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chronizes exactly with that mentioned for the appearance of the same signs, Matt. xxiv. 27-29, and Mark xiii. 24, 25; i. e., at the close of "the times of the Gentiles " in a. D. 1868.

It follows incontrovertibly, that the "signs" enumerated, first, by Luke, of the persecutions of the disciples of Christ, chap xxi. 12-19 (and which are parallel with Matt. xxiv. 9-14 and Mark xiii. 11-13); second, by Matthew, of wars and rumors of wars, with national conflicts, etc., chap. xxiv. 5-7 and 14 (and which are parallel with Mark xiii. 7, 8, and Luke xxi. 8-11); and third, of the destruction of the Jews by the edge of the sword, etc., in his (Luke's) appendix, xxi. 24, were, one and all, to precede, and are to be distinguished from, the appearance of the celestial phenomena mentioned by each. The first in order were chronologically to precede the compassing of Jerusalem with armies. (Luke xxi. 12.) The second were to accompany and accomplish the work of the siege. (Luke xxi. 20; Matt. xxiv. 15; Mark xiii. 14.) And the third were to follow, as the result of that siege, down to the period of the "consummation" of the Gentile age. (Compare Dan. ix. 27 with Luke xxi. 24.)

With the subject before us thus divested of the obscurity which has so long overshadowed it in the writings of the learned, we reach the inevitable conclusion, that whatever of resemblance may be traced between the events portrayed by these "signs," the unparalleled character of the "great tribulation" spoken of by Matt. xxiv. 21, 22, and Mark xiii. 19, 20, "such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, nor ever shall be," commences its development from the period of the exhibition of the celestial and terrestrial phenomena at the close of the Gentile age in A. D. 1868, and continues until the Jewish nation shall exclaim, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." (Matt. xxiii. 39.) For, as Matthew has it, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days.

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μETA TηV Oxufiv" shall the sun be darkened," etc.; while St. Mark says, "In those days, after that tribulation," etc.; while all the three Evangelists unite in the statement, "This generation,”—meaning, of course, the generation existing at the time of the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars, etc.,-"This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be fulfilled." Thus, then, is harmonized the respective declarations of Jere

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miah, Daniel, and our blessed Lord, regarding the time, and the characteristics connected with the crisis, of the unparalleled tribulation. It is emphatically styled by Jeremiah as "the great day, even the time of Jacob's trouble; " by Daniel as "a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time;" and by our Lord, "The days of vengeance, that all things which are written might be fulfilled."

But it may be asked, how, if this season of unparalleled tribulation is to constitute "the time of Jacob's trouble" after the close of "the times of the Gentiles," is this to be reconciled with the ending that period in A. D. 1868? To this we reply, that though St. Luke's statement is, that the Jewish tribulation is to close when "the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled," yet we are not to understand that they are ended in the absolute sense. Like "the rest of the beasts" in Dan. vii. 12, who "had their dominion taken away," while "their lives were prolonged for a season and a time;" so, while the prolonged captivity of the Jewish nation, which is exclusively spoken of by St. Luke, will end at the time assigned to it, yet it by no means necessarily follows that their sufferings will then altogether terminate. This will appear from the peculiar phraseology in St. Mark's Gospel: "But, in those days, after that tribulation," etc.; thus clearly indicating that the days of the tribulation, though drawn to a close, are not absolutely passed away: not that this is a distinct tribulation in contrast with or in addition to that which preceded it, but only the climax of it. It is, so to speak, the last act, the last scene of the drama, in which occurs the grand catastrophe of the whole.

Nor, further, are we to lose sight of the momentous fact that this "great tribulation," in its last form of development, is to 66 come as a snare on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth; "that is, "the days of vengeance," having reached their crisis coincident with the period when God has his controversy with the Gentiles, all the inhabitants of the world will be exposed to its fury, in accordance with the prophecy following: "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant: therefore hath the curse devoured the earth,

1 Jer. xxx. 7.

2 Dan. xii. 1.

Luke xxi. 22.

and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left."1

But, in the midst of the general consternation and dismay that shall then seize upon all classes of the ungodly-" men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things that are coming on the earth"-the jealousies of the crowned heads of Gentile rulers against the house of Judah, now dwelling nationally, but in their unconverted state, in the holy city, shall incite them to arms; when, once more, but for the last time, an unprecedented storm of persecution, like the devastations of a resistless tornado, shall be brought down upon the heads of Daniel's people. The prophet Zechariah, alluding to this very persecution, chap. xiv. 1, 2, says: "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy (Judah's) spoil shall be in the midst of thee. For I will bring all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city."

