Jesus Returns in the Sky With the AngelsBible World
6:17Revelation 6:17
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
The verse pictures Christ returning as King on the cloud with flaming fire and holy angels in his own glory and his Father's glory, shaking the heavens and earth until the sky is rolled as a scroll and every mountain and island is moved. The great day that has come is the day of the wrath of God and the Lamb, the final judgment when Christ comes to take vengeance and execute judgment on transgressors. All classes of the wicked hide in dens and rocks and call for mountains to fall on them, because the ungodly cannot endure his glorious presence, majesty and holy judgment. Saints alone will stand before him at his appearing, those with clean hands and pure hearts, clothed in Christ's righteousness and reflecting his image, while the wicked flee in terror. Every person must therefore ask now with trembling whether they will endure, and use the precious probationary time while mercy lingers to be fully on the Lord's side and purified from every stain.
Setting and Language
The great day is the second coming of Christ as King of kings descending upon the cloud wrapped in flaming fire to judge and take vengeance. He comes in His own glory and His Father's glory, escorted by holy angels and the armies of heaven, surrounded by all the heavenly host to execute judgment upon transgressors of the law and rejecters of the atonement. He appears with crown upon crown, with searching eyes as a flame of fire burning into the souls of enemies, clothed in a garment whiter than any earthly fuller can whiten and girded about the chest with a golden girdle. The lost, who have not pressed on to know God and become His children, will not then hear the invitation to the blessed but will face the opposite fate. Their question contrasts their terror with the faithful, who are glorified and stand in victory.
At His approach creation is shaken: the heavens are rolled together as a scroll and depart, the earth trembles and quakes, and every mountain and every island is moved out of its place. After the falling stars seen in 1833 as a herald directing attention to prophecy and the second advent, this departure of the heavens and quaking of the earth comes as the wicked fear the Son of man. The Lion of the tribe of Judah comes then as Conqueror to reign and to be glorified in His saints who love His appearing, and before His glory mountains shake, tremble and bow and rocks are moved, for the Lord shakes not the earth only but the heavens also. The earth is changed by the voice of God before the wicked hide from the approaching Christ in anguish at the expected day of His wrath.
All classes of the wicked hide themselves, from kings of the earth and great men and rich men and chief captains and mighty men to every bondman and every freeman, every slave and every free person, from every rank and condition. They hide in dens and in the rocks of the mountains, in rocks and caves and caverns, and call to the mountains and rocks to fall on them to hide them from the face of Him that sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Those who pierced and crucified Christ are raised to witness His return and the judgment scene, and their cry expresses agony and horror at recognizing the judgment they face. Their plea stands in contrast with Christ's faithful followers, who welcome His appearing and receive rest, peace, and everlasting life.
The inquiry who shall be able to stand expresses terror before divine wrath and inability to endure His glorious presence, majesty, and holy judgment. The wicked cannot escape the burning glory of His coming even in caves and rocks, and the saints alone stand before Christ at His appearing. The next vision shows the contrast: the multitude who have come through tribulation, washed their robes in the Lamb's blood, and stand before God's throne. The terror-stricken are transgressors who made void the law and took their stand with the power that thought to change times and laws, who when His majesty is revealed realize they cannot stand. Those who had threatened God's faithful people then see God's glory resting on them, while the saints welcome Jesus and trust Him to save them, clothed in Christ's righteousness and reflecting His character.
Day of Wrath
The great day that has come is the day of God's and the Lamb's wrath, the final accounting and judgment when Christ returns as heaven's King in glory to judge, take vengeance, and execute judgment upon transgressors of God's law and rejecters of His atonement. Surrounded by all the heavenly host in the glory of His Father, He comes in flaming fire, and those who disregarded the law, trampled the blood of Christ, trampled the Sabbath, rejected truth, and pierced Him see Him on His throne and cannot endure His presence. From kings and the great and rich and mighty down to every rank and condition, they hide in dens and rocks and caves and beg the mountains to hide them from the One on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, their question who shall be able to stand expressing terror at facing the judgment of the One they rejected. Their inability is even greater than the inability of guilty Israel to endure the light glorifying the face of Moses when he came from the mount with the tables of testimony. The faithful witnesses once hidden in caves from persecution are then called forth, while the caves and dens become places where evidence of the truth stands against its rejecters, and no rocks or mountains can shield the rebellious from divine indignation, nor can their lament and appeals to false shepherds deliver them.
That wrath is unmixed with mercy and falls when mercy has ended, the season of grace and calls to repent and be converted are heard no more, intercession has ceased, and Christ has stepped down from the throne. It comes upon those who refused God's calls, rejected His mercy, grieved and insulted the Saviour's Spirit, and would not meet Him in peace but remained absorbed in worldly business and pleasure. The same death of Christ that brings hope and eternal life to all who receive Him by faith as personal Saviour brings wrath and judgments unmixed with mercy upon those who reject Him, dividing humanity into two distinct classes, one loyal to God and one in harmony with the world. The great day comes after Jesus leaves the sanctuary, when the plagues are poured out, and that wrath causes the destruction and death of the wicked.
The wrath is revealed in terrible judgments, for Revelation 6 is full of meaning and shows the Lord going forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, when the earth discloses her blood and no more covers her slain and His right hand dashes His enemies in pieces. The seven angels stand before God to receive their commission and to them are given seven trumpets for this work of punishment. Who shall be able to stand is seen in what must come upon those who would not care for and obey God but insulted Him and despised all His mercies, when the plagues of God come upon the earth and hail about the weight of a talent falls upon the wicked. That day is the pouring out of the seven last plagues after Jesus leaves the sanctuary and finishes His priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary, laying aside His priestly attire to come as King to judge the living wicked, not the time of the crucifixion or of His continuing priestly ministry. Yet mercies are mixed with judgment, for the Lord has a people whom He will preserve through the sealing, and at God's voice the saints are mighty, though they do not carry out the written judgment then, since its execution comes at the close of the thousand years.
