The events connected with the Lord’s return form a very interesting and thrilling subject, both the events which precede, and those which immediately follow the advent.
This is especially so in our day, because the signs which indicate that this glorious event is at hand are so numerous and so universal that believers are upon the tiptoe of expectation. There are some who deprecate the keenness of the study which the expectation of so thrilling an event produces. We have heard it compared to “living upon spiced meat,” and a contributor to one of the monthly magazines wrote some time ago as follows :—
“This sign watching is all very good, but it is a thing that can be carried to excess; it reminds one of days gone by, when I was working in different engineering works. Men would be loafing around, and on the first sign of the approach of the foreman, one would call out ‘Look out, here comes the boss.’
If we are doing that which is right, we will not need any sign to tell us that the Master is coming.”
To this we reply, that it is Christ himself who has associated ” watching ” with ” doing ” (Matt. 24. 42, 46), and said “Blessed is he that watcheth.” It was the servant who said “My Lord delayeth his coming” who was found unfaithful.
The knowledge that he who is our judge, has his eye always upon us, will prevent any loafing during his absence, but the knowledge that he is near will help to counteract the natural tendency to “grow weary in well doing,” and will encourage us to that “patient continuance ” which will secure for us the reward of eternal life.
We admit that to be over sanguine, and premature in our expectations, may lead to discouragement and consequent loss of faith.
It must also be admitted that too much reliance can be placed upon our own, or other human interpretation. This also may lead to the shipwreck of our faith, if our anticipations are not realized. Yet when all allowance has been made there remains a strong argument for the study of the signs of Christ’s coming and the events connected with his return. It certainly helps to impress upon us the fact of Christ’s coming, and its reality. The subject requires careful consideration, for whilst the main facts are explicitly and clearly expressed, in some cases parable and symbol are employed, and there are many prophecies which are uncertain as to the time and order of events. It is therefore easy to misplace them.
That Christ is coming in a personal and literal manner, that he is to be our judge, and that he is to reign upon earth in a literal sense, are all truths which can be stated positively and with certainty. That the general signs indicate that his coming is near, is another undeniable and positive truth. On the other hand, the order or sequence of many of the prophecies is a matter of correct placing. We must remember also that some prophecies have been so arranged, that only history itself lifts the veil, and in other cases they are intentionally obscure, with the expressed purpose that only the diligent and wise shall understand. (see Daniel 12. 9, 10.) Here then is interesting matter for study, and for exchange of thought between those who are in complete agreement upon the clear and positive truths of Divine revelation.
The order of details, and the precise meaning of certain texts, is a phase of the subject requiring close attention and discernment. It may be compared to a jig-saw puzzle, requiring the correct placing of each piece in its proper place before the complete picture can be seen. In our attempts to place each passage in its right setting, we naturally make many mistakes, and sometimes strain passages into an unnatural meaning to make them fit. Just as we find there are parts of a puzzle which do not fit, or have been left out entirely, necessitating considerable readjustment, so we sometimes find with scriptural texts; and we have to readjust our application or interpretation.
The Great War was an event which most Bible students found they had not previously allowed for, and which the greatest expositors of our age had not fore-seen. They had, therefore, failed to take it into account in their scheme of interpretation, and when putting together the various texts which make the picture. Since that event, in the new light of history, various attempts have been made to make the picture more complete and consistent.
Quite a number of new interpretations, or new applications, of well-known texts have been suggested in the various monthly magazines. These efforts, the candid and honest seekers for truth will hail with pleasure, for the more they are able to compare notes with one another, the more prospects there are of arriving at correct conclusions. It was, therefore, with much pleasure we read the book recently reviewed in these columns, entitled “Christ Comes,” by J. H. James.
It is a book which shows much independent individual study, and appeals to a direct consideration of the Prophetic Word itself. Whilst giving due respect to the labours of earlier expositors, the writer is not unduly enslaved by traditional interpretations. The subject is dealt with in such a way that it is not merely interesting but thrilling. It is calculated to provoke renewed study because many well-known texts are viewed from a different angle and placed in a different order than is our wont.
If the author does not in some cases bring conviction to the reader, it as least compels his attention and leads to a reconsideration of previous interpretations. This is healthy exercise, and is certainly helpful in fixing our minds upon the great fact of Christ’s near return.
