The Light of Prophecy

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 31, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 21.

The Light of Prophecy

1. The people of the world, the nations and governments, need not be blinded or ignorant of what is to come upon the earth:

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19.

2. As an illustration of God’s warning a nation (and there are many such warnings), take the following concerning Egypt, uttered when Egypt was in her power and glory:

“And the land of Egypt shall be DESOLATE AND WASTE; and they shall know that I am the Lord.” “It shall be THE BASEST OF THE KINGDOMS; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I WILL DIMINISH THEM, that they shall NO MORE RULE over the nations.” Eze. 29: 9, 15.

“And I will make THE RIVERS DRY, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: . . . I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause THEIR IMAGES TO CEASE out of Noph; and there shall be NO MORE A PRINCE OF THE LAND OF EGYPT.” Eze. 30:12, 13.

NOTE.—All this has been remarkably fulfilled. That power which at one time was the greatest in the world, has been counted for years the very lowest and basest of all the kingdoms. Many of its ancient rivers and canals are known only by their dry beds. Once among the most idolatrous kingdoms, all the images of wood and stone are now banished. Its rulers have been multiplied, but for centuries none of these have been one of the natives of Egypt.

3. As an illustration concerning cities, note the following prophecy written one hundred and fifty years before the doomed city met her fate; for the very site of Babylon was for a long time in dispute, and has been only recently identified:

“And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, SHALL BE AS WHEN GOD OVERTHREW SODOM AND GOMORRAH. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there; . . . and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.” Isa. 13:19-22.

4. Note the following prophecy among very many others, concerning God’s chosen people—the Jews:

“And the Lord shall SCATTER THEE AMONG ALL PEOPLE, from the one end of the earth even unto the other. . . And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest; but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind.” Deut. 28: 64, 65.

NOTE.—There is not a nation on the face of the earth where the Jew has not been. Go where one will and the Jew has gone before him. One prophecy declares that they “shall not be reckoned among the nations;” and that is true. The Jew does not intermarry save with those who are proselytes to his own religion. Even in the freest land on earth, America, he is forbidden place oftentimes in the best hotels. The truth of the prophecies concerning the Jewish nation is continually before the world in the Jew.

5. There is an instance of another prophecy concerning the cities of Jerusalem; a prophecy which the Roman emperor Julian, “the Apostate,” endeavored to frustrate and prove false, but in which he deplorably failed. It is given by our Lord Jesus Christ concerning Jerusalem:

“For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall LAY THEE EVEN WITH THE GROUND, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” See Luke 19: 41-44.

6. As all these prophecies have been literally fulfilled, may we not just as truly expect that what God has said concerning the nations and cities of earth at the present time, in the same Word, will be as literally fulfilled?

“In the days of these kings [the present kingdoms of earth] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but IT SHALL BREAK IN PIECES AND CONSUME ALL THESE KINGDOMS, AND IT SHALL STAND FOREVER.” Dan. 2: 44.

“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD ARE BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR LORD, AND OF HIS CHRIST; and He shall reign forever and ever.” Rev. 11:15.

7. In view of these multiplied warnings which God has given us throughout all the centuries, we may well take home to our heart the following scripture concerning these days:

“And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but THE WISE SHALL UNDERSTAND.” Dan. 12: 9, 10.