p. 317 | THIS IS THE GENERATION by W. L. Bird

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 18, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 20.

THIS IS THE GENERATION

By W. L. Bird

The World's History Foretold by Daniel—Both Christ and Paul Confirm the Prediction—His Coming the Next Great Event

By W. L. Bird

From the time the first promise of redemption was made in the Garden of Eden, men have sought to understand the work of the Redeemer.

What Daniel the Prophet Saw

To Daniel, the great prophet, was given in symbol a history of the world, showing the rise and fall of the great nations of the earth, and the leading events that were to take place before Christ's kingdom could be set up. In the seventh chapter of Daniel these great nations appear under the symbols of beasts,—a lion, a bear, a leopard, and another beast of terrible appearance, having ten horns. The angel that gave the vision proceeded to explain it, saying, “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, that shall arise.” The first was Babylon, under which nation Daniel was then living; the second was Medo-Persia; the third, Greece; the fourth, the iron monarchy of Rome. The fourth beast particularly attracted

the attention of Daniel, and especially was he interested in the little horn that came up among the other ten. What could these things mean? The angel answers, “The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise; and another shall rise after them.” Here was given to Daniel a view of the Roman nation down through the days of the republic and the empire until

the time when it was broken into fragments by the “barbarian” nations.

Among these kingdoms was to arise that other different power, represented by the little horn, which had eyes and mouth like a man. The angel continues: “And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; . . . and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.”

Thus is briefly told the saddest chapter of the world's history. The time here expressed is prophetic, and is understood to cover 1,260 years. The persecution inflicted by this power was feignedly in the interests of Christianity, but it was in reality in opposition to the work of God. The doctrine of the supremacy of the bishop of Rome, and the right of the church to correct heretics, was well established in the sixth century. In 1798, 1,260 years later, the humiliation of the pope bore testimony that the power of the papacy to persecute was at an end.

Daniel concludes with the words: “And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. Here is the end of the matter.”

Christ Confirms Daniel

Jesus used this line of prophecy when answering the question of the disciples, “What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?” According to the record in Matthew 24, He spoke briefly of the destruction of Jerusalem and the early persecutions. Then, speaking of the terrible persecution that was to follow under papal Rome, He said, “Then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.” He made plain to the disciples that in connection with the close of this long prophetic period would occur the coveted signs of His coming and the end of the world. The heavenly bodies themselves, His light bearers to the world, should be made His agents to give the signs of the approaching end.

In obedience to the command of Jesus, the disciples went forth

preaching the crucified, risen, ascended, and returning Lord. Some among their converts began to look for the immediate return of Christ, and the Thessalonians even believed that they were the generation mentioned by Christ. To correct their error, Paul wrote them his second letter. In this he showed that the coming of Christ was not at hand, for the “falling away” had not yet occurred.

The man of sin had not yet been revealed, the power called “the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped.” These words clearly describe the same power Daniel spoke of as the little horn, which was to arise before the setting up of Christ's kingdom.

The Church Now to Expect His Coming

This power had not yet arisen, so the Thessalonians could not be the last generation. The sure word of prophecy, as outlined by Daniel, must be fulfilled: “The church must pass through her dark and trying hour; but how bright the prospect that would await her at its close! Jesus said that as the bursting of the leaves was a sign that summer was nigh, so the signs He mentioned would indicate that His coming was at the door.”