Time to Awake by H. S. Gurney

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 18, 1873

Time to Awake.

By H. S. Gurney

“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.

THE apostle here speaks by inspiration. Although the text, when penned, did apply, in a restricted sense, yet in the broadest sense it could apply only to the closing work of the gospel age.

The text naturally presents the following order:—

Time understood.
Night, time when men sleep.
Night far spent.
Day at hand.

Consider the following instances of God’s displeasure toward the guilty, after his long-suffering had endured until waiting was no longer an attribute of mercy. For instance: The destruction of the world by water. The visitation of wrath upon the cities of the plain. God’s displeasure on Egypt because they rejected his counsel and oppressed Israel when the time had come for their deliverance from bondage. The threatening against Nineveh. Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation for his pride. Babylon’s punishment at the close of the seventy years’ Jewish captivity. The destruction of the Jewish polity and their capital city, for their rejection of the gospel. In every instance here referred to, the events were preceded by a faithful warning; and in the Judgment day, when justice speaks to the guilty, they will find no excuse for neglecting the warning given. This we see that facts as well as common sense approve.

So in the end of earthly probation. The time of the end, and the circumstances of the end, are clearly stated in the Bible. The faithful watchman, watching for the signs of day, will be found pleading with the people, saying, “Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach.” Joel 2: 17. This text defines the time, see chap. 1: 14, 15, and also shows the burden of the work as expressed in chap. 2: 1. “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.”

This text reveals a very solemn fact—the day of the Lord “nigh at hand.” An imperative duty now rests upon the faithful

watchmen, who are, in some respects, the antitype of the “Aaronic priesthood.” 1 Pet. 2: 9. Aaron’s two sons were appointed priests, and two trumpets made for them. As the trumpets were designed for the priest, only two were made—all that were necessary at that time. But afterward, at the dedication of the temple built by Solomon, we find one hundred and twenty priests with trumpets. We find the origin and design of these trumpets given in Num. 10: 1–10. One purpose was to gather the people to their solemn feasts and sacrifices, and another, to raise the alarm of war. In the antitype, these trumpets point to the faithful gospel ministry, proclaiming to all the world a warning of coming danger, and also to the resurrection trump, to gather the elect to Mount Zion. Notice one point in the command to make the trumpets: They were to be made of one piece. “Of a whole piece shalt thou make them,” Num. 10: 2, signifying but one gospel, “one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.”

Thus we can clearly see that the prophet Joel caught a glimpse of the last warning to all the world when the day of God is “nigh at hand,” Joel 2: 1, 2, in a time of darkness represented by night watches, a time when men are inclined to sleep. Hence we understand that Joel’s prophecy covers the very last portion of the gospel age, the last generation of men, to whom the trumpet sounds the alarm to prepare to escape impending wrath and be ready to stand before the Son of man.

In the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, our Lord leads through the gospel age down to his second coming by a clearly defined order of events, and unmistakable signs to show when his coming is at the door. And then Matt. 25 compares the closing work or experience of the church, to the events and movements of an eastern marriage. As in the figure, the church are awakened, the wise, supplied with a good stock of faith in God’s word, Heb. 10: 35–39, are prepared for the conflict with evil servants, who say, “My Lord delayeth his coming.” Disappointed in expectation, a period of darkness sets in, and our Lord, by a parable, enforces the duty of watchfulness. Two considerations mark the commencement of the period called night watches. Mark 13: 35.

First. Disappointment in expectation. Second. No prophetic period to light up the future consequently we know not when the time is. Mark 13: 33.

The period of watching has now commenced, and they that sleep, sleep in the night. 1 Thess. 5: 1–8. But the watching ones “shall understand.” They know perfectly that the day of the Lord will steal upon all those who will not watch, and they will be caught in a snare.

But streams of light penetrate the darkness of this night, and the watchers discern by the moral, physical, and political signs when the night is “far spent,” as in the language of our text. It is reasonable to suppose that from this point, viz., night far spent, and day at hand, light will increase as we look for day.

We have no prophetic periods to measure this night. They lead us to its commencement and there leave us, amidst the perils of the last days, to watch. The faithful watchman will discern the signs of the times, and by faith in God’s providential workings will, in a clear voice, proclaim when the night is far spent and the signs appear which bring the morning light and day of joy.

The day spoken of in our text is the same as Mark 13: 32, “Of that day and hour knoweth [properly, maketh known], no man.” It is a day of power and glory. Verse 26. It is a day of rewards. 2 Tim. 4: 8.

The Saviour says, “If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I shall come upon thee.” Important duties are implied in the command to watch. We must watch the fulfillment of prophecy, cast off the works of the darkness of this night, and put on the armor of light. The end of all prophetic time leaves the watching company under the influence and darkness of error on some important points of Bible truth, which our text exhorts us to cast off. This, in the providence of God, we have been doing during the watching time, in the changes we have made in our relation to the law of God, the immortality of the soul, and the work of our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary; thus putting on the armor of light, enabling us to walk as in the day.

It is only by walking in the light as by the light of a lamp in a dark place that we are safe. The broad road is paved with those who profess to be in the light, and the Judgment day alone will reveal to them the mistake they are making in rejecting the last message to the world, a means which God is now manifestly approving as the only means that can possibly light up the future and prepare the mind to escape the wrath to come. In regard to this, the days of Noah and Lot afford us profitable instruction.

“The wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Dan. 12: 10. Daniel’s inquiry was, “What shall be the end?” not, When shall be the end? He is informed, “The wise shall understand.” The same distinction is here made as in the parable of the ten virgins. The wise trim their lamps with a sufficient supply of oil to last them through the night of watching. It is impossible to understand the work of our great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary in regard to its period of cleansing, without

Faith in the word of God, and,
Faith in the providence of God in the fulfillment of prophecy.

Hence it is easy to understand the testimony of the apostle as applying to the present time, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. . . . But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, . . . ye are all the children of light.” 1 Thess. 5. These put off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. May we be diligent in gathering up the rays of light now shining, and press towards the perfect day.

“Watchman, see, the light is beaming, Brighter still upon the way; Signs through all the earth are gleaming, Omens of the coming day.”

H. S. GURNEY.