The Seven Seals. Revelation, Chapters Four to Eight
The Man—The Place—The Story—The Scene
The Man: A prophet of God, the beloved disciple of Jesus Christ, John the Aged.
The Place: The rocky, bleak, barren, wave-washed isle of Patmos in the Mediterranean Sea, a penal colony of Rome, where the prophet was banished because of "the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus." Rev. 1:9.
The Story: That of a wonderful seven-sealed book, opened in a wonderful way, at marvelous cost, for the benefit of humanity.
The Scene: Heaven opened, the prophet in mind transported thither, that he might see the work of God for the salvation of men in the visions—the very seeings—of God, even as Ezekiel of old. Eze. 40:2.
Behold the center of all, God upon His throne, robed in ineffable glory. A rainbow bends about the throne, God’s covenant token of mercy, forgiveness, and love, rising above the bleak, sad shadows of the world’s despair, sin, and sorrow.
Twenty-four courses of elders,—crowned conquerors, translated to heaven (Matt. 25:52, 53; Eph. 4:8), minister, as in the temple of old, before God. And, as in the type, there burn the lamps from the seven-branched candlestick—representation of the fulness of the Spirit of God.
Companies of His holy ones, moving, serving in the forms of various creatures, also representations of God’s work, are seen by the prophet as before His throne, by Ezekiel as above and upon the earth; and there by their service rendering one continual song of praise to the Lord God Omnipotent. Resting on the hand of the Being upon the throne lies a book, written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals. Its inscriptions indicate the marvel of its hidden truth.
A strong angel strides forth with the challenge to the universe:
"Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?"
No creature responds. Nor man, nor angel, nor seraph, nor cherub, who are able to stand in the blazing splendor of the throne, can open the book or read its story of suffering or glory. The prophet weeps. His own salvation and the safety of the universe is wrapped in the wonderful book, and the God of love upon the throne will not prove false to the beautiful bow of promise. A crowned elder speaks to the prophet:
"Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome [so as] to open the book and the seven seals thereof."
Then looked the prophet to see a Lion, but, behold, a Lamb,—in the midst of the throne, in the midst of the living ones, in the midst of the elders, in all, of all, binding all together by His relationship to all—a Lamb, having been slain, seven-horned in His fulness of power, seven-eyed in His fulness of wisdom, in His plenitude of the Spirit of God, operative in infinite love for the needy earth. It cost the death of the Lamb of God to open the book.
Amid all the acclamations of holy-hearted beings, He takes the book. A new song rises in heaven to His praise:
"Worthy art Thou to take the book,
And to open the seals thereof;
For Thou wast slain,
And didst purchase unto God with Thy blood men
Of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,
And madest them to be unto our God
A kingdom and priests;
And they reign upon the earth."
And then the myriads upon myriads of holy ones in glorious song ascribe to the Lamb a sevenfold song of praise:
"Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Might, and Honor, and Glory, and Blessing."
And then he who is enrapt in visions of God sees the gracious culmination of a new universe, and every creature in that universe joining in the universal song of praise to God and the Lamb, ascribing to them forever and ever "the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion."
The book contains that for which Christ died, the salvation of man, the Gospel of God in its revelation of love, to the children of men, even "the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is manifested." Rom. 16:25, 26; 1 Cor. 2:7; et al.
The Opening of the Book
The first seal is broken in the revelation of God’s glory, and from one of those four living creatures, representing the great need of a sin-agonized world, comes the appealing cry to the conquering Lamb,—
COME
But the world is not ready for His coming in His fulness of forthshining glory. His own people could not bear it. Therefore He comes in His Gospel to save, represented by a rider upon a white horse, with bow and crown, going forth conquering and to conquer. Compare with Psalm 45—prophetic of Christ. He sends His Gospel to win the world unto Himself.
