SOME MORE SIGNS OF CHRIST'S COMING.
WE called attention in our last number to the special signs in the sun, moon, and stars, which our Lord said would precede his second coming. These events occurred May 19, 1780, and November 13, 1833. These are not the only signs, however. There would be "upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth." Luke 21:25, 26. 1. It is declared in both Old and New Testament scriptures that the earth "shall wax old as doth a garment." Heb. 1:10-12. It is not mankind alone which has been marred and weakened, corrupted and diseased by sin. The whole creation groans and travails in pain. The creation was made subject to vanity on account of man's transgression. Men may say that the disturbances and disasters in the physical laws of our earth have ever been the same; that earthquakes, great storms, cyclones, tornadoes, floods, and other terrifying phenomena, are just such occurrences as have ever taken place in the past. But to this it is sufficient to reply that (1) we have no record of such things in so great frequency as they have occurred during the past two-score of years; and (2) the Bible declares that these things are signs of the last days. This certainly is true, that there never was a time when people were more apprehensive of evil of this kind than at present. Whether there is ground for fear or not, this is evident, there is fear in the hearts of men. 2. The social world presents phases equally in harmony with the testimony of the prediction. There is distress of nations, with perplexity. How to meet the social problems, how to succor the poor, how to preserve power amid all the revolution and change taking place, are the problems over which statesmen are wrestling in every civilized and semi-civilized government of the earth, as never before. 3. Increase of riches, injustice, rapacity, and oppression are also indications of the last days. This is graphically pictured in James 5:1-6. It is said that they "have heaped treasures together for the last days," and that this has been done by oppressing the poor, living in wantonness and pleasure, while those who have reaped down their fields have lived in want and penury. And in view of all this injustice, the faithful are exhorted to "be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord." The same condition of affairs is set forth in Isaiah 59. The reign of injustice and falsehood and hypocrisy is set forth in forcible words throughout the first seventeen verses. And all this is when "the enemy shall come in like a flood" (verse 19), pointing to the same time that Paul predicts in 2 Thess. 2:8-10, when Satan shall work "with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish." The next verse of Isaiah (verse 20) says, "And the Redeemer shall come to Zion." These predictions of Holy Writ are met in the appalling wickedness of our own times. 4. Spiritual declension. It is bemoaned everywhere by all churches. It is not contended that there is no increase of members; there is. But what is the character of this increase? How many hypocrites, and swindlers, and embezzlers, and peculators are connected with the church of Christ! How often it is said of some embezzler that he was an active Sunday school worker, or prominent in the church in some way! Granted that these things may ever have been to some extent, they now exist to an alarming extent. The church lacks spiritual power and discernment, or such men would never find her atmosphere congenial, and she would read their true character. We gladly witness that there are many faithful souls scattered among the various denominations. They are the salt of the earth. But the church as a whole has fallen, and is now seeking the secular arm to uphold some of her cherished and unscriptural institutions. Has God predicted this?—Yes; over and over again. Says our Lord, in Matt. 24:12, 13: "And because iniquity [lawlessness] shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold. But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." (Revised Version.) The apostle Paul, in 2 Tim. 3:1-5, mentions eighteen different sins661which are held by those who have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. It is because these sins are prevalent among those who profess better things that the days are perilous. And few are the men indeed who will not admit that every one of these sins exists in the church, and most of them go unrebuked except in a general sort of way. 5. Another marked sign of the second coming of Christ is the presence of a class who will scoff at that coming. They will say: "Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Peter 3:3-5. Many of this class are found at the present time. From this text we learn (1) that the coming of Christ will be preached, and this calls out the scoffing question; (2) this class themselves are a promise of Christ's soon second coming, in that they fulfill the prophecy. 6. False prophets and false christs will arise. Matt. 24:24-27. Some will declare that Christ is come in the secret chamber, others in the desert, others in their own persons; many will be deceived because they know not the word of God. Christ will not come in any of these ways, but, like the glorious lightning of God's power, he will be visible to all the world. Be not deceived. 7. A message will go forth declaring, among other great truths, that his coming is near, that his judgment has come; and men will be earnestly exhorted to prepare for that coming. Joel 2:1; Zeph. 2:1-3; Rev. 14:6-14; Matt. 24:26, 39, 45-47. This message has been sounding to the world for the last half century, preached by men of nearly every denomination. After our Saviour had spoken of most of these various signs, he said:— "Now learn a parable of the fig tree: When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh; so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Matt. 24:32-35. Let the reader note the positiveness with which our Saviour speaks. Just as surely as we know that summer is near when we see the fig tree—all the trees (Luke 21:29)—put forth its leaves, just so surely should we know that Christ's coming is near when we see "all these things." This is the plain, obvious meaning of the passage. We cannot know the day or the hour, but we should know when it is near. But what is it to "see" these things? Very few indeed of those now living ever actually saw the signs in the sun and moon. To some who did see them with their own eyes they were no evidences of Christ's coming, for they knew nothing of the prediction. The word "see," Greek eidon, means also, according to Young, "to know, to be acquainted." See its use in Matt. 4:16; 5:16; 9:2; 13:15, 17; 27:24; John 8:56, et al. The term has reference evidently to seeing these things in the only way in which they could be of worth to us, seeing them in the light of the prophecy. When the prophecy is understood, when these things are then shown as evidence, and when they are known to have been fulfilled and are fulfilling as declared by the prophecy, then we may see and know that Christ's coming is near. Since 1844 this message has been proclaimed to the world that the coming of the Lord was near, and these signs have been among the prominent evidences of the nearness of that coming. How near is his coming?—"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." A generation is not defined in Scripture. It evidently refers to those who live upon the earth at one time. This generation evidently refers to the generation that gives and hears the last message of warning from God. The generation who gave and heard the warning of the deluge, was the generation that were either engulfed by it or were saved in the ark. The generation who proclaimed the first advent of Christ, saw the Desire of Israel come to the temple. And so also will many of that generation which heralds to the world his second coming, look up and say at his appearing, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us." But it is said that "this generation" meant the one in which our Lord then was. That this is not true is shown by the following: (1) No such signs were given to that generation; (2) the only sign given to them beyond Christ's wondrous teaching and power was the sign of the prophet Jonas (Matt. 12:39). The word "this" is often used in this way in the Bible in referring to future events. See Ex. 12:12, where "this night" refers to the fourteenth night from the time it was spoken, or Ps. 118:23, 24, where "this" is used in referring to the time of the Christian dispensation. Christ had by various events brought his disciples down to the time when his coming was near, when evidences of that event would be multiplied, when the agreement between these occurrences and the prophetic word would be declared, and he assures them that the generation which sees these things shall not pass away till all should be fulfilled. In "this generation" we are living, and "this generation" will not pass till the opening heavens reveal the "King of kings and Lord of lords." Definitely and specifically is this part of our Lord's discourse repeated by three of the evangelists, and the same positive assurance is given in each: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away." The world may ridicule, but the word of Christ shall stand. Happy is he who makes that word his trust.