THE march of events has of late been rapid. Some sixty years ago a long-lost truth was revived for the blessing of the Church of God. A movement then took place in the professing Church as far-reaching in its results, and, we believe, as distinctly of God, as was the great work of the Reformation in the days of Luther. All unconsciously to themselves Christians to the ends of the earth are reaping the fruits and enjoying the benefits of that great revival of long-lost verities. We cannot now stop to point out in detail what these were. Suffice it to say that the precious gospel truths of assurance of salvation, present forgiveness of sins, complete acceptance in Christ, death and resurrection with Christ, the righteousness of God, the presence of the Holy Ghost sent down at Pentecost in witness of Christ’s entrance as Man into the glory of God; these and many others were revived in power, and have since been preached far and wide to the deliverance and emancipation of untold multitudes of the poor captives of sin and Satan.
But at the same time the Lord gave His people clearer views on prophetic truth, and revived the long-lost hope of the Church, viz., the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who would descend into the air to translate her to glory in the twinkling of an eye.
At first this all-important truth was looked upon as almost a fancy of a disordered mind. It was so different from all that had been held, or that was commonly taught on the subject. And though many received it, and confessed to the deep practical blessing that such a hope afforded, yet many more as absolutely refused even to look into it, still less to receive it.
But just of late a fresh interest has been taken in the subject. Multitudes who before rejected the truth are now having their eyes opened to see it, nay, more, their very hearts are flooded with a light to which hitherto they had been strangers. Conferences are being convened to consider it, and in many and varied ways God is pressing home upon the attention of His people the truth, most precious for the Church, but as awful for the world, that “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
By various means God is so bringing it about that well-nigh all classes of society throughout all English-speaking countries are having their attention drawn to the matter. The same solemn theme has of late penetrated to Egypt, Japan, Greece, Turkey, and many parts of the East, to say nothing of countries nearer to our doors in Europe, and mighty have been the results both in the conversion of sinners and the rousing up of God’s people.
And why all this stir? Without doubt the hand of God is in it. “The coming of the Lord draweth nigh,” and He is awakening attention to the fact for the simple reason, we believe, that “the time is near.” Reader, the Lord is coming quickly. Are you ready? He will translate His own to glory in the twinkling of an eye. Will He take you, or leave you behind? Do not, we beseech of you, shirk this question. If you are not Christ’s, come to Him at once, and by simple faith, accept Him as your Saviour. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
Doubtless, and we notice it with deep sorrow and regret, many are preaching the coming of the Lord in a most unscriptural manner, and in conjunction with views and doctrines of the most heterodox nature. With the Baxterite movement and its fixing of dates, so plainly condemned by the Word of God (Matt. 24:36, and elsewhere), we have no sympathy whatever; nor have we any with the Catholic Apostolic (so-called) and its unsound views as to the Person of our adorable Lord. But in spite of all this, the fact remains that a most remarkable and unprecedented awakening is taking place all around us on the subject of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Side by side with this, we notice the fact that the gospel message is going forth by all sorts of ways and means, some more questionable than another, but which nevertheless God in His sovereign mercy is using in the conversion of souls. We rejoice that Christ is preached, and that souls are saved, no matter what the instrumentality may be, and we see in this another evidence of the fact that the coming of the Lord draweth nigh: for He who awakens the Bride to cry “Come!” to her returning Lord, does not forget the Christless sinner, but sends him a last and pressing invitation, for the time is short, “Let him that is athirst come: and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).
Reader, if you have hitherto listened to the gospel call unmoved, we beg of you, if you value your soul’s eternal happiness, close at once with God’s gracious offer of a present and eternal forgiveness through the precious blood of Christ.
Things have developed rapidly in the world of late. The disregard of God and His Word which recently have grown apace are producing direful fruit in the shape of anarchy and socialism. The bonds of society are being loosened to an alarming extent, and infidelity has taken hold of large masses of the people. This state of things has been going forward the last few years by leaps and bounds, and we believe that the recent controversy on the inspiration of Scripture that has shaken Christendom to its center, has laid a broad and roomy foundation upon which the apostasy will rest (2 Thess. 2:3).
The Antichrist will soon be revealed. But there is a power that for the moment withholds or restrains. Once that power is removed, there will be nothing to hinder, and “the mystery of lawlessness” (this is the proper rendering) which had already begun to work in the Apostle’s days will burst forth in all its terrible hideousness.
Again, we repeat, the Antichrist may be alive at this very moment, though he cannot be revealed until the hindering (or letting) power is removed. Once that power is taken away, that Wicked (or, Lawless One) will be revealed.
We learn, then, that the Antichrist, or Man of sin, cannot be revealed until “He who now letteth... be taken out of the way” (vs. 7). Who is this? Some have thought that this referred to the Roman Empire, but this cannot be, for the Beast, or revived Roman Empire, will meet its judgment at the same time as the Antichrist, and by the same means, namely, at the appearing of the Lord from heaven when He comes to execute judgment. (Read carefully 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 17:14; 19:11-21.) Clearly, then, if they both are judged together, the one cannot be removed before the other is revealed.
Others have had the still stranger thought that Satan is the one who hinders. But how could Satan hinder the progress of evil? Would he not rather promote it?
We are convinced that the one who lets (or hinders) is none other than the Divine Person of God the Holy Ghost, who dwells in the Church, and who will be taken “out of the way” at the coming of the Lord, when the Church, His habitation, is “caught up.” So long, therefore, as the Church is on earth, Antichrist cannot be revealed. He may at this very moment be alive, but he cannot be revealed before the “Rapture” has taken place.
Reader, consider for one moment what will be the state of these lands, so highly favored with God’s greatest privileges; the true Church removed, the Holy Ghost taken out of the way, belief in the Scriptures abandoned, all restraint thrown off, lawlessness fully developed. Out of this moral chaos a man will suddenly arise, a man of overpowering will, indomitable energy, and indued with satanic power (vs. 8). He will work wonders, perform miracles, and display a superhuman power (vs. 9). After the first staggering effects of the removal of the people of God from this earth have begun to subside, apostate Christendom, given over of God, will come under the influence of his deceptions.
Reader, this is awful to contemplate! Masses of people around us today are refusing the truth of the gospel; salvation is within their reach, but they reject it. We cannot close our eyes to the fact that multitudes even of those who throng the fashionable places of worship (so-called) have never come as lost and guilty sinners to the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. They do not love the truth of God that tells them plainly of their lost and ruined condition, nor do they love the truth that presents to them a present and eternal salvation, to be had only through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. In short, they love the world, and do not want Christ. Alas! alas! that it should be so. And because of this, “because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved... for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned [or judged] who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:10-12). The people around today who are despising the gospel may yet with their very eyes behold the Antichrist, witness his miraculous wonders, and fall under his iniquitous deceptions. Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord (not annihilation, but perdition) will be their portion for eternity. Reader, we beseech you, do not trifle with these solemn declarations of the Word of God.
But Antichrist himself, what doom awaits him? “The Lord shall consume him with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy him with the brightness of His coming” (2:8). That is to say, that when the Lord appears from heaven accompanied by all His glorified saints, and the angels of His power, “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:8); then will this “Man of sin,” this “Son of perdition,” the “Lawless One,” be overthrown, and judged. But where will this take place?
(To be continued.)