THE SECOND STAGE OF THE LORD'S COMING, AND THE \JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS-[EPOCH 8]
AT this great epoch we come to a stupendous crisis in the history of the world, and a most awful judgment of the wicked nations that are found in open rebellion against God at the end of the present age.
It is presented to us in the Word under various aspects, such as—
1. The appearing and second stage of the Lord's coming.
2. The day of the Lord.
3. The harvest and vintage.
4. The battle of that great day of God Almighty.
5. The judgment of the nations.
In this chapter we shall consider the different ways in which this great day is set forth, with the principal scriptures relating to it.
We have already partly anticipated the remarks we have now to make on this subject, when contrasting it with the first stage of the Lord's coming, and may consequently be under the necessity of repeating some of the previous statements, as it is difficult to avoid this when looking at a subject from different points of view. At the same time, it cannot be otherwise than profitable to review a matter of such great importance as this, though much may have to be repeated, if thereby it be better understood, and more deeply impressed on the memory.
The Scriptures both of the Old and of the New Testaments, as might be expected, abound in references to this important subject, in which the most sublime and expressive language is employed to set it forth. It will, however, be sufficient for our purpose just to note briefly the chief or salient points of this great epoch, and the circumstances connected with it, as deduced from these various Scriptures, together with some of the leading passages referring thereto; while for those who may wish to further pursue the study of this intensely solemn subject, a list of the principal passages relating to it is given in the footnote below.
STAGE OF THE LORD'S COMING (THE "DAY OF THE LORD"):—
Matt. 7:22; 13:39-41, 49; 16:27; 24:27-31; 25:19, 31, 32; 26:6422Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (Matthew 7:22)
39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:39‑41)
49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, (Matthew 13:49)
27For 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. (Matthew 16:27)
27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:27‑31)
19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. (Matthew 25:19)
31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (Matthew 25:31‑32)
64Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:64); Mark 8:38; 13:26; 14:6238Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:38)
26And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:26)
62And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Mark 14:62); Luke 9:26; 12:45, 46; 17:24-30; 18:8; 19:15-27; 21:27, 2826For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:26)
45But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. (Luke 12:45‑46)
24For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. 25But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. 26And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (Luke 17:24‑30)
8I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)
15And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. 17And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. 20And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. 22And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 23Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? 24And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 25(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) 26For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. 27But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. (Luke 19:15‑27)
27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21:27‑28); Acts 1:11; 2:19-2111Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)
19And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: 20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:19‑21); 1 Cor. 1:8; 4:58Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:8)
5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1 Corinthians 4:5); 2 Cor. 1:1414As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus. (2 Corinthians 1:14); Phil. 2:1616Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. (Philippians 2:16); Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4); 1 Thess. 3:1313To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13); 1 Thess. 5:2-42For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. (1 Thessalonians 5:2‑4); 2 Thess. 1:7-107And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑10); 2 Thess. 2:2, 3, 82That 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. 3Let 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; (2 Thessalonians 2:2‑3)
8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2 Thessalonians 2:8); 1 Tim. 6:1414That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: (1 Timothy 6:14); 2 Tim. 4:1, 81I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2 Timothy 4:1)
8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8); Titus. 2:13; Heb. 9:2828So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28); 1 Peter 1:7, 13; 4:13, 5:47That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (1 Peter 1:7)
13Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:13); 2 Peter 1:16; 116For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16) John; 2 Jude 1414And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, (Jude 14); Rev. 1:7; 3:3; 14: 14-20; 19:11-21; 22:127Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
3Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. (Revelation 3:3)
11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11‑21)
12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12).
A FEW LEADING PASSAGES, SELECTED FROM A GREAT MANY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT REFER TO THE "DAY OF THE LORD ":—
Psa. 2:2-9; 9:8; 98:8, 9; 110:1-72The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, 3Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalm 2:2‑9)
8And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. (Psalm 9:8)
8Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together 9Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. (Psalm 98:8‑9)
1<<A Psalm of David.>> The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 3Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. 4The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 5The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. 6He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. 7He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head. (Psalm 110:1‑7); Isa. 2:10-21; 26:21; 40:10; 61:2; 66:15-1810Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty. 11The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. 12For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: 13And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, 14And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, 15And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, 16And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. 17And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. 18And the idols he shall utterly abolish. 19And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. 20In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; 21To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. (Isaiah 2:10‑21)
21For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. (Isaiah 26:21)
10Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. (Isaiah 40:10)
2To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (Isaiah 61:2)
15For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many. 17They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord. 18For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Isaiah 66:15‑18); Jer. 25:30, 3130Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 25:30‑31); Ezek. 17-21, 28, 29; Dan. 2:44, 45; 7:13, 14, 22, 26, 27, 8:2544And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. (Daniel 2:44‑45); Joel 2:11, 30, 31; 3:13-1611And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? (Joel 2:11)
30And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. (Joel 2:30‑31)
13Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 16The 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 3:13‑16); Zeph. 1:7, 14-18; 3:87Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. (Zephaniah 1:7)
14The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 15That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. 17And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. 18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. (Zephaniah 1:14‑18)
8Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. (Zephaniah 3:8); Hag. 2:7, 227And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2:7)
22And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. (Haggai 2:22); Zech. 14:3-93Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 6And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. 8And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. (Zechariah 14:3‑9); Mal. 4:1-51For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. 4Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: (Malachi 4:1‑5).)
