The World's History Foretold by Daniel—Both Christ and Paul Confirm the Prediction—His Coming the Next Great Event
By W. L. Bird
From the time the first promise of redemption was made in the Garden of Eden, men have sought to understand the work of the Redeemer.
What Daniel the Prophet Saw
To Daniel, the great prophet, was given in symbol a history of the world, showing the rise and fall of the great nations of the earth, and the leading events that were to take place before Christ's kingdom could be set up. In the seventh chapter of Daniel these great nations appear under the symbols of beasts,—a lion, a bear, a leopard, and another beast of terrible appearance, having ten horns. The angel that gave the vision proceeded to explain it, saying, “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, that shall arise.” The first was Babylon, under which nation Daniel was then living; the second was Medo-Persia; the third, Greece; the fourth, the iron monarchy of Rome. The fourth beast particularly attracted
the attention of Daniel, and especially was he interested in the little horn that came up among the other ten. What could these things mean? The angel answers, “The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise; and another shall rise after them.” Here was given to Daniel a view of the Roman nation down through the days of the republic and the empire until
the time when it was broken into fragments by the “barbarian” nations.
Among these kingdoms was to arise that other different power, represented by the little horn, which had eyes and mouth like a man. The angel continues: “And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; . . . and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.”
Thus is briefly told the saddest chapter of the world's history. The time here expressed is prophetic, and is understood to cover 1,260 years. The persecution inflicted by this power was feignedly in the interests of Christianity, but it was in reality in opposition to the work of God. The doctrine of the supremacy of the bishop of Rome, and the right of the church to correct heretics, was well established in the sixth century. In 1798, 1,260 years later, the humiliation of the pope bore testimony that the power of the papacy to persecute was at an end.
Daniel concludes with the words: “And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. Here is the end of the matter.”
Christ Confirms Daniel
Jesus used this line of prophecy when answering the question of the disciples, “What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?” According to the record in Matthew 24, He spoke briefly of the destruction of Jerusalem and the early persecutions. Then, speaking of the terrible persecution that was to follow under papal Rome, He said, “Then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.” He made plain to the disciples that in connection with the close of this long prophetic period would occur the coveted signs of His coming and the end of the world. The heavenly bodies themselves, His light bearers to the world, should be made His agents to give the signs of the approaching end.
In obedience to the command of Jesus, the disciples went forth
preaching the crucified, risen, ascended, and returning Lord. Some among their converts began to look for the immediate return of Christ, and the Thessalonians even believed that they were the generation mentioned by Christ. To correct their error, Paul wrote them his second letter. In this he showed that the coming of Christ was not at hand, for the “falling away” had not yet occurred.318The man of sin had not yet been revealed, the power called “the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped.” These words clearly describe the same power Daniel spoke of as the little horn, which was to arise before the setting up of Christ's kingdom.
The Church Now to Expect His Coming
This power had not yet arisen, so the Thessalonians could not be the last generation. The sure word of prophecy, as outlined by Daniel, must be fulfilled: “The church must pass through her dark and trying hour; but how bright the prospect that would await her at its close! Jesus said that as the bursting of the leaves was a sign that summer was nigh, so the signs He mentioned would indicate that His coming was at the door.”
Spring Has Showers
By JOSEF W. HALL
JOSEF W. HALL
Spring, and roses,
And the warm sun;
A song-prayer that comes unbidden
When the day is scarce begun:
Still morn, and the heart is happy
To be loved, and to love, and to grow,
For God shines in like the sunshine,
And sets it all aglow.
Spring, and showers,
Then the sun again,—
So the cloud that came through the day,
And the worn heart’s subtle pain,
Have passed away together,
And the heart is glad and fair,
For God shone in through the teardrops,
And made a rainbow there.
Constantinople and the Turks
By Editor
An outline of the rise of the Ottoman empire; its unparalleled growth and its decline; portents of its total eclipse; its exit from Europe; its final stand in Asia; the time of trouble that comes simultaneously with its destruction. All this and much more of real, up-to-date interest in The July Number.
Three of the Eight Leading Articles are on the Eastern Question
Your chance to become better informed on this important topic of world-wide interest. If not a regular reader, send a dime for a copy of the June number. Then you will see why more than 1,000 persons subscribed last month. We want you to be one of next month's subscribers.
