Probable Nearness of the Lord's Coming: Part 2

From: Bible Treasury: Volume N8

From: Probable Nearness of the Lord's Coming, The

• 10 min. read • grade level: 10

(Concluded from page 137)

Asia Minor at present is held by Turkey. Will the Turkish power be the king of the north? In the past there has been a consensus of opinion that Turkey as a power must decay and pass away. The “sick man of Europe” is the derisive name by which the nation has been called. But its final collapse may have been too hastily assumed. However this may prove to be, the world has quite lately been surprised by an outburst of national energy in Turkey in the direction of constitutional reform. Accompanying this is a startling progress in material development.1 Twenty years ago Constantinople and the Turkish Army were eating bread made from Russian flour; they are now eating of their own country’s growth, while the peasantry are obtaining for their harvest twice to four times the prices formerly paid. Where, near the Sea of Marmora in Asia Minor, the neighborhood was infested with Tscherkess robbers, the chief of these robbers is now a respected stationmaster in the Anatolian Railway. Such is the effect of railways in Asia Minor. The Turkish Administration has engaged the highest engineering talent to advise as to preventing the overflow of the Tigris and the Euphrates. These works, together with that great undertaking, the Baghdad Railway, are fraught probably with great consequences for the Turkish Empire, augmenting its wealth and material prosperity and restoring to order and civilization Mesopotamia, once one of the most fertile countries of the earth. But important as this may be politically to Turkey, it may be equally important in its prophetic bearings. Mesopotamia is part of the Turkish dominions; it was part of ancient Assyria, and “the Assyrian” is another name by which in prophecy the king of the north is designated. The reformation of political institutions in Turkey, and the growth of national energy and prosperity may have great significance when we consider that Turkey represents to-day what in the future time will be “the Assyrian” of Isaiah (chaps. 8, 10, 14), and “the king of the north” of Daniel (11:40-45).

While, however, this shows the possibility that Turkey may prove to be the king of the north, writers of great insight have thought otherwise. Mr. Kelly says, “The king of Assyria will be then the holder of what is now the Sultan’s dominion or the Ottoman Porte. This potentate to the north of the Holy Land will acquire considerable strength, and be found in a state totally different from the excessive decreptitude which we see now. It used to be a common saying with politicians that Turkey was dying for wants of Turks; but this will not be the case then. I suspect that Greece and Turkey in Europe, with perhaps Asia Minor, will form a sufficiently strong kingdom where the Byzantine kingdom was once known, the Turks proper being probably driven back into their own deserts. If this be so, those we now know as Turks will be expelled from Pera, and then the renewed Syro-Greek kingdom will really have its headquarters in Constantinople, will there play its part once more in the great drama of the future, and be, I have no doubt, as thoroughly unprincipled a kingdom under its final shape as ever it has been under its Mohammedan form.”2

The question, however, is one for the future rather than the present. What is certain is that Scripture marks out a distinct line of activity for the king of the north in the time of the end, and that geographically Turkey at present holds the position. What is not certain is, whether Turkey will be removed and replaced by another power. There has been a foregone conclusion that Turkey must fade and decay. Predictions were at one time made that the empire must come to an end in the decade 1840-50, but facts have not been friendly to that view. The unexpected often happens. Turkey has survived so far, and there are indications as already stated that she may quite possibly become stronger rather than weaker.

Fifthly. The unrest in India is another circumstance which has the color of the closing days. That in the national re-arrangement of the last times England will ultimately relinquish India is possible and probable. East and west will be more clearly demarked than ever. Prophecy plainly shows that Russia is to be the great leader of the Eastern nations, and her persistent tenacious policy in that direction is well known. Even China and Central India will accept her dominancy. England’s destiny is in the west, as part of the great Roman empire; she has long had the controlling influence in the east, but in the coming time Russia, and not England, is to be the overshadowing power of the east. The upheaval of late in India, possibly more deep and serious than is supposed, tends obviously in this direction. Alienation from England of feeling in India must facilitate the ambition of Russia. The position of Russia as now stated is demonstrable from prophecy, but the proof is too long to set out here.

