Study of the Prophets by W. Leask, D. D.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Jul 4, 1865

Study of the Prophets.

By W. Leask, D. D.

A WORD IN SEASON.

THE rectification of one error is a great thing; the redemption of one forgotten truth from beneath the pile of human tradition is a still greater; and the successful appeal to men to rally around Christ the Saviour-King is the greatest of all. May this loftiest of honors wreathe the brow of every man who is holding out the Bible to poor wandering humanity, and crying, "Lo! it is the proclamation of God, that he intends setting up a glorious kingdom upon this long-distracted and bleeding planet."

Happily, the number of such men, though still few, is rapidly on the increase. Great and long-forgotten truths are beginning to reappear. Thoughtful men have been for many years ill at ease. Results at efforts to evangelize the world have been sadly out of proportion to the efforts themselves. What does God intend to do with this world,—this great, beautiful, and populous world, the scene of so many miseries, so many mighty acts, so many Divine miracles, and so many and such long-continued struggles between the powers of good and evil? Shall it be converted? If so, by what instrumentality, and when?—and that "when?" has come back from every idol-temple and lofty mountain in a long and sickly echo. And again the dreary "when?" has gone up to heaven from the prayer meeting, fallen doubtfully from the preacher's lips, rolled heavily in the large missionary meeting, and passed around the globe like a desolate thing seeking a resting place, and finding none. Or, does God intend suddenly to destroy the works of his hands, to set fire to the earth, and sweep it to destruction, just at the time when multitudes were beginning to hope that signs of better days were budding forth to gladden the eyes of the nations? Shall the earth—Adam's earth, man's earth, CHRIST's

earth—speedily be seen by startled angels flying in its orbit through the heavens, one vast globe of intensely heated fire, like the steamship in flames rushing madly through the hissing sea? Such awful questions as these have long engaged the thoughts of devout thinkers, but no satisfactory answer was obtained. Some few men, however, hinted that it might be well to open the books of prophecy, and to try to realize the import of the visions of holy seers. But the habits, prejudices, and theories of the churches and pastors were all against that. "Meddle not with prophecy." "It cannot be understood." "Preach the gospel." "Let prophecy alone." Such were the precepts of our teachers. Well, but we may ask, What shall we read, if not prophecy? How much Bible will be left to us, if all its predictions be excluded? Does it honor the Holy Spirit to say that prophecy cannot be understood? Is it not far more likely that he intended us to be made acquainted with leading facts, by presenting them in appropriate language, than that he designed to speak so obscurely that in effect it should amount to entire silence? Surely he is the Revealer, not the Concealer. Hath not God revealed them to us by his Spirit, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God? Does not Paul speak of the guilt of the people and rulers of Jerusalem, in not knowing the voice of the prophets which were read every Sabbath-day? Does not Peter say that we do well to take heed to the sure word of prophecy, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place? Does not John, in his preface to the Apocalypse, say, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things that are written therein, for the time is at hand?" Was it not by consulting the prophecy of Jeremiah that the captive Daniel understood that the years of the captivity in Babylon were nearly expired? Does not our blessed Jesus, the Prince of the prophets, give us signs, and command us to watch them, and attend to them, and lift up our heads when they appear? Are not the children of Issachar celebrated as men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do? Is not the testimony of Jesus the spirit of prophecy? Is it not the design of prophecy to bear testimony to Him? How should we know that Jesus is the Christ but by comparing his life, doctrines, deeds, and sufferings with the prophecies that described them so long before? And as to preaching the Gospel, why, you cannot do that faithfully, nay, you cannot do it at all, if you resolve to have nothing to do with prophecy; for the Gospel is itself the fulfilment of one series of prophecies, and the utterance of another; the Gospel is the grandest prophecy in the world—a long, beautiful, and most sublime prediction, embracing Heaven and earth in its mighty circumference, and resting not until earth shall be like Heaven, and both shall be one in Christ. And if we meddle not with prophecy, assuredly it will meddle with us, and the result will not be much to the credit either of our discernment or our piety.

But then it is objected that certain students of prophecy have made calculations of dates and periods which the event has falsified. Nothing more likely; and yet we see not much more harm in making calculations from prophecy, than in making them from the results of the missionary efforts of the last fifty years to ascertain how long it will be before the world shall be converted at the same rate, which a celebrated missionary did not long ago, and gave us as the result the astounding answer of a million of years! So far as the hopes of men are at present concerned, he might just as well have said "Never." But we do not plead for calculations, but for facts. God will take care of "the times and seasons;" let us believe the facts, and go cheerfully to work just as he has bidden us, and all will shortly be well. The kingdom will come.—W. Leask, D. D.