THE LAST DELUSIVE DREAM.
By G. W. Reaser
A FAITHFUL individual history of this world's inhabitants would reveal a succession of delusive dreams on the part of all those who have not looked beyond this “vale of tears” for the fruition of their hopes. A marked example of this truth is the case of “the great Napoleon.” He fondly dreamed that his magnificent generalship, and the power of his mighty army, could cement the nations of Europe together in one world-dominering kingdom, himself to wield the scepter as monarch supreme. He did not stop to consider that the Ruler of nations had spoken, saying of these European powers, “They shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.” The word of the “King of kings” stood, as it always will stand; Napoleon’s dream of power and glory met with disaster and gloomy failure. The proud-hearted warrior was shorn of all his visionary dominion, and in captive chains spent his last years in solitary exile, far from the land of his nativity and the scenes of his folly and ambitious hopes. It is said that Julius Cæsar,—denominated “the greatest man of antiquity,”—had a similar day-dream, which, at the height of his power, was abruptly terminated by his assassination, perpetrated by his fellow-senators. History informs us that Juan Ponce de Leon dreamed of a fountain of perpetual youth, located somewhere in the wilds of Florida. Purchasing a goodly ship, he set out in search of it. After a vain quest, his party came to disaster, and himself to an untimely end, finding, instead of a fountain of youth, an open grave, in which to lie and forget, in dreamless sleep, his disappointment. Multitudes of the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve have dreamed of long life, wealth, honor, glory, love, happiness, whose days have been cut short in poverty, shame, dishonor, ignominy, hatred, misery. But the final illusive dream of the lost members of the human family is, in its results and bitter disappointment, the saddest of them all. Inspiration graphically describes the last dream of those who, in this life, have rejected the overtures of mercy, and thereby refused to be redeemed. When brought forth in the second resurrection, marshaled under their leader, Satan, they make a last desperate assault against the city of God. Their fruitless attack on the New Jerusalem is thus pictured:— “And the multitude of all these nations that fight against Ariel [the Lion of God, the city where David dwelt] even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. It shall even be as when a hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty; or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; so shall the multitudes of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion.” Isa. 29:7, 8. Apparently the same dream is described in detail by the prophet Ezekiel. Addressing his language to Satan and his unnumbered army, he says:— “After many days thou shalt be visited” (resurrected); “thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land.” “At the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought [conceive a mischievous purpose,—margin]; and thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages [the “unwalled villages” corresponding to the “camp of the saints.” Rev. 20:9.]; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely,” “to take a spoil, and to take a prey, to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations,” “that dwell in the midst of the land.” “Therefore son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord God: In that day when My people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?” “And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands,” “an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.” Eze. 38:8–12, 14, 22. The Revelator, likewise, vividly portrays the same scene when he records these words:— “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Rev. 20:7–9. In this countless host of Satan will be found all of the great generals and warriors of earth who have not submitted to the Prince of Peace; all of the inhabitants of the world who have died unrepentant and therefore unpardoned; all who have spent their days of probation in dreaming of good days to come, who have said in their hearts to the pleadings of the Spirit, “Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Many of this vast army will have departed this life, fondly dreaming of an abundant entrance into the city; but the Saviour will say to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me.” All of these unite in one scheme,—“a mischievous purpose,” conceived in the mind of the deceiver of the whole world, which is to wrest the city of God from its rightful possessors, the “joint-heirs with Christ,” the redeemed of men. As the fire begins to fall which consumes them, they realize that their final effort for self-preservation is only a deceptive dream. God is all-powerful; they must perish. Then, in panoramic vision, they recall their past lives; their rejection of mercy and grace; and, most bitter of all, they now sense the fact that all the joys of the redeemed in their eternal city are not reserved for those who fight against God. To-day, dear reader, you are either for Him, or against Him. There is no neutral ground. As are our characters when we cross that invisible line, the close of our probation, so will it be decided whether we will be inside the city, dwelling safely, or without, fighting against God. “Doth not wisdom cry,” “Unto you, O men, I call?” Meditate upon the city of God now; contemplate the blissful abode of the redeemed this day; make your peace, calling, and election sure; else—“too late”—you will be found marshaled under the banner of the prince of evil spirits, the arch-rebel against the government of God, in the last, mad, desperate, deceptive dream,—an abortive effort to take forcible possession of the New Jerusalem, built upon Mount Zion. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” “To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”