There is one important aspect of prophecy which we feel that the author of “Christ Comes” has helped to make clear. It is, that the overthrow of Russia upon the mountains of Israel, as foretold in Ezekiel 38. 39, is an event which takes place earlier than the overthrow of the combined nations of Europe (as symbolized by the ten horns of Rev. 17. 12, and the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s image of Daniel 2). On page 67 the author says :
“The war which is ultimately to be waged between the nations and Christ, does not immediately follow the miraculous overthrow of Russia, but there is an interregnum of peace.”
Again :
“Points of distinction exist in various prophecies which very definitely separate the one event from the other.” (see pp. 87 and 89).
The mistake is often made of confusing the prophecy of Ezekiel 38, and the smiting of the image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, by the stone.
The latter prophecy is identical with that of the overthrow of the ten horn combinations of Revelation 17. The ten horns are a symbol of the combined European powers confederate with the Papacy in the last phase. These make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them (v. 14). They are, therefore, identical with the ten toes, at the time of the smiting by the stone. Sometimes the Gogian (or Russian) power is spoken of as the head of the image in the latter days, but we agree with our author that the events of Ezekiel 38 must be earlier than the overthrow of the ten horns.
We suggest that to make the various parts of our prophetic puzzle fit correctly we must place them in the following order :
- The overthrow of the Russian invader upon the mountains of Israel.
- The establishment of the Throne upon Mount Zion. (Rev. 14. 1.)
- Interval1 during which the everlasting Gospel proclamation is issued from Mount Zion, saying “Fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of His judgment is come.” (Rev. 14. 6, cp. Psa. 2 10.)
- This overture being rejected, the ten horns, fruitlessly, make war against Christ.
Ezekiel seems to indicate that the Gogian power is completely crippled, but even if not we can scarcely imagine it likely to recover sufficiently from the blow, to become the head of the European nations (alias the head of the Image).
In fact, there seems no good grounds for including Russia in the Image. It did not form part of the Roman Empire.
It seems, therefore, more reasonable to regard Ezekiel 38 as a preliminary event, leading to Divine manifestation in Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom in its incipient stage, before the ten-horn combination takes place.
Now, although the author of “Christ Comes” makes a very distinct event of Ezekiel 38, he seems to the present writer to be inconsistent with himself in suggesting that Russia is confederate with the European powers in that conflict. On page 85 he says :
“Europe’s legions rally to the banner of the King of the North (meaning Russia) and are led by him to destruction upon the mountains of Israel.”
We cannot see any evidence to indicate that any European powers (unless we include the new Turkey as such) are in the alliance of Ezekiel 38. If we take the best up-to-date Bible maps we find that none of the other names in Ezekiel are applied to European powers. Gomer is supposed by some to indicate France, but the evidence put forward is of a very indirect and unconvincing character.
The maps used in modern Bibles place Gomer as the districts around the shores of the Black Sea (north and south) and Togarmah as the district now occupied by the new Turkish Republic.
One of the striking post-war events is the uprise of this new power upon the ruins of the old Ottoman dynasty. Its tendency now is entirely pro-Russian. Commercial and political treaties have been made between them and the alliance was recently cemented by a gift to Kemal Pasha, from the Soviet, of five bombing planes, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the new republic.
Russia will no doubt easily persuade them to come under the Gogian banner and seek to recover for the new power the territory of Palestine lost by the Ottoman to Britain under the mandate.
The recent broadcast from Moscow, assuring the Arab agitators of Russian sympathy, is a bare-faced and open indication of Soviet policy, and the European powers are so hopelessly divided, that they are powerless to arrest this propaganda. They are quite as helpless to-day, on account of divided counsels, as they were when Kemal Pasha violated the peace treaty, and extended the territory allotted to Turkey at the peace settlement.
We venture the opinion, therefore, that the other European powers are not included in the Gogian Confederacy. At least we see no evidence of it in Ezekiel.
It is suggested by the author of “Christ Comes” that the Russian overthrow is the Sign to which Christ refers in Matt. 24. 30, and that it takes place before believers are caught away to meet him for judgment.
This would indeed be a very definite sign to watchers, but we do not find anything in the context to support the idea that this is the sign meant by Christ in this case. It seems too definite to allow for Christ’s statement, “In such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh ” (ver. 44).
We incline to the opinion that Christ will appear to the believers during the Anglo-Russian conflict, but at what stage we know of no indications. It may be that Christ appears even before hostilities break out.
