TWENTY CENTURIES IN FORTY MINUTES.
By J. B. Cogswell
A Study of Matthew Twenty-four. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the Holy Place, (whoso readeth, let him understand): then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains; let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house; neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day. Verses 15–20. The Saviour here reverts to the destruction of Jerusalem and instructs the disciples what to do in that event. The “abomination of desolation,” spoken of by Daniel, refers to the Roman armies that “encompassed” the city at the siege by Titus, A. D. 70, which resulted in its downfall. Luke 21:20–24. Nothing could be more distasteful or disgusting to the Jewish people than the desecration of the temple and its holy precincts, by pagan, Roman soldiery, and the planting there of their standards—symbols of idolatry—and so an abomination unto the Lord, also in what was to them the most sacred part of the Holy City. The condition and practices of the doomed people, as described by Josephus, is a horrible fulfilment of the intensified suffering suggested in verse 19. Jesus’ Care for the Sabbath.
But observe how mindful Jesus was of the Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment; first, that the Father’s commandments might not be broken, and second, that His followers through fear of the violation might be tempted to remain and so miss an opportunity for escape. Verse 20. See, too, the tender care the Master has for those He loves, as manifested by His warning to shun the great suffering incident to a forced flight in winter, which is very severe in the mountains. such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And, except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Verses 21, 22. It is evident that verse 19 refers to the suffering during the siege by the Romans, as does Luke 21:23 and the first clause of verse 24, the last clause reading, “And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Jerusalem is still being “trodden down of the Gentiles,” the times of the Gentiles are not fulfilled nor will they be until the last sinner is saved for the kingdom. Again, Luke, in verse 26, refers to the troubles of the last days, including the seven last plagues. Matt. 24:21, 22 not only refers to the pagan and papal persecutions (whose continuance was shortened for the elect’s sake), but the words, “nor ever shall be” indicates an ultra degree and time of suffering, and one’s natural conception of the seven last plagues—judging from the scriptures describing them—is that they would bring in a time of suffering and horror far in excess of anything that occurred at the destruction of Jerusalem, or even during the 1260 years of papal dominancy. See Revelation 16 and Dan. 12:1. The Saviour’s recent reference to Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 9:27) and the almost identical language to Dan. 12:1, in Matt. 24:21 makes this more apparent. Thus in terse and direct language, tho grouping the several events differently, Jesus, the prophets, and apostles warn us of the various epochs of distress and suffering that mankind was to experience till Christ came to deliver His own. False Christs a Sign of the End.
“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Verses 23, 24. Here our Saviour brings to view another epoch of false christs and false prophets, following the period of papal persecution. A peculiar and significant characteristic of this influx of deceivers is their power of5showing “great signs and wonders.” Preceding imposters, tho they deceived many thousands and some millions, and caused their destruction, performed no miracles. Now in the earth’s last generation come christs and prophets, able to deceive by the miracles which they have power to perform. These are here: one Sweinfurth, of Illinois, claimed to be the reincarnation of Christ, and deceived many. And one, Schlatter, of Colorado, claimed to be the Christ. This latter performed many cures. But it is not our purpose to describe these imposters and their work in detail at this time, but to call attention to them, for they are well known. Modern theology teaches that Christ comes every time a Christian dies. And by every rule of analogy, if this be true (and it is not), then the devil comes every time a sinner dies. In spiritistic manifestations Satan appears as Christ in the secret chambers. But the “elect” are not deceived, for the Master says, “Believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.” Verse 27. Vivid, brilliant, flashing, glorious brightness, the lightnings of the heavens are an apt illustration of the “brightness of His coming.” 2 Thess. 2:8. “For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” Verse 28. Where will this be? ask the disciples. Luke 17:37. The Saviour’s answer indicates that it is a world-wide event. Job says, “Where the slain are there is she” (the eagle), and the Lord in that day invites all the fowls that fly in the air to feast themselves upon the slain of the Lord. Eze. 39:17–20; Rev. 19:17, 18; Jer. 25:31–33. The second coming of Christ is the culmination of all these things. And the fowls of the air are invited to the “supper of the great God.” Thus Jesus made the last great gathering of the nations to war one of the last signs which immediately precede His “standing at the door.” Signs in Sun, Moon, and Stars.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” Verse 29. Here Jesus, after detailing various events reaching from the time of the papal persecution down to His second coming, turns back again to the time that persecution ended, 1778, and takes up another series that were to mark time down to His coming. There are so many authentic historical records of the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars that I will not give them here; but I will give a chain of traditional testimony which I believe to be true because I believe the veracity of my parents and grandparents as conscientious servants of God, whom I expect to meet at His appearing. I have listened to many stories, anecdotes, and details—as observed and understood in those times—of the darkening of the sun in “his going forth” (Isa. 13:10), on the morning of May 19, 1780, followed in the evening of the same day by darkness so dense that both man and beast feared to move. As one said, it “seemed as if all the lights in the universe were put out” (Eze. 32:7, 8; Joel 3:15), and this was “immediately [about two years] after the tribulation of those days” (Matt. 24:29), for the period of persecution noted here ended in 1778. My parents, born in 1808 and married in 1832, were eye-witnesses of the phenomenon of the falling stars of 1833. My father was a newly ordained Baptist minister at that time, and gave the strength and energy of his young manhood to the cause of Christ. They often recited the story of the glorious and awe-inspiring circumstances of that event. No Peace Till Christ Shall Come.
