AFTER having given the counsel to guard His disciples against being deceived as to the personality and manner of His coming, Jesus next gives counsel to guard them from being deceived as to the time of His coming and of the end of the world.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.1

He not only says that “many shall come saying, I am Christ,” but that these same ones would say, “The time is at hand,” or “draweth near.” But He says, “Go ye not after them.”SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.2

This was not to say nor to imply that no time could ever come when it would be proper for anybody to say, “The time is at hand,” or “draweth near.”SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.3

It was only to say, first, that no time could ever come when anybody could come, saying, “I am Christ, and the time is at hand,” because, as has been abundantly shown, anybody who ever comes anywhere or at any time saying, “I am Christ,” is a deceiver. And this being false as to the personality and manner of His coming, it would, in the nature of things, be false as to the saying that “the time is at hand.”SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.4

Secondly, it was to say, as is abundantly shown, not only in His own words that follow, but also in other places in the Bible, that there was a long period of time and a remarkable series of events that must intervene before it could be truly said by anybody that “the time is at hand,” or “draweth near,” of His coming and of the end of the world.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.5

Therefore for any one to say, “The time is at hand,” before this long period of time had passed, and these remarkable events had all occurred, would be only to deceive. Under these circumstances, any one so saying would be only a deceiver; because he would be speaking only from the imagination of his own heart, and not by the word of the Lord.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.6

Accordingly, on this very thought it is written in another place: “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, nor be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as the day of Christ IS AT HAND. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, EXCEPT THERE COME A FALLING AWAY FIRST, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.7

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only He who now letteth [hindereth] will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness OF HIS COMING. Even Him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.8

Thus all these things must come to pass before any one can truly say of the coming of the Lord and the end of the world, that “the time is at hand,” or “draweth near.” And the answer of Jesus to the question of His disciples covers the same time and contemplates the same course of events.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.9

Remember that the question of the disciples as to His coming and the end was, “What shall be the sign of Thy coming and of the end of the world?” And in reply Jesus does not in any sense intimate that there would be no signs, nor that nothing could be known on the subject. But, first of all, He gives full counsel against anybody’s being deceived as to the times, and which will effectually guard against being deceived all who believe His Word.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.10

Thus He says: “Many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and the time is at hand; and shall lead many astray, go ye not after them. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, and tumults, see that ye be not troubled or terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be great earthquakes, and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven. But all these things are the beginning of travail.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.11

“But take ye heed to yourselves; for before all these things, they shall lay their hands on you, and shall persecute you, delivering you up unto tribulation, to councils, and prisons; and in synagogs shall ye be beaten; and before governors and kings shall ye stand for My name’s sake. Ye shall be delivered up even by parents, and children, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake. For in those days shall be great tribulations, such as there hath not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, no, nor ever shall be. And except the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh should be saved; but for the elect’s sake whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened the days.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.12

“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ; or, Lo, He is there; believe him not. For false christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show great signs and wonders, to seduce if it were possible even the elect. But take ye heed; behold, I have told you all things beforehand. If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the wilderness, go not forth; Behold, He is in the inner chamber, believe it not. For as the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven and shineth unto the other part under heaven, so shall also the Son of man be in His day.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.13

“And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. And not a hair of your head shall perish. In your patience possess ye your souls. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. And because iniquity shall be multiplied the love of many shall wax cold. But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and THEN SHALL THE END COME.”SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.14

That is the true order of things as to the time of the coming of the Lord and of the end of the world, and as to the events that should precede His coming and the end of the world. And the Gospel—glad tidings—of His coming, “this Gospel of the kingdom,” preached in all the world for a testimony to all nations, is the final event that precedes His coming and the end; for “then shall the end come.” For, note, it is not only the commonly-accepted Gospel of salvation of sinners from their sins, which must be preached in the whole world, but it is definitely the glad tidings of His coming, this Gospel of the kingdom, that is thus to be preached.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.15

This is certain, because that is the great subject of His discourse, and that discourse given in answer to the direct question as to His coming and the end of the world. And, speaking on this subject in answer to the direct question on this subject, He has dwelt on His coming, on the manner of His coming, and on the events which should precede His coming; and then, having reached the ultimate point of the answer to the inquiry, He says, “THIS Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached,” etc. That word “this Gospel of the kingdom” fixes it to the preaching in all the world of the glad tidings of His coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory—the glad tidings of His coming and kingdom. And when “this Gospel of the kingdom” shall have been preached in the whole world, to all nations, then THE END WILL COME.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.16

And in the great threefold message of Revelation 14:6-12 there is the very complement of this word of Jesus as to the preaching of this Gospel of the kingdom in all the world to all nations; and in Revelation 14:14-16 there is the very complement of this word of Jesus as to His coming and the coming of the end, following the preaching of this Gospel of the kingdom.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.17

Thus we read: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.... Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.18

“And I looked, and behold a white cloud; and upon the cloud one sat 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 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.” And Jesus Himself said in another place, “The harvest is the end of the world.” Thus certain it is that in these scriptures then is shown the message and the time of the preaching of “this Gospel” of the coming and kingdom of the Lord, which is to be followed by the very coming of the Lord and of the end of the world, about which the disciples asked.SITI October 17, 1900, page 3.19

Thus as to the manner and the time of His coming, and of the end of the world. What, then, as to “the sign” of His coming and of the end of the world? That will be considered next. ALONZO T. JONES.SITI October 17, 1900, page 660.1

October 10, 1900

October 24, 1900