The prophet Zechariah, speaking of Christ’s manifestation upon the Mount of Olives, says ” all the saints with thee” (ch. 14. 15). Of course it is possible that the word ” saints ” may refer to the angels who attend Christ at his return, but the phrase ” all the saints” seem to imply that angels and believers are included. How long the believers have been “with the Lord” before this manifestation on the Mount of Olives, is not indicated as far as we know. As to the suggestion that the overthrow of Russia will be the “Sign” to which Christ referred, may not “the Sign of the Son of Man in heaven ” mean the actual visible appearance of Christ ?
In Mark 13. 26 we read:
“Then shall they see the Son of man coming,”
but in Matthew it reads :
“Then shall appear the Sign of the Son of man in heaven.”
They are apparently therefore equivalent statements.
The natural and evident interpretation of Paul’s statement in 2 Thess. 4. 16, 17 seems to be, that Christ with his angels descends, the dead are raised, and together with the living saints are caught up (or seized away) to meet the Lord in the air, and are then to be ” ever with the Lord.”
This leads us to a consideration of the place and period of the judgment, which, however, is not mentioned in this passage.
On page 67 of “Christ Comes” we read :
“Moreover, the Judgment of the quick and the dead is to be accomplished. It is not reasonable to expect that the work will be over in a night, and it is therefore certain that Christ and the Saints do not appear in Palestine immediately following the destruction of Gog.”
We know the writer and his zeal for truth sufficiently well to be assured that he will welcome any critical investigation of this very positive statement. We, therefore, question it.
His certainty is based upon his previous assumption. It is generally assumed we know, that judgment must take a long period of time. But is not this conclusion merely based upon our experience of human judgment with its protracted means and methods ?
As raising of the dead is to be simultaneous and the immortalization of the accepted likewise (in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, 1 Cor. 15. 52), is it not equally probable that judgment may also take place simultaneously ? Is it not possible that judgment may take place where they are, or where they are raised?. What is to prevent it ? Each individual prayer is heard and known all the world over, although they may ascend at the same moment to the throne of grace. So also individual judgment can be dispensed simultaneously, for “all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do, neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight.” (Heb. 4. 13.)
To be placed en-rapport with the Divine mind and receive the consciousness of the Divine verdict upon our actions and characters, is all that is necessary. The ponderous methods of human judges are quite superfluous.
The case of Saul on the way to Damascus is an illustration of how it could be accomplished. Paul was in the presence of Christ, although Christ was then in heaven. He was judged, convicted, and made conscious of Christ’s verdict, but was given another opportunity, and it led to his conversion. Radio has opened our eyes to many possibilities, which at one time were incredible, and there is certainly nothing incredible in believing that with Divine power simultaneous judgment is possible. What otherwise appear difficulties, vanish upon this view; and some passages of Scripture, otherwise obscure, are made plain.
Those who are “caught away” are evidently those who are to be “ever with the Lord.” This implies that they are already judged. There is nothing to suggest that they are caught away to be judged, but to be “ever with the Lord.” Then there are such passages as “the one shall be taken and the other left” (Matt. 24. 40, 41). The words were spoken to a responsible class and would therefore seem to imply that they would be judged where they were, the accepted being ” taken ” and the other ” left ” to endure the tribulation in store for the ungodly. (Heb. 10. 27; 2 Thess. 1. 8.) If the judgment covers a long period (suggestions varying from seven years to forty have been made), those who were first judged would, if faithful, have a long period to wait for immortalization; or if unfaithful, would be turned back into a world of tribulation and anguish. The responsible rejected from the beginning of the world would be a vast multitude. The facts would soon then become known worldwide, whilst on the other hand those waiting judgment would have a long period of suspense to endure.
It is therefore scarcely credible that for seven years after “the miraculous overthrow of Russia” judgment is taking place “quietly and obscurely at Sinai” as indicated in the map on p. 64. In fact, the idea that judgment takes place at Sinai is only a suggestion; and the passages from which it is inferred may quite as well apply to Israel’s Exodus from Egypt as reviewed by the prophets.
In the earlier part of the book the opinion is expressed that Christ’s coming is not so obscure and silent an event as some expect. The syllabus of chapter 2 reads thus :
“The manner of Christ’s coming not to be quiet and stealthy but with violence and commotion.”
On p. 42 the author says that certain texts quoted by him make it
“impossible to imagine the quiet call to judgment so commonly expected.”
On p. 39 also he writes :
“The very spirit of these statements is contrary to the idea of a stealthy or secret act.”
We quite agree with this view, but it seems scarcely consistent to make the judgment an obscure and quiet event at Sinai, after the advent with its attendant commotion. The coming of Christ and the judgment of the responsible dead and living, are events which cannot be “done in a corner.” It will stir the world. “If they shall say unto you, behold he is in the desert place, go not forth . . . For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matt. 24. 27).
