Stir Up the Mighty Men

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 6, 1914

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 41, No. 39.

BRITISH BATTERY IN FRANCE BEING PLACED IN POSITION FOR LONG RANGE FIRING

“Stir Up the Mighty Men”

A Thrilling Prediction — Plowshares to Be Made into Swords, and Pruning-Hooks into Spears — Even the Weak Nations to Be Mighty in Battle — Significance of Calamities and Wars — A Shelter from the Breaking Storm

THIS conflagration of war that is sweeping Europe, and involving a large part of Asia, and portions of Africa, is staggering humanity. Thousands of people are earnestly asking the question, “What does it mean?” Instinctively many minds are turned toward the word of God, to know if it offers any suggestions or throws any light upon the terrible situation.

In numerous articles since this war began, various writers have called attention, through our columns, to portions of the prophetic Word which very accurately describe the situation that we find in the world.

One of the plain scriptures upon this subject that has not as yet been presented and commented upon very extensively is the following:

“Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare war; stir up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Haste ye, and come, all ye nations round about, and gather yourselves together: thither cause Thy mighty ones to come down, O Jehovah. Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about. Put ye in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, tread ye; for the wine-press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! for the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. And Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but Jehovah will be a refuge unto His people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel.” Joel 3:9-16, Revised Version.

THE TIME OF THE PROPHECY

There should be no mistaking the meaning of this most vivid prophecy, nor the period when it applies. It refers to a time when multitudes upon multitudes are "in the valley of decision," when the day of the Lord is near, and when God is about to judge all the nations. In that awfully solemn hour, we are not only to have great strife among the nations, as is shown by the prophecy, but there will be commotions and upheavals on the earth that will make the heavens and the earth shake as "Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem," in the great day of judgments and calamities. It is the time when God has given the command, "Put ye in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, tread ye; for the wine-press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great." Joel 3:13, Revised Version.

Great wickedness, barbarous cruelties, and inhuman deeds of men are calling for God to put an end to the scenes of sin, and to bring in everlasting righteousness. In this great Judgment hour the text says, "Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare war; stir up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near, let them come up." Then the proclamation of war, the stirring up of the mighty men, and the drawing near of the men of war to their ferocious combats, will be some of the things that will strikingly characterize the days when God is upon the throne of Judgment, passing upon the actions and deeds of men.

THE AUTHORS OF THE WAR SPIRIT

God is not the author of these scenes of war. The sixteenth chapter of Revelation shows that the spirits of demons will be the powers that go to the kings of the earth and the whole world to gather them to the great war of God the Almighty. God does not create the war spirit. He is not the author of any of this bloodshed and confusion. But He knew in advance what Satan would do, as he is permitted to exhibit himself before the universe. The divine Father has foretold his diabolical workings, so that when these things should come to pass, we might have confidence in God's word, and stand under His sheltering protection.

"BEAT YOUR PLOWSHARES INTO SWORDS"

Not only is war to be proclaimed by these mighty men, but so intense will become their efforts in making everything conserve and advance their war preparations, that it will even be said, "Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears." The demon gods of war will seek ruthlessly and recklessly to swallow everything. They will not regard the needs of hungry, suffering humanity; but every resource will be employed to render assistance in preparing for the indescribable carnage of the inhuman wars of the closing days of time.

"LET THE WEAK SAY, I AM STRONG"

To use the language of the text, it is to be said, "Let the weak say, I am strong."

Photo Boston Photo News Co. UPPER PART OF A FRENCH AEROPLANE, SHOWING THE RAPID FIRE GUN MOUNTED ON TOP

Even the so-called weak nations, like Belgium, Servia, Montenegro, and other little kingdoms, will show themselves strong in battle. The furies of war take possession of the minds of men, and madden them for the strife.

Notice that the prophecy calls for the nations round about to gather themselves together to the great conflict. The nations are to bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat. That valley is to the east of Jerusalem, lying very near the site of the ancient city.

This prophecy furnishes added evidence that the operations of the great war of Armageddon will center in Palestine; for while this prophecy calls the armies into the valley of Jehoshaphat, the one in the sixteenth chapter of Revelation calls the armies to the neighborhood of Mount Megiddo, which is in the valley of Esdraelon, something like sixty miles north of Jerusalem.

This prophecy is also Jehovah's prediction of the war conditions that will obtain in the last days, when the great Judgment hour has come.

WRITTEN FOR OUR ADMONITION

We must not allow ourselves to become confused in the references to Zion and the city of Jerusalem, toward the close of the text; for while, as suggested in connection with one of our articles last week, many of these prophecies had a local and incidental reference to things that occurred about the literal Jerusalem, yet the apostle Paul says they all "happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Cor. 10:11.

God did not write His great prophetic utterances that refer to the Judgment-day, merely for people who lived in Jerusalem two thousand years ago. These prophecies are for us who are living now, and they are being literally fulfilled in the world by conditions that are occurring all about us. We not only have these great strifes of war, but the earth is visited as never before by tornado, hurricane, flood, and fire, that are spreading desolation and destruction everywhere. And we not only have these independent prophecies, such as the one from Joel which we are studying this week, but we have numerous lines of prophecy that point with unmistakable accuracy to this very generation as the one that is to see the consummation of earth's career of sin, and witness the second coming of Christ.

TO THE ONE WHO WISHES TO KNOW

The caviler has always been able to find excuses for disbelieving the word of God, or interpreting away its clear utterances, particularly in prophetic lines. But we address ourselves to the individual who desires to know God's truth, and who is praying that God's Spirit, through His word, may fulfil the Master's promise to guide him into all truth. For all such, the words of inspiration are clear.

NO NEED TO FEAR

There is no need of any alarm or fear to those who recognize the truth of the divine Book; for although we are standing in the presence of the most awful wars and the most fearful calamities that this world has ever seen, yet has God promised definitely that He will protect and care for those who place their trust in Him. To this end, read and ponder carefully the following comforting words of the psalmist:

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all the ways." Ps. 91:1-11.

When the world is visited with deadly pestilence; when there is the terror by night and the arrow by day; when destruction is wasting on every hand, and a thousand are falling in one place and ten thousand in another—God says that even in that time, His protection for His children will be so great that they will not be afraid for any of these things.

Do you know this protection? Do you know this shelter? Are you personally acquainted with this blessed Saviour, who is yearning to protect you now, and to save you in the near-by day of His coming?