This, then, is "the time of Jacob's trouble, so that there is none like it," spoken of by Jeremiah, Daniel, and Christ. "But, he shall be saved out of it." For, says Zechariah, chap. xiv. 3, "Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as He fought in the day of battle." And, adds the prophet (verse 4), "His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem," etc.

Now, this period of the deliverance of Daniel's people, Isaiah makes exactly coincident with the appearance of the darkening of the heavenly luminaries referred to by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In chap. xxiv. 21-23, Isaiah, having said, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth," adds, "Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously." And, mark, reader: this event exactly synchronizes with the smiting of the colossal metallic image upon the feet of iron and clay by the Messianic stone cut out without hands," Dan. ii. 34, 35; and also with "one like the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven to the ancient of days," and to whom is given dominion, and glory, and a king

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dom," etc., Dan. vii. 13, 14. See also Dan. ii. 44, and vii. 26, 27. Does not this therefore clearly demonstrate that the second personal coming of our Lord is pre- and not post-millennial? What will our opponents answer?

This, therefore, is the period when "all the kindreds of the earth shall wail," at beholding "the Son of Man come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

And now, in conclusion on the subject of the last closing scene of the above unparalleled tribulation, and its results to the Jews and their Gentile oppressors; the prophet Jeremiah presents us with the following succinct and beautifully graphic picture:

"Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first, the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last, this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied on mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve." 1

In taking our leave of the theory that has called forth these somewhat extended remarks, we feel that, however imperfectly the task has been executed, we have fully exposed the fallacy of the alleged fulfilment of Christ's prophecy, Matt. xxiv. 27-30, in reference to His second coming and the establishment of His kingdom in the world, by the judgments inflicted upon the Jewish nation and polity, at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman army in A. D. 70. We repeat: this theory, devised and advocated by the most eminent commentators and writers of the last and present century; and, until within the last half century almost universally adopted by all the Protestant churches; when subjected to the ordeal of impartial criticism, logical analysis, and historic fact, is shown to be in every way unworthy of the great minds who embraced it. And yet, such is the tendency of the human mind to be swayed by the imposing authority of great names, that unless the Lord by his grace, as in

1 Jer. 1. 20.

the case of Lydia, opens the heart to attend unto the things here spoken of,' men will not receive them.

We now pass to a consideration of those theories which affirm that the second coming of Christ is still future.

CHAPTER IV.

FOURTH THEORY.

THIS THEORY ALLEGES, THAT THE PROPHECIES RELATING TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND THE REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH, REFER TO THE FIRST INTRODUCTION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH; THE DISPENSATION OF WHICH MERGES INTO, FORMS A PART OF, AND ENDS WITH, THE CLOSE OF THE MILLENNIAL STATE; WHEN, IT IS AFFIRMED, CHRIST WILL PERSONALLY APPEAR AT THE JUDGMENT-DAY, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY RAISE FROM THE DEAD BOTH THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED, WHEN THE ONE SHALL BE REWARDED AND THE OTHER PUNISHED, ETC.2

WE have at length reached the last but one of the theories connected with our examination of those prophecies which relate to the important subject of the second coming and kingdom of Christ.

The theory now under review, unlike the first, which alleges the fulfilment of all the above prophecies by the restoration of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, affirms, with perhaps here and there an exception, the literal return of Judah and Israel to their own land as still future.

Unlike that of the second, while its advocates generally admit that the prophecy of Christ in Matt. xxiv. 27-30, denotes the providential or judicial coming of our Lord to destroy the nation and polity of the Jews by means of the Roman army under Titus; yet contend for the spiritual presence or reign of Christ as the King of saints, during the Christian dispensation; and that this spiritual presence, which they call His second coming, is to be more signally manifested, in the conversion of all rations, Jewish and Gentile, as preparatory to the introduction and establishment of the Church in all the privileges and blessings of her millennial state under the continuous spiritual reign of Christ. And hence,

1 See Acts xvi. 14.

See the four theories, etc., p. 55.

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