ONE of the leading items in the despatches for the last few days has been the imminence of war between Turkey and the Balkan States. It is affirmed that Turkey is hastening to make peace with Italy so that she will be absolutely free to deal with this new situation that confronts her. She has summoned to her colors all her reserves in both Asiatic and European Turkey, and this brings into the field about 750,000 men. The Turkish press is clamoring for war, and the people are enthusiastically supporting it. And while Turkey is so anxious for the clash to come, the Balkan States are just as furiously pushing forward their preparations, and their whole populace is stirred to demand immediate action.
THE SATURNALIA OF GRAFT—THE SHAME OF AMERICAN CITIES
The press of Germany, France, England, and other European countries is a unit in saying that the situation is very grave; and while the “powers” are doing all they can to prevent war, yet they say that such headway has already been reached that they are afraid the crash will come before they can get anything done to stop it. They are hoping to take the fervor out of the war dogs by issuing a statement that the powers will not permit any changes in territorial boundaries, no matter what the outcome of the war may be. But the sentiment seems to be very general that there is just now the gravest menace to European peace that has been known for a long time.
The rapidity with which this thing has been stirred up is truly marvelous. It is almost beyond comprehension. It shows unmistakably that there is a smoldering volcano of discontent and war feeling that requires only the least conceivable agitation to cause it to burst forth. These Balkan States, with Turkey as the center of the situation, have been a disturbing element in Old World affairs for twenty-five years or more. The political disease that centers there has become incurably chronic, while at the same time it is possessed of the intense activities of the most violent of acute attacks.
Just now the Balkans are the leading figure that seems likely to involve all of Europe in war. Yesterday it was the trouble between France and Germany, and that trouble does not seem to be fully over. The day before, it was England and Germany that were at swords’ points. And thus the matter goes on. There is an indescribable pent up feeling in all the world that makes for strife and bloodshed, but still it seems to be held in check in spite of all indications that war will surely break out. In describing the scenes that would prevail on the earth in connection with the judgment-day the Lord’s Word says:
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign forever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast; because Thou hast taken Thy great power, and didst reign. And the nations were wroth, and Thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear Thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that destroy the earth.” Rev. 11: 15-18.
This outbreak of the war spirit in the Balkans is simply an illustration of what is coming to be more and more pronounced all over the world; and the foregoing is only one of the numerous texts that tell what the meaning of it all is. It shows that the judgment-day is imminent, and that the second coming of Christ is right at hand. Things are coming to such a pass in the world that human beings will soon be wholly unable to cope with them; the only one who can meet the needs of the situation is the Lord of Glory Himself.
But the war of Armageddon, the war of the great day of God is not yet reached. This trouble in the Balkans will in all probability blow over for the time being. War may actually break out, but it will not be likely to become world-wide. For we have the following prophetic declaration that the winds of war will be held until the sealing work of God is finished in the earth:
“After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow on the earth, or on the sea, or upon any tree. And I saw another angel ascend from the sunrising, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a great voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” Rev. 7:1-3.
It is a well-established principle of interpretation that in these symbolic prophecies the winds represent commotion and strife among the nations. And the verses above are thrown in between the sixth and seventh seals, thus indicating that they apply at the time when the scenes of the second coming of Christ are pressing in upon the world, and besides, the whole tenor of the language shows that this prophecy applies right at the end of time. And it is clear in saying that these winds of strife are held by divine power until the Lord’s gospel work is finished. God always uses means to an end. In all probability He is using diplomatic statesmen and strong peace organizations to hold back the flames of war. But let no one be deceived into thinking that because all the threatened wars subside so quickly, therefore we are not to have any more wars. The greatest war of all the ages is just before the world. It is the great war of Armageddon.
Some men will continue to work for peace in their own way and in their own strength, and will take the credit to themselves that belongs to God for holding back these war storms. They will pursue this course until they will finally affirm that the world is in the permanent embraces of peace. They will say this right in the face of the contrary evidence. The Word of God which has foretold it, and that upon which we stand in making the assertion is the following:
“Concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief: for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thess. 5:1-6.
It is when they are actually saying, Peace and safety, that sudden destruction is hovering over them. Men to-day are saying that we are to have no more wars, and that, too, in the face of the most overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Is it because they refuse to stand in the light that Paul says is provided? Is it because they have shut out the light of God’s Word, which is the only thing that enables men to see things as they are in this crooked world? T.
