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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont fiim^s en commengant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la dernidre image de chi>que microfiche, bdlon le cas: le symbols — »> siynifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmte A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bsis, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 THt LIGHT OK THE WORLD. r -M '■s i^TM I AN IvXroSITION OK MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR BV- JAMES WHITE REVISED AND ILLUSTRATED " What shall be the sign of thy comins,', and of the end <.f the world ?" — Disciples. "When ye shall see all these thinirs, know that it is near, even at the doors," — Jesus. REVIEW & HERAl,D PUBLISHING CO., TORONKJ, ONT. 1895. 37 Z£^ CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY , . Divine .luixiMKNis Always Pueckdkd jjv AVAUMNd CHRIST'S PROPIIKr V PeKSECUTIOX AM) FaJ.SE P1{01'IIETS Iniquity Abounds The End WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS liE ? . . . WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THY C()MlN(i ? Days Shoutened for the Elect's Saki; . Lo Here, and Lo Thehe The Skjns of Ciihist's Comino . . . . " The Staus Shai.i. Fall " "The Powers of Heaven Siiaj. , Shaken" . "SifiX OF THE Son of Man" . ... Paraijle of the Fkj-tree The Day and TIour ■. . ... Noah's Time ai;d Ours Peace and Safety The Final Separation Watch The Faithful and '^.Vise Si;i{vant The Evil Servant CONCLUSION ILLUSTRATIONS. I'AtiK. Frontispiece 2 Christ Weeping over Jerusalem . S Jesus on tlie Hount oi Olives . . 10 Ancient lerusalem .... 14 riartyrdom of John Huss . .20 The Crucifixion .... 22 The Saviour's Ascension . .26 Destruction of Jerusalem . 32 St. Bartholomew's Hassacre . 36 The Pope Taken Prisoner . . 38 I'AOE. ") V) 11 21 25 27 ;u :h 10 10 ■14 ID !) 71 7<» 8(5 8() S!) !)2 03 Dark Day of May 10, 17S0 The Falling Stars . Harthquake at Lisbon riodern Cyclone Assassination of President Carnot Chicago Riot .... A Forest Fire .... The Day of Wrath . Peace on Earth .... All His Holy Angels with Him |'A(;k. . 46 SO • ?>i 54 56 60 70 78 84 04 in< seij hisi wa nej nat It sidj tliel WO] ..thel W(» prol u 21 25 27 31 34 Iti 10 14 lit ()7 (')'.» 74 71) . 8(5 H() , Hi) 1)2 93 I'AdK. . 4ft 5" • 5^ 54 it . 56 60 • 70 78 . 84 04 filS GLORIOOS flPPEflRING: AN EXPOSITION OF IVTATTHEW TWKNTV=FOUR. INTRODUCTORY. "Surely the Lord Gud will do uolliiiiy, but lu; rcvcuhith his secret uuto his servants the prophets." Amos 3 :7. d it ~^T0 triitli of inspiration can be more clearly demonstrate \ than that (Jod reveals liis designs to his prophets, tlui ^ men and nations may be prepared for their accomplish- ment. Before visiting with jndgments, God has uniformly sent forth warnings sufKcient to enable the believing to escape his wrath, and to condemn those who have not heeded the warning. This was the case before the flood. The wicked- ness of the world had become very great. Every imagi- nation of the thoughts of the hearts of men was onlv evil. It woidd seem that they had forfeited all claims for con- sideration. Violence and corruption filled the earth, and the only wav to eradicate evil was to destrov it with its workers. But before doing so, the world must be warned of Y)(,.the impending doom ; and there was found one man who would engage in the work. Noah had faith in God, and preached for one hundred and twenty year? the message of HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING ! warning and salvation, flis work also testified with his words. "By faith Noah, l)ei5ig warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house ; by the which he condemned the world." Ileb. 11 : 7. At a later period, when the nations had again become sunken in idolatry and crime, and the destruction of wicked Sodom and Gomorrah was determined, the Lord said, — "Shall I hide from Abraham that tiling which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?" Gen. 18:17, 18. And due notice was given to righteous Lot, who, with his daughters, was preserved ; and none, even in that guilty city, perished without due warning. Lot evidently warned the people ; and in thus communing with them, was " vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." 2 Peter 2 : 7, 8. His righteous life hud been a rebuke to them ; and i the we have every reason to believe that the holy example of ' tain J] Abraliam in his worship of the true God was known to them. He had at one time been their saviour, and rescued their ('a])tives and spoil from the victorious enemy who was carrying them away. But when Lot warned his friends of the approaching doom, "he seemed as one that mocked." Gen. 10 : 1-1, They, like the antediluvians, persisted in sin, and drank of the wrath of God. At a subsequent time the sins of Nineveh rose to pf tli heaven, and Jonah was sent to bear to that proud capital the pandij startling message, " Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be findeil destroyed." The consciences of those sinners told them the ilie jJ message was true ; and from the least of them to the flio jf greatest they humbled themselves, and the overhanging |ub]eJ judgment was averted. I XiO AN KXI'OHITION (•!<■ M v I IIIKW IWKN rV-K< UK. Before Christ commenced liis earthly mission, John the Baptist was sent as the voice of one cryinf]^ in tlic wilder- ness, ''Prepare ye the way of the Lord." Jiy this means I the expectation of the people was raised, and doubtless many were through it led to accept of salvation, while the generation at large was conden)ncd for rejecting the light. Our Saviour in his time saw the destruction of Jerusalem just in the future of that generation, and faithfully warned the people, foretelling signs by which it might be known when the desolation thereof was nigh. Luke 21 :21. Such is the testimony of inspiration respecting the dealings of God with his people In past ages. All who accept the Bible as the inspired word of God acknowledge that he has been very faithful in warning people in past ages of impending judgments and other events which affected their eternal welfare. Such having been I the divine plan in relation to past events, we would cer- ; tainly be justified in anticipating such warnings of Christ's Vnown to ^second coming as would comport with the importance of 1 rescued ithe event. But when we come to j-egard the future, and who was lespecially our own immediate future, the incredulity of friends of fvery many is at once aroused. , .Qolj^ed.''*' ^ ^^^^ what are the facts in the case? Can anvthiiii,^ be h his as yet, . by tlie become wicked >eing Ilia'' id all the .1, !&• Aio, with iiat guilty ,y warned ^9 <-'■ vexed Peter 2 : hem; a^t^ X ample of isted in sin, llcarned from the Bible relative to the time of the second fadvent ? This is a grave inquiry ; and, from the very nature 1 rose to pf the subject, is worthy of close investigation, and a , ..ijital the bmdid answer. It is a matter of painful regret that many, A shall be finder the influence of popular prejudice, have decided that H them the the ])eriod of tlie second advent is a secret, hidden with 1 m to the |he Lord. While these can scarcely be reached with this ^.j^^^joring liibjeet, as long as they remain under the iniluence of those lO denounce all investigation of it as ])rying into tiie ! , W^' AN EXPOSITION OF MATniEW TWENTY-FOUR. 9 i; secrets of tlie Almighty, there is still, we believe, a larger c'la?iS who wait for evidence before deciding. We accept the Bible as a revelation from heaven. What God has revealed in that book, let no man call a mystery, or a secret of the Almighty. ''The secret things belong unto the Lord our (lod ; but those tilings which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever." Dent. 29:21). If the sacred Scriptures, in a most clear and harmonious manner, point out the signs of the approach of that great event, and if there is evidence that "it is near, even at the doors,"' the subject at once assumes great im- portance. When the disci])les inquired, ''What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the c-nd of the world?*" Jesus did not reprove them for inquiring into this nuitter, nor tell them that it v/as purposely hidden from all men ; but he answered their question in the most definite manner. The simple fact that the Lord mentions signs of his second advent, is the best proof possible that his people were not to remain ignorant of the relative nearness of the event. Add to this his injunctions to watchfulness, and the blessings which he pronounces upon those who are awake and watching at his coming, and it becomes a certainty that he would not leave his people ignorant of the proximity of that event. Paul also says that " unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salva- tion." Heb, 9 : 28. And that a crown of righteousness will be given "unto all them also that love his appearing.' 2 Tim. 4 : 8. With these assurances we may look for plain and em- phatic tokens of the Saviour's second coming. 1 ' ovei £ h inf') Z t'lnc 3 stcjji f>ter| 8ll])j) 1 % > c O H Z s: X U -1 AN KXPOSniON ol MATTIIKW TWKNTY-ForK. H CHRIST'S PROPHECY. Probably no otlior cbiiptor of tl»o Bible speaks more' fully, and more detiiiitcl y, upon tlie subject of the second advent, than Matthew 24, in Christ's own words. "We in- vite the attention of the candid reader to a brief explanation of the entire chapter. V ^:hse 1 : " And Jesus went out. and departed from the temple ; and his disciples eanic to iiini for to show iiiin the Ijiiildings of the temple." Jesus had l)een addressing the midtitude, in the presence of his disciples. He had reproved the scribes and the Pharisees for their sins, and had declared, in the previous chapter, the doom of the Jews, their citv, and tlieir temple. ; The disciples suj)posed that the temp would stand for- ever, and they called the attention of Ciirist to its magnifi- 'cence and strength, and to the g at stones that entered linto I'le structure. On this point the historian of those t'mes, Josephus, says: "Now the tem]>le was built of stones that were white and strong, and each of their lengths ;was twenty-five cubits, their height was eight, and their breadth about twelve.'' — '^''Antiquities^'' hooh wt\ chaj). xi. If we compute a cubit at twenty inches, we shall be able to gain some idea of the size and " manner'' of these stones. Vp:u.se 2 : "And Jesus said unto them, See j-o not all these things? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon an- dtlicr, that shall not be thrown down." Vehse 3 : "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him jirivately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be V japd what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" This statement from the Master could not but deeply |j[»terest the disciples. And it matters not whether they ■apposed that the destruction of the temple, the coming of 12 HIS (JLOKIOrS AlM'EAKIN(i: ■! I I i i I ' t ■ I 1 ' I I 1 I Christ, and the end of the age, would all occur at the same time, or at different periods, since Christ, in his answer in this chapter, has distinctly spoken of each separately, and hai given each its place in the prophetic history of events. If it were tlteir impression that the overthrow of the temple and the end of the world would occur at the same time, it by no means proves that this would be the case. As the Scriptures show, up to the time of the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, their ideas upon many points were crude and inaccurate. Take as proof of this the parable which the Lord spake when he was going into Jerusalem. Luke 19. They thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. To correct this impres- sion, the parable of the nobleman was spoken. If they understood the parable at the time when it was spoken, it did not fully eradicate the impression from their minds, as is proved by what they did when they entered Jeru- salem. We cannot believe tl:at they would have hailed him as the Son of David, and rejoiced before him as a King in his triumph, if tlioy had realized that he was going into the citv to be condemned and crucified as a malefactor. Palm branches and shouts of triumph did not attend the steps of the lowly and the condemned. John admits for himself and Peter, after they liad seen | the empty sepulcher, that "they knew not the scripture, f n that he mnst rise agrain from the dead." John 20:1). Again, after his resurrection, Jesus reproved two of hi? ma? carrj disciples, who, though they had trusted that he would rol . J deem Israel, were then sad and disheartened. They ditii , not then understand that Christ ought "to have suffercdl- ,. these things, and to enter into his glory." The 8uffer:n!;|f,.j part was still a mystery to them. And some of the aposth-|p^ were so slow to realize that which he had spoken to theni.jj ■'^•^^^v^imamit AN KXl'(»srri<>N OK MATTHKW TWKNrV-KnrK. 13 the same answer in itelv, and of events, the temple [lie time, it \ e. As the j-ing of the upon many : of this the going into , liingdoni of ■ this inipres- ; n. If they ' Ls spoken, it ^heir minds, itered Jeru- have hailed ,111 as a King ' s going into ; malefactor. • \ attend the hey had seen he scripture. ni20:9. ed two of hi; he would rei d. They dio have 8uffercJ.c, fcd and the con- m of the context, the orig- cnemy t^^8,t world; and fathered and The Son of of his king- id shall cast gnashing of vest of the identical. So that by no possible means could it be established that the "end of the world " means the destruction of Jerusa- lem. Further evidence is found in JMatt. ^8 : 2n where the same expression, both in the original and in the ti.iushitiun, is used : '' Lo I am with you alway. even unto the end of the world." But no one would have the audacity to claim that this promise expired in a. d. 7", as it niusi have (lone it' those questions of the disciples and the subsecjuent discourse of Christ related only to the ini])endin'.'; doom of the temple and city. Veuses 7, 8. "For nation shall rise against nation, and kiiiLidorn ai,^aiiist kingdom; and there sliall be famines, and peslih'iiees. and eartliijiiakes, in divers places. All these are the heLiinninn' of sorrows." Wars, famines, pesldences, and earthquakes have oc- curred all alonii: since these words were spoken. There- fore, these, as tiiev have ever existed, cannot be reI): — " By famine and sword, 580, 000 Jews were desl/oyed between A. D. 96 and a. d. 180, "In Antioeh, from A. D. 96 to A. n. 180, earthquak'es destroyed 13 cities and over 100,000 lives. "In Rome, A. d. 169, pestilence destroyed 10,000 daily. "In Rome, A. i>. 