The Coming of the Lord by L. A. Phippeny

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 23, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 30.

The Coming of the Lord

By L. A. Phippeny

TIME OF THE SECOND ADVENT.

IN exalted language the ancient prophets told of the glories of the kingdom to come.

Enemies were to be subdued, the wealth of the Gentiles was to flow to Jerusalem, whence the law should go forth unto all nations, while the Messiah was to re-establish the throne of David, and reign upon it forever.

Whether all of those prophets knew definitely of the first and second advents as such, and the approximate time to intervene, we do not know. Their language would often indicate that occurrences connected with each of these widely separated events appeared to them as parts of one glorious consummation. But while the splendor of the final scene seems to have eclipsed the item of time intervening, it was always understood that the redemption and restoration, and the great coming and the end of the world were contemporary events. There is no reason why they, and all of God's people of former times, should not have understood this, since among men it was well known that God had determined an end to this world and to sin from the moment of man's transgression in Eden.

The exact time of the second advent has always been a matter of peculiar interest to the people of God, who have longed for deliverance from the consequences of sin. But the Lord has adjudged best not to reveal to men the exact date of that event. He desires men to serve Him from principle, and not from fear, and at all times. Indeed, Jesus Himself said, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but the Father only." Just before the ascension of the Saviour, the disciples who accompanied Him to Olivet asked if he would at that time "restore the kingdom to Israel." They tremblingly hoped that the great restoration would be accomplished in their day. Twenty years and more later some began to teach that the second coming was at hand. To those who were troubled by this teaching Paul wrote: "Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed."

Could those early Christians have looked through the centuries beyond, and have realized that nearly nineteen hundred years later Christians would still be looking and yearning for the Master's second appearing, their hearts might have failed them. There came the "falling away," and the development of the great apostate church. And then in the latter days a great light from the prophetic word flooded the world with its rays of hope and cheer, there came the dawn of an age of extraordinary activity in the dissemination of knowledge, and the Holy Scriptures themselves began to find their way to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. Men of God, impressed by the Holy Spirit, searched the prophecies, glorious facts were revealed, which were due for revelation at that time, the process of world enlightenment was accelerated, and to the age that now is the startling message is proclaimed that the event of all ages is but a moment, as it were, in the future.

Lines of Prophecy.

Time is an absorbingly interesting feature of a full dozen of these prophecies, and the event upon which their messages focus is the coming of Christ the second time to this earth. To the prophet Daniel was revealed the world's history from Assyria to the establishing of the everlasting kingdom of God. Assyria and Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome—first in its world-wide dominion, afterwards in its divided form—were to span the ages, unto the end of the Gospel age. Note the time of the final event as mentioned in these and other prophecies, and consider our present position as related to it.

In the second chapter of Daniel a symbol is presented revealing the divided state of the Roman Empire. This division was accomplished fourteen centuries ago. The next event in the vision is the breaking into pieces of the kingdoms of earth, and the setting up of the kingdom of God on the earth.

In Daniel 7 the vision details the rise and fall of the Papacy. The spiritual domination of the Papacy came to an end in 1798, one hundred and four years ago. The next event is the giving of the kingdom of the earth to the "people of the saints of the Most High." In the twelfth chapter the above date is indicated as the beginning of a most significant period called "the time of the end." And it was at this time that knowledge should be increased, and the prophecies concerning the quickly-approaching end should begin to be unsealed.

In the eleventh chapter are depicted events occurring in the history of nations from the time of Darius the Mede to the end, when Michael stands up and the kingdom of Christ is established.

In Daniel 8 a great period of prophetic time is thrown across the reach of world history, beginning after Assyria's rise, ending just before the final events meet completion. This is the period of 2300 years (prophetic days), beginning 457 before Christ, and reaching to the fall of the year 1844 after Christ,—fifty-eight years ago, and forty-six years this side of the beginning of the "time of the end." The termination of this long period marks the beginning of the judgment mentioned in Daniel 7:10, which determines the life standing of all mankind preparatory to the event that immediately follows, which is the giving of the kingdom of earth to Christ and his true followers. Note again that the great Judge—"the Ancient of days"—called this court into session fifty-eight years ago. In all the Bible there is no definite prophetic date established or named beyond the above. But the next event is the final one. Are you prepared to say that it is not near?