The main facts of this momentous crisis are therefore condensed and summarized under the following heads:—
1. Certain signs in the heavens and on the earth are to appear shortly before this great event transpires, and in this respect it will be very different from the first stage of the Lord's coming, before which no such signs are to occur. "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come" (Joel 2:30, 3130And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. (Joel 2:30‑31); Acts 2:19, 2019And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: 20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: (Acts 2:19‑20)). " Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven; and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven " (Matt. 24:29, 3029Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:29‑30); Mark 13:24-2624But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:24‑26)). " And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken " (Luke 21:25, 2625And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. (Luke 21:25‑26)).
Of course it would be impossible for anyone to say precisely what these great signs will be, as the remarkable language employed to describe them may in one sense be regarded as literal, and in another as figurative. There is every reason to suppose that there will be at such a momentous time as this, just before the manifestation of the Lord Himself, at the second stage of His coming, some extraordinary and miraculous signs in the heavenly bodies, as well as on the earth; while the rulers and great leaders of the world, so often represented in Revelation by the sun, moon, and stars, may be cast down from their seats of authority and influence, and so answer to the figurative interpretation.
But whatever these signs, they will be instantly recognized when they appear, and evidently be most appalling in their terrible effects upon the inhabitants of the earth, producing a state of general commotion and alarm, especially throughout the nations that are found in a state of rebellion against God and His people.
At the opening of the sixth seal, similar signs in the sun, moon, and stars are mentioned, together with a great earthquake: " And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and. the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth," &c. (Rev. 6:12, 1312And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. (Revelation 6:12‑13)). It is, I believe, rightly assumed by most writers on the Apocalypse that the language here is entirely symbolical, referring to the terrible revolutions and upheavals in political, social, commercial, and religious affairs, by which governmental authority will be upset, and society at large terribly disorganized. If taken literally, there would obviously be an end to everything in the world, and no time left for the occurrence of events after this period.
The effects produced by these revolutions will be (as it often has been when great earthquakes or other calamities occur) to lead people to conclude that the last day of judgment has come; and in their awful fear, stimulated by their evil consciences, they imagine the Lord is about to sit on His throne of judgment, and call on the mountains and rocks to, hide them from His presence. It is evident, however, the Lord does not come at this time (except in the imaginary fears of the people), because if He did, there would be no time left for all the trumpets, the vials, and the other events recorded after the sixth vial, to take place.
But at the crisis we are now considering, this very day of the Lord will actually come, when the Lord, the righteous Judge, will sit on His throne to judge the nations, and will send His angels to "gather out of His kingdom all offenses, and those that practice lawlessness" (Matt. 13:4141The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41)).
At this time, therefore, there will indeed be real cause for the deepest alarm, and for the wicked saying to the 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" (Rev. 6:1616And said to the 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: (Revelation 6:16)).
These are the preliminary scenes that are to precede the great crisis which closes the present age. Yet it would seem from a passage in Joel 2:3232And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:32), quoted in Acts 2:2121And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:21), that even at this last moment, when these signs and wonders begin to appear, any who really repent, and call on the name of the Lord, will be delivered: " And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
How marvelously the abounding mercy of God shines out, in His thus lingering and yearning over rebellious sinners to the last moment, " not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)).
2. It is the second stage of the Lord's coming, and the world shall behold Him on this occasion. "Then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:2626And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:26), and Luke 21:2727And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (Luke 21:27)). " Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven " (Matt. 26:6464Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:64)). Because He will thus appear as the Almighty Judge of the whole world, there will be the most fearful and unprecedented wailing and mourning, and great terror all over the earth. " Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall the tribes of the land mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory " (Matt. 24:3030And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)). " Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all tribes of the land 'shall wail because of Him " (Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)). How different this from the first stage of His coming, to take up the saints to heaven, when they alone shall see Him.
Hence this second stage is called the time of His appearing or revelation, and is thus distinguished from His coming for His saints. " The Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom " (2 Tim. 4:11I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2 Timothy 4:1)). " Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:1313Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13)). "When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels" (2 Thess. 1:77And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (2 Thessalonians 1:7); 1 Peter 4:1313But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:13)). "Waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ" 1 Cor. 1:77So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: (1 Corinthians 1:7)). "Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed " (Luke 17:3030Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (Luke 17:30)).