We note here that the next event recorded by Matthew is the shaking of the “powers of the heavens,” which is yet in the very near future. However, Luke fills in the time between the falling of the stars (see also Rev. 6:12, 13) and the shaking of the powers of the heavens, with—“and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” Luke 21:25, 26. Comment on these words is unnecessary for the close observer of events that are occurring daily. But for the careless and indifferent we call attention to the distrust and very evident mistrust, and ill-concealed hatred existing among the nations, which is fast drawing them to that “last great battle” and the “feast of the fowls.” Peace has forever taken her flight from this earth, and never again will she know peace or freedom from the evils that now beset her till the “Prince of Peace” shall come to reign. History does not record for all time previous a tithe of the fearful disasters that have taken place in the last generation, and are now of hourly occurrence. And these comprise the whole category of famines, pestilences, earthquakes, cyclones, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, epidemics of disease, and scourge of plagues, disaster on land and sea, wonderful and fearful things in the heavens and in the earth, and greater evils yet to follow. Revelation 16. Who, then, can abide His fierce anger? Nahum 1:6. The Lord will be the “hope of His people.” Joel 3:16. All these are landmarks along the world’s highway warning us of the nearness of that great cataclysm of destruction that soon shall overspread the earth, even while the cry of “peace and safety” is still going forth. The Sign of the Son of Man.
When the “powers of the heavens” are shaken the “heavens shall be rolled back like a scroll,” and the earth moved out of her place. The kings of the earth and the mighty men shall mourn and seek safety where there is none. Isa. 13:13; 34:4; Rev. 6:14. “Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matt. 24:30. The sign of the Son of Man is a cloud, evidently, from the language used here and in other scriptures. It will be seen by all the earth at a great distance and for a sufficient length of time, for “all the tribes of the earth to mourn” because of His coming. Then as the cloud nears the earth, it is seen to be clouds and the Son of Man with them. The clouds with which He comes are the angels of heaven. Acts 1:9–11; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Matt. 25:31. This fact is more apparent when we consider the language of verse 31: “And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” 1 Thess. 4:14–18; Mark 13:27. “Now learn a parable of the fig tree: When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh; so likewise ye, when ye shall see these things, know that it [margin He] is near, even at the doors.” Verses 32, 33. In verse 36 He tells us that neither man nor angels know the day or hour, but here He gives us plain, unmistakable data of His very near approach—“even at the doors.” And He says, “Watch, therefore.” Why?—Because if we knew exactly the hour we could get ready on schedule time and would not have need to watch. In verses 42–44 this is made so plain that no one can have excuse for being unprepared. Then to emphasize all that He has just said, He says: “Verily [most surely] I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall NOT PASS AWAY.” Verse 34. “This generation” undoubtedly means the generation which would witness the last series of events that were to come upon the earth just prior to His coming. So everything in the prophecy and everything in the record of its fulfilment points to the fact that the generation that began with the falling of the stars will witness the full consummation of the Saviour’s words. Having led His disciples by this line of study down to the actual time of His coming, and emphatically witnessing to the unfailing surety of His words, He tells them of additional conditions that would obtain in the last days. In verses 37–39 He likens our time unto Noah’s, “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” Verses 40, 41. In this language the Lord brings to our view the work of the investigative judgment, incidentally showing that however intimate and close the relationship, or bond of common interests or affection, the separation means eternal life to the one and eternal destruction to the other. Some quibblers contend that this scripture does not apply to our time because there are no “women grinding at the mill” nowadays. The fact is, that upon our own continent of America are women grinding at the same primitive mills in use at our Saviour’s time, and, further, the same primitive methods of work are in use to-day in different parts of our earth that were in vogue four thousand years ago. So, bearing the moral aspect, if you please, the literal, material conditions of Noah’s time exist in our day. In verses 45–47 He tells us of the faithful and wise servant and his rewards for giving “meat in due season,” and this giving of meat in “due season” must mean the giving of a faithful warning to this generation, to which the Lord is coming, and teaching them how to prepare for His coming, and to escape the awful punishments that are soon coming upon the earth—aye, that are now already being seen in the earth. In verses 48 and 49 He tells us of the wicked servant who says in his heart, “My Lord delayeth His coming.” We have heard verbatim the following: “The Lord is a long time coming;” “I don’t believe He will ever come;” and, “The world has stood millions of years, and will stand millions of years longer,” etc.—Ad lib. See 2 Tim. 3:1–5; 2 Peter 3:3–14. In verse 49 Jesus gives us a view of the condition of worldliness into which the popular teachers of a worldly church have fallen, and tho this servant speaks no word of his faithless creed, his acts proclaim that in his “heart” he says, “My Lord delayeth His coming.” Verses 50 and 51 give final warning to all of the sudden, unexpected coming of the Lord—to those who are not watching for His coming—and the punishments that will surely be meted out to those who reject God’s truth, that6 (134)they may indulge in the world’s hypocrisies. The end is gloriously near for some and dangerously near for others. The heavens and the earth are full of signs that unerringly point to the coming of the Lord. The present silence of the nations is ominous as an indication of the awful strain upon the leash that now holds them in restraint. We will very soon witness the breaking of the comity of nations; then will the end come rapidly. But the students of God’s Word, in faith believing the warnings given by God’s holy prophets, look forward to the soon coming of Jesus, our Lord, with joy, and by His life within them they are prepared to stand in that time of trial when old earth herself shall be broken and desolate because her inhabitants have broken God’s laws. Isa. 24:1–6. They shall not fear, for “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.” Ps. 91:1, 2. Are you one of these?