Page 6 - BV13

of stern, fierce and bloodthirsty men with an extraordinary degree of religious fanaticism that quite
often rises to a fever-pitch of frenzy. In this way it is without parallel in the history of mankind.

In the Review and Herald of July 22, 1858, and also of July 29, we find the following pas-
sage --

Mahomet, it may be said, has heretofore divided the world with Jesus. He rose up against
the Prince of princes. A great sword was given him. His doctrine, generated by the spirit
of fraud and enthusiasm, whose abode is not in the heavens, as even an unbeliever could
tell, arose out of the bottomless pit, spread over the earth like the smoke of a great fur-
nace, and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. It spread
from Arabia, over a great part of Asia, Africa and Europe. The Greeks of Egypt, whose
numbers could scarcely equal a tenth of the nation, were overwhelmed by the universal
defection. And even in the farthest extremity of continental Europe, the decline of the
French monarchy invited the attacks of these insatiate fanatics. The smoke that rose from
the cave of Hera [where Muhammad received his vision] was diffused from the Atlantic
to the Indian Ocean. But the prevalence of their faith is best seen in the extent of their
conquests (vol. 12, #10 and 11, pps. 73-75 and 82).

These facts are a matter of common knowledge. If you keep them in mind while reading the
visions of Revelation 9, two conclusions immediately jump out at you:

1) The symbols of this chapter correspond with a remarkable degree to the outstanding features of
Islam.

2) There is nothing else in the entire human realm that in anyway answers to these symbols.

The history of Islam is so unique, so supernaturally driven, and corresponds so exactly
with the symbols of the fifth and sixth trumpets that commentators of the Futurist school frankly ad-
mit this to be so. Some of them have gone so far as to suggest that these visions have a "germinate"
or anticipatory fulfillment in Muhammadanism. Notice the following --

Mohammedanism has a superman and a book. It is a satanic imitation of Christianity. It
has spread over a great part of the world. At this time it embraces in its curse over 200
millions of souls [as of 2001 -- more than 1.2 billion]. Its founder was, without doubt,
devil inspired. Mohammed, the fallen star, opened the pit and let loose the darkening
power of Satan; and he flooded the eastern part of the christianized earth, and consider-
able portions of the western also, with doctrines which can justly be termed hellish in
their nature and effects.

In the above quotation I think it is more accurate to say that Muhammad was energized by
the evil spirit, Abaddon, whom the fallen star represents.

"As a young child," writes Ramon Bennett, "Mohammed was nursed by a Bedouin woman
by the name of Halima. In his third and fourth years, 'The child had had numerous fits, which made
Halima think he was demon possessed' [Shorrosh, Islam Revealed, p. 48]. Early Moslem tradition

6