To those who would object, saying we could not be lifted to such a high position in God and then fall we have only to call to mind the parables of the sower and of the vine. In the parable of the sower there were two kinds of ground in which the Divine Seed actually had germinated, the plant had grown, and then the organism had been overcome. Christ had started to live in the personality and then had been choked out or starved out.

Also, branches in the Vine that did not bear fruit were cut from the Vine, from Christ. So we go against the Words of Jesus Christ Himself, and lean on our deductive reasoning, when we state that once we have a position in Christ we can never be torn back down to the earth.

Also we have the Apostle Paul saying in different ways in his Epistles that if we continue to live in the sinful nature we will die spiritually, we will not inherit the Kingdom of God. The New Testament could not be clearer in its numerous statements concerning being saved out of Egypt and then being destroyed.

We have seen in our own day outstanding Christians who have been swept from their position in Christ and flung to the earth where they can gorge themselves on human flesh. Lust and personal ambition always had been in their heart, even when their life was hidden with Christ in God. But the right circumstances caused the lust and personal ambition to be revealed and they were torn down from their place of rulership. Is this your understanding?

It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host.

The Prince of the host is the Lord Jesus. Even in our day we see the self-will of man exalting itself, placing itself on a level with the Lord Jesus Christ. Some have said Christ was a well intentioned teacher who failed in his attempt to persuade the Jews of his philosophy. Thus Christ is no worse or no better than anyone else. How little such people understand of the Lord of Glory!

It took away the daily sacrifice from Him.

This probably indicates that Antichrist no longer will permit people to receive the blood atonement, insisting he alone is God. Remember, he will have power to enter the heavens. Thus he will know when people are endeavoring to accept Christ. He will be able to hinder their prayers. Remember also that some of the emperors of Rome demanded that an offering be made to them by each citizen once a year.

The place of his sanctuary was brought low.

This very well may indicate Antichrist will have the power to depress Christians until they are unable to worship God. We are not speaking of the godly remnant who have been driven into the wilderness. The Throne of God is in the remnant and Antichrist cannot touch them. We are referring rather to the multitude of professing Christians who still are part of Babylon the Great, the worldwide denomination now embracing all religions, that has its headquarters at the site of ancient Babylon.

To be continued.