BEHOLD! HE COMETH by L. D. Santee

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, March 10, 1885.

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 62, No. 10. Whole No. 1605.

BEHOLD! HE COMETH

By L. D. Santee

BY ELD. L. D. SANTEE.

“Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him.” Rev. 1:7.

The last sands in the glass of time are wasting. The wonderful era when sin and sinners perish together is just upon us. The tide of wickedness that for six thousand years has been rolling onward its black flood is about to be checked. The heralds of that “day of wrath” are to be seen on every hand. The time hastens when “earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard” (Isa. 24:20); when the voice that once “shook the earth” shall shake heaven also (Heb. 12:26); when faithful servants of God shall awake or be joined to “the power of an endless life;” when they shall be fashioned like unto Christ’s glorious body (Phil. 3:21); neither shall they die any more (Luke 20:36). With these grand events in the near future, the words of our text come to us with wonderful power. The coming of the Lord, the resurrection and immortality—such are events that we to-day have to contemplate. At the time that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints” (Jude 14), the second advent has been the beacon light toward which the eyes of the waiting church have been longingly directed. Job from the sackcloth and ashes of affliction found comfort in the Lord’s coming, and he breaks forth in the strong language of assurance, “For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” Job 19:25. God, by the mouth of David, made prominent in the Psalms the doctrine of the advent; and as they were used in the temple service, and formed a part of the Jewish worship, this grand coming was ever kept before God’s chosen people.

With the ushering in of the new dispensation, the second coming of Christ and the resurrection were quickly introduced; for therein lies the hope of the church (Matt. 16:27): “For 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.” Again: “For thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:14. The Saviour promised in John 14:3, “I will come again.”

The disciples ask, “What shall be the sign of thy coming?” and the larger part of the 24th chapter of Matthew is an answer to the question. The Saviour narrated a series of consecutive landmarks, beginning with the destruction of the temple, and ending in our own generation. What wonder that the disciples spoke often concerning the advent! for so the Master had taught them. What wonder that they loved the event! for it would end their pilgrimage, and bring their reward. What wonder that Christ spoke of his second coming! for then would he enter into his kingdom; then would he “see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied;” then would he enter into that wonderful joy for which he “endured the cross, despising the shame.” When he went away, he ascended in a personal, visible manner, and a cloud received him out of the sight of his disciples. Acts 1:9–11. Said the angels, “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.”

Our text says, “Behold, he cometh with clouds.” This grand truth, taught by the prophets and later by the Saviour, was placed in front of the Christian church. The gospels emphatically declare it, the epistles are full of it. Paul, in 1 Thess. 4:16, says, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout.” Peter declares (2 Pet. 1:16), “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude, in his one chapter, repeats, “Behold, the Lord cometh,” and John, the beloved disciple, in the first chapter of Revelation pens the language of our text, and in closing the book prays, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

The solemn thought that comes to us is the startling nearness of that event. The long lines of prophecy recorded by Daniel have worked out their fulfillment. From our standpoint to-day, we look at them as being almost entirely in the past, and they locate us beyond doubt as being in the end of the world. In 2 Pet. 3 is given another sign of the last days. We listen to the scoffer, and again we say, Fulfilled. Paul in 2 Tim. 3 gives the condition of the professed church in the last days. We look at the prophecy, and then at the reality, and as we turn away, we ask, “O God, where are thy people?” “Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God!” Truly “the righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart.” Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof! We look at the nominal churches with their pride, and sadly we confess, “It is fulfilled! it is fulfilled!” I am reminded of the question, “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Thank the Lord! there will be some faithful souls that will have remained loyal. In Rev. 14:12 they are represented as coming prominently to the front just before the coming of Jesus. They are denominated “saints.” Their characteristics are keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. They have come out from the world, and are separate. They have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” and God says they shall walk with him in white, for they are worthy. They come up through great tribulation. God’s people will be tried, and be overcomers. Of them it can be said, “They loved not their lives unto the death.” Rev. 12:11. To die for a purpose is grand. We read with a thrill of the heroism of the Ninety-third Highlanders at Balaklava. As the Russian cavalry charged on their line, Sir Colin Campbell shouts to his men, “Steady, men! Every man must die where he stands!” “Ay, ay, Sir Colin! We’ll do that,” responded his begrimed warriors; and nobly was their promise kept. But grander, nobler far, is the resolve of that soul for Christ who can say with singleness of heart—

“I’m a traveler, and I go Where all is fair; Farewell, all I’ve loved below, I must be there. Worldly honors, wealth, and gain,— All I resign; Welcome sorrow, grief, and pain, If heaven be mine.”

—and who can say unreservedly,—

“Now to be thine, and thine alone,— O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”

Dear friends, are you among that number? If so, give yourself no rest until the conflict is ended. Those that sow in tears shall reap in joy. The joy of our Lord was to save that which was lost. If we would enter into his joy, let us labor and be not weary. Brother pilgrim lost in the darkness, let us send this cry of cheer to each other, “Behold, He cometh!” “Yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry.” The present hour is crowded with sublime and awful events. God is sealing his servants. The investigative Judgment is determining forever human destinies. The voice of Jehovah, as uttered from Sinai, is going to the dwellers on earth.

In the Old World, England, France, Switzerland, and Italy are receiving the light. The Scandinavian highlands are waking from the darkness of ages. “The isles wait for His law.” Soldier of the living God, stand at your post of duty. Even as Israel enjoyed the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, so the Lord is going before us. The scenes of mortal life are swiftly passing away. If you would be an overcomer, now is the time to gain your victories. If you would see the King in his beauty, now is the time to make preparation. The church cried in the person of the Revelator, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus,” and this prayer of two thousand years is about to be answered. The whole creation is groaning for redemption. The earth is waxed old like a garment. Earthquakes, cyclones, fire, and blood multiply their sickening record. “Deep calleth unto deep,” and all nature that has suffered under the curse while six millenniums have slowly rolled away, help to swell the mighty chorus of pain. The towns of the living will not compare with the cities of the dead. But “Behold, he cometh!” The reign of the destroyer is almost o’er.

“O storm and earthquake, wind and warning thunder, Your hour is coming; one wild outburst more, One other day of war and wreck and plunder, And then your desolating reign is o’er.”

“Behold, he cometh with clouds.” “Amen! even so come, Lord Jesus.”