3. The saints of God, translated to heaven at the first resurrection, will appear with the Lord on this solemn occasion.
"The Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints" (Jude 1414And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, (Jude 14)). "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory " (Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)). " To the end He may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" (1 Thess. 3:1313To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13)). "We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is "(1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)). Thus we see, from this last verse, that the saints will not only be with the Lord on that occasion, but also be like Him in their risen and glorified bodies, given to them at the Rapture.
Just before they come forth with the Lord, there will be a marvelous and most glorious scene in heaven, "the marriage supper of the Lamb." The Bridegroom has His bride, and the announcement is hailed in heaven with loud hallelujahs and great rejoicing: " Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife bath made herself ready" (Rev. 19:7, 97Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)
9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. (Revelation 19:9)). Then heaven is opened, and the Lord comes forth on a white horse (symbolically) in all the splendor of His majesty, as the KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." "And the armies which were in heaven (the risen saints) followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (Rev. 19:11-1411And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:11‑14)).
These armies could not be angels, though doubtless innumerable hosts of these holy beings will also accompany the Lord and His saints, as we learn from other scriptures; but it could never be said of angels that they were " clothed' in fine linen, white and clean," because that would imply previous defilement. Besides, we are plainly told in Rev. 19:88And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. (Revelation 19:8), " That she (the bride) should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white (or bright and pure): for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints." Furthermore, no one could surely suppose for a moment that the saints seen already in heaven at the marriage of the Lamb, could be merely 'disembodied spirits, or souls; for we see that the bride " hath made herself ready," that is, the pre-ordained number of the saints of the one body, the Church, is gathered in at this time, perfectly complete, in 'all the full glory of their new resurrection bodies, "fashioned like unto His glorious body." In accordance with this fact, they, like the Lord Himself, appear following Him "upon white horses (symbolically), clothed in fine linen, white and clean." It would be most incongruous to think of spirits, thus represented, as coming on white horses with the Lord, when He appears in His glorified body on a similar white horse, to be seen by every eye on that great day.
Moreover, we are expressly told, as already noticed, that "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory" (Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)).
So that the " armies which were in heaven "—or more correctly, which are in heaven (R.V.)—are beyond question the risen and glorified saints already in that place, some time before the Lord comes to judge the nations. They must be there in their new bodies before they could come with Him on This day. How and when, we might ask, did they get there? In a previous chapter we have already answered this question, by showing from Scripture that they were raised and translated to heaven at the Rapture, before the tribulation, and they now appear coming with the Lord after that terrible day has come to an end.
Yet, with these and other plain Scriptural statements before them, there are many Bible students, and even writers on the Apocalypse, who do not see the two stages of the Lord's coming, notwithstanding the great difference between them as to the time and circumstances connected with each. Moreover, in consequence of this sad want of discernment many serious mistakes are, made with regard to the interpretation of other important portions of the prophetic word; for it is as important to see the divine order of truth, as it is to understand the truth itself in an abstract way. Indeed, it is only by attending to both these points that we can get a real and deep insight into the Word of God.
The order as to these three prophetic events is—First, the Rapture, or the coming of the Lord for His saints, and the first resurrection; second, the day of tribulation (an interval of at least a few years); and third, the second stage of the Lord's coming, and the judgment of the nations.
4. It is also called the "day of the Lord," or the " day of Christ," or " His day." " The day of Christ is at hand " (2 Thess. 2:22That 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. (2 Thessalonians 2:2), Phil. 1:66Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6)). " For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in His day " (Luke 17:2424For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. (Luke 17:24)). " That ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 1:88Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:8)).
In the Old Testament, the phrases " the day of the Lord," and " that day," are often used interchangeably with reference to this period; but it may be well to bear in mind that, in many instances, these words may have a more extended meaning, and frequently include not only the closing scenes of the great tribulation and the end of this age, but also the millennial reign of Christ, and even down to the end of this world's history after the judgment of the white throne; as we find in 2 Peter 3 Jo, " The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." It is only by carefully noting the context that the limited meaning may be discerned from the extended one.
A large number of references to this great day of the Lord may be found in Scripture, particularly in the Old Testament, displaying a variety of the most solemn facts concerning it, some relating to this second stage of the Lord's coming, and others to the whole time of His authority, judgment, and kingly reign over the earth.
In view of the great prominence that is given to it in the sacred Word, this subject should ever be one of the deepest interest to all true believers, who cannot fail to find it a most profitable study thus to search out these wonderful purposes of God, and one which has a deep practical bearing upon their consciences and daily walk.
A few only of the more direct passages bearing upon the point now before us can be quoted.
"Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come " (Joel 1:1515Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. (Joel 1:15)). " Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? " (Amos 5:2020Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? (Amos 5:20)). " The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers " (Zeph. 1:14-1614The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 15That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. (Zephaniah 1:14‑16)). " But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city" (Luke 10:1212But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. (Luke 10:12)). In Joel 2:3131The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. (Joel 2:31) it is called "the terrible day of the Lord; " in Acts 2:2020The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: (Acts 2:20)-quoted from Joel-the "notable day of the Lord; " and in Mal. 4:55Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: (Malachi 4:5), " the great and dreadful day of the Lord." "The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night" (1 Thess. 5:22For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2)). " It shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth" (Isa. 24:2121And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. (Isaiah 24:21)). "Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen" (Ezek. 30:2,32Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! 3For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen. (Ezekiel 30:2‑3)). "The Lord shall utter His voice, before His army: for His camp is very great: for He is strong that executeth His word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?" (Joel 2:11Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; (Joel 2:1)). (For further references see footnote on page 110.)
5. This notable time is also represented as the harvest and vintage of the world. In Matt. 13:39,4039The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (Matthew 13:39‑40), our Lord says of it, " The harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this age." Thus the harvest gives us the thought of its being a discriminative judgment, a separation of the bad from the good, as we have seen already in the separation of the sheep and the goats of Matt. 25
We have two distinct thoughts in the harvest and vintage, —in the first, separation; and in the second, destruction. And when we compare the prophecies of our Lord with what we find in the Revelation relating specially to this judgment, we see these two thoughts fully borne out, together with the results that follow in each case.
In Matt. 25 we see three classes of persons represented, namely, the " sheep," the "goats," and " My brethren," corresponding to the three mentioned in Revelation during the day of the tribulation. For in chapter 7 we see the 144,000 Jewish sealed ones, some of which—the godly remnant, at least—answer to the class called " My brethren," i.e., the Lord's Jewish brethren; and the great multitude of Gentile saints, the palm-bearers, some of whom will constitute the " sheep; " while the ungodly nations will compose the third class, that is the " goats."
During the tribulation many of the Jewish saints, or brethren, will be active and faithful preachers of the Gospel of the kingdom; and all the Gentiles who then receive and treat them kindly, as the messengers of God, will be regarded as the Lord's sheep, set on His right hand, commended for their kindness to His brethren as having been done to Himself, and addressed with the gracious words, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world " (Matt. 25:3434Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew 25:34)); that is, inherit the millennial kingdom (together with the Jewish saints) about to be established; and not the glory above, as so often interpreted. Then these two classes,—the Jewish brethren and the Gentile sheep,—both corresponding, in part at least, to the sealed 144,000 and the palm-bearers of Rev. 7, after being specially preserved by God through all the troubles and judgments of the tribulation, will be separated from the wicked at this harvest, to enter into, and become the inhabitants of, the restored millennial earth; while of the goats (the wicked nations) it is said, " These shall go away into everlasting punishment." The destruction of the wicked will be at the vintage, immediately following the harvest.
We will now turn to the Apocalypse, and see what is said there about the harvest and the vintage.
In Rev. 14:14-1614And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. (Revelation 14:14‑16) we read: "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud One sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for Thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped."
Again we see, as in Matt. 25, the Son of man, the Lord Jesus, coming upon the clouds of heaven, crowned with a golden crown, the figure of His most glorious and divine majesty, to judge the living nations on the earth, and symbolically represented as a mighty Reaper, with a sharp sickle in His hand. The immediate and momentous result is announced in the very solemn and significant words, And the earth was reaped!" This seems to represent the harvest. Then in verses 17 to 20 we have the terrible vintage described; "And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs."
The Lord alone could act as the discriminating judge between good and evil, and He therefore directs the harvest Himself,—the separation of the wheat from the tares, or of the sheep from the goats.
But when judgment is to be executed upon the wicked, as in this vintage, He either employs His servants, the mighty angels, to do it, or associates them with Himself in the execution of it. Hence we see here two additional angels—one having a sharp sickle, as the Lord Himself, and the other having power over fire—engaged in gathering " the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe." The wicked deeds, the sour wild grapes or evil fruits (from the "vine of Sodom," Deut. 32:3232For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: (Deuteronomy 32:32)) of an ungodly and hypocritical world, have at length come to their full, and are therefore ripe for judgment. Then, when their deeds are fully brought into the light, the angel with the sickle gathers "the vine of the earth " (that is, the wicked themselves, who have borne nothing but evil and bitter fruits all their days), which is now cast " into the great winepress of the wrath of God." How inexpressibly awful this will be, and what unutterable woe and anguish, that may soon descend upon the wicked and rebellious nations of this earth, are expressed in these few pregnant words! It is sad to think that there are vast multitudes in Christendom upon whom such words, even though often heard or read by them, make no impression whatever, owing to the blinding and hardening effects of sin and unbelief !
This same time of the harvest and vintage is also mentioned in Joel 3:13-1613Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 16The 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 3:13‑16), where the Jewish aspect of this concluding judgment is presented to us. It is apparently connected with the great battle in the valley of Jehoshaphat, taking place either immediately after it, or simultaneously with it. "Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 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."