This certainly suggests “the opposite to an unobserved and silent coming,” but it also excludes the idea of a secret and obscure judgment during a seven years period.
Then we have the passage to which reference has already been made in another connection, “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God” (1 Thess: 4. 16), What is meant by the trump of God ? We have usually understood this to be merely a figure of speech, based upon the use of the trumpet in Israel for the calling of the assemblies; but it has recently been suggested in one of the monthly magazines that this might be quite as literal as at Sinai, when the trumpet sounded long amidst mighty manifestation of Divine power. (Exodus 20 and Heb. 12.) Paul, referring to that event, connects it with a future manifestation, saying “Yet once more I shake not the earth only but heaven.”
It is not unreasonable that when the time comes again for open manifestation this may be repeated and the trumpet sound carried by wireless waves throughout the world. On the other hand it is just as possible that it may be confined to the hearing of those who are responsible; Divine power making them only receptive to the vibrations, in some such way as that we know to be employed in radio.
Putting the various texts in order, to the best of our judgment, we suggest the following :
- Christ descends from heaven.
- The dead are raised, and judged simultaneously with those who are alive and remain.
- The accepted are changed in a moment and caught away to meet the Lord in the air, the rejected being left.
- The conflict upon the mountains of Israel is probably in progress.
- At some stage (Israel’s extremity) Christ is manifested with his mighty angels. (” All the saints with thee” seems to suggest the accepted are included.)
Whilst putting this as a probability, we must not overlook the possibility of Christ coming even before hostilities break out between Britain and Russia, for in “such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” We should not be wise to conclude that Christ will not come until the Russian sign is visible in the sense suggested by J.H.J.
The last sign that Christ has definitely indicated to precede his coming is the Euphratean, or Turkish, sign which, in our opinion, is now fulfilled. Dr. Grattan Guinness in 1879 wrote as follows ;
“When the Moslems now driven out of Bulgaria shall be driven also out of Syria, when the nations of Europe actuated it may be by mutual distrust and political jealousy, or it may be by higher motives, shall conspire to re-instate the Jews in the land of their forefathers, then the last warning bell will have rung, then the last of the unfulfilled predictions of Scripture as to events prior to the Great Crisis will have received its accomplishment, then the second advent of Israel’s rejected Messiah, to reign in conjunction with his risen and glorified saints, as King over all the earth, will be close at hand. The destruction of the power and independence of the Ottoman Empire . . . should be as a trumpet blast to Christendom proclaiming that the day of Christ is at hand.”
With the exception that the Ottoman and the Moslem are confused, we incline to agree with the foregoing even now. The Russian prophecy is not stated to be a “sign,” although we admit that developments towards the appointed end may be so regarded. It is with the Euphratean sign that Christ associates the warning exhortation.
This leads us to consider the remarks regarding Armageddon. On page 22 he writes :
“Scripture prophecy is well known to foretell a world-war called Armageddon.”
This is not quite correct. The name “Armageddon ” is certainly associated with a world-war prophecy. It is not the name applied to the war, however, but to a place into which the subjects of the prophecy are gathered.
The war is called “the war of that great day of God Almighty,” not “the war of Armageddon.” Events there are only an incident in the war, albeit a very important incident in the purpose of the Vial.
It is no more correct to call it the “war of Armageddon” than it would be to call the Great War of 1914 “the war of the Marne.”
“He gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon” (Rev. 16. 16).
This is the only place in Scripture where the word is used, although the word “Megiddo,” from which it is derived, is mentioned in the Old Testament. In this case it is essentially related to the sixth vial prophecy and the overthrow of the Turkish power. It might be interesting to note, that in the well-known work by Raymond Savage, entitled Allenby of Armageddon,” he makes the following comment :
“Jezreel, in its Greek form, has given the name Esdraelon to the whole plain which in history is named in the Hebrew Armageddon ‘ after the fort of Megiddo” (p. 265).
It is well known that not only did the Ottoman meet disaster on the field of Armageddon, when Allenby surrounded the two Turkish armies, but that this event led to the revival of the Hebrew language in the land.
The Hebrew tongue is now taught in the University and schools, and the census of 1931 revealed the fact that “out of 175,006 Jews in Palestine, 165,632 declared Hebrew to be their principal medium of speech.”
Reference to the Hebrew tongue seems to suggest this revival of the Hebrew language, as a characteristic of the sixth-vial epoch.
