<< Back |
Chosen no: SM-420 , from: 0 Year. |
Change lang
| |
"The Sign Of The Son Of Man In Heaven"
"Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then shall
all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in
the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."—Mt 24:30.
Various suggestions have been made
by scholars respecting the import of this prophecy by the Master.
Some guessed that the sign would be a Cross in the sky.
Others thought that it would be Christ Himself, who would appear in some
wrathful form to humanity, causing fear and dismay.
We cannot say that the sign of the Son of Man in heaven will be His Parousia.
On the contrary, the Parousia of Christ will not be known to the tribes, or
families, of the earth in general, but will be known only to the most saintly
ones of the Church of Christ. Consequently, the sign of the Son of Man must in
some sense stand related to His Epiphania, or shining forth in the
"flaming fire" of judgment, which the whole world of mankind will
recognize. —2Th 1:7-9.
The word "sign" is of broad meaning; for instance, crepe is a sign of
mourning; the Cross represents Christianity; the Crescent, Mohammedanism. In
other words, a sign is merely an indication. So when we read of the "sign
of the Son of Man in heaven," the thought might properly be that something
will occur indicative of the presence of the Son of Man—that He has taken to
Himself His great power and has begun His reign. Since the Son of Man is to be
revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance, it follows that this sign must be
some sign of vengeance, some indication of righteous indignation against
wrong.—Isa 59:17,18.
SM421
JUDGMENT TO BEGIN WITH THE CHURCH
The question, then, arises, How would such a sign, or indication, appear in the
sky, in the heavens? We reply that this is not the thought. On the contrary,
let us remember that the Bible repeatedly uses the words heaven, mountain, sea,
in a symbolical manner—the earth representing organized society; the mountains
representing kingdoms, as the backbones of this organized society; the seas
representing the restless masses of humanity, continually seeking to swallow up
the social "earth." In the same symbolic terms the heavens represent
the ecclesiastical powers of the world—churchianity. The sign appearing in the
heavens signifies that the beginning of Christ’s judgments will fall upon the
ecclesiastical systems of our day. The flaming fire of judgments will first
manifest itself in ecclesiastical affairs and circles.
Mankind will gradually become awakened to the thought that a new Government is
in control, and that its policy will be the law of "judgment to the line
and righteousness to the plummet." Since unrighteousness is prevalent as a
result of man’s fallen condition, the conscience of the whole world will be
awakened, quickened; and fear, dread, will come upon all classes everywhere.
This will be not only because they will see the primary sign of Christ’s
righteous judgments in religious circles, but because they will see Him
coming—drawing nearer and nearer in judgment; and they will recognize that
they, too, must shortly be involved. Hence there will be mourning because of
Him.—Re 1:7.
Furthermore, it will be remembered that all the families of the earth have very
crude and incorrect views of Messiah and of the object of His Second Coming and
Kingdom. The "doctrines of devils," brought into the church creeds
during the Dark Ages, have so made void the Word of God that the majority of
mankind fear the Almighty, dread Him as their Almighty Foe, instead of
realizing Him to be the God of all grace and the Father
SM422
of all mercies, "from whom cometh every good and perfect gift."—1Ti
4:1; Jas 1:17.
The eyes of the world have been blinded to the goodness of God. Terrible dread
in the hearts of humanity will lead to the wail of fear as they perceive
Christ’s righteous judgments encircling all the earth— "The signs and
groanings promised To precede a second birth."
Not knowing of a "second birth" and all the glorious blessings which
Messiah’s Kingdom is designed to bring to mankind, human hearts will be filled
with dread and apprehension. Only those who are truly the Lord’s and are
rightly informed respecting the Divine Plan of the Ages will be able to lift up
their heads and rejoice, knowing that their "deliverance draweth
nigh."—Lu 21:28.
"THE HEAVENS BEING ON FIRE"
St. Peter apparently described this sign of the Son of Man in the heavens,
revealed in flaming fire. His words are, "The heavens being on fire shall
be dissolved," and "the earth also [shall take fire] and the works
that are therein shall be burned up." (2Pe 3:10-12.) Let us not make the
mistake of our forefathers in supposing that these descriptions mean a literal
burning of the literal earth. Let us, on the contrary, realize that the
symbolical earth and the symbolical heavens are to catch fire and pass away
with a great commotion, while the physical earth will remain practically as it
is, and will begin to undergo the transforming influences of Restitution under
the new King, the Restorer of all things—The Christ.
