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Forces Mustering For Armageddon
"For the great Day of His
wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"
—Re 6:17.
God seems to have given the Book of
Revelation with the intent of covering up great and important truths, not only
because these were not due to be understood, but because He designs to keep
certain features of His Plan from the world. Being a book of symbols, the
Revelation will not be understood by the world in general; but the Bible
assures that when the due time for revealment comes, the wise amongst His
people, "The wise virgins," shall understand.—Da 12:10; Mt 25:1-13.
The Prophet Daniel, who tells us that the Time of the End is the time for those
wise toward God to understand His great Plan, gives two particular signs by
which this time will be especially marked: First, "Many shall run to and
fro"; second, "knowledge shall be increased." (Da 12:4.)
Today we see this prophecy fulfilled. All over the world the people are running
to and fro as never before; and all over the world are opportunities for
knowledge such as have never before been known. The remarkable fulfilment of
this prophecy characterizes our day as the Time of the End, in which this
Gospel Age is to be concluded and the Messianic Age to be ushered in—the time
when God’s people will understand and prepare for their change.
In the Scriptures God has seen fit to associate the name of Israel’s famous
battlefield with the great controversy between Truth and Error, Right and
Wrong, with which the change of dispensation will take place.
While the phrase, "Battle of Armageddon," is heard on all sides and
is applied in many ways, nevertheless Christians realize that in the Bible this
phrase is used in a
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spiritual sense. Therefore if the present is an opportune time to consider this
Battle of the
great Day of God Almighty, surely it is the proper time to view it from its
true religious standpoint.
Before we proceed to set forth our understanding of the symbolic language of
the Revelation, we wish to state most emphatically that we are saying nothing
whatever against godly Christians at any time or in any place, in any church or
out of any church. We realize that the Word of God conveys a terrible
arraignment of some of the great systems of our day—some that we long have
reverenced, that we have esteemed as containing many of God’s people. We have
nothing to say against godly individuals, but what we have to say in the
interpretation of Scripture is in respect to these systems.
AGENCIES MUSTERING THE HOSTS
Coming to the interpretation of the symbols of Re 16:13-16, we find that the
Scriptures mention three agencies connected with the gathering of the hosts to
this great battle. We read that three impure spirits, teachings, will go forth
from the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet, and that these
three will be in accord. These three doctrines, symbolically represented by
frogs, are to have a mighty influence throughout the civilized earth; they are
to gather the kings and their armies to the great Battle of Armageddon.
The ecclesiastical kings and princes, with their retinues of clergy and
faithful adherents, will be gathered in solid phalanx—Protestants and
Catholics. The kings and captains of industry, and as many as can be influenced
by them, will be gathered to the same side. The political kings and princes,
with all their henchmen and retainers, will follow in line on the same side.
The financial kings and merchant princes, and all whom they can influence by
the most gigantic power ever yet exercised in the world, will join the same
side, according to this
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prophecy. They do not realize, however, that they are coming to Armageddon.
These "doctrines of demons," represented by the frogs, will lead many
noble souls to assume an attitude quite contrary to their preference. For a
time the wheels of liberty and progress will be turned backward, and medieval
restraints will be considered necessary for self-preservation—for the
maintenance of the present order of things and for the prevention of the new
order which God has decreed. Even those who may be God’s people do not stop to
consider whether it is His will that things should continue as they have been
for six thousand years.
In giving this interpretation, it is necessary for us to indicate what is
symbolized by the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet. Bible students of
nearly all denominations agree with us that the Dragon of Revelation represents
the purely Civil Power. Protestant interpreters generally agree with us that
the "Beast like a leopard" (Re 13:2) represents the Papacy. But fewer
still, we fear, will be ready to support our view that Protestantism is the
"Image of the Beast" (Re 13:15), elsewhere styled "the False
Prophet."—Rev. 16:13.
"UNCLEAN SPIRITS LIKE FROGS"
We urge no one to accept our interpretation, nor shall we think unkindly of
those who refuse it. We will neither slander or otherwise injure them, nor
threaten them with eternal torture. They have the same right to their views
that we have, and the same right to make them known to others. For our part we
shall be very glad to consider anything which opponents may set forth as their
interpretations of this Scripture.