He breaks the second seal of His revelation, and again the world’s great need is voiced in the cry of the living creature, like a calf, indicative, doubtless, of sacrifice, and service,—
COME
And another rides forth on a red horse, with great sound, significant of war and strife and bloodshed. Men will not accept the white Gospel of peace and purity; they reap in their own mad, rebellious passions war and strife. So, and only so, Christ’s Gospel sends "a sword" upon the earth. Yet still the white-horse rider conquers in all souls submitted to Him, even tho they die in the wars and strifes of men. And still groaning, sin-burdened humanity, voiced by the man-like creature, cries,—
COME
As the Lamb breaks the third seal, lo, a black horse, and his rider holds in his hand a weighing instrument. The color is indicative of pestilence, plague, famine, mourning. And the needs of humanity are met with scanty rations doled out at exorbitant prices, a bushel of wheat at $5.50, a bushel of barley at $1.81. All these calamities have come upon the earth on account of sin. They are sin’s inevitable fruits, and God must let the world reap them that they may learn the awful lesson.
Another seal broken, and another horse, pale and spectral,—another rider, dread and terrible, Death. His lieutenant, Hades, follows with him. What was introduced by the third rider is used by him with fearful effect to kill with sword, with famine, with pestilence (margin), with wild beasts. And God’s groaning earth and universe still cry,—
COME
Yet the white-horse rider is still ready to conquer and make conquerors all who will receive Him. Strife rages, grim Want strikes his victim, Death and Destruction desolate, still God pleads. All creation groans for the coming King, and He pleads with souls, "Come unto Me."
Then agencies of evil came in as the result of rejecting the Gospel. They have been in operation since the Lamb of God was slain upon the cross, one following the other till all were in operation, the pale-horse rider doing his fiercest work during the 1260 years of papal persecution of the Dark Ages.
The Vision Changes
We are nearing the end. Back and forth throughout the world the four horsemen are riding. God remembers His people. The next seal is opened, and the writer sees the faithful ones who received the Conqueror, yet who fell physically before the wicked riders, dead in their graves. And as tho they were alive, as they are in God’s purposes, they are comforted. God’s judgment clothes them in the garment of the white-horse conqueror.
Another seal, and the very earth convulses in longing for her King. A great earthquake, fulfilled in that marvelous one of Lisbon, November 1, 1755; the darkening of sun and moon, fulfilled May 19, 1780; and the falling of the stars, met in the greatest of all meteoric showers, of November 13, 1833. These will be followed by convulsions which dismember the earth, and render it incapable of habitation. The atmospheric heavens are burned, mountains are removed, and the mighty and proud of the earth, too proud to ask the help of God, now pray to the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them, and hide them from the face of Him who is love unchangeable.
Yet previous to these awful convulsions of earth, God has a work to be done, the sealing of His servants for all eternity, the placing upon them the character of God. See also Ezekiel 9. This is treated more at length in an article on "The Seal of God" in No. 4 of this series. It is the last testing work of God for the inhabitants of this world, the ripening-up work for the garner of God, the final result of obeying God.
Beyond this work, the seventh seal is broken. Till then the King lingers. The woes of sin, the suffering people, and His sin-burdened creation through all the centuries have cried,—
COME! COME!! COME!!!
And now He comes. Rev. 8:1., Heaven is emptied of its angelic chorus; for behold, He comes and all the holy angels with Him. Matt. 25:31. Heaven is willing for a brief space to be silenced of her chorus that the poor earth may hear a burst of its divine melody, and that the church militant may be escorted to the heavenly mansions by the Royal Band of heaven, victorious forever.
The book of seven seals is open to the universe, and before all the worlds of righteousness there is revealed the mercy, the compassion, the power, the tenderness, of the God of love and of His Son Jesus Christ, the science and song of all eternity.
The Spirit and the Bride Say Come
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Rev. 22:17.
THE ONLY POWER THAT CAN SAVE
By Mrs. E. G. White
Man's Utter Need
MAN was originally endowed with noble powers and a well-balanced mind. He was perfect in his being, and in harmony with God. His thoughts were pure, his aims holy. But through disobedience his powers were perverted, and selfishness took the place of love. His nature became so weakened through transgression that it was impossible for him, in his own strength, to resist the power of evil. He was made captive by Satan, and would have remained so forever had not God specially interposed. It was the tempter's purpose to thwart the divine plan in man's creation, and fill the earth with wo and desolation. And he points to all this evil as the result of God's work in creating man.
In his sinless state, man held joyful communion with Him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. But after his sin he could no longer find joy in holiness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God.
