Yesterday we studied
the signs concerning the city- Jerusalem, mentioned by Jesus in His
prophetic discourse in Matt. 24, Mark
13, and Luke 21.
Today we are going
to study the signs in the sun, moon, and stars…
By the grace of God
may we study His truth and by the wisdom He gives us may we understand. May we
gain all the knowledge we need to be known by Him as we watch and pray as He
told us to.
Please, Lord, we are
not worthy and we know it is only by Your ceaseless mercy and grace that we can
have hope of the eternity You promised us through the gospel You came and
preached to us, the gospel of the kingdom of heaven.
Open our hearts and
our minds to all Your truth, Lord, please!
*******
Chapter IV --
"The Revelation of the Son of Man"
Signs in the Heavens
-- Luke quoted Jesus as saying - "There shall be signs in the sun, and in
the moon, and in the stars." (21:25)
In discussing the
sign which would warn His followers of the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus
called their attention to the book of Daniel, the prophet. (Matt. 24:15)
Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination
of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso
readeth, let him understand:)
Also in the book of
Daniel is revealed a judgment to precede Jesus' "coming and the end of the
world." (Matt. 24:3)
Mat 24:3 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?
Daniel was shown the
scenes in the heavens when "the judgment was set and the books were
opened." (Dan. 7:9-10)
In another vision,
the hour when this judgment would commence was stated in prophetic time -
"Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be
cleansed." (Dan. 8:14)
This time period
would reach to 1844. Prior to the culmination of this prophetic period, the
signs in the heavens foretold by Jesus DID occur.
On May 19, 1780, the
sun was darkened and the moon did not give its light. (Matt. 24:29)
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those
days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the
stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken
This extraordinary darkness began about 10
a.m. in the morning and continued past midnight. Covering the whole of the New
England States, the reports of this sign which Jesus gave are to be found in
the records and historical journals of that area.
Observers near
Boston reported that by 11:30 a.m., the darkness had become so intense that
"in a room with three windows, twenty-four panes each, all open toward the
southeast and south, large print could not be read by persons with good
eyes." (Boston Gazette and Country Journal, May 29, 1780)
This same report
noted that "in the time of the greatest darkness some of the dunghill
fowls went to their roost. Cocks crowed in answer to one another as they
commonly do at night. Woodcocks, which are night birds, whistled as they do
only in the dark. Frogs peeped. In short, there was the appearance of midnight
at noon day." (Emphasis theirs)
"The darkness
the following evening was probably as gross as ever has been observed since the
Almighty fiat gave birth to light," so wrote Dr. Samuel Tenney in a letter
dated, Exeter, NH, December, 1785. (Collections of the Massachusetts Historical
Society, Vol. 1, 1792) Tenney continued by saying: - I could not help but
conceiving at the time, that if every luminous body in the universe had been
shrouded in impenetrable shades, or struck out of existence, the darkness could
not have been more complete. A sheet of white paper held within a few inches of
the eyes was equally invisible with the blackest velvet.
Fifty-three years
after the Dark Day, the stars of heaven fell (Matt. 24:29).
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those
days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the
stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken
The record reads: -
On the night of November 12-13, 1833, a tempest of falling stars broke over the
earth. North America bore the brunt of the pelting. From the Gulf of Mexico to
Halifax, until day light with some difficulty put an end to the display, the
sky was scored in every direction with shining tracks and illuminated with
majestic fireballs. (Agnes M. Clerke, History of Astronomy in the Nineteenth
Century, p. 328)
The significance of
these events was noted by Ellen G. White in the Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. IV, in
the chapter before her account of William Miller. She wrote: - While
unconscious of their condition and their peril, the church and the world were
rapidly approaching the most solemn and momentous period of earth's history, -
the period of the revelation
p 12 -- of the Son
of man. Already had the signs which Christ himself had promised, - the sun
clothed in darkness by day and the moon by night, - declared His coming soon.
(p. 195, emphasis mine)
The Period of the
Revelation of the Son of Man - This period of time - not a single event - is
marked by three manifestations of Jesus as the Son of man. At the time
"the judgment was set, and the books opened," Daniel also beheld, in
his continuing night vision, "one like the Son of man" coming
"with the clouds of heaven" to the Ancient of days. He was given
"dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and
languages, should serve Him." (Dan. 7:13-14)
The Son of man, as
High Priest after the Order of Melchizedek, is involved in the judgment. (Heb.
9:27-28) When on earth, He told the caviling Jews that "the Father judgeth
no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." He also told them
why - "The Father ... hath given Him authority to execute judgment also,
because He is the Son of man." (John 5:22, 26-27)
Since all must
appear "before the judgment seat of Christ" in the record of their
life's deeds (II Cor. 5:10),
2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
It is assuring to
know that One who has been touched with the "feelings of our
infirmities" will plead our case and execute the decision. (Heb. 4:15)
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot
be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin.
Wonderful is the promise given that he who
heeds the words of the Son of man, and believes on Him who had sent Him - the
Ancient of days - "shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from
death unto life." (John 5:24) This understanding of the revelation of the
Son of man helps us to relate better to the other two manifestations of the Son
of man.
