Prophecies of the time for the end can be understood before the end.
I do not now say there is any such prophecy; but merely that, if there is, it was intended to be understood before its fulfillment. A Presbyterian clergyman lately told me that "such prophecies may have been intended for the edification of the saints in glory, and not to be understood in this world." This is certainly a new view of the Bible; but it was the only refuge to which he could resort. There is nothing useless in the Bible. Therefore, every such prophecy was intended to be of use either in this world or in the world to come. If of any use here, it must be understood, and understood beforehand; for "what is the value of a chart that would not tell a seaman where to find his port until after he has arrived?" One man says he reads the prophecies for devotion, and not for instruction. Now, a knowledge of the time for the end would undoubtedly be favorable to the devotion of Christians living just before the event; but there is no food for devotion, so far as I can see, in a mere declaration, in unintelligible language, that the end shall be at a certain time. But was a part of the Bible intended for the saints in glory? I answer, I. If one person may conclude that certain prophecies were intended for the saints, simply because he does not understand them, every person may, with equal propriety, conclude that every doctrine and every other portion of Scripture, not understood by himself, was designed for the saints. Now who shall tell us how much of the Bible is for this world, and how much for the saints? Come, draw the line, and make the separation. I wish to know just how much I must believe; for I tremble equally at the thought of rejecting any of the revelation made to me, and of prying into any of the132revelation made to the saints. We could almost wish their portion had been put in an appendix. II. Will the Bible be saved when the earth is destroyed, and be carried into the New Jerusalem, there to be read by the saints? If you say no—that Christ himself will be their Teacher; then, I ask, why should anything be put in our Bible for the especial use of the saints? Will they call to mind in another world what they have read unintelligibly in this? I fear that many—yes, the vast majority—read these prophecies so seldom, and with such a want of relish, that in another world they would know nothing about them without another reading, which would be impossible if the Bible is not carried into that world. III. But of what especial use can the one class of prophecies, respecting the time for the end, be to the saints? The fulfillment will have taken place; and, so far as I can see, such a prophecy will then be only a parallel with all other prophecies, the fulfillment of any one of which will prove, to the saints, the wisdom, and power and goodness of God, just as much as the fulfillment of this one. I repeat it, of what especial use can a prophecy respecting the time for the end, more than any or all others, be to the saints? IV. Christ and the apostles frequently speak of the prophecies as if they were intended to be of use in this world for instruction. Thus Peter says that the prophets who searched what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, were informed "that not unto themselves but unto us, they did minister." If they were ministering to glorified saints, they were ministering in part to themselves, since they are to be glorified as well as we. It does not say, "that not unto men, but unto glorified saints, they did minister." 1 Pet. iii, 11, 12. Again, he says, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy [more sure than the evidence in verses 16 and 17;] whereunto ye [not the saints] do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts." If of use to the saints, it is after the day dawns; and if not to be understood beforehand, prophecy is not a light shining in a dark place. History would be the only light, and it shines after the events. 2 Pet. i, 19. It is the "word of prophecy," and not the events fulfilling it, which Peter calls a light. Again, he says, verse 20, "that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation." He was writing about Christ's second coming, and he does not except those prophecies which refer to the time of the advent, if there are any such. See, also, Luke xvi, 29—31; xxiv, 25; Rom. xvi, 25, 26; Rev. i, 3—10; x, 5—7; Jude 14—15. V. In Deut. xxix, 29, we are told that "things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law." Will any one say there is any prophecy which is not a revelation? But if a revelation, it belongs to us and to our children, and not to the saints. For if it belongs to the latter, then some of the words of the law are to be done by them, and not by us. John xvii, 17. VI. Paul says, (2 Tim. iii, 15—17,) "ALL SCRIPTURE [including prophecies respecting the time for the end, if there are any such] is given by inspiration of God, and is PROFITABLE for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, [he does not add, for the edification of glorified saints,] that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." See, also, Rom. xv, 4. Then such parts of the Bible, if any, as refer to the time for the end, as well as all others, are in some age of the church, profitable, and necessary towards thoroughly furnishing the man of God unto all good works. John xvii, 17. OBJECTION I. We are told in Dan. xii, 4, that prophecies are sealed. I answer, things which are sealed in the sense of being hidden from the church during all the periods of its existence, are not written, as we learn from Rev. x, 4. The Bible was intended for the church to the end of time, and contains things appropriate to each period of the church. The prophets ministered not unto themselves, but unto the church at these different periods. 