RAPIDITY marks the day. Great changes are developing with uncontrollable speed. A momentous crisis is at hand. But we are not left in the dark; we have God's revealed mind about it.
History can relate what has been; speculation guess what may be; God alone can reveal what shall be; and this He has done. What is more, He has challenged the contradiction of coming generations by recording it in SCRIPTURE. Mark the majesty of His words: "I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure" (Isa. 46:9,10). Let unbelief cavil as it may, faith's response is bold and unwavering.
"Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Num. 23:19).
Prophetic testimony is the record of the final triumph of God's will over the devil's use of man's. "To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen" (Rom. 16:27). It is JESUS who is the substance of every past foreshadowing, the glory of every future purpose. "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10).
A powerful search-light at a ship's masthead may bring much to view that lies in her course, but only up to the horizon. Beyond that it can discover nothing. God has seen the whole of this world's course to its finish; and by means of the lamp He has furnished, we too may see to the end, and how that end will be reached. To the shining of this 'search-light' there is no horizon-limit. Of it the apostle Peter writes, "Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19).
To discover the pole-star the mariner needs no search-light, but for the exposure of dangers in his course he needs one every hour of the night. So with the Christian. Nothing should come between his heart and the "Day Star" [or, Morning Star (J.N.D. Version)], and to see its shining he needs no prophetic lamp. But in this "dark place" destructive perils abound, and as the night continues they will increase. And if God has foreseen these dangers and provided a light to expose them, His Spirit may well say, "Ye do well that ye take heed." Many have not taken heed to it, and are ignorantly holding to a course in which shipwreck is inevitable. Like "just Lot," their righteous soul may be "vexed... from day to day" (2 Peter 2:7,8) by what they see and hear. But, alas, not seeing the foretold end, nor the present deadly effect of their example upon their children and others, they remain in association with known evil. Oh, that they would hearken to the appeal of Love divine! "Come out of her, my people;" "Come out from among them, and be ye separate;" "Follow me;" "Depart from iniquity;" "Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (Rev. 18:4; 2 Cor. 6:17; John 21:19; 2 Tim. 2:19,22).