p. 267 | SIGNS OF THE TIMES by Charles L. Boyd

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 16, 1881

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

By Charles L. Boyd

BY ELD. CHAS. L. BOYD.

WHEN about to leave the disciples, the Master soothed their sorrow with the assurance that the separation of which he had spoken should be followed by his return. Do we inquire, "When is he coming?" No definite time is given to satisfy our anxious mind; but he has given certain signs which are to indicate that it is near. And this is one of the most interesting themes toward which we can turn our attention.

To know the day when this "blessed hope" will be realized has not been granted to men nor to angels. The prophets who foretold, even the angels who taught the prophets, whom Peter (1 Pet. 1:12) says desired to look into the hidden things of God, were never permitted to know when that day shall burst upon a wondering world.

On the mount of ascension the angels reiterated the promise that Jesus shall come again. To those who inquire how he is coming, the angels answer, "In like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven." Clouds of glory received the risen Saviour; angels of God conducted him to the right hand of the Father. Clouds of glory will then form the stairway for the descending Lord.

Yes; he is coming. Blessed truth. From the signs we may not learn the definite time, but we may learn what great events are past which were once the subject of prophecy; what are future, and between which of these our lot is cast.

In journeying from New York to San Francisco there are certain great cities through which we must pass. The names of these cities and their respective distances from New York we know; between which of these cities we are at any time we know; but the exact distance to the next city we may not know.

The terminus of this probationary journey is that city whose walls are of jasper, whose gates are of pearl, whose streets are paved with gold, and whose King is the Redeemer of the world. The prophets foretold five great kingdoms; four temporal, the fifth eternal. By a knowledge of the signs of the times we may know between which of these kingdoms our lot is cast.

The Jews were rejected of God because they were carelessly ignorant of the signs of the times. The same dangers which proved their ruin are threatening us.

Let us seek to so relate ourselves to God and to so understand his word, that, being warned by their overthrow, we may be saved from falling over the same stumbling-stone of ignorance and unbelief.