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Knowing the Time

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 23, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 15.

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Knowing the Time

By George Ide Butler

GEO. I. BUTLER
“AND that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” Rom. 13: 11, 12. This language is undoubtedly instruction for the last generation of Christians that shall live on the earth,— special instruction for those giving the last message in the closing work of God for this world.
The “salvation” of God’s people takes place at the second coming of Christ. Those passing away in death are sleeping in Jesus, awaiting the coming of him who shall raise them from their graves. Then the living saints will be changed to immortality in the twinkling of an eye, and they and those who have been raised from the dead will ascend, together with King Jesus and all the holy angels, to the city of God on high, there to remain a thousand years in the glorious millennium. This must be the “salvation” spoken of.
Paul, the writer of the words quoted above, elsewhere tells those who will know the time in which they are living: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” 1 Thess. 5: 4, 5.
The signs of Christ’s coming are clearly given. The time of the end is made very plain in the prophecies. But, alas, the great mass of professed Christians teach that the prophecies cannot be understood. Thank God, however, there are many who are diligently studying the precious writings of the prophets, and thus they know where they are in this world’s history. They know the time when Christ is near.
What a sad thought it is, yes, terrible and overwhelming, to see the great mass of mankind in such complete ignorance concerning the nature of the great events now taking place around us. The large majority of professed Christians are free to confess their entire ignorance concerning the time of the end. Christ said that the last days would be like the days before the flood. Then the people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, and knew not till the flood came and took them all away. Matt. 24: 38, 39.
Multitudes believe that this terrible war will be followed by a period of peace, and that war will be no more. Thus they continue the peace-and-safety cry which was heard long before the beginning of the present struggle. The apostle says, “When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, . . . and they shall not escape.” 1 Thess. 5: 3.
Seventh-day Adventists for the last half century have been warning the world that this terrible war was surely coming. Their words proved true to the letter. All the great men admit that it is the greatest and most awful conflict ever known, but still the peace-and-safety cry is continued. As soon as this war is over, we are told, peace and safety will reign again; but the Word of God declares that sudden destruction will follow. A little time of peace may follow this war, that other predictions of Holy Writ may be fulfilled,—that the Papacy may be fully developed; that Spiritualism may strengthen its power over the nations of men, and prepare them for the final Armageddon; that Satan may manifest himself as an angel of light, proclaiming himself to be Christ, and giving wonder-working evidence of his messiahship by healing the sick and doing many mighty works. Multitudes will believe that he really is the true Christ. He will deceive all but the very elect. Matt. 24: 24.
The “elect” here mentioned are those who believe the Word of God, which plainly says that Christ’s second coming is not to occur upon the earth, but in mid-heaven, and that the saints will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and will go with him to the Holy City above. Satan will then be bound on the earth. Afterward the city of God will come down from heaven, and Christ will come with the city, to remain on earth forever. Satan and his followers will then be destroyed by fire.
During this time of peace the two-horned beast, or the United States, which it represents, will complete the image of the beast, the great apostate power; and the first day of the week, the mark of that apostasy, will be enforced upon the observers of the Sabbath of the Lord. Then will come the time of Jacob’s trouble. “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jer. 30: 7. God’s people will then be tested as never before. Seemingly they are all about to be slain through the hatred of their enemies. Doubtless many professors will join the enemy to save their lives. But Christ will appear in his glory, and every one of his true and tried saints will be delivered.
In this brief time of peace Satan’s power will seem for a season to triumph, but the triumph will be short, for Satan will miserably perish. The apostle speaks of the Lord’s people as “knowing the time.” They know they are in the last days. They know the order of events. They are able to discern the great facts fully revealed in the Bible, for they have carefully studied the sure word of prophecy.
But not so with the great masses of mankind; not so with fallen Babylon; and not so with worldly Seventh-day Adventists whose hearts are cold to piety and devotion, and whose greatest interest is in worldly things. Such are spiritually asleep. When one is asleep physically, his senses are benumbed, and for the time being he is unconscious of what is occurring around him. He is asleep. His physical experience is an illustration of spiritual stupor. There are thousands of our nominal members whose spiritual sense seems really dormant. Like Demas of old, they love the present world. They are interested in making money and enjoying the good things of life. They have not pondered the scripture admonishing them to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” 1 John 2: 15. Their affections are set, not on things above, but on the things of this world. They are not layingup their worldly treasures in “bags that wax not old,” eternal in heaven; but their treasures are in their broad acres, their fine houses, their bank accounts, and the good things of this life. Where their hearts are, there they will go; and there they will be when the Lord comes, unless they zealously repent and seek the Lord as never before. They must awake out of sleep—their spiritual nap—and mightily change their course. They are like the foolish virgins who went out to meet their lord with no oil in their lamps, for the oil of the Holy Spirit is not in their hearts.
Dear brethren and sisters, awake from your spiritual sleep, or your souls are lost eternally. We are in the beginning of the time of trouble. Such a war as this was never seen in this world before. “The nations are angry.” God’s wrath is come. The judgment is going on. Let us all work for God and his truth as never before. The great event for which we long have looked hastens on apace. “It is very near, and hasteth greatly.”
Bowling Green, Fla.