p. 344 | Know That He Is Near by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 5, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 22.

"Know That He Is Near."

By Editor

(Continued.)

THE view that the image is not yet smitten, that "the stone" has not yet appeared in history as it appeared in the prophecy, is confirmed by an examination of chapter 7. First, however, we notice that many expositors have seemed to entirely overlook the result of the smiting. They represent the stone as having smitten the image by the proclamation of the gospel in the first century, and the result to be the conversion of the world; the subduing of the nations to the truth. But the prophecy says the image was smitten on the feet, later than A. D. 483, and the result was the destruction of the nations; they were "broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them." Dan. 2:35. This accords with the second Psalm, where the Father says to the Son: "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Ps. 2:8, 9. How anybody can distort this language into a conversion of the world, even of all the heathen, is more than we can imagine. See Ps. 110:1, 2; Jer. 25:15-38; Heb. 10:12, 13; 2 Thess. 1:7-10.

In Dan. 7 there is a very important historical fact presented which is not found in Dan. 2. When the image was complete, and the toes developed, nothing further was noticed until the stone appeared—until the kingdom of God was set up. But in Dan. 7 it is different. After the ten horns, which are the ten kingdoms, appeared upon the fourth beast, "another little horn" arose among them; another power appeared upon the scene. Its appearance and actions were peculiar. It was a little horn; it was small when it was first seen. Its look was more stout than its fellows; it became stronger than they were. It had eyes like the eyes of a man, not like the eyes of a beast; it was cunning and far-seeing. It had a mouth speaking great things, even great words against the Most High; it was arrogant and blasphemous. Three of the first horns were plucked up before it.

None of the other horns had any description given of them or of their work. More interest and importance seemed to be attached to this than to the others. The question may be asked: Why was not this noticed in chapter 2, seeing it is one of the most interesting objects in this series of symbols? The anwer is found in the fact before noticed, that each subsequent vision of this series of events contains something additional to that which preceded it. And here is shown the necessity of locating the ten kingdoms, and the appropriateness of Dr. Scott's naming them "the ten primary kingdoms." These ten kingdoms, as they first came up, appeared by the year A. D. 483. At that time the Roman bishops were assuming power by virtue of their position in the chief city of the empire, and this power was gradually guaranteed to them by the civil authority. Thus, in the council of Nice, A. D. 325, it was decreed that the primacy belonged to the bishop of Rome. Constantine conferred the power of a magistrate of the chief rank upon the bishop of Rome. He also transferred his court to Constantinople, which opened the way for the Roman bishop to exercise authority in full in "old Rome;" and the sure foundation for this was laid by a decree of Justinian, issued in 535, which was carried into effect in 538.

It was indeed small at the first; its head was a Christian bishop,—a professed representative of the Son of God, who said, "My kingdom is not of this world." It was diverse from the others; it was an ecclesiastical power. Its look was more stout than its fellows; when it assumed control of civil affairs it ruled over the strongest kingdoms, and there was not a king on earth who dared to resist its will or to provoke its wrath. It spoke great words against the Most High; it was the only power which ever acknowledged the true God, Jehovah of the Bible, and at the same time assumed the titles and prerogatives of the true God, and legislated upon the Bible, the word of God. It wore out the saints of the Most High; the Roman apostate church literally fulfilled this; it was not content with a distressing persecution of a few years at a time, as pagan Rome had been before it, but it carried on a persistent and relentless warfare against the followers of the Lamb of God, who cling to the Bible, century after century, until many millions were slain. Truly it wore them out. And it thought to change times and laws. It set aside the second commandment altogether, and changed the Sabbath of the Lord into the festival of the day of the sun. And three kingdoms were subdued before it in the establishing of its supremacy. It stands alone before the world, as having fulfilled the prophecy in all these particulars.

And how long was it said this power should continue? Until "the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom." We know by the words of Jesus exactly when the saints shall possess the kingdom. It is "when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him." Matt. 25:31-34. And Paul, speaking of this same power, says it shall be destroyed by the brightness of the Lord's coming. 2 Thess. 2:1-8. And with his destruction is linked the destruction of all the kings of the earth. Comp. Rev. 19:11-21.

