Bible Readings for the Home

Chapter 57

Our Lord's Great Prophecy

What is the meaning of the expression, "time and times and the dividing of time?"
"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." Revelation 12:6.
NOTE. - The period here given is again expressed in verse 14, by "time, times, and half [dividing of] a time." Twelve hundred and sixty days, then, is here meant by the expression "time, times, and half a time." But these days themselves are symbolic, and must refer to some literal period of time.

What does a symbolic day indicate?
"Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel. Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year." Ezekiel 4:3-6.
NOTE. - These symbolic days would therefore indicate an equal number of literal years. The papacy received its power to correct heretics in 538 A.D., by the confirmation of Justinian, the Roman emperor. The time to which the papal power over the saints would extend (1260 years), ended in 1798.

How is this expressed by Mark?
"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light," Mark 13:24.
NOTE. - That is, in the days of the papal power, but after the tribulation ceases, shall these events take place. The persecution was the strongest under the direction of the Jesuits. This order was founded by Ignatius Loyola, and established by Pope Paul, Sept. 27, 1540. It finally became so distasteful to the popes, on account of its continually growing power, that by a papal bull the order was dissolved, July 21, 1773. From this time on there is no record of any open persecution of the saints. Then, according to the last text quoted, somewhere between 1773, when the persecution ended, and 1798, the time to which the prophetic days extended, we must look for the first of these signs given by our Lord the darkening of the sun.

Was there such a phenomenon? If so, when did it occur?
On May 19,1780.
NOTES. - "The 19th day of May, 1780, was a remarkably dark day. Candles were lighted in many houses. The birds were silent, and disappeared. The fowls retired to roost. It was the general opinion that the day of judgment was at hand. The Legislature of Connecticut was in session at Hartford, but being unable to transact business, adjourned." President Dwight, in Connecticut Historical Collections.
"The greatest darkness was at least equal to what is commonly called candle-lighting in the evening. The appearance was indeed un- common, and the cause unknown." The Connecticut Journal, New Haven, May 25, 1780.
"The Dark Day, May 19, 1780, so called on account of a remark- able darkness on that day, extending over all New England. In some places, persons could not see to read common print in the open air for several hours together... The true cause of this remarkable phenomenon is not known." Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, in Explanatory and Pronouncing Vocabulary, art. Dark Day.
The inquiry may be raised, Why was the darkening of the sun confined to so limited a district as a portion of the Western Hemisphere, if it was to be a sign of the Lord's coming? To which we reply: God has given to the inhabitants of the Old World many signs of Christ's second coming; and why should not others be favored in this respect? Shall we criticize Him who is too wise to err? The inhabitants of the Old World can say: On our territory mighty kingdoms arose and fell, according to the sure word of prophecy. Here the pope lost his temporal power at a time marked by prophecy a sure indication of the end near; and here great nations are taking the lead in preparing for the last great battle. It is for God to distribute the signs according to His wisdom and good pleasure, and it is for us to accept them with submission and gratitude, whether we witness them ourselves, or whether others witness them and report them to us. The Jews never saw the star that led to the spot where the Saviour was born, nor did most of them witness many of the Saviour's mighty miracles. Were they therefore justified in not believing on Him?

When did the moon refuse to shine?
"The night succeeding that day (May 19, 1780) was of such pitchy darkness that in some instances horses could not be compelled to leave the stable when wanted for service." Stone's History of Beverly (Mass.).
NOTE. - The darkness of the night was as supernatural as that of the previous day, from the fact, as stated by Dr. Adams, that "the moon had fulled the day before."

When did the stars fall, as predicted in the prophecy?
November 13,1833.
NOTES. - "But the most sublime phenomenon of shooting stars of which the world has furnished any record, was witnessed throughout the United States on the morning of the 13th of November, 1833. The entire extent of this astonishing exhibition has not been precisely ascertained; but it covered no inconsiderable portion of the earth's surface... The whole heavens seemed in motion, and suggested to some the awful grandeur of the image employed in the Apocalypse, upon the opening of the sixth seal, when 'the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.' " Burritt's Geography of the Heavens, page 163, ed. 1854.
"No language, indeed, can come up to the splendor of that magnificent display; and I hesitate not to say that no one who did not witness it can form an adequate conception of its glory. It seemed as if the whole starry heavens had congregated atone point near the zenith, and were simultaneously shooting forth, with the velocity of lightning, to every part of the horizon; and yet they were not exhausted; thousands swiftly followed in the track of thousands, as if created for the occasion." Christian Advocate and Journal, Dec. 13, 1833.

How near is the Lord's coming when these signs have been fulfilled?
"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Matthew 24:34,35.
NOTE. - As though he said, This generation of which I speak; the one that actually sees the last sign, has seen all of them in the sense that we have seen the progress of science. We have not actually lived during its entire development, but we look back and say we have seen it. So in this case. The same original word here used and translated "this," also occurs in Luke 17:34: "I tell you in that night [the night of which I speak] there shall be two in one bed."