187, pestilence appeared and continued three years. "In London, a. d. 310, by famine, 40,000 died. " In A. D. 446, September 17, an carthijuake shook down the walls of Constantinople, and 57 towers fell. " In Rome, a. d. 539, in one district 50,000 died. "In Autioch, a. d. 588, an eartii(]uake killed 60,000. "In A. D. 542, the plague killed 10.000 in one day in Turkey. "In A. D. 679, a severe famine in I]n grave-yard ; in Norwich, 50,000 ; in Venice, 100,000; in Florence, 100,000; in Eastern nations, 20,000,000. It was called the black death. " In A. I). 1352, in China, 900,000 died of famine. "In A. D. 1427 in Dantzic, 80,000 died of i)lague. " In A. n. 1570, in Moscow, 200,000 died of plague. "In A. D. 1572, in Lyons, 50,000 died of plague. "In A. D. 1625, in London, 35,000 died of plague. "In A. D. 1656, in Naples, 300,000 died of plague. " In A. D. 1665, in London, 68,000 died of plague. "In A. D. 1755, an ea'*thquake destroyed the city of Lisbon, killing 50,000. In Mitylene, and the Archipelago, it shook down 200<) houses. It shook all the S[)ani.sli coiist. Tln' |)l;i;:ur billdWi'd. wiiicli dcslroyt'd I.IO.OOO persons in Constant iii()|)lr." I lip ■ iiliii '.! i [^o] MARTYRDOM OF HUSS. Ofl JeJ Plf ofl to I ' : 10. It is Jesus Christ speaking through human lips or pen to his peo pie. Pseudo^ or false prophets, speak through the agency of wicked spirits and the power of Satan. Tlicii- work is to deceive. And while this is true of those wlio arc undc.' ^^f^^^^^vf^, -'■*■ --'- ■'^ •^ . ^ --^ JT»«2a ' •" 11 ! !| t \ I AN EXPOSITION OF Mi\TTFIKW TWENTY-FOL'K. 28 the direct inspiration of superior beings, good or evil, it is true in a more restricted sense tliut eonaecrated teachers of divine triitli may be regarded as God's j)rojtliets ; ajid teaeliers of error may properly bo called false proj)liet8. True and false prophets may be known. The proj)hets of God are teachers of purity, reprovers of sin, and faithful in warning the people of coming dan- gers. The duties of those whom God calls to sj)eak in his great name are clearly expressed by tlie sacred writers. We here quote from three of them : — IsA. 58 :1 : "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up tliy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." Joel 2:1 : "Blow ye the trumpet 'n Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand." 2 Tim. 4:1,2: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom ; preach the word ; be instant in season, out of sea- son; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suflferiug and doctrine." False prophets do not reprove the people for their sins, and do not warn them of coming danger; but they proclaim peace to the sinner. Their teachings lead from God and liis word, and are such as please the unconverted mind. [The inspired writers have also spoken definitely of the tes- imony and work of false prophets. We here "ive several 'or example : — EzE. 13:9, 10: " And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that feee vanity, and that divine lies. They shall not be in the assembly )f my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house )f Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall kUiiw lliat I am the Lord God. Because, oven because they hav(> 'duced my jioople, saying, Peace; and thorc was no ijcacc ; and out' !»uilt up a wall, and In, others daubed it Avith untempered mortar." 2i ni8 OL0KIOU8 Al'l'KAKINO : ii I .liCH. r>:i;J, M : "For from the least of them even unto the j,'roat est of them, every one is s,'iven to covetoiisness; and from the proplict even unto the priest, every one (h'uleth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of tiie dau;jfhter of my people sli;,'htly, siiylnj,', I'cace, ))eaee, when there is no peace." .Ieu. 14 : in, It: 'Tlien said I, Ah, Lord (Jod ' l)(;liold, the proph ets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; hut 1 will jjiveyou assured peace in this place. Then the Lord said unto me, Tiie jtropiit'ts prophesy lies in my name. 1 sent them not, neither sj)al| of false propliets, and ''say to the seers, See not; and ti the propliets. Prophesy not unto us right things, speak untcl us smooth things, prophesy deceits." Isa. 30 : 10. "Shall 1 iiiit \i.sil for llii'sc tliinu's'.' sailli the Lord. Siiall not iiij soul l)t' avcu^i'd oil such a nation as this? A wondcrt'iij jind horrihli tliinn is coininitti'il in the l.'ind : tlic prophets prophrsy f.ilsi'Iy, and tl ])i'ics1s Ix-ar rule hy their means; ;ind my people ]ove to have it so; niw what will ye do ill the end thereol".'" .ler. ."> : •.",)-:il. The ears of the ])eople are filled with the })leasing fabki of the world's conversion, a good time coming, and thap we are juf^t eiiti-ring the golden age. The threatenings e| (rod's word on the ])roud, the haughty, the vain, the riclij the sinners in Zion, and those out of Zion, are kept i)ack bj t t] sli WJ fe.- tJK cai noi len stij liiu ini( clu bo(' VVi For bhis natii des| of , but thosi and *god]| AN EXPOSITION OK MATrHKW TWKNTY-KOL'R. 95 3 the ^rcat the prophet liiive lu'iilcd ■ injf, I'cuco, I, the proph liiUl yv bavc lion the lionl 1 sent them ,nt of (loci exlu)rt with a: — ouml doctrine; teachers, hav- rom the truth, ople clioos- their sins,! oiis of the le teachings iu)t -, and tn s])cak untui 10. Sliall 1H)1 w>\ ,1 iuiil hnrril)!'! f.ilsi'ly, iiiul til have il sn; Jiii leat^iiiu; fabhj no;, aiul thai ireatenings • •ain. the rid kopt back 1 the false teaf'hers of tiiesc times. Many of tiiein even dare to teach that tlie moral code of the ten commandments is al)ro«::{iti'ri I ' ' instead of the end, there will ensue a thousand years i which all shall know the Lord. After this long perio of peace and safety, the end will come. How much i; assumed on this text will appear when we consider that tl text does not say that every individual will even hear tli gospel of the kingdom. It does not state that any oi will be converted and made holy by it. And we find it f;i from intimating that the world will be converted and remai so one thousand years. We have no reason to conchui that greater measure of success is implied in this text thi; that which lias always attended the preaching of the gospi While a few have believed and received it, the great nnu; of men have passed it by unheedingly. The text simj states: First, " A.nd this gospel of the kingdom shall j preached in all the world;" second, '• For a witness ud all nations;" third, "And tke>i [not one thousand yei later, but tiikn] shall the end come." But to what does the term "gospel of the kingdotJ refer? The query sometimes rises as to whether the gosj in the common accej)tation of the word, or a gosj)el ij culiarly related to the second coming of Christ is In meant. No such distinction is to be drawn. There neitl is, has been, nor will be more than one gospel, though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any otl gospel unto you th.an that which we have preached iii YOU, let him be accursed." Gal. 1 : 8. V The gospel, then, in this instance, is the same as Ti preached, which was the "power of God unto salvation _jg gj^. every one that belioveth." But in Kev. 14:0 and 7 _ read : — 1 Ihe |oice, )me p fn T id ] cc ocl; is n d tl r til Tl] sah ccej: oj)Ic No, th tl I'nii^ a])e vc inc J" ot tl lia\ «"An sat 1 in 111 " Aii(t 1 saw aiiiitlii-r iiiiiri'l ll\" in the midst of hcaxcii. liaviiu it ( I'vcrliistlng gosiH'l to invadi iiiitn liinn that dwell on the earlh, an li every nation, and kindred, ami ton .■mill, i»" Jlie second coming of Chi'ist. And now that we have ^■'■^ '^ ^hed that time, the complete gospel embraces the good a witness uiil thousand yeiJ ither the gosp a gospel Christ is In There neitl gospel. '' 1 e same as r so HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING ; ill news or the coming kingdom with appropriate warnings and teacliings. Our Saviour says it "shall be preached: in all the world for a witness u ito all nations." The Reve- lator says the message is to be preached "to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people." When this shall be done, the end will come. The world-wide proclamation of the soon coming of Christ was inaugurated about 1832. Since that time, tin ! work of extending its warning voice has gone on. A m()> | remarkable feature of this movement is the fact that i: | different countries individuals were moved upon, almo- ' simultaneously, to study the prophecies and proclaim tli nearness of the end, although they knew nothing of wlm was being done by others. In the United States and Canad; in Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and in Asi;i; a profound interest in this subject was created, and peo]) were led to expect the early appearance of Jesus. Sim that time clearer light has appeared in connection wi the other messages of Kevelation 14, and still the work onward. Wherever the light of the Bible has penetrate the good news of tlie coming Saviour is now going. K only so, but messengers bearing this gracious warning a rapidly finding their way into the dark portions of the eart Evidence of its extent and progress might be express in facts and figures, but the rapid development of ti work would soon leave these in the rear. Let it suffic( say that at ]>resent the evenasting gospel is being jjreaclii and ])ublished in all tlu' leading languages and countries the world. The work has eiicircled the globe. It is rapii reaching every nation. We now wait for the ap))roaclii| e a h U si (les( (wli tlee (low the] with that eve intn swej vei\sl encd therl the armi folI( and tl [the ej end ; for when the ])urpose of God in the i)r()claniatitpj.^..| of the coming i-eign of (Jhrist shall be fully aceomplisli«8iiniii| then the end will eiune. ■^biri:! AN EXI'OSITION OF MATTHEW TWENTT-rOUR. 81 :e warnings ,e preacliedl Tlie Revc-| very nation, ill be done,j I coming o lat time, tli| on. A mos fact that i upon, almos! proclaim tln^ [liing of wliai 8 and Canada:, and in As'k^s d, and pco].i Jesus. Sine iinection wit 11 the work las pcnetrati vv going. ^1 IS waniing uj IS of the eart| : be expresd ^pment of t^ ,et it suffice being prcacli' ,1(1 ct)untric It is rapi'l he ap]H-oacliij e proclamui accompiis1i>?| Thus far in this discourse Jesus has passed over the entire Christian disipensation. Beginning with a warning against the deceptions that were to succeed his own times, he next describes wars and disasters, persecutions, apos- tasy, the perils of the last days, and closes with a distinct sign of the end. WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE? Verses 15-20: "When ye, therefore, shall see the ubomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the ])ro[)het, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth, let him understand) ; then let them which be in Judea tlee into the mountains ; let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house ; neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days ! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day." Onr Lord having in verses 5-14, passed over the im])ortant events in the Christian age down to the end, goes back and introduces in ve se 15 the destruction of Jerusalem, in an- swer to the inquiry, " Wlicn shall these things be^" J.uke's version of this language is, "When ye shall see Jerusalem encompassed with armies, then know that the desolativm thereof is nigh." Luke 21 : 20, By this wa know that vhe term "abomination of desolation" refei^s to the lioman army. This desolating power is spoken of by Daniel as follows: — " And the people of the p 'ince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a tlood, and uiUo the end of the war desolations are determined. . . . And for the over- Ispreadin^of abominations he shall niako it dcsolati'. cncii tint 11 the con- Isummation, and that (Ictermint'd shall be pouifd upon the desolatf." blargin, "desolator." Dan. 9 : 20, 27. J •i ' AN EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR. 33 ^m "sxm m K^ y.^^' 'm» Here is a clear prophecy of 'he destruction of Jeru- salem by the Roman armies. Our Lord referred to the book of Daniel, and taught his disciples to read and understaud it ; and when they should see take place what was there predicted, they must make their escape. It would seem to be impracticable to flee from a city I after it was encompassed with armies ; but our Saviour did not sj)eak at random. Josephus tells us that Cestius, the Roman general who first led the attack \\\). a'/x. And in tlie first words of the succeeding chapter he further j states : ''-After this calanuty had befallen Cestius, many of the most eminent Jews swam away from the city, as from [a ship when it was going to sink."' Dr. A. Clarke, commenting on ve"se 10, says: — ■ " This counsel was remembered and wisely followed l)y the Chris- Hans afterwards. Eusebius and Epij'hanius say, that at this juncture, liter Cestius Gallus had raised the siege, all who believed in Christ left Jerusalem and fled to Pella, and other places beyond Jordan," The flight of the Christians of Judea to the mountains ^ould be attended with dithculties. And their subsequent [ondition would be that of hardship and suffering. The pord knew this, and gave them the instructions and warnings jecessary. The statement of verse 19 was given to save lem from the sorrows of unnecessary woe. That was a |me of trouble. Jesus recognizes the existence of the Sabbath, in verse I, as late as the destruction of Jerusalem, as verily as he es the seasons of the year. T/te Sabbath, is the uniform 3 ttum 34 HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING t term of both Testaments to designate the very day on which Jehovah rested after the creation, the day upon which he put his blessing, and wliich lie set apart for man. Not only in this instance docs our Saviour show his regard for the sacred day of rest, but in his life he kept it (see Luke 4:16); in his teaching he upheld it, and tau<^ht its true character (Matt. 12:12); and when he lay in the tomb, the devout women reverently rested "according to the commandment." He himself is Lord of the Sabbath, and he declares that it was made for man. Mark 2 : 27, 28. Jesus does not speak of the Sabbath as being only a seventh part of time, or one day in seven, and no day in particular. The Sabbath is the term used, referiing to the last day of the first week of time, and to the last day of each subsequent week. It is thus that Jesus answered the question, "When shall these things be ? " He now proceeds to answer the second great question. WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THY COMING? Verse 21 : 'Tor then shall be n the people of one nation only, t upon the guilty people of all nations. "The slain of tlie Lord sliall be at that (hiy from one end of the th even unto the other end of the eartli ; tliey sliall not be lamented, tlier gathered, nor buried." .Tor. 25 : 83. 