IT has been a widely-spread and widely-received doctrine among those who profess the name of Christ, that the world is getting better, and that the preaching of the present gospel will be used of God in the conversion of the world, and the setting tip of a spiritual kingdom of Christ in the hearts of men. Thousands, satisfied with a surface view of things, have accepted what their teachers have taught them, forgetting the exhortation, "Prove all things" (1 Thess. 5:21); and have never really searched the word of God for themselves.
Some who read the following statement may be at first surprised, but it is nevertheless true, there is not a single scripture, from Genesis to the Revelation, that ever hints at the thought that the world would get better during the present dispensation, but several that distinctly declare the very reverse.
It is perfectly true that the kingdom of Christ will be established throughout the world, but not in a spiritual way in the hearts of all (though doubtless great numbers of Gentiles, as well as all Israel, will then be saved-Isa. 11:9; Heb. 8:10-12), but in actual power and glory, all kings falling down before Him, and all nations serving Him. But this will not be brought about through the preaching of the gospel of the grace of God, but by the display of God's power in judgment.
The object of the preaching of the gospel now is not to convert the world, but for the taking out a people for His name. (Acts 15:14.) God is not saving people for earthly blessing, but taking out a heavenly people for heavenly blessing (1 Cor. 15:48); not subduing the nations to the faith of Christ, but uniting a company from among Jews and Gentiles to Christ in glory, as His body and His bride, by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. (1 Cor. 12; Eph. 1:22, 23.)
When the Lord descends and His saints are caught up to meet Him in the air, the present testimony of grace, the gospel of the glory of Christ, as the apostle Paul expressly terms it, "my gospel," will cease. (Rom. 2:16; 2 Tim. 2:8.) Then, during the short period to which we have more than once already referred in these papers, which will elapse between the rapture of the saints and their manifestion in glory with Christ when He comes to reign, a fresh testimony will go out, and the gospel of the kingdom be preached as a witness to all nations, and then shall the end (i.e., of the age, not world) come. (Matt. 24:14.)
Now whilst God in grace at the present time is taking out a people, Christians, the world itself grows worse. Revivals of truth have taken place at various periods since Christ was crucified and cast out from this scene, but the world itself, the mass, wallow in sin. Professing Christendom, cloaking itself over with a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, is sinning against light, and God's long-suffering and grace.
In the epistles to Timothy we have a solemn testimony as to the closing condition of Christendom (so-called). In the 1 Tim. 4:1, we read, " Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith" (not come to it), " giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils," &c. In the 2 Tim. 3:1, " This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come ... . Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse" (not better and better), “deceiving, and being deceived." 2 Tim. 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." From 1 John, 4:3 we find that the spirit of antichrist was already in the world at that early period; and Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, reminds them that "the mystery of iniquity doth already work." (2 Thess. 2:7.)
All these evils are at work around us at this moment; daily they gain ground, and men are led away into the vortex of error and deceit. Rationalism, ritualism, Romanism, infidelity (against which the saint is especially warned in Col. 2) are making rapid strides. The word of God is set aside by tradition, the teaching of the fathers, and the Church, and made of none effect; often questioned, sometimes even denied. Men grow bold in their wickedness; thousands letting slip the only safeguard, "It is written," are carried away by the terrible tide, to find themselves eventually shut outside the closed door of grace, to come into the awful judgment of God. The predicted apostasy (2 Thess. 2) fast ripens to a head. Men's hearts, set upon the advancement of commerce, manufactures, civilization, arts, sciences, military and naval power, and human religion, have no room for the true Christ of God. Masses are so engrossed with the affairs of this life, and deluded by Satan, that they pay no heed to the warning voice of the servants of God who faithfully proclaim His truth, and warn them to flee from the wrath to come. Men, dear reader, are siding for Christ or antichrist.
But before I go on to speak of this antichrist, who will be one of the chief features of the apostasy, it will be well, in order to simplify these things for the help of those who are not much acquainted with this part of truth, to allude briefly to the prophecy of Daniel, usually termed " the seventy weeks," as it is during the last of these weeks that the apostasy takes place.
