THE Christian attitude is that of expectancy. The coming again of the Lord Jesus is our hope. Yet as year after year slips away nothing is easier than for the hope to fade in our hearts, and for us to settle down to a comfortable slumber amongst those who are dead in trespasses and sins. As we open another year we are wondering how many of our readers there are in whose hearts the flame of this hope has never been kindled, and how many there are in whose hearts the flame once kindled is burning low and perhaps is even well-nigh extinguished.
We are well aware that serious discredit has been cast upon this great truth by the pertinacious way in which various people—some of them very sincere and earnest believers—have endeavored to forecast the actual time of the Lord’s return, in spite of His own statement that the time is not revealed. Figures, dates and mathematical calculations seem to have an irresistible attraction for some minds. The Scriptures are ransacked, all possible numbers relating to days, months and years are pressed into service, and sometimes impossible numbers also. The resultant calculations look feasible enough; yet they all rest upon certain assumptions, such as, for instance, that a day must always mean a year in the prophetic scheme of things.
What if the assumption be unwarranted? Why, the whole of the elaborate edifice crumbles into nothing! And that is what a number of these prophetic schemes have already done, and others are tottering at the moment of writing. True, their authors may be hastily endeavoring to repair them, but this alone is sufficient to condemn them. Never did the real prophets of God so act. They spoke in the Lord’s name and without the smallest modification their words came true.
The year 1927 was to have witnessed the coming of the Lord Jesus for His saints, so we understood, according to one scheme. According to another, 1928 was to have seen the start of a terrific world war, and in this case the very day was named at the end of May. The day quietly passed, marked by the usual collection of minor happenings, some of which have been selected and we are asked to believe that they fulfilled the blood-curdling predictions issued to the press a year or so before.
This latter prediction was not however based upon the Scriptures but upon certain measurements made in the Great Pyramid in Egypt. Certain Old Testament texts, torn from their surroundings, are quoted in the hope of proving that Scripture itself refers us to the Pyramid as having some mystic and prophetic meaning; as being, in short, a further revelation from God. In this way an attempt is made to obtain Scriptural sanction for whatever may be deduced from the Pyramid. Apart from the misuse of these texts the whole idea stands condemned by the Lord’s own words in Matt. 11:2525At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (Matthew 11:25). The things of God are hidden from “the wise and prudent” but “revealed unto babes.” The things supposed to be expressed in the pyramid are most effectually hidden from “the babes” and can only be discerned by “the wise and prudent.” The measurements on which all is based cannot be checked by one man in a million. The articles expounding the theories are beyond the mental grasp of most. The “babe” must take everything on trust from very uninspired men. We may be quite sure the things they proclaim are not the sure sayings of God.
Let us not be shaken in mind by these things. We must learn to say as did the Apostle Paul in other connections. “None of these things move me.” We may indeed on the contrary have our hope confirmed by them, for conditions were very similar just before the first Advent. Then Satan endeavored to becloud men’s minds by raising up false Christs, two of whom were mentioned by Gamaliel, in Acts 6. A state of general confusion was thereby created, and as Luke 3:1515And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; (Luke 3:15) tells us, “the people were in expectation [or, in suspense] and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not.” Satan’s tactics appear to be very similar in our day. Once more, before the second Advent, men’s minds are being beclouded by false issues and theories. We must not be surprised.
He is coming. His Advent draws near, though we know not the hour, for the signs of the end of the age lie thick around us. And if the end of the age be near then His coming into the air for His saints and “our gathering together unto Him” must be nearer still. If this be the bright hope of our hearts then we shall be careful to “purify ourselves even as He is pure,” and be diligent in “serving the living and true God” while we wait.
May it be thus with us all—whether readers or writers. And to this end may our hearts be led by Him into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. If we enter into the patience of Christ we shall be delivered from the impatience and feverish hurry so natural to us as creatures of few days and restricted outlook. We shall share Christ’s thoughts and desires towards His church and yet enter into His patient waiting for the full accomplishment of the purpose of God; accounting meanwhile that, “the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.”
If we enter into the love of God we shall find therein the motive power to keep us moving onwards according to His will. It will become the mainspring of our lives, while the patience of Christ will act as a regulator preventing our going either too fast or too slow.
While we wait, we shall aim at the promotion of these things in the pages of our magazine, and may God graciously add His blessing.