Our hope of glory -
when the kingdom received by the Son of man from the Ancient of days is
"given to the people of the saints of the most High" (Dan. 7:27) - is
dependent upon Christ being formed within us; in other words, "Christ in
you the hope of glory." (Col. 1:27)
All who "come
unto God by Him," Jesus is able to save "to the uttermost ... seeing
He ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Heb. 7:25)
This
"uttermost" revelation of God in man, as was manifest in the Son of
man, results from Christ's final atonement in the Most Holy place of the
Heavenly Sanctuary. Then "the earnest expectation" for which the
whole creation has been waiting will be realized in "the manifestation of
the sons of God." (Rom. 8:19)
Isaiah relates this
manifestation of the sons of God with the signs in the heavens. He wrote -
"The stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their
light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not
cause her light to shine." (Isa. 13:10)
Then the prophet
pictures the time when God will "shake the heavens, and the earth shall
remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, in the day of His
fierce anger." (13:13)
The final wrath of
God is filled full in the Seven Last Plagues which are poured out when the
intercession of the Son of man is completed. (Rev. 15:1, 8) However, between
the signs in the heavens and the final wrath of God, Isaiah pictures His
objective - "I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man
than the golden wedge of Ophir." (Isa. 13:12)
This is also what
Paul tells us is to be at "the manifestation of the sons of God," for
he wrote - "For whom [God] did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of His Son." (Rom. 8:29)
With the fulfillment
of His work as Son of man before the Ancient of days, and the completion of His
revelation in the 144,000 resultant from His final atonement, the long awaited
"hope of the ages" will transpire. The Son of man will come in the
clouds of heaven to reap the harvest of earth. Picturing this scene after
describing the messages of the Three Angels, John wrote: -
And I looked, and
behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud sat one like unto the Son of man,
having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another
angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the
cloud, Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap: for
p 13 -- the time is
come for Thee to reap: for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And He that sat on
the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. (Rev.
14:14-16)
The "period of
the revelation of the Son of man" beginning in 1844 will continue through
to His coming in the clouds of heaven.
He is manifest as
the Son of man in His work as High Priest in the Most Holy place of the
Heavenly Sanctuary; He is revealed as the Son of man in the lives of those in
whom the final atonement is accomplished; and He comes as the Son of man to
take into His everlasting kingdom those given to Him by the Ancient of days.
The Period in
Diagram
1844
-----------------------------------------Close of Probation ---------------------- 2nd Advent
|_(1)___________________________|_(2)_________________(3)_|
(1) Daniel 7:9-10,
13-14; John 5:22, 27
(2) Isaiah 13:10-13;
Romans 8:19, 29-30; Colossians 1:27
(3) Revelation
14:14-16
NOTE: Jesus in
giving the signs in the heavens - the sun and moon darkened; the stars falling
- was directing attention to events that would transpire in heaven.
The final activity
of God in the resolution of the sin problem was to begin.
Where sin began, the
final atonement must be made.
Jesus' other sign
concerned an event on earth by which men could know the distress of nations had
begun.
The final scenes of
the sin drama on earth would commence. Thus the last two major signs Jesus gave
His disciples on the slopes of Olivet directed the attention of men first to
the beginning of the final ministry in Heaven, and then to events to occur on
earth that man might know the heavenly ministry was drawing to a close.
*******
Again… 1844 seems
like a long time ago in a lot of perspectives, yet in others it's not that long
ago.
In the eyes of God
time is different, we've discussed this before so I'm not going to get into it
again.
We have to know that
what we are dealing with is something beyond the scope of our full
comprehension falling into the realm of a great MYSTERY.
Ending sin.
Ending the world as
we know it.
The final verdict
for all.
Eternity. We are
dealing with eternity and this isn't something that we should ever expect would
be over quickly.
Do we want the
suffering to end? YES!
Do we want an end to
sin? YES!
But we must have
faith that our Father God knows what He's doing and His timing will be perfect,
not delayed.
The signs are there,
most of the signs have already come to pass, a failure to recognize this would
mean jeopardizing our own eternal lives.
We can't be waiting for signs that have passed just because we want to
believe we will have those signs so we can get ourselves ready, really ready.
We need to be prepared NOW, not after a sign.
Those living in the very end times will NOT be able to use those last
signs as a signal to get ready for Christ's return. We cannot, we DARE NOT wait to truly accept
Christ as our Savior. The signs we are
to watch for now are signaling the very end of all human probation- the dead
and the living and if we are not ready now when we HEAR HIS VOICE, we will
NEVER be ready.
Heb 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if
ye will hear his voice,
Heb 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the
provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Heb 3:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and
saw my works forty years.
Heb 3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation,
and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
Heb 3:11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter
into my rest.)
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of
you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is
called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we
hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Heb 3:15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his
voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
Heb 3:16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke:
howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
Heb 3:17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was
it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
Heb 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not
enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
Heb 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in
because of unbelief.
Please, Lord, help
us be ready! We would be Yours!
More tomorrow on the
signs, all by the GRACE and MERCY of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!
In HIS LOVE!
No comments:
Post a Comment