It first was divided into four Sultanies—namely, Bagdad, Aleppo, Damascus and Cesarea. These are typified under four angels. Their time was to be 396 years and a fraction—an hour, day, month, and year. Thus, taking a day for a year, 365 for the year, thirty for the month, one for the day, and we have 396. So from the taking of Bagdad by the Turks in 1057, which was the overthrow of the Saracens, until the capture of Constantinople in 1453, which overthrew the Greek Empire, we have just 396 years. And the time for the drying up of Turkey is at hand; and so it comes to pass.
Dear friends, how wonderful are the dealings of our God! Can we shut our eyes to His Divine revelation? Let us be wise in the day of grace, taking heed to the sure Word of prophecy, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. The world indeed is dark, and all confusion. But His Word shows unto us order in all this confusion, blessed be His name. More next Sunday evening.
ARMAGEDDON AND THE PYRAMID.
Discourse XIV.
THE FORCES IN THE BATTLE—TIME OF ITS OCCURRENCE—MISTAKES OF ADVENTISTS—A CHURCH “STRIKE” WANTED—THE HARD TIMES AFTER 1882—HISTORY OF THE WORLD TILL 1935—HINE’S THEORY.
“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”—Rev. xviii. 14.
Last Sunday evening we considered the subject of the great battle of Armageddon. This evening we will take up the same subject for further consideration. This battle, we learn, is to be very terrible, such a one as the world has not had. Fearful as some of the wars of the past have been, this will overshadow them all in skill, fierceness, number, slaughter, devastation, and wide-spread ruin. It will, in some respects, be like one of the wars of olden times. For in this struggle God is again to take a direct part, as He did for His people Israel and Judah in times of old. Again shall the forces of nature do battle for God and His people; again they shall be full of instinctive revenge. Hear us, and believe us, Denis Kearney, Providence will then “pool the issues” of the called, the chosen, and the faithful. The called are the Jews, the chosen are Israelites, and the faithful embrace all of every nation who believe in Christ. Then many will wade in pools of blood and perish. The birds of prey are to hold high carnival on the dead bodies of the slain. The spirit of Satan, that now worketh in the children of disobedience, will pool the issues of hell and death in the hosts of the dragon, beast, and false prophet. For though these three powers are diverse in their aims, professions, and intents, yet we learn from many passages of the Divine Book that they will join hands and agree upon a common policy, federating together
that they may contend with the called, the chosen, and the faithful. “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. xvi. 13, 14). Here indeed will be a pooling of the issues, a pooling that will divide the whole world into two forces or parties.
Now the canvass has begun, preparations are going on, party lines are being drawn, powers are concentrating, and men are rallying under their respective standards, getting the world ripe and ready for the coming generations, into whose hands the destinies of that day will be cast. Few of us now living can personally take part in that final battle, excepting as we do so by impressing the unborn millions with our ideas. Like as David prepared the material for the building of the temple, and his son Solomon carried forward the same, so the work of this generation is simply preparatory, and that of the coming will be executive.
Several wars will take place before that of Armageddon, which in their nature will be fierce and terrible. Still these will all be preparatory—leading on to the day of decision and the battle final. On this point many err, and their error has a pernicious influence on the Church and the world. They interpret the preparatory signs as if they were final; hence the end with such is too near. A sincere anxiety takes possession of their soul, which utterly unfits them to judge aright the signs of the times and tokens of Providence. Thus were a portion of the Advent Church thrown into confusion the 8th of last July because they had fixed upon the seventh as the time for the ending of the world. And human folly and haste will repeat itself again on the 10th of April next, because another portion of the Advent brethren have fixed upon the 9th of April as the time of the
end. It is a wonder the first did not take the 4th of July instead of the seventh, for then a stranger might think the end was nigh in some of our cities; or why didn’t the other party select the 1st of April, for no doubt it would have proved a more propitious day? But thus it is, and will be again before the appointed time of Heaven comes. Man is a creature of haste and sudden impulse, especially so in his religious experience. Kings and nations, Churches and sects, have laboured hard in times past to force the issues of Providence and give speed and certainty to times and events.