With reference to the last of these 'burdens', the association of Tyre

with the sin of the Anointed Cherub (Ezek. 28:14) and the parallel of Ezekiel

27:28,33,35,36 with Babylon in Revelation 17 and 18, should be noted.  The

passage in Isaiah speaks of a maritime and merchant power, reviving many

features that characterized ancient Tyre.  There may be some cryptic

prophetic significance here, for at the end of the seventy years (Isa. 23:15)

Tyre is to 'turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the

kingdoms of the world' (Isa. 23:17).

We trust that enough has been seen of the teaching of the prophets

concerning the nations at the time of the end, to encourage the earnest

seeker to take heed to this 'light that shineth in a dark place'.

A superficial reading of 2 Thessalonians 2 would lead one to believe

that at the time of the end complete atheism will prevail, for in verse 4 we

'Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or

that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,

shewing himself that he is God' (2 Thess. 2:4).

The phrase, 'all that is called God, or that is worshipped' would

include even false gods, and false worship.  To such an extent will the ruler

of the last days be opposed to any thought of God that he will tolerate no

act of worship at all.  And yet one god remains in spite of all, for this Man

of Sin places himself in the temple, 'shewing himself that he is God'.  So,

when we turn to the passage in the Book of the Revelation which corresponds

to 2 Thessalonians 2, we find, in a day when God will be denied and the Beast

shall open his mouth and blaspheme God and His name (Rev. 13:6), that all the

world will wonder after the Beast, 'and they worshipped the Dragon which gave

power unto the Beast; and they worshipped the Beast, saying, Who is like unto

the Beast? who is able to make war with him?' (Rev. 13:4).

The word here translated 'power' is exousia and means 'authority':

'All this authority (said the Devil) will I give Thee, and the glory of

them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give

it.  If Thou therefore wilt Worship Me, all shall be Thine' (Luke

Here is the direct contrast to Revelation 13:4.

What Christ refused,

the Man of Sin accepts.

Satan is called in Ephesians 2:2 'The prince of the authority of the

air', and his agents are described as the 'world -holders of this darkness'

(Eph. 6:12).  There are only seven occurrences of aer ('air') in the New

Testament and there can be no doubt that the 'air' in the commonly accepted

sense of the word is intended.  'They cried out, and cast off their clothes,

and threw dust into the air' (Acts 22:23).  Had the passage read, 'threw dust

in their eyes' we might have felt that a figure of speech was intended, but,

as the passage stands, the meaning must be literal.

So 1 Corinthians 9:26, 'beateth the air', 1 Corinthians 14:9, 'speak

into the air,' 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 'meet the Lord in the air', are all to

be taken literally.  When we read in Revelation 9:2 that the sun and the air