The Sermon by James White

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Mar 4, 1875

The Sermon.

By James White

SIGNS OF THE END.

BY ELD. JAMES WHITE. "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world."—DISCIPLES. "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors."—JESUS. Matt. 24:3, 33.

POWERS OF THE HEAVENS SHAKEN.

THIS event we must regard as being future. It holds the same place in the events of this chapter, that the departing of the heavens as a scroll does in the events of the sixth seal of Rev. 6. Both follow the falling stars. Please compare Matt. 24:29, 30, with Rev. 6:12, 17. The Scriptures plainly teach that, prior to the resurrection of the just by the voice of the Son of God, the voice of God the Father will shake the heavens and the earth, when will be fulfilled the shaking of the powers of the heavens. This will probably take place at the pouring out of the seventh vial into the air. Rev. 16:17. Then it is said, "And there came a great voice out of the temple of Heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done." This is not the voice of the Son of God as he descends to raise the dead. It comes from the throne of God in the temple of Heaven. "Whose voice then shook the earth; but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven." Heb. 12:26. "The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel." Joel 3:16. We would not speak too positively of future events; but venture the opinion that the voice of the Father will shake the heavens and the earth before the sign of the Son of man appears. The people of God will be safe. Islands may disappear, and mountains be thrown down, but the saints will remain unharmed. Earthquakes may break up the earth's surface, so that the kings and nobles, rich and poor, bond and free, may "hide themselves in dens and in the rocks of the mountains," still God will be the hope of his people.

SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN.

This is not one of the signs which show that the Son of man is near; but "the sign of the Son of man in heaven." It is that which signifies his position. When Christ ascended from the mount of Olivet, "a cloud received him" from the sight of the disciples. They still gazed at the cloud as it rolled upward, bearing the Saviour toward the Father's throne; but they could not see his person. When he comes "in like manner" as he was taken up to Heaven, the cloud will appear small in the distance; but as it draws near, it will apparently increase in size. It will signify to those looking for his return, that he is there, soon to burst forth from the cloud in matchless glory. This cloud will be the sign of the Son of man in heaven.

THE TRIBES OF THE EARTH MOURN.

During the pouring out of the seven last plagues, and at the time of the shaking of the powers of the heavens, a large portion of the wicked will doubtless be destroyed. A portion will still remain, to view scenes still more terrific, and to endure anguish more dreadful. The sign is seen in heaven. The once slighted, insulted, and crucified Saviour, now King of kings, and Lord of lords, is coming near the earth! His glory blazes everywhere! The saints hope and rejoice with trembling; but what an hour for the wicked! The tribes of the earth mourn. Amid the ruins of shivered creation they hold one general prayer meeting. Kings and great men, rich men, chief captains and mighty men, free and bond, all, yes, all unite in the general wail. As the Son of man in the glory of his Father, attended by all the holy angels, draws still nearer, consternation fills every breast. They hide in dens, and in the rocks of the mountains. Their only hope is to be concealed from the glory of the scene. They know it is too late for mercy; that probation for the human family has ended forever. Here is a copy of that dreadful prayer to mountains and rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?" Rev. 6:16, 17. But rocks cannot shelter them from the burning glory manifested by the King of kings, attended by the whole heavenly host. The presence of but one angel before Joseph's sepulcher, caused the keepers to fall like dead men. Then when "the Son of man shall come in the glory of the Father," "and all the holy angels with him," no sinner can endure the scene, and live. The exceeding brightness of that vast multitude of angels, brighter than a thousand suns at noonday, will pierce the sinner's lowest hiding-place, and will "make a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." Zeph. 1:18. Or, as Paul says, "Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness [bright shining, Macknight's translation] of his coming." O Christian brother, we warn you to watch and be ready to receive your Saviour with joy. Backslider, arouse, and return to the Lord while he may be found. And, poor sinner, though you have never tasted of the pardoning love of Christ, you, too, may come and find pardon, and a shelter from approaching wrath.

JESUS NEXT APPEARS.

The Son of man will be seen "coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." But before his coming, a great work will be done for his people. Should he suddenly burst upon them now, they could not endure "the power and great glory" of the scene. This subject is well illustrated by the following words of the prophet: "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord; his going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come unto us as the rain; as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Hosea 6:3. The morning is a beautiful figure of the opening glory of the day of God. The day-star first appears, then the dawn of day. And as the light of day increases, our eyes are enabled to endure it, and view the sun shining in his strength. But, should the light of the sun burst upon the world suddenly at midnight, no human eye could endure it.

So will the people of God be prepared to meet their coming King. They must first break away from the love and cares of this world, and consecrate all to the Lord. Then will they, in due time, share the outpouring of the Holy Spirit "as the rain, as the latter and the former rain upon the earth." The day-star will arise in their hearts. 2 Pet. 1:19. Those who have taken heed to the sure word of prophecy through the dark, watching night, will then raise their heads in triumph. They are filled with faith, and with the Holy Spirit. Glory is poured out upon them till they gaze upon Christ and the angels. The trumpet sounds. The angels are dispatched to the graves' mouths. The voice of the Son of God awakes the sleeping saints of all ages. They come forth in immortal perfection; and as they leave the earth, the living saints are changed. The "elect from one end of heaven to the other," each with an angel bright and strong to lead the way, are all caught up to meet the Lord, who waits in mid-heaven to receive the purchase of his blood. As language would fail to describe what follows, dear reader, we leave you here to contemplate it, praying that we may be prepared to participate in the meeting scene.

