ONE of the clearest prophecies in all the Word of God tells us of the destruction that is to come upon this world in the closing days of time. That we are beginning to see its fulfilment in a decidedly striking manner must be evident to every one.
The full text of the scripture referred to in the above paragraph is as follows:—
"20. Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled; suddenly are My tents spoiled, and My curtains in a moment.
"21. How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
"22. For My people is foolish, they have not known Me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
"23. I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
"24. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
"Destruction upon Destruction Is Cried."
"25. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
"26. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by His fierce anger.
"27. For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
"28. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
"29. The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks; every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.
"30. And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Tho thou clothest thyself with crimson, tho thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, tho thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.
"31. For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, 'Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.'" Jer. 4:20
The perfectly natural and also the common thing for folks to do is to try to throw such scriptures as the foregoing aside, by saying that they applied at some time in the past, or else that they belong to the remote future. It seems hard to bring the mind to accept the fact that these things belong to the present, and that this prophecy is being fulfilled right now.
But note with care what these words quoted from the prophet say. Verse 20 says, "Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled." The Lord Himself has decried destruction upon destruction until the whole land is spoiled. This could mean nothing less than the breaking down of the whole earth.
Of those living in these times of destruction the same Word tells us in verse 22, "For My people is foolish, they have not known Me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge." Now do not take the time to dispute with any individual as to whether or not this description is of present-day scenes. Open your eyes and look around you. Is it not literally true that the murders, the robberies, the vices, and general corruption of these times most unmistakably show that this generation is "wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge"? And this very corruption would soon destroy the world itself if the Lord should not intervene to put an end to it.
This work of destruction continues until the time is reached of which the prophet says: "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled." Verses 23-25.
Certainly words could not portray a more graphic description of the commotion among the elements that finally reduces this whole earth to its original chaos. There can be no doubt that the prophet is here describing the scenes of the last great day.
Then, again, observe these thrilling words: "I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by His fierce anger. For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it." Verses 26-28. In these short verses who can not read the meaning of the events of this time?
Storms and tempests, earthquakes and tidal waves are sweeping whole sections of the country. These things are unusual. Such storms, such terrible destruction from the elements, were not in the days of our fathers, neither did they appear in the years of any former generation. And do not be misled by any of the sophistries of misguided men. The Lord has spoken Himself, and He is omnipotent in power. He has said that this whole world shall be visited with "destruction upon destruction." The calamities of the present are only the beginnings. What will it be when all the cities are broken down, and the mountains are trembling, and all the hills moving lightly?
Does the contemplation of these things fill you with dread and terror? If so, then turn to the ninety-first psalm and read the promises that God has given for this very time.
“The Whole Land Shall Be Desolate.”
Even tho the earth shall be in such an awful commotion, yet the Lord's protection for those who will receive Him is so complete that He positively says, "Thou shalt not be afraid." We should be learning the ways of the Lord in these stormy times, so that in the still more terrible times that are just ahead we may be able to help others into the haven of secure protection. T.
