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The Last Truce

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

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

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The Last Truce

By Eugene A. Brown

UNENLIGHTENED by Bible prophecy, the people of earth have persisted in declaring that the nations had become too civilized ever to use the mighty implements of war frantically constructed in the past several years. These false assurances were foretold in Isa. 2:3 and other scriptures. The present terrible conflict has therefore taken the untrue prophets by surprise, and again confirmed the word of God.
The awful war drama of the day has caused many trembling hearts to ask whether there will be peace again on earth. Now, it is evident from the description of the last battle, in Rev. 16: 14, 16, that to-day's war is not the final battle. The last battle is fought during the sixth plague, in the "great day of God," after the close of the day of salvation. The plagues have not yet begun to fall, and, praise the Lord, salvation still lingers!
We get a definite clue to the situation by carefully examining Rev. 7: 1-3: "And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth [war and strife from every point of the compass], that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads [the seat of intellect, the mind]."
An analysis of the above three verses results in the following conclusions:
The winds of war were held. It was given to hurt the earth. A truce was called.
It seems clear, from the above, that we have passed the time of the restraining providence which held in check the passions of men.
We are plunged into the period designated as hurting the earth. This is certainly accomplished in Europe to-day.
In answer to the cry that God's servants have not yet been reached and sealed for the kingdom, the great war must be halted, and a truce established.
This truce occupies a short period of great intensity, and the sole purpose of such a moment in God's providence is the finishing of the gospel message to the world.
From the statement that this truce lasts "till" the servants of God are sealed, it follows that the last sounds of this pleading, warning message will usher in the final time of war, in which there will be no truce, and which culminates in the dreaded Armageddon on Turkish territory in Palestine.
It is time for us to seek a hiding-place from the storm. "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust." Ps. 91: 2.
EUGENE A. BROWN.