The day brings general destruction and death of the wicked over the world, far more terrible than any earthly crowd and confusion. The wicked then are fearful, terror-stricken, hopeless and despairing, with general confusion, imprecations and oaths, fear in their faces, pale faces, and weary distressed and angry looks, while beside them stand the peaceful and holy who made God and heaven their trust and calmly lean upon an Arm mighty to save to the utmost because they sought and relied upon Him when the evil day was not upon them. Their destruction follows their own choice, for their settled rebellion and hatred of holiness make them unfit for heaven, God's glory would be like a consuming fire to them, they would rather flee from His presence than live in its holiness, and the fires of that day declare that they are incurable. There will be no shelter in that day in human refuges without thorough work now and thorough reformation, overcoming an unlovely, meddlesome, impatient, exacting, fault-finding disposition by strong, earnest, zealous effort with strength from One mighty to save, in imitation of Jesus' lovely character.
The judgment further literally fulfills the people's call for Christ's blood to be upon themselves and their children and descendants, a sentence fulfilled in Jerusalem's destruction and in later suffering. The punishment to fall upon the Jewish people is all the more terrible because of the poor return they made for God's great mercy and love in rejecting and crucifying His Son, the heir. One day the impenitent will understand the wrath of the Lamb when the pleadings of infinite love are no longer heard, and the power they defied will fall upon them as a rock, grinding them to powder.
Terror of Wicked
The wicked see Him as He is at His return in His own glory and His Father's glory with the armies of heaven, crown upon crown on His head, searching eyes as flame of fire burning into souls, a garment whiter than any earthly fuller can whiten, and a golden girdle about the chest. They behold His incarnation, His bloody sweat, the nail marks in hands and feet, and His pierced side, still wearing humanity as Judge, and understand what is comprehended in the wrath of the Lamb. All slighted love and abused compassion comes back fresh, choosing Barabbas the murderer and robber in His stead, crowning with thorns, scourging and crucifying, taunting Him in agony to come down and save Himself, with every insult to Christ and every suffering caused to His disciples as vivid as when done, and the gracious entreating voice heard again as distinctly as in synagogues and streets. The very scene they enacted stands before them in degrading detail in living symbols, showing cruelty, entrusted powers tainted by evil instead of used for good, the value of the soul, and the Christlike character they might have obtained and improved had they received Him, so their whole life fills them with self-abhorrence and hopeless agony.
That cry is especially the cry of the men who mocked, clothed, crowned with thorns, struck in the face, scourged, degraded and delivered Him at His trial, who will no longer see Him standing before the bar of Pilate or Herod but standing before Him as Judge. Pilate and Herod who allowed the scourging, with priests and rulers who clamored for the death of their Messiah, together with all who by action said they would not have Him reign over them, will then learn in dread what it means to face His wrath. Those who pierced and crucified Him are raised to witness His return and judgment scene, and haunted even at the cross by that coming horror they were unwilling to remain near it. Those who scorned, abused, rejected and condemned Him will call for rocks and mountains to cover and hide them from the face of Him on the throne and from the Lamb.
The terror-stricken multitudes are transgressors of Jehovah's law who made void His law and everlasting covenant and took their stand with the power that thought to change times and laws, unable to stand in holy presence before revealed glory and majesty. They are those who led others to trample God's Sabbath and reject truth, while the caves that once hid the persecuted faithful become witness-stands of evidence against rejecters, and no rocks or mountains shield the rebellious nor do lamentations and appeals to false shepherds deliver them. The unprepared who neglected searching Scripture must answer for their works and for souls misled, and professed Christians who led others into error face judgment for that trust. Sins of those who deceive God's people and bring confusion into the church will be exposed and punished in the day of fierce anger, for teaching truth or gaining converts does not prove a divine call nor make a wicked person acceptable, and such deceivers face greater punishment. Preaching the nearness of judgment tests every heart and draws the line between two classes, awakening love for His appearing in some and hatred of His coming in others, so that none remain on middle ground.
The Lamb's righteous anger burns also against those who claim fellowship with Him yet neglect the perishing, seeing souls in peril ready to die and saying and doing nothing to help. It falls on those who pass by fellow beings without pity, warning, or help, who lean over the ninety and nine within the fold while sinners all around go astray indifferent and unwarned, never showing the way of life. Such indifference provokes grievous anger because every man's suffering is the suffering of God's child, and to lose heaven is to lose everything, so in the great judgment day the indifferent are rejected as unknown and told to depart. Faithfulness to fellow men is what pleases Him who loves the world, amid gathering thunders and flashing lightnings.
Those stained by sin are overwhelmed at His coming in glory with remorse, shame, terror and anguish as His pure light exposes character and sinful nature. Those who defied Him and those deceived by spiritualism into the broad road call for rocks and mountains to hide them from God and the Lamb because the day has come and they cannot stand. Sinners seeing sins plainly in His presence, unable to bear the sight, long to hide beneath mountains or in the ocean to escape the wrath of the Lamb, who then appears not before judges but as Judge.
