The Coming of Christ by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Sep 14, 1882

The Coming of Christ.

By Uriah Smith

"Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Such are the words of Paul to the Hebrews; and he assures Timothy that for all such as "love his appearing" there are crowns of righteousness laid up, which will be given to them in that day. There is importance therefore attached to an understanding of this matter. He will appear to all; for every eye shall see him; but only to those who are looking for him will he bring salvation. He will appear to all; but only upon those who have loved his appearing, will he bestow the crown.

That Christ, having once come to this earth to perform the humble and suffering part connected with the plan of redemption, should come again in high honor and ineffable glory as the climax and completion of his glorious work, is so necessary and consistent an idea as to be almost sufficient to establish itself independently of the express declarations of the Scriptures on this point. But with these declarations in addition, how faith glows afresh in the heart, and expectation plumes itself to joyful flights in view of the coming of that day.

That Christ is not only to come the second time, but that his coming is now at the doors, is a truth which should thrill every heart as nothing else can do. And the nearer all signs and indications and fulfillments of prophecy show it to be, the more should our minds and affections become absorbed therein.

For many years, or what has seemed so to the waiting ones, though but comparatively few after all, we have been looking for the coming of the Lord. As time has continued, opportunity has been given for a re-examination, many times repeated, of the evidences of our faith and expectations. With every examination the proof has seemed more clear and conclusive. We have seen many new fields opening, and much new and unexpected work to be done. But agencies and means have providentially appeared to occupy largely the new openings, and the work has moved forward. Meanwhile prophecies have been fulfilling before our eyes. The condition of the world, the condition of the church, the movements of the nations, disturbances in the physical world, the progress of our own work, have all conspired to weave a network of evidence with meshes too fine for unbelief to get through, and of too strong a fiber for the sophistries of men to break.

We have reached a time when to faith the outlook is clear and assuring. Where do we stand relatively to the mass of evidence—the fulfillments of prophecy, the signs of the times, the condition and movements of men—which was to appear to indicate the approach and usher in the coming of the day of the Lord, and be to the saints so many messengers of glad tidings, saying to them, Thy Redeemer cometh? How much has already been fulfilled, and how much remains yet to be accomplished, before all will be done that we are warranted to look for before the parting heavens shall reveal the mighty procession of Christ and his holy angels, on his second personal advent to this earth?

In the prophecy of Daniel 2, all that remains is for the God of Heaven to set up his kingdom.

In Dan. 7, all that remains is that the beast and little horn should be destroyed and given to the burning flame, which will be at the second coming of Christ. 2 Thess. 2:8.

In Dan. 8, the symbols have all been completed (the little horn simply waits to be broken without hand); the days have been ended long in the past; and the cleansing of the sanctuary—the investigative Judgment, the finishing of the mystery of God—has been for years going forward, and so far as we have any data by which to judge, may be finished immediately.

In the prophecy of Matt. 24, we have reached the generation which is not to pass till all is fulfilled; and the fulfillment may therefore come at any moment, so far as this prophecy is concerned.

In the line of prophecy presented in Rev. 12 and 13, the symbols are all developed; two of them have fulfilled all the part assigned them; and only a little work remains to be done by the last one, the two-horned beast.

In Rev. 14, two of the three closing messages of that chapter have already been given as leading messages. The third has been already for many years before the world. So far as its matter is concerned, that also is fully developed; and so far as the extent of its proclamation is concerned, we know not how soon it may be fulfilled.

In the line of the seven churches, we have reached the last one, the Laodicean, which bring us to the Judgment. Rev. 2 and 3.

In the line of the seven seals, we are in the time of the sixth, which reaches to the end of probation; and we are past all the specifications of that seal except the last, the departing of the heavens as a scroll when it is rolled together, which is therefore the next event before us in this series.

In the line of the seven trumpets, we are already under the sounding of the seventh, the early days of which are to witness the finishing of the mystery of God, and the transference of all earthly kingdoms to the direct sovereignty of our Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing in this line of prophecy intervenes between us and that event.

In the prophecy of Dan. 11, everything is fulfilled down to the last verse of that chapter. And this brings to view only two more events in the history of the "king of the north," the Turkish power—moving the seat of government, and coming to his end—before the standing of Michael, who is Christ, the prince of glory.

Now, looking the ground all over, what is the answer to the question asked above, How much remains to be done before the Lord can come? The answer is startling in its brevity: 1. Only a little more history to be made by Turkey, which statesmen and political observers everywhere are expecting will be developed almost any month, history which may be made in the immediate future, but which is inevitable at no distant day. 2. A new attitude to be assumed by our own government, as symbolized by the two-horned beast of Rev. 13, in reference to religion, the initial movements of which we already see.

A few months, comparatively, may, and a few years at most, inevitably must witness the accomplishment of all. There is nothing, nothing, here which should lead us to say, "My Lord delayeth his coming."

But has not our message a work to do in bringing out the 144,000, which it will take many years to accomplish? Answer: Elijah was a prophet in Israel. He walked and talked with God. A miraculous providence was ever over him. And so perfect was he that a chariot of fire at last bore him, unscathed of death, into the heavenly world. We would suppose that such a man would have known every saint in Israel. Yet he thought he was the one solitary servant of God in all Israel; and they were after him to kill him. Thus he told the Lord. But scattered among the hills and valleys of Israel, in hidden places, there were seven thousand jewels upon whom the Lord had his eye, but of whom Elijah knew nothing. How many thousands, then, may there be in the land, of true servants of God, preparing for translation, of whom we as yet have no knowledge. May not the number be much more nearly made up than we have been wont to suppose? No food for the evil servant here. All things testify with one voice that the great day of the Lord is at the door. Put it not off, but prepare for its coming.