Signs of His Coming.

Historical records of fulfilled prophecies ought forever to convince the sceptical mind of the truth of God's word, and of the urgent need of immediate and constant preparation for meeting in peace the Judge of all the earth. Aside from the prophecies fulfilled and in the process of fulfillment, already noted, and others equally convincing in the Revelation, that constitute great evidences of the nearness of the end, there are a number of remarkably striking events, now matters of history, that were foretold and designated as signs of the second advent, and of the end of the world.

Under the opening of the sixth seal, mentioned in Revelation 6, "there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." The events here referred to occurred in the order mentioned, and were all embraced in the time covered by the "sixth seal" of the chapter named. The first is the "great earthquake" that destroyed the city of Lisbon, in 1755, for it occurred at the time for the fulfillment of the prophecy. The latter part of the eighteenth century witnessed the waning of the severe persecution that had for ages followed God's people; and, viewing the future, and answering the question of His disciples, Jesus had said, over seventeen hundred years before: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven." History records these events as follows: The darkening of the sun—the Dark Day—May 19, 1780; the darkening of the moon, the night following; the falling of the stars, Nov. 13, 1833.

What next?—The words that immediately follow in Revelation 6 depict the scenes of the coming of Christ; the words of Christ are, "And the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven." From 1833 to the present is sixty-nine years. There are many now living who were living then. To all the world the word is: "This generation [the generation to whom these signs mentioned come] shall not pass away till all be fulfilled." Luke 21:32. How near, then, is the coming of Christ?—"When ye shall see all these things [when 'this generation' referred to shall perceive and recognize that the signs have occurred, as mentioned] know that He is near, even at the doors. Do you know how near this may be?

There were other signs, also, named by the Saviour, as signs of His coming and of the end of the world. The reading of them should suffice for the intelligent observer of the present day world happenings: "As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." "Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven." "And upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, . . . Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth." "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars."

There is a definite purpose in the language of this prophecy. All history records wars and rumors of wars; there has always been more or less perplexity; there have been marrying and giving in marriage, and eating and drinking. And earthquakes and famines and pestilences have been recorded in various ages. But these occurrences of other times, save the time before the flood, and the times of Sodom, are not prominently mentioned by the Word of God. The significance, therefore, of their enumeration here is that in the last days, the days immediately preceding the second coming of Christ, and at the time of and following the time of the signs previously mentioned, these occurrences will far surpass in frequency and extent any similar occurrences at other times in the history of earth. I do not know that it is necessary to argue at length over this matter. The time is come and the conditions are present that proclaim that the time is come,

and every man who dares to acknowledge truth must recognize it. It is a time of

Intense Activity in Sin,

wickedness, crime, war; of marrying, divorcing, eating and drinking to excess, and wars and rumors of wars and unprecedented preparations for strife, with unparalleled frequency of occurrences of disasters by sea and land, by disease and pestilence and famine. Social, financial, and political questions are appalling men's minds, and causing the fear and trembling which are sure conditions of the fulfilled prophecy, and present signs of proximity of the event of the ages.

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." "For the time will come [it has come, in abundant measure] when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." In the last days "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse."

The above prophecies constitute the Divine fore-picture of the political, social, religious, and physical situation in the earth to-day. In the comments I have touched details here and there only. You know or may know the rest in the day's news, and from comments of thoughtful minds in the world's journals, from its pulpits, and from public platforms. The passing picture testifies louder than can words to the everlasting truth of God's Word, and with that Word proclaims that the days of the present are not only the last days of this age's history, but the last of the last days, the end of the "time of the end." The time of the second advent of Christ is at the doors. The goodness of God is wonderful, who does nothing of such tremendous and solemn import without notifying all men of it, and giving them opportunity to prepare for it.

The Coming of the Lord BY L. A. PHIPPENY