MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 28, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 41.

MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

BY THE LATE ELDER J. H. WAGGONER.

(Continued.)

8. THEIR FULFILLMENT.

1. "The sun shall be darkened." We have but little to say on this point—not that there is not much to say, but that so much has already been said. "The dark day" is a common phrase to denote the 19th of May, 1780. A few are yet living who witnessed it. The writer well remembers that, in his boyhood, aged people made frequent mention of it in relating notable points in their experience. One testimony only we here give, from an authority of undisputable reliability. It is a publication of the American Tract Society, entitled, "Life of Edward Lee:"—

"In the month of May, 1780, there was a very terrific dark day in New England, when 'all faces seemed to gather blackness,' and the people were filled with fear. There was great distress in the village where Edward Lee lived, 'men's hearts failing them for fear' that the judgment-day was at hand; and the neighbors all flocked around the holy man, for his lamp was trimmed, and shining brighter than ever, amidst the unnatural darkness. Happy and joyful in God, he pointed them to their only refuge from the wrath to come, and spent the gloomy hours in earnest prayer for the distressed multitude."

Had the author and publishers of this work intended to give a forcible illustration of the fulfillment of this prophecy, they could not better have chosen their language for that purpose. But they had no such intention—they had not this prophecy in view at all, which makes their testimony all the more emphatic as evidence on the question.

Some have questioned whether this was sufficient to fulfill the prophecy, admitting that it must be so fulfilled. Dr. Noah Webster, who was an eye-witness of it, says the sun was darkened fourteen hours. Then it was darkened over fourteen twenty-fourths of the earth's surface, and particularly over that part where we believe the most important scenes of last-day prophecy are laid,—the continent of America.

2. "The moon shall not give her light." It was well suggested by Dr. Henry, the commentator, that the moon would fail because the sun would shed no light on her, in the fulfillment of this prophecy. In New England, where the sun's darkening was most noted, the moon, though full, was totally obscured till midnight, when it came out with brilliancy. Here is the evidence that the sun was darkened fourteen hours—from 10 A. M. of the 19th till the midnight following. Many descriptions have been given of the intense darkness of that night. One said that if every luminous body had been struck out of existence, he could not imagine that the darkness could have been more intense. It was startling, and overpowering, and even painful to the senses, because of its intensity. And learned men say it cannot be explained or accounted for. We think it admits of just one explanation,—the God of heaven—the Ruler of nature—hung out these signs in the heavens, to teach the student of his word that the Son of God would soon make his second advent to this world. And we are thankful that the warning has not been in vain. The marked fulfillment of the prophecies has led thousands to look, to hope for, and to rejoice in, the "blessed hope" of the coming of the dear Redeemer.

3. "And the stars shall fall from Heaven." We may be permitted to notice this more particularly, as efforts have been made to show that no past fulfillment can meet the requirements of this part of the prophecy. We believe that it was fulfilled in the fall of 1833.

Professor Olmstead, of Yale College, said that they who were so fortunate as to witness the falling stars on November 13, 1833, probably beheld the greatest display of celestial fire-works that has ever been seen since the creation of the world—certainly the greatest that has ever occurred within the time covered by the annals of history. It was more than a "shower," as it has been called. They began to fall as early as 11 o'clock, and increased until they truly resembled a shower, but of many hours' continuance. We witnessed them in all their glory, for nearly three hours, till they were obscured by the light of dawning day. And when the day dispelled the appearance, they were still falling as numerous as ever, as was proved by their being visible in the west when the advancing light of the sun rendered them invisible in the east. During their fall, the largest and brightest would leave a mark of light down the heavens like a mark of phosphorus on a wall in a dark room. When it became so light that the mass of them could no longer be seen, one would occasionally make its presence known by such a penciling of the sky. No description can give one any conception of the grandeur and glory of the scene. As our memory recalls it, we feel that the power of God was manifest to make known to the student of prophecy that the coming of the Son of man is near.

By comparing the testimony of the evangelists we find these signs still more definitely located. We have noticed that the greatest tribulation, or affliction, which ever befell the church of Christ was under the papal Roman power. This power was symbolized by the "little horn" of Daniel 7, into whose hands the saints of the Most High were given for a thousand two hundred and threescore prophetic days—1,260 years. This period commenced A. D. 538, and ended when the civil power fell from the hands of the papacy by the imprisonment and exile of Pius VI., in 1798. For extended evidence on this point the reader is referred to "Thoughts on the Revelation." The persecution began to wane under the German Reformation, and ended in the first half of the eighteenth century. To this the Saviour doubtless referred when he spoke of shortening the days of the affliction for the elect's sake. The affliction ceased before the expiration of the days spoken of by the prophet. And Mark says, "In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened." Mark 13:24. This was actually fulfilled, in that order. The days of the prophecy closed at the very close of the eighteenth century. The power was still in the hands of the papacy, but unused; the affliction was passed; the long, dark night of persecution upon the church of Christ had come to an end; there was a respite "for the elect's sake," lest no flesh should be saved—lest the faithful witnesses for Jesus should be exterminated by the power and malice of the Inquisition. And in this time of respite, while yet the power lingered in the hands of the man of sin, the sun was darkened—God's signs "in the heavens above" commenced their fulfillment. The darkening of the sun in 1780 was the greatest that ever was known, and it took place at the very time specified in the "sure word of prophecy."

We have now considered the signs of Matthew 24 in connection with a class of evidences which we consider fully sufficient to disprove the current idea that the coming of the Lord referred to the destruction of Jerusalem. We will answer a few objections, and make the application of the prophecy.

(To be continued.)