2. If the tribulation be applied to the Jews, or to any er class of unbelieving men, it cannot be harmonized u'li as -was not Ki Dan. 12 : 1, W'hich speaks of the time of trouble such er sball be." ■ never was, when Michael shall stand up. Certainly 1 read-B^^ cannot be two times of trouble at different periods, s fulfillment! f ereatl"^^"^^^^^^" ' spoken of in Matt. 24 : 21, 29, applies not to 1 ■ \ reiatea Jews, but to tlie church of Christ, extending through iffffestsB 1260 years of papal persecution; and the "trouble" ^^^(^Ationed in Dan. 12 : 1, to the unbelieving world, to be ,n which rhich he in. Not !gard for f^ee Luke its true he tomb, ig to the ibath, and 2 : 27, 28. ig only a no day in jfening to last day of When shall the second THY s we is giving ?rienced by them in the future. ^^r' V ^^ ^^''^'''%.. I i [36J ST. BARTHOLOMEW MASSACRE. AN KXl'OSITION »»|. MATTHKW TWKNTY-FOUR. ;r ma MM Mit 3. T^e period of tribulation was shortened for the elect^s sake. This cannot refer to the Jews, for their liouse had l)een pronounced desohite. They were left of God in their liardness of heart and blindness of mind. Says Paul, "Lo, we turn to the Gentiles." The elect were the followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. And where were they when tribula- tion was upon the Jews'^ — They had fled to the mountains. It is absurd, then, to say that the days of tribulation of the Jews in the city of Jerusalem, were shortened for the sake of the elect, who had fled from the ])lace of tribulation. Moreover the tribulation that came upon Jerusalem was mot restrained or modifled, but continued until the city was Idestroyed and its people were given to the sword and to [captivity. 4. The connection between verses 20 and 21 shows that the tribulation was to commence with those Christians who ivere to flee out of the city. "But pray ye that your flight )e not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath-day ; for then shall be great tribulation." Our Lord here speaks of the tribulation which his people would suffer from the time of [heir flight onward. We follow them in their flight to [he mountains, and then pass along down through the joted persecutions of the church of God under pagan Rome, [nd we see, indeed, trlhdation. And when we come to he period of papal persecutions, we see them suffering the |:iost cruel tortures, and dying the most dreadful deaths that ricked men and demons could inflict. This last period is specially noted in prophecy. The prophet Daniel saw the papacy, its blasphemy, its ^norance, its work of death on the saints, and its duration ^ a persecuting power, under the symbol of the little )rn. ■iHMI AN EXrosiTION (»F MATTHEW TWENTY-POUK. 39 "And he shall speak (freat words against the Moat High, and shall wear out the saints of the jMost Ili^li, and think to change times and laws; and they sliall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." Dan. 7 : 25. It is generally julinitted that ''a time ami times and the dividing of time" is 12<;0 years. The pi-oof of it may readily be seen by comparing llev. 12:14, (I ; lo : 5, witli the scripture just quoted. In these passages wo learn that "time, times, and the dividing of time'' is equivalent to a thousand two hundred and threescore days, which equals three and one half Biblical years, or "■ forty and two months.'' Api)lying the scriptural rule of interpretation, a day for a year (^Eze, 4:0), we have 1200 years. This period is to cover the su})remacy of the ])apacy. The beginning of it will be the point of the establishment of the power of the papacy. This was the year 538 a. i>. Justinian, emperor of Home, with his capital at Constanti- nople, espoused the cause of the bishop of Kome; and in 533 A. I), issued a decree which constituted that prelate head of all the churches. But the Arian Ostrogoths had possession of Rome, and it was not until they had been rooted up that the city was accessible to the bishop. This was accomplished in 538, by Belisarius, Justinian's cele- brated general. Fyr a concise and clear account of this occurrence we refer the reader to tlie "Two Republics," by A. T. Jones, pp. 551-553. Commencing the 1260 years a. d. 538, they reach to A. D. 1798, when Berthier, a French general, took posses- sion of Rome. The pope was made a prisoner and carried [with violence away from his palace and out of Italy. The [papacy was stripped of its civil power. Here ended the [days of tribulation spoken of by our Lord, which were — 40 HIS GLORIOUS appearing: SHORTENED FOR THE ELECT'S SAKE. Vekse 22 : " And except those days should be shortened, there should no tlesh be saved ; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." The papacy was clothed with civil power to punish here- tics, which it held for 1260 years ; and liad not the period of tribulation of the elect in the providence of God been shortened, the martyrdom of the church would have con- tinued to ITi'S, in which event, no flesh of the elect would have been saved. ]»ut the Keformation under Martin Luther, and those associated with this great reformer, modi- fied this tribulation, and continued ^.o restiiun the rage and power of the ])a])acy until the suppression of the Jesuits in 1773, since which time, there has been no general per- secution waged against the church. Thus we are brought in this prophetic discourse of our Lord, down into the eight- eenth century, very near the present time. We would naturally expect, then, that the instructions and warnings which follow would be applicable to this generation. LO, HERE, AND LO, THERE. Vkkses "?'.i-'21: ■•'riirii il'iiiiy man sliiill say unto vmi, Lo, hrrc i> Christ, or tli.Tc; l)i'lic\c it iKit. For llicrc sliall arise falsi- ciirists, and false ,)rt)|)hi'ts. and sliall sliow ^Teat si^iiisaml wondci's; insoiiiuch tliat. if it wi'i-c |iossil)l<', tliry shall deceive tiie \(>r elect. Behold, I havi told y>u before. ^^■ lie re fore if ihev shall sa\ unto Mtu, riehold, he i- in the (li'sert ; ''o not forth: heji he is in the secret chamt)crs: believe it not. lM)r as the liLiht niiii;' conii'th out of the east and shinetli even unto t he west ; so shall 'ilso t he coniinir of t he Son oi man l)e." In these verses the great theme of Christ's second com- ing is again vividly brought forth. Satan is ever on the alert to contravene l)y some devici' or art, I he work of God. His most successful ])':iii is to „. christs, and isiiiiiucU that. '>,.h.)hl, 1 liavr r.choM. !»"' i" rt cliam'xM-s; ^ St iiiitl sliiut'th 1" nuiii hi'," second coni-j (.vcr on th*-' ^nvk of God. I is means b> i the force off truth. And having deceived an individual, lie not only pre- vents his salvation, but gains to himself an adherent if not an active agent. So, as the time for the second advent draws near, the enemy becomes particularly active, know- ing that he hatli but a short time. In the words last quoted our Lord seeks to ]>reparo the minds of his ])eo- ple for the deceptions that are to be j)racticed upon those who live near the tiino of his second coming. There will be those who will ci.-y, " Lo, here ; or Lo, there," some will even claim to be Christ. They will ])urport to repre- sent the truth in regard to Christ's coming in various })laiisible or fanatical ways. Others, in order to reach other minds, will present theories of human device ac- counting for the advent of Christ in various so-called ra- tional schemes. Many sincere people will be led to expect the conversion of the world through a millennium of peace. Others will be persuaded that the comitig of Christ njcans death. And even false prophets, showing great signs and wonders, will appear. All these form an atmosphere of dece})tion, the miasma of which will stupefy, if it were j)ossible, the elect of God. In this fearful work will be engaged the notorious deceiver, the trained agents of Satan, the worldly phil- osopher, worldly preachers, popular niinisters, critics of the Bible, and many whose eyes do not discern the signs of the times. The Mormons call the ])eople to the desert ; Spiritualism invit.;?: us to the secret chamber, where Satanic signs and wonders are wrought to captivate the tnind and divert it from the truth. Of these "false prophets" Paul speaks in 1 Tim. 4:1: — '• Now till' spirit spcakiM li i'.\|)rc>sly, tlwil in llu' l.ilirr t iim's siniit' sluill depart from the faith, jjri\ iiig liwil to st'ducing spirits and dootriiu's of devils." 42 HIS GLORJ.OUS APPEARING : :^ > In another scripture the apostle j)hic'es the coming of Christ in connection with — "The working of Satan with .ill power and sign.^ and lying won- ders, and with all deceivablejess of unrighteousness in thoin that perish ; because they rece'ved not the love of the truth, that they might he saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie." 2 Thess. 2:9-11. Tliese aro some of tlie deceptions of wliicli (^lirist is speaking in tlie text. It is undoubtedly the work of modern Spiritualism. This work, in its present form, originated in the year 1848, and constitutes and is to constitute one of the most prominent signs of the end. Let no one be deceived by any means. For these are but subterfuges. They are not the coming of (Mirist. lie has said, '' T will come again, and iccoive V'-u unto myself." John 14 : 8. The angels said at his ascension, — " This same Jesus, which is taken u|) from yoii into heaven, shall 80 come in like mcmner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1 -.11. Paul tells us, — "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven witli a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumi) of God." 1 Thess. 4: 16. And here our Saviour savs : — "As the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth unto t!' west; so shall also the coming of tlie Son of man be." He will come literally, ])ersontiMy, the same Jesus who was here upon the earth. Not in lowly form as an offering for sin, to be set at naught, abused, and crucified, but iu ''all his glory" attended with "all the holy ang*.!^." Matt. 25:31. We shall know when he comes for "every eye shall see him." Rev. 1: 7. e ^ AN EXPOSITION OF MATTHKW TWKNTY-porH. 43 ining of yintj; woii- lluMU Ibat that llu'y em strong 11. Christ is work of !nt form, imd is to the end. For these of CMirist. V. /U vinto • e;iv('n, sbuU Acts 1 •. 11- sli.iut, with 1 Thess. e letU unto iV )% t (time Jesus form as iiii u 1 cruci Iv ana lied, None of tliese evasions of the truth will ever he ahle to counterfeit the real event, Tlie Roman armv did not come to Jerusalem in this wav. Death does not come in this waj. The deceptive wonders of Spiritualism cannot imitate the glory of Christ's sec(md coming. lie will come in power and great glory (verse 80) ; he will come in the glory of his Father (chapter 10 : 27); and in the glory of the holy angels (Luke 9 ; ii^i) ; all the holy angels shall come with him. Matt. 25 : 31, His coming will he as glorious and res{>lendent as the lightning. Wiu'ii Jesus revealed himself to Saul of Tarsus, there v/as a light above the brightness of the sun (Acts 2f! : 13) ; of tlic angel who a])])eared at the tomb after tin resurrt'ction i>f Jesus it is said, ''llis countenance was like lightniui;"* iMatt. 