Bible Readings for the Home

Chapter 59

Signs of the Times

For what did Christ censure the Jewish people?
"And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Matthew 16:3.

What sign had Isaiah given by which Christ might be known as the Messiah?
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14.

Was this fulfilled?
"Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Matthew 1:22,23.

Where had the prophet said Christ should be born?
"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5:2.

Where was Christ born?
"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem," Matthew 2:1.

What had been predicted of His ride into Jerusalem?
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Zechariah 9:9.

Was this fulfilled?
"All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying. Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." Matthew 21:4,5.

Did the believers of these and other evidences of His Messiaship, expect a sign of His second coming?
"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Matthew 24:3.

How does Luke record our Saviour's answer to this query?
"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Luke 21:25,26.

What is said of these signs by an Old Testament prophet?
"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come." Joel 2:30,31.

Have the sun and the moon been darkened in fulfillment of these predictions?
They have, as stated in the following:
NOTE. - "But especially I mention that wonderful darkness on the 19th of May [ 1780]. Then, as in our text, the sun was darkened; such a darkness as probably was never known before since the crucifixion of our Lord. People left their work in the house and in the field. Travelers stopped; schools broke up at eleven o'clock; people lighted candles at noonday; and the fire shown as at night. Some people, I have been told, were in dismay, and thought whether the day of judgment was drawing on. A great part of the following night, also, was singularly dark. The moon, though in the full, gave no light, as in our text." From a manuscript sermon by Rev. Elam Potter, delivered May 28, 1780.
"The 19th 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." Pres. Dwight, in Conn. Historical Collections.

Has there been a display of falling stars that would meet the specifications predicted?
The celebrated astronomer and meteorologist, Prof. Olmstead, of Yale College, says: "Those who were so fortunate as to witness the exhibition of shooting stars on the morning of Nov.13, 1833, probably saw the greatest display of celestial fire works that has ever been since the creation of the world, or at least within the annals covered by the pages of history... The extent of the shower of 1833 was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth's surface... This is no longer to be regarded as a terrestrial, but as a celestial, phenomenon; and shooting stars are now to be no more viewed as casual productions of the upper regions of the atmosphere, but as visitants from other worlds, or from the planetary voids." "Our Lord's Great Prophecy." page 35.

What may be said with reference to the late unusual ocean tempests?
Burnet, in his "Sacred Theory of the Earth," remarks: "Let us then proceed in our explication of this sign, the roaring sea and waves, applying it to the end of the world. I do not look upon this ominous noise of the sea as the effect of a tempest; for then it would not strike such terror into the inhabitants of the earth, nor make them apprehensive of some great evil coming upon the world, as this will do. What proceeds from visible causes, and such as may happen in a common course of nature, does not so much amaze or affright us."

What other sign is to indicate the time of the end?
"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.
NOTES. - The increase of knowledge referred to in this text evidently means, primarily, religious knowledge; but it covers scientific knowledge also. Since 1799 there have been five great Bible and tract societies organized; namely, the London Religious Tract Society, the British and Foreign Bible Society, the American Bible Society, the American Tract Society, and the International Tract Society. From these have gone forth to the world more than 200 million Bibles, and countless pages of tracts, disseminating knowledge upon the truths of salvation. Besides these, millions of religious papers are being circulated in the various countries of the earth daily. This has all been accomplished since the nineteenth century.

What is predicted of the moral condition of the world in the last days?
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

How will the message of the Lord's coming be generally treated?
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." 2 Peter 3:3,4.

What will God's faithful servants be doing at this time?
"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?" Matthew 24:45.

What are all admonished to do when these signs have appeared?
"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Matthew 24:44.

What will be done to those evil ones who say in their hearts that the Lord delays His coming?
"The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of. And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 24:50,51.