We have given facts and reasonings to prove that the coming of the Lord, mentioned in Matthew 24, is a literal, personal, visible coming. But if the question be asked of us,
“Do you, then, believe that the instruction of this chapter was given to prove that the second coming of Christ will be literal and personal, even as his first was?”
We answer, No, we do not. No such object was in view; no question concerning the nature of his coming was asked. The disciples did not ask him,
“Master, will you actually come to this world again, that we may behold you personally as we see you now?”
No, no; this was not yet a matter of query. The Universalist, or spiritualizing, view of the second coming was not yet invented. Nor did the Saviour say,
“When you see these things, then you may know that my coming is personal and visible.”
The question was,
“What shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?”
It was a question concerning a certain event, and the time of its fulfillment; and the answer was to this question, and to no other. And to this it was direct:
“When you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.”
Thus is shown the great mistake made by a majority of those who study this chapter. They appear to think that the sole object of the Saviour was to guard his followers against the idea that they can know anything about the time of his coming.
But, to the contrary, he leads our minds down through a series of events and signs with the special object that we may know the time, not, indeed, the day nor the hour, but the time when it is near,--very near, even at the doors.
Verse 36 is often perverted when it is used to justify the oft-repeated assertion that “we cannot tell anything about the time of the Lord’s coming.” When our opposers quote this verse, we accept its statement fully and cheerfully. They seem to have exceeding strong confidence in our Saviour’s words, that we cannot tell the day nor the hour. We have equal con fidence in this declaration.
But will they accept, with the same confidence, the state- ment in verse 33, which gives assurance that we may know when it is near? If they accept this as they do verse 36, then the controversy of this chapter is ended. If they do not accept it, but still insist that we cannot know, then how can they consistently claim to be believers of the Saviour’s words?
We invite all readers to look candidly at this point, and answer to their own hearts before God this question: For what was the instruction of this chapter given? If the Lord did not intend that his people shall know anything about the time, what is the meaning of the words in verse 33? He says that we may know when his coming is near, and we have too much reverence for, and fear of, his word to contradict him.
And more than this, we believe that verse 33 is not merely instructive but also preceptive. It contains not only a state- ment, but a commandment. It does not barely inform us that we may know, but it commands us to know.
The original shows, but the English does not plainly show, that the Saviour spoke in the imperative; and therefore no one can justly claim exemption, and say it makes no difference whether we know or do not. To say that we cannot know is to slight the words of the Lord. To refuse to diligently and prayerfully search in order to know, is to disobey the Lord’s commandment. Reverence, humility, and a spirit of obedience, all call for a careful examination of our Saviour’s teachings, and a reception of the evidence of his near coming.
By many the evidences of the soon coming of Christ are considered insufficient to base faith upon. But mark: the testi mony and acts of one man condemned the people destroyed by the flood. The evidences then were sufficient, otherwise the world would not have been condemned.
But behold the evidences which come pouring in upon us on all sides that the day of the Lord is near, and hastes greatly. We follow down the numerous prophetic chains of Daniel, and of the Revelation, and we find ourselves in every instance standing just before the day of wrath.
We see the signs spoken of by prophets, by Christ, and in the Epistles, fulfilling or fulfilled. And at the right time, and in the right manner, to fulfill certain prophecies, a solemn message arises in different parts of the world:
“Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord comes, for it is nigh at hand.” (Joel 2:1)
Wherever we look, we see prophecy fulfilling. And while the knowledge of God and the spirit of holiness are departing, spiritual wickedness like a flood covers the land.
But these evidences are considered insufficient to rest faith upon. Well, what kind of evidence is required? Says the skeptic:
“When the signs of the end are fulfilled, they will be so plain that no one can doubt.”
But if the signs are of such a nature, and are fulfilled in such a manner, as to compel all to believe in the coming of Christ, how can it be as it was in the days of Noah? Men were not then compelled to believe. But eight believing souls were saved, while all the world beside sunk in their unbelief be neath the waters of the flood.
God has never revealed his truth to man in a manner to compel him to believe. Those who have wished to doubt his word, have found a wide field in which to doubt, and a broad road to perdition. Only those who wish to believe find solid rock on which to rest their faith.
“When the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
He will find but little. It will be as in the days of Noah. A few will believe, and stand complete in God amid all the perils of the last days.
“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
Just before the end, the world will be hardened in sin, in different to the claims of God, careless about heeding warnings of danger, blinded by cares, pleasures, and riches; an unbelieving and infidel race, eating, drinking, marrying, building, planting, sowing.
It is right to eat and drink, but the sin is in excess and gluttony. The marriage covenant is holy, but God’s glory is seldom thought of. Building, planting, and sowing, necessary for convenient shelter, food, and doing, are right, but the world has gone wholly after these things, so that they have no time nor disposition to think of God, heaven, Christ’s coming, and the judgment. This world is their god, and all their energies of body and mind bow down to serve it. And the evil day is put far away.
The faithful watchman who sounds the alarm as he sees destruction coming, is considered a “fanatic,” a “teacher of dangerous heresies;” while a long period of peace and pros perity is predicted from the popular pulpit. So the churches are quieted to sleep. The scoffer continues to scoff, and the mocker mocks on. But their day is coming. Thus says the prophet of God:
“Howl you; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt; And they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrow shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travails; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.” (Isaiah 13:6-9)
Most dreadful day! And is it near, and hasting on as fast as the rapid wheels of time can bring it?--Yes, it hastes! It hastes greatly! What a description given by the prophet! Read it, and as you read, try to feel how dreadful will be that day.
“The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hastes greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord; the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.” (Zephaniah 1:14-18)
Now we hear the cry from the pulpit, and all the way along down to the grog-shop,
“Where is the promise of his coming?”
But the scene will speedily change:
“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them....and they shall not escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:3)
The scoffing of the haughty scoffer will soon be turned to wailing and howling.
“The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low.” (Isaiah 2:11-12)
“And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.” (Jeremiah 25:33)
The last plagues, in which is filled up the wrath of God, waiting for mercy to finish her last pleadings; will be poured out (see Revelation 15:1, and 16 entire). Unmingled wrath of Jehovah! And not one drop of mercy?--Not one!
Jesus will lay off his priestly attire, leave the mercy-seat, and put on the garments of vengeance, never more to offer his blood to cleanse the sinner from his sins. The angels will wipe away the last tear shed over sinners, while the mandate resounds through all heaven, Let them alone!
The groaning, weeping, praying, preaching church on earth, who in the last message use every means within their reach, and employ every power of their being, to sound every where the loud cry, lest the blood of souls be found on their garments, are now hushed in solemn silence. The Holy Spirit has written within them these prophetic words of their soonexpected Lord:
“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” (Revelation 22:11)