Christ again come, to destroy Antichrist (2 Thes. ii. 8), to throw open Paradise, to strike off the fetters of a world, and, in the place of bondage, to establish eternal freedom.' Ps. 1. (Isa. Ixi., lxii., lxiii. 1-9.) 'Immediately "Meanwhile the world prepares to take its fill of joy. There is now none to say to the fools, 'Deal not so madly (Ps. lxxv. 4); and to the ungodly, Lift not up the horn!' They send presents one to another (Rev. xi. 10): everywhere the word is 'Peace and safety!' A bad omen, for then sudden destruction is to come upon them (1 Thes. v. 3). after the Tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven.' (Matt. xxiv. 29-31.) Upon earth there is distress of nations with perplexity; a suspicion of the fatal truth strikes terror into the hearts of all. In that suspense of death-like syncope, a portentous sound adds horror to the gloom: The sea and the waves roaring.' Inanimate nature conceives a hope of the manifestation of the sons of God' (Rom. viii. 19-21); therefore the floods clap their hands, as if remembering the ancient saying, 'Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is, for The Lord Cometh to Judge the earth!' (Ps. xcviii. 1-3-7, 8, 9; Isa. lv. 12.) 6 "But why this darkened hemisphere and these extinguished lights? The Bright Sign of The Son of Man is about to be displayed in heaven (Matt. xxvi. 64). By that Sign all doubt is removed; The True Christ is none other than The Nazarene.' He Whom His enemies have seen for the last time, as He hung between two thieves, now re-appears in glory amidst ten thousand saints. They shall look on Him Whom they pierced' (Zech. xii. 10; Rev. i. 7). By the wound of their own inflicting, He condescends once more to be known. In that mark of the Roman spear, they read all that they dread to know; that their Judge is no new-comer, essaying for the first time, a reception among men, but a Sojourner of old, Who has already trodden their paths, and has carried away with Him a token of their hate But others, in that pierced side, will see mercy as well as judgment,—the sin and the salvation, the rebellion and the pardon, the warfare and the triumph,—all written with that iron pen in The Rock for ever. "With supernatural firmness the Impostor supports the blow (Dan. viii. 25, 11; xi. 36): upon his heart, blasted by the operation of Satan, no dew of repentance may descend. In that hour he justifies the election of his master, in his madness defying heaven, and hastening to decide, at the sword's point, who is God of gods, and Lord of lords (Dan. viii. 24, 25, 11; xi. 36). For this moment Satan has long been preparing; and at once the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet beat to arms (Rev. xvi. 13, 14). "All great battles receive a name: this is called 'the Battle of That Great Day of God Almighty.' Of this encounter what Prophet has not sung! At the thought of that conflict Habakkuk trembled (iii. 16); and Enoch, who dwelt beyond the Flood, even he caught the din of that warfare, the thunder of those captains and their shouting (Job. xxxix. 25). Then it was that, regarding neither the trackless distance nor the sounding Flood between, he uttered the exulting cry, 'Behold, The Lord Cometh with ten thousands of His saints!' "The kings of earth stand up, each at the head of his army. The rulers take counsel together, how they may break His bonds asunder, and cast away His cords from them. At their matchless folly He Who sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; The Most Merciful, Who willeth not the death of a sinner, even He shall have them in derision. Like the disdainful warriors of old, He invites the fowls of heaven to feed upon their flesh. The whiterobed army is now marshalled upon the heavenly plain (Ps. ii. 1-4; Rev. xix. 11-17-21). "The fighting is soon ended. The Beast is taken alive, . . the False prophet still his companion, and translated to the lake of fire. . . ... "And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him Who sat upon the horse, and all fowls were filled with their flesh. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and who had not worshipped the Beast, nor his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." INTRODUCTION TO ANTICHRIST AND THE THE SEVENTH VIAL, IN THE YEAR-DAY FULFILMENT, POURED OUT ON THE OPENING OF THE SEVENTH SEAL AND SOUNDING OF THE SEVENTH TRUMPET. [Matt. xxiv. 32, 33-35. (Compare the lesson of the fig-tree, xxi, 19-22; Luke xxi. 36.) The "summer "heat which shall ripen the "Harvest," and prepare the "vine of the earth" for the treading in the winepress of the wrath of God: Rev. xiv. 15, 18-20; Isa. lxii., lxiii.-lxv.: the Judgment "beginning at the House of God," and overthrowing first the apostate Jewish Church, then the apostate Gentile Church. Matt. xvi. 28; 1 Pet. iv. 17,-Rev. xviii.] K THE MAN OF DECEIT AND BLOOD AND VIOLENCE. Ps. v. 6; xviii. 48; ix.; xi.—xiv.; cxl.-cxliii. Psalm x. (lxxiii. 3-9). [Complaint and distress, on account either of the incursions of enemies, or of a disorganised state of society at home. Containing a complaint of the pride and malice of the wicked (1-11), and a prayer for, with confidence in, Divine interposition (12-18). 1 Why standest Thou afar off? O Lord! Why hidest Thou Thyself in Times of Trouble? 2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: Let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined! 3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, And blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. [And making (unjust) gain, blesses (while he) despises Jehovah. But the clause may be translated, "and curseth and despiseth Jehovah;' rendering the word as in Job i. 5, 11; ii. 5, 9.—Notes in Paragraph Bible, of Religious Tract Society.] 4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God [or, in his pride [God] will not seek]: God is not in all his thoughts: [or, all his thoughts are, "There is no God!" all sin is practical atheism (13).] 5 His ways are always grievous; [or probably the word means enduring" or "firm," and describes the sinner's fallacious security: for a season exempt from judgments, and his life apparently prosperous. Compare Ps. lxxiii. 3-9. ["For I was envious at the foolish,-when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. "For there are no bands [restraints] in [until] their death: but their strength is firm. "They are not in trouble as other men ;-neither are they plagued like other men. "Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain [ornamental chain for the neck]; Violence covereth them as a garment. "Their eyes stand out with fatness:-they have more than heart could wish. [Rather, the thoughts of their hearts overflow in the wicked and proud speeches mentioned in the next verse:] "They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression : They speak loftily [as in Isa. lix. 13., "They speak oppression loftily."] "They set their mouth against the heavens, [in heaven give unlimited range to their arrogant and reproachful language.] And their tongue walk th through the earth.] 5 Thy judgments are far above out of his sight: As for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. 6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved : For I shall never be in adversity. 7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: Under his tongue [supposed to allude to the poison of serpents, which is concealed beneath their teeth :] is mischief and vanity [or iniquity]. 8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: In the secret places doth he murder the innocent His eyes are privily set against the poor. 9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: He lieth in wait to catch the poor : He doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. [The wicked man is compared first to a lion, and then to a hunter, to show that he employs craft as well as force. 10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. 11 He hath said in his heart, "God hath forgotten: He hideth His Face; He will never see it!" 12 Arise, O Lord! O God! lift up Thine hand :-forget not the humble ! 13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? He hath said in his heart, 14 Thou hast seen it; "Thou wilt not require it !" For Thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with Thy hand : The poor committeth himself unto Thee: Thou art The Helper of the fatherless! 15 Break Thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man : (Zech. xi. 17.) Seek out his wickedness till Thou find none ! 16 The Lord is King for ever and ever! The heathen are perished out of His Land. 17 Lord! Thou hast heard the desire of the humble : Thou wilt prepare their heart,-Thou wilt cause Thine ear to hear: 18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may no more oppress. 66 [Rather, so that he (i. e. the sinner already described) shall no longer terrify the feeble from the Land; " dislodging them from their homes and possessions.] |