There is one more point to be noticed in Dan. 7. It is that of time. We have seen that the image completed, of chap. 2, comes down to A. D. 483; and that the foundation for the exercise of civil power by the bishop of Rome was fully laid by Justinian in A. D. 538. In Dan. 7:25 the saints are said to be given into the hand (power) of this little horn "until a time and times and the dividing of time." Of this period Dr. Scott says:—

"Thus matters would be left in his hands till a time, and times, and the dividing of time, that is, for three years and a half, or forty-two months, which, reckoning thirty days to a month (and this was the general computation), make just one thousand two hundred and sixty days; and these prophetic days signify one thousand two hundred and sixty years, a number which we shall repeatedly meet with in the Revelation of St. John."

It is easy to prove that Dr. Scott is correct in this computation. And any doubt about the correctness of locating the beginning of that period with the decree of Justinian is dispelled by the fulfillment of the time; for Pope Pius VI. was made a prisoner of State in 1798, just one thousand two hundred and sixty years after Justinian's decree took effect. Such a harmony of the prophecy with a fulfilling event places the matter beyond question. Though the papacy was not destroyed, and the prophecy shows that it would not be destroyed at that time, the power to wear out the saints was then lost, and has never been restored. Thus, while Dan. 2 brings us down to 483, and then looks forward to the setting up of the kingdom, Dan. 7 brings us down to 1798, and then looks forward to the same event—the setting up of the kingdom and giving it to the saints of the Most High. This is the ultimate, and in the language of the Scriptures, "the effect of every vision."

By an unmistakable series of events we are now brought from the days of Nebuchadnezzar to the very beginning of the present century. But this line of prophecy is not exhausted. In our next number we will trace this subject farther, and show that the prophecy reaches to our own day, and enables us to understandingly answer the question, "Watchman, what of the night?" (To be continued.)

Impressive Lesson from Isa. 10:3.

RECENT events in London, New York, Pittsburg, and some minor places, are well calculated to cause monied men to reflect on the uncertainties of earthly treasures. Life itself is so uncertain that any great amount of money hoarded up is practically worthless. Well did the Saviour put the question to the rich man, when his life was to be taken away: "Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?" What millionaire can imagine what will become of his wealth in the event of his death? There are several cases now in law in California in which fortunes are being expended; the profits of lives of toil are going into the hands of the lawyers, even while the owners of the money or property are yet living. We know men who possess tens and almost hundreds of thousands, which, if they should die, would pass into other hands, and in some instances we may safely say there would be no reasonable probability of their lawful heirs getting enough to supply their wants. In such cases every one would at once decide that there is miscalculation; that safe calculators would put it in such a shape that to their heirs would be secured a comfortable living. But that is not so easily done as many imagine. The family of the man of small means is better assured of a comfortable living in the event of his death, than is the family of the man of great wealth. The estate which promises rich returns to the lawyers will be most likely to be attacked. No will can be framed so as to stand the test of litigation; if it cannot be broken directly, it can be kept in court till the property is exhausted. We have known cases where the testator was declared to have been insane when he made his will, when no one ever suspected such a thing while he was living.

To some people there seems to be a charm in the idea of having large possessions. We have known men who held on to their many acres, as though their last hope was centered in possessing them, while the mortgages were so heavy and the interest so high that every dollar they could raise passed into the hands of money lenders. They were not only poor men, but they were working without wages for money lenders, without the least prospect that anything could be saved to their families if they should die. "This also is vanity and vexation of spirit." Worst of all, we have known some professed Adventists in this very condition.

But we started out to speak of some recent events. We refer to failures of banks and brokers. Frequently the papers record the failure of some "heavy" firm, some old and "very reliable" bank which reckoned its assets by millions. Depositors who placed their money in their hands considered it safe—safer than if they always held it in their own hands. But in these times of speculation we can have no assurance that any bank is safe. Men who have money to deposit or to invest do well to consider carefully before placing it.

We speak now especially to our own people; to those who profess to believe that we are in the last days—that "the end of all things is at hand." We have not a word to say against being "diligent in business." But we do insist that with this we should also be "fervent in Spirit serving the Lord." So great diligence in business as to exhaust all our time, talent, and strength in the service of the world is the highway to ruin. The god of this world blinds

the minds of the multitude, not entirely excepting those who profess to be seeking for an "eternal weight of glory." 2 Cor. 4. Some retain more money or property in their hands than is profitable to themselves; more than a just regard for the claims of God, whose stewards they are, will allow. And some risk their money, and suffer loss, who ought to place it where it will serve the cause of God, but instead they place it where it promises a larger per cent. interest. We have known individuals, who professed our faith, to lose money in speculative enterprises when the cause greatly needed the means, and offered reasonably large interest. And we have known two reasons to be offered for such a proceeding: 1. That they were promised higher interest than our institutions would offer. 2. That "church property" is not considered as safe a risk as other property!