6. Another remarkable view of this tremendous crisis is found in the concluding part of the great vision of Dan. 2, where a stone, cut out of the mountain without human hands, smites the image and breaks it to pieces.
We have seen that great metallic image, representing the four successive Gentile kingdoms or empires, in their governmental history, from the days of Nebuchadnezzar down to the end of this age, deteriorating (as to their principles of government and organization) from the gold of the Babylonian period to the silver of the Medo-Persian, and from the brass of the Grecian to the iron of the Roman.
Last of all, we come to the feeblest and most imperfect form of governmental rule, the mixture of the miry clay with the iron in the feet of the image, producing, as Daniel says, brokenness or brittleness; showing, in the light of heaven, that the vaunted boast of the nations of these days that they are becoming stronger and better, is a sadly mistaken notion. While contemplating the brittleness and disintegration produced by the clay element, which so aptly represents (as we have seen in a previous chapter) the unprecedented forms of democracy that are now rapidly developing all over the world, we surely cannot but conclude that we have at length come nearly to the close of the history of the Gentile nations; as the image ends with the feet and toes, in which we see the clay mixed with the iron.
As the various forms of democracy and general iniquity rise to the full height of lawlessness, we behold a mighty stone suddenly descending, striking the image on the feet with irresistible force, and breaking it to pieces. "Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them" (Dan. 2:34, 3534Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. (Daniel 2:34‑35)).
We see, in these expressive symbols, the Lord Jesus Christ, the "Stone," coming in all the might of His divine power to judge the rebellious nations, and to destroy them.
Thus too the " times of the Gentiles " will be fulfilled, and those kingdoms that have existed and continued in power for over two thousand years, and are found at the end in direct opposition to God and to His truth, will be entirely swept away, never to be revived again as ruling powers.
Our Lord, in alluding to this event, uses the very same symbol, with reference to Himself, as the One who is to execute judgment. "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder " (Matt. 21:4444And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. (Matthew 21:44)). The Jewish nation fell on that stone, and was scattered all over the world. "Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block." On Him they fell and were broken; but when the stone falls upon the nations, as we have seen in Daniel, it will grind them to powder! Furthermore, the falling of this stone upon the wicked takes place at the very close of this dispensation, indeed it is the momentous event that brings it to an end; for as soon as these nations are swept away, the stone becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth (v. 35). That is, the Lord will then immediately set up His millennial kingdom, and become the one rightful Sovereign of the whole world. "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (v. 44).
7. It will also be the battle of that great day of God Almighty, and, as already noticed, the judgment of the nations.
Under the sixth vial, we have seen the two different gatherings to the great battle in the land of Palestine; the kings from the east with their armies, and the kings of the earth and of the whole world,—meaning probably the Roman, or prophetic, earth, or western nations.
Bearing in mind the several passages already quoted from the prophecies with reference to these gatherings, and the circumstances connected with them, we may form a fairly correct idea of the state of affairs in Palestine and at Jerusalem at this time of the end, and of the order of the events that will take place on the occasion of this great battle, as well as of the results that follow.
In the first place, we see the Jews partially restored to their own land. Under the seven years covenant with the Roman prince, a temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem (not Ezekiel's temple), the godly remnant worshipping there, and in some measure owned of God (Rev. 11 I); while the mass or majority of the Jews—the " many "—with whom the prince had made a covenant, are being led by the Antichrist into the most abominable apostasy and idolatry. He, reigning as king in Jerusalem (owning allegiance and subjection to the Roman prince, as the imperial head 'and suzerain of Palestine), sets up an image of the first beast in the temple, and commands the Jews to worship it (" the abomination of desolation," Matt. 24:1515When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15)); to which decree the majority will submit (Matt. 12:43-4543When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. (Matthew 12:43‑45)). Many of the godly remnant who refuse to receive the mark of the beast, and to worship his image, are slain (Rev. 11:77And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. (Revelation 11:7)), and there is great distress and tribulation in consequence. It is "the time of Jacob's trouble." Near the end the king of the south (Egypt) goes to war with the king at Jerusalem (" shall push at him "); when the king of the north also comes down like a whirlwind, to oppose the king of the south, and to fight against the Jews, for the possession of their land (Dan. 11:40, 4140And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. (Daniel 11:40‑41)).
Jerusalem is taken by the nations, led by the king of the north (judging from Isa. 28:15, 1815Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: (Isaiah 28:15)
18And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. (Isaiah 28:18), Ezek. 38:2-162Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3And say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armor, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 7Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 8After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. 9Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. 10Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: 11And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 12To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 13Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? 14Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord God; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? 15And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 16And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. (Ezekiel 38:2‑16), Dan. 8:23-2523And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:23‑25), and Dan. 11:40, 4140And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. (Daniel 11:40‑41)), and the Jews therein subjected to the most terrible hardships (Zech. 14:22For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2)). Then this king drives back the Egyptians, and following them to Egypt, overcomes them there, and takes much spoil (Dan. 11:4343But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. (Daniel 11:43)). Turning northwards again, "with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many,' and with fresh allies gathered from Africa, the Libyans and Ethiopians at his steps, he returns to Palestine to complete his conquests; where he plants "the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain" (Dan. 11:4545And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. (Daniel 11:45).)
