Event 1 - Final Signs

Overview

Today the signs of the times declare that we are standing on the threshold of great and
solemn events. Everything in our world is in agitation. Before our eyes is fulfilling the
Saviour's prophecy of the events to precede His
coming: "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of
wars. . . . Nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be
famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in
divers places." Matthew 24:6, 7.

The present is a time of overwhelming interest to

all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy
positions of trust and authority, thinking men and
women of all classes, have their attention fixed
upon the events taking place about us. They are Key Text
watching the relations that exist among the nations. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him
They observe the intensity that is taking possession ask of God, that giveth to all men
of every earthly element, and they recognize that liberally, and upbraideth not; and it
something great and decisive is about to take shall be given him." James 1:5
place--that the world is on the verge of a
stupendous crisis.

The Bible, and the Bible only, gives a correct view of these things. Here are revealed the
great final scenes in the history of our world, events that already are casting their shadows
before, the sound of their approach causing the earth to tremble and men's hearts to fail
them for fear.

God has given us special messages for these times, messages of warning, instruction,
comfort, and hope. These important messages will be the focus of this "Final Events of
Bible Prophecy" website.

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven,

having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them
that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and
kindred, and tongue, and people,"

"Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory

to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and
worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the
sea, and the fountains of waters."

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon

Key Text
"Say unto them, As I live, saith the
Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the
death of the wicked; but that the
wicked turn from his way and live:
turn ye, turn ye from your evil
ways; for why will ye die, O house of
Israel?" Ezekiel 33:11
is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made
all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication."
"And the third angel followed them, saying with a
loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his
image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in
his hand,"

"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture
into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the
presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:" Revelation 14:6-10
 As we study these "Final Events of Bible Prophecy" we
will often look to past to obtain knowledge about the
future.

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and
that which is done is that which shall be done: and there
is no new thing under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9

In studying the Revelation, a Bible student quickly

discovers that a large portion of this prophetic book
contains portions of other parts of the Bible, especially the old testament. Infact, over 270
verses in the book of Revelation are taken almost word for word from other places in the
Bible.

In reference to the His second coming and the end of the world Jesus said:"But as the
days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37
indicating that we should gather knowledge from what happened in the past.

"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is
the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls..." Jeremiah 6:16

By studying the history of God's dealings with the nations as well as His dealings with His
prophets, leaders, and servants we can learn lessons that will guide us and help us to face
the future. In addition, as we study the history of the Bible characters we will learn
valuable lessons that will help us during this life as well as prepare us for the future one.

Moses for example, was a man of like passions with ourselves, and his character is
described that we may learn lessons from his noble example. What God did for Moses, he
will do for us, if we are as faithful; and we have not only the same God to go to, the same
Mediator to intercede for us, but the same mighty incentives of love to urge us to be
obedient to all God's requirements. We have clearer
light, and the examples of those who sinned. Their
crimes are plainly stated and their punishments
depicted. The commendation of God is for the
obedient today as then; for God is no respecter of
persons, and whoever worketh righteousness is
accepted of him in every nation; but if we lack in
character, in meekness, in humility, in faith in
placing a true estimate upon the eternal riches, and
in willingness to suffer reproach for the truth's
sake, we shall be left without excuse.
Key Text
Our prayer is that God will richly bless you as you "(Now the man Moses was very
study the Final Events of Bible Prophecy and that meek, above all the men which were
you will choose to diligently prepare for what will upon the face of the earth.)"
soon take the world as an overwhelming surprise. Numbers 12:3

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat,
the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to
be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the
day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens
and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found
of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our
Lord is salvation..." 2 Peter 3:9-15

Event 1 - Final Signs

Glorious Hope

One of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths revealed in the Bible is that of
Christ's second coming, to complete the great work of redemption. To God's pilgrim
people, so long left to sojourn in the "region and shadow of death," a precious, joy-
inspiring hope is given in the promise of His appearing, who is "the resurrection and the
life," to "bring home again his banished."

When the Saviour was about to be separated from his disciples, he comforted them in their
sorrow with the assurance that he would come again: "Let not your heart be troubled." "In
my Father's house are many mansions." "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself." John 14:1-3.
"The Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him. Then shall he sit
upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations." Matt. 25:31,
32.

The coming of the Lord has been in all ages the hope of his true followers. The Saviour's
parting promise upon Olivet, that he would come again, lighted up the future for his
disciples, filling their hearts with joy and hope, that sorrow could not quench, nor trials
dim. Amid suffering and persecution, "the appearing of the great God and our Saviour
Jesus Christ" was the "blessed hope." When the Thessalonian Christians were filled with
grief as they buried their loved ones, who had hoped to live to witness the coming of the
Lord, Paul, their teacher, pointed them to the resurrection, to take place at the Saviour's
advent. Then the dead in Christ should rise, and together with the living be caught up to
meet the Lord in the air. "And so," he said, "shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore
comfort one another with these words." 1 Thess. 4:16-18.

On rocky Patmos the beloved disciple hears the promise, "Surely, I come quickly," and his
longing response voices the prayer of the church in all her pilgrimage, "Even so, come,
Lord Jesus." Rev. 22:20.

Prophecy not only foretells the manner and object of Christ's coming, but presents tokens
by which men are to know when it is near. In this section we will look at 20 signs that the
Lord's return is near, "even at the door".