Earthly refuges fail, for caves and human shelters cannot hide those who rejected mercy and chose earthly gain and who recognize they have no share in His glory. They cry to mountains, rocks and dumb nature to fall on them, but creation stays loyal to God and deaf to their call, and they rush in vain crying that harvest is past and they are not saved. To the ungodly His presence is death while to those who love Him it is life, for settled rebellion and hatred of holiness make heaven unendurable and His glory like consuming fire, so they would rather flee than live in its holiness and the fires declare them incurable. As the reflected light on Moses' face hurt guilty Israel to behold, so the glory resting on the saints pains the wicked and makes them shrink and withdraw from the sight.
Those Able to Stand
Saints alone stand before Christ at his appearing, while the wicked flee from the burning glory of his coming and cannot escape even in caves and rocks. The anguished cry of the hidden wicked points to this contrast, for the next vision shows the multitude come through tribulation with robes washed in the Lamb's blood standing before God's throne. Those ready are clothed in Christ's righteousness, glorified and victorious, welcoming his appearing to receive rest, peace, and everlasting life while those who fight against God recognize judgment and call for mountains and rocks to hide them. At the second resurrection the wicked likewise see the One they rejected, flee from his glorious presence to seek shelter in the rocks, and find anguish rather than the immortal life given in the first resurrection.
The question is also asked by the righteous in trembling as Christ returns in glory and his searching gaze reveals every person. Those rejected grow pale with fear, while the faithful ask whether their robes are spotless and whether they have clean hands and a pure heart. Christ answers that his grace is sufficient, and that answer turns fear into confidence and joy for those ready, even as terror remains for the rejected. Standing is therefore not by human merit but by grace received, with joy in the prospect of meeting him, in the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the gathering of the living faithful to him.
Those able to stand have clean hands and pure hearts and spotless robes, clothed in Christ's righteousness and reflecting his character and image. Hearts purified by the indwelling Holy Spirit can know God, and hidden in Christ they behold his majesty and love. To those who love him his presence is life, while to the ungodly who rejected the Redeemer it is death and they seek to hide from his face. His people have washed their robes in his blood and stood firmly for his truth.
Only those who received the Lamb, fled to him as Rock and shelter and hiding place from the tempest, kept his commandments and stood firmly for his truth are shielded until the indignation passes. Disregarding his commandments exposes people to the wrath of the Lamb, while those who learn his lessons and submit to his will receive free and complete forgiveness made possible by his suffering for sin. To the sheltered he is grace and righteousness and love and blessing and light and glory, while to the unbelieving that same light is darkness and terror, for love rejected is turned to wrath against sinners who would not let him take away their sins and who cry that the harvest is past and they are not saved. Creation stays loyal to God and deaf to their call for mountains and rocks and dumb nature to fall on them, and no hiding place avails when earth reels and heavens shake and every eye sees him coming with clouds in trembling agony. While mercy still lingers the invitation still calls sinners to turn and learn the redemption song now, for it is fearful to fall into the hands of the living God whose arm saves those who come but judges those who would not come for life.
God's scattered remnant, driven into mountain fastnesses, crevices of rocks, caves, dens, and caverns by persecution, exile, and oppression for loyalty to his law and the faith and testimony of Jesus, hiding in Christ the Rock of Ages, are vindicated when God's voice is heard and the brightness of his glory is revealed. Their trial ends and the dross is removed, and like John on Patmos who fell as dead before divine glory and was raised by Christ's hand and strengthened by his Master's voice to endure and speak with him, they know they are in the presence of the One who redeemed them by his blood, are made resplendent with God's glory, and are glad and able to stand and endure before him. Those who honor God's law stand amid upheaval, rejoice at God's voice, reflect Jesus' image, and welcome him trusting him to save, while the glory resting on them cannot be endured by the wicked who threatened them and sought to destroy them. The persecutors fall as dead men, Satan and his angels flee with power to harm the saints ended forever, and no rocks or mountains shield the rebellious from the indignation of God and the wrath of the Lamb, whose lament and appeals to false shepherds cannot deliver those who led others to trample the Sabbath and reject truth.
Signs and Timing
Disturbances in the sun, moon, and stars together with distress among nations are tokens that the day of final destruction is approaching, given as merciful warning so that all who will may heed and flee from the coming wrath, while those who refuse to watch will be overtaken unawares. Earthquakes, fires, tempests, disasters, pestilence, famine, storms, floods, and dangers on land and sea already seen are signs of that wrath poured out on the earth, yet they are only the beginning of what is coming, a scene so vast that even John stands awed before it. They declare that the day is near, even at the doors, and they test loyalty by calling for steadfastness to law, truth, and righteousness when these are despised and most oppose them. Amid calamities that make sinners tremble, the fear they awaken opens opportunity to share the truth about the signs of the times.
After the falling of the stars, seen in 1833 as a herald directing attention to prophecy and the warning of the second advent, comes the departing of the heavens as a scroll and the quaking of the earth with every mountain and island moved out of place. That shaking belongs to the sequence John saw heralding the day of God and the great day of judgment, when the wicked in terror seek to escape and flee from the presence of the Son of man.
That great day of God's wrath at Christ's coming is still future and just upon people, and events of great and thrilling interest must happen before it arrives. In that time Satan moves mightily from beneath to delude the world, while the Lord God Omnipotent moves from above to prepare a people who will be able to stand in that day.
The day comes when priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary is finished, priestly attire is laid aside, and Christ comes as King and Conqueror to judge the living wicked and reign glorified in his saints, not at the crucifixion nor during his continuing priestly ministry. After he leaves the sanctuary the plagues are poured out containing the full measure of that wrath of God and the Lamb, bringing destruction and death of the wicked over the world.
