p. 20 | THE COMING OF THE LORD by C. W. S.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 18, 1877

THE COMING OF THE LORD.

By C. W. S.

We are glad that Mr. Moody has spoken plainly upon the coming of the Lord. We have remarked from occasional sayings of Mr. Moody that he was an Adventist, and have often wondered that a sermon like the one on page 18 has not appeared in print before. However, we are not to understand that this is his first sermon on the subject, for he says that in his experience he has found that the preaching of that doctrine does not “discourage the young converts.” We believe Mr. Moody to be a sincere lover of Bible truth, a man who loves the service of God; and we are glad that the warning note is being sounded by one whom so many love.

But there are some points in his sermon which we wish to notice. The manner in which the breaking in pieces of the great image is spoken of is rather ambiguous. First he says, “The kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, have all been broken in pieces,” leaving the impression at that point that the kingdom of Christ is already set up; but he proceeds, “And now it only remains for this stone cut out of the mountain without hands to smite the image and break it in pieces till it becomes like the dust of the summer threshing-floor, and for this image to become a great mountain and fill the whole earth,” thus showing clearly that he does not think that the kingdom was set up at the first advent. He says also, “We have seen the fulfillment of all but the closing part of it”—Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

This we believe is true, and we think the closing part of it is soon to be accomplished; and while we thus think, we believe with Mr. Moody that those who undertake to set the time go a little beyond the prophecy. But right here Mr. M. commits the common error of making the time of that event altogether too uncertain. He says, “The trump of God may be sounded, for anything we know, before I finish this sermon,—at any rate we are told that he will come as a thief in the night and at an hour when many look not for him.”

Now we think that the scripture justifies the thought that the people of God will know when Christ is coming, although it is certain that no one can tell at present. Speaking of the evil servant, who says, “My lord delayeth his coming,” our Saviour says, “The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of.” That class of people who are like that evil servant will not be looking for the coming of Christ, and therefore it will be to them an unexpected event, like the coming of a thief in the night; but do we understand from Christ’s words that, to that servant who is found giving to his household meat in due season, he will come in an hour when he is not looking for him? We certainly must, for, if he is coming in an hour when no one is looking for him, there is no special force in the statement that he will come to that evil servant in an hour when he is not looking for him.

Paul throws light upon this point. “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.” 1 Thess. 5:1. I understand he is speaking of the “times” that mark the coming of the day of the Lord. These had been so well described that he did not deem it necessary to write upon them very particularly at that time. “For,” continues he, “yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” “There,” says one, “Paul says that it comes as a thief in the night.” Yes, but upon whom? You will see that Paul has two classes in view as he proceeds to say, “For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them.” When they shall say—when those evil servants of whom Jesus speaks shall say, My Lord delayeth his coming; peace and safety, a good time coming, the millennium, a thousand years of peace and holiness, then sudden destruction cometh upon them.

That is one class, and now Paul speaks of the other. He says, “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” Ah! no; here is a class upon whom the day of the Lord is not coming as a thief. Upon the wicked it is coming as a snare. Luke 21:35. But upon those that watch and pray, that they may “be accounted worthy to escape all these things,” we infer it will not come as a snare.

The Bible seems to be more explicit in stating that that day shall come as a thief than in stating that a certain class will know of its coming; and why should it not? The one is given as a warning which all may heed; the other, as an assurance to those only who watch. The great mass will be taken by surprise, while only those in the narrow way will be ready.

But Mr. Moody says, “The angels don’t know, and Christ says that even he doesn’t know” the day. Admit for a moment that that was true when the Saviour said it. Would that prove that the Saviour would not know of the event until the moment he should set out to come? Then the same text would not prove that those living on the earth at the coming of Christ will not be informed of the precise time before that day come.

It is claimed upon good authority that the verb to know, in Matt. 24:36, is used in a causative sense, and signifies in the original to make known. Paul uses the same in 1 Cor. 2:2, where he says, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified;” that is, he meant to make that his principal theme among them, to preach that, to make known nothing else. So in that sense Christ says, “But that day and hour maketh known no man, no, not the angels of Heaven, but my Father only.”

Man has thought to proclaim the day and hour, but his failures verify the words of our Saviour. Angels will not tell it; but when probation is ended, when the gospel has done its work, when the fiat, Let him that is holy so remain, goes forth, the great voice from the throne shall shake the earth with the words, “It is done”—God the Father will make known the day and the hour to his watching people, while the wicked shall tremble at the “great earthquake” that shall attend the voice of Jehovah. Rev. 16.

Mr. Moody says, “Christ will bring all our friends with him when he comes.” We cannot find that statement in the Bible. If Mr. M. means that Christ will bring them from the graves—all right; we can find that. There are a few passages that speak of our Lord as coming with all his saints; such as 1 Thess. 3:13; Zech. 14:5; Jude 14; but I think that Mr. Moody will readily agree with us that these refer to the coming of our Lord to execute judgment upon the wicked after the saints have been in Heaven a thousand years, and have, during that time, judged the world. Jude 14 clearly states this. “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all.”

From Mr. Moody’s words, “Christ will bring all our friends with him when he comes,” we presume he has reference to 1 Thess. 4:14, which says, “For if we believe that Christ died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” This is speaking of the resurrection. As Jesus died and rose again, so them that have died in the faith of Jesus will God bring from the dead as he did Jesus.

Mr. Moody says, “All who have died in the Lord are to be with him when he comes in the clouds of heaven.” That is true; they are to be with him—after he arrives; but they are not to come with him. Christ is coming to get them. Paul speaks of it in the very next verse as if the most natural mistake would be to think that the living would be with the Saviour before the dead; and so it would.

But Paul corrects this. He says, “We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [go before] them that are asleep.” No; the dead shall not be behind the living. “For 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.” That is the first step.

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” Our friends, then, “all who have died in the Lord,” are coming from their graves at that time; and with us they are going to meet the Lord in the air. Now that makes it just as plain as day. The Lord descends from Heaven; the righteous dead are raised; then all the righteous are caught up toward the clouds, when they meet the Lord in the air.

“And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort [exhort] one another with these words.” C. W. S.