The Carcass and the Eagles.
IN OUR last article we saw the way in which the Son of man will come from heaven, when He comes to establish His Kingdom it will be as the lightning shining from one end of heaven to the other. He will then execute, swift judgment against the Jews who in that day will be followers of the antichrist. His judgment will fall upon wicked Gentiles also; but it will fall first upon the apostates Jews.
In our verse these apostate Jews, are likened to a “carcass;” and the judgement of the Lord is likened to the “eagles,” or vultures. It says: “For wheresoever the carcass is there will the eagles be gathered together.”
Perhaps some of you do not know the nature of these birds called “eagles.” They are voracious birds of prey that feed upon dead flesh. No doubt some of you know something of the birds called “turkey buzzards”, which are quite common in the southern part of this country. They have much the same nature as these “eagles” referred to in Math. 24:28. If there is a dead sheep, or a dead horse lying in a field, these birds will scent it many miles away, and will gather together from every quarter and feed upon it till it is all gone. And when there are many they make quick work of it. The instinct which brings them where death is, is so very keen that often they are on the scene before death has actually taken place. When the United States armies fought against the Spaniards at Santiago, in Cuba, a few years ago, it is said there were buzzards on the battlefield hovering over the wounded soldiers, ready to devour them as soon as they were dead, if they were not already removed.
This will help you to understand the figure, our Lord uses in this verse. Just as these birds of prey, the vultures, gather together to the carcass to devour it, so, at the coming of the Lord, His judgments will swiftly descend upon the wicked, apostate Jews, and devour them. “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, 87And 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: (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑8)).
Such will be the judgment that will fall upon the wicked followers of the antichrist, when Jesus comes in His glory. The judgment will be swift and terrible, and there will be no escape.
Oh! how solemn the warning. Nor will this judgment be confined to the unbelieving Jews. It will overtake all who obey not the gospel.
My dear young reader, have you made sure that this judgment will not overtake you? Have you found’ safe shelter in Christ? Have you owned Him as your Saviour and Lord? If so, all is well; but if not, let me beg of you at once to flee to Christ, and take shelter under His precious blood. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”
ML 05/01/1904