The same terror appears at the second resurrection, when the wicked raised then see in kingly and terrible majesty the One they rejected, mocked, and crucified, recognize him, and in anguish flee from his glorious presence to seek shelter in the rocks, for his glory brings them anguish and not the immortal life given to those raised in the first resurrection. At God's voice the saints are made mighty, but they do not then carry out the written judgment, for its execution comes at the close of the thousand years. A recent scene of destruction foreshadowed that terror, seeming like the events of the coming day of wrath and judgment and raising the thought that judgment had come, and on the following day terrible judgment fell on San Francisco.
Preparing to Stand
Every person must ask now from a sincere heart with trembling whether he will endure the great day of wrath, for the question who shall be able to stand points to the danger of being weighed in the balances and found wanting. Those deceived about sin, who break God's law and the everlasting covenant and rely on self-righteousness, will not be ready for that day, and those who are not children of God pressing on to know and do the Lord's will will plead instead to be hidden from the One on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. The work must be done in the precious hours of probation mercifully granted while mercy still lingers and Jesus is making intercession, before grace, peace and pardon are forever withdrawn and He has passed beyond the reach of prayers and entreaties and stepped down from the throne. Preparation therefore must happen beforehand so people may meet the Saviour in peace rather than be absorbed in worldly business and pleasure and call for rocks and mountains to hide them, and its warning stirs desire for pardon and salvation before that day comes.
To stand means to be fully on the Lord's side, awake and certain, not tampering with sin as the source of all misery, not remaining in lethargy and stupid indifference, and not leaving the destiny of the soul upon uncertainty. It requires putting the very best material into character-building, purifying the soul from every stain, denying self, following the light given, and having works correspond with profession of faith, with sincere allegiance, obedience to light received, and abiding in Christ. Formal, partial belief and partial practice of Bible injunctions are not enough, and without the essential qualifications that constitute Christian character eternal life will be lost, for character will stand or fall by God's own moral standard of holiness, not by personal ideas of righteousness. Neglecting or regarding God's warnings with indifference and cherishing or excusing sin seals the soul's destiny, and there will be no shelter in that day without thorough work now and thorough reformation, overcoming an unlovely, meddlesome, impatient, exacting, fault-finding disposition by strong, earnest, zealous effort with strength from One mighty to save in imitation of Jesus' lovely character.
Many have heard of the coming, but because time runs a little longer than they expected they lose interest, stupidity creeps over them, and they sleep and slumber never to awake. They ought to have watched, and if they had watched they would have seen the angels marching through the air proclaiming in solemn clear voices that the great day has arrived and that Jesus comes very soon. The question brings trembling fear, remembrance of past wrongs, and a sense of unworthiness and inability to be saved by oneself, with Satan using that unworthiness to claim the sinner as his property for the dark regions. Standing is given only by redemption to God through the precious blood of Jesus as His purchased possession, which breaks Satan's claim and makes him flee, and those so bought receive changed garments and the mantle and rise with lighted faces and gratitude to meet the angels in the air. Doubling diligence to make calling and election sure is therefore required, and the call to prepare, prepare must be sounded urgently in the ears of the people by messengers who themselves are awake and energetic, standing between the living and the dead and setting a holy, lively example in conversation and actions as those looking for the appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Preparing a people to stand in that great day is the present solemn work appointed to Christians, and they must not sleep but act with urgency and not abandon it. It includes using every opportunity to win people to love God and keep His commandments through unselfish labor for the salvation of others, with aggressive missionary labor in every city and place with publications, workers, and resources for souls. Those who proclaim the coming must do this work by following the course of the early disciples, continuing all the more earnestly in prayer with one accord for the promised Holy Spirit, in one faith and spirit with no speculations or curious theory about how the blessing will come. Being able to stand requires oneness in faith and oneness in purpose, with those doing the work one with no variance, breathing the same spirit and engaged in the same work, and before Christ's second coming a work like John the Baptist's must call people to repent and prepare to meet God with a direct and faithful message rebuking sin even when doing so puts the messenger's life in danger.
That preparation is served by medical missionary work relieving suffering in a world corrupted by sin, which is not inferior to other gospel work but serves as an arm and hand supporting the gospel ministry, with thorough instruction in God's Word essential to save souls. God designs His sanitariums, publishing-houses, and schools to be a means of preparing a people to stand, and He brings a people out of the world and gives them wisdom to become co-workers in preparing others for a pure and holy heaven. The essential knowledge taught in schools is to prepare a people for that day and for God's service in immortal life, for without prior training none will be ready to join the holy, happy harmony of the redeemed. Yet medical missionary methods and inventions cannot take the place of the gospel ministry or prepare that people by displacing it, for the ministry must retain its sacred character and must not be belittled.
Readiness is tested by proving faithful to principle, to God's law, truth, and righteousness when these are despised and most people oppose them, with loyalty and obedience preparing people to stand through trouble and Satan's deceptions. Studying Scripture keeps them firm in eternal truth, with Christ their Captain and mighty Saviour helping them in their battles, while steadfast teaching of leading points and landmarks and faithful delivery of given messages is required, since unfaithfulness leaves souls lost and brings fearful judgment. The judgments already seen in storms, floods, tempests, earthquakes, and dangers on land and sea warn that wrath will be poured out, pressing sinners to repent, seek mercy through Christ, and be ready before that day arrives when they would plead in vain for refuge. Faithfulness to the end brings the promise of eating from the tree of life and drinking from the river of life, though it may involve suffering sustained by God's grace, while unfaithfulness, covetousness, and worldly gain end in terror before His face, whose light will shine brighter than the sun in the city of God.
