We now turn our attention to the period of time during which these Saracen locusts were to continue their ravages. It is given as "five months," or one hundred and fifty days. As this description is entirely symbolic, we must consider the time symbolic also, for time certainly can be symbolized as well as anything else. It is very appropriate for days to symbolize years, for they are analagous periods of time; the diurnal revolution of the earth being taken to represent the earth's annual movement. Such a system of reckoning time was known centuries ago. When Jacob complained to Laban because he had been given Leah instead of Rachel, "Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the first-born. Fulfil her _week_, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve me yet _seven other years_. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week ... seven other years." Gen. 29:26-30. In this case it will be seen that a day was used to represent a year, since seven days, or one week, represented seven years. When the law was given, Moses recognized the week of seven natural days, the last day of which was constituted a Sabbath of rest for Israel; but he also instituted a week of seven years, the last year of which was a sabbatical year of rest unto the land. This last fact will explain such expressions as "forty days, _each day for a year_" (Num. 14:34), and "I have appointed thee each day for a year." Ezek. 4:6. This period, then, of "five months," or one hundred and fifty days, would represent symbolically one hundred and fifty years. As before stated, it was in the year A.D. 612 that Mohammed began to expound his doctrines publicly and to gather adherents around his standard, from which point the locusts commenced, although the smoke had been let out of the pit a little previously. For a period of one hundred and fifty years from this date, they continued their ravages, until A.D. 762. Then they "built Bagdad, which became their settled seat of empire; and henceforth they became a settled nation, making no further conquests." From that date their power began to decline. But during this one hundred and fifty years they spread over the country like swarms of devouring locusts. According to the well-known facts of history, "they overran Arabia, Palestine, Persia, Egypt, and the northern shores of Africa, from which they passed to the conquest of Portugal and Spain." These were the countries that had been the most oppressed by a priest-ridden church and where especially were to be found those "men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads." Europe was trembling and filled with apprehension at what her fate might be at the hands of these fanatic warriors who fought with savage fury, under the promise of their prophet that, if slain in battle, they should be immediately transported to Paradise. At the zenith of their power, and confident of success,