PARABLE OF THE FIG-TREE.

Verses 32, 33. Now learn a parable of the fig-tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it [He, margin,] is near, even at the doors." The parable of the fig-tree is probably the most forcible figure that could be used by our Lord to illustrate this subject. When the trees of the field begin to put forth their leaves, and the tender grass springs up, and the ground is being covered with its green, velvet carpet, we know that summer is nigh. It is a certainty with us that summer is coming when we see these signs in nature. We know that summer is nigh. "So likewise," or, with the same certainty, we may know that Christ's coming is at the doors when the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, are fulfilled. Here, dear reader, our Lord has stated the object of these signs, which is, that we may know when his coming is at the doors. But we are told the church is not to know anything of the period of Christ's Second advent. Then, we inquire, why did our Lord give signs of the event? Are they given to deceive us? to lead the honest Christian to look for Christ's coming when, in fact, nothing is to be known of the time of the event? Certainly not. The fact that Christ foretells signs of his coming, and then states the object of those signs, that the church may know when the event is near, even at the doors, is sufficient proof that it is the design of Heaven that the church should understand the period of the second advent.

ALL THESE THINGS.

Our Lord says (Luke 21:28), "And when these things BEGIN to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." These signs began to come to pass with the dark day of 1780. Then it could be said that redemption draweth nigh, and from that time the humble follower of Jesus might look up in expectation of witnessing his glorious appearing. But (verse 31) "when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." The signs in the sun, moon, and stars, are all that were given to base faith upon. All the other events mentioned in connection with these, have their fulfillment after the faith of God's people is perfected, and the doom of all sinners is fixed; therefore they cannot be embraced in the phrase "all these things." The three signs having come to pass, we may now learn the parable of the fig-tree, and know that Christ's coming is near, even at the doors. The phrase, "all these things," does not embrace the mourning of the tribes of the earth, and the sign of the Son of man. Neither does it embrace the shaking of the powers of the heavens; for that does not take place until the seventh vial is poured out. But the faith of God's people is perfected, and the doom of all sinners is forever fixed, before the pouring out of the first vial. The parable of the fig-tree was given to inspire faith in the minds of those who hear the reasons of Christ's soon coming. But suppose that this parable is to be learned after it is said, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, . . . . and he that is holy, let him be holy still;" after the thunder, lightning, great earthquake, and great hail, "each stone about the weight of a talent," is most absurd. No! The phrase, "all these things," in verse 33, embraces the three great signs in the sun, moon, and stars, given to strengthen the faith of God's people, while merciful warnings are being given to the world. Here, then, since the falling stars of 1833, the parable of the fig-tree has force, and we may know that Christ's coming is near, even at the doors, with all the certainty that we know that summer is nigh when the trees put forth their tender buds and leaves.

THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS.

Verses 34, 35: "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away." Many suppose that our Lord here speaks of the generation then living, who listened to his teachings. That such are in error on this point, the following facts clearly prove: 1. It is certainly true that what was embraced in the phrase "all these things," was not fulfilled in that generation. 2. It could not be the generation living in the days of his flesh, for he said to them (Luke 11:29), "There shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonas, the prophet." It is evident that our Lord refers to the generation who were to see the signs fulfilled, and who were to be instructed by the parable of the fig-tree. In this prophetic discourse, he leads the mind of his disciples down over the events of the Christian age, mentions the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, which were to appear in the last generation, and then declares this generation shall not pass away till all these signs be fulfilled. In like manner, Paul carries his brethren forward to the resurrection, when he says, "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." 1 Cor. 15:51, 52. Or, "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." 1 Thess. 4:17. The things here mentioned by the apostle did not take place in his day. They have not yet taken place. Notwithstanding, he speaks of them as though they would take place in his day, and he have a part in them. Also, in like manner is the mind carried backward in Ps. 95:10: "Forty years long was I grieved with this generation." The generation here spoken of provoked the Lord in the wilderness, long before David lived. He goes back and speaks of it as though it were present. In this manner our Lord goes forward, and speaks of the last generation as though it were present. We do not believe that the phrase, "this generation," marks any definite number of years. Some suppose that our Lord designed to teach that some who were witnesses of the dark day of 1780 would live to witness the second coming of the Saviour. But it is our opinion that the Lord designed to teach that the people who should live at the time of the fulfillment of the last sign (the falling stars of 1833), and should hear the proclamation of the coming of Christ, based partly upon the fulfilled signs, should witness the scenes connected with his coming. The proclamation of the coming and kingdom of Christ is given to the last generation. God did not send Noah to preach to the next to the last generation before the flood, but to the last. The very generation that was destroyed by the waters of the flood saw Noah build the ark, and heard his warning voice. So God has raised up men to give the solemn warning to the world at the right time to give force to the warning. And the very generation of men that live after the three great signs are fulfilled, and who hear and reject the warning message from Heaven, will drink the cup of the unmixed wrath of God. For such, the seven last plagues are reserved. And those of this very generation who receive the message, suffer disappointment, and endure the trials of the waiting position, will witness the coming of Christ, and exclaim, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us." Isa. 25:9. With what emphasis our Lord gave utterance to this sentiment. It is a rebuke upon our unbelief. As we read it, God help us to believe it: "Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled." And as though this were not enough to lead us to unwavering faith, he adds these forcible words: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (To be Continued.)