In Dan. 9:24 we find, “Seventy weeks” (i.e., weeks of years, 490 years) “are determined upon thy people " (the Jews), " and upon thy holy city ' (Jerusalem), " to finish the transgression... and to bring in everlasting righteousness," &c.
This period in the next verses is divided into three-seven weeks, threescore and two, and one. During the seven the street and wall of Jerusalem were to be rebuilt, which took place as described in the book of Nehemiah; then at the close of the sixty-two (that is, sixty-nine altogether) we have Messiah the Prince, Christ. He came into the midst of His people. "And after (the) threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself," or, as the margin gives it, and more correctly, "shall have nothing." This also came to pass: instead of Messiah being received and His kingdom established, He was cut off, crucified, and had nothing down here; but God raised Him from the dead to His own right hand, and commenced a fresh administration. Sixty-nine weeks had run out, and one week was lacking to close the chain.
What do we get next? “The people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." This is exactly what happened. The Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. But mark carefully what God says: "The people of the " (or “a," as it should read) “prince that shall come." The prince here mentioned is a prince who has not yet appeared. The Romans being the people, it follows the prince must be a Roman prince.
Christ being cut off after the sixty-ninth week, the chain of seventy weeks is broken, and the whole of the wonderful hour of the calling out, of the Church of God, the administration of the great mystery (Eph. 3:2-11; 5:32), comes in before the seventieth is completed—all the dates of Scripture having reference to the earth or the earthly people Israel, the present eighteen hundred and more years not being reckoned in the prophecy, but let in, as it were, as a heavenly parenthesis between the dealings of God in the past and in the future with His earthly people. The Church being completed, the saints will then be caught up, and the Jews, now scattered, will come into prominence again. This Roman prince, as the last verse of this ninth of Daniel teaches us, will confirm the (" a ") covenant with ("the") many (Jews) for one week (the missing link completing the chain of seventy). Christ will appear at the close to bring in the blessing of the kingdom and everlasting righteousness.
The object of this covenant will be twofold. The Jews at this period will have gone back in great numbers to their own land by the aid of a certain maritime power (Isa. 18), and will seek protection at the hand of the great head in the West, the Roman prince, in order to carry on their temple-worship, and also against a powerful enemy known in prophecy as the Assyrian, or king of the north. (Isa. 10; Dan. 8:23-25; 11:40-45.)
But in the midst of the seven years the prince (Roman) will break his covenant with them, and, aided by the antichrist, cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, and set up an idol in the temple. This is the hour spoken of in Matt. 24:15-22 of which the Lord warned the disciples: " When ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:... for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake" (the Jewish remnant)” those days shall be shortened." The setting up of the abomination or idol in the temple is the signal for instant flight on the part of the God-fearing remnant of Judah at that day. On account of this act God will use the Assyrian as a desolator, as the rod of His wrath, to chastise the apostate Jews, until the judgment determined by Him shall have been poured out. (See also Dan. 9:27; 12:11.)
We have a further allusion to this covenant in Isa. 28:14-21: “Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Because 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.... And 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."
It is called a covenant with death, and an agreement with hell, because the Roman empire, with the head of which the covenant is made, is, in its last revived phase, energized by Satanic power, the dragon giving him his power, and his seat (or throne), and great authority. (Rev. 13:2.) But the unholy compact is broken; the temple of God at Jerusalem, rebuilt in unbelief, is defiled by idolatry; and the execution of the wrath of God comes upon the Jews to the uttermost. Jacob's trouble is there (the remnant shall be saved out of it—Jer. 30:7)—great tribulation. The overflowing scourge, another term for the Assyrian, passes through the land, and the Jews are trodden down by it. Jerusalem will undergo a terrible siege, and shall be taken, “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. 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," &c. (Zech. 14:2.)
Thus far as to the leading features connected with Daniel's remarkable prophecy of the seventy weeks. Let us now look at a further description of judgments and events that will take place at this terrible crisis in the world's history, as detailed in the central chapters of the book of the Revelation.
This wonderful book, the Church's prophecy, so little appreciated or understood by many of the children of God; so sadly neglected, notwithstanding the special blessings attached in Rev. 1:3 and 22:7; discloses to us the great effort of the dragon, Satan, to resist the power and authority of God and the rights of His Son in this scene.
