Another year with all its turmoil has now passed into history, and a new year dawns on an apprehensive world. Men and governments have struggled through the year that has passed by shifting from experiment to experiment, and from one expedient to another. For the future there is no hope of betterment, but rather of continuing unrest. The word "perplexity" in Luke 21:2525And 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; (Luke 21:25) perhaps best and most concisely describes the bewilderment of the statesmen dealing with international complexities, but we as Christians can look forward and sing:
"'Tis not far off-the hour
When Christ will claim His own!
We soon shall hear that voice of power,
The Lord Himself shall come!
"The days are passing by,
The years flow on apace,
Lord Jesus! Thy return draws nigh,
We long to see Thy face."
We are twelve months nearer to that moment of unequaled bliss than we were a year ago.
As we look back over 1954 we can see that the events of the year all pointed in one general direction-the end of the day of grace and the coming of the day of judgment for a Christ-rejecting world. Coming events have been casting longer and deeper shadows across the landscape, and all these portend the days of unparalleled trouble (Matt. 24:2121For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21)) which are to come after we have been caught up to meet our Lord in the air. Let us briefly recall some events in this light.
For a time it looked as though the European Defense Community which seemed to be a forerunner of the revived Roman Empire would be discarded and the Western European nations revert to intense nationalism, but then almost over night the Brussels Pact came into the vacuum with nine nations in an alliance.
The exact make-up of this organization is not important, nor the number of nations involved, for that can be changed in short order. The new alliance is evidence that the plan is alive, and only a circumstance would be required to bring the 10-headed beast into being. This is but another link in the chain of events leading up to the great tribulation and the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
During the year, Egypt secured an agreement for the withdrawal of the British troops from the Suez Canal. This is another step in the future resurgence of Egypt as the "king of the south" who will be an open and avowed enemy of the Jews in their land. A few years ago it seemed impossible that Egypt would gain her independence and full sovereignty, and so be able to fulfill her part.
There has been increasing unity among the Arab nations, and so the future "king of the north" as head of the Moslem world appears closer. This is coupled with an unrelenting opposition to the nation of Israel. Moslem leaders have found it a good rallying cry to denounce Israel and speak of future aggression against the young nation. All events in that part of the world point up the fact that Jerusalem is to be the focal point of the greatest international crises. They are in the making at present. All eyes are toward that land to which Jehovah will bring all nations in the days of His wrath (Joel 3), and that city will be "a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." Zech. 12:33And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. (Zechariah 12:3). King Saud of Saudi Arabia has boasted that he would sacrifice 10,000,000 of his subjects to vanquish Israel. Even Egyptian leaders who are now receiving military aid from the West have made many warlike pronouncements against Israel and continue to carry on an illegal blockade of the Suez Canal against all shipping bound to or from Israel. We were impressed by the following statement from a Jewish columnist: "To realists it appears that the Arab world will never agree to a peaceful coexistence with Israel unless the great Western powers make it unmistakably clear that they guarantee the independence of Israel." (Italics are ours.) This is in perfect ac-cord with the prophecy in Daniel 9:2727And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27) where God has foretold that the future head of the revived Roman Empire will do just exactly as this Jewish writer suggests-he will make a compact with Israel so that they will have their rights to their land guaranteed by the Western powers. This will be a covenant to be their protector for seven years, and those seven years are to be after we are gone from the scene.
During the year Russia greatly increased her strength, and more of Asia came under her sway. A recent compact entered into between Russia and China was honored by the presence of India's leader, Jawaharlal Nehru. The significance of his presence may be understood when it is considered that Russia, China, and India together control nearly half of the human race. Time is on the side of Russia and the Eastern powers, and it would appear that within a generation they could dominate the world at their pleasure. But God is forgotten in all their calculations; He will allow them to go just as far as suits His purposes, and not one inch farther.
The great conference of the World Council of Churches at Evanston, Illinois, also was a sign pointing to the soon-fulfillment of God's Word. Confederacy is the spirit of the day, and moves all toward that last dreadful state of Christendom known as "Babylon the Great." Men of many languages and many denominations were able to sit down together at Evanston and find ways of agreement between open and avowed modernists and some who still reverence the Word of God. Such unanimity is only accomplished by compromise and sacrifice of the truth. Protestantism is getting ready to speak with one voice, and when the Lord takes the true believers out of it, it will be an easy thing for it to go over to Rome. It is also significant that the Church of Rome would have no part in the great ecumenical conference; they still maintain that no merger with Protestantism is possible and that all must return to Rome. As pointed out in a previous issue, everything is veering either toward the man (infidelity, or atheistic materialism) or toward the woman (superstition, or Romish ritualism). The currents are running strong as the end comes in view.
The moral conditions of the last days described in 2 Timothy 3 are very much in evidence and increasing by the day. In fact, any way we look we can see that we are living in the last minutes of the "last hour" before we, Enoch like, are translated. What a blessed moment that will be when we are caught up to meet our Lord in the air! Then we shall see Him who loved us and gave Himself for us, and whom by grace we have learned to love. The words of the poet, G. W. Frazer, may well cheer us by their happy anticipation of the coming day of glory.
"That bright and blessed morn is near
He, the Bridegroom, shall appear,
And call His bride away.
Her blessing then shall be complete,
When with her Lord she takes her seat
In everlasting day.
"The days and months are gliding past,
Soon shall be heard the trumpet's blast
Which wakes the sleeping saints.
The dead in Christ in glory rise,
When we with them shall reach the skies
Where Jesus for us waits.
"What wonder, joy, and glad surprise
Shall fill our hearts as thus we rise
To meet Him in the air;
To see His face, to hear His voice,
And in His perfect love rejoice,
Whose glory then we'll share!
"No more deferred our hope shall be,
No longer through a glass we'll see,
But clearly, face to face.
We'll dwell with Jesus then above,
Whom absent we have learned to love,
Blest samples of His grace.
"O may this hope our spirits cheer,
While waiting for our Savior here;
He'll quickly come again.
O may our hearts look for that day,
And to His word responsive say,
`Come, Jesus, Lord. Amen.' "
One solemn thought intrudes on us when we think of the coming of the Lord; that is, the doom of the Christ rejecters. The door of grace will soon be closed and many like the "foolish virgins" will be found on the outside. May we seek to make good use of the intervening time to tell unsaved ones of the Savior and warn them to flee from the wrath to come.