2>i : 3); and Ezekiel says of the messengers of the M<»st High, they ''ran and returned as the appearance of a Hash of lightning." Eze. 1 : 14. When Jesus comes in the glory of his Father, with so glorious a train attendant, his coming will indeed be as the lightning coming out of the east and sh'/iing to the west, and no one will have any more occasion or o})portunity to say to his fellow, " See here," than one would have to call another to behold a gleam of lightning Hashing through the heavens. The vivid lightning Hashing out of the distant east, and shining even to the west, lights uj) the whole iieavens. What, then, when the Lord comes in llaniing glory, and all the holy angels with him i The })resence 'ir only one holy angel at the sepulcher where Christ !hv dead, caused the R(Mnan uuai'tl to shake aini bccomt' as ( lead men. Th I ILL' ht aiK 1 u'loi'v of one anu'cl com- for "every I jdetely overpowered those strong sentinels. The Sou of man is coming in his own kingly glory, and in the glory )0 years of papal supremacy, beginning in 538 A. I), and ending with the capture of Home and the pope by the French in 1798. But we have already seen that the "tribulation" or persecution of those days was "short- ened " for the elect's sake. That is, the active persecution of the church by papal power ceased in 1773. Then, ac- ording to Mark's t^tatement, the sun sliouhl be darkened between that date and 17l>8. It was fulfilled. May 10, 1780, has passed into history as ''the dark day." AN EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR. 45 386 days "mht, and ens shall man in hey shall ower and )und of a )ur winds, ill this , to come lose days . Christ after the ives it as darkened, be dark- ribuUition g in 538 the pope n that the "' short- orsecution Then, ac- (hirkened May 10, This is a fact of so general knowledge thai we need not consume space in elucidating it. A f',w references to un- doubted authorities will suftice. Noah Webster's dictionary, in the edition for ISdO, under the head of Explanatory and Pronouncing Vocabulary of Noted Names, says : — " The dark day. May 19, 1T8U — so called on account of a remarkable darkness on that day extending over all Now Enixland. In some i)laces, persons could not see to read common print in tlie open air for several liours together. Birds sang tlieir evening songs, disa[)peare(l, and became silent ; fowls went to roost ; cattle souglit the barnyard ; and candles were lighted in the houses. The obscuration began about ten o'clock in the morning, and continued till tlie middle of the next niglit, hut with differences of degree and duration in different places. For several days previous, the wind liad been variable, but cliietly from the south-west and the north-east. The true cause of tiiis remarkai)le phenomenon is not known." From another good authority we quote : — " A solemn gloom of unusual darkness before ten o'clock, ^ — a still darker cloud rolling under tlie sable curtain from the north and west before eleven c'-^loek, — excluded the light so that none could se(; to read or write in tin IIouFe, even at either window, or distinguish persons at a small distance, or perceive any distinction of dress in the circle of attendants ; wherefore, at eleven o'clock adjourned the House till two in the afternoon.'' — Journal of tlie Gonnectiinit JIoune of Representatives, Friday, May 19, 17S0. Herschel, the great astronomer, says : — "The dark day in Northern America was one of those wonderful phenomena of nature which will always be read with interest, ])ut which philosophy is at a loss to explain." A contemporary paper contained the following: — " During the whole time a sickly, melancholy gloom overcast the lace of ualurt-. Nt)r was the darkness of the night less uncommon an'd terrifying than that of the day, for notwithstanding there was almost a 1 1 i 1 1 j 1 1 id : 1 AN EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR. >l >i s could not be comjielled to l(;ave the stable whi'ii wiuited Cor si-rvice. About niidniyl't. tlx' (•loud> were disi)ersed, and tiie nmon and stars appeared witii uninipared brilliancy." — " Stom'n Ilixtorii of /ii ra-li/." Mr. Teniiy, of Exeter, N. H,, quoted by Mr. Gage, to the riistoriciil Society, speaking of tlie dark day and dark night of May 19, 1780, says: — "The darkness of the following cvenin<( was ])robably as gross as has ever been observed since the Almighty lirst gave birth to light. I could not help conceiving at the time, that if every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetrable darkness, or struck out of e.xistence, the darkness could not have been more complete. A sheet of white paper held within a few inches of he eye was ec|ually invisible with the blackest velvet." Concerning a siniihir plienonicnon in tiie Old World a reliable work sa >'s : — "Three years later, and Europe with its teeming millions went under as mysterious a cloud, which, though not so dense, yet continued longer and awoke a wonder and fear that was widely felt. A haze, for which no known cause was then assigned (though in subsequent years it has been supposed by some to have been volcanic dust), spread through the entire l)readth of the atmosphere over ul! the conlinenl^far into Asia. It anpeared in Denmark, May 29, :eached France, June 14 ; Italy, June 10 ; Norway, June 23 ; Austria and Switzerland, June 23 ; Sweden, June 24; and Ku.ssia, June 25. By the close of the month it had oversprciid like a pall all Syria, ai.d on .luly Is, had penetrated the heart of Asia to the Altai Mountains, The obscurity prevailed a greater porticni of the summer, imi)arting to the sun an unnatural color of a dull, rusty red, and causing both the days and nights to wear a weird and gloomy aspect. The atmosi)here was highly electric, and nature was greatly convulsed. "Dr. N. Webster in his valuable 'History of Pestilences,' vol. ii. p. 274, testifies to the general ft'ar. As it was in America on the occur rence of the 'dark day." so the churches in Europe were crowded with alarmed multitudes supplicating mercy of Heaven. Professor Ealande. AN KXl'osilIdN «>l- MA 11 111 \V l\V KNT'N -I- < tf 1{. 40 h pitchy icllecl lo u' clouds linipHri'tl L-iage, and 'ly as gross 1 to ligl»t. IS body in or struck complete, as equally \ World ions went continued A luize, sunscfjuent St), spread ntinenWar , .Tune 14 ; , June 23 ; e month it x'uctrated )r;'v;iilod a innatural lis to wear Icctric, and cs,' vol. ii. 1 the occur- W(U'<1 with or Ldlande, the astronomer of France, attempted to quiet the popular fear by ascribing the darkened heavens to exhalations arising out of the earth ; hut both Webster and LIumboldl ((Josinos IV . p. 75) rejected this solution of the mysterious obscurityo Protestant England shared in the alarm it occasioned ; and the poet Cowpj-r sang that all the ele- ments 'preached the general doom.' It was to this unaccountable obscuration of light that he refers in his 'Task:' — " 'Nature seenii; with dim and sickly eye To wait the close of all.' " — " Great Consummation." "AND THE STARS SHALL FALL." Ilow tliis siu:ii can be fulfilled is a (iiierv with soniu people, who, perhap.s (•u})ti()iisly, remark that it would be an possi bl e, sin ce the earth itself is but a siiiall bndv eon ])ared with many of the vast worlds uf sjiiiee. J^iit all such ipieries are out of date now since the sign itself has already hcen witnessed. On the night of November 1)5, IS,'],'], the grandest disjday of celestial tireworks ever beheld took jilace. From works of accepted authority we takc^ the fol- lowing descriptions of this remarkable event : — *' But the niost sublime phenomenon of shooting stars, of which tlie.. world has furnished any record. w:is witiM'ssed througlioii! itie United Stales on the morjiing of the \'Mh of November, 1S,'J;{. The entire extent of this astonishing exhibition li;is not l)eeu preci.sely ascertained; but it covered no inconsiderable portion of llie earlb's surface. . . . Tlio lirsl appearance w,is that of fireworks of the most imposing grandeur, covering the entire vault of heaven with myriads of tire-balls, resembling sky-rockets. Tlieir coruscations wi-re bright. L'Icamint;', 111(1 iiici ^^ant. and Ibcv Icil liiii as III!' Iiak('< in tlie early -MOWS of I)eceml»er. To tiic ^plcu(lol•s of lliis cclc-ii.il iwliibilion the most brilliant sky-rockets and lire \viiii.;s of aii bear Ic-s relation lliaii the iwinkling of thi! most tiny star to the broad glare of liie ,sun. The whole heavens seemed in motion, aiiil suggested to sonic tlic awful jrandeur of the iniaijc employed in llic .\ jiocalypsc, upon the opciiinL; 1 the sixth seal, when ' the stars of heaven fell unto tiie earth, eveu I''-' A i. (lisp the iinus and (it'cli did n from on is, siderji on till of Sc on tbi tlie Si but a vicvve Init as Olmsti pose, i it exa i to nic! { in the i Dana ;J these f50] THE FALLING STARS. '^ord Ijcfore AN KXPOSrriON (IF MATTIIKW TWKNTY-ForK. 51 M hVnmm iis a Hg-trce civstctli licr untimely liiis, when she is sliaUcii <>f a iiiiglity wind.'" — Burritt'H "Gfograp/nj of the llidvem," p. IGJ, ol. is.'.jf. A celebrated astronomer and meteorologist, says : — "Those who were so fortunate as to witness the exhibition of shoot iiig stars on the morulug of Nov. 13, 1833, probably saw tlie greatest display of celestial flre-works that has ever been since the creation of tlie world, or at least within the annals covered by the ])ai when she is >liaken of a miirhty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll wlii'U it is rolled together; and every mountain an»l island were moved out of their places." That tlie fourtli and fiftli seals apj)lv to the ;»aj)al per- secution tliei'e ean he ii(» I'easonahle doiiht. If so, then tlie ii'feat eai'th(jnake witli wliich the sixtli seal opens w,(I(H> Lis! )<>ii almie The dafkeiiing of the stm and moon follows in 1 7S<>, and the falling of the stars in lSX^. Consequently the next event which we arc to expect under this seal is the (lej)artino- (d' the heavens as a scroll. Tin's hein. In the gospel as written by Luke, however, we have at this j)oint some additional specifications given, which arc of such interest at the present junctin'c. And they rightfully oelonii' to th IS ex {)0: ution, since hoth JNIattlu'W and Luke are giving versions of the sanie discourse. The ])assage from Luke to which reference is made is tlu; following : — "And tiKM'e shall be signs in the sun. and in the m)on, and in the stars ; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity ; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failiiig them for fear, and for look- ing after those things which are coming on the earth : for the powers of heaven shall lie shaken. " Luke '2\ ; 'ir>-27. i; l54j MODERN CYCLONE. AN KXPOSITION <)K MATTHI-.W TWENTV-FOl-R. .).) • ,;^ I The signs in tlie sun, moon, and stars are here spoken of less specifically than by Matthew, while other features of the times, which Matth<»w does not notice, are introduced between those signs and the shaking of the powers of heaven. These are of ])eculiar interest to us because we are living in the very days when the things that Luke speaks of are coming to pass. The signs here ])redicted consist of violent comm<»- tions upon <'artli which cause anxiety, perplexity, anddisire>s among nations and in the hearts of men. We may refer the expression, '• the sea and the waves roaring,'' to unusual dis- turbances of tlie natural elements, and we have the most abundant evidences of its fulfillment in the storms and con- vulsions of nature that are oc<'urring by sea and land, tilling the heart with dread at the sight of every dark cloud tliat arises. The t'dal waves and volcanic uj>heavals at sea have, in the last two or three decades, been nuirked with extraor- dinary violence. On land, cy(.'lones and eartlujuakes have carried on a fearful work of destruction. JNIanv instances might be cited to sui)stantiate this statement, i)ut the events are too familiar to recjuire it. Hardly a week passes but some great calamity of this kind is recorded. But the expression referred to is probably susceptible of another application in which it will be found to be as forcible and pertinent to the present state of affairs as in the one just noticed. This would be to give the term "sea and waves "' its symbolic meaning. Tlie })roj)liet (»f old said: "And behold the four winds of heaven strove u])on the great sea." Dan. 7 : 2. We are t(''d that the sea rej)re- sents "peoples, and multitudes, and ti itions, and tongues." Kev. IT: 15. Taking the words in this sense, the meaning and fulfillment are still as aj)])arcnt as before ; and the ex- pression joins its force to that of fht' rcnniintlcr of the pas- sage — " upon the eartii distress of nations, with pcrph'xity; ■•■\' - ; /" ^«S ^^ AN FXPOSTTION oK MATTITFW TWENTYForH. • X tln' si'ti ami the waves roaring ; iiicirs lu-arts t'ailiiii; them f(»r feur and for lookiiifi^ after tliosi' tliiii;:,> wliicli are coming on the earth." In this sense the expression in (piestion would indicate commotion and violent disturhance in the social and jxtlitical world. In this meaning all will at once see the vivid force of the text as a])i)Iied to our times. The times we live in are anomalous to any that have ever }>receded ns. For some years there have been uni- versal and active preparations for war, am) almost universal })eace. To secure the greatest etiicienc/ of armed forces for defensive and offensive ])urposes, has been the prime consideration of government, especially so, as far as the Old World nations are concerned. Europe echoes to the tread of vast hosts of war while the nations are driven to their wits' end to ]):-ovide for their suj)j'ort. It is well known that these costly preparations are not for show ; and the hearts of men ([uail in view ot il-e culmination which, though de- layi'd, must soon be reached. But while the tenjnle of Janus is closed as far as iriterna- tional strife is concerned, nnd angel hands are holding the winds of war (see Kev. 7 : 1-3), internal -I rife and dissension are rending the vitals of the great nations of earth. Within the confines of its owii bonier, ear 'f these nations is ciiei- ishii.j^' elements of the deadliest natii..'. Trouble is brewing that has for the people far more rerror tluui foreign coirjpli- cations. For some time tlui ominous uiutterings of an on- coming storm have been heard in evi'ry land, and it re(Juire^ no remarkable acun;en to discern the rapid approach of the crisis. The apo>tlt' .laiiu's >lrik('-> ilircclly at the mattwj' Ii a proj>hetic glance and exhortation in the followin. .an- guage :-- 58 KIS GLORIOUS APPEARING " Go to now, yo rich men, wcop and howl for your miseries that shall rome upon you. Your riclies are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your i^old ;ind silver is cankered ; and the rust of them shall he a witness airainst you, and shall cat your flesh as it were lire. Y(.' Imve heaped treasure toucthcr for the last days. Rehold, the liire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth ; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into tlie ears of the I^ord of Sabaolh. