Matthew XXIV

PROFESSOR OLMSTEAD, of Yale College, said that they who were so fortunate as to witness the falling stars on Nov. 13, 1833, probably beheld the greatest display of celestial fireworks that has ever been seen since the creation of the world,—certainly the greatest that has ever occurred within the time covered by the annals of history. It was more than "a shower," as it has been called. They began to fall as early as 11 o'clock and increased until they truly resembled a shower, but of many hours' continuance. We witnessed them in all their glory, for nearly three hours, till they were obscured by the light of dawning day. And when the day dispelled the appearance they were still falling as numerous as ever, as was proved by their being visible in the west when the advancing light of the sun rendered them invisible in the east. During their fall the largest and brightest would leave a mark of light down the heavens like a mark of phosphorous on a wall in a dark room. When it became so light that the mass of them could no longer be seen, one would occasionally make its presence known by such a penciling of the sky. No description can give one any conception of the grandeur and glory of the scene. As our memory recalls it we feel that the power of God was manifest to make known to the student of prophecy that the coming of the Son of man is near.

By comparing the testimony of the Evangelists we find these signs still more definitely located. We have noticed that the greatest tribulation or affliction which ever befell the church of Christ was under the Papal Roman power. This power was symbolized by the "little horn" of Dan. 7, into whose hands the saints of the Most High were given for a thousand two hundred and threescore prophetic days—1260 years. This period commenced A.D. 538, and ended when the civil power fell from the hands of papcy by the imprisonement and exile of Pious VI. in 1798. The persecution began to wane under the German Reformation, and ended in the first half of the eightenteeth century. To this the Saviour doubtless referred when he spoke of shortening the days of affliction for the elect's sake. The affliction ceased before the expiration of the days spoken of by the prophet. And Mark says, "In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened." Mark 13:24. This was actually fulfilled, in that order. The days of prophecy closed at the very close the eighteenth centry. The power was still in the hands of the papacy, but unused; the affliction was past; the long, dark night of persecution upon the church of Christ had come to an end; there was a respite "for the elect's sake," lest no flesh should be saved—lest the faithful witnesses for Jesus should be exterminated by the power and malice of the Inquisition. And in this time of respite, while yet the power lingered in the hands of the man of sin, the sun was darkened—God's signs "in the heavens above" commenced their fulfillment. The darkening of the sun in 1780 was the greatest that ever was known, and it took place at the very time specificed in the "sure word of prophecy."

We have now considered the signs of Matt. 24 in connection with a class of evidences which we consider fully sufficient to disprove the current idea that the coming of the Lord referred to the destruction of Jerusalem. We will answer a few objections, and make the application of the prophecy.

"ALL THESE THINGS."

It is suggested that there are other things besides the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, which take place, according to this prophecy, and we are to look for "all these things" before we are to expect the coming of the Lord. If the reader will look carefully at the connection, he will see that, following these signs, five things are mentioned before the parable of the fig-tree is given. (1.) The shaking of the powers of the heavens. (2.) The appearing of the sign of the Son of man. (3.) The mourning of all the tribes of the earth. (4.) The coming of the Son of man in power and great glory. (5.) Sending his angels to gather his elect. Surely no one will contend that "all these things" shall take place before we have a right to expect the coming of the Lord as an event near at hand. We cannot say his coming is yet near in the future when he has come and gathered his saints to himself in glory.

Thus it is seen that we have to draw a line between those things which are signs of his coming, and those things which take place at his coming. Where shall this line be drawn? We say between the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and the things which follow. All that follow the three signs, are connected with the immediate coming of the Lord. We need notice only the first—the shaking of the power of the heavens.

1. Paul teaches in Hebrews 12, that as the voice of God once shook the earth, in the days of Moses, so once more will the voice of God shake both earth and heaven. Once more the voice of God from Heaven will be heard, and heaven and earth will be shaken thereby.

2. In Rev. 6 following the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, it is said, "And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together;" and this is accompanied with an earthquake so great that every mountain and island are moved out of their places. Thus the heavens and earth are shaken, and the people upon the earth call to the rocks and mountains to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. They will understand at that time that the the Lamb of God, he who has been their intercessor, has taken vengeance into his hands, and no probation remains for the impenitent. Compare 2 Thess. 1:7-10.

3. In Rev. 16:17-21 we learn that the voice of God is heard from Heaven, and the consequent commotion of the elements takes place, under the seventh and last plague, "in which [the plagues] is filled up the wrath of God." Under this plague the battle of the great day is fought. Heaven's artillery is the great hail storm. Compare Eze. 13. Under the sixth plague the Saviour announces his coming as future, but very near.

4. Isaiah, in ch. 2, and also 13, prophesies of the same shaking, and the dismay of the inhabitants of the earth, who seek a hiding place in the rocks for fear of the majesty of the Lord, locating it in "the day of the Lord."

5. Jeremiah, in ch. 25, locates the speaking of God from Heaven at the time of the great battle, when all the kingdoms of the earth shall drink of the cup of God's fury, and fall and rise no more; when "evil shall go forth from nation to nation," because the Lord has a controversy with them, and he "will give all the wicked to the sword." The destruction of the wicked shall be so complete and universal that "they shall not be lamented, neither gathered nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground."

