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Chapter
59
Signs of the
Times
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For what did Christ
censure the Jewish people?
"O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not
discern the signs of the times?" Matt. 16:3.
What sign had Isaiah
given by which Christ might be known as the Messiah?
"Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Be- hold, a virgin
shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel." Isa.
7:14.
Was this fulfilled?
"Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of
the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall
bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel." Matt. 1:22, 23.
Where had the prophet
said Christ should be born?
"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the
thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be
ruler in Israel." Micah 5:2.
Where was Christ born?
"Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea." Matt. 2:1.
What had been predicted
of His ride into Jerusalem?
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem;
behold, thy King cometh unto thee; He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and
riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Zech. 9:9.
Was this fulfilled?
"All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophets, saying Tell ye the
daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an
an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." Matt. 21:4, 5.
Did the believers of
these and other evidences of His Messiaship, expect a sign of His second coming?
"And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him
privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the
sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Matt. 24:3.
How does Luke record our
Saviour's answer to this query?
"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the
stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the
waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those
things which are coming on the earth." Luke 21:25, 26.
What is said of these
signs by an Old Testament prophet?
"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood,
and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and
the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord
come." Joel 2:30, 31.
Have the sun and the moon
been darkened in fulfillment of these predictions?
They have, as stated in the following:
NOTE. - "But
especially I mention that wonderful darkness on the 19th of May [ 1780].
Then, as in our text, the sun was darkened; such a darkness as probably was
never known before since the crucifixion of our Lord. People left their work in
the house and in the field. Travelers stopped; schools broke up at eleven
o'clock; people lighted candles at noonday; and the fire shown as at night. Some
people, I have been told, were in dismay, and thought whether the day of
judgment was drawing on. A great part of the following night, also, was
singularly dark. The moon, though in the full, gave no light, as in our
text." From a manuscript sermon by Rev. Elam Potter, delivered May 28,
1780.
"The 19th of May, 1780, was a remarkably dark day. Candles were
lighted in many houses. The birds were silent, and disappeared. The fowls
retired to roost. It was the general opinion that the day of judgment was at
hand. The Legislature of Connecticut was in session at Hartford, but being
unable to transact business, adjourned." Pres. Dwight, in Conn.
Historical Collections.
Has there been a display
of falling stars that would meet the specifications predicted?
The celebrated astronomer and meteorologist, Prof. Olmstead, of Yale
College, says: "Those who were so fortunate as to witness the exhibition of
shooting stars on the morning of Nov.13, 1833, probably saw the greatest display
of celestial fire works that has ever been since the creation of the world, or
at least within the annals covered by the pages of history... The extent of the
shower of 1833 was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth's
surface... This is no longer to be regarded as a terrestrial, but as a
celestial, phenomenon; and shooting stars are now to be no more viewed as casual
productions of the upper regions of the atmosphere, but as visitants from other
worlds, or from the planetary voids." "Our Lord's Great
Prophecy." page 35.
What may be said with
reference to the late unusual ocean tempests?
Burnet, in his "Sacred Theory of the Earth," remarks: "Let us
then proceed in our explication of this sign, the roaring sea and waves,
applying it to the end of the world. I do not look upon this ominous noise of
the sea as the effect of a tempest; for then it would not strike such terror
into the inhabitants of the earth, nor make them apprehensive of some great evil
coming upon the world, as this will do. What proceeds from visible causes, and
such as may happen in a common course of nature, does not so much amaze or
affright us."
What other sign is to
indicate the time of the end?
"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the
time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be
increased." Dan. 12:4.
NOTES. - The increase
of knowledge referred to in this text evidently means, primarily, religious
knowledge; but it covers scientific knowledge also. Since 1799 there have been
five great Bible and tract societies organized; namely, the London Religious
Tract Society, the British and Foreign Bible Society, the American Bible
Society, the American Tract Society, and the International Tract Society. From
these have gone forth to the world more than 200 million Bibles, and countless
pages of tracts, disseminating knowledge upon the truths of salvation. Besides
these, millions of religious papers are being circulated in the various
countries of the earth daily. This has all been accomplished since the
nineteenth century.
What is predicted of the
moral condition of the world in the last days?
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For
men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers,... lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof." 2 Tim. 3:15.
How will the message of
the Lord's coming be generally treated?
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days,
scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise
of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as
they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Peter 3:3, 4.
What will God's faithful
servants be doing at this time?
"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler
over his household, to give them meat in due season?" Matt 24:45.
What are all admonished
to do when these signs have appeared?
"Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not
the Son of man cometh." Matt. 24:44.
What will be done to
those evil ones who say in their hearts that the Lord delays His coming?
"The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for
him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and
appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing
of teeth." Matt.24:50, 51.
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