The verse pictures Christ returning as King on the cloud with flaming fire and holy angels in his own glory and his Father's glory, shaking the heavens and earth until the sky is rolled as a scroll and every mountain and island is moved. The great day that has come is the day of the wrath of God and the Lamb, the final judgment when Christ comes to take vengeance and execute judgment on transgressors. All classes of the wicked hide in dens and rocks and call for mountains to fall on them, because the ungodly cannot endure his glorious presence, majesty and holy judgment. Saints alone will stand before him at his appearing, those with clean hands and pure hearts, clothed in Christ's righteousness and reflecting his image, while the wicked flee in terror. Every person must therefore ask now with trembling whether they will endure, and use the precious probationary time while mercy lingers to be fully on the Lord's side and purified from every stain.
Setting and Language
The great day is the second coming of Christ as King of kings descending upon the cloud wrapped in flaming fire to judge and take vengeance. He comes in His own glory and His Father's glory, escorted by holy angels and the armies of heaven, surrounded by all the heavenly host to execute judgment upon transgressors of the law and rejecters of the atonement. He appears with crown upon crown, with searching eyes as a flame of fire burning into the souls of enemies, clothed in a garment whiter than any earthly fuller can whiten and girded about the chest with a golden girdle. The lost, who have not pressed on to know God and become His children, will not then hear the invitation to the blessed but will face the opposite fate. Their question contrasts their terror with the faithful, who are glorified and stand in victory.
At His approach creation is shaken: the heavens are rolled together as a scroll and depart, the earth trembles and quakes, and every mountain and every island is moved out of its place. After the falling stars seen in 1833 as a herald directing attention to prophecy and the second advent, this departure of the heavens and quaking of the earth comes as the wicked fear the Son of man. The Lion of the tribe of Judah comes then as Conqueror to reign and to be glorified in His saints who love His appearing, and before His glory mountains shake, tremble and bow and rocks are moved, for the Lord shakes not the earth only but the heavens also. The earth is changed by the voice of God before the wicked hide from the approaching Christ in anguish at the expected day of His wrath.
All classes of the wicked hide themselves, from kings of the earth and great men and rich men and chief captains and mighty men to every bondman and every freeman, every slave and every free person, from every rank and condition. They hide in dens and in the rocks of the mountains, in rocks and caves and caverns, and call to the mountains and rocks to fall on them to hide them from the face of Him that sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Those who pierced and crucified Christ are raised to witness His return and the judgment scene, and their cry expresses agony and horror at recognizing the judgment they face. Their plea stands in contrast with Christ's faithful followers, who welcome His appearing and receive rest, peace, and everlasting life.
The inquiry who shall be able to stand expresses terror before divine wrath and inability to endure His glorious presence, majesty, and holy judgment. The wicked cannot escape the burning glory of His coming even in caves and rocks, and the saints alone stand before Christ at His appearing. The next vision shows the contrast: the multitude who have come through tribulation, washed their robes in the Lamb's blood, and stand before God's throne. The terror-stricken are transgressors who made void the law and took their stand with the power that thought to change times and laws, who when His majesty is revealed realize they cannot stand. Those who had threatened God's faithful people then see God's glory resting on them, while the saints welcome Jesus and trust Him to save them, clothed in Christ's righteousness and reflecting His character.
Day of Wrath
The great day that has come is the day of God's and the Lamb's wrath, the final accounting and judgment when Christ returns as heaven's King in glory to judge, take vengeance, and execute judgment upon transgressors of God's law and rejecters of His atonement. Surrounded by all the heavenly host in the glory of His Father, He comes in flaming fire, and those who disregarded the law, trampled the blood of Christ, trampled the Sabbath, rejected truth, and pierced Him see Him on His throne and cannot endure His presence. From kings and the great and rich and mighty down to every rank and condition, they hide in dens and rocks and caves and beg the mountains to hide them from the One on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, their question who shall be able to stand expressing terror at facing the judgment of the One they rejected. Their inability is even greater than the inability of guilty Israel to endure the light glorifying the face of Moses when he came from the mount with the tables of testimony. The faithful witnesses once hidden in caves from persecution are then called forth, while the caves and dens become places where evidence of the truth stands against its rejecters, and no rocks or mountains can shield the rebellious from divine indignation, nor can their lament and appeals to false shepherds deliver them.
That wrath is unmixed with mercy and falls when mercy has ended, the season of grace and calls to repent and be converted are heard no more, intercession has ceased, and Christ has stepped down from the throne. It comes upon those who refused God's calls, rejected His mercy, grieved and insulted the Saviour's Spirit, and would not meet Him in peace but remained absorbed in worldly business and pleasure. The same death of Christ that brings hope and eternal life to all who receive Him by faith as personal Saviour brings wrath and judgments unmixed with mercy upon those who reject Him, dividing humanity into two distinct classes, one loyal to God and one in harmony with the world. The great day comes after Jesus leaves the sanctuary, when the plagues are poured out, and that wrath causes the destruction and death of the wicked.
The wrath is revealed in terrible judgments, for Revelation 6 is full of meaning and shows the Lord going forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, when the earth discloses her blood and no more covers her slain and His right hand dashes His enemies in pieces. The seven angels stand before God to receive their commission and to them are given seven trumpets for this work of punishment. Who shall be able to stand is seen in what must come upon those who would not care for and obey God but insulted Him and despised all His mercies, when the plagues of God come upon the earth and hail about the weight of a talent falls upon the wicked. That day is the pouring out of the seven last plagues after Jesus leaves the sanctuary and finishes His priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary, laying aside His priestly attire to come as King to judge the living wicked, not the time of the crucifixion or of His continuing priestly ministry. Yet mercies are mixed with judgment, for the Lord has a people whom He will preserve through the sealing, and at God's voice the saints are mighty, though they do not carry out the written judgment then, since its execution comes at the close of the thousand years.
