The Sure Word of God.—No human scientist's predictions come so surely as those of God's Word. John, in foretelling what came to pass in later centuries, says: "I beheld . . . and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
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The Sure Word of God.—No human scientist's predictions come so surely as those of God's Word. John, in foretelling what came to pass in later centuries, says: "I beheld . . . and, lo, 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. Rev. 6:12, 13. Our Lord had foretold the same phenomena (Matt. 24). In fulfilment of these prophecies, the greatest earthquake known to history occurred in 1755, the Lisbon earthquake; the predicted phenomena of the sun and moon occurred in 1780, and that of the "stars" (falling meteors) in 1833. Following these, and before the coming of the Lord, it is just as plainly and just as surely declared that "the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Matt. 24:29, 30. John describes the remainder of his vision—that which is yet to come—in this way: "And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places." Then follows the condition and actions of men, as this "great day of the Lord" is ushered in. Read it all in Rev. 6:12-17. The earth trembled violently when the Lord came down on Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:18; 20:18, 19); also when Christ gave up His life on the cross (Matt. 27:50-54), and when He rose from the dead (Matt. 28:2). And it will tremble still more violently when He comes in glory to gather His saints. In connection with the last event, the righteous will cry out, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him and He will save us." Isa. 25:9. But the unbelieving host will be so disconcerted that they will say to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" See Rev. 6:14-17.