Bible Readings for the Home

Chapter 58

Increase of Knowledge

According to the words of the angel to Daniel, when might the world look for an increase of knowledge?
"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Daniel 12:4.

Under the Roman power, how long were the saints to be persecuted?
"And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed." Daniel 11:35.
NOTE. - The time of the end, it appears from this text, was even then an appointed time, in the mind of God. This is not strange, when we learn that the judgment and the end itself are both said to be appointed times, in the Scriptures. (Acts 17:31; Dan. 8:19.)

How long, according to the prophecy, was the little horn, which represents the Roman power, to persecute the saints?
"And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." Daniel 7:25.

In the line of scientific inventions, have there been any remarkable developments since 1798?
"More has been done in the course of our lifetime than in all the previous existence of the race." London Spectator.
"The great facts of the nineteenth century stand out so conspicuously above the achievements of any preceding century, that it would be affectation of humility not to recognize and speak of them." Union Hand-Book, 1870.
"The most striking characteristic of our times is the rapid strides which the world is making in science, general intelligence, and inventions." Chicago Republican, March 14, 1872.

When were some of the principal inventions brought out?
The steamboat in 1807; steam printing-press in 1811; railroad cars in 1825; reaper and mower in 1833; telegraph in 1837; sewing-machine in 1846; telephone in 1876; air travel; radio and other communication marvels. It will be noted that none of these inventions were before 1798.
NOTE. - The question may arise as to why the mind of man has been so suddenly endowed with the inventive faculty, in so much greater degree than in past ages. There must be a design in it. Before the final end, the world is to hear the message of the Lord's coming. Had no more rapid means of conveyance and communication been found than existed a century ago, it would have been impossible to communicate such a message to one generation. But such a work must be done for the last generation. Suppose that the message of the Lord's coming should begin to sound in the generation preceding the one which was to see the culminating events, and when it has gone partly over the world, that generation dies, and another comes on the stage. Everyone can see that the same territory must be gone over again before the Lord's coming, in order to have the last generation warned of the event. Then the last generation everywhere must hear the message, and this calls for rapid transit, and lightning couriers to bear the tidings to various parts of the earth.

What has the Saviour said should precede the end?
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matthew 24:14.
NOTE. - Luther, the Wesleys, and others could not, in their day, proclaim the Lord's coming to be near, as the full development of these signs had not taken place. But now, the gospel has gone to nearly every tribe in the world; the sun and moon have been darkened, and the stars have fallen, as predicted by our Saviour. He then adds, "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors" (Matthew 24:33). That event is now the next in order.