The day brings general destruction and death of the wicked over the world, far more terrible than any earthly crowd and confusion. The wicked then are fearful, terror-stricken, hopeless and despairing, with general confusion, imprecations and oaths, fear in their faces, pale faces, and weary distressed and angry looks, while beside them stand the peaceful and holy who made God and heaven their trust and calmly lean upon an Arm mighty to save to the utmost because they sought and relied upon Him when the evil day was not upon them. Their destruction follows their own choice, for their settled rebellion and hatred of holiness make them unfit for heaven, God's glory would be like a consuming fire to them, they would rather flee from His presence than live in its holiness, and the fires of that day declare that they are incurable. There will be no shelter in that day in human refuges without thorough work now and thorough reformation, overcoming an unlovely, meddlesome, impatient, exacting, fault-finding disposition by strong, earnest, zealous effort with strength from One mighty to save, in imitation of Jesus' lovely character.
The judgment further literally fulfills the people's call for Christ's blood to be upon themselves and their children and descendants, a sentence fulfilled in Jerusalem's destruction and in later suffering. The punishment to fall upon the Jewish people is all the more terrible because of the poor return they made for God's great mercy and love in rejecting and crucifying His Son, the heir. One day the impenitent will understand the wrath of the Lamb when the pleadings of infinite love are no longer heard, and the power they defied will fall upon them as a rock, grinding them to powder.
Terror of Wicked
The wicked see Him as He is at His return in His own glory and His Father's glory with the armies of heaven, crown upon crown on His head, searching eyes as flame of fire burning into souls, a garment whiter than any earthly fuller can whiten, and a golden girdle about the chest. They behold His incarnation, His bloody sweat, the nail marks in hands and feet, and His pierced side, still wearing humanity as Judge, and understand what is comprehended in the wrath of the Lamb. All slighted love and abused compassion comes back fresh, choosing Barabbas the murderer and robber in His stead, crowning with thorns, scourging and crucifying, taunting Him in agony to come down and save Himself, with every insult to Christ and every suffering caused to His disciples as vivid as when done, and the gracious entreating voice heard again as distinctly as in synagogues and streets. The very scene they enacted stands before them in degrading detail in living symbols, showing cruelty, entrusted powers tainted by evil instead of used for good, the value of the soul, and the Christlike character they might have obtained and improved had they received Him, so their whole life fills them with self-abhorrence and hopeless agony.
That cry is especially the cry of the men who mocked, clothed, crowned with thorns, struck in the face, scourged, degraded and delivered Him at His trial, who will no longer see Him standing before the bar of Pilate or Herod but standing before Him as Judge. Pilate and Herod who allowed the scourging, with priests and rulers who clamored for the death of their Messiah, together with all who by action said they would not have Him reign over them, will then learn in dread what it means to face His wrath. Those who pierced and crucified Him are raised to witness His return and judgment scene, and haunted even at the cross by that coming horror they were unwilling to remain near it. Those who scorned, abused, rejected and condemned Him will call for rocks and mountains to cover and hide them from the face of Him on the throne and from the Lamb.
The terror-stricken multitudes are transgressors of Jehovah's law who made void His law and everlasting covenant and took their stand with the power that thought to change times and laws, unable to stand in holy presence before revealed glory and majesty. They are those who led others to trample God's Sabbath and reject truth, while the caves that once hid the persecuted faithful become witness-stands of evidence against rejecters, and no rocks or mountains shield the rebellious nor do lamentations and appeals to false shepherds deliver them. The unprepared who neglected searching Scripture must answer for their works and for souls misled, and professed Christians who led others into error face judgment for that trust. Sins of those who deceive God's people and bring confusion into the church will be exposed and punished in the day of fierce anger, for teaching truth or gaining converts does not prove a divine call nor make a wicked person acceptable, and such deceivers face greater punishment. Preaching the nearness of judgment tests every heart and draws the line between two classes, awakening love for His appearing in some and hatred of His coming in others, so that none remain on middle ground.
The Lamb's righteous anger burns also against those who claim fellowship with Him yet neglect the perishing, seeing souls in peril ready to die and saying and doing nothing to help. It falls on those who pass by fellow beings without pity, warning, or help, who lean over the ninety and nine within the fold while sinners all around go astray indifferent and unwarned, never showing the way of life. Such indifference provokes grievous anger because every man's suffering is the suffering of God's child, and to lose heaven is to lose everything, so in the great judgment day the indifferent are rejected as unknown and told to depart. Faithfulness to fellow men is what pleases Him who loves the world, amid gathering thunders and flashing lightnings.
Those stained by sin are overwhelmed at His coming in glory with remorse, shame, terror and anguish as His pure light exposes character and sinful nature. Those who defied Him and those deceived by spiritualism into the broad road call for rocks and mountains to hide them from God and the Lamb because the day has come and they cannot stand. Sinners seeing sins plainly in His presence, unable to bear the sight, long to hide beneath mountains or in the ocean to escape the wrath of the Lamb, who then appears not before judges but as Judge.