The mass of the apostate Jews, confiding in the covenant made with their protector, the Roman prince, appeal to him, for help against their northern foes. But, notwithstanding their confidence in him, as being able to deliver them in this their time of extreme need, " the overflowing scourge (the king of the north) shall pass through," and they " shall be trodden down by it" (Isa. 28:1818And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. (Isaiah 28:18)).
The prince and the kings of the earth—that is, of the western nations—hasten to help the king in Jerusalem, and the apostate Jews under his influence (Dan. 11:36-3936And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. 37Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 38But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. (Daniel 11:36‑39)); while the pious Jews are crying to Jehovah to deliver them from their enemies, who are oppressing them, from the north as well as from the south, fighting against each other for the possession of Palestine, and, at the same time, persecuting the godly remnant on all sides.
The faithful Israelites, being thus overwhelmed by these terrible foes, earnestly cry to the God of Israel for help in their extremity, in the language of their Psalms; many of which will be found as applicable to this period, as they were to former times of trouble. "O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheritance; Thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. The dead bodies of Thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of Thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.... How long, Lord? wilt Thou be angry forever? shall Thy jealousy burn like fire? Pour out Thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known Thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not, called upon Thy name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling-place " (Psa. 79:1, 2, 5-71<<A Psalm of Asaph.>> O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. 2The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. (Psalm 79:1‑2)
5How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire? 6Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. 7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. (Psalm 79:5‑7)). " Keep not Thou silence, O God: hold not Thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, Thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate Thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against Thy people, and consulted against Thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.... Let them be confounded and troubled forever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: that men may know that Thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High over all the earth" (Psa. 83:1-4, 17, 181<<A Song or Psalm of Asaph.>> Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. 2For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. 3They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. 4They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. (Psalm 83:1‑4)
17Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: 18That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. (Psalm 83:17‑18)). "They shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God " (Zech. 13:99And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God. (Zechariah 13:9).)
Their earnest supplications will be heard, and directly answered when their Messiah shall suddenly appear as their Deliverer. "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south " (Zech. 14:3, 43Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:3‑4)).
Thus the Lord Himself goes forth, accompanied by the armies of heaven, to fight against the nations assembled in Armageddon and in the valley of Jehoshaphat; for it is there that the enemies of the Lord and of His people will be gathered at this time, as we are informed in Rev. 19:1919And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. (Revelation 19:19), " And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army." The beast is first and prominent, then the kings of the earth.
Turning again to Joel 3:9-169Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. 11Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. 12Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. 13Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 16The 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 3:9‑16), we have some further particulars concerning this great battle, " Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 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."
In Isa. 66:15, 1615For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many. (Isaiah 66:15‑16), we have another description of this mighty conflict: " For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many" (see also Isa. 30:30-3330And the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones. 31For through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod. 32And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the Lord shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it. 33For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. (Isaiah 30:30‑33)).
It is doubtless to this coming of the Lord to the Mount of Olives that the angels refer in Acts 1 It: " Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven; " for at this time He will return to that very same mountain from which He ascended.
It is therefore, not the Lord's coming for His saints (the Rapture), but His coming with them, to judge the nations, that is referred to by the angels. Our Lord also appears to refer to this day in Matt. 23:3939For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:39), " Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord." Then, indeed, when they shall actually behold their long-expected Messiah coming in all the majesty of His kingly power, to deliver them from their enemies, will they exultingly shout, " Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest! " (Matt. 21:99And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. (Matthew 21:9), and Psa. 118:2626Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. (Psalm 118:26).) And at this coming, the Lord will be victorious over all these enemies, whom He will destroy, and from whom He will deliver His people Israel. Thus the closing scene of the great battle, and of the present age, will be the judgment of those nations that are found directly opposed to God and to His people; or rather that aspect of it which is described as the "vintage " in which the enemies of God will be destroyed. " When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats " (Matt. 25:31,3231When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (Matthew 25:31‑32)). This is the "harvest " judgment, then follows the "vintage."
It is important to notice, that it is the living nations that are thus gathered before the Lord to be judged, and that the dead, or those who had previously died, are not raised at this time to come before Him. Not observing this distinction, many have fallen into the error of confounding this judgment of the nations with that of the white throne, which is to take place more than a thousand years later, when the "dead, small and great," shall stand before God (Rev. 20:1212And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12)). The error of regarding these two very different judgments as one and the same event, has led to many mistakes in the interpretation of the prophetic word, by which the order of dispensational truth has been seriously disarranged, and sadly confused.