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton ; ye have nourislied your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Y''e have condemned and killed the just : and he doth not resist you." Juuies 5 : 1-6. The apostle locates tlie circumstances he here refers to in tlie last days, fie denounces the rich men who have heaped together trc-asures, the rust and canker of which will be a witness against thein. They live in pleasure and want- onness while the cries of those whose wages they have kept back enter into the ears of the Lord of .Hosts. There is a universal cry of iiard times in all the world. It is hard to obtain money ; and yet, thei-e never was so much money as at present. l>ut it is being collected — gath- ered in heaps — by the powerful few, while the limited means of tho massee are dwindling lower and lower. The poorer classes witness the absorption of wealth by the money-kings, with feelings that are being aroused to the j)<)int of desperation by the sense of their inability to secure what seems to them a more e(juitable distribution of the things of this world. The laborers cry, and God hears their cry. That these things are taking place to-day as the most prominent feature of our social life no one will for a moment deny. Such colossal fortunes the world has heretofore at uiost but dreamod of. There mit men living to-day who have risen in wealth from obscure stations to become lords AN EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW TWKNTY-FOL'K. 50 of untold millions. Their wealth passes the bounds of just computation, for it includes the power oi; oppression by which it may be indefinitely increased. The lavish expenditure of these means f(.r selfish pleasure often amounts to wan- tonness. Well then, what is to be done? It is a ditHcult and delicate matter to franse and secure legislation by which this or any other class of men shall be deprived of the management of their own business as long as that business is legitimate and is legitimately conducted. Shall anarchy and violence be resorted to ? Shall the laborer seize the torch and the weaj)on8 of death? Shall the country be devastated by strikes, strife, and civil war? Shall our com- munities be rent with murder, arson, treason, and intense personal hatred and enmity ? No one possessing the natu- ral instincts of humanity could contemplate such a condition of affairs except with horror. There are ghouls of society who gloat in blood ; but such are not true citizens, they are not neighbors, they certainly are not Christians. But what shall we do as citizens, neighbors, and Chris- tians? This is a question of great importance just now. Inspiration long ago foresaw our situation. The pitying Saviour long since anticipated the sufferings that are to come upon this generation ; and having, through his serv- ant, outlined the present condition of affairs so closely, he certainly would not leave his followers uninformed as to the course he would have them |) sue. We luive to read only two verses farther in James's letter to find the counsel we need. " Be patient tlirnjore, brethren, unto the coininf/ of the Lord, Itcliold, tho hushnndmaii waiteth f(»r th<; |»n'ci<)us fruit of the earHi, and hath long pationoe for it, until he receive the early aud latter rain. Me yt; A.N i;xi'iisiriu.N mk ma I'll IK w •|■^\■l•.^■|^ idiii. also patient ; p' "blish your hearts ; for the coming oj the Tx)rd linnrelh 'yh. mull Jam es i) 7. 8. 0)>i)ressi()n {uid rovolt, coinbinatioii and intri^aie, strife and bloodslic'cl, m-ver will cease mitil the suj)reiiie sellish- iiess, which in tlie ahst'iice of divine liTace cohti-ols all men. gives place to true ])hilanthropv, and a hi(»thei'h()o(l that is not outlined bv class or sectional interest>. This liajipv time is comiiiLC. When Jesus conii's, he will take to hiniself h 1> lis power and reiu'ii m rijxiiteoiisness ht( Tl len wil the h ill.' be bronii'ht low, the vallevs exalted, the ci'ooked be made strai<:;ht, and the rouirh j)laces smooth. Those who are weary of strife, those who through niis- fortune or oi)i)ression have been made to feel their need of relief will find rest to their souls in looking for the cominsj,' of the Lord. It is vain to match evil with e\il or to trv to ('WW wrong with wi'onu'. Th gOSJ) '1 of Ciirist IS the only remedy for these ills. And all that we can really »lo to counteract the annoyances of this life must be done throtigh the gosj)el of peace. In this time of ix'rple.xity, dish'ess, and fear, let every Christiaii hold uj» Christ. Let Ins })atient sutl'ering be e.xemplitied in whatever circum- stances maj' come. Just a little bevond, there is relief. Strikes, boycotts, lock-outs, trusts, unions, or any other liuman device or demonstration oidy augments the trouble, as the experience of the past few years shows. For there never was so much of these things as now, and never was capital so insecure, business so uncertain, and labor in such distress as at present. The employment of arbitrary force provokes greater efforts on the opposite side, and thus the breach is widened and the strife be( times more bitt CIV W do not argue the nu'rits or demerits of the case. 'J'hat There is deejt wrong in\'ol\-ed. the fruits plainly sli(»w. It is our task only ti» point out the one remelace, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger." Isa. 13 : 13. Vn\\\ quotes from the words of the Lord by Ilaggai and comments as follows : — AN KXl'OSITION «»K MATTIIKW TWKNTY-FOlTK. ♦ )3 "Yet once more T shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, yet onre more, signiHelh the removing of those things that are shaken." Ileb. 12:26, 27. "SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN." Neither is this one of tlie signs showing that the com- ing of the Son of nuin is noiir, but ''the sign of the Son of man in heaven." It is tliat wliich indicates liis position. When Christ ascended from tlie mount of Olivet, ''a cloud received him"" from the sight of his disciples. They still gazed at the cloud as it rolled U{»ward, bearing the Saviour toward the Father's throne; but they could not see his person. AVhen he comes "in like manner" as he was taken uj) to heaven, the cloud will appear, small in the distance, but as it draws near, it will signifv to those who are look- ing for his return, that he is there, and soon his presence will fill the earth with matchless glory. In Kev. 14 : 14, the holy seer records his view of the coming Saviour in the following words: "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man," This is not a mass of vapor but a cloud of resplendent glory. lie comes "with ])ower and great glory." lie will "come in the glory of his Father" (Matt. H5 : 27) ; in his own glory, "and all tlu^ h(»ly angels with him." Matt. 25:31. The glory of the Father, of the Son, and of all the holy angels — this glory will comprise the cloud which attends him on the way. Of its intensity we can form no just conception. In the presence of one angel the Roman guard "did quake and became as dead men," There are ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of them in this tin-ong. Al)ovo tlit^ bright- ness of their glory is that of the Father and the Son. 64 HIS (il.oKMH s .\ri'KAklN(i At first the cloud is only perceptible, but as it approaches, it attracts attention, and at lenii^th every eye is fastened intently upon the wonderful spectacle. The trumpet re- sounds, the voice of the Archan«i^el awakens tlie dead, and they come fortli to share in the glorious revelation of their Redeemer. All nature is convulsed with her comini; dissolution. Each mo.nent the glory draws nearer, and soon the wicked can no longer endure the sight. "And llH'ii sliall all tho tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coniinj^ in tho clouds of heaven with jiuwer and groat glory." Verse 30. Again attention is directed to the ]>arallel language of Rev. (1: 15-17: — "And the kinLjs of the oarth, and the great men. and the rieli UK II. and the chief (;a|)lains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man, liid themselves in tho dens and in the rooks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rooks, Fall on us, and hide US from the face of hiir. that sittolii on tho throne, and from tho wnith of tho Lamt). For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? " The ])ro])het Isaiah describes the same thrilling event from the other standpoint — that of the waiting ])eople of God: — " lie will swallow U|) death in victory, and thi' Lord God will wipe away tears from olT all faces; and the robidvo of his people shall he take away from ofT all tlie earth; for the I>ord hath spoken it. And it shall bo said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have wailed for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him. we will lie glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isa. 25.8, 9. The apostle Paid gives a vivid description of the event with its attendiint circumstances as follows: — "But T would not have you to tie ignorant. I»r«'lhren. concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have %\N EXPOSITION OF MATTHKW TWENTY-ForR. T).") no hope. For if wo hclicvf that Jesus dictl and rose acrain, even so them also which sleep in .lesus will (Jod hrinir with him. For this we say unto yon l)y tlu; word of tiie Lord, tliut we widen are alive and remain unto the eondnif of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a slidut, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the truin|) of (Jod: and the dead in Christ shall rise (irst : then we which are alive and remain sliall he cautrhf up touelher witli them in the clouds, to meet the Luril in the air ; and so shall we ever he with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4 : 13 17. Tlie once slijj^hted, insulted, and cnicified Saviour, now King of kings Jind Lord of lords, is (;oining near the earth! His glory blazes everywhere ! The saints hope and rejoice with trembling. But what an hour for the wicked ! The tribes of the earth mourn. Amid the ruins of shivered creation they hold one general prayer-meeting. Kings and great men, rich men, chief captains and mighty men, free and bond, all, yes, all unite in the general wail. As the Son of man in the glory of his Father, attended by all the holy angels, draws still nearer, consternation fills every breast. They hide in dens and in the rocks of the mountains. Their only hope is to be concealed from the glory of that scene. They know it is too late to pray for mercy, that probation lor the human family has ended forever. But rocks cannot hhelter them from the burning glory manifested by the King of kings, attended by the whole heavenly host. When ''the Son of man shall come in the glory of the Father," "and all the holy angels with him," no sinner can endure the scene and live. The exceeding brightness of that vast multitude of angels, brighter than a thousand suns at noonday, will pierce the sinner's lowest hiding jdace, and will "make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." Zeph. 1:18. The Son 66 HIH (JI,<>KI»»rs AI'I'KAKINU I of man will ho seen "cotninf!: in tlie clouds of heaven with ])<>wer arxl ^roat glory." IJut hofoio his coming a great work will bo dono for his people. Should he ssud- denlj burst uj)on them now, they could not endure "the power and great glory" of the scene. This subject is well illustrated by the following words of the j)rophet : — "TIk'M sliall \vc know, if we follow oii to know tin" lionl; liis Uoiiiir forth is |»r('|>iirr(| ,is tlic nioitiiiiu ; iiiul lie slmll coiiii' iiiilo us as the rain, as [he iiilli r aiid foiim r rain uiilo tin' tarlli." llosca i\:'.\. The morning is a biautifid figure of the opening glory of the day of God. The day-star first appears, then the dawn of day. And as the light of day increases, the eyes are ena))led to endure it, and view the sun shining in his strength. But should the light of the sun burst upon the world suddenly at midnight, no human eye coidd endure it. So will the people of God be ])rej)ared to meet their coming King. They must first break away from the love and cares of this world, and consecrate all to the Lord. Then will they, in due time, share the outpouring of the Holy Spirit "as the rain, as the latter and former rain upon the earth.'' The day-star- will arise in their hearts. 2 Peter 1 : 11). Those wlio have taken heed to the sure word of propliecy through the dark, watching night, then raise their heads in trium]>h. They are filled witli faith and with the Holy Spirit. Glory is poured upon them till they can gaze on Christ and angels. The truinj)et sounds. The angels are dispatched to the graves of the righteous. The voice of the Son of God awakes the sleeping saints of all ages. They come forth in immortal perfection; and, as they leave the earth, tlu> living saints are changed. The "elect fr<»in one end <>f heaven to the other,*' ea(di with an angel bright and strong to lead the way, are caught AN K.\r<»SITloN OK MAI'IIIKW TWKN I \ KoT K. 67 oacli uj» to meet the Lord, who waits in iiiid-hoaven to receive the purchase of his hlood. Aa hin^ua<^o wouhl fail to de- scribe wiiat follows, we leave the reader to rontciii|)late it, praying that we may be prepared to participate in the meet- ing scene. PARABr E OF THE FIG-TREE. Versks 32, 33: "Now learn p parable of the tig- tree; when his brancL is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that suuinier is nigh. So likewise ye wlien ye shall see all these things, know that it ["he.'U. v.] is near, even at the doors. ' This parable is ])robably the most forcible figure that could be used with which to illustrate this subject. When the trees of the field begin to put forth their leaves, and the tender grass 8])rings up, and the ground is being covered with its green velvet carpet, we know that summer is nigh. It is a certainty with us that summer is coming when we see these signs in nature. We know that summer is nigh ''''So, ///t't'wvW," or, with the same certainty, we may know that Christ's coming is near when the signs in the sun, i!ioon, and stars are fulfilled. IIow near? — Even at the floors. How near may that be? Vehse34: "Verily I say unto you. This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fuliilled." It is sometimes claimed that the generation spoken of was the one then living. If so, it could have been to no greater extent than referring to the answer of the question relating to the destruction of Jerusalem. But it would be wholly illogical to limit the application of the statement to that generation or to place its principal significance there. "All these things" must include the signs and circumstances of which Christ has been speaking. Jn the fis HIS OLOKIors ATPKARINO '. preceding verses he gives tlic j»ural)le of tlie tig-tree, jinrl addresses tliose who are to be living at that time directly. '*So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near," And then, ^'' T/ut< generation shall not pass/' What generation!! Evidently the one which he was addreeising, and which saw "these things come to pass.'