul in writing to them, says, " Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away (apostatizing) from the living God." " For as touching those who were once enlightened, and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost.... and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance."
" Let us, therefore, go forth unto Him (Christ) without the camp (i.e., out of the Jewish fold or system of religion at Jerusalem). For we have not here an abiding city, but we seek after the city which is to come."
(To be continued.)