PRESENT WORLD MOVEMENTS IN PROPHECY
By A. O. Tait
World-Wide Ecclesiastical Empire
IN the previous articles under our heading of "Present World Movements in Prophecy," evidence has been given to show that God has a message due to the world to-day that is just as definite as the message of Noah to the antediluvian world, or the message of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah at His first advent. This message for to-day, as has been shown, carries the "everlasting Gospel" to all the earth, and directs particular attention to the divine Father as the Creator of all things. But coupled with this world-wide Gospel message there is also a world-wide warning against certain forms of false worship. The language of this warning is the following: And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshipeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment goeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whose receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Rev. 14:9-12.
The study of the foregoing scripture in connection with what has been presented during the last few weeks will show that God first sends a world-wide Gospel message to heal and to save. But there are many who refuse the life and light of the Gospel that is sent them, and there follows the warning of the above text, the most fearful warning that can be found anywhere in all the Bible. This warning message against the worship of the beast and his image is a great world movement. The angel announcing this solemn and awful warning, as the text clearly states, follows the angel that went to "every nation and tribe and tongue and people," and the message itself is addressed to "any man." Thus do we see that the very language of this message from God demands that it shall be urged upon the conscience of every individual man whether he belong to a "nation" or merely to a "tribe," provided he has a "tongue" or language. But it will be seen that while this message from God is world-wide, it is addressed against a movement that is world-wide also. According to the text, the "beast and his image" are to fill the whole earth; for "any man" that worships them is to receive the unmingled wrath of God, and the unmingled wrath of God is wrath and nothing else, or wrath with no mercy in it. And thus do we incidentally see that when this message is all finished, probation will be closed, and we will have reached the time when God no longer offers mercy to the sinner; sin, rebellion against God, reaches its climax, and mercy's door is forever closed. The great world movement, or world organization, against which this message from God is directed, is a religious movement, for it is demanding "worship." And God's reply to this demand for worship is, "If any man worshipeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of His anger." Other scriptures tell the same story of world movements that will arise in the last days. Read one of them in the following: And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Isa. 2:2-4.
Notice that the foregoing text tells of a doctrine that "many people" shall teach "in the latter days." The text does not say that the doctrine will be true; it simply says that the "many people" will be teaching it. But the text does show that what these "many people" will be teaching is a religious doctrine. Many persons in these times have used this text to show that we were to have a universal peace that would prevail all over the earth. But the text does not say that. It simply says that "many people" will teach such a doctrine, and many other scriptures unite in saying that their doctrine is a false one. Almost identical in wording with the foregoing from Isaiah is the following from Micah: But in the latter days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow unto it. And many nations shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem; and He will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of Jehovah of Hosts hath spoken it. For all the peoples walk every one in the name of his god; and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God forever and ever.
In that day, saith Jehovah, will I assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away, and that which I have afflicted; and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and Jehovah will reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth even forever. And Thou, O Tower of the flock, the Hill of the daughter of Zion, unto Thee shall it come, yea, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. Micah 4:1-8.
Observe that both scriptures say that they apply in "the latter days." They both tell of what "many peoples" or "many nations" shall be saying. Both texts show that these many peoples are making a universal call to join in a world-wide religious movement, to go up to the mountain of Jehovah. But this world-wide call among the people is not for a close union as called for in the Gospel of Christ, but is for a confederacy. For the text says these people are saying, "All the peoples walk every one in the name of his god; and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God." The most unbounded "liberality" is practised so long as the confederacy is subscribed to. But the text goes on to say, "In that day, saith Jehovah, will I assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away, and that which I have afflicted; and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation." Then in that time when these many peoples are making their loud and popular calls, there is still that which they have "driven away" and "cast off," and God will assemble these and make them His strong nation. These two mighty forces—the one mighty from the great weight of numbers, and the other mighty because led and supported by the invincible power of God—form the two great armies already referred to in the passage quoted from Revelation. The "beast and his image" of Revelation 14 work in unison as one power. They are spoken of in other passages of Revelation as combining into world-wide power all the nations of earth in a great ecclesiastical organization. The voice of John in the book of Revelation, and of Isaiah, and of Micah, and of others of the prophets as well, are a unit in saying that one of the characteristics that is to be the leading feature of the last days will be a world-wide religious despotism. Next week we will examine some of the evidences that show the deep-rooted conviction and sentiment that obtain in the minds of men favoring such world domination.