It will be noticed that St. Peter mentions the fire as coming to the heavens
before it reaches the earth, in just the same order that Jesus stated the
matter. The sign, manifestation, of the flaming fire of judgments will appear
in the heavens; and subsequently the sign of the Son of Man in judgment will be
seen coming nearer and nearer to earth’s affairs, with a view to purging them
absolutely from everything sinful, selfish, unjust.
SM423
We are told that the elements will melt with fervent heat. We see the
Capitalistic element and the Labor element separating, the one from the other.
We see the preparations for the great conflagration, the great Time of Trouble.
We sometimes speak of it in this language, saying, "Things are getting
very hot." They will presently be so hot that spontaneous combustion will
set in.
And the fire of that Day will be so extreme and its results so drastic as to
fulfil the Master’s words that unless those days should be shortened no flesh
could survive.
But because of the Elect, because of the Kingdom which will then be set up,
those days will be shortened—brought to an end. Nothing will be destroyed
except that which is injurious. The world-wide results of that flaming fire of
Divine judgments will be corrective, preparing men’s hearts for the blessings
which the Lord is prepared then to give. Thus it is written, "When the
judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world
will learn righteousness."—Isa 26:9.
It will be noted that St. Peter, in speaking of that Time of Trouble, mentions
that the heavens—ecclesiasticism—will be on fire first; and that later, the
earth—society and its political, financial and social organizations—will be
involved also. In harmony with this, our text tells that this sign, or
indication, for the revealing of Messiah in flaming fire, will first be in the
Church. Furthermore, according to St. Peter’s statement, we are to expect that
the ecclesiastical heavens will pass away with a great noise—a great
commotion—before the social order is fully reached by the consuming fire.—2Pe
3:10.
The same thought is brought to our attention in Revelation, where a wide
distinction is made between the nominal church systems, called Babylon, and the
true Church, which is admonished in advance to come out of Babylon and to stand
in personal relationship to God through Christ. This general call, which
belongs to the end of the Age, before the judgments come upon Babylon,
SM424
reads, "Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins,
and that ye receive not of her plagues."
The intimation is that as soon as the loyally obedient have been gathered out
of Babylon some drastic trouble will come upon her.—Re 18:4,5.
We should not apply this term "Babylon" to individuals, but to great
systems, outwardly having a form of godliness, but really misrepresenting the
Divine character, the Divine Plan, the true teachings of the Bible. Of course,
the individuals identified with the systems have more or less responsibility,
according to their official position and their intelligence. In similar
proportion these individuals may have tribulations in conjunction with the fall
of Babylon. We do not understand the term "Babylon" to be applied
Scripturally to any sect or party, but rather to refer to the general
conglomeration of systems and denominations. Likewise, when reading of the
utter destruction that is to come upon Babylon, we are to differentiate between
the systems and the individuals connected with those systems.
The judgments of the Lord are not designed to crush or destroy humanity, but to
destroy utterly the systems of error, bondage and superstition which have
fettered humanity and hindered them from fuller progress and development in the
knowledge and favor of God. With the fall of the great systems (Babylon,
confusion) men’s eyes will begin to open; the blind will begin to "see out
of obscurity." (Isa 29:18.) As a result, the high praises of God will
arise as a sweet savor.
The fall of Babylon is declared to come speedily, suddenly—figuratively,
"in an hour." The descriptions of her fall are various. In one place
we read that she shall be utterly burned with fire. The same symbol of fire is
used by St. Peter in referring to the same trouble and destruction. In another
place we read that Babylon shall be cast like a great millstone into the sea
and be found no more at all.—Jer 51:58; Re 18:8,21.
SM425
"EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM"
Throughout this Gospel Age, the Lord’s people have with the eye of faith
recognized Jesus as their Redeemer and Deliverer. But comparatively few have
had such eyes of faith and understanding. The majority, as the Apostle
declares, are blinded by Satan and by error, and fail to get a proper, true
view of Christ. He says that "the god of this world" has blinded the
minds of all unbelievers. But the gracious promise of the Lord is that all the
blinded eyes shall be opened.
The experiences of eighteen centuries have done little toward opening the eyes
of the world; but the revelation of Messiah in flaming fire will appeal to them
quickly.
