THE far-faring mariner wishes to know his whereabouts on the great waste of waters. So he takes an observation; learns his longitude and latitude; and thus ascertains how far he has come from port, and how long it will probably take him to reach his appointed haven. So the student of history may wish to know the time in which he lives; how far the world has come in the journey of time; how far it has yet to go before the final consummation. There is only one means of ascertaining such facts. The Word of God alone can show man just where he is moving in the great stream of time.
The Great Molding Dynasties of Earth
In fact the great prophecies of the Word were given for this very purpose; for did not Christ say, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh;” “when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors”? And so nearly three thousand years ago, God began giving the great prophecies of the Word; and they continued to be given for several hundreds of years, until we have an accumulation of evidence that is absolutely all-convincing.
First, there is the great image of Daniel 2. Four great universal empires are designated, — Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome, with Rome merging into a divided state, in the nations of Europe; and then following all these comes the fifth universal kingdom, the kingdom of Christ. We know that all these kingdoms have passed except that of divided Rome. The next great change will be the ushering in of the eternal kingdom of Christ.
The same great empires are mentioned in the prophecies of the 7th of Daniel. Here, however, they are represented by four great beasts. The same great empires are portrayed, — Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome, — with added particulars and characteristics. The blasphemous conduct of the last great beast in the prophetic representation of the little horn, and the coming of the Son of Man in power and glory, the giving of the beast to the burning flame, and the ushering in of Christ’s kingdom of peace, are clearly and grandly presented to the student of the Word.
Again in the 8th and 9th chapters of Daniel we have a large portion of the same historical period once more reviewed. In this the great prophetic time period, stretching from 457 B.C. to A.D. 1844, is introduced. The prophecy becomes so definite as to give a number of clear-cut dates. History verifies that every one of these has been fulfilled. And after this great prophetic period comes the promise of the Son of Man appearing in the clouds of heaven; for between the time of 1844 and that grand and final event, the Gospel of the kingdom is to be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then comes the end. Matt. 24: 14.
In the 11th chapter of Daniel we have a still further elucidation of the history of the world; more particularly than ever the history of Medo-Persia and of Grecia are outlined. The division of Alexander’s kingdom into four parts is wonderfully foretold and outlined. Every particular was fulfilled, as history plainly demonstrates. The latter part of this 11th chapter of Daniel covers the great movements of the empire of Rome. The final consummation of all things is stated in the last verse of the chapter; and the first verse of the 12th chapter announces the close of earthly dominion, when the great Prince Michael stands up to reign for the children of His people. There is a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time the people of God are delivered, every one found written in the book. A resurrection of the righteous dead takes place, and salvation is brought to every loyal child of God.
Our Lord’s Sermon
In that wonderful sermon of Christ recorded in the 24th chapter of Matthew, the history of the world from the time of Christ to the end of all things is three times reviewed. After naming some of the events that would come immediately after His ascension; after stating the terrible scenes that would be enacted during the Dark Ages, under the persecutions of the Roman church, — the prophecy points to the end of all things, and states that he that endures to the end, the same shall be saved, and “this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.” Verse 14.
Having thus reviewed the history of the world to the end of time, beginning with the 15th verse of the 24th chapter the Saviour again outlines the same great period. In the 15th verse we have the record of things which took place in A.D. 70, when Titus, the Roman general, captured the city of Jerusalem, and wrought terrible havoc upon the bigoted Jews. Then again Christ outlines the terrible times of the great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall be; then the proclamation of the coming of the Son of Man, and His revelation, as clear as lightning from the east shining even unto the west; and the great judgments of God, as when the eagle takes his prey. Verses 27, 28.
The closing part of the Lord’s prophecy in this 24th chapter of Matthew is a depiction of the signs that would occur immediately preceding His coming; signs in the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and upon the earth distress of nations, and then the great sign of the Son of Man in heaven. According to the statement of Christ, there were to be signs in the heavens. First, the sun was to be darkened; and it was, May 19, 1780. Secondly, the moon was not to give her light. This occurred the evening of May 19, 1780. The stars were to fall from heaven. This they did November 13, 1833. The powers of heaven were to be shaken. This is yet to occur, as represented in the 12th chapter of Hebrews, verses 25-29. It immediately precedes the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and is the final act in the shaking of the nations, the removal of the power of the kingdoms6of earth, and the setting up of the eternal kingdom of Christ.
These signs being in the past, we should learn the lesson exactly as Christ instructed. He said, “Now from the fig-tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh; even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that He [Christ] is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” Christ’s Word is sure. Just as certainly as those signs have been given (and that is as certain as fact), just so certainly will He come before the passing of this generation.
