p. 172 | UNFULFILLED PROPHECY by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 29, 1877

UNFULFILLED PROPHECY.

By James White

The Bible was given as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. It was designed for the benefit of the people in this world and not the next. It is the sure word of prophecy that shines in this dark world. It was not designed for angels or for immortal saints. Therefore we shall not have to wait until we reach Heaven before we understand what the Lord has said to us in his word. The Bible is what God has revealed to man, and if he does not understand it the fault is because he does not search its pages as he should, or because he does not live as near him as he should, so that he can understand what the Lord has revealed. To say that the Bible was given to be understood—and who will deny this plain proposition?—is one thing, and to say that we do understand every chapter and every verse, is quite another thing.

Fulfilled prophecy may be understood by the Bible student. Prophecy is history in advance. He can compare history with prophecy and find a complete fit as the glove to the hand, it having been made for it. But in exposition of unfulfilled prophecy, where the history is not written, the student should put forth his propositions with not too much positiveness, lest he find himself straying in the field of fancy.

There are those who think more of future truth than of present truth. They see but little light in the path in which they walk, but think they see great light ahead of them.

Positions taken upon the Eastern question are based upon prophecies which have not yet their fulfillment. Here we should tread lightly, and take positions carefully, lest we be found removing the landmarks fully established in the advent movement. It may be said that there is a general agreement upon this subject, and that all eyes are turned toward the war now in progress between Turkey and Russia as the fulfillment of that portion of prophecy which will give great confirmation of faith in the soon loud cry and close of our message. But what will be the result of this positiveness in unfulfilled prophecies should things not come out as very confidently expected, is an anxious question.

Wars, pestilences, famines, and earthquakes are not the surest signs of the end. These have ever existed. We may have war, then peace, pestilence, then health, famine, then plenty, earthquakes, then the bowels of the earth may be quiet; but the message of the third angel is given but once. The progress of this work in fulfillment of prophecy is the highest and brightest light now shining in the religious heavens. Those looking at the Eastern question will probably be disappointed; but we may bear our whole weight upon the last message without fear of disappointment. As we now see our world-wide message extending to the nations, we see the fulfillment of prophecy, and the clearest sign of the close of the work, and the consummation of the hope of the church.

Let us take a brief view of the line of prophecy four times spanned in the book of Daniel. It will be admitted that the same ground is passed over in chapters two, seven, eight, and eleven, with this exception that Babylon is left out of chapters eight and eleven. We first pass down the great image of chapter two, where Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome are represented by the gold, the silver, the brass, and the iron. All agree that these feet are not Turkish but Roman. And as we pass down, the lion, the bear, the leopard, and the beast with ten horns, representing the same as the great image, again all will agree that it is not Turkey that is cast into the burning flame, but the Roman beast. So of chapter eight, all agree that the little horn that stood up against the Prince of princes is not Turkey but Rome. In all these three lines thus far Rome is the last form of government mentioned.

Now comes the point in the argument upon which very much depends. Does the eleventh chapter of the prophecy of Daniel cover the ground measured by chapters two, seven, and eight? If so, then the last power mentioned in that chapter is Rome.

“And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain, margin, of delights of holiness, yet he shall come to his end and none to help him.” Dan. 11:45. Is it said that Palestine is such a glorious land, and that the Turkish seat of government is to be removed to that land, then we will remark that:

Palestine has had the curse of God resting upon it ever since the death of the Son of God. Whatever it may have been, it is not now at the time the prophecy speaks to us any such a country. If there is any portion of our world that God has forsaken more than another, it is that which drank up the blood of prophets, the Son of God, and his holy apostles.

But the western continent is now at the time of the fulfillment of the prophecy just such a land. Here, stretching between the Atlantic and the Pacific is a country which is the desire of all nations. Even the poor Chinaman with all his idolatry and filth flocks to our comparatively delightful land by thousands.

It is here that all nations are represented. Three years since, in a Catholic procession which was three hours passing a given point, one carriage flung to the breeze thirty-two flags, representing that number of nations.

Our free schools, the freedom of the press, and freedom of religious liberty, added to the fertility of our vast country, make it at this time the land of delight. We close this article with the inquiries: Viewing the past and present, is there not more probability that the seat of the beast will be moved to our country, than that the seat of the Turkish government will be moved to Palestine? And in advancing opinions upon unfulfilled prophecy, is it not safer to move slowly? J. W.