They will see Him thus—"Every eye shall see Him, and those also who
pierced Him"—the Jews. Instinctively they will fear. It may require a
considerable time for them to become fully persuaded that the One feared is
their best Friend, who gave His life as their Redemption-price, and whose
judgments in the earth are for the very purpose of breaking the bondage of
fear, ignorance, superstition, sin, selfishness and injustice, and of allowing
the whole world to go free from a sin-slavery which has long oppressed them.—Ro
11:25-27.
In due time they will learn that the fire of God’s anger does not burn against
the sinners for whom Christ died, but merely against their sins. The learning
of this lesson will open their eyes still more widely and enable them to see
something of the length, the breadth, the height and the depth of God’s Love,
of which the Apostle tells.—Eph 3:14-19; Ro 5:6-8.
That the Jews will be in that trouble, the Bible distinctly marks out. It will
be "the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it."
(Jer 30:7.) The Gospel Church having been completed by that time and having
passed beyond the veil, God’s favor will be restored to Natural Israel; and the
time for the special manifestation of that favor will be in the dark hour of
Jacob’s trouble,
SM426
when the Jews are surrounded by enemies. In and through that trouble the Lord
will pour upon them the spirit of grace and of supplication, and they will look
upon Him whom they pierced. (Zec 12:10.) They will discern that they made a
great and horrible mistake in crucifying the Friend of Sinners, their
long-promised Messiah. We are told that they shall mourn because of Him, and
that then the spirit of supplication will come to them and they will see Jesus
in His real character.
At or about that same time Divine favor will be manifested on Israel’s behalf,
and the Lord will deliver them, as in olden times. Their eyes of faith and
understanding will open more and more widely. Eventually, according to the
Bible, they will become the leaders of mankind in returning to God, who will
abundantly pardon their iniquity and grant them a prominent share in the
blessings of His Kingdom.
"FEW STRIPES" AND "MANY
STRIPES"
The great Messianic Kingdom will not spare the rod, but will inflict
punishments for the world’s correction in righteousness. Some will suffer more
and some less, according to the Master’s own statements. Those understanding
the principles of righteousness and wilfully violating them will be beaten
heavily, "with many stripes"; while others, such as the heathen, for
instance, who knew little, will receive fewer stripes, proportionate to their
ignorance. All the stripes, however, will be reformatory, and with a view to
helping and encouraging the transgressors to abandon the ways of iniquity and
to walk in the paths of righteousness.—Lu 12:47,48.
That will be a happy Day for earth’s thousands of millions—a Day with the Lord,
a thousand years. Everywhere there will be evidences of the operation of Divine
Mercy and Justice, and the necessary lessons will be quickly learned by all
people. We cannot doubt that even fifty years of Kingdom influence will make a
wonderful change in human affairs and conditions. The blessing of
SM427
the Lord will come to the earth in proportion as God’s will shall be done by
mankind.
Finally, with all sin eliminated, all imperfections gone and all the wilfully
wicked destroyed, every creature on earth, as well as in Heaven, will be heard
saying, "Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth
upon the Throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Then, and not till
then, will God’s will be done on earth, even as it is done in Heaven; for not
until then will there be a perfect race capable of doing God’s will, and a
tested race, all of whom will delight to do His will.
A special lesson to God’s people today is that now is the Church’s time of
calling, accepting and making their election sure by hearty obedience to the
Divine will. Thus neither shall we be of the world, who will wail because of
the sign of the Son of Man in the dissolution of the ecclesiastical heavens,
nor shall we be identified with the ecclesiastical heavens, which are to be
dissolved. Rather, it is our privilege, as followers of Jesus, to walk in His
steps, to stand for the right, to be guided of the Holy Spirit, to "come
out of Babylon," to "touch not the unholy thing," that we may
have relationship and fellowship with the Lord, with the Savior, with the holy Apostles
and with all the faithful martyrs and footstep followers of our Master.
We’ve been watching, we’ve been
waiting, For the star that brings the day; For the night of sin to vanish, And
the mists to roll away.
We’ve been watching, we’ve been waiting, For the beauteous King of day, For the
chiefest of ten thousand, For the Light, the Truth, the Way.
We begin to see the dawning Of the bright Millennial day; Soon the shadows,
weary shadows, Shall forever pass away.
SM-420