Signs of Christ's Coming.
By H. S. Gurney.
"Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Luke xxi, 26. In the verse before the above text we are presented with signs in the sun moon and stars, and a perplexed state of things on earth. These signs were declared by our Lord to be witnessed in the last generation. The evidence concerning the appearance of those signs lies in the facts: 1. The positive assurance of our Lord, Luke xxi, 28–33. 2. The history that records their fulfillment. On these points there is no lack of testimony. It is sufficient to satisfy any honest inquirer. The appearance of those signs has answered the design of our Lord in relation to them, viz., To arouse the people of God to prepare, and to warn the world of a coming judgment. Luke xxi, 28; Zeph. ii, 2, 3. But as in the days of Noah and Lot, this warning, based upon the signs, supported by the best of evidence, is rejected by the scoffing multitude, who say, "Where is the promise of his coming?" But the warning goes forth in confident faith, until the wicked fill up the cup of their iniquity, and are thus prepared for the righteous visitation of the wrath of God. But God is not slack concerning his promise, as these may suppose, but will vindicate those rejected truths before all, in the clearest and most conclusive manner. How will he do it? We will let the Scriptures answer in accordance with our text. Those signs as above noticed were designed to produce a reform. But I pass to notice those scriptures which speak of the day of the Lord, when those signs will reappear for another purpose, viz., To vindicate God's truth, his people and his purposes in the changes to be wrought, and convince the world of their folly in rejecting messages of mercy. Rev. xiv, 18–20. When God's purposes of mercy, through the preaching of the gospel shall be fulfilled, Matt. xxiv, 14, then will the day of the Lord commence so often and fully described in the Scriptures of truth. This day will occupy a period of time in which God's wrath will appear without mixture of mercy. Isa. xxiv, 8. The day of vengeance follows a dispensation of mercy. See Isa. lxi, 2; lxiii, 4, 5; 1 Thess. v, 2, 3. In the day of the Lord the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, the elements (the matter or substance which composes the world) shall melt with fervent heat. 2 Pet. iii, 10. The word of the Lord came to Zephaniah, I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. He saw men in distress and crying bitterly. Their hearts fall them for fear. Why? Because it is a day of darkness, even thick darkness, so that they walk like blind men. Zeph. i, 2, 14–18. Here is a clear description of the time of trouble. Dan. xii, 1. The righteous have hope of deliverance, but the wicked who have not discerned the signs of the times, nor taken heed to the warning given, must then drink the bitter cup of God's wrath; when the sun, moon and stars shall become dark, and the earth shall shake and reel exceedingly, and the Lord shall appear as judge. The events under the sixth seal close the history of this world. The closing part is described thus. "And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together. And every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Rev. vi, 14–17. Matthew, Mark, and Luke have recorded the testimony of Christ concerning the signs of his second coming in their evangelical account. But in John's account those signs are left out. About sixty years after Jesus went to his Father, these things were shown to John in vision, and he was commanded to write them. The shaking of the powers of heaven and earth are clearly described. He saw the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, given to raise the warning by the faithful servants. These having answered their design in the warning given, he next sees the elements in commotion, and men who had rejected the warning in great distress; for they cannot bear the thought of gazing upon Him whose words they have despised, and said, "Where is the promise of his coming?" However boldly and with an air of triumph, men of all grades, from the King to the lowest subject, have despised and rejected the signs of Christ's coming, and the warning voice of God's faithful servants, they must now see him upon the white cloud, when the voice of God will shake everything that can be shaken. The kings and great men (civil officers) will leave their positions, to hide midst flying rocks and mountains. Even those on islands will feel the convulsions of nature and witness the roaring sea. The rich will cast their silver and their gold to the moles and bats, and fly from the face of Him who cometh to judge the earth. All grades of men seem to hear with distinctness, the words, Too late! "The great day of his wrath is come." They now see where the sinner and ungodly appear! See Rev. xiv, 18–20; xvi, 17–21. Another witness speaks as follows: "Howl ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt. And they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them, they shall be in pain as a woman that traveleth; they shall be amazed every man at his neighbor (margin, their faces shall be as flames). Behold the day of the Lord cometh, cruel, both with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and I will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a man more precious than fine