Signs of His Coming by Roderick S. Owen

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 17, 1911

Signs of His Coming

By Roderick S. Owen

IV. The Earth Grows Old

IN the preceding articles we have shown that the great signs in the heavens, to wit, the darkening of the sun and the moon and the falling of the stars, have been fulfilled. But the Saviour said there should also be signs in the earth. In speaking of these the prophet Isaiah says, "The earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner." Chapter 51:6.

As the earth came from the hand of Jehovah, it was clothed with verdure and beauty, and over all its fair surface was found no trace of blight. Even the Creator, as He viewed it, pronounced it "very good." Joy and gladness reigned supreme. Man, the masterpiece of God's creative power in earth, was made in His image, and placed over the works of His hands. Crowned with glory and honor, he viewed with delight his God-given possession. No strain of sorrow or of death disturbed the melody of his soul. Peace and joy like the ebb and flow of the tide came into his heart to flood it with light and sweep out again to gladden and bless.

A Sad Change

But when sin entered, what a sad change was wrought! The miasma of vice, death-dealing, spread abroad everywhere. Blight and decay touched the most beautiful portions of all God's creation. This curse would soon have devoured the whole earth had not its ravages been stayed by the plan of salvation which God introduced at that time in the promise that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. Nevertheless the curse has accompanied sin; and as the human family has plunged deeper and deeper into wickedness, the curse has fallen heavier and heavier upon the earth, and thus it is waxing "old like a garment," and they that dwell therein are dying or degenerating in like manner. As evidence of this last statement, contrast the average length of the lives of the early generations with those of the present time.

The average age of the first nine patriarchs, omitting Enoch, who was translated, is 900 years and more, while to-day the average age of those whom we count old men is not more than one tenth of that. The human family is certainly growing weaker and weaker. Idiocy and lunacy are rapidly increasing. To-day it is exceedingly difficult to find a healthy mother.

Extinction Predicted

In the face of these facts some scientists are predicting that the human species will become extinct from sheer degeneracy. The boasted improvement in prevention and treatment of diseases has not stopped the ravages of death; while medical science is taxed to its utmost to cope with the problems constantly confronting it in the development of new diseases. Thus God is permitting sin to run its full course and to work out through all its varied ramifications, so that the universe may clearly see its nature, and may learn that suffering, pain, and death are its inseparable attendants, and never can the universe be free until sin itself shall cease and all who can not be separated from sin shall be destroyed.

In Isa. 24:4 we read: "The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish." And this is just before the curse devours the earth, as shown in subsequent verses.

Joel, in speaking of this same time, calls upon the old men to bear witness to something which occurred in their day but was unknown in the days of their fathers; to wit, "That which the palmer-worm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the canker-worm eaten; and that which the canker-worm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten." Joel 1:2-4. This scripture teaches that there will be great ravages by destructive insects, one kind taking that which has escaped another, until it will be well-nigh impossible for man to save anything for his own use. All over the country this is fast becoming the prevailing condition. Man is compelled to keep up a constant warfare on the various pests, by fumigating, spraying, poisoning, in order to produce crops. Large areas which were once covered by fine vineyards, have been laid waste. To-day it is almost impossible to find an apple orchard of any age which produces apples free from worms. The average yield of wheat and other grains per acre has fallen from twenty-five or thirty bushels to as low as ten to fifteen bushels; while blight, pest, and failure have invaded all departments of agriculture. So Joel continues:

The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vine-dressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. The vine is dried up, and the fig-tree languisheth; the pomegranate-tree, the palm-tree also, and the apple-tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. Joel 1:10-12.

While the description here given doubtless applies to the time of the plagues, yet, who can not see that we are fast drifting to that end! Yes, when God shall withhold the blessings He has so bountifully supplied in the past from the people of earth who shall have ceased to be thankful for them, then shall all nations see the complete fulfilment of all that Joel has spoken.

The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered. How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yes, the flocks of sheep are made desolate. Joel 1:17, 18.

God's Purpose

In Amos 4:6-10 God teaches that His purpose in permitting such a state of things to exist is to lead men to Him, and to teach them to trust in Him instead of trusting in man and in false gods. Some are led to trust in Him; others pursue a wilful, disobedient course. The experiences of these two classes are contrasted in Isa. 65:12-14, which reads:

Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before Mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, My servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, My servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, My

servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

Thus while the one class are forsaken of God and given over to those in whom they have trusted but in whom they can find no help, to the other class, their bread and water shall be sure, and their eyes shall see the King in His beauty, while they shall behold the country that is afar off. Isa. 33:16, 17.

All these signs clearly indicate that soon indeed we shall see the King in His beauty, for Jesus shall come in the glory of His Father and His own glory, and of the angels, and His glory shall cover the heavens, and the earth shall be filled with His praise. Reader, are you looking for Him? for to such shall He come a second time without sin unto salvation.