A whole year for $1.00. Why be without it when you can have it come to your home every month for a whole year at the small cost of $1.00?
Our depository in your state will give prompt attention to orders routed through them. See list on this page.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES MAGAZINE
Mountain View, Cal.
M. G. CONGER
By M. G. Conger
Forebodings
As the people of our time have witnessed the striking events of international importance, such as the conflict between capital and labor, disasters by land and sea, wars, and rumors of wars, they have become alarmed. Thoughtful men and women are becoming convinced that some unusual event is ahead of us. The present conditions of our world indicate this.
Trouble, perplexity, strife, discontent, and unrest are on every side. Involuntarily questions arise in every heart concerning these things. What is to happen next, few know; yet all fear.
But it is our privilege to know that there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets; and to-day, as in Daniel’s time, “the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men.”
To the questions that are in the minds of thousands of earth’s inhabitants concerning the end of the world and our Lord’s return, the answer is that “the harvest is ripe,” and “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
M. G. CONGER
Cooperation Corner
WANTED—All who can to order from the publishers back numbers of Signs weekly or Signs Magazine and Watchman to be sent to me for free distribution. 2813 Stoddard Street, up-stairs, St. Louis, Missouri. Emma Kincaid.
Sister Kincaid has used thousands of copies of the Signs, and we will be glad to mail them to her at the rates of one half cent a copy for the weekly and one cent a copy for the magazine. Send your remittance to the Signs of the Times, Cooperation Corner, Mountain View, California, and mention this call.
FOR SALE
Six-room house on Villa Street, Mountain View, California. Four blocks from the business center; two blocks from church and church school; two blocks from Pacific Press.
Five-room house on Pettis Avenue, near Villa Street. Seven blocks from the business center; three blocks from church and church school; three blocks from Pacific Press.
For terms and further particulars on the above places, write William McAlexander, Mountain View, California.
SANITARIUM COOKING OIL
“The Oil of Quality”
Pure Cotton Seed Oil direct from refinery. Sweet, wholesome, and delicious.
South Carolina Tract Society, 1208 Calhoun St., Columbia, S. C.
South Dakota Tract Society, Drawer R, Redfield, S. Dak.
Tennessee Eastern (See Cumberland Tract Society).
Tennessee River Tract Society (Western Tennessee), 509 Cole Bldg., Nashville, Tenn.
Texas Tract Society, North, Box 15, Keene, Texas.
Texas Tract Society, South, Box 755, San Antonio, Texas.
Texas Tract Society, West, Amarillo, Tex.
Upper Columbia Tract Society, College Place, Wash.
Utah Tract and Bible Society, 776 E. 6th South, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Vermont (See Northern New England).
Virginia Tract Society, 2705 W. Main St., Richmond, Va.
Washington Missionary Society, Western, 228 S. Brannan St., Auburn, Wash.
West Virginia Tract Society, 124 Marion St., Fairmont, W. Va.
Wisconsin Tract Society, Box 57, Grand Rapids, Wis.
Wyoming Tract Society, Crawford, Neb.
Above is a list of our authorized agencies and depositories, and we invite you to communicate with them if you wish to secure any books of periodicals advertised in this journal.
It's— SAFE SWIFT SURE TO TRAVEL ON THE Oakland, Antioch & Eastern Railway
Electric Service to and from Water Gate of EXPOSITION GROUNDS and SACRAMENTO
Chico, Oroville, Marysville, Woodland, Dixon, and Other Sacramento Valley Points
Reduced Round Trip Rates
From All Points
Every Day During the Exposition
TICKET OFFICES
Key Route Ferry in San Francisco Kearny 2289
Fortieth and Shafter Avenue, in Oakland Piedmont 870
The Three Best Ways to and from California
The Overland Route via Ogden
The Overland Limited
Extra Fare Train
The Pacific Limited
The San Francisco Express
All Making Less than Three Days to CHICAGO
“The Sunset Route”
Via the Elegant Sunset Limited Three Days to New Orleans Connecting with Palatial Southern Pacific Steamers, or Trains for the East
“The Shasta Route”
Through the beautiful Shasta Region, through Portland and the North
All protected throughout with automatic block signals. Inquire of any agent, or
C. S. Fee, Passenger Traffic Manager
Flood Building, San Francisco