In Rev. 4 and 5, as we have already seen, the saints are viewed in heaven in their glorified state around the throne of God, and then the Lamb breaking the seals of the book of God's counsels, judgments, &c.
Chapter 6 commences the details of these:
Four seals. Various providential judgments.
The first—A great conqueror, overcoming without bloodshed.
The second—Peace taken from the earth, and fearful carnage.
The third—Great scarcity; famine often follows upon warfare.
The fourth—Four sore judgments upon the fourth part of the Roman earth, similar to those of Ezek. 14:21, which come upon Jerusalem.
The fifth—Vision of souls of martyrs slain for their testimony. They cry for vengeance, which shows their Jewish character, and are told to wait for others, who would also be slain during the last half-week.
The sixth—terrible convulsion of authorities and powers, so that men prematurely think that the great day of the wrath of the Lamb is come.
Compare Matt. 24:6-10, the beginning of sorrows.
Chapter 7 is a break in the dealings of God, showing His preservation of a measured number from the twelve tribes of Israel, and also of a great multitude of Gentiles through the great tribulation, for millennial blessing on the earth.
Chapter 8 Opening of the seventh seal; silence in heaven half-an-hour. Seven angels with seven trumpets. Christ is seen in angelic garb. First four trumpets sounded. Fearful judgments, falling chiefly on the prosperity, commerce, established power, &c., in the western part of the Roman empire, which is probably meant by the third part, mentioned several times.
Chapter 9 Fifth and sixth trumpet judgments, or first and second woe.
First—Satanic delusions on the Jews, the sealed being preserved; probably connected with antichrist.
Second—Immense army of horsemen, from the direction of the Euphrates, overcoming and destroying Gentiles, judged on account of their idolatry and other sins. Probably the power of the Assyrian, the rod of God's wrath. (Isa. 10) Third part of men killed. (Rev. 9:18.)
Chapter 10 Jehovah, in angelic garb, intimating the near approach of the closing of the “mystery of God" (His long-suffering with men; bearing with evil in the world instead of inflicting immediate judgment, allowing the righteous to suffer meanwhile), and the subjection of all nations to Himself.
Chapter 11 Preservation of Jewish worshippers. Two prophets, or witnesses, testifying to God's right to the earth, during the last half-week, and slain at the close by the beast. Seventh trumpet, or third woe. Announcement of the establishment of Christ's kingdom, introduced by His personal judgment of the quick, and closing with the judgment of the dead. The day of the Lord. (Rev. 11:15-18.) Rev. 11:19 commences fresh details.
Chapter 12 Vision of the birth of a man child, Christ, who is caught up to God. War in heaven. Satan, seen as the dragon, cast out from his present sphere into the earth, having great wrath, and makes war with the faithful remnant of Jews during the last half-week.
Chapter 13 Rise of the two beasts.
The first, the Roman empire, revived, and receiving power from the dragon for the last half-week.
The second, the antichristian beast, or the antichrist. Direct mimicry of Christ. Exercises all the power of the first one, working deceptive miracles.
Chapter 14 Seven visions.
First. The Jewish remnant associated with the Lamb, first -fruits for millennial blessing. Distinct from 144,000 of Rev. 7. There it is out of all the twelve tribes; here only the two. (Rev. 14:1-5.)
Second. Announcement of the everlasting gospel; i.e., the message that had been declared from the first. Call to men to fear God and look for the establishment of Christ's kingdom, and to cease from idolatry and antichrist, &c. (Rev. 14:6, 7.)
Third. Announcement of the fall of Babylon; that is, the spiritual Babylon, religious corruption. (Rev. 14:8.)
Fourth. Threat of eternal judgment and torment on any who should worship the beast and his image, or receive his mark openly or secretly. (Rev. 14:9-12.)
Fifth. Blessing on those who die in the Lord from henceforth. (Rev. 14:13.)
Sixth. The Son of man harvesting the earth, dividing the nations. (Rev. 14:14-16.)