The symbolisms of Scripture, rightly understood, are always forceful. When the
Holy Spirit used a frog symbolically to represent certain doctrines or
teachings, we may be sure that the true application will fit well. A frog is a
small creature, yet it puffs itself up until it almost
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bursts in its efforts to be somebody; it has a wise look, even though it does
not know much; and whenever it utters a sound it croaks. The three most
prominent characteristics of a frog, then, are pomposity, an air of superior
wisdom and a continual croaking.
Applying these symbols, we learn that an evil spirit, influence, teaching, will
come from the federated Protestant churches, from the Church of Rome and from
the civil authorities, and in full agreement. The spirit of all will be
boastful, an air of superior wisdom and knowledge will be proudly assumed—all
will croak in harmony.
All will predict dire results to follow, involving the interests of both the
present and the future life, if their counsel be not heeded. However
conflicting the creeds, the differences will be ignored in the general proposition
that nothing ancient must be investigated or repudiated, but that all things
must remain as they are.
The Divine authority of the Church, and the Divine right of kings, aside from
the Church, will not be permitted to conflict. Any persons or teachings in
conflict with these boastful and unscriptural claims will be branded as
everything vile, at the mouths of these frog-like spirits, speaking from
pulpits and platforms and through the press. The nobler sentiments of some will
be strangled by the philosophy of the same evil spirit which spoke through
Caiaphas, the high priest, respecting our Lord Jesus. As Caiaphas declared it
expedient to commit a crime in violation of justice, both human and Divine, in
order to be rid of Jesus and His teachings, so this frog spirit will approve of
every violation of principle necessary to their self-protection.
The croaking of these frog spirits of doctrine will gather the kings and
princes—financial, political, religious and industrial—into one great army. The
spirit of fear, inspired by the croakings, will scourge the passions of
otherwise good and reasonable men to fury, desperation.
In their blind adherence to these evil spirits, evil
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doctrines, they will be ready to sacrifice life itself on the altar of what
they mistakenly suppose is righteousness.
As we understand the Scriptures, for a brief time these combined forces of
Armageddon will triumph. Free speech, free mails, and other liberties which
have come to be the very breath of the masses of our day will be ruthlessly
shut off under the plea of necessity, the glory of God, the commands of the
Church, etc. All will seem serene until the great social explosion takes place,
described in Scripture as "a great earthquake."
In symbolic language, an earthquake signifies social revolution. The
declaration of the Revelator is that it will be "such as was not since men
were upon the earth."
Our Lord Jesus and the Prophet Daniel described it as "a Time of Trouble
such as was not since there was a nation." —Mt 24:21; Da 12:1; Re
16:18,19.
THE OPPOSING FORCES AT ARMAGEDDON
The false, froglike teachings will gather together into one host the great, the
rich, the wise, the learned and the kings of the earth. At this juncture Divine
Power will step forward and marshal the hosts to Armageddon—to the Mount of
Destruction. The very thing which they sought to avert by federation will be
the very thing which they will hasten. Other Scriptures tell us that God will
be represented by the great Messiah, and that He will be on the side of the
masses. Thus we read, "At that time shall Michael [the God-like
One—Messiah] stand up"—assume authority. He will take possession of His
Kingdom in a manner little expected by many of those who erroneously have been
claiming that they were His Kingdom, and authorized by Him to reign in His
stead.
The Scriptures declare, "His servants ye are unto whom ye render
service." Some may be rendering service to Satan and error while claiming
to be serving God and righteousness; and some of these may be serving
ignorantly, as did Saul of Tarsus, who "verily thought that
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he did God service" in persecuting the Church. The same principle holds
true reversely. As no earthly king holds himself responsible for the moral
character of each soldier who fights in his battles, so the Lord does not vouch
for the moral character of all who fight on His side of any question.
The same principle will apply in the approaching Battle of Armageddon. God’s
side of that battle will be the people’s side; and that very nondescript host,
the people, will be pitted at the beginning of the battle. Anarchists,
Socialists, and hot-headed radicals of every school of reason and of unreason,
will be at the forefront of the battle.
The majority of the poor and of the middle class prefer peace at almost any
price. The masses have no sympathy with anarchy; for they realize truly that
the worst form of government is better than none.