Earthly refuges fail, for caves and human shelters cannot hide those who rejected mercy and chose earthly gain and who recognize they have no share in His glory. They cry to mountains, rocks and dumb nature to fall on them, but creation stays loyal to God and deaf to their call, and they rush in vain crying that harvest is past and they are not saved. To the ungodly His presence is death while to those who love Him it is life, for settled rebellion and hatred of holiness make heaven unendurable and His glory like consuming fire, so they would rather flee than live in its holiness and the fires declare them incurable. As the reflected light on Moses' face hurt guilty Israel to behold, so the glory resting on the saints pains the wicked and makes them shrink and withdraw from the sight.
Those Able to Stand
Saints alone stand before Christ at his appearing, while the wicked flee from the burning glory of his coming and cannot escape even in caves and rocks. The anguished cry of the hidden wicked points to this contrast, for the next vision shows the multitude come through tribulation with robes washed in the Lamb's blood standing before God's throne. Those ready are clothed in Christ's righteousness, glorified and victorious, welcoming his appearing to receive rest, peace, and everlasting life while those who fight against God recognize judgment and call for mountains and rocks to hide them. At the second resurrection the wicked likewise see the One they rejected, flee from his glorious presence to seek shelter in the rocks, and find anguish rather than the immortal life given in the first resurrection.
The question is also asked by the righteous in trembling as Christ returns in glory and his searching gaze reveals every person. Those rejected grow pale with fear, while the faithful ask whether their robes are spotless and whether they have clean hands and a pure heart. Christ answers that his grace is sufficient, and that answer turns fear into confidence and joy for those ready, even as terror remains for the rejected. Standing is therefore not by human merit but by grace received, with joy in the prospect of meeting him, in the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the gathering of the living faithful to him.
Those able to stand have clean hands and pure hearts and spotless robes, clothed in Christ's righteousness and reflecting his character and image. Hearts purified by the indwelling Holy Spirit can know God, and hidden in Christ they behold his majesty and love. To those who love him his presence is life, while to the ungodly who rejected the Redeemer it is death and they seek to hide from his face. His people have washed their robes in his blood and stood firmly for his truth.
Only those who received the Lamb, fled to him as Rock and shelter and hiding place from the tempest, kept his commandments and stood firmly for his truth are shielded until the indignation passes. Disregarding his commandments exposes people to the wrath of the Lamb, while those who learn his lessons and submit to his will receive free and complete forgiveness made possible by his suffering for sin. To the sheltered he is grace and righteousness and love and blessing and light and glory, while to the unbelieving that same light is darkness and terror, for love rejected is turned to wrath against sinners who would not let him take away their sins and who cry that the harvest is past and they are not saved. Creation stays loyal to God and deaf to their call for mountains and rocks and dumb nature to fall on them, and no hiding place avails when earth reels and heavens shake and every eye sees him coming with clouds in trembling agony. While mercy still lingers the invitation still calls sinners to turn and learn the redemption song now, for it is fearful to fall into the hands of the living God whose arm saves those who come but judges those who would not come for life.
God's scattered remnant, driven into mountain fastnesses, crevices of rocks, caves, dens, and caverns by persecution, exile, and oppression for loyalty to his law and the faith and testimony of Jesus, hiding in Christ the Rock of Ages, are vindicated when God's voice is heard and the brightness of his glory is revealed. Their trial ends and the dross is removed, and like John on Patmos who fell as dead before divine glory and was raised by Christ's hand and strengthened by his Master's voice to endure and speak with him, they know they are in the presence of the One who redeemed them by his blood, are made resplendent with God's glory, and are glad and able to stand and endure before him. Those who honor God's law stand amid upheaval, rejoice at God's voice, reflect Jesus' image, and welcome him trusting him to save, while the glory resting on them cannot be endured by the wicked who threatened them and sought to destroy them. The persecutors fall as dead men, Satan and his angels flee with power to harm the saints ended forever, and no rocks or mountains shield the rebellious from the indignation of God and the wrath of the Lamb, whose lament and appeals to false shepherds cannot deliver those who led others to trample the Sabbath and reject truth.
Signs and Timing
Disturbances in the sun, moon, and stars together with distress among nations are tokens that the day of final destruction is approaching, given as merciful warning so that all who will may heed and flee from the coming wrath, while those who refuse to watch will be overtaken unawares. Earthquakes, fires, tempests, disasters, pestilence, famine, storms, floods, and dangers on land and sea already seen are signs of that wrath poured out on the earth, yet they are only the beginning of what is coming, a scene so vast that even John stands awed before it. They declare that the day is near, even at the doors, and they test loyalty by calling for steadfastness to law, truth, and righteousness when these are despised and most oppose them. Amid calamities that make sinners tremble, the fear they awaken opens opportunity to share the truth about the signs of the times.
After the falling of the stars, seen in 1833 as a herald directing attention to prophecy and the warning of the second advent, comes the departing of the heavens as a scroll and the quaking of the earth with every mountain and island moved out of place. That shaking belongs to the sequence John saw heralding the day of God and the great day of judgment, when the wicked in terror seek to escape and flee from the presence of the Son of man.
That great day of God's wrath at Christ's coming is still future and just upon people, and events of great and thrilling interest must happen before it arrives. In that time Satan moves mightily from beneath to delude the world, while the Lord God Omnipotent moves from above to prepare a people who will be able to stand in that day.
The day comes when priestly work in the heavenly sanctuary is finished, priestly attire is laid aside, and Christ comes as King and Conqueror to judge the living wicked and reign glorified in his saints, not at the crucifixion nor during his continuing priestly ministry. After he leaves the sanctuary the plagues are poured out containing the full measure of that wrath of God and the Lamb, bringing destruction and death of the wicked over the world.
