p. 24 | THE OUTLOOK PROPHETIC by John Orr Corliss

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, Cal., Kansas City, and New York · Nov 29, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, Nos. 48, 49.

THE OUTLOOK PROPHETIC

By John Orr Corliss

FOR more than two thousand years God's Word has had on record the assertion that He, in contrast with all others, is able to declare "the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done." Isa. 46:10. Again He has affirmed that He surely would do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7. The history of the ages has so fully verified both of these statements that they may be entirely trusted.

In the days of Noah God revealed to him, not only the length of time the Holy Spirit would strive with men, but also the number of days to intervene between the completion of the ark and the time when the flood would begin its destructive work. Gen. 6:13; 7:4. Abraham was fully informed that before his seed should inherit the promised land they must be strangers and slaves in a foreign country for four hundred years. Gen. 15:13-16. The Egyptian bondage was the fulfilment of this. After the Israelites had spent several hundred years in Canaan, the prophet pointed out that they would again be in bondage seventy years. Jer. 25:11. This prediction was soon followed by the Babylonian captivity, which ended in the overthrow of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Compare the chronological tables at the beginning of the books of Daniel and Ezra for confirmation.

Again, while Israel was in Babylonian captivity, God gave to Daniel the very time when the Messiah would appear for the comfort of His people, and measured the interval by incidents, which were intended to assure all of the certainty of the major event. Dan. 9:14-16. This time, measured by the Bible rule of applying prophetic days, ended in A.D. 27, when Christ was baptized in Jordan, and the holy dove descended upon Him, and the voice from heaven proclaimed Him the beloved Son of God. Mark 1:10, 11.

To all the ancients the prophetic outlook was unmistakably marked, and might have been made of eternal profit to them had they heeded the indications. But the predictions of the prophets did not stop with those early generations, by any means. The very prophecies given for a light on their future, continue to shine on to our own time, so that, after tracing in history the fulfilment of their first predictions, we may follow the inspired declarations onward, and thus get a view of the outlook before the present generation.

Take, for instance, the seventh chapter of Daniel's prophecy. In that the Hebrew seer is given a view of all the future through the symbols of four wild, ferocious beasts. In verses 23 and 24 an angel explains that the fourth beast stood for the fourth great kingdom of earth, and that the ten horns it carried represented the ten divisions of empire it would undergo. Following this, another little horn was to appear and subdue three of the existing ten, after which it would arrogantly speak against God, wear out His saints, and attempt to change divine times and laws, all of which were to be under its control for a designated period.

Knowing, as we do, that one sovereignty alone, of all earth's empires, was ever thus divided, we are confined to Rome as the theater of those prophetic fulfilments. Between the years 351 and 476 A.D. that government crumbled into ten divisions, and by the subjugation of three of these ten, the bishop of the Church of Rome became recognized as legal head over all churches, in the year 538. With this elevation he began to proclaim himself the representative of God on earth, and the "corrector of heretics." In carrying out this supposed mission, the papal hierarchy literally "wore out" millions of dissenters, until the overthrow of its supremacy, by the French, in 1798, the point of time covered by the prophecy.

Then was fulfilled the next statement of the prophet, that his dominion was to be taken away, to be wasted to the end of time, when the greatness of all rule under the heavens would revert to the saints of God forever and ever.

But this in no way indicates that a time of universal peace and good-will is to come to the world under political systems. On the other hand, we are assured that the "man of sin" will continue to the end, to be destroyed in the brightness of Christ's coming. 2 Thess. 2:3-8. This implies that wickedness will abound to the very close of the world's career; indeed, we are told, on the authority of inspiration, that in the last days perilous times will surely come, because men will be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, without natural affection, false accusers, despisers of those that are good, traitors, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, while having a form of godliness, and denying the power of it. 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

This, of course, forbids the prospect of a temporal millennium, even tho nothing were written to the contrary. But the Lord has spoken definitely on this point. In connection with the last quotation, He says that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." Verse 13. Not only will they deceive others to follow in their lead, but they themselves will be blinded and deceived as to the nature of what they lead others to do.

These wicked acts being the outgrowth of what is taught by those having a form of godliness yet denying the power of it, all forms of crime would naturally increase in every grade of society. As stated by the prophet: "None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth; they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. . . . Their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands." Isa. 59:4-6. That the very time thus described is here, without a doubt, may be established by the reckless disregard for human life shown in the dealings of man with his fellow-man, even tho his name may be recorded as a member of the church of Christ.

How true are the words of the apostle, that in the last days men having a form of godliness will be fierce and without natural affection! How true again that, with this dragging society downward into hasty marriages and frequent divorces, the production and abandonment of base-born children, with the ever-widening distinction between the classes, and the prophetic declaration that the situation is constantly to grow worse and worse, the dream of a world's millennium is shown to be a delusion of Satan to hold the discernment of men under his control!

Again, the attitude that the great nations are assuming in the scramble for power and precedence, is cultivating the spirit of national jealousy among those who call themselves followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. Everything, in fact, goes to show that the world is on the eve of that period predicted, when there will be a "time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation." Dan. 12:1.

Such a time as this will not burst upon the world like a meteor flashing from its place in the heavens, but must be the culmination of forces which gather in various parts of the earth. Already there are smoldering embers of contention everywhere, that only await the breeze of controversy to fan them into destructive flame. The pending questions of supremacy between leading nations of Europe and America, are assuming complications that the keenest diplomacy fails to regulate, and some of the gravest statesmen of the world look upon the situation with fear as to the final outcome. One prominent government official said not long since to the writer, who questioned him on the outlook, "The fact is that human government is fast becoming a problem beyond the power of human wisdom to regulate."

This expresses the feelings of many regarding the future, and may be one reason for the strenuous efforts being constantly made to correct matters by new political organizations. But to the student of prophecy all this is but the fulfilment of the Saviour's statement that, just prior to His return to earth, men's hearts will be failing

"them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth." Luke 21:26.

But the Saviour adds words to these which are sure to be a comfort to His people who wait for His coming: "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." These accumulating troubles in every quarter of the globe are, therefore, in one sense, cheering omens to the true child of God; for by these he is assured that soon the great Prince, who stands for the faithful, will "stand up" (begin His reign), and deliver every one whose name is found written in the book of life. Dan. 12:1.

With His reign ushered in, the world's strife will cease. Contention for the mastery will no longer be known; for then only the mild principles of love and peace will exist, because sin and sinners will have been destroyed, and every one will dwell safely "under His shadow" whose righteousness and faithfulness will be the "girdle of His loins." All will then "revive as the corn, and grow as the vine," because God's kingdom has come, and His will is being "done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matt. 6:10.

Then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall control them. No astute political maneuver will then be necessary to stem the rising tide of national strife, since no one will desire to hurt or destroy in all the holy government of God; for then the whole world will be filled with the knowledge of God and His righteousness, as the waters cover the sea. Isa. 11:5-9. Every highway there will be a way of holiness; nothing unclean will pass over them; wayfaring men, tho simple, will not err therein. No dreary desert will meet the eye in that country; for everywhere the glory of God will be seen, making the whole earth blossom as the rose. Isa. 35:1-10.

How much better is this than any promise the reign of sin can give! Best of all, when once the sovereignty of righteousness is ushered in, it can never be discontinued; for of the increase and peace of that government there shall be no end, "to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever." To all eternity, therefore, the subjects of that reign will be permitted to dwell under the fostering care of Him whose name will be called "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isa. 9:6, 7.

"Then let the hurricane roar, It will the sooner be o'er; We will weather the blast, And land at last Safe on the evergreen shore."