It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we can not change them. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?—Not one." "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they can not change the heart; they can not purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before man can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness.
"When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, . . . to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." In Christ God has provided
means for subduing every sinful trait
and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to self, but to Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He walked among men is the same mighty Redeemer to-day. Faith comes by the Word of God. Then grasp the promise, "Him that cometh to Me, I will in nowise cast out." Cast yourself at His feet with the cry, "Lord, I believe: help Thou mine unbelief." You can never perish while you do this—never.
Jesus knows the circumstances of every soul. He turns no weeping, contrite one away. He does not tell to any one all that He might reveal, but He bids every trembling soul take courage. Freely will He pardon all who come to Him for forgiveness and restoration.
Christ might commission the angels of heaven to pour out the vials of His wrath on our world, to destroy those who are filled with hatred of God. He might wipe this dark spot from His universe. But He does not do this. He is to-day standing at the altar of incense, presenting before God the prayers of those who desire His help.
The souls that turn to Him for refuge, Jesus lifts above the accusing and the strife of tongues. No man or evil angel can impeach these souls. Christ unites them to His own divine-human nature. They stand before the great Sin-bearer, in the light proceeding from the throne of God. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
The work of Christ in cleansing the leper from his terrible disease is an illustration of His work in cleansing the soul from sin. The man who came to Jesus was "full of leprosy." Its deadly poison had permeated his whole body. The disciples sought to prevent their Master from touching him, for he who touched a leper became himself unclean. But in laying His hand upon the leper, Jesus received no defilement.
His touch imparted life-giving power.
The leprosy was cleansed. Thus it is with the leprosy of sin—deep-rooted, deadly, and impossible to be cleansed by human power. "The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores." But Jesus, coming to dwell in humanity, receives no pollution. His presence has healing virtue for the sinner. Whoever will fall at His feet, saying in faith, "Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean," shall hear the answer, "I will, be thou clean."
The Saviour never passed by one soul, however sunken in sin, who was willing to receive the precious truth of heaven. To publicans and harlots His words were as the beginning of a new life. Mary Magdalene, out of whom He cast seven devils, was the last at the Saviour's tomb, and the first whom He greeted in the morning of His resurrection. It was Saul of Tarsus, one of the most determined enemies of the Gospel, who became Paul, the devoted minister of Christ.
The dying thief, seeing in Jesus the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world, cried, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom."
Quickly the answer came, full of love, compassion, and power: "Verily I say unto thee to-day, Thou shalt be with Me in Paradise."
As Christ spoke the words of promise, the dark cloud that seemed to enshroud the cross was pierced with a bright and living light. To the penitent thief came
the perfect peace of acceptance with God.
Christ in His humiliation was glorified. He who in all other eyes appeared to be conquered was a conqueror. He was acknowledged as the Sin-bearer. Men might exercise power over His human body. They might pierce the holy temple with the crown of thorns. They might strip from Him His raiment, and quarrel over its division. But they could not rob Him of His power to forgive sins. In dying He bore witness to His own divinity and to the glory of the Father. His ear is not heavy that it can not hear, neither is His arm shortened that it can not save. It is His royal right to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by Him. "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
THE CRUCIFIED
By Charles Wesley
O Love divine, what hast thou done!
The incarnate God hath died for me!
The Father's well-beloved Son
Bore all my sins upon the tree!
The Son of God for me hath died,—
My Lord, my Love, is crucified.
Behold Him, all ye passers-by—
The bleeding Prince of life and peace!
Come, sinners, see your Saviour die,
And say, Was ever grief like His?
Come, feel with me His blood applied,—
My Lord, my Love, is crucified.
Is crucified for me and you,
To bring us rebels back to God;
Believe, believe the record true,
Ye all are bought with Jesus' blood;
Pardon for all flows from His side,—
My Lord, my Love, is crucified.
Then let us sit beneath His cross,
And gladly catch the healing stream;
All things for Him account but loss,
And give up all our hearts to Him!
Of nothing think or speak beside,—
My Lord, my Love, is crucified.
—Charles Wesley.