Seventh. Gathering of the vine of the earth, and treading of the winepress of the wrath of God. Judgment on Israel in open apostasy under antichrist, &c. (Rev. 14:17-20.)
Chapter 15 Vision of seven angels with the seven last plagues, in which is filled up the wrath of God. (Rev. 15:1.)
Vision of martyred remnant, who have been in great tribulation, victorious and triumphant. (Rev. 15:2-4.)
Preparation of the seven angels to execute the judgment.
Chapter 16 Pouring out of the seven vials or bowls full of the wrath of God. Compare the plagues in Egypt. (Ex. 7-12)
The first four fall upon the same objects as the first four trumpets, but not limited, like them, to the third part. Notice the repeated mention of "MEN."
The fifth. Terrible judgment on the Roman empire.
The sixth. Drying up of the river Euphrates, and gathering of the kings of the whole habitable world by Satanic agency to Armageddon, preparatory to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.
The seventh. On the air. Terrible convulsions of European civilization, &c., &c. Babylon brought to remembrance. Great hail-storm; fearful downpour of God's wrath.
These awful judgments lead to blasphemy against God on the part of men. (Rev. 16:9, 11, 21.)
Chapter 17 Vision of a woman, gorgeously arrayed, sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, and upon her forehead a name written, " Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." Figure of ecclesiastical corruption, Rome the center, supported by the civil power, the beast (or head of the revived Roman empire) and ten horns (ten kings) until the hour of her judgment, and then destroyed by them. It is the false union of Church and State.
Chapter 18 Destruction of Babylon, here viewed under the figure of a mighty city, enriched by illicit commerce with the kings and merchants, &c., of the earth, receiving judgment from God.
Chapter 19 Five visions.
First. Much people in heaven praising God for His judgment on the false and wicked religious system of the world, &c.
Second. The marriage of the Lamb. The Bride, the Lamb's wife, the Church of God. The friends called to the marriage supper, probably the Old Testament saints.
Third. Heaven opened, and the vision of Christ prepared to execute warrior-judgment upon the beast, and kings of the earth arrayed at the head of the military power of western Europe against Him. The armies following in His train, the heavenly saints. (Chapter 17:14.)
Fourth. The fowls called to the great supper of God.
Fifth. Summary judgment upon the beast and the false prophet (or antichrist) who is with him; both cast alive into the lake of fire. The rest, the armies, slain.
We may note the contents of the remaining chapters of the Revelation further on, in treating of the millennium and the eternal state.
Let us now turn to the second epistle to the Thessalonians, where we have many details of the circumstances connected with the apostasy-a passage to which we have already referred in showing the removal of the heavenly saints.
" Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand " (or "present," Gr.). " Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away" (or "an apostasy") “first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition " (the antichrist); "who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." (2 Thess. 2:1-4.)
The apostle beseeches the Thessalonian saints, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the translation to meet Him in the air, that they should in no way be disturbed or deceived by any man, as that the day of Christ (or " the Lord," Gr.), that is, the day of judgment, had come. It appears that even an anonymous letter had been sent them to this end, purporting to come from the apostle and his fellow-servants. (2 Thess. 2:2.) Before that, they would all be gathered together unto Him, caught up to meet Him in the air; and also the apostasy would come, and that man of sin, the son of perdition, would be revealed. All those events must transpire first. The Jews must go back to their own land, rebuild the temple of God, and receive the wicked one, the false messiah, who should come in his own name (John 5:43), and whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thess. 2:9, 10.)
Satan is blinding and deluding the minds and hearts of men now, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ should shine into their hearts and they should be saved. In this coming hour of trial God will be dealing judicially, and shall send " strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thess 2:11, 12.) If men will not have Christ, they must have antichrist; if they will not bow to God's truth, delusion (or a working of error) will be sent, and they will bow to the devil's “lie."
This man of sin, having deceitfully exalted himself amongst God's earthly people, opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, and seats himself in the temple of God at Jerusalem, showing himself that he is God. This will be one of the culminating acts of wickedness perpetrated by this arch-leader of devilry on the earth; the heading-up of the awful mystery of iniquity, that will draw down the judgment of God. “Remember ye not," continues the apostle, "that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth (or hindereth) will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked (one) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming." (2 Thess. 2:5-8.)
