READING CIRCLE STUDY by S. N. H.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 20, 1900

READING CIRCLE STUDY.

By S. N. H.

S. N. H.

The books of Daniel and Revelation bear one characteristic peculiar to themselves,—their prophecies are consecutive. Anciently, instead of books, there were scrolls, so rolled together that a seal could be removed, and a portion unrolled without opening the remainder. A book of this description was taken to illustrate this line of prophecy. In unfolding the future, one period follows another, as the seals were broken one by one. The purity and the triumph of the gospel in the apostolic age are illustrated by the white horse which went forth conquering and to conquer. During the first thirty years after the gospel went to the Gentiles, every person, in every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, heard the gospel, and there were converts in all parts of the world. Rom. 1: 8; Col. 1: 5, 6, 23.

During the second century, Satan, through paganism, did his best to destroy the people of God. Nero lighted his gardens by burning the saints, who had been covered with pitch, or something of like nature. In the great Coliseum at Rome thousands of persons would assemble to see the saints—men, women, and even helpless babes—destroyed by wild beasts. Nearly all the apostles suffered persecution or martyrdom during the first and second seals. Rome at this time was a universal kingdom, and there was no safety for God’s people on the earth. It continued thus until the beginning of the fourth century.

The red-horse period took peace from the earth, but during this time there were remarkable triumphs of the power of God. When Polycarp was asked to abjure his faith, he said, “Eighty and six years I have served the Lord, and now I can not deny him.” The flame formed an arch over him while at the stake, and he was not burned. Finally his executioner thrust a spear into his body, thus ending his life, and the blood extinguished the fire. However, his body was afterward burned. Others spoke after their tongues had been removed. The church stood faultless during this period, as described in Rev. 2: 8–11. Persecution, martyrdom, and unpopularity in the world are the purifiers of the church. Satan signally failed in destroying God’s people; for martyrs were the seed of the church.

In the period represented by the third seal, Satan changed his tactics, and emperors arose who favored the believers. Worldly policy came in. The Christian religion was weighed in the worldly balances; church and state were united. Worldly positions were offered the people of God. By compromise the Christian religion became popular. The hellish black banner of Satan was erected amid the professed people of God. This was far more dangerous to the purity of the church than persecution. It is illustrated by a black horse. But amid all this amalgamation with the world, God preserved his people, not suffering the oil and wine to be hurt. The period of time covered by the first three churches and the first three seals is the same. It was during this time that the faith of the church became adulterated with error. What Satan could not accomplish by force he now accomplished by worldly policy. It was this spirit that taught Balak to overcome Israel. First, he led them to commit sin, and by it they were weakened. Num. 25: 1–5.

The fourth seal opens the twelve hundred and sixty years of papal persecution. Here was a culmination of the development of the man of sin, the antichrist of 2 Thess. 2: 2–8 and of 1 John 2: 18, 19. It is variously estimated that from sixty to one hundred millions perished on account of their faith during this time. A little later John saw them under the altar, slain. They had not gone to heaven, for the altar upon which they sacrificed their lives, and under which their blood cried for vengeance, was upon the earth. As the world looks back upon this time of persecution, all now attribute to every one of them the white robe of Christ’s righteousness.

The sixth seal opened with the great earthquake of 1755, when the city of Lisbon was destroyed, and nearly the whole world felt the shock. May 19, 1780, the sun was darkened and the moon turned to blood, and Nov. 13, 1833, the stars fell. When the signs began to be seen, the coming of the Lord was drawing near. When they were seen as signs, it was near, even at the door. This defines the generation in which Christ will come. Luke 21: 25–32. This is the only text which shows that the signs in the heavens were to be consecutive.

Prophecy had marked out thirteen characteristics which were all fulfilled in these signs, as follows:—

Preceded by a great earthquake. Rev. 6: 12.
Signs consecutive. Luke 21: 25–32.
Sun black as sackcloth. Rev. 6: 12.
Darkness to cover sun, moon, and stars. Joel 3: 15.
Dark night to be with the dark day. Amos 5: 8.
Darkness to begin in the morning. Isa. 13: 10.
Darkest at noon. Amos 8: 9.
To come in a clear day. Id.
Sun covered with a cloud. Eze. 32: 7, 8.
Moon became as blood. Rev. 6: 12.
Immediately after the tribulation. Matt. 24: 29.
In the twelve hundred and sixty years, after the tribulation. Mark 13: 24.
Stars to fall like unripe figs. Rev. 6: 13.

The latest point we could fix for the generation to begin was after the signs had been preached as signs in 1844; and a person must be from ten to fifteen years of age to appreciate them. So at the present time we are at least from sixty-five to seventy years in the last generation. The next events are the scenes described in verses 14–17. It is the Lord’s description of what is just before us. We can refer the reader to only a few other scriptures to be studied with these: Amos 8: 11, 12; Zeph. 1: 2–18; Hab. 3: 3–18; Psalm 91; Isa. 33: 13–16; Jer. 25: 30–38. It is the day of God’s wrath without mercy. It brings to view scenes that human language can not portray so that the mind can grasp its awfulness. Imagination usually overdraws things, but here it fails, as the terribleness of the scenes just before us exceeds the strongest imagination. Our only safety is to hide in God, and prepare to meet him who, to his people, will be the chiefest among ten thousand, the one altogether lovely and greatly to be admired.