The Second Coming of Christ
By Rev. George R. Kramer
How MANY editors or preachers are writing or speaking of the second coming of Christ? It is a solemn and sublime truth; it was the constant utterance of Paul, and yet these good and wise men let it alone. Truly, religious people are asleep in regard to the momentous fact that He is coming.—Rev. George R. Kramer.
Expecting Christ’s Second Coming
AT the coming of Christ to avenge and deliver His faithful people, the faith of His coming will, in a great measure, be lost. Chronological calculation, and the general appearance of the world, all conspire to tell us that the events of the latter days are even come upon us, and that the time of God's controversy with the earth is near at hand. It is already on the wing.—Coke's "Commentary."
MATTHEW HENRY, who was declared by Adam Clarke to be "always orthodox," says:
How much more should they wait with expectation and earnestness for His second coming, which will be the day of their complete redemption!
They (the wicked) will still attack us till the end of time,—till our Lord is come; they will not believe that He will come; nay, they will laugh at the very notion of His second coming, and do all they can to put all out of countenance who seriously believe and wait for it.—Com. on 2 Peter 3.
EDUCATION IN THE HOME, NO. 23
By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle
"THERE is one text I would like to study with you, if you have no objection," suggested Mr. Gray, "but I don't know exactly where to look for it,—but something is said about the spirit going to God;—now, what is the spirit?"
"Yes, Mr. Hartman, what is the spirit?" asked Mrs. Wilber. "What is the spirit?" she repeated eagerly.
"First, let us read the text of scripture mentioned by Mr. Gray. Walter, will you please turn to Eccl. 12:7, and read?"
"'Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.'"
"Now, Mrs. Wilbur asks, 'What is the spirit?' We are sometimes assured that, when our friends die, they are not in their graves, but that THEY are in heaven. Let me read Eccl. 9:10: 'For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither THOU goest.' So that makes it certain that WE lie in the grave when death comes, instead of going at once to heaven, and that then we are utterly unconscious. So that whatever it is which returns to God, it can have neither wisdom nor knowledge! hence knowing positively nothing whatever, it must be unconscious after the death of the man."
"Perhaps you believe that the spirit is merely the breath, do you?" queried Mrs. Gray.
"I will read Job 12:9, 10: 'The hand of the Lord hath wrought this; in whose hand is the soul [margin, "life"] of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.' Again, please turn to Ps. 146:4. Elsie, will you read?"
"'His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.'"
"Perhaps, then," said Brother Hartman, "it is the breath (the life) of man, which goeth forth and returns to God who gave it. This view harmonizes completely with the Scriptures. Now, when the spirit is separated from the body, what occurs? Billy Black, what happens then?"
"We die, sir," replied Billy, with great emphasis.
"What else, then, besides spirit does Inspiration name the thing that God takes at death? Mrs. Wilbur, please read Ps. 104:29."
"'Thou takest away their breath, they die and return to their dust.'"
"Then that which returns to the Almighty is that which He gave,—the spirit of life, or the breath of life,—no more conscious than before it entered the human body. Further: When the spirit is separated from the body, and death occurs, what does Inspiration say is the condition of the mental faculties? Josie, please read Eccl. 9:5, first clause."
"'For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything.'"
"So it must take the combination of spirit and body to be conscious; and even then, under certain conditions, such as deep sleep, or when under the influence of deadening drugs, man becomes unconscious. Is this true, Mr. Jones?"
"It certainly must be."
"Then it must logically follow that, when this combination no longer exists, there is utter unconsciousness. Josie, is it possible for a dead man to love any body or anything?"
"Humph! that's a queer question," interrupted Billy.
"Why is it a queer question, my lad? if people are conscious after death, they can surely love, and hate, and envy just as much as ever, don't you agree with me, Miss Josie?"
"I suppose they could, Mr. Hartman," replied Josie, glancing at her mother, who appeared deeply absorbed in thought, "I suppose so—only—it does not seem to me that they do. It isn't reasonable, is it?"
"You are right, entirely so; but please read a little further, for I assure you God has not left us in the dark on this most absorbing question. Will Mr. Wilbur read Eccl. 9:4-7."
"'For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.'"
"Now I must ask, Is this plain to you? Mrs. Wilbur, have we made it plain?"
