p. 179 | THE LAST DAYS by H. L. Hastings

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 8, 1857

THE LAST DAYS.

By H. L. Hastings

FROM A TRACT BY H. L. HASTINGS.

(Concluded.)

Sixth: The last days were to be days of carelessness and security on the part of a rebellious world. As it was in the days of Noah, when the deluge rolled its swelling waves above an unheeding race—and as it was in the days of Lot, when the fiery tempest burst in awful fury upon the scenes of mirth and riot, so sudden shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Luke xvii, 26–30. Like the unexpected return of the master from a distant country. Luke xii, 36, 37. Like the stealthy approach of the midnight thief. Rev. xvi, 15. Like the snare entrapping the incautious animal. Luke xxi, 35. Like the sudden lightning flash gleaming amid the darkness. Matt. xxiv, 27. As the coming of the lord of the servant, while he in the midst of riot and misrule is smiting his fellow servants and saying in his heart, "My lord delayeth his coming"—so sudden, so unexpected by a careless world shall the Son of Man appear. "For when they shall say Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape." 1 Thess. v, 3. And have we not come to witness such a condition of things? And are we not then in the last days?

Seventh: The last days were to witness an increase of knowledge. While Satan was putting forth all his energies, and rallying all his forces for fierce and final conflict, there was to be a corresponding effort on the part of the Almighty to publish the last message of mercy to perishing men. The words of the prophet were to be "closed up and sealed till the time of the end." Dan. xii. And the command was, "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." Dan. xii, 4. "This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matt. xxiv, 14. And to-day is this Scripture fulfilled before your eyes. The visions and prophecies are unsealed. Many run to and fro, coursing in arrowy speed over earth and ocean, to preach the word of God. And knowledge is increased—knowledge of every kind. No art, no science, no pursuit, is unaffected by this increase. Survey the world now, and imagine it a century ago, and you cannot fail to observe the fulfillment of this prediction. The Gospel has gone to every land and clime, and though rejected by the ungodly, yet it stands "for a witness unto all nations." More than forty millions of Bibles, in near two hundred languages, have been issued by Bible Societies alone within the last half century. And the Missionary work, so recent, yet so extensive, assists to fulfill the word. And when this work is done, "then shall the end come"—not the millennium of glory, but the end of the age, when the wicked shall be cast "into a furnace of fire" and the righteous shall emerge from the long dark night of time, and "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." Matt. xiii, 40–43.

Eighth: The true Church of God, though few and despised, were in the Last Days to be expecting the coming of the Lord. "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night nor of darkness." They are to lift up their heads rejoicingly as their "redemption draweth nigh." Luke xxi, 28–31. They are to know "that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." They are to be like virgins taking their lamps and going "forth to meet the bridegroom," whose coming they were hourly expecting. Matt. xxv, 1–13. And has not that time arrived? Has not the angel flying in mid-heaven proclaimed in every land the thrilling message, "Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his Judgment is come?" Rev. xiv, 6, 7.

Ninth: The Last Days were to be days of bloody strife, distress, and carnage among the nations of the earth. A glance at the prophetic record will show this with indisputable clearness. The prophet Isaiah pronounces the woe of God upon "the multitude of many people," that rush "like the rushing of mighty waters." "The nations shall rush, but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee afar off, and shall become as the chaff of the mountain before the wind, and like a thistle-down before the whirlwind." Isa. xvii, 12, 13. "For behold the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many." Isa. lxvi, 15, 16.

Jeremiah beholds the Almighty engaged in dread controversy with the nations—the evil goes from nation to nation, the whirlwind rises from the coasts of the earth. The wine cup of fury is put to the lips of all the nations, and finally the "slain of the Lord" lie ungathered, unburied, and unmourned from one end of the earth to the other. Jer. xxv, 26–33.

Ezekiel beholds the enemies of God rushing onward from the "North quarters" "like a storm" to "the mountains of Israel," until at length amid a tempest of fire and brimstone they perish at the presence of God, and all the fowls are bidden to feast upon their carcasses. Eze. xxxviii, and xxxix.

Daniel traces the history of the world until "the king of the North" goes forth to run a race of conquest and devastation, until, planting his royal tent in the "holy mountain," he comes to a strange and awful end; Michael the Great Prince, stands up—troubles come upon the world—the dead are raised, and God's people have deliverance and glory. Dan. xi, 40–45; xii, 1, 2.

Joel and the other prophets point to the time when the nations, mad with rage, shall beat their plowshares into swords, and their pruning-hooks into spears, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, there to be crushed in the awful wine-press of Jehovah's wrath. Joel iii, 9–14.

The Saviour points us onward to a time when amidst "distress of nations with perplexity," and the failing of hearts for fear, they shall see the Son of Man appearing in the clouds of heaven. Luke xxi, 25–27. And the Revelator, after beholding the strange history of the world for many generations, sees at last the kings of the earth gathered together to make war against the King of kings, who is seen descending in glory from the skies, and who destroys them all. Rev. xix.

And do we not stand to-day upon the verge of a tremendous crisis? Are not the nations preparing for the great day of God Almighty? Do we not hear the thunders that portend a coming storm? Do we not feel the throes that herald earth's last convulsion? And are we not in the last days? We have seen what their character is to be, and there is no room for the fable of a converted world this side of that last day when Christ shall raise his people and sit in Judgment on the human race. John vi, 40; xii, 48. No doubt a time of peace and glory is coming, but the Prince of peace, the King of glory must come to bring it. And who shall abide the day of his coming? Who shall stand when he appeareth?

We stand to-day amid earth's concluding scenes. The last days are the present days. The grand drama approaches its conclusion. Deceptive demons gather the nations together—the kings of the East shall soon come with hasty steps to Armageddon's plain—the plagues heavy and grievous are poured upon the nations—the echoes of the sixth trumpet are dying away, and ere long the seventh trumpet will sound in wailing cadence, its final woe to the inhabitants of the earth. Shouts of praise shall then be heard in heaven, and curses and strife on earth; while "voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and a mighty earthquake" shall close the terrific scene. But beyond these voices and thunderings are those voices of still louder praise that the saints shall utter—beyond these lightnings, the glory of God shall enlighten the world, and beyond that earthquake is the "kingdom that cannot be moved."

Reader, these are solemn considerations. The Judge is near—are you ready to meet him? The Lord is at hand—can you shout for joy as he appears? Christian, are you ready, all ready to enter in to the marriage supper of the Lamb? I beseech you, be not deceived. Live pure and holy. Walk close with God. Strive to possess the mind that was in Christ Jesus, that you may be welcomed to his presence when he comes. Sinner, turn; for why will ye die?