The Closing Messages of the Gospel

THE apostles and primitive Christians were Second Adventists in the sense that they believed that the "same Jesus" with whom they had associated, listening to his gracious words and leaning upon his bosom, would "so come in like manner" as they had "seen him go into heaven," Acts 1:11, or, in other words, that he should "appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Heb. 9:28. They looked forward to this great event as that which should close probation and the preaching of the gospel, and bring the time of their reward. "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:12. "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." Matt. 16:27.

Some supposed that the apostolic church looked for the coming of Christ immediately, or in their own day. It is possible that some did indulge this expectation; but if they did, they were corrected by the pen of inspiration, and cautioned against believing that that event was at hand. Speaking of it the apostle says, "Now we beseech you, brethren, by [concerning] the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."

An apostasy from the truth was first to come which would result in the establishment of that wicked power prophesied of in Dan. 7:25, a power that was to persecute true believers, and bear rule for 1260 years. This time must all pass, before they could scripturally expect the second coming. When the papacy was abolished by the French and the pope taken a prisoner of war in 1798, then the church might cherish the hope that the advent is drawing near; for this prophecy being fulfilled, this testimony of the apostle no longer forbids the expectation.

The argument of the apostle is simply this: Every prediction of the prophets must be fulfilled; hence all that is foretold as a part of the history of the church during her state of trial here until her great deliverance comes by the advent of the Saviour, must of necessity take place before that event shall come. This is plain and easy to be understood. Those events that were foretold as signs of Christ's coming must of necessity all appear before his coming. We know by signs fulfilled that his coming is near, even at the door; but he will not come till every event predicted in prophecy to precede his coming has transpired. But there are messages of special warning to the world to be given before the coming of Christ. Rev. 14:6-12. These are promised, and they must come first. No one can consistently look for his coming immediately, unless they can point to the fulfillment of these warnings. We believe that the second coming is near, because, in addition to the fulfillment of other signs and prophecies, we can point to the fulfillment of these closing proclamations of warnings to mankind. It is the object of this writing to show that these warnings are being given. This is one of the most certain signs that the great final event is at hand. To those who profess to believe the event to be imminent —that it may come at once—we ask, Where are these promised warnings? Are they being fulfilled in the earth? If they are, you can give us the evidence; if they are not, all will have to wait for their appearing first, and then for the coming of the Son of man. Rev. 14:14. We shall attempt to show that these three messages have been announced in the given order, and that they are now being proclaimed to the nations of the earth; consequently, that the last scene in the great drama of human probation is already opened and being enacted!

Prophecy must have its fulfillment; but those who are blinded by unbelief will not see it until it is too late. It was so with the leaders in religion at the first advent of Christ. Paul truly said, "For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him." Acts 13:27. We need not expect that these last warnings will be fulfilled in such a manner as to compel all to believe them. If that should be the case, the day of wrath would not come unexpectedly, as the flood came in the days of Noah; but Jesus said that it would. Said he, "For as it was in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:38, 39.

Many do not realize their unbelief; especially in respect to the fulfillment of prophecy. They suppose they have faith; yet they look upon the most simple, plain, and evident fulfillments, with doubt and unbelief. To those who are thus afflicted I would say for their encouragement, The Author of prophecy, and he alone, is responsible for its fulfillment. He will take care of that; and he will not deceive us, nor suffer trusting souls to be deceived by a false fulfillment. Therefore when predicted events occur in the proper time and order to correspond with the prophecy, it is the fulfillment; and it is perfectly safe to believe. If this were not so—if divine prophecies were not divinely guarded in their fulfillment—we should have no responsibility in the matter, and unbelief would be justifiable, and not a sin.

But we are responsible for our lack of faith. Unbelief is still a sin. Israel of old, many of them, failed of entering into their promised rest, because of unbelief; and we are exhorted and warned not to fall after the same example of unbelief. See Heb. 3:12-19; 4:1-11. The apostle Peter says, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed." 2 Peter 1:19. He also teaches us to "be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets." Ch. 3:2. And of the book of Revelation it is said, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein." Rev. 1:3.

The strongest evidence that can be given of the fulfillment of prophecy is the fact that the events foretold take place just as it was foretold that they should. And when events transpire so perfectly in harmony, with the predictions that we cannot show a disagreement, and thus prove that they are not the fulfillment, we are bound to accept of them as the genuine fulfillment. Let the reader bear this self-evident rule in mind, and apply it in the case of the prophecy under consideration; and if you cannot prove that we are wrong in what we claim as its fulfillment, accept of it as truth; and you may feel a perfect confidence that your faith is founded in the infallible word of God, the sure word of prophecy.

Whenever these final warnings are proclaimed to mankind, as promised in the prophecy, they will be the all-important truth for the time. Nothing else can be of such thrilling interest; for eternal consequences will depend upon the course men take with reference to them. If it is barely possible that these judgment messages are being proclaimed in our own time, it is a subject which demands our most earnest and careful examination. To be indifferent to it is to trifle in regard to our eternal destiny. Let us then give the subject the prayerful consideration which its importance demands, and not remain in willing ignorance, and as the consequence, have the day of the Lord come upon us as the flood upon the antediluvians.