THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
By F. M. Wilcox
CHRIST gave the darkening of the sun and moon as the great forerunner of his second coming. The sign was fulfilled at the exact time specified in the prophecy; it came in the exact manner described, and, so far as science ever has been able to determine, its cause was miraculous. But while the dark day of May 19, 1780, marks so signally the near approach of Christ, the King, it by no means stands alone in the office appointed it of God. It was a sign, but only one of many—the great initiatory sign of many more to follow in its train. Other important phenomena were to follow in order, each unmistakably pointing to the one great culminating event,—the second coming of Christ. In the great prophetic discourse of our Lord, another notable sign in the heavens was to follow the darkening of the sun and moon. Supplying the ellipsis in our last quotation of Matt. 24: 29, 30, the scripture reads: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and THE STARS SHALL FALL FROM HEAVEN,
and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Here the falling of the stars is set forth as another sign of the return of Christ to the earth. We are not to understand by the term "stars" that the fixed planets of the universe are meant. Some of these planetary worlds are many times larger than this earth, and were they to fall, instead of being a merciful sign to warn men of coming destruction, their collision with this planet would bring destruction, and sweep the earth and its inhabitants into nothingness. That the fixed stars should be drawn from their natural orbits and hurled against this speck of creation, thus resolving the sublime order and harmony of the starry worlds into chaotic confusion, is certainly unreasonable to conclude. Christ evidently refers to the meteors, or shooting stars, and with this view there is no inconsistency, but all is harmony. The sign of the falling stars was to follow the sign of the dark day. Has such a phenomenon taken place since the darkening of the sun? Do we find this side of 1780 a notable star or meteoric shower that answers to the prediction of our Saviour?—We certainly do. In the great star shower of Nov. 13, 1833, we find the prophecy fulfilled. In the wonderful display of heavenly glories then witnessed, we have another notable indication that the day of the Lord is near at hand. From the description given of this event by Professor Olmstead, of Yale College, one of the world-renowned meteorologists of his day, we may obtain a faint idea of the extent and brilliancy of this celestial display. He says:— Those who were so fortunate as to witness the exhibition of shooting stars on the morning of Nov. 13, 1833, probably saw the greatest display of celestial fireworks that has ever been since the creation of the world, or at least within the annals covered by the pages of history. In nearly all places the meteors began to attract notice by their unusual frequency as early as eleven o'clock, and increased in numbers and splendor until about four o'clock, from which time they gradually declined, but were visible until lost in the light of day. The meteors did not fly at random over all parts of the sky, but appeared to emanate from a point in the constellation Leo, near a star called Gamma Leonis, in the bend of the sickle. The extent of the shower of 1833 was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth's surface. From the middle of the Atlantic on the east to the Pacific on the west; and from the northern coast of South America to undefined regions among the British possessions on the north, the exhibition was visible, and everywhere presented nearly the same appearance.324 Where this phenomenon is spoken of in Rev. 6: 13, an additional feature of the star shower is noted: "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." A violent shaking of a fruit tree causes the unripe fruit to fly off swiftly in every direction, and yet every piece seems to come from one central point. Thus it was in the star shower just described. Professor Olmstead says the meteors "appeared to emanate from a point in the constellation Leo." On this point, also, the Christian Advocate and Journal, of Dec. 13, 1833, bears this testimony:— The meteoric phenomenon which occurred on the morning of the 13th of November last, was of so extraordinary and interesting a character as to be entitled to more than a mere passing notice. . . . It seemed as if the whole starry heavens had congregated at one point near the zenith and were simultaneously shooting forth, with all the velocity of lightning, to every part of the horizon; and yet they were not exhausted. Thousands swiftly followed in the track of thousands as if created for the occasion. We have already given more testimony upon the fulfillment of this sign than we at first designed. Before leaving it, however, we cannot forbear adding the following graphic description given by Mr. Henry Dana Ward, who was an eye-witness of the star shower. He thus writes:— At the cry, "Look out of the window," I sprang from a deep sleep, and with wonder saw the east lighted up with dawn and with the meteors. . . . I called to my wife to behold; and while robing, she exclaimed, "See how the stars fall!" I replied, "That is the wonder;" and we felt in our hearts that it was a sign of the last days. For truly "the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." Rev. 6: 13. This language of the prophet has always been received as metaphorical. Yesterday [Nov. 13, 1833] it was literally fulfilled. . . . And how did they fall? Neither myself nor one of the family heard any report. And were I to hunt through nature for a simile, I could not find one so apt to illustrate the appearance of the heavens as that which St. John uses in the prophecy before quoted, "The stars of heaven fell unto the earth." They were not sheets, or flakes, or drops of fire, but they were what the world understands by falling stars; and one speaking to his fellow, in the midst of the scene, would say, "See how the stars fall!" And he who heard would not stop to correct the astronomy of the speaker any more than he would reply, "The sun does not move," to one who should tell him, "The sun is rising." The stars fell "even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind." Here is the exactness of the prophet. The falling stars did not come as if from several trees shaken, but from one. Those which appeared in the east fell toward the east; those which appeared in the north fell toward the north; those which appeared in the west fell toward the west; and those which appeared in the south (for I went out of my residence into the park) fell toward the south. And they fell not as ripe fruit falls; far from it; but they flew, they were cast, like the unripe, which at first refuses to leave the branches, and when, under a violent pressure, it does break its hold, it flies swiftly, straight off, descending; and in the multitude falling, some cross the track of others, as they are thrown with more or less force, but each one falls on its own side of the tree. Many other testimonies from eminent authorities might be adduced, but the foregoing are amply sufficient to prove the complete application of the prophecy to the event described, even in minute detail. Thus may we say of this sign also, It came at the time specified and in the manner specified. A more exact fulfillment of our Lord's prediction could not be found. The next great event between the falling of the stars and the immediate coming of Christ, as brought to view in Matthew 24, is THE SHAKING OF THE POWERS OF HEAVEN.
To this we will give but a passing notice. We understand that this event will take place at the coming of the Lord, or in immediate connection with that event. The powers of the heavens are the sun, moon, and stars. These have been ordained of God to rule in the heavens, and thus constitute the powers. Their shaking will be by the voice of God, when he comes at the last great day. Upon this point Isa. 13: 13 thus testifies: "Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger." And with reference to the same time the prophet Joel says: "The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel." Chap. 3: 16. Coming thus in close connection with the appearing of the Lord, the shaking of the powers of heaven could hardly be looked upon as a sign in the same sense as the events which precede it. Rather is it an incident growing out of the Lord's coming. The "sign of the Son of Man" which shall appear in the heavens when he comes, is doubtless the clouds that attend him, their resplendent glory appearing dim in the far distance, but growing brighter and more glorious as they approach the earth. In the prophecy of Matthew 24 we are shut up to that little time between the falling of the stars and the coming of the Lord, the last and final act in the great drama. Down to the year 1833 has the prophecy led us. Right in our own day and generation, in the memory of many who read these lines, has God given a sign of his soon coming. Why need we longer doubt? How can we longer doubt? We can ask no more. God in a most wonderful manner has revealed himself in signs and wonders; and, proclaiming in each the nearness of his coming, he admonishes us by them to prepare to meet him in peace. Delay now is fatal. Soon the last event in the prophecy will be fulfilled. How will you stand, reader, in that great day? Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. God is waiting to be gracious, and to all who will turn from iniquity will he grant a pardon through the merits of his soon-coming Son. Flee for refuge now while probation still lingers and mercy's door stands open.