^ Not only does such an interpretation do no violence to the Saviours meaning, but it is obviously the only one that can be reasonably entertained in regard to it, Paul si)eaks in ll..; first person of those who will be living when Jesus comes, for he says, "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." 1 ('or. ir):51, 52. Or, "Then we which are alive and remain shall bo caught up together with them in the cl« uds, to meet the Lord in the air." 1 Thess. 4:17. The things here mentioned by the apostle did not take })lace in his day. They have not yet taken place. Notwithstanding, he speaks of them as though they would take place in his day, and as if he were to have a part in them. The proclamation of tlie coming and kingdom of Christ is given to the last generation. God sent Noah to preach to the last generation before the Hood, not to any preced- ing one. The very generation which was destroyed by the waters of Hie flood ssvv Noah build the ark, and heard his warning voice. So dod has raised up men to give the solemn warning to the wor'd at the right time to give force to the warning. And the very generation of men that live after the three great signs are fulfilled, and who hear and reject the warning message of Heaven, will drink the cup of the unmingled wrath of God. And those of this very generation who receive the message, sutler disappointments, and endure the trials of tlu waiting position, will witness AN KXI'OSlTKtN OF MATTIIKW rWKNTV-FOrR. r.!> the coming of Christ, and exclaim, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us." Isa. 25 : 9. With what emphasis our Lord gave utterance to this sentiment ! It is a rebuke upon our unbelief. As we read it, God help us to believe it : '' Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." And as though this were not enough to lead us to unwavering faith, he adds these forcible words : "Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass awav 1^ The word and promises of men may fail ; but Christ has given assurance that his word, and his word in re- ference to this solemn truth, will stand though heaven and earth fail. "THE D/VY AND HOUR." Vehses 36, !{7 : "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not, the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be " This ^'18 become a very familiar passage of scripture because of the fnMpient use that is made of it to prove that nothing can be known of the proximity of the second com- ing of Christ. But if we pause a moment and lay beside this verse those we have just studied, we shall be able to discover the exact truth at once. " When ye shall see these things, know that it is near even at the doors ; " and, "This generation shall nv)t pass, till all these things be fulfilled ;" "But of that day and hour knoweth no man." The line of knowledge, then, lies between the former expressions and the latter — between "even at the doors" and the definite day and hour. The former we may know, and t'very Christian is cotnmanded to know. The latter no iiiaii know- eth. One may consistently say that he knows an event ia h 1 u. AN KXI'OMTID.N <'l .MATTIIKW TWKNTV FOTK. 71 u a. near, and yet say tliat lie does not know the hour nor the day when it will take phice. That this is the scriptural teaching upon this point may be readily proved by a refer- ence to 1 Thess. 5 : 1-4 : — " But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto yon. Fo" yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so Cometh as a tliief in the nij,'ht. For when they shall say, Peace and safety ; then sudden destruction conieth upon them, as travail upon a woman with cliild ; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you aa a thief." An evident distinction is here drawn between two classes. Upon one class tlie day of the Lord will come as a thief. Those of the other are not in darkness that that day should come as a tliief upon them. The children of (iod are children of light. Their heavenly Father knows the end from the beginning, and he has promised to reveal his secret to his people thr<;;igh his servants the prophets. Amos J{ : 7. The apostle Peter also bears testiniony to the same truth. " \\r lijivc also a uiDre sure won! of pn)|iliath of human history centuries and ages before it iuis echoed to the footste))8 of maidcind. When at last we pass along the jiatlr.vay, wt' mav, if wc will, I'ecognizo tlu' waviiiiirks s"t up here iiiid there, everv one of which •w ?2 ins fif.olMors MM'KAKlNiJ : if. is a nioiiuinent to tho wisdom iuu\ knowledge of God, and the faithfulness of liis word. Those who liave no eyes to discern these things, no ears to luar, nor hearts to under- stand their significance, will pass on, and the final event will come upon them unawares. Not so with those wlio take heed to the things God has spoken. We would not detract an iota from the force of the verse under consideration. It means all it savs. No man knows the definite time of Christ's coming. The day and liour, and even the year of the second advent are purposely hidden. Some of the prophetic periods reach to the time of the end, while others extend still farther down, very near to the end itself ; yet none of them reach to the coming of tlie Son of man. The ])rophecies clearly point to the period of the second advent, but do not give the definite time of that event. But with this passage before us we ma}' claim that it would be transcending its meaning to claim upon its au- thority that nothing should or could be known of the- a])})roach of Christ's coming. More than that, it is not inconsistent with the te.xt nor improbable that prior to that event the Lord will in his own way reveal that which has hitherto been withheld. Those who claim that the text proves that nothing may be knov/n of the period of the second advent, make it prove too much for their own unbe- lief. As recorded by Mark, the declaration reads: "But of tliat day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which arc* in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." If the text )>roves that men will know nothing of the ])eriod of the second advent, it also proves that angels will know nothing of it, and also that the Son will know nothing of it, till the event takes place! This |)osition proves too much, therefore proves nothing to the point. AN KXI'OSITION or MATTMKW I WKN TY-For K. 78 Clirist will know of the period of his second advent to this world. The holy angels who wait around the throne of heaven to receive messages relative to the part they act in the salvation of men, will know of the time of this clos- ing event of salvation. And so will the waiting, watching people of God understand. An old English version of the passage roads, "Bi;t that day and hour no man maketh known, neither thr angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." This is the correct reading, accord- ing to several of the ablest critics of the age. The word knoto is used in the same sense here that it is by Paul in 1 Cor. 2:2: **For I dctern:ined not to know [make known] anytliing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified." Men will not make known the day and hour, angels will not nuike it known, neither will the Son ; but the Father will make it known. Says Can)pbell : — "Miicknight argues that the term known is here used us a causative, in the Hebrew sense of llie conjugation hiphil, that is, to make known. . . . His [CMirist's] answer is just equivalent to saying, Tlie Father will make it known when it pleases him; but he has not authorized man, angel, or the Son to niakt; it known. Just in this sense, Paul uses the term kmnr, 1 Cor. 2:2: 'I came to you making known the testimony of God; for I delennincd to make known nothing among you but a cruci- fied Christ. ' " Albert Barnes, in his "Notes on the Gospels," says : — " Others have said tliat the verb rendered knomth means some- times to make knowi\, or to reveal, and that the passage means, ' that day and hour none maketh known, n«>ither the angels, nor the Son, but the Father.' It is true the word has sometimes that meaning, as 1 Cor. 2:2." When the patriarch's work <;f warning and building was finished, Ciod said to him, '' Come thou and all thy house into the ark." " For vot seven days and 1 will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and lorty nights." So when f 74 HIS (il.ORIolS APrEAlUNU: * the waiting, watching, weeping, toiling time shall bo fin- ished, and the saints shall all be sealed, and shut in with God, then, wo conclude, will the voice of the Father from heaven make known the definite time. See liev. 16 : 17 ; Joel 3 : 1() ; Jer. 25 : 30. The present is emphatically the waiting, watching time. It is the especial period of the patience of the saints. The Lord appeals to us thus : — "Watch ye, therefore; for ye know not when the Master of the house conu'lh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockorowing, or in the njoming; lest coming suddenly lie find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." Mark 13 : 35-37. One of the fatal fonsequeuces of not watching is dis- tinctly stated in Kev. 3:3: — "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee us a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." In consequence of not watching, the people will remain in ignorance of the a])proach of that hour. And the una- voidable inference is tliat by watching tliey will be aware of and pre})ared for its coming. In answer to the agonizing prayer of the Son of God, " Father, glorify thy name," there came a voice from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." The disciples understood these words from heaven, while the people that stood by said it thundered. John 12 : 27-29. So will the waiting disciples of Christ understand the voice of God when he shall speak from on high. Ihit the unbelieving world will not understand it. In c'om})aring Noah's days and ours, the Lord continues : — NOAH'S TIMt AND OURS. Verses 3S, 'M: "For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinkinj;;, marrying and giving in marriage, until thi cai of kil ■ AN KXI'«»SITI(»N »»r MATTIIKW TWKNTY-FOUR. ».) the (lay that Noe entered into the ark. ami knew not until tlie Hoot! came, and took them all away ; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." A picture of the present condition of tlie mass of man- kind is here drawn. Tiie people of the hist generation will be liketlio.se before the flood, while the ark was ])rcparing. While Noah preached, and warned them of the coming flood, tliev niooked. lie built the ark; antl thev scotfed and jeered, lie was a ])reacher of righteousness. His works wre calculated to give edge to, and send home to the heart, what he ])reached. Every righteous sermon, Mud every blow struck in building the ark, condemned a careless, scotiing world. As the time drew nearer, the ])(s. Tiie farmer is caring for his herds and lands, and tlu; me(!hanie is pursuing his work of building. On this very day, some are being joined in marriage. With many it is a day of unusual feasting and sports. And while all are looking to long years (»f future pros|>erily and happiness, suildcniy the heavens gather blackness. Kear Alls {ivary heart. The win- t lit HIS OLOKIOUS AITEARINU : (lows of licuvoii Open, and the rain descends in torrents. ''The fountains of tiie ^reat deep are brol, and thousands are swept away in death. Awful on us that the day of the Lord is near, and hastefh greatly. We follow |- MArrilKW TWFNTY FofU. t I rest inbe- tho one can doubt." But if the signs are of sucli a nature, unti are fultilled in such a manner, as to compel all j believe in the coming of Christ, how can it he as it was in the days of Noah? Men were not then c(»inj)eiled to believe. Hut eight believing souls were saved, while all the world he- sides sank in their unbelief beneath the waters of the Hood. God lias never revealed his trutii t(» man in a manner to compel him to believe. Those who have wished to doubt liis word, have found a wide lield in which to doubt, and a broad road to perdition ; while those who have wished to believe, have ever found an everlasting rock upon which to rest their faith. Just before the end, the world will be hardened in sin, and indiff(!rent to the claims of God. Men will b(» careless in regard to the warnings of danger, and blinded by cares, pleasures, and riches. An unbelieving generation will bo eating, drinking, marrying, building, planting, and sowing. It is right to eat and drink to sustain nature, but the sin is in excess and gluttony. The marriage covenant is holy, but (iod's glory is seldom thought of. liuildirig, plant- ing, and sowing, necessary for convenient shelter, food, and clothing, are right; but the world has gone wholly after tliese things, so that men have no time nor disposi- tion to think of God, heaven, Christ's C(frning, and the Judgment. This world is their god, and all their energies of bodv and minits of our land, and by the religious ]>ress, as a fanatic, a teacher of dangerous heresies; while in contrast is set forth a long ])eriod (»f peace anaving a form of p)dline8s, but denyini; the power thereof : from such turn away." ~ Tim. y : 1-5. " But evil men and seducers shall wa.\ worse and worse, deceiviu}^, and being deceived." Verse i;}. Ill vt'i-y inaiiy scriptiiros it is plainly (U'clarcd tliat wlien Christ comes, lie conu's not t)nlv to reward and save liis people but also to piini.sli lii.s enemies. L(M»kint? tij>on the last (lavs he exclaims, " Xevcrtheless when the Son of man conieth, shall he tind faith on the earths" Lnke 18:8. The idea of a thousand years of peace and rij^hteoiisness before Christ comes mii^Iit he dismissed as utterly out of the f Christ is ridisi<^ on a high tide to civil power in al' lands. But farewell to godliness and s|)irittud ])ow('r. When this is accomplished, in tt general chorus ail will proclaim the dawning mil- lennium. IIow file Lord regards the people who are saying these things is hhown in the succeeding verses : — ' Tlicrfforc thou lia.st r.