“DISTRESS OF NATIONS, WITH PERPLEXITY.”
NEAR the close of Christ’s personal earthly ministry, He was asked by His disciples, “What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world [age]?” In His reply, Jesus not only gave them a sign, but signs. Such a momentous event was to be ushered in by more than a single portent. It should not be one herald, but many. In fact, the divine idea of a sure witness would be abundantly manifest. “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established,” is the Bible rule. No reputation was to be impugned, no life put in jeopardy, save at the mouth of two or three agreeing witnesses. So in the greatest and most decisive event that is to come upon the world,—an event that is forever to fix the fate of all; that is to bring death to all opposers of truth and righteousness; that is to bring to the righteous, glorious immortality; that is to usher in the everlasting reign of the Prince of Peace,—God will announce that event by a multitude of heralds, a company of witnesses, that we may know that “it is near, even at the doors.” One class of witnesses is composed of those predictions God has given us in His Word of the various signs which should precede His coming. Another class of complementary and confirming witnesses is the fulfilment of all these predictions, the writing of them in God’s providence in earth and sea and sky. And therefore Jesus declares: “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.” Luke 21:25–27. Specific signs in the sun, moon, and stars, as outlined in other prophecies, are in the past. They came as the Lord declared they would; they came when He declared they would. Now, pre-eminently, we have the “distress of nations.” Think of the famine in India, among the greatest known, notwithstanding all that men have done to forestall its dread ravages. If the present famine conditions had occurred before English control, it would doubtless have been the worst that India ever knew. With the famine are smallpox, plague, and various fevers. There is also famine in districts in Russia, famine in the United States among the Arizona Indians. And the ports of the whole civilized world are armed and guarded to shut out the microscopic foe, the disease germ. And now war, desolating, devastating, bitter, unrelenting, cruel war, is bleeding the world of men and means. Spain, the United States, the Philippines, the Antilles, England, South Africa, and now the whole world, are at war. Last month some of the magazine writers were telling us of China and peace with this country. Others were marking out Europe’s day’s diversion in carving and serving the great Chinese pie among themselves, even as English papers talked of the little recreation in South Africa. But England found her South African war the largest in her history; and now we are told by those acquainted with the Chinese that the most that all the world can do is to inclose the great dragon in a girdle of steel. Seemingly the greatest war the world has known is here. What does it mean? Men do not know. They stand aghast at the spectacle, and ask in uncertain and fearful tones, “What next?” But the world does not know. The world will not know. Science can not answer. Statecraft can not tell us. The optimistic prophets of peace prophesy falsely. There is but one sure source of information,—God’s Word. And that tells us that just before us is the great battle of Armageddon and the end of all earthly rule. Christians will believe it. They can not do otherwise if they know and believe the Book. As truly as Christ came is He coming again. As truly as He is coming again, He has given us signs by which we may know that His coming is near. The signs are here. The Lord is at the door. Are you ready to meet Him? If not, get ready.