"I am surprised, Mr. Hartman; I thought I knew the Bible a little myself,—but—"
"Well," said Mrs. Jones, "I feel the same way. Really I had no idea there was anything of this sort in the whole Book."
"There is much in the blessed Volume for all of us," said grandma; "it is like a mine of gold or hidden diamonds; but we must search for the gems of truth as for hid treasure."
"You won't forget to ask some one to read that text where the word 'immortal' is used, will you, father?" asked Elsie.
"Thank you, daughter; I had quite forgotten it. The word immortal is used but once in the Bible, and so it is very interesting in this connection to note that it is not applied even to the mighty angels—much less to poor, mortal man: Will grandma read the text? 1 Tim. 1:17."
"Yes," repeated grandma, "the term immortal is only applied to the great Jehovah—the Creator of all things: 'Now unto the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.'"
"I had supposed," said Mrs. Gray, "that this word was used very frequently in the Bible."
"Only once; and the word 'immortality' is used but four times; and in not a single instance is it applied to the soul or the spirit of man."
"Let us find these four texts," proposed Mrs. Gray, "and read them."
"Certainly; it will be very profitable. Mattie, can you tell us where one of these texts may be found? What? you have forgotten? John can tell us, I think, can't you, my son?"
"Romans 2:7 is one text, father. Let Walter read it, please;" and the lad read slowly and thoughtfully:
"'To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.'"
"Well, Walter, if you already have anything, would it not be very foolish to expect you to seek for it?"
"In other words," interrupted John, "if your soul was naturally immortal, do you think this expression would occur in God's Book?"
(To be continued in next Special.)
THE SKIPPING-ROPE EVIL
THERE are two ways of jumping the rope. One is for the girl to turn it herself, going forward as if on a run, instead of jumping always in the same place. This way, in moderation, is healthful; for it is an easy, natural motion, straining no part of the body unduly.
The other way to jump the rope is to get one girl at one end, and another at the other, and then jump until tripped or tired out. The latter method is always the favorite, first, because it becomes a game instead of an exercise, and secondly, because the girl has nothing to occupy her hands, and can devote all her energies to jumping.
Here is where the danger comes in. The steps are all up and down, for three, and even four, minutes on a stretch. Every time the girl alights after a spring, she produces a slight—very slight—brain concussion. The action of the heart is greatly increased. After a full meal, to indulge in rope-skipping, particularly with other girls to turn, means dyspepsia and misery in a few years.
Every one of these dangers is increased tenfold by that momentarily accelerated jumping-jack game in which the jumper tries to jump as fast as the turner turns, until both are ready to drop from exhaustion.
"How many turns can you jump?" is prolific of more evil to girls than their mothers dream of. The determined rivalry with which two children will jump up and down till gasping for breath, their pulse at one hundred and twenty a minute, and the well-nigh visible blue veins in their foreheads swollen out by the quick, irregular pumping of the heart, is something wonderful to see.—Selected.
"HE WILL GET OVER IT"
By Educator; Companion
A Little Lecture to Mothers That Is Timely Just Now.
WITHIN a year the question has been asked of three different mothers, "How is your little one who has been ill?" And the reply has been substantially the same in each case: "O, he is pretty sick, but it is nothing serious! He will get over it."
The repetition of this phrase has struck home and has awakened thought. Will the child get over it? Is it not doubtful whether the young stomach, which has been so badly disordered that the little patient has had to lie in bed for days, will ever entirely be what it would have been without this illness? Do not the severe attacks of bronchitis and pneumonia which afflict so many children leave an abiding mark behind them? Is not the case very much like that of the cracked or mended bowl? It may serve a good many purposes still, but it can never be so strong nor so useful as it was before it was injured.
The fact is that parents expect their children to be ill. They are astonished if a year passes without more or less serious invalidism among them. It is probable that some indisposition in an ordinary family of four or five persons or more is inevitable; but if there be a wise mother in charge, this illness ought seldom to be serious enough to keep the patient in bed. Utter prostration usually argues a long course of improper living beforehand.