6. Joel also speaks of the time when the voice of God is heard from Heaven, and says it is when the battle of the nations is come; when the sickle is put in because the harvest is ripe. Joel 3:9-16.

7. Jesus said, "The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels;" and says at the harvest the Son of man shall send forth his angels to separate the wheat from the tares. Matt. 13:37-43.

8. John also says the harvest is reaped when the Son of man appears upon the great white cloud. Rev. 14:14-18.

9. A message—a most solemn message—of warning is given before the Son of man appears upon the white cloud to reap the harvest of the earth, and the seven last plagues are poured out after this message and before the advent. After the message—for the first plague is poured out upon the very ones denounced in the message; compare ch. 14:9-12, and 16:1, 2. And before the advent—for under the sixth plague the Lord warns of his coming near, and the great battle is fought under the seventh, which is fought just at the period of his coming.

Inasmuch as he comes in the glory of his Father, and all his holy angels with him, it is certain that there will be such glory and splendor as this world has never yet beheld. We believe the distant appearance of this cloud, of this most resplendent glory, far, far beyond the brightness of the sun, will be that "sign of the Son of man" which shall cause all the tribes of the earth to mourn. They will have heard and rejected the evidences of his near coming. Then, when too late, they will realize their terrible mistake and their hopeless condition. This will cause them to seek a hiding place from the dazzling and, to them, fearful sight.

We do not here take time to fully develop the argument concerning the shaking of the powers of the heavens; but from this brief view we think it must appear conclusive to all, that the shaking of the powers of the heavens is not a sign to prove to the waiting church that the Lord's coming draws near, but is an event which takes place in immediate connection with the Lord's appearing. It therefore follows that the signs in the sun, moon, stars, are the only signs here given whereby we may feel the strongest assurance that his coming is near. And these are already fulfilled. Therefore now is the time to watch, for his coming is near indeed.

We do not say there are no more prophecies to be fulfilled before the Lord comes. The warning of the angel of Rev. 14:9-12 must do its work—must lead the people of God to that perfect obedience to "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus," to that preparation and consecration which will insure their being sealed with the seal of God in their foreheads, that they may be preserved from the evil to come, in the day of the Lord's anger—in the pouring out of the plagues of his wrath. See Zeph. 2:1-3.

Another objection is based on verse 36.

"OF THAT DAY AND HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN."

Reference is often made to this verse with as much confidence as if it were a sufficient refutation of every argument in favor of the truth that his coming is near. We accept the declaration of this verse; we accept all the Scriptures. May we ask the objector, Do you believe this scripture? Perhaps he will say, "Yes; I believe that no man can tell the day nor the hour of his coming." We also believe that; but that is not all that the Saviour said. Do you believe his word? Do you believe that you may know, by the signs which he has given, when his coming is near, even at the door? Here is the test of your confidence in the teachings of our blessed Lord. We have this confidence; we fully believe we may know. Nay, more; we believe we must know,—that we are commanded to know, and not to slight the Saviour's warnings. And we believe it will be just as fatal for us not to know, as it was for the inhabitants of the earth in the days of Noah not to know when the flood was coming. Matt. 24:36-39.

It is quite possible to know that an event is near, without knowing the day and hour when it will occur. Plain as this distinction is, the objectors seem to overlook it altogether. An illustration of this is afforded in an incident which transpired a few years ago. We were holding meetings in the northern part of Ohio; it was in the Spring of the year. Having one evening presented the Bible evidences that the coming of the Lord is near, we were hailed next morning by a gentleman who was planting his garden, and requested to tell him at what time we thought the Lord would come. Of course we told him we knew nothing about that; we left it where the Scriptures leave it, that it is near, but just how near we have no knowledge. But he insisted that, inasmuch as we were very confident that his coming is near, we must have formed some idea of the definite time, and he would not be satisfied unless we told him. So it often is, that the idea of definite time is firmly fixed in the minds of opposers, while it never is in ours. Failing to satisfy him by denials we changed the conversation to his work. He was planting corn. We asked him if he expected that the corn would soon "come up." He answered, yes. And why? There is good reason to expect it. The season is well advanced; the ground is moist and warm. Then you feel assured, even to certainty, that it will come up soon. Again the answer was, yes. Then, we continued, as you are certain that it will come up soon, please tell at what exact time you think it will come up? By pressing this point a little, he was led to confess that his request was not a reasonable one;—that we may be certain that an event is near, and not know the exact time when it will occur.

And why not be equally positive in both cases? Our Saviour's parable is based upon the very facts which led this man to feel assured that his corn would come up soon. "Now learn a parable of the fig-tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh." And so it is; we do not guess; we do not doubt; we know. "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that he is near, even at the door."

The only way imaginable in which this certainty can be evaded, is to say that the parable itself is based on certain facts which are yet matters of dispute, and therefore matters of uncertainty. But then the question arises, Would the Saviour build a parable of such certainty, and command us to know it as a certainty, and rest the whole fabric on uncertainties? Impossible. We insist that the signs are not uncertainties. They are made uncertain only by mystifying process which leaves everything in doubt and obscurity to which it is applied. By the working of this process we have no "sure word of prophecy" left of us. But by taking the statements of our Saviour as literal truths we have harmony in statement and certainty in fulfillment.

We hoped to be able to conclude our remarks on this chapter in this paper, but shall have to defer the application for another opportunity.