Here we have clearly revealed the fact that there is a power which restrains the increasing flood of evil, but that at a certain moment this power will cease to withhold. The mystery of iniquity had already commenced to work in the days of the apostle, and has continued in varied phases ever since; things now get worse and worse; but there is one who restrains the bursting forth of this terrible evil. I doubt not that the One spoken of is the Spirit of God, who restrains evil both through the powers that be, which though ordained of God (Rom. 13:1,2), will eventually fall under the power of Satan, and also as a divine Person dwelling in the Church of God. This latter will cease at the rapture of the saints; the former, I judge, will probably continue a short period, possibly till the casting out of Satan, the great dragon, to the earth.
Losing his place on high as accuser of the brethren, opposing the intercession of Christ on their behalf, the devil will then come down, having great wrath, exercise his power on earth, energizing both the Roman empire, headed by the beast; and also the antichrist or false prophet. The restraining power being taken out of the way, and the evil no longer being held in check, Satan will bring matters to a crisis. The wicked one will be revealed, coming out in his true colors, the masterpiece of Satan, with such awful deceit, that if it were possible, the very elect would be deceived. (Matt. 24:24.) They continue for a while, and then receive summary judgment at the Lord's hand. (Rev. 19:20.)
In the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet we have a kind of Satanic anti-trinity.
The dragon gives his power, his seat (or throne), and great authority to the beast; also a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies, and power to continue (make war, marg.) forty-two months; that is, Daniel's last half-week. (Rev. 13:1-10.) The term "beast” (or wild beast) is applied both to the Roman empire, and also to the head of it, the one who wields its power. This individual corresponds with the little horn of Dan. 7:8, 11, 20, 25, where we again read of a mouth speaking great words against the Most High. Under this terrible being there will be ten kings, at the head of ten kingdoms, within the territory of the empire, and who will receive power as kings one hour, or at the same time with the beast. (Rev. 17:12.) These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast. He will be the head of Gentile apostasy in the West, a false king of kings and lord of lords.
In league with this first beast will be a second, viewed in Rev. 13 as having two horns like a lamb, but speaking as a dragon. This is antichrist, the false messiah, a mimicry of the true Lamb of God, combining, in his own person, power in the land of Israel (being accepted as their prince by the mass of the Jews), the head of Jewish apostasy (Rev. 13:11-18), and also exercising all the power of the first beast before him. Arch-leader too of the apostasy of Christendom, he denies the Father and the Son. (1 John 2:22.) Men in that day will be so deluded that they will worship the dragon, who gives the beast his power; also the beast, saying, “Who is like unto the beast?" &c.; and also the antichrist, who sits in the temple of God, and shows that he is God. (2 Thess. 2:4.)
In addition to this the wicked one leads men to make an image to the beast; and he has " power to give life (or breath) unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Rev. 13:14-17.) Some will be so boldfaced in their wickedness that they receive the mark in their foreheads, willingly and openly owning the beast; others who receive it in their right hand, which would be more secret, can show on whose side they are if necessary. Those who refuse the mark, &c., and will not bow down to and worship the image of the beast are prohibited from buying or selling, and must in consequence pass through terrible sufferings, many being martyred.
There will be a terrible hour of temptation, not only for Judah, but for the whole world (Rev. 3:10), to try them that dwell on the earth. These latter are a special class, mentioned many times in the Revelation, termed variously in our translation " inhabiters of," or " dwellers on the earth," a class whose hearts are fully set on the earth and earthly things, to the exclusion of the claims of God.
Towards the closing hour of this awful scene that we have been tracing, the evil system that is viewed in the seventeenth and eighteenth chapters of Revelation as a woman, and also as a city, whose name is "Mystery, Babylon the great, mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth," receives the cup of judgment from God. This represents ecclesiastical corruption-Rome, the mother and center, enriched by unholy traffic and intimacy with the worldly powers. The beast and ten horns or kings, that is, the civil power, after supporting her for a time (for she is seen riding upon the beast) at last hate her, and are the instruments in God's hand of her judgment. (Rev. 17:3, 16-18.) Kings, merchants, shipmasters, traders, sailors, bewail her fall. (Rev. 18.)