The same terror appears at the second resurrection, when the wicked raised then see in kingly and terrible majesty the One they rejected, mocked, and crucified, recognize him, and in anguish flee from his glorious presence to seek shelter in the rocks, for his glory brings them anguish and not the immortal life given to those raised in the first resurrection. At God's voice the saints are made mighty, but they do not then carry out the written judgment, for its execution comes at the close of the thousand years. A recent scene of destruction foreshadowed that terror, seeming like the events of the coming day of wrath and judgment and raising the thought that judgment had come, and on the following day terrible judgment fell on San Francisco.
Preparing to Stand
Every person must ask now from a sincere heart with trembling whether he will endure the great day of wrath, for the question who shall be able to stand points to the danger of being weighed in the balances and found wanting. Those deceived about sin, who break God's law and the everlasting covenant and rely on self-righteousness, will not be ready for that day, and those who are not children of God pressing on to know and do the Lord's will will plead instead to be hidden from the One on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. The work must be done in the precious hours of probation mercifully granted while mercy still lingers and Jesus is making intercession, before grace, peace and pardon are forever withdrawn and He has passed beyond the reach of prayers and entreaties and stepped down from the throne. Preparation therefore must happen beforehand so people may meet the Saviour in peace rather than be absorbed in worldly business and pleasure and call for rocks and mountains to hide them, and its warning stirs desire for pardon and salvation before that day comes.
To stand means to be fully on the Lord's side, awake and certain, not tampering with sin as the source of all misery, not remaining in lethargy and stupid indifference, and not leaving the destiny of the soul upon uncertainty. It requires putting the very best material into character-building, purifying the soul from every stain, denying self, following the light given, and having works correspond with profession of faith, with sincere allegiance, obedience to light received, and abiding in Christ. Formal, partial belief and partial practice of Bible injunctions are not enough, and without the essential qualifications that constitute Christian character eternal life will be lost, for character will stand or fall by God's own moral standard of holiness, not by personal ideas of righteousness. Neglecting or regarding God's warnings with indifference and cherishing or excusing sin seals the soul's destiny, and there will be no shelter in that day without thorough work now and thorough reformation, overcoming an unlovely, meddlesome, impatient, exacting, fault-finding disposition by strong, earnest, zealous effort with strength from One mighty to save in imitation of Jesus' lovely character.
Many have heard of the coming, but because time runs a little longer than they expected they lose interest, stupidity creeps over them, and they sleep and slumber never to awake. They ought to have watched, and if they had watched they would have seen the angels marching through the air proclaiming in solemn clear voices that the great day has arrived and that Jesus comes very soon. The question brings trembling fear, remembrance of past wrongs, and a sense of unworthiness and inability to be saved by oneself, with Satan using that unworthiness to claim the sinner as his property for the dark regions. Standing is given only by redemption to God through the precious blood of Jesus as His purchased possession, which breaks Satan's claim and makes him flee, and those so bought receive changed garments and the mantle and rise with lighted faces and gratitude to meet the angels in the air. Doubling diligence to make calling and election sure is therefore required, and the call to prepare, prepare must be sounded urgently in the ears of the people by messengers who themselves are awake and energetic, standing between the living and the dead and setting a holy, lively example in conversation and actions as those looking for the appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Preparing a people to stand in that great day is the present solemn work appointed to Christians, and they must not sleep but act with urgency and not abandon it. It includes using every opportunity to win people to love God and keep His commandments through unselfish labor for the salvation of others, with aggressive missionary labor in every city and place with publications, workers, and resources for souls. Those who proclaim the coming must do this work by following the course of the early disciples, continuing all the more earnestly in prayer with one accord for the promised Holy Spirit, in one faith and spirit with no speculations or curious theory about how the blessing will come. Being able to stand requires oneness in faith and oneness in purpose, with those doing the work one with no variance, breathing the same spirit and engaged in the same work, and before Christ's second coming a work like John the Baptist's must call people to repent and prepare to meet God with a direct and faithful message rebuking sin even when doing so puts the messenger's life in danger.
That preparation is served by medical missionary work relieving suffering in a world corrupted by sin, which is not inferior to other gospel work but serves as an arm and hand supporting the gospel ministry, with thorough instruction in God's Word essential to save souls. God designs His sanitariums, publishing-houses, and schools to be a means of preparing a people to stand, and He brings a people out of the world and gives them wisdom to become co-workers in preparing others for a pure and holy heaven. The essential knowledge taught in schools is to prepare a people for that day and for God's service in immortal life, for without prior training none will be ready to join the holy, happy harmony of the redeemed. Yet medical missionary methods and inventions cannot take the place of the gospel ministry or prepare that people by displacing it, for the ministry must retain its sacred character and must not be belittled.
Readiness is tested by proving faithful to principle, to God's law, truth, and righteousness when these are despised and most people oppose them, with loyalty and obedience preparing people to stand through trouble and Satan's deceptions. Studying Scripture keeps them firm in eternal truth, with Christ their Captain and mighty Saviour helping them in their battles, while steadfast teaching of leading points and landmarks and faithful delivery of given messages is required, since unfaithfulness leaves souls lost and brings fearful judgment. The judgments already seen in storms, floods, tempests, earthquakes, and dangers on land and sea warn that wrath will be poured out, pressing sinners to repent, seek mercy through Christ, and be ready before that day arrives when they would plead in vain for refuge. Faithfulness to the end brings the promise of eating from the tree of life and drinking from the river of life, though it may involve suffering sustained by God's grace, while unfaithfulness, covetousness, and worldly gain end in terror before His face, whose light will shine brighter than the sun in the city of God.