1 Pet. iii, 11, 12. Now the things written for one period may be sealed from all living before that time, as not belonging to them—in two ways: 1. The Spirit may not direct the attention of Christians to the prophecy in its proper connexion with other passages which explain it—or does not otherwise open their minds to understand it. 2. The understanding of it may depend upon the occurrence of certain foretold events. Thus it might be foretold that after six different events, strongly marked and well defined, the end shall occur very soon. We are not informed how far distant from each other these events shall be; only they are so clearly defined that, when they occur, we shall recognise them. At the utterance of the prophecy no one could conjecture even about the time for the end. It is "sealed till the time of the end." But in due time the Providence of God unseals it, and men behold the terrible day as just ready to dawn. Now, I am willing to grant that some prophecies have been, in a greater or less degree, thus sealed, until the several periods in the church have arrived, when the understanding of each several prophecy was necessary towards thoroughly furnishing the man of God living at that time, who is thus enabled to find "things new and old" in the Bible. 1 Pet. i, 12; Eph. iii, 5, 6. The prophecy that Daniel was commanded to seal, was concerning the time for the end. It could be of no use to understand it until the end draws near. Then, however, it is to be unsealed, as necessary towards thoroughly furnishing the men of God unto the good works of proclaiming that "the hour of his judgment is come," and encouraging those whose redemption draweth nigh to lift up their heads and rejoice. Also, the knowledge of the event being at hand certainly conduces to sanctification. John xvii, 17; 2 Pet. iii, 11. OBJECTION II. God has promised to answer the prayer of the humble and believing. If, therefore, there is any prophecy showing the time for the end, it might have been understood by praying for the spirit of understanding, and Christ could not have said, "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, neither the angels, nor the Son," &c. I answer, that Daniel, who was greatly beloved, prayed for this very spirit of understanding, and it was denied him: "to whom it was revealed that not unto himself, but unto us, he did minister." Christ, also, and Paul besought three successive times for things which were not granted. Dan. xii, 8, 9; 1 Pet. i, 11, 12; Matt. xxvi, 39, 42, 44; 2 Cor. xii, 8, 9. They desired these things, however, only if it was the will of the Father to grant them. So any sincere and humble believer will pray; and he has no more right to expect an unsealing of the prophecy before God wills to unseal it, than Christ had to claim that the cup might pass away because of his desiring it. God always answers our prayers, although he does not always answer them literally. If we ask for improper things, he withholds them of course, and gives us something else in their stead. He has never promised to answer improper prayers literally. If he had, what wretched beings even sincere and humble Christians would be!! for, owing to ignorance, how many improper prayers they make. See 1 John v, 14. OBJECTION III. There are doctrines in the Bible not understood in this world, which will be plain to the saints;—“we now see through a glass darkly,” &c. I answer, this may be true, and yet all the Bible was undoubtedly intended for the people in this world only;—some parts of it for one class of minds, and some for another; some to be understood at one time, and some at another; and some to be received without being fully comprehended. Some doctrines may be profitable without being comprehended; but a prophecy respecting the time for the end could not. Even the mysterious doctrines—such as the eternity of God—are put in the Bible to affect us in this world,—to give humility, reverence, and other becoming feelings. We believe, though we do not fully comprehend them. In another world we may know more about them; because, however, faith will be changed to sight, and the great Teacher will be with us;—in a word, because we shall have new and more glorious revelations; and not from reading the Bible over again there, or reflecting upon passages hitherto unintelligible, mysteriously written upon the mind then for the first time, as the result of one or two careless readings here many years before, without any effort to understand them. The revelation we have now is all of it intended for this world—to affect our hearts here, and prepare us to enter the gates of the new Jerusalem. It is the twilight, so to speak, preparing our vision for the dazzling light of the sun in glory. OBJECTION IV. Our greatest theologians say that the prophecies cannot be understood. I answer, 1. It is no new thing to find the high priest in infidel company. 2. “The wisest of uninspired men have erred on other subjects. May it not be possible that they have been in error on this subject also? 3. Those very persons who contend that ‘we can know nothing about the time,’ and that ‘prophecies are not to be understood until after their accomplishment,’ are perpetually, in their prayers, and sermons, and missionary publications, interpreting the prophecies! They predict, or say that the prophecies predict, a time of universal peace and prosperity in the church and in the world. How do they know this if the prophecies are not to be understood until after their fulfillment? They say, moreover, that this universal peace and prosperity will continue for one thousand years, and that then there will be a declension by the influence of Satan, who will be ‘loosed out of his prison, and go out to deceive the nations,’ (see Rev. xx, 7, 8,) and then will the end come. They say, with perfect confidence, that ‘the end is not yet.’ Now, do not those who entertain these views not only interpret the prophecies, but also declare that the time will be known? If this is to be the order of events, it will not be difficult to know the time.” 4. But it is not true that the greatest theologians have entertained this opinion. We might mention the names of Martin Luther, Dr. Gill, John Wesley, Cotton Mather, in fact, of the stars in the church, almost without an exception. 5. God has furnished us with the reason why so many do not understand the visions of all. Isa xxix, 10—12. “For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes;—the prophets and your rulers,—the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed. And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot, for I am not learned.”—Sec. Ad. Lib. No. XLI.