The Second Advent

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 10, 1878

The Second Advent.

WHAT THE SAINTS WILL KNOW ABOUT IT.

(Concluded.)

THAT there will be signs given to mark the near approach of the second advent, and that from these signs God's people will know when that day is at hand, will know when the last generation has come, is most emphatically set forth by our blessed Saviour. In answer to the question, "What shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world," he says as follows:—

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and 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; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21 : 25-28.

Reader, how could language be plainer than this? First, the statement is made that there shall be signs both in the heavens above and the earth beneath. The Lord says that then they shall see the Son of man coming. When? When they have seen these signs. He says, "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads." How very plain this is. When they shall see the signs commencing to be fulfilled, then they are to look up, expecting the Lord to appear in the clouds of heaven. In Mark 13:29 the Saviour says: "So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors."

Now does the Saviour mean what he says about this, or not? Reader, do you believe it? And are you willing to act upon it? He says that when you see these things come to pass then know—What shall we know? Know that we cannot tell anything about it? Know that it may be to-day, or that it may be a thousand years in the future? Is that what the Son of God says? No. He says: "Know that it is near, even at the doors." And then he proceeds to illustrate the point in a beautiful parable: "And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." Luke 21:29-31. How simple and plain that illustration! When we see the early leaves putting forth upon the trees we do certainly know that summer is nigh at hand. Now says the blessed Jesus, just as surely, When you shall see these signs, of the second advent you may know that his coming is near, even at the door. Now, why not believe this? Why contend against God? Why dispute the plain doctrine of the Bible? Why blind your eyes to the truth? Why stick to a position that will lead you down to ruin? Why not, like an honest Christian come up squarely and take the word of God as it says, and build our faith upon the plain declarations of the Bible? This is the only safe course to pursue.

Jesus says, "Know that it is near." Now the question is, How near? The next verse settles that point. "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 24:32. Here we have it, and it is just as definite as the Bible makes it. This generation is not to pass away until all these things are fulfilled. Now generation? Not the generation to whom Christ talked, because none of those things occurred back there. The sun was not darkened, the moon was not darkened, the stars did not fall, Jesus did not come, nor were the righteous gathered from the four quarters of the earth. None of these things happened. Then the language itself shows that Christ is speaking of the generation that shall see these signs. Notice the fact that his disciples asked him, the second advent, and he says that the house of the servant is the house of God. So we see that after the signs, the Saviour says, "This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be fulfilled." He is talking of the generation that will know what it is to be alive about the time that the Son of man will take the throne. The Saviour knew that it was not past, because the generation to whom he was speaking would not be the generation that would see the signs. He says that the signs shall be, and that this fact shall mark the generation of whom he is speaking. He tells them of the coming out of Egypt for an illustration, and he simply says, "This generation" shall be living at that time. God has seen fit to hide the day and the hour. Take the whole testimony that Jesus has foretold concerning the signs and his second advent. Reader, how could language be plainer? I have laid before you the truth that you are born the children of the day and not the night. No indeed, the generation that sees these years by year is not to pass away. "This generation" shall not pass away. The truth is, that we have come down, we have come down, to the end of the world. We need to exclaim, the coming of the Lord is even at the door. Just so surely as we have come down to this consideration, we know that the signs have come down to us. When we see the great signs that Christ has foretold, and that then death-knell of the world shall come to pass, we know that the generation shall not pass away until all these things be fulfilled and have this sign. The Lord is talking of this last generation that shall live on the earth as an indication of his coming. The disciples were then living in the first century, and they asked that the Lord might tell them. The truth is, this is just a very plain and simple subject. The saints of God will most certainly know about it. They will know that the day of the last generation is at hand, and they watch for the coming of the Son of man.

Now in the conclusion of the subject of the second advent, we notice the word spoken concerning the day and the hour. It is true that every child of God will see, and it is very plain that it is the Lord who has spoken. Thus they know that his coming is at hand. "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, have no man. But the saints of God of themselves know that the coming of the Lord is so come to pass that we know the time. Matt. 1, 2. "Then shall the Son of man come, and as what I say unto you, when these signs shall come as a thief in the night, you will not doubt about it. You will not have to have your own heads covered up in doubt, but will come to a conclusive knowledge of the second advent concerning the day. It is not something contrary to the word of God, as many opponents; but if we believe the word of God, it will entirely settle the question that we are overwhelmed with the facts that God has declared, and that his coming is not as a thief by the night. Yes, brethren, do you believe it? You will know not to be caught in the dark, and not to be overtaken by the day of the Lord as a thief. A peace and safety will follow that will guide them as a sign of the second advent, for it is "Sudden destruction cometh upon them," and they shall not escape. The prophet Joel says of that day, "The sun and moon shall be silent states." It is not a secret affair, for it is plain it is not a secret, nor is it in the darkness, that the Lord shall come as a thief. The signs of the coming of the Lord are not in the darkness, and we are not to take them as a surprise, but with an intelligence our Lord has given us. And all the saints will see that his coming is as certain as by the thief in the night.