"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another."
From Bro. Wilcox.
BRO. SMITH: Since writing to you last, myself and companion were very much interested one morning while reading Eze. vii, and were led to believe that most, if not all, the chapter applies from 1844, down to the closing up scenes of this world's career, which I firmly believe will very soon be all fulfilled. The morning is come unto thee, says verse 7. O thou that dwellest in the land, the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding again of the mountains. Now I will shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee, and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations. Verses 7, 8.
The day of trouble spoken of in verse 7, I believe without a doubt refers to the same time prophesied of in Dan., when there shall be a "time of trouble such as never was, since there was a nation." "And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Chap. xii, 1. There are sound reasons for believing this, as we may shortly see. The Lord says by the Prophet, Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee, &c. The word, shortly, in this verse, signifies that the time is near, very near, when all will be accomplished, or his (God's) fury, or anger will be poured out. The time is come, the day draweth near; let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn, (here follows the reason) for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof. For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive; for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof which shall not return, neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life. Verses 12, 13. These scriptures are to be fulfilled, as it looks to me; but a short time in the future, which John saw. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth their merchandise any more.
Verse 15 reads, "The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within. He that is in the field shall die with the sword, and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him."
Verse 14 shows that when these calamities are upon the world, the trumpet had previously been blown, or warning been given of these judgments "to make all ready." Thus it reads: "They (God's messengers) have blown the trumpet even to make all ready, but none goeth to the battle; (here follows the reason;) for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof."
When will this time be, when none go to the battle? It will be when God's wrath is upon all the multitude thereof. This is the answer we get from the last part of the verse quoted above. Well, what is the wrath of God? We will let him be his own interpreter, "And I saw another sign in heaven great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God." Rev. xv, 1. The definition of verse 16 is very plain; any child that has come to the years of understanding can comprehend it. The description of this awfully solemn scene, and the withering effect of the seven last plagues upon all the wicked and all earthly things, may be learned from Rev. xvi. And will not some of those who suffer the seven last plagues repent of their evil deeds, and seek to God for mercy? No. Why not? Because the wrath is to be poured out without mixture. Rev. xiv, 9, 10.
Another sound reason is, the fact that we are informed that they repented not to give him glory. Rev. xvi, 9, 11, 21. It is everlastingly too late then, for the third and last message of mercy has closed up its work for all mankind, sweet mercy no longer pleads for the guilty sinner and unmingled wrath now falls grievously upon the heads of the wicked. The next great and sublime scene in this chain of prophecy is the Son of man on the white cloud to reap the harvest of the earth. Rev. xiv, 15.
We will now return to Eze. vii. Verse 16 reads, "But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valley, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity." Who are these that escape, and what will they escape? Undoubtedly they are the remnant of God's people, down here in the last days, who will indeed mourn for their iniquity and sins, when they fully realize their poor, blind, miserable wretched, lukewarm state, as described by the faithful and true Witness, to the last stage of the church. Rev. iii, 15-22.
I ask again, What are they (the remnant) going to escape? It is what is mentioned in the preceding verse: the sword, famine and pestilence. Said Jesus, Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke xxi, 36. Verse 23 reads, "Make a chain; for the land is full of bloody crimes." We have only to read a little in the newspapers of the day to learn that the wickedness of the wicked is very great, and that all manner of crimes are increasing rapidly; thus showing, if it is not now, that the land will soon be full of bloody crimes.
Verse 19 plainly shows that their gold and silver is the stumbling-block of their iniquity, and that in the day of the wrath of the Lord, their gold and their silver will not be able to deliver them. It needs but little argument to prove this, for deliverance is found in Michael, the great prince. Dan. xii, 7. Well, what is the chain spoken of in verse 23, if it is not the present truth, which God has commanded to be made? It looks to me as though it must be the truth proclaimed so clear and powerful that it will bind the hearts of God's people, whoever they are and wherever they may be, firmly together in the unity of the faith and Spirit, that they may be able to stand against all the delusions of these last days, and pass safely through the time of trouble. Ps. xci, 4.
For the present I leave these very interesting and important subjects to others much more capable than myself, hoping that if any brother or sister has clearer light on these or any other subjects connected with this or any other chapter, they will bring it out in the Review, as this is one of the many ways to let our light shine before the world.
Your brother in Christ striving for eternal life.
J. A. WILCOX.
New York, Nov. 1st, 1857.
NOTE. The view that Eze. vii has an application in some particulars in our own days is not new.—Ed.