LIFT UP YOUR HEADS (Out of the
Sands) - Times of the Gentiles --
One of the
most controversial papers read at the Bible conferences this past year was the
presentation by the associate editor of the Review,
Dr. Herbert E. Douglass. It was entitled, "The Unique Contribution of
Adventist Eschatology." It was "billed" as the explanation as to
why we are still in this world, and why the Second Advent of our Lord has been
so long delayed. Dr. Douglass, himself, in presenting what he termed, "the
harvest principle," stated:
"The
reason for the delay in the Advent is contained in the harvest principle."
1
No one, I care not who he may be, nor how sincere his motives and
intentions, can arrive at truth, and exclude from consideration those factors
which the Lord Jesus Himself stated were to be signs. This the editor in his
presentation did, and as a result made some very erroneous statements. He
stated categorically that "Adventists do not see theological importance in
. . . the annexation of Old Jerusalem in 1967." 2 Having made this
exclusion, he then made this generalization - "No prophecy concerning
world conditions remained unfulfilled a century ago except those that describe
events that will take place after God decides His people are ready for these
events to take place, such as the latter rain, loud cry, shaking time
experiences, and those events which are reactions in the secular world to the
unprecedented thrust of the church into the public arena." 1 By so excluding, and by so concluding, Dr. Douglass was able
to remove one of the objections which he
p 2
noted would be raised by his presentation of the "harvest
principle". He admitted that in setting forth this principle as the
explanation of the delay in our Lord's return, some would raise the question in
regard to the Seventh-day Adventist Church's failure over these lengthening
decades. He stated it thus: - "The question is
sometimes raised as to how long the Church's failure can postpone the will and
plan of the Lord for the Advent. That is, will there come a time when God's
justice will demand that His mercy give way, recognizing that there is a time '
when the inhabitants of the earth have filled up the cup of their
iniquity?'" 3
The
pivotal point upon which the Douglass' presentation rests is the exclusion.
Does the annexation of Old Jerusalem in 1967 have any bearing on our present
position?
The
servant of the Lord gave some very specific counsel to editors -counsel which
apparently the associate editor overlooked. She wrote in
1901:
In the twenty-first chapter of Luke, Christ foretold that which was to
come upon Jerusalem, and with it He connected the scenes which were to take
place in the history of this world just prior to the coming of the Son of man
in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 4
In analyzing this counsel, it might be argued that the servant of the
Lord was merely stating that Jesus, in replying to the disciple's dual question
in regard to the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world, 5 was simply
mingling signs that would be connected with the two events. There could be some
merit in such an argument, for a study of the parallel accounts in Matthew 24,
and Mark 13 reveals that this is exactly what Jesus did. But in the specific counsel
given to editors, the servant of the Lord singles out Luke - omitting the
mention of Matthew and Mark - and specifically states that what was to come
upon Jerusalem was connected with scenes to take place just prior to the coming
of the Son of man the second time. And it is in Luke only that the specific
sign is given that Jerusalem would be trodden down of the Gentiles until the
times of the Gentiles is fulfilled. 6 Because
p 3
Jesus gave
the sign, and then in the Testimony of Jesus we are counseled specifically in
regard to that which "was to come upon Jerusalem" as recorded in
Luke, no student of eschatology (study of last day events) dare exclude this
factor from his study, and expect to arrive at truth.
While the
inclusion of this specific sign given in Luke gives validity to the very
objection which the editor wished to remove by its exclusion, namely, the
failure of the church, we should, before pursuing that factor, carefully
analyze what is recorded in Luke 21. This we shall do in this thought paper.
It will be
impossible to quote verbatim the verses in Luke 21 in such a condensed form as
is followed in the writing of these thought papers; therefore, it is suggested
that you study carefully the outline noted with your Bible open to Luke 21.
Luke 21:5-7 gives the setting which brought forth Christ's prophetic
outline of the future. In verses 8-19 we find general signs, plus what will
happen to God's people as a result of their witness for the truth's sake.
Beginning with verse 20, and continuing through verse 24 is the specific
outline of events which were to occur in regard to Jerusalem - its destruction
and its control by Gentile powers till a specific time. Then follows references
to major signs in the sun, moon and stars - verse 25 - with a description of
the break-up of the nations of earth. In verses 28 -36 is found warning and
admonition as how to relate to the fulfillment of the signs that would be
observed. In the heart of these verses is found that definite pronouncement of
Jesus which has caused much explanation with the lengthening shadows of time.