^isakcn thy people the house of Jiicob, because they he reph-nislied from tin; cast, and an; soollisiiyers like the Philistines, and they pleas'e tlicmsclvcs in the cliiitln'ii of stranj^'crs. Tiicir land '\l8o is full !)f silver and gold, neither is these any «'nd of their treasures; their land also Ia full of horses, neither is there any end ot llie'i- chariots: their land also is full of idols ; they worship the work of their own h.ind?, that which their own lingers have made." Isn. 2 : tl-H. NoM' let us see what (iod says on the same point and concerning the same time : — " Proclaim ye this among the (^entiles; pre[)are war, wake up the mighty men. let all the nu-n of war «lraw near; let them eonie up: heat your ploughshares into awords, and your pruninghooks into spears, let the weak say. I am strong. Assemiile yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and galUer yourselves together round about, thither cause! thy mighty ones to come down, O Ijord. L»'t the heaihen be wakened, and cotue up to the valley of Jehoshapha»; for there will I sil to judge all the heathen round alxut. Put ye iu the jlekle, for the harvest is ripe- conu', get you down, for the press is fi»11, the fats ov(!rtIow; for their wickedness Is gn-at. Muititudes, ujultitudes in the valley of di'ci.simi; lor the day of tlu' Lord i.* near in tli<' vidh y of deci>ion. The »un uud the muon shall Ix' darkened, aud the stars shall withdraw \N EXPOSITION <»F MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR. 83 those up tilt' i|r beat ■ars. lt!t all ye \isr ihy iiUcnod, ) jiitlir*' >rv(!Ht is iw; for i!l«-y of l('ri>it)n. itiidniw tbeir shining. Tin Lord hIsm shall roar niii of Ziuii. and i:lter his voice from .Jrnisalcin; and the lu-ii /ens and thf larlli shall shake; hnt the Lord will he (he hope of his p( oplc, ami the stn-nu'lli of the children of Israel." -loci ;{:S> Hi Mai'k. tilis is imt what flir j>t'op]«' say, but what the I.ord says h' arc j»rt'achiii>x a ^'ood tinit' coming. Another verse referred to, and repre.sentin^ quite a liunierous chiss of Hiinihir ones, is found in Num. 14 : 21. '•But, as truly as I live, u'l the earth shall be lilled with the glory of (he Lord." There is no occasion to mor'ty or limit the nioaninp^ of tliose words ; for tiieiv utmost sigificance will be realized IJut when I; — Wlien sin and the curse are wiped away. After tlic purifying fires of the day of the L«>rd iuive burned up the hist work and relic of re'iM'llion, and the earth made new in Iv.lenic glory conies again from the hand of its Maker, as beautiful, veu, more beautiful, if possible, than at iirst. It would not be within tlie limits f the Savctl," prlic 10 cIb. AiUIffHB piittlUhun. u' thlit pMiiiphlet. **' IN) l'HA( K ON KAKIH. AN EXi'OSITION OK MATTITEW TWENTY-FOTR. 85 Jews and Parseea 1.'>,470.(XH) (treck Catholirs 84, KJO.tMM) Protestants 1 1 l.8ir>,.')(M> Brahminicnl llindoos l'i(MHM),(KHl Molininnu'dan.s l'i'.»,4»M).(KM> HtMuan Catholics 2r)."».(MM),(MH» Pauans i'iTjMKJ.lKH) Huddliists 4Hi.(MMi,(KlO Unclas.sifl('(J .M.(i")(i,(km> C(JiK'eniiiJ^ tlio v-'ry Hiiiall projuirlion (»t' lliis nmnhcr cluHfiud in the list of ('liiistiini.<, I>i.sli«>j> Foster lias very aptly Kuitl : — "There are some who loo fondly anticipate a inilh-nniiiin. Tlieri' is a la< k of infoiination t»n llic pro^irc'^s of ( lirislianily. Tiie facts are !!iisstuted daily in pulpits all over the country Mini.sters iiesitate to present llie .vorst Hide for fear of causini; discourau^ciumt, and they create hopes that an- never reuli/.cd. We are not at Ihc dawa <»f a inillenniuni. Compared with the work to lie done, the past is nothing. Our children's ciiildren for ten jfonerations t(» come must lalior harder than wc are doiuLr. to accomplish the conversi;ui of the wnrld. The Wnrld's jiopulation is l.aiiil.iMMt.tKK). Of these, Christians nundier less than a third; and half of that third heloinrs to the Hoinan Catholic Church. The Protestants number 1 M.(MHi,(Ht(». They are divided into r»U(i sects. And this niiniher of th 'ir streUL'th inchules, also, all the thieves, ex convicts, the delxiscd, hcsotleil, and the speckled ami streakfii in Christtudom." Nortlwistern Vhristian Ailvocatf of Dei. H, 1SH5. Fiii'tliiT on in the saino articli' tlii' Hishoj) said : — " Re fore ii» wc have the j^reaf problem the 1, !(»(», iMH),(HMt df pa- gans to conv(>rt to Christianity. That is the solid rock that looms up in our paih. Loidi at it; see what work hus been done iu isiHi y«>iir^. and how much is yet to be acccunplished. In India, after more than a hundred years of mission work, we have »J(mi,(mi(» nativ«5 convert-, uud ■j.(HH),(HM) ChristiaiiH amon^ 'vMSd.lMHi.iMM) heathen. Can we re mo v t but solid boulder iliai is ns old as ihe hills? . . . Oi.- .MetlxHiisi Chun^ wi> ihiid; the most ilivint' and inrfTablc. We bouN» thai wt- arr uointt tn con Mmi^ ■ '•.f M 86 HIS 0L0RI0U8 AI'FEARINO : quer the world, and come from our palaces and princely farms to sub- scribe fifty cents a bead for tbe undertaking I It is a burning disgrace that excites pity and disgust." And as to tlie ]»i'oH|)e('t8 for iniiversul poace, the follow- ing recent statement of the anntiinent of Europe does not indieato tliat the iiatioiiH are really contemplating Htieh a happy consummation : — 1 Nation. Mrn. IlnRHRH. ("ANNON. Itussia . . ... i.rii!»,Ni(» H:{r».()(in H."»«(.t>HO 47H,S(H» i,h:)(i,()(m» 5M. 1 2r) • I', 084 (ierniaiiy L'.oea Austria l,(t(K) Knirbind France The remaining Htates of Europe Miak(! up with the above a total of about ♦{,0(WJ,(M)0 men. THE FINAL SKPARATION. Vkksks 40, 41 : "Then shall two be in the field ; tbe one flball bo taken, and tlie other left. Two women shall bo grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left." This lan^'-ua^e hIiowh the final si'paration between tlie righteous and the wicked. There is no elaborate explana- tion as to how tlic circumstances will meet their ftdiillment, but that is not the essential force of the text. Tlie line will in 8ome cases be drawn between those who are intimately related. Some members of the same family will be taken away by the judgments of (iod, while others will bo left to rciceive their coming Lord. THOSE WHO WATCH WILL KNOW THE TIME. Vk.uskh 4'Z—\\: " Walr'i tluTefore, for ye InIidw not what liour your liord doth come I'. ;t kmtw lliis, tliat if the good man of lli<; ^j^iJ- AN EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR. 87 left house liad known in what watch the thirf would come, he would have walciu'd, imd would not have suffered hJH house to be broken up. TluTpfore be ye also ready ; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of nuin couielii." The injunction to watchfiilnens is repeatedly given by our Saviour in connection with his teaching in reference to his seconti advent. These injunctions must aj>ply es- pecially to those who live in proximity to that event. This fact is convincing evidence that the Lord is not disj»leased with those who anticijiate his coming, and sttidy the word in reference to it. No one watches for that which he ward \\io com- ing of Christ is sure evicL-nco of coldiu'ss toward ('iirist himself. If we love Jesus, we shall love his aj)pearing ; and if we love liis appearing, we shall he eagerly watching and waiting for it. Jiut if we knew the hour when he would come, wo should not watch for his coming, nor could wo with eagerness ex]>ect his coming if we had no knowledge of its aj)projich. The course of time has heen measured off in definite periods down to the beginning of tin ])resent generation. The time from the end of the prophetic periods to the coming of ('hrist is emjihatically the waiting, wat<'h- ing time. Those who watch, as our Lord commands, will eventually know the time. Tso man will mak*- if known, for it is not revealed to man in iiie Scriptures. Angels will not make it known, tiiough they may minister to. and "'in- municate with, the children of men. Neither will the Son. Jiut the Father will make it kn<»wn when he speaks again from heaven. It is umhmbtedly true that the tinsenptural and irri^ tional course pur-^ued by iiihii* fM»-,-alletl Ad^ <,'nti>is in repeatedly -.etting n time <>\' tiieii- mwu for tlie i.ord to come has lutd tin- etfe<'t »• _ i-t manv with the wh.ile liMita HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING : matter. Tliis is tlio (mutiiv's work. Tie will seek tlius to obscurt! vnc]\ truth ])y l)riii<;iiij; it into the sluidow of re- proacli. lint it is unwise to he thus nuHJed. Pi'ohiihly there is no ])ruj)h('('V tliat better describes the present state of unbelief in th(; world in regard tu tiie second advent, caused partiv bv tanatical tiiMe-moveinents, than the follow- innr : — "Son of mail, wiiat m that proverb tliat ye have in tin- lami of Israel, suyiiitr. IIk' ilays an- prolotijjeii, and every vision failetli? Tell tlieiii therefore, ThiiH sailii thi' Lonl (Jod; I will in.ike this pn)verl) to cease, and tlicy siiall no nmre use it as a j)roverli in Israel; but say unto them. Tiie days are at hand, and tlie e(Tccf of every vision. For there .'*hall In- no more any vain vision nor ll.itli'riii;^ divination within the house of |si;iil. For I !i.m the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall ^peak siitill come to pass; it .shall be no more {irolojiued, for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it. sailh tiie Lord (Jod." K/.e. rj:!i'J -25. The burdi'ii ut' this prnj»liecy is time ; then-fore tlu^ word iiere mentioned that tiie Lord will speak, will l)o the time. llev. ;> : II, is also to the point: — " Ucmemlier, Iherefore, how Ihiiii hjist received and heard, and hold fast, and rep«'nt. If liierefore tlmu shalt not watch, I will eomc >n thee as a tliief, mid thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Those who dn not watch, will not know the lioui'. Those who watch will know the hour. The )>resi'iit watcliiiiir, waitiuif jxisition re(juires much faith ami patience. Says Taul : — "Cast m>t away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great rec- ompense of rowartl. For ye have need of patiene**. that, after ye have done tlu- will of (lod [in proelaiming the eoininj,'- of Christl, ye nii^lit receive liic |ir(imi>e. For yet a little while, and he that sliall roine will iuhk' ;iiid will iiui tarry. Now the just sliall live by faith, t>i*i,'..iv jiS.. io'W* not of tlicin who draw liack unto |irnlition, l)iit of Miem that hclirvf to the Havinu of the soul." Il<>l>. iniit.") :U). Says JunifH: "Ho piitieut tlierefore, brethren, unto the coming of rho Lord. Hchold, the husbandman wait- etli for the precious fruit of tlio eartli, and Ijath h)ng patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain, lie ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coining of the Lonl draweth nigh." James 5 : 7, H. Jesus says: " Hecauso thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of tempta- tion, which shall come uj)on all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth." Rev. .'J: 10. The })resent position and present duty of God's ])eoplo are defined in Uev. 14:12: ''Here is the j)atience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandmentB of God, and the faith of Jesus. THE FAirHKUL AND WISE SERVA.NT. Vkuhks 45-47: " Who then ia a failliful and wis*' Bervaiit, wht>ra his lord hath inudu nih'r over his household, to ;^ivr them meat in due HeasonV Hlrsscd is that servant whom bis h)rd wlieii ho conieth Mhull find so doin^'. Verily I suy unto you, that he >hall make him ruler over all his goods." In this figure, Christ is represented as the I>ord of the household of faith (see Mark 13:J*5; lleb. 3:H), leaving his house, and comniitting the work of caring for hi« church to his servants. A blessing is promised those serv- ants who are found faithtally discharging this duty when their Lord comes. They are to feed the tlock of (iod, over whom the ILdy Ghost liath made them ovei'seers. Acts liO : 2.'^. 'J'hey must preacii the word, li Tim. i:'J:. They shoidd watch for souls as they that must give ac- .^r>''». lo:lT. Tlit'v will not diiIv jxivo moat to tlu' lioiisL'li(»lcaran<'e8 seemed very unlikely to occur, and hence to i>rea('h it would subject him to re- proach, it wrin('ij>les of right- eousness, saying, '* !><» not so, my brethren.'' And if the people were only prepared for the tlood, that would be all that woidd be necessary. Of such a course we can say two things. He would thu.i have proved very unfaithful to his trust, and the blood of his fellow-men would have been upon liim ; and he would have done just as thousands are doing now. He certainly would not have rej>resented the faithful and wise servant. So it is now. A solemn responsibility is placed up»tn the watchmen: — "Si>n «.f iimii. K|ii'iik iM iIm' rliililrt'ii nf div |iri)plr, mill nay unto \\iV\\\. When I tiriiiu tlio swonl ii|i<)ii ii liiiid, il' llio jxioplf iiT tliu litinl tiiki* Ik iiiiiii (if tlirii' I'lHistH, 1111(1 si'i liiiii fur llii'ir wulrlinimi : if when lie Hfclli till' MWiird roiuf ii|iuii llic l.iiiil. lie lilow Ilic liiim|Ml, aiiil warn llir jH'opIc ; llini wIiohocvit hfurilli tlic Hoiind uf ll • tnini|ii'l, and takilli nut warninu' : if lli«' sword i'>)nii'. iind t:ikt< lihn awny, IiIh bloiiil hIijiII III- iipoii liU .iwn ln'iid llr lii:ird tin- hdiiiiiI of Iho trumpf't, and took n<>t warniniu', liin blood hIihII do upon hint. Hut AN EXPOSITION OF MATTHPnV TWKNTY-KOrR. 01 he tbfit tukcth warning Hhiill dolivcr liis soul. Hut if the wiitrhman SCO the Hword coinf, and blow not iho trumpet, and the people he not warned; if the sword (•((inc, and take any person from among them, he in taken away In his initpiity; hut his hlood will I reipiire at the watchman's hand. So tliou, () Hon of man, I have set thee n watch- man unto the house of Israel; therefore th^ u shalt iu^ar the word at my mouth, and warn them from me." Eze. 33:2-7. Wlii'ti .It'Hiis collies, tlie faitlilul HiTvaiits will he found jtroclaiiiiiiiu: liifi pomin^ iiiui teaching tiio necessary prepara- tion. The Saviour speaks of sucli as "faitljful and wise." 1. Jle is faitljfui. As a faithful watchman, lie will ^ive timely warning when lie sees tlie sword coming. Ills work just hcifore the end. is seen in tlie f'<»llowing script mx'H : — " Hlow y(; the trumpet in /inn, and sound an idiirin in my holy mountain; let all tlie inliahitaiits of the land iremhie; for the day of tiie Lord Cometh, for it is nigh at hand." Joel 2: 1. " Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and .