In Scripture we find three distinct judgments, namely, of the house of God or of believers (Rom. 14: 10; 2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10); 1 Peter 4:1717For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)), of the nations, and of the dead at the white throne, all of which take place at different times. The first, or judgment of the saints will not be to condemnation; for "there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Moreover, it will be in heaven, after the saints have been raised in their new bodies, and are fully glorified. At the same time, it will be such a manifestation of all their ways and conduct down here, as shall bring out more fully into the light of heaven the wisdom, goodness, mercy, and forbearance of God towards them during all their earthly career, and shall call forth from them the heavenly song of " Glory to God in the highest."
That with which we are now dealing is the second, or judgment of the nations of this world, and more especially the concluding part of it, the terrible vintage. "For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity " (Isa. 26:2121For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. (Isaiah 26:21)); " For My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy" (Zeph. 3:88Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. (Zephaniah 3:8)).
One feature of this judgment particularly mentioned is, that it will come suddenly and unexpectedly upon the world. "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as 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. 24:37-3937But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as 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, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:37‑39); Luke 17:26-2726And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:26‑27)). "The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape" (1 Thess. 5:2, 32For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:2‑3)).
This will, moreover, be the awful day of God's vengeance on His enemies. " Behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence " (Isa. 35:44Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. (Isaiah 35:4)). "The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserveth wrath for His enemies " (Nah. 1:22God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. (Nahum 1:2)). " For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch " (Mal. 4:11For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 4:1)). " Every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire" (lsa. 9:5). "When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power" (2 Thess. 1:7-97And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑9)). All His enemies shall be made His footstool. " At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Maven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:10-1110That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10‑11)).
It is to this time that the parable in Matt. 13:40-4240As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:40‑42) applies: "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world (or age). The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." At this time, too, the sayings in Matt. 24:40, 4140Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (Matthew 24:40‑41) shall be fulfilled: "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left." The taken ones shall be judged and cast out (as the tares are gathered and cast into the fire), while the left ones shall be preserved, and remain on the earth for the millennium,—in the same way that the flood came and took all the wicked away (v. 39), while Noah and his family were preserved, and dwelt on the earth for many years afterward. This passage is commonly, but wrongly, interpreted the reverse way,—that is, the taken are supposed to go to heaven, and those that are left to be destroyed. But this appears contrary to the general bearing of the passage, when all the circumstances are fully considered.
When we reflect on the tremendous issues of this judgment of the Lord, we are not surprised to find it so often alluded to in Scripture, and set forth in such deeply solemn language; for it will be the closing scene of the present dispensation, when the wicked nations will be judged, and the evildoers put away, when much of the present order of things will be greatly changed, and when a new and different era will commence.
It is at this time, moreover, that the "mystery of God" shall be finished, as announced prospectively by the angel in Rev. 10:77But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:7), a short time after the sounding of the seventh trumpet. That wonderful mystery of God has permitted highhanded wickedness to triumph so long in the world; has allowed Satan for ages to exercise such a demoralizing power and rule over mankind as the god and prince of this world; and has also allowed the wicked, thus led on by Satan, to continue in determined opposition to God, to blaspheme His holy name, to set at naught His messages of love and mercy, to trample godliness under foot, to persecute and kill His saints, to practice the grossest injustice and oppression, and to indulge in all manner of abominable iniquity with impunity. For, during all the long centuries of the past, and up to the present time, these evils have been going on openly and defiantly; and it has indeed been a great mystery that the holy God, who hates sin with a perfect hatred, should permit it to continue so long. But when the Lord comes, and takes to Himself His power to reign, there will doubtless be a great change as to all this; then at least deliberate and flagrant manifestations of sin will be suppressed, and not permitted to go on in such a determined and persistent manner as at present. For sin, though it may be committed, as we learn from Scripture, even during the millennium, will, for the most part, be speedily judged and suppressed.
The " mystery of God " spoken of in Col. 2:22That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; (Colossians 2:2) is entirely different from the mystery we have been dwelling upon, for it refers exclusively to the union of Christ with His saints,-the members of the one body, the Church, in all their wonderful constitution and relationship to Him as the Head,-and is the same as the "mystery of Christ" in Eph. 3:44Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) (Ephesians 3:4).
For a full account of the final results of the battle of 'that great day of God Almighty, and of the judgment of the nations, where we have the vintage specially set forth, we must turn again to that remarkable description in Rev. 19:11-2111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11‑21), which has already been alluded to several times.
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he Both judge and make war..His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of then.' that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceedeth out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."
Such is the appalling judgment which now awaits the rebellious nations of this unbelieving world, and which will suddenly fall upon them. At the very time they are saying, "Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them."
