The Benefits of Knowing the Times.
By C. A. Osgood
The farmer who raises grain or other produce for profit, understands well when the proper time comes to plow his fields, when to sow his grain, when to hoe his potatoes and when to gather in the fruits of the earth. Thus he attends to the proper kind of labor at the right time, and meets with success in so doing. And all the children of this world who act wisely, are close observers of times and seasons. They adapt their labors to the wants of the times. They who have been wise as the servants of God in ages past, have had some knowledge of the peculiarities of their own times, and have turned their knowledge to good account. It was well for Noah that it was revealed to him that God had purposed to withdraw his Spirit from the world and send a deluge upon it which should destroy all the wicked. He listened to the word of God; he believed that it was true; he “prepared an ark for the saving of his household.” They outlived the flood. But how was it with the unbelieving multitudes? “They knew not till the flood came and took them all away.” Sad indeed were the consequences of their unbelief and ignorance. So it was well for Lot, that he believed the testimony of the angels, and left Sodom before the fire of God burned up the city and its guilty inhabitants. But how dreadful was the fate of these. They were not expecting the awful catastrophe. They kept about their ordinary business till the time came. “They did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all.” Well was it for the people of Egypt and Canaan that God had a prophet in those days, Joseph by name, to whom he made known his design to send upon those lands seven years of famine; so that during the years of plenty they could lay up corn to supply the want of coming years. The Saviour, in discoursing to his disciples about the coming destruction of Jerusalem, said, “When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.” “Then,” adds he, “let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let them that are in the midst of it depart out: and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.” When the fearful time arrived, the disciples remembered his words; they believed them, they obeyed, fled to the mountains, and were safe. What the Saviour told them was of great advantage to them. But how was it with the unbelieving multitudes of the Jews? He told them with deep emotion what their fate would be. Said he, “If thou hadst known, even thou, in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace; but now they are hidden from thine eyes. 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.” Luke 19:42-44. The distress and wrath, the carnage and bondage, which our Lord foretold came upon that people. Why was this? Because they “knew not the time of their visitation.” How precious to that people were the few years of the Saviour’s ministry; but they were not aware that they were of more importance than other years; so they let them pass unimproved and met their awful fate. Although in the above-mentioned instances and others, attention to the prophecies has been a light, a safeguard to those who have heeded them, and the frown of God has come upon those who have not heeded them, yet there are many now who think that we who are so much further advanced in the history of the world have but little use for the light of prophecy; that there is no need of our discerning the signs of the times. Is this so? If it was important that God should reveal to men his purpose to drown the world, and if it was necessary for people to understand it, can we expect that the greatest of all events, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to save his people, and to destroy the ungodly, will break upon the world without any warning? Is this like the dealings of God with men in the past? When the disciples asked our Lord, “What shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?” he did not tell them that there should be no sign; but he kindly answered them by telling them that there should be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth, and what kind of signs they would be. The darkening of the sun and moon, the falling of the stars, the roaring of the sea and waves, have been fulfilled. Our Lord further said, “When these things are fulfilled, then know that he is near, even at the door.” If the Saviour thus definitely pointed out the signs of his coming, it is our imperative duty to take particular notice of them. The last days were to be days of great peril. Then Christians need to know when these times are and what these perils are, that they may avoid them. “Iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” This we see. The influence of the world is more corrupting than ever. The love of the world has greatly increased. Luxury, extravagance, and pride, greatly abound. A corrupt church points the wrong way to Heaven. Satan is commencing to work “with all power, and signs, and lying wonders,” so that “if possible he would deceive the very elect.” At such a time as this, while the multitudes are asleep in the midst of awful danger, it becomes important that we be not ignorant of the times, nor of the devices of Satan, but to be wide awake, and that we make a speedy and thorough preparation for the glorious advent of the Son of God.