A comparatively small number, God’s consecrated people, will at heart be
longing for Messiah’s Kingdom.
These will wait patiently for the Lord’s time; they will be of good courage,
knowing the outcome delineated in the "more sure word of prophecy,"
to which they have done well to "take heed, as unto a light shining in a
dark place, until the Day dawn."—2Pe 1:19.
Conscious of their own weakness as compared to the kings and princes,
financial, religious and political, who will then hold sway, the masses will be
restless. Through the ballot and the peaceful readjustment of earth’s affairs
they will seek for the elimination of evil, for the placing of monopolies,
utilities and the supplies of nature in the hands of the people for the public
good. The crisis will be reached when the hitherto upholders of law shall
become violators of that law and resisters of the will of the majority as
expressed by the ballot. Fear for the future will lead the well-meaning masses
to desperation; and anarchy will result when Socialism fails. This is the
extremity toward which multitudes are being driven by the force of
circumstances propelled by selfishness.
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WHY ARMAGEDDON IS NECESSARY
Horrible indeed would be the outlook for the future did we not have the
infallible Word of God assuring us of a glorious outcome. Divine Wisdom has
withheld until our day the great knowledge and skill which is breeding both
millionaires and discontents. Had God lifted the veil a thousand years ago, the
world would then have lined up for its Armageddon. But that date would have
been too soon for the Divine Purpose; for God has His own times and seasons,
and has appointed the Seventh Thousand-Year Day of the world’s history for the
Reign of Christ. Therefore in kindness God veiled our eyes until the time when
the gathering to Armageddon would immediately precede the inauguration of
Messiah’s Kingdom—Re 11:17,18.
St. Paul,
writing prophetically of this time, declared that it would be one of trial and
testing to many professed Christians, for the reason that they received not the
Truth in the love of it. (2Th 2:10,11.) They
preferred their own erroneous theories, the Apostle explains, and therefore God
will give them over to a strong delusion, permitting them to believe the lie
which they preferred and to suffer for missing the Truth which they did not
love. Thus they will be in the condemned host, "fighting against
God."
Sad to say, we Christians have labored under a thorough delusion respecting
God’s Plan. We have claimed that Christ set up His Church in Kingdom power and
that the Church has been reigning on the earth as His representative.
On the strength of this delusion, Jews and so-called heretics have been
persecuted to death as opponents to Christ’s Kingdom. Meantime we thoughtlessly
prayed, "Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as in Heaven."
We knew that the Redeemer had said that He would come again to make us His
Bride and Joint-heirs; but we ignored the Scriptures. We were drunk, as the
Scriptures symbolically say; all nations were drunk
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with the false doctrine. (Re 17:2.) It is this false doctrine which will
constitute the frog spirit that soon will croak, preparatory to Armageddon.
For the past forty years the forces have been mustering for the conflict. As
the belligerent parties have crossed each other’s paths, incidental skirmishes
have taken place—strikes, lockouts, riots, etc. Court and army scandals in
Europe, trust and court scandals in America, have shaken public
confidence. Dynamite plots, charged by turn on employees and employers, have
tended to make each distrustful of the other. Bitter and angry feelings are
more and more manifest.
THE WAR CLOUD’S SILVER LINING
According to Scripture the great battle must follow the occurrence of two
events; the transformation of the Image of the Beast into a living force, and
the return of many wealthy Jews to Palestine. The Protestant Federation
realizes the futility of its organization unless it receive vitalization—unless
its clergy be recognized as possessing apostolic ordination and authority to
teach.
This the prophecy indicates will come from the two-horned Beast—symbol, we
believe, of the Church of England.
High-handed activities of both Protestantism and Catholicism, operating in
conjunction for the suppression of human liberties, await the vivifying of this
Image.
At the very close of Armageddon will
come "Jacob’s trouble" in the Holy Land.
Then Messiah’s Kingdom will begin to be manifested. Thenceforth in the Land of Promise
Israel
will gradually rise from the ashes of the past to the grandeur of prophecy.
Through its Divinely appointed princes, the Ancient Worthies (Heb. 11; Ps
45:16), the all-powerful, but invisible Kingdom of Messiah
will begin to roll away the curse of death and to uplift mankind. Then will be
fulfilled the Promise "in thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed."
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