THE HOUR OF DARKNESS AND THE GREAT PROMISES.
By T.
The days just before the coming of the Son of man are made conspicuous because of the trouble that Satan brings upon the world, in his last efforts to deceive and thereby destroy mankind. Says the inspired Word: “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Rev. 12:12. And again the Word says, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; 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; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” Luke 21:25, 26. With the distressing conflict between capital and labor all about us; with the accounts of shockingly brutal murders meeting us at every turn; with bribery, embezzlement, and fraud, in both public and private life, glaring at us on every hand; with the plundering and pilfering highwayman making our nights a dread; with storm, earthquake, and pestilence in so many places; and, rising above it all, with the “alarm of war,” amid all the nations of earth as they rush on in this furiously maddening work of preparing for the destructive conflict of the “great day,” ay, with all these things before us, who can say that we are not even now in the midst of that very time when “the devil is come down unto you having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time”? And who is there that does not see the vivid realities of the “distress of nations” all over the world? Everything is unsteady and seems to be tottering toward a universal destruction. And in the presence of this terribly awful situation, is it any wonder that, just as the Saviour foretold, there should be seen everywhere “men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth”? At such a time, how earnestly must the men be seeking for a refuge whose hearts are “failing them for fear,” as they now actually behold “those things which are coming on the earth”! And what a joyous privilege it is for the Christian to point all such to that most precious of promises: “Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go7to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1–3. What gracious words! Why, these things that have been filling your heart “for fear,” are only the evidences that—and how the words fairly thrill with meaning—“I will come again, and receive you unto Myself”! Our Lord leaves us in no doubt about the great promise that He will “come again” to this earth. The Word abounds with promises of His coming. As long ago as “Enoch,” “the seventh from Adam,” it was prophesied that, “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints.” Jude 14. The keener pains of Job’s afflictions were borne away by the assurance that “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth,” “whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; tho my reins be consumed within me.” Job 19:25, 27. In poetic beauty David breaks forth in the song: “Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together before the Lord; for He cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with equity.” Ps. 98:7–9. Isaiah tells us that “it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isa. 25:9. The assurance from the apostle Paul is that “the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. Every reader of the Bible knows that the texts herein quoted are only a few from the many promises of our Lord’s coming. The inspired poets, prophets, and apostles, wrapt in exalted vision, have been permitted to cast their prophetic eyes to the very remotest years of this earth’s allotted time. And each has been cheered and strengthened to endure the conflict by seeing beyond the heart-sickening and heart-rending distresses, woes, and calamities of this world, the effulgent glory of the cloud that bears the adored Redeemer back to earth. His coming has been the one radiant star of hope, in the glorious brightness of which every sin, with all the misery and degradation that it has caused, will be forever destroyed. Then how fitting the apocalyptic benediction: “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so come, Lord Jesus.” Rev. 22:20. There is a promise in the text quoted from Thessalonians that should not be overlooked. The statement is that “the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven.” 1 Thess. 4:16. How good these words are! Our Lord does not send a messenger to us; He does not send a substitute; but it is the blessed “Lord Himself.” Are you personally acquainted with Jesus? Has He come to you by His Word and Spirit to pardon every sin, to sweeten every cup of sorrow, to be in you an ever-abiding tower of hope and joy? Have you found Him your ever-sympathizing Friend and constant Helper? Have you learned that His boundless love for you is outstretched toward you every moment, and that “surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows”? Do you know that “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed”? O, if you know the loving Master, the tender and sympathizing Saviour and Redeemer, how your heart is fairly bursting with joy that “the Lord Himself” is so soon to come again! Indeed, He has done such wonderful deeds of self-sacrificing and valorous love for us that we could not be satisfied with seeing any one else but Him. It must be “the Lord Himself” to meet our expectations and joys. Abraham, Daniel, Isaiah, Paul, John, and all that throng, whose names have become dear to us through the Inspired Record, will be looked for and embraced in that day. But our “Elder Brother,” who so valiantly entered the very “kingdom of darkness” to rescue us,—even our Lord “Himself,”—must be the one central figure in that glad day that will claim our first, our prolonged, and our most devoted attention. Because He loves us with an everlasting love, and knowing of the affection that is welling forth in our hearts toward Him, and of our intense desire for His coming, He has taken particular pains to describe the manner of this great event so that we may not be deceived by any impostor. “And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9–11. How definite and clear is this language! It is “this same Jesus,” and He “shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” “This same Jesus” that “was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight,” “shall so come in like manner.” How often do the promises of His coming mention that He comes in the “clouds”! But many other facts are given as well. “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.” Rev. 1:7. Here it is stated, not only that “He cometh with clouds,” but also that “every eye shall see Him.” Just as the eyes of the apostles beheld Him when He went away, so shall “every eye” “see Him” as He returns. But He does not return alone, “for the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels.” Matt. 16:27. And again, “When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall he sit upon the throne of His glory.” Matt. 25:31. So then the event of His coming is considered of such great importance that all the glory of heaven is poured out upon Him and around Him as He returns. For He comes “in the glory of His Father!” He comes “in His glory.” Aye, and added to all this, in the blazing brightness with which God has surrounded each, He is escorted in that triumphal day by “all the holy angels”! In view of this surpassing glory that attends His coming, is it any marvel that the dazzling brightness of the lightning should be used as the only fitting semblance with which to liken the scene? “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.” Matt. 24:27. The mind that has been reverently dwelling upon these blessed scriptures can never be led astray. None of the “false christs” or “false prophets” that the Word tells us will arise, can entrap his well-fortified soul. All the pretended glory and superficial glamor that can surround these impostors will not meet the heightened expectations of him who dwells amid the sublime realities of these promises of God. And since the Word renders it so sure that He is coming again, are you prepared to meet Him? He loves you and wants you to be among them who will thrill with rejoicing in the glories of that day. Receive Him now, and “this same Jesus” will prepare you for the gladness of that near day when “the Lord Himself” shall return. T.