In comparing Rev. 17:1 with Rev. 21:9 we find the prophet in the former passage invited to come and see her judgment, and he is carried in the spirit into the wilderness; in the latter to come and see the bride, the Lamb's wife, and he is carried in the spirit to a great and high mountain. There he sees the Holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, &c.
So too, dear reader, if you would escape from the terrible vortex of religious corruption that surrounds us at the present day, and which will be part of Babylon in its last phase, you must be in spirit in the wilderness. In separation from it, in the presence of Christ, there alone can you see it in its true colors. And if you would enter into God's thoughts about the Church, and discern its distinctive heavenly character, &c., you must in spirit enter where Christ is, and accept by faith the high and exalted position which is the Christian's true portion.
The evil religious power being crushed, the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies are gathered together against the Lord, and He judges them also; the beast, and the false prophet with him, being cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 19:11-21.) Details of this we will reserve till we dwell on His coming in power and great glory to judge and reign.
The Assyrian who attacks Jerusalem from without, and takes it (Zech. 14:2), overruns with his armies the land of Israel, as well as many other countries; and after further warlike exploits, himself finally falls as he is about to attack the city a second time; but we shall see more of this also further on. (Isa. 10:24-34; 29:1-8.)
Two-thirds of the Jews are cut off in this great tribulation; but one-third, preserved by God, are brought through the fire. (Zech. 13:8, 9.) Some are martyred for their testimony, and for refusing the mark of the beast, &c., and have part in the first resurrection; one-third bear testimony, and are brought through by the power of God into millennial blessing; the remainder, the apostate, idolatrous Jews, who receive the mark, and think they are safe, are cut off in their wickedness, either by the awful invasion of the Assyrian, who is the rod of God's anger, sent by Him against the hypocritical" nation (Isa. 10:5, 6), or by other summary judgments of God.
This fearful hour was referred to by the Lord when He spoke of the unclean spirit who saith, “I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him 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." (Luke 11:24-26.) Terrible picture of Israel's condition under antichrist.
But judgment will not be limited to the land, but go out far and wide in the earth. The God fearing Jews who bear witness for Jesus, publishing the glad tidings of the kingdom among the nations, will be special objects of persecution wherever they are found. “Take heed," said the Lord, "to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them." (Mark 13:9.) The early Christians received similar treatment; but the fulfillment of this passage is yet future. So terrible will he he hatred, even in their own families, that " brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Mark 13:12, 13.)
Thus will be fulfilled in the most special and literal manner the words of our Lord, “A man's foes shall be they of his own household." Men generally will show their persistent hatred of the name of Christ by persecuting those who publish the glad tidings of His coming kingdom and glory. But he that endures to the end, that is, to the end of the hour of tribulation, shall be saved—saved out of it for blessing in the millennial earth. (Jer. 30:7.) “In those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be." (Mark 13:19.) “And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened the days." (Mark 13:20.) “This generation " (or race), said the Lord to His Jewish disciples, "shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matt. 24:34, 35.)
How blessed for the Christian to know that he is delivered from this terrible hour! that as the Lord delivered Lot before judging Sodom, and translated Enoch before drowning the world with a flood, so will He bring His own loved ones of this present interval of grace to the glory above, before He judges the habitable earth for its wickedness, sweeping it with the besom of destruction.
How false the security of the poor world, deluding itself, and deluded by Satan, that things are getting better! Many cry, “Peace, peace, and there is no peace." How vain to think that God's grace to a lost world will lead to its conversion! Nay; but the word of the Lord is yet to be fulfilled: “When Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." (Isa. 26:9.) But oh, how blessed to know that when the consumption decreed shall have had its course, it shall overflow with righteousness (Isa. 10:22), and the despised and rejected Nazarene, Jesus, the Son of God, will have His rights and title in the earth!
Could we stay where death is hovering
Could we rest on such a shore?
No; the awful truth discovering,
We could linger there no more;
We forsake it,
Leaving all we loved before.