Nothing indeed could be more dreadful than the scene depicted in the solemn and significant words quoted above, especially that which is expressed in the fearful sentence. "He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God I " No wonder it is said in Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7), that when the Lord thus comes, "All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him." Doubtless a wail of distress and anguish will then arise from this earth, such as has never been heard before. For it is the day of God's vengeance, a day when "the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness" (Zeph. 1:14, 1514The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 15That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, (Zephaniah 1:14‑15)).
When our Lord read in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:16-2;1) the words from Isa. 61:1,21The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (Isaiah 61:1‑2), ending, " To preach the acceptable year of the Lord," He suddenly stopped in the middle of the sentence, saying, " This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." The remaining portion of that sentence has had to wait for its fulfillment more than eighteen hundred years already, and may have still to wait a little longer. Then the Lord will come forth (not as a humble reader in the synagogue, but as the King of kings, and the Judge of the whole earth) to finish, as it were, the reading of that remarkable sentence, which is, " And the day of vengeance of our God;" for it will be fulfilled by the Lord Himself, as the first portion was being fulfilled by Him when He read it in Nazareth.
The Lord appears in this scene in both His kingly and judicial character, as all authority has been given to Him to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man. He shall set up His throne, to reign over the whole earth; and on this occasion, in His own almighty power, He will destroy His enemies with the sharp sword that goeth out of His mouth; for He has but to speak or to command, either in the creation of a world, or in its destruction, and it is instantly done.
In Psa. 2:99Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalm 2:9) we read, "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Then, and in this manner, vast numbers of the wicked inhabitants of the world will be slain. "For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many" (Isa. 66:1616For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many. (Isaiah 66:16) and Isa. 34:1-41Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 2For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. 3Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. 4And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. (Isaiah 34:1‑4)).
This dreadful fact is further emphasized by the call of the angel to the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven-the vultures or birds that feed on dead carcasses—to " Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men," &c. Compare the words of our Lord that refer to the same event, " For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together " (Matt. 24:2828For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. (Matthew 24:28) and Luke 17:3737And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. (Luke 17:37)).
In Ezek. 39:17-20, we have a similar reference to the fowls of heaven being called together to eat the flesh of the slain after the battle in which Gog and all his armies are killed on the hills of Israel; and which, we have endeavored to show, is identical with that of Armageddon, the battle of that great day of God Almighty closing with the judgment of the nations. This gathering of the fowls to the great sacrifice and supper of God seems to give us another strong link of connection between the battles recorded in Ezek. 39 and Rev. 19, and thus to help in establishing their identity. "Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan," &c.
There is another remarkable passage in Isa. 63:1-41Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. (Isaiah 63:1‑4), that appears to refer to this terrible judgment of God, in which some of the same symbols are employed as in Rev. 19, such as garments dyed with blood, treading the winepress, &c. The words are, " Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come."
8. We see moreover that this judgment of the nations will be followed by three notable events.
First. The awful execution of God's righteous judgment upon the two most notable characters in all history for highhanded wickedness and direct rebellion against God, the beast and the false prophet (Antichrist),—the two whose diabolical deeds are described in Rev. 13.
Both these persons will be taken, and "cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." This appalling doom seems to be specially reserved for the two most notorious individuals that have ever appeared in the history of this fallen world.
Second. The dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, will be bound for a thousand years, cast into the bottomless pit, shut up, and a seal set upon him, " that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled " (Rev. 20:2, 32And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20:2‑3)).
Third. The restoration of the scattered remnants of the whole house of Israel—that is, of the twelve tribes—to the favor of God, and to their own land of Palestine, from all parts of the world: "And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other " (Matt. 24:3131And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:31)).
This subject is very largely dwelt upon in many of the Old Testament prophets, and is set forth in the most glowing and striking language. The thirty-seventh of Ezekiel is one remarkable example of this, where we have a graphic picture of the restoration of Israel in the vision of the "dry bones;" the whole twelve tribes being brought to life again as a nation. Gathered together from the various countries where they had been scattered, and buried out of sight for so many centuries, they are here seen restored to their own land and to the favor of God. The parable of the "two sticks" in the same chapter, shows the final union of the ten lost tribes with the other two; Judah representing the two, Judah and Benjamin, and Ephraim the other ten, now joined together as one nation, never to be separated. "And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all " (Ezek. 37:2222And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: (Ezekiel 37:22)). [For further references to this subject see the footnote on page 105.]
Thus this present age closes, this dispensation comes to an end, with the judgment of the nations. But it certainly is not the "end of the world," as so often erroneously stated; for the millennium, the last apostasy, and the judgment of the " White Throne," are all to occur after this time, and extend over a period of more than a thousand years.
This age, taken in its widest sense, may be said to have commenced with our Lord's first coming to this earth, and may therefore be considered as comprising in a general way:—
1. The life and ministry of Christ, His death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven.
2. The history of the Church on the earth.
3. The first stage of the Lord's coming and the Rapture.
4. The day of tribulation.
5. The second stage of the Lord's coming, and the judgment of the nations,—with which it ends.