gold, even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts and in the day of his fierce anger." Isa. xiii, 6–13. Such a description of the great and dreadful day of God as the prophets give is beyond all human conception. Why do the wicked howl, faint, hearts melt, afraid, sorrows and pains as a woman in travail, amazed one at another, their faces as flames, mighty men crying bitterly, in distress and walk like blind men, mourneth, languisheth, are burned, and few men left, fleeing to ragged rocks for refuge when God shall shake terribly the earth? Because as our text describes, men are convinced that God's word is true and they have trifled with it too long and their destruction is certain. They say, themselves, it is the day of God. "The great day of his wrath is come." A day cruel with wrath and fierce anger, a day of indignation, a day of trouble and distress, wasting and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, cloud and thick darkness; pouring out blood as dust, and flesh as dung. All the lights of heaven eclipsed in total darkness, ceasing men to walk like blind men. The earth emptied and turned up side down. Therefore I will shake the heav-142ens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts and in the day of his fierce anger. Read carefully Isa. xxiv, 18–23. Jer. xxv, 30–38. Joel iii, 13–16. Amos i, 2. When the great God shall speak from his holy habitation, he will turn the captivity of his people who say day and night unto him. He will say "It is done." That voice will shake the "powers of heaven," and the earth shall fall to pieces, reel to and fro like a drunkard. Mercy has lingered until it would be unmerciful to linger any longer. The nations make a rush, there is a time of trouble such as never was, and the time comes that the saints take the kingdom. Much more testimony might be added, but it would not make the subject more clear, nor certain. But some may say these things will come to pass some time, but not in our day. By what authority do you say this? Did not our Lord describe signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and is it not acknowledged by the best of testimony recorded, and also by living witnesses, that those signs have come to pass within the memory of some now living? And did not Jesus say to those who record the signs that this generation shall not pass until he should come in the clouds of heaven? and then, as though his word needed confirmation in order to confirm the faith of the believers, he says: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away." Then certainly the day of the Lord is impending, and we may ask, Who will be able to stand? "Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the day of God . . . that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless." Before dismissing this subject I will briefly refer to the hope of God's people in the time of trouble. The world are to be taken unexpectedly. Not because they have not been warned, but because, as in the days of Noah and Lot, they disregard the warning until too late. 1 Thess. v, 2, 3; Rev. iii, 3. Not so with God's people; they are faithful, taking heed to the things they have heard; they watch the signs of the times and discern. Hence, as the apostle says, "ye are not in darkness; . . . ye are children of the light." An angel said to Daniel, "The wise shall understand, but the wicked shall not." At the close of the third angel's message, are two distinct gatherings, First, the people of God; and second, the wicked. Rev. xiv, 14–20. Our Lord's parable of the wheat and tares, shows the same. The prophets have seen the nations mustering together to the battle of the great day of God. When this great day is impending, there is an exhortation to gather together, . . . before the decree bring forth (See Rev. xiii, 15–17), before "the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the earth. . . . It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." Zeph. ii, 1–3; Rev. xi, 18. There is an importance in the prophet's exhortation, from the fact that the condition of deliverance is earnest prayer. The elect cry day and night. Luke xviii, 7, 8. When the Lord comes he will deliver such. Dan. xii, 1. "The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation." Jer. xxv, 30. The Lord shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shall shake, but the Lord shall be the hope of his people and their strength. . . . So shall ye know that I am the Lord." Joel iii, 16. There will be no infidels then. It will be discerned between those who worship God, and those who worship the beast. "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, it shall not come near thee. . . . There shall no plague come nigh thy dwelling. The angels will have a charge to take care of God's people." Psa. xci; xlvi. Such will be the condition of things in the time of the pouring out of the seven last plagues, that the remnant people of God will fear and tremble for their safety. So did the children of Israel, when the Egyptians pushed them into the Red sea. They will cry out in the bitterness of their soul. So did Jesus in the garden, and on the cross. See Jeremiah's description of Jacob's trouble; chap. xxx, 5–7. Also the promise of deliverance. As the history of this world closes, and the kingdoms crumble and blow away as the chaff, may we be ready for the kingdom of God. Amen. H. S. GURNEY.