-liow my people their lran.sgre.s8i«)n, and the house of .IikoIi their sins." Isa. 58 : I. "I charge tlu-e therefore l)efore Ood, and the Lord .lesus Christ, who sliall judge the (pii<-k and the dead at his appearing and hi<^ king- dom, Pri'ach the word; he instant in season, out of season; re[irove, rehuke, exhort, with all long sulTering and doctrine. Kor the time will comif when they will not endure sound doctrine; hut after tlieir own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; i\v.<\ they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall he turngd unto fables. Mut watch thou in all things, endure allliclions, do the work of un evangelist, muki' full proof t)f thy ministry " 2. Tim 1 1 5. 2. Mo is wise. '* Ho tiiat winnetli sotils is wi.se.'' lie must l)e wise. IIo will lioid forth tlio truth in its iiarinony and beauty, and thus expose eri^'r and win nun to tiie truth. When it hecomes his duty to "reprove and ro- huki'." it will Im- at a proju-r liin«' and J>lacf. and then with all " long-sutl'ering and doetriiu',"" il«' will study to «..* rm HIH (H.ORIOUS AIM'EARINO ! show liiniHcIf ''aj)i)r()V('(l unto (lod, a worknuin that neud- etli not to he asluiincd, rightly dividing' tlio won! of trutli." iiTiin. 2: IT*. THE EVIL SERVANT. Vkh.mks 4H 51: " Hut iitul if thai evil servant hIiiiII siiy in his heart, My Kml rlelayeth his cnniinii; ; ami shall he^ln lo Hniilo his fellow- servants, arid loeal and drink with the drunken; the lord of that serv- ant shall rornv In n day wlien he lookolh not for him, ami in an hour that he is not aware of; and shall \v in the heart of every lover of truth. The wicked servant says in heart, juid some are saying with iheir li|)s. Tlu' I-ord is not coming. The world is now just starting out ujion its career (.f knowledge and enjoyment. Where is the })romise or indication of his coming? Some sav, lie may come to-night, he nniv not come in ii million years, thus neutralizing tlie truth. Such men will he found criticising and tlixonnting the Scriptrnvs and suhjeeting lliem to the tc^ts of Jiumaii philosophy and science. The onl ni(| di^ i-/-.-.«ak.li..vJtl: AN EXPOSITION OF MATTIIKW TWFXTVFOL'R. f»8 only safeiy for the ])ei>j)le is to look beyond 8ucl| watch- njcn. L*'t tlu'iii take the liihie fur themsi-lves, and tliero disceniiiig the truth, ciiihract' it, iind live according t<» it. CONCLUSION. The impression prevails to some extent that lie who teaches tiiat Christ is soon ct»ming is acting the /•«)/»■ of an ahirmist. It' so, we have seen tliat the great Tcaclicr has phiced Iiiinsi'lf at the head of the clasH. No uiu' luis spoken more j)ositively upon this point tiian hi' has tjone. He said, "In my Katiier's house are many mansion^ ; if it were not so. I wouhl have tohl you. I go t<» prepare a jihice for you. And if I go and pri'pare a jihifc U>v mmi, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ve nuiv he als(>." .John II : 2, .">. There is nothing amhiguous ahout that language \ child can understand it. It means that Jesus will come again. In the remarkahle chapter we have heic reviewed, the Saviour takes u|> the suhject specifically, and not only atlirms the fact of his coming, hut foretells in explicit languagi! the events which he wouhl have us recogni/,(» as signs of the near approach of his coming and the vud of the world. Hut the message of ('hrist's sec<»ml coming is not sensa- tional in its essential character. It is a solemn, practical truth. It is full of warning and udntonition to sinners and worldly professors, and full of eonjft)rt to the faithful fol- lowers of Christ. It is .spoken y Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WE?T MAIN STREET WEBSTdR, NY. 14580 (7{6) 872-4503 >v ^p^^ /% L%^ e* ^i [94] ALL HIS HOLY ANGELS WITH HIM. ^BPPPPI 7J^\ AN EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW TWENTY-FOUR. 95 ing of his second advent, the Saviour said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away." Matt. 24 : 35. To disbelieve in his coming would be to doubt one of the two great features of the gospel plan. What the harv^est is to seed-time, Christ's second advent will be to his first. To doubt that he ever came to earth would be to subvert the gospel. To disbelieve his second coming would nullify in the mind his first coming, and rob the sacrifice of its glorious reward. The apostle Paul speaks of the second advent as "that blessed hope." Titus 2:13. Jesus says: "And when those things [the signs of his coming] begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads ; for your re- demption draweth nigh." The prophet Isaiah anticipates the feelings of God's people who will witness the event, and expresses them in the following manner: "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God ; we have waited for him, and he will save us : This is the Lord ; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isa. 25:9. At his coming, the dead in Christ will be raised to ever- lasting life. The righteous living will be changed to im- mortality. The hand of our Saviour will wipe away all tears; "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain ; for the for- mer things are passed away." Why should we not rejoice in sudi a prospect ? Who would not welcome such a friend ? Who would not rejoice in the prospect of such a consummation ? But it is true that the grand event will not be attended with joy alone. There will be dismay and anguish. For while one prophet records the exclamations of joyful antici- pation, another has foreseen and recorded the cry of de- :(Ui'-Ti'ft*mii«i!-'-^-^-fm^i,»^'^^'^^y!^M'- 96 HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING : spair. "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid them- selves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains ; and said to the mountains and rocks. Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb : for tlie great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Rev. 6:15-17. A vast number will thus lament. All who cannot join the shout of welcome will unite in the wail of despair. There will be but two classes in that day. And to one of tliose classes each one living will belong. To which shall I belong ? Solemn question. To which party will you be- long, reader ? No one can wait for Christ who is not prepared for his coming. Only the precious blood of Jesus that cleanses from sin can prepare us to receive him and fit us to dwell in his presence. Have you an interest in his forgiving love ? Is your peace made with God ? If so, his coming will have no tenor to you, for he comes to save his waiting people. wmm^ mniR HBH i iilli'.i .JK,. CHOICE, RELIGIOUS 500KS. Any publicalion in the following list will be sent posi-jiaid lo any address in the I'nited States and Canada. See directions on the last i)aLre. PROPHETIC LKillTH treats ..f some of the leading,' prophecies l)..tli of the Old and New Teslanieiits, slunving the exact fulfillineiu of the predictions of the Hihle Lonccininsr EgyiJl, Tyre, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Ciieece, and Rome, also of tlie jJiophecies concerning the tirst advent of L'hrist, which prove the inspiration of the Hil)le, and give assurance that other prophecies which are noted will as surely and exactly 'oe fulfilled. Mearly r'd the illustrations of this book were designed and engraved especially for tnis work, at great expense, and are a study in themselves. The book contains nearly 200 large octavo pages, and is printed .)n ^n extra quality of heavy calendered papjr. It is bound in line English cloth, with beautiful symbolical sitle stamp in brown and gokl, and has gilt edges $1.0U MARVEL OF NATIONS, cndiracing the past, present, and future of llie L'Mri:u S r.\ n;s, f rom a liistiuical. political, and religious standpoint; what great men have predicted ; what tiie Scriptures have foretold. This book gives a brief but comprehensive historical review of our ct)untry, comparing the past w itli the jjresent state of religion, education, and science, and calling special attention to the advancement that is being made by Spiritualism, Catholicism, and the National Reform movement, which is rapidly bringing about a union of Church and State in America. These questions are coming to the front: ami he who prizes current thought on living i?.sues shtndd give them an examination. The book contains 300 pages, raid over 40 illustra- tions; and has reached its 200lh thousand. It needs no other indorsement than a careful reading. In plain edges $1.00 Gilt edges 1,26 FROM EDEN TO EDEN.— This book is a nio>t interesting study of the more Important historic and prophetic portions of the Scriptures. The author traces the world in its career from the time when "God saw everything that he had made and behold it was very good," on through the period while "the eartli also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof," to the future glori- ous time when Christ says to his followers, "Come, ve blessed of n)y Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." "From Edkn to Eden" is printed from new electrotype plates, on heavy calendered jiaper made especially for this book, and contains 264 pages. It is illustrated with numerous full-page engravings, and furnished in two very attractive styles of binding, at the following prices: — In a highly ornamental binding $1.50 Plain binding, witii marbled etlges 1.00 (xREAT CONTROVERSY between tiirist and S.u.in during the Christian Dis- pensation. A companion volume to "Patriarchs atid Prophets." By the same author. This volume presents the most wonderful and intensely inter- esting history that has ever been written of the great conflict between Christianity and the powers of darkness, as illustrated in the lives of Chris- tian martyrs and refijrmers on the one hand, and wicked men and persecuting powers on the other. Beginning with our Lord's great prophecy given while viewing Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, this book outlines the history of the whole dispensation down to the time when "sin and sinners are no more; God's entire universe is clean ; and the great controversy is forever ended." This remarkable book contains over 700 pp., and 26 illustrations. The work is handsomely printed and bound. Bound in five styles, varying in price from $'1.>'>0 to '2,2't 1 ::*.,( J^l!t«V ^mm^^^^^ y.- i m ' "■i u..lt ! . I' lJ i * n i ni PATRIARCHS AM) PROPHETS; -■• tlu' (h-cnt CmfTicl between Goo.! aiKl l-^il :is iliustraiiMl in tin- Livt-s df Holy Men of OM. IJy Mrs. K. ('•. NVliite, author of "Great Controversy," "Life of Christ," and numtroiis other works on religious subjects. This book treats upon the themes of llible history — themes not in ti-emselves new, but so jiresented here as to t^ive tliem a new significance, lieginning with the rebellion in heaven, the author shows why sin was permitted, why Satan was not destroyed, and why man was tested ; gives a thrilling description of man's temptation and fall ; and rehearses 'the plan of redemption devir,cd for his .lalvation. This volume traces the great conflict between good and evil from its inception down through the centuries to the time of David's death, and shows Gods wonderful love for mankind by his dealings with the "holy men of old." The book contains over 760 octavo i)ages. It is printed from clear, new electrotypes on a fine quality of tinted jjaper. Its pages are adorned with more than 50 engravings, over 30 of which are full-page, and many were designed and engraved especially for this book by an artist in Paris, France. Furnished in four styles of l)inr Man's Nature and I lestiny. Tlie State of the Dead, tiie Reward of the Righteous, and the End of the Wicked. By U. Smith. A thorough canvass of the great question of a future 'xistence, and the nature of man in the present life. Every text in the I'.ible which has any bearing upon these points, is taken up and carefully explained, thus giv- ing the most comprehensive view of the subject that has yet been presented. The work contains 444 pages. In cloth covers ■ $1.00 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.— The most complete and comprehensive work on the subject of (Ihristian Education that has ever l^een published. Starting from the period of infancy, it points out Itie most successful way of preparing the mind of the child for the work of succeeding years. The importance of procee(Hng upon Christian principles in the work of education, the nature and kind of studies which are best for children, and the moulding influences of home and associates, are dwelt upon in the most practical and explicit way. Many of the problems that perplex parents are cleared up in this book, and every one who has to deal with children should procure and study it. 256 pages nicely bound in cloth 50 ctS» STEPS TO CHRIST.— This little w.uk by Mrs. E. G. 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The " Lie" referred to is the one men- tioned in the third chapter of Genesis ; and though, as the Scriptures tell, the devil is a liar and the father of it, none of his lies have wrought such dis- astrous consequences to the race as the one here pointed out. The reader will hardly fail of being alike interested in both the poetry and theology of this unique poem. In paper covers 5 ctS. THE CHRISTIAN'S SECRET OF A HAPPY LIFE.- By Hannah Whitall Smith. "To commend this work would seem almost supeifluous; and yet to young Christians who may not know it, we cannot refrain from saying, J5uy this book, and keep it with your Bible for constant study, until you have thoroughly mastered, in your experience, the secret of which it tells. It will transform the dark days of your life, as it has transformed those of thousands before you into days of heavenly light. — 7V/t' Evaui^elist (N. Y.). In cloth covers , 75 ©tS* HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING.— An exposition of Matthew XXIV. 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