Whether we look at the state of Christianity or the condition of the nations, the world seems ripe for the coming of the Lord, and an intelligent survey of the situation is perhaps the best answer as to expecting another nineteen centuries before the end of the present period. The statement now given does not claim to be a complete synopsis of signs of the times, but some of the most weighty have been selected, which are here placed in the inverse order of their importance (the last two have already been treated in detail in the January number of this magazine [p. 9]), viz.:

1. Incipient alienation of India from British rule.

2. Developments in the sphere of the future king of the north.

3. Revival of Nationalism in Egypt (king of the south).

4. Tendencies in the sphere of the coming Roman Empire.

a. Towards federation of nations.

b. Socialism, Communism, Anarchism, et hoc genus, preparing for the popular state out of which will arise the great Roman potentate of Rev. 13

5. A revival of Nationalism among the Jews.

6. The revival of the hope of the Lord’s coming; the midnight cry of Matt. 25:6⁶And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. (Matthew 25:6) having long since gone forth.

7. The unblushing movement towards THE APOSTASY which is to follow the rapture of the church.

Attention is drawn to these circumstances, not as being remarkable, though they are remarkable, but as having one feature in common, which to the Christian is more to be noticed than anything else: that is, they are, all of them, PREMONITORY MOVEMENTS TOWARDS EVENTS WHICH ARE TO BURST ON THE WORLD AFTER THE CHURCH IS GONE. When men come with picks and shovels, boring rods, and carts and horses, and begin work at one side of a hill; and when surveyor’s pegs and lines are visible marking out a road on the other side, one concludes that these two are intended to meet, and that the work which we see commenced on the one side will end in the road designed and projected on the other. Just so with the facts which we have been considering. The initial work is begun before our eyes, the completion of which after the church’s removal is marked out by prophecy. India mutters disaffection towards her western ruler. Turkey, presumptive king of the north, shows unwonted and altogether unanticipated energy. Egypt, the future dominion of the south, is in the throes of nationhood, and is allowed the formal title of “king.” The grouping of European governments points towards a re-institution of the Roman Empire—the nations feeling their need of a leader—and that need intensified by the gathering power and threatening voices of the great masses of the peoples of Europe. The Jew is awaking to national aspirations. While sounds are abroad in the world which tell of the coming end of the age, the Spirit of God has roused, and is still arousing, the attention of the church to the hope of the Lord’s return. And the inchoate apostasy, no longer nebulous, assumes such definite shape that the anointed eye can make no mistake as to what it is the beginning of. Such considerations have a cumulative effect upon the godly and thoughtful mind, but the last is by far the most telling and important. The change in the ecclesiastical sphere is distinct and dire, unmistakable and Satanic.

The instructed Christian fully concedes that signs are for the godly Jew, and not for him. No doubt this is so, and were the indications which have been mentioned adverse to the nearness of the coming, instead of for it, the Christian’s fidelity to Christ’s word would still require him to look with daily expectation for that blessed hope. Moreover, it is important to remember that in expecting the Lord’s coming we are looking for a Person, not merely an event. It is a spiritual exercise, not only a mental conviction, and the more spiritual the believer is, the more will his heart be towards Christ, and desirous of His return. What the Lord values is affection for Himself, but the mind may be full of prophetic notions, while the heart has little occupation with Jesus. Still the Christian is not called upon to shut his eyes to the scriptural significance of great world-movements. The Lord rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees for being able to discern the face of the sky, and for not discerning the signs of the times (Matt. 16:3³And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? (Matthew 16:3)). We live at a trying epoch. Nineteen centuries have run, and yet the Lord’s coming has not taken place. Not only are unbelieving men saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” but many believers are wavering, at least so far as to think that it is a mistake to be now looking for the Lord’s return. John the Baptist, it will be remembered, after himself accrediting Christ to Israel, was stumbled at appearances on finding that with the great Messiah’s presence he was left in prison; and so does the faith of weak believers sometimes waver. The Lord, in reply to John’s messengers, gave the gentle rebuke, “Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me.” At the same time He pointed John to signs (Matt. 11:1-6¹And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. ²Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, ³And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? ⁴Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: ⁵The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. ⁶And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. (Matthew 11:1‑6)). Similarly now, He providentially allows to the wavering disciple a pre-manifestation of movements which are to mature after the Rapture. This might not have been so, and faith would still have been governed by Christ’s word simply. But, equally, faith will not refuse the comfort and aid of such confirmations as may be providentially placed before us. Possibly they may be intended to stir afresh the expectation and hope of Christ’s coming. What if they should be an intimation to us that that coming is now near at hand?