Omens of His Coming
The apostle Peter tells us that there shall come scoffers in the last days, saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? . . . All things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3: 3-13. We have these scoffers to-day, and they are their own evidence that the things they deny are true. They fulfil the Word by their scoffing, and thus make it more sure, and demonstrate that these are indeed the last days.
In the last chapter of Daniel, the fourth verse, we have final instruction to Daniel as to what he should do with the prophecy which had been given to him. Here are the words: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” We have reached the time of the increase of knowledge. The mere statement is enough. Every one has enough information at hand to verify its truth. Knowledge has been increased as never before in all the history of the world, and the increase still continues. And many are running to and fro by means of railroads with their swiftly moving express trains, with the great steamships of the ocean driven by their wonderful turbine engines, by means of automobiles and flying machines and other modern methods of travel. There is a moving to and fro over the earth such as was not ever before in all the world’s existence. It is now paramountly true that many are running to and fro and knowledge is increased. Therefore this is “the time of the end.”
Accumulation of Riches
In the 5th chapter of James we have a warning to the rich; and there are a number of expressions in this warning which show that it is applicable at a time when there has been an accumulation of riches, which was not true at any other time, and that could not be true except in the time of the end. We have these expressions as showing the times in which the warning is applicable, as showing the time in which the rich deserve to take heed to the lesson. “Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you . . . Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days. . . . Ye have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter.” And then, changing from the rich who have oppressed, to the poor who have been op-
pressed, we have still further these words: “Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. . . . Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Murmur not: . . . behold, the Judge standeth before the doors.” Any one who knows anything about the times at all, knows that this is the time of an awful struggle between capital and labor, which grows more desperate every year. It is of itself one more link in the chain of evidence, one more sign that we are in the time just preceding the coming of the Judge of all the earth.
Peace and Safety Cry
And at this time, we are told that those who ought to be watchmen upon the walls of Zion, those who ought to be preachers of the Word and understand the times and the message of the times, will be saying just what they ought not to be saying. From the pulpits of the land comes one almost universal cry of peace and safety, notwithstanding the fact that God has outlined the history of the world, shown plainly that the end of all things is at hand, and draws for us in addition this lesson: “When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape.” 1 Thess. 5: 1-11.
Another Picture
Furthermore the great camera of prophecy has photographed the times in which we live, has shown as plainly as in a sharply detailed picture the condition of humanity at the present time: “But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away.” 2 Tim. 3: 1-5.
Here is plainly stated the spiritual declension which has come into the churches of the land. This terrible condition, this awful array of sin, is a result of men’s having only the form of godliness, denying the power thereof. In other words, they are mere professors. Every one knows, that knows anything about the events of to-day, that one universal complaint goes up all over the land regarding the laxity of Christians, and the failure of present-day Christianity. It is another sign that our Christ is about to come.
War Preparations
Just before the coming of Christ, there is to be that awful battle, that awful clash of the powers of the earth, known as the great Battle of Armageddon. That terrible contest and its awful results are very dramatically portrayed in the 38th and 39th chapters of Ezekiel. It is also mentioned in Zech. 12: 2-4. And again we read of it in Rev. 16: 14-16.
And in connection with the awful catastrophe of that battle comes the judgment of Babylon. God does not forget Babylon nor her sins. He does not forget the great apostasy and the heresies originating in that apostasy. God does not forget the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. The final end of all these evil forces is depicted in Rev. 19: 11-21.
We know that the nations to-day are preparing for that great battle. Men of the hour are talking of that awful day, that day when the nations which so long have been preparing shall come together with all their forces, each one for his own interests. Battle-ships constantly more formidable, more expensive, more death-dealing, are being invented and built. Constantly larger and more effective guns, those that will fire more rapidly, that will deliver larger and more ponderous missiles of destruction, are being conceived and constructed. The nations of to-day unconsciously, but nevertheless certainly, are preparing for the great event named by the prophecy as the Battle of Armageddon.
All these and more than these are evidences to the student of the Word that we are living in the very last days. The world is constantly growing more wicked, more lawless, more Heaven-defying, more incorrigible. Soon, we do not know how soon, Christ will come and put an end to earthly sin and discord and death, and usher in His kingdom of righteousness and peace and immortal life. God grant that you and I may be subjects of that everlasting kingdom; that at once, without delay, we may apply for citizenship; be sure that we have qualified as candidates, live faithfully our part, stand loyal and true, and then we shall pass through the great crash of the ages, the destruction of the nations, the wreck of a world, and the ushering in of the glory that shall never pass away.
