SOCIETY IN EVERY NATION OF THE WORLD IN THE GRASP OF REVOLUTIONARY FORCES — WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK? — WILL CONDITIONS BECOME ANY BETTER? — WHAT DO THESE THINGS BETOKEN?
THE nations of earth have for a generation been sowing seeds of discontent. There have been great armies of agitators who were not satisfied with existing conditions, and who have been demanding radical changes.
IN ALL PARTIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
These agitators have been found in practically all the political parties. They have been found also in various forms of social organizations that have had the great aim before them of working for the betterment of society.
Many of these agitators have been true patriots, who have seen how conditions were shaping themselves, and who have felt that something must be done to change the order of things, or a world-wide revolution would surely result.
The agitation of these reform workers has continued to grow stronger and stronger, and still the conditions that are confronting us in the world are growing worse every year. If we acknowledge existing fact, we must recognize this as true.
THE REFORMS HAVE NOT MATERIALIZED
While this agitation has been for the purpose of producing reforms, yet in many instances it has been in reality sowing the seeds of discontent. We do not purpose to speak of any of these agitators either to commend or to condemn them. We simply desire to call attention to the actual facts as they exist.
We have now reached a situation in the world where conditions are becoming intensely alarming. The illustrations connected with these paragraphs are merely characteristic of what may be seen in every nation in every corner of the globe. Armies of discontented men are forming to march they know not where, but they are determined to bring about a change. The spirit of revolution is abroad everywhere, and the nations are powerless before it.
MAN AGAINST MAN
It is not merely one nation rising up against another, but it is citizen against citizen in the same nation. Society is breaking to pieces under the disintegrating forces that are at work.
As long ago as 1908, Dr. Charles William Eliot, who until that year had been president of Harvard University, declared, in a speech in New York City: "The defenses of society against criminals have been broken down. . . . The impunity with which crimes of violence are now committed is a disgrace to the country, and demonstrates the urgent need of much more effective protective forces. A far worse form of lawlessness is the violation of law by rich corporations. Any man or any corporation who conducts business on the edge of the law, so to speak, is a morally lawless person."
ARMY OF UNEMPLOYED, DISCONTENTED MEN Illustrative of what may be seen in every nation of the world
Speaking of the machinery of the law which has been provided to protect society, he said further: "It neglects to provide the protective forces necessary to secure its peace. It fails to educate the children in reverence and obedience, and inspire them with the love of liberty under the law. It declines association with burglars and forgers, but not with dishonest promoters, corrupt officials, and with lawyers who teach their clients how to evade the law."194
AS VIEWED BY A PROPHET
More than five hundred years before Christ, one of the prophets declared: "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Dan. 12: 1.
Here is a time of trouble brought to view that eclipses everything that has ever gone before in any of the nations, and it comes just before the time when God's people are to be delivered. The language is clear and simple; and if we believe the word of God, we may understand it.
THE DEVIL COMES WITH GREAT WRATH
Nearly two thousand years ago, another prophet declared, "Wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Rev. 12: 12.
When the devil knows that his time on earth is short, his satanic fury rises to the highest pitch, and he does everything within his power to stir individuals in all the nations to the most intense spirit of turbulence and strife.
The Master likened the times just before His coming, to the days of Noah and of Lot, saying, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man." Luke 17: 26. And again: "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24: 37-39.
THEY "KNEW NOT"
This scripture states that eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage — in other words, the activities and the pleasures of life — absorbed the attention of the people in that time, so that they refused to hear or heed the ringing warning that Noah was proclaiming to the world. The text says that they "knew not until the Flood came." The reason why they did not know was that they refused to heed the warning sent. God made His warning plain. And so in these times, He has specifically told, through His prophets, what is coming upon this world. He has told every one what these things mean; and if we will accept that word, we may know that the end of all things is at hand, and the coming of Christ is near.
But if we refuse these warnings, it will be with us as it was with the people in Noah's time, — we will know not until the great event is here, and we are forever shut away from the benefits and blessings of eternity.
AUTHENTIC RECORD OF THAT ANCIENT VIOLENCE
The Master not only tells us that the days just preceding His coming will be as were those in the times of Noah, but He caused an inspired record to be made of the conditions of that time. Speaking of the days before the Flood, this record says: "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." Gen. 6: 5, 11-13.
THE SCENES OF VIOLENCE TO BE REPEATED
In that time, this record says, every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was evil. It says also that the earth became corrupt; and furthermore, that it was filled with violence. The very word "violence" suggests scenes of rioting and of internal strifes, and the unerring voice of prophecy proclaims that the conditions that obtained throughout the world in Noah's day will be repeated just before the second coming of Christ.
Now there have been scenes of violence and revolution in small sections of the world in all periods of its history, but these prophecies call for world-wide revolution and strife.
A DOZEN LINES OF PROPHECY
There are not less than a dozen distinct lines of prophecy given in the Bible, all of which focus upon this generation as the one that will see the second coming of Christ. Every one of the conditions of this time has been pointed out by numerous independent prophecies, in addition to these great lines of prophecy. And if we do not understand the meaning of this time and the great event that lies just before us, it will be for the reason that we have neglected to study and heed the warnings God has given us in His word. This violence that is breaking out in the world now is only the beginning. It will grow worse and worse until the end is reached; and we should sense its meaning, because those who understand the situation and who are prepared for the issue are soon to reap the rich rewards of eternity. Let us not be in the condition of the antediluvian world, who "knew not until the Flood came," and destroyed them all.