We have previously laid before the readers of The Testimony our conviction that the sixth vial prophecy is already fulfilled and that the gathering unto Armageddon is a past event. (Readers are referred to The Testimony for April 1932. p. 115.) The friendly criticism then received led the writer to make one amendment. We applied the phrase “the war of that great day of God Almighty” to the future final conflict. It was suggested, however, that it was quite applicable to the Great War of 1914, as similar phraseology had been used to describe past events (see Zeph. 1. 14; Rev. 6. 17). It was further pointed out that this would bring it more consistently under the sixth vial.
It is usual to apply the name ” Armageddon ” to the impending Anglo-Russian conflict of Ezekiel 38. The author of “Christ Comes,” however, argues strongly against this (see p. 87), yet he objects to the interpretation suggested by the present writer.
On page 80 he says :
“The rout of the Turks on the plain of Megiddo comes in the wrong period for the war of Armageddon.”
We suggest, however, that it comes in just the right place for a sixth-vial prophecy, and just the right place according to the order and arrangement of the prophecy.
The vial is Euphratean and the Turk is the subject of the outpouring, whereas to put it after Christ’s advent and proclamation to the nations is to place it in the seventh-vial period.
We cannot, therefore, follow our author in his application of the word Armageddon to the conflict between Christ and the ten-horn nations.
He assumes that when these European powers make war against the Lamb (seven years after Gog is destroyed) that they come as far as Megiddo and there meet disaster. There does not appear to be any evidence that such an advance at that stage in the Divine programme will be permitted. It seems more probable that Europe will become the symbolic “lake of fire” with Rome as its centre. We read in Micah 5. 8, “The remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people, as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep.”
Another point upon which we are not in agreement, is the application of the prophecy of “the King of the North” (Daniel 11. 40) to Russia. This prophecy is quoted at length on p. 50, but the quotation unfortunately commences with the 40th verse, where the subject of the prophecy is introduced by the pronoun ” him ” (At the time of the end shall the King of the South push at him, and the King of the North shall come against him.”) Now it is essential to a correct interpretation of the matter that we first determine the person or power to which the pronoun is related. When the previous verses are taken into consideration, it is unquestionably the Roman power to which reference is made. This is definitely settled by Christ himself in Matt. 24. 15, where he identifies the power of verse 31 as the Roman, and it continues down to verse 40. This indicates the power against which the King of the South “pushes,” and the King of the North ” comes ” at the “time of the end.”
The ” end ” must therefore be the end of the Roman Empire. This was brought about by the Saracen and Turk, as indicated in the corresponding prophecy of Revelation 9.
Some stumble at the phrase “the time of the end” presuming that it must of necessity apply to the same period as that mentioned in chap. 12. This phrase, however, is merely a variation of, and an equivalent expression to “the end of the time.”
It will be noticed that it is incomplete, leaving something to be supplied or understood. The context must determine this. Amongst the various renderings given are the following :
” At the end of the period.” Ferrar Fenton.
“At the time appointed.” Douay.
“At the end of the time.” Sept. Version.
It evidently applies to the Divinely appointed end of the Roman power, which dominated the Holy Land and overthrew the Temple and City. Those who understand the symbolism of Rev. 9 know that the end of the Roman Empire, in its last or Eastern phase, was to be Divinely accomplished by first being politically ” tormented ” by the Saracen and then ” killed ” by the Turk. History has confirmed this interpretation, and it is not left for us to speculate how it will be fulfilled.
Russia does not come within the scope of this prediction, except in a minor and indirect way in a later aspect.
As we have previously written at length on this subject, and it is available in pamphlet form, we will not enlarge upon it here.
We trust the reader will understand that many ideas we have expressed, are by way of suggestion and not dogmatic assertions.
It is a stirring matter that has been presented, and an interesting question that has been raised, in the volume under discussion.
May it lead to renewed efforts to be found not only “watching,” but giving diligent attention to Christ’s exhortation, “Be ye also ready.”
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J.H.J. differs from the above sequence by placing the interval between Nos. 1 and 2. This interval, he suggests, is a period of seven years, during which the land is being cleansed (Ezek. 39. 9) and judgements followed by intercourse and instruction, takes place at Sinai. The objection to this is that the sequence of Rev. 14 places the establishment of the throne upon Mount Zion first, and the proclamation to the nations afterwards. Surely the throne would be established before calling upon the nations to submit!
Jacob’s Prophecy in Gen 49 and Other Discussion Questions