Notes on Important Eras of Fulfilling Prophecy
By W. A. S.
The Hand of God in History — No. 24
Notes on Important Eras of Fulfilling Prophecy
The Announcement of the Judgment-Hour
An event of such solemn import to all mankind as the opening of the judgment-hour in heaven, could never come unannounced and unheralded to the world. That is not the divine way. The Sound of the Trumpets
As the time of cleansing the sanctuary was drawing near in the camp of Israel of old, the people were forewarned of the approach of the solemn hour. This day of atonement was the typical day of judgment; and not a soul could endure who let the day pass unheeded, with sins unforgiven. There was to be preparation of heart for the day, as well as consecration of soul before God upon it, as the high priest went in to minister before God in the most holy place. The typical service of cleansing the sanctuary came on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the first day of that month there was to be “a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Lev. 23:24. The silver trumpets sounded out through the camp of Israel, proclaiming the solemn day of atonement near at hand. True to the type, as the fateful year of 1844 drew near, bringing the opening of the great antitypical day of atonement, the trumpet-call of the coming judgment-hour was sounding through Christendom. There was sent of the Spirit of God a movement that swept over many lands bearing the awakening cry of the prophecy:— “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” Rev. 14:7. The passing of the early decades of the nineteenth century had brought ever-increasing interest in the study of prophecies concerning the second coming of Christ. The stirring events associated with the ending of the 1260 years of papal supremacy were clearly recognized as factors in fulfilling prophecy. It was seen that the end was approaching. There was searching to and fro for yet further light. Writing of those times, an Anglican clergyman and writer says:— The world was awakening to a new life. . . . It was the birth-time of an epoch of fresh inventions, of a wondrous advance in science and in outward means of living. The mist of age had gathered round the institutions of former generations. . . . The narrow religious maxims that had been long in vogue brought little relief. Stirring incidents had taken place. During their occurrence some people had been led to imagine that the “mystery of God was drawing to a close, and that the events of every year explained something previously unknown.” And now, with mingled apprehension and hope, they were looking anxiously forward. They were filled with the idea that the period in which they were living would prove to be the critical turning-point in the commencement of the end.—Edward Miller, M. A., in “Irvingism,” Vol. I, page 11. In these times light began to come to Bible students as to the ending of the prophetic period of 2300 years (Dan. 8:14), reaching to the judgment-hour. Hitherto the event from which the period dated had not been clear. Now the subject opened up, and it was seen that the period was to be reckoned from the commandment to restore Jerusalem, in the days of Artaxerxes, as explained by the angel in the vision of Daniel 9. Light on this came to searchers after truth in many parts, to men working and studying independently of one another. In his “Great Second Advent Movement,” J. N. Loughborough gives “a list of twenty different parties who discovered the truth concerning the close of the twenty-three hundred days, not by communication with each other, but as the result of diligent searching of the Scriptures, led by the influence of the Spirit of God.”—Page 86. The interest in the subject of the coming judgment-hour grew into a great awakening as the year 1844 drew near. It was thought that the coming of the judgment-hour meant also the second coming of Christ. The message of the approaching judgment was heralded throughout the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. Witnesses were raised up in Holland, Germany, Russia, and in the Scandinavian countries. Joseph Wolff, the famous traveling missionary of England, preached of the coming judgment-hour in remarkable journeyings through Greece, Turkey, Palestine, Egypt, Arabia, and on through Afghanistan to India. Papers were printed in various countries to publish the message, and publications were sent to mission stations in all parts of the world. Speaking of the days just before 1844, an Anglican writer, Mourant Brock, said:— It is not merely in Great Britain that the expectation of the near return of the Redeemer is entertained, and the voice of warning raised, but also in America, India, and on the continent of Europe. In America, about three hundred ministers of the word are thus preaching “this gospel of the kingdom;” whilst in this country, about seven hundred of the Church of England are raising the same cry.—Advent Tracts, Vol. II, page 135 (1844). Not all who joined in this proclamation explained the prophecies alike, or emphasized the definite year 1844 as the hour of God's judgment; but as this hour came, the world was ringing with the call to prepare to meet the judgment, even as the hosts of Israel were called by the trumpet peals to prepare for the typical day of atonement. The great advent awakening in the days of 1844 was of God, in fulfilment of prophecy. The apostle John, in the Revelation, had seen the message of the judgment-hour being carried to the nations and tongues of earth as that hour came (Rev. 14:6, 7); and with the coming of the hour the world heard the trumpet-call of the message: “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” After the passing of the time, unbelievers scoffed at the movement. The Lord had not come. Those who had looked for his appearance in the clouds of heaven were disappointed. But they had given the judgment-hour call; and that was the message due to the world at that time. In the days of the Saviour's first advent, the disciples and the populace had proclaimed the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem. They were at once disappointed; instead of enthroning him as king, they witnessed his crucifixion. But, in proclaiming the coming of Zion's King9to Jerusalem, they were fulfilling the prophecy that had been uttered, and were giving the message for that day, notwithstanding their mistaken view as to the events that would follow. Just so the trumpet-call of the coming judgment-hour was the message for the days of 1844; and the message was given, attended by the power of God. When the hour was at hand, the providence of God raised up the witnesses even though those engaged in the work did not understand fully the events that were to follow. On that day of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the priests asked Jesus to rebuke the children, who were crying the welcoming message of the prophecy. But he answered them, “If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” Luke 19:40. The prophetic cry was bound to be raised, and children's voices joined in fulfilling the sure word. In the days of 1843 the authorities in one part of Sweden sought to suppress the proclamation of the judgment-hour message. Then children, the history tells us, were moved upon to preach, and to exhort men to prepare for the judgment, the convicting and converting power of God attending their work. Thus, as the hour of the prophecy came, proclamation was made to turn the attention of men to the solemn hour of the investigative judgment, which began in 1844. When that hour closes, the hour of human probation is forever past. The measuring line of the 2300 years reaches to the latest time set in the prophetic word. It is the last waymark of time prophecy. From that Pisgah peak of 1844, the “sure word” directs the pilgrim's gaze to the eternal Canaan just before. While the scenes of the judgment are passing in the courts above, the last gospel message is borne to men. Out of the advent awakening of the days of 1844 arose the definite advent movement, in fulfilment of prophecy, which is to carry the last message to all the world, and prepare the way before the coming of Christ in power and glory.