A “Strange Act” for Jehovah
By T. E. BOWEN
God Doing a Thing out of Harmony with His Nature — Forces in the World Acting Their Part in the Great Drama The “day of the Lord,” as pointed out in a recent article in this paper, is a short period of time as compared with earth’s history. But it is long enough for Jesus Himself — mark this expression — to deal with this rebellious world in a very definite way. Jesus will do it. The loving, merciful Christ metes out the punishment decreed in the Word. He is still God’s Son. He still lives to carry out the purpose and will of His Father. And when the Father makes known His purpose that certain judgments are to be visited upon those who have spurned the offer of salvation, the meek and lowly Saviour lays aside His priestly robes — in heaven — and clothes Himself with garments of vengeance. The Word says so. “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.” Rev. 15: 1. This will seem “strange” to us, to be sure. It is strange; for God delights in mercy. It is foretold as being strange. Here is the word: “For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act.” Isa. 28: 21. What is strange about it? — Why, that God should apparently set aside His merciful kindness for a short time. But, friend, this He does. Yet it is only for a moment, as it were. “He will not always chide: neither will He keep His anger forever.” Ps. 103: 9. Were He to do so, with sin going on with a high hand, His very throne would be compromised. No, indeed! It shall be known that God hates sin. And Jesus Christ, the Son, is with His Father in this purpose. “Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” Ps. 2: 10-12. “Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers [apart from the multitude], and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth out of His place [in heaven] to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.” Isa. 26: 20, 21. Daniel speaks of this same time, this “day of the Lord,” this “little moment” when God does His act, His “strange act,” as follows: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince who standeth for the children of thy people [the people of God, who belong in very truth to Jesus Christ, whose hearts are perfect in their love and obedience to Him, whoever they are, wherever they are]; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Dan. 12: 1. Down at the end, speaking of this same time, Jesus said: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars [signs that have long since been fulfilled]; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” We are now in this time, this “distress of nations,” perhaps only at the very beginning of it. When has there been such a commotion among nations as now? Like the sudden appearance of lightning in a clear sky, the nations in Europe began their death grapple with one another. Sudden it certainly was. A world is shocked. At a time when nearly every one was talking of and expecting peace; at a time when two nations, England and the United States, were just ready to celebrate the centennial of peace between these two great powers, — the crash came. The American delegates to the first meeting of the Church Peace Society were journeying through France to Konstanz, Germany, to open their convention on August 6, when they were called from their sleeper berths by the porter, who shouted to them to be prepared to jump from the train, as the Germans had blown up a bridge just ahead. Of the horrors of this European conflict, so suddenly throwing many nations into distress, we know but little. Thousands upon thousands have been torn to pieces and slaughtered like beasts. As a sample, here is a brief despatch: “Paris, November 2. — First-hand information of the stupendous carnage which followed the opening of the sluices on the Yser River has just reached me. After eight days of the most sanguinary fighting in military history, the river became choked with bodies, sunken barges, and dead horses. Three entire Wurttemberg brigades were able to cross the river, using the bodies of men and horses as their sole bridges.” But in this terrible European struggle, we have an earnest, a preface, so to speak, of what is coming when the actual storm breaks among nations — when that time of trouble shall actually come such as “never was” since men began banding themselves together into nations. Then not only Belgium and northern France and eastern Germany will be made desolate, but the whole world will be devastated. Every city will fall during this “day of the Lord” period. Joining the terrible engines of destruction of nations, the siege-guns, the fighting monsters of the deep, and devastating armies, God’s artillery will do its work in the terrible plagues mentioned above. Before this time of trouble “such as never was” shall be overpassed, great hailstones, weighing many pounds, will fall. Men’s hearts are now struck with terror as they strain their eyes skyward for air craft loaded with bombs. But think of terrific hailstones of such weight as to crush through any modern structure, coming from high up yonder somewhere. These forces are in reserve. “And Jehovah will cause His glorious voice to be heard, and will show the lighting down of His arm, with the indignation of His anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, and tempest, and hailstones.” Isa. 30: 30. “There shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.” Eze. 13: 11. “And with pestilence and with blood will I enter into judgment with him; and I will rain upon him, and upon his hordes, and upon the many peoples that are with him [some think this scripture refers to modern Russia — a little significant, surely, is this expression of ‘the many peoples that are with him,’ since this coalition of France and England, etc., with Russia], an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. And I will magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.” Eze. 38: 22, 23. “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?” Job 38: 22, 23. Nations have been storing up their ammunition. God has some also in waiting. Heaven is prepared with its agencies of destruction — grievous sores, the sun’s burning heat, hailstones, etc. — for the “day of the Lord,” even the day — time — of His “fierce anger,” “against the time of trouble,” “the day of battle and war.” WAR PERMITTED OF GOD AS A MEANS OF PUNISHMENT
One of the means of punishment used by the Lord is the wars that are permitted to come. Over and over again has this been demonstrated throughout all history. Opportunity was given the Canaanites to repent and turn from their evil ways. When they would not, God brought Israel into that land, and destroyed those rebellious peoples. Later, Babylon destroyed Israel, laid her fair land desolate, as a direct judgment from God. Then later, Babylon, because of its pride and arrogance, was brought low by the Medes and the Persians. And thus it has been that God has brought nations to realize that He was the supreme Ruler among men. A “Strange Act” for Jehovah
This terrible war now on is another call to repentance to all men everywhere. The door of mercy is still open. A day hastens when it will be closed, and that forever. Seventh-day Adventists have been telling the world that trouble was coming. They have said that war, with its awful results, would ere long burst upon the world, despite all that was said regarding universal peace. They are not pessimistic alarmists. They simply preach the truth of God, that which He has recorded in His word. And that Word will surely come to pass. This people wish that it might be peace and peace only. But there will be no peace so long as the kingdoms of earth exist in their sinful state. There is no peace in sin. War is bound up in sin. It has always been so. There was even war in heaven, for sin once entered there. When sin is forever wiped out, then, and not until then, will there be peace. CHRIST ABOUT TO SET UP HIS KINGDOM
We are now down in the time when Jesus is about to receive His kingdom. This, we believe, will take place in heaven during this generation. It will be while Germany, France, England, Spain, and other nations in Europe are living, active nations; for God has said, “In the days of those kings [these kings above mentioned] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people.” Dan. 2: 44. The Lord is getting ready to do this, to take the scepter; and the sure word is that when He does, all earthly nations are to be “broken in pieces together,” and are to become “like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors,” to be carried “away,” “so that no place was found for them.” These events are beginning to take place. The serious question is, Are we ready for the scenes that are surely to follow? The “day of the Lord,” this “time of trouble,” is hanging over the world. The definite day when Jesus will return is a secret of God, but the approximate time is foretold. This feature will follow in a later number.