It has too long remained unrecognized that the human body is a machine, and that its normal method of activity is in a regular routine. Children should eat as nearly as possible the same sort of food—not necessarily the same articles—but about the same proportion of nitrogenous and other foods, every day at regular hours, and never at other times. They should go to bed and get up at the same hours daily. The ventilation of their sleeping apartments, the regulation of their bathing, clothing, and all the physical operations which maintain health, should be arranged with as accurate method as is practicable, always avoiding the cast-iron system. There is no need of much nor hard illness in an ordinary family, and, unjust as the assertion may sound, there is bad management in the household where it is otherwise. To tell the truth, the carelessness, the ignorance, or the weak indulgence of mothers, is at the bottom of three-fourths of the ill health and mortality that are so shockingly prevalent among children. These mothers become used to sickness in their families, hardened to its enormity, and they really do come to think that it is a small thing. "He will get over it." The chances are ten to one that he does not get over it, but that he feels it more or less to the day of his death, which is hastened because of it.
Pray for Strength, Not Ease
By Phillips Brooks
O, do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks! Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle. But you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come in you by the grace of God.—Phillips Brooks.
THE CONVERSION OF THE WORLD
1. What two great things does God set before the children of men?
"I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing." Deut. 30:19.
2. What does Jesus say of the way of each?
"Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction," and "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life."
3. What does He say of the comparative knowledge of each?
"Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt. 7:13, 14.
4. What was the condition of man in the beginning?
The "enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." Matt. 13:25. "The tares are the children of the wicked one." Verse 38.
6. How long will God suffer these tares to remain?
"Let both grow together until the harvest." Verse 30. "The harvest is the end of the world." Verse 39.
7. What power antagonistic to God's work will be prominent in the world, and to a certain extent dominant, until Christ comes?
The Papacy, represented in Daniel 7 by a little horn which made war against the saints until the Ancient of Days came; represented in 2 Thessalonians 2 as the man of sin which stood in the temple of God, assuming to give laws for the church, and prospering until his destruction in the burning glory of Christ's second coming.
8. What, according to the Word of God, will be the character of the last days?
"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matt. 24:12. See also 2 Tim. 3:1-5, where the great perils of the last days are measured by the abounding sins among the people of God; Revelation 18, in which great apostate Babylon controls the whole world; the words of our Lord in Luke 17 and Matthew 24, which declare that the last days shall be as were the days of Noah and of Lot; and many other scriptures.
9. What is to become of the wicked?
"Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power, when He shall come to be glorified in His saints." 2 Thess. 1:9, 10. See also 2:8, and many others.
10. What admonition does God give us in view of these facts?
"Strive [agonize] to enter in at the strait [narrow] gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." Luke 13:24. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor. 6:2.
NOTE. It will be seen by the above Scriptures that there is nothing whatever in them to indicate the conversion of the world, but that there is positive evidence to the contrary. The conversion of the world and a temporal millennium are dreams of the devil by which he would lull to sleep a world lying in wickedness. Let each of our readers make sure that the Gospel of Christ shall do the work upon his heart.
HIS COMING, NOT DEATH
Would it not rejoice your hearts if you were sure to live to see the coming of the Lord, and to see His glorious appearing and retinue? If you were not to die, but to be caught up thus to meet the Lord, would you be averse to this? Would it not be the greatest joy that you could desire? For my own part, I must confess to you that death, as death appeareth to me, is an enemy, and my nature doth abhor and fear it. But the thoughts of the coming of the Lord are most sweet and joyful to me, so that if I were but sure that I should live to see it, and that the trumpet should sound, and the dead should rise, and the Lord appear, before the period of my age, it would be the joyfulest tidings to me in the world. O, that I might see His kingdom come! It is the character of His saints to love His appearing, and to look for that blessed hope. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come." "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Come quickly, is the voice of faith, and hope, and love.
But I find not that His servants are thus characterized by their desire to die. It is, therefore, the presence of their Lord that they desire; but it is death that they abhor, and, therefore, tho they can submit to death, it is the coming of Christ that they love, and long for. If death be the last enemy to be destroyed at the resurrection, we may learn how earnestly believers should long and pray for the second coming of Christ, when this full and final conquest shall be made. There is something in death that is penal, even to believers; but in the coming of Christ and their resurrection, there is nothing but glorifying grace.—Richard Baxter.