Now while "solid" banks are breaking; while "heavy" firms are failing; while mortgages are often proving unprofitable and unsafe investments, we can point with pleasure to the fact that our institutions have always paid a reasonable interest on loans, and no one has ever lost a dollar by loaning to any branch of the work which is being carried on by the Seventh-day Adventists. And we are very confident that no one ever will lose by placing means in this work. Our publishing houses, colleges, sanitariums, and even our churches are the very safest places in the world for loans. This work is increasing in facilities, in extent, and in strength; it must succeed, and it will always be a safe place for money, talent, or labor.

This question of deposits is one which will increase in interest as time wears away. By and by the cause of God will not need all the means which will be seeking a place of safety. It will become more and more apparent that merely worldly institutions are unsafe places to deposit money. And they to whom God intrusts his work are conscientious in regard to receiving and using means given or loaned to this cause and work. Toward the close of the "first message" men urged money on to the publishing houses, which was refused. So will it be in this message. Many will be brought to confess that they acted unwisely in handling their means; in depositing it in unsafe hands, or in investing it for money profit merely, when it might have been doing good service in the cause of truth, and making a fair return also to its owners.

We headed this article, "Impressive Lesson from Isa. 10:3." The recent losses to depositors in Europe and America have led us to call the attention of those who have means in their hands to an exposition of this Scripture. The verse reads thus:— "And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?" Worldly help, worldly glory and honor, will be a poor refuge "in the day of visitation, and in the day of desolation" which is coming. They who have carefully studied chapter 8 of this prophecy will have no difficulty in locating the expressions of this verse in this chapter. But we have not time to speak on that point now. We wish to call attention to the words of both the lexicons and commentaries bearing on this scripture.

Gesenius gives several definitions to the verbal root of the word "glory;" we give here the first two as follows: "1. To be heavy. 2. In the sense of abundance, to be great, abundant, to be rich in anything." Of the substantive itself his first definition is: "1. Abundance, substance, riches, wealth. Nah. 2:10 [Eng. 9]; Ps. 49:17; Isa. 10:3; Gen. 31:1."

Scott gives as the sense of the passage: "To whose keeping would they commit their ill-gotten riches, in which they gloried, and with which they then lived in splendor and luxury."

Barnes is very clear on this point, and his comment is striking: "By the word glory here . . . he probably means their riches, wealth, magnificence. Thus Ps. 49:17: 'For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.' The word leave here is used in the sense of deposit, or commit for safe keeping. In the time of the invasion that shall come up like a tempest on the land, where will you deposit your property so that it shall be safe?"

When the day of visitation and the desolation shall come; when men shall be looking in every direction for a safe place of deposit for the means to which they have so tenaciously and unwisely clung, they cannot plead that the trouble has come upon them without warning. God has foreseen the perplexity into which they will be brought, and given them sufficient warning. But they let it pass unheeded. They trusted that their money would deliver them in every trial; that it would serve them in every emergency. How great will be their disappointment when they discover that it is itself the means of their greatest perplexity and trial.

Treasures may be laid up in Heaven, but they must pass through certain channels; they must be made to serve the cause of God and his truth. In order to this, they must be used when the cause of truth has need of them. The time is coming in this message when believers in the present truth can neither buy nor sell. The man of large possessions, who has trusted in "uncertain riches," will be poor—miserably poor—in that day. The man who has used his means to serve the cause of God and humanity will be rich. His treasure will be in Heaven—just where he is going. Prudent man! he sent his means ahead, that he might find them safe at the end of his journey.

We invite the careful and prayerful attention of men of means, of depositors, to the impressive lesson of Isa. 10:3. Where will you deposit your wealth in the day of visitation? What will you do with your "cash on hand" when you can neither buy nor sell without renouncing your faith? "Lord increase our faith," and teach us the danger of delays.