Said Jesus, "Verily
I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass
away." 7 And when all that
Jesus said is considered - involving Jerusalem - these words take on new and
significant meaning. Consider their import.
Jesus had
stated - "When ye shall see Jerusalem
compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is
nigh." 8 The Roman armies came in 66 A. D.
p 4
Cestius
surrounded the city of Jerusalem. Then he suddenly withdrew his Roman legions.
To those who understood and believed the words of Jesus, this was the sign of
Jerusalem's imminent destruction. They fled the city and the province. Four
years later, Titus resumed the siege, and Jerusalem was taken with terrible
carnage resulting literally in "days of vengeance. "Thus the very generation which saw
the specific sign - "Jerusalem compassed with armies" - did not pass
away till all things in regard to Jerusalem's destruction were fulfilled!
Jesus gave some other signs - in the sun, moon and stars. He declared
- "The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not
give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven. " 9 These signs occurred. The Dark Day was May
19, 1780. The stars fell, November 13, 1833. What did they signify? What were
they saying to the inhabitants of the world? Note this illuminating statement
from the pen of inspiration: And while wholly unconscious of
their condition and their peril, the church and the world [prior to 1844] were
rapidly approaching the most solemn and momentous period of earth's history, -
the period of the revelation 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 near. l0
In
1844, the Son of man came in the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days to
receive His kingdom. 11 The generation which
saw the signs in the sun, moon, and stars did not pass away until the longest
time prophecy in the Bible - Daniel 8:14 - which marked the day when Christ
would come before the Ancient of Days was fulfilled. The generation that saw
the specific signs lived to hear the proclamation that those with eyes of faith
saw - Jesus entering into the Most Holy Place for the final atonement. Thus the generation that saw the signs did not pass away
until the time of "the period of the Son of man" commenced.
Then Jesus gave one final sign - Jerusalem
would be trodden down of the Gentiles "until
the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." 6
In 1967, the armies of the
p 5
victorious
Israeli re-established Jewish rule over Old Jerusalem. So it is to this day, in
spite of all the political maneuvering, and another Jewish-Arab War. Whether
such will continue is not now the question. The fact is that the sign that
Jesus gave as recorded by Luke, has occurred.
In
all solemnity read - "This generation shall
not pass away, till all be fulfilled." The generation that saw the Roman armies
surround Jerusalem did not pass away; neither did the generation that saw the
major signs in the heavens pass away till Jesus entered His final ministry, and
neither will this generation which has now witnessed the return of Jerusalem to
Jewish control pass away till all things will be fulfilled, and Jesus will come
in the clouds of glory to take the Kingdom awarded to Him in the judgment
session before the Ancient of Days. Indeed lift up your heads - your redemption
draweth nigh!
After noting the fact that we should consider the twenty-first chapter
of Luke, the messenger of the Lord wrote:- Mark
the words: "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your
hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life,
and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them
that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always,
that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to
pass, and to stand before the Son of man." 4
1 -- Herbert E. Douglass, "'The
Unique Contribution of Adventist Eschatology", p. 15, North American
Division Bible Conferences, 1974
2 -- Ibid.,
p. 6
3 -- Ibid.,
p. 14
4 -- Ellen G. White, Counsels to Writers and Editors, pp.
23-24
5 -- Matthew 24:3
6 -- Luke 21:24
7 -- Luke 21:32-33
8 -- Luke 21: 20
9 -- Matt. 24: 29
10 -- Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 195
11 -- Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
p 6 -- A GRAPHIC
REPRESENTATION OF THE MESSAGE OF LUKE 21 --
--------66 A. D. ----------------- 70 A. D.
Luke 21:20 - "And when
ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation
thereof is nigh."
The generation that saw this specific sign, saw the
event fulfilled!!!
---May 19, 1780 (Dark Day)--- Nov. 13, 1833 (Falling
of the Stars)--- Oct. 22, 1844
Luke 21:25 - "And there
shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars"
The generation that saw these signs also lived to
hear the proclamation of what the signs signified - the coming of the Son of
man to the Ancient of Days. See Daniel 7:13-14. Also Footnote #10 of the
thought paper.
----1967-------------Second
Advent of Christ
Luke 21:24 - "And
Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles
be fulfilled."
"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall
not pass away till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my
words shall not pass away." Luke 21:32-33
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up,
and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."
Luke 21:2. --- (1975 Jan) ---END
January 1975
- Watchman, What of the
Night? Adventist Laymen's Foundation.
No comments:
Post a Comment