Event 1 - Lessons from History

The Most Comprehensive History

The Bible is the most ancient and the most comprehensive history that men possess. It
came fresh from the fountain of eternal truth, and throughout the ages a divine hand has
preserved its purity. It lights up the far-distant
past, where human research in vain seeks to
penetrate. In God's word only do we behold the
power that laid the foundations of the earth and
that stretched out the heavens. Here only do we
find an authentic account of the origin of nations.
Here only is given a history of our race unsullied by
human pride or prejudice.

In the annals of human history the growth of

nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as
dependent on the will and prowess of man. The Key Text
shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be "Remember the former things of
determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But old: for I am God, and there is none
in the word of God the curtain is drawn aside, and else; I am God, and there is none
we behold, behind, above, and through all the play like me, Declaring the end from the
and counterplay of human interests and power and beginning, and from ancient times
passions, the agencies of the all-merciful One, the things that are not yet done,
silently, patiently working out the counsels of His saying, My counsel shall stand, and I
own will. will do all my pleasure: " Isaiah
46:9-10
The Bible reveals the true philosophy of history. In
those words of matchless beauty and tenderness spoken by the apostle Paul to the sages
of Athens is set forth God's purpose in the creation and distribution of races and nations:
He "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and
hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they
should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him." Acts 17:26, 27.
God declares that whosoever will may come "into the bond of the covenant." Ezekiel
20:37. In the creation it was His purpose that the earth be inhabited by beings whose
existence should be a blessing to themselves and to one another, and an honor to their
Creator. All who will may identify themselves with this purpose. Of them it is spoken, "This
people have I formed for Myself; they shall show forth My praise." Isaiah 43:21.

God has revealed in His law the principles that

Key Text
"Righteousness exalteth a nation:
but sin is a reproach to any people.
" Proverbs 14:34
"It is an abomination to kings to
commit wickedness: for the throne
is established by righteousness."
Proverbs 16:12
tranquility." Daniel 4:27.
underlie all true prosperity both of nations and of
individuals. "This is your wisdom and your
understanding," Moses declared to the Israelites of
the law of God. "It is not a vain thing for you;
because it is your life." Deuteronomy 4:6; 32:47.
The blessings thus assured to Israel are, on the
same conditions and in the same degree, assured
to every nation and every individual under the
broad heavens.
The power exercised by every ruler on the earth is
Heaven-imparted; and upon his use of the power
thus bestowed, his success depends. To each the
word of the divine Watcher is, "I girded thee,
though thou hast not known Me." Isaiah 45:5. And
to each the words spoken to Nebuchadnezzar of old
are the lesson of life: "Break off thy sins by
righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing
mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy

To understand these things,--to understand that "righteousness exalteth a nation;" that

"the throne is established by righteousness" and "upholden by mercy" (Proverbs 14:34;
16:12; 20:28); to recognize the outworking of these principles in the manifestation of His
power who "removeth kings, and setteth up kings" (Daniel 2: 21),--this is to understand
the philosophy of history.

In the word of God only is this clearly set forth. Here it is shown that the strength of
nations, as of individuals, is not found in the opportunities or facilities that appear to make
them invincible; it is not found in their boasted greatness. It is measured by the fidelity
with which they fulfill God's purpose.

An illustration of this truth is found in the history of ancient Babylon. To Nebuchadnezzar

the king the true object of national government was represented under the figure of a
great tree, whose height "reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the
earth: the leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all;"
under its shadow the beasts of the field dwelt, and among its branches the birds of the air
had their habitation. Daniel 4:11, 12. This representation shows the character of a
government that fulfills God's purpose--a government that protects and upbuilds the
nation.

God exalted Babylon that it might fulfill this purpose. Prosperity attended the nation until it
reached a height of wealth and power that has never since been equaled-- fitly
represented in the Scriptures by the inspired
symbol, a "head of gold." Daniel 2:38.

But the king failed of recognizing the power that

had exalted him. Nebuchadnezzar in the pride of his
heart said: "Is not this great Babylon, that I have
built for the house of the kingdom by the might of
my power, and for the honor of my majesty?"
Daniel 4:30.

Instead of being a protector of men, Babylon

became a proud and cruel oppressor. The words of
Inspiration picturing the cruelty and greed of rulers
in Israel reveal the secret of Babylon's fall and of
the fall of many another kingdom since the world
began: "Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the
wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the
flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened,
neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither
have ye bound up that which was broken, neither
have ye brought again that which was driven away,
neither have ye sought that which was lost; but
with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them."
Ezekiel 34:3, 4.
Key Text
"The tree grew, and was strong, and
the height thereof reached unto
heaven, and the sight thereof to the
end of all the earth: The leaves
thereof were fair, and the fruit
thereof much, and in it was meat for
all: the beasts of the field had
shadow under it, and the fowls of
the heaven dwelt in the boughs
thereof, and all flesh was fed of it."
Daniel 4:11-12

To the ruler of Babylon came the sentence of the divine Watcher: O king, "to thee it is
spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee." Daniel 4:31.

"Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon,

Sit on the ground: there is no throne. . . .
Sit thou silent,
And get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans;
For thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms."
Isaiah 47:1-5.

"O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in

treasures, Thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness,"

"Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,

The beauty of the Chaldees' excellency,
Shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah."

"I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with
the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts." Jeremiah 51:13; Isaiah 13:19; 14:23.

Every nation that has come upon the stage of

action has been permitted to occupy its place on
the earth, that it might be seen whether it would
fulfill the purpose of "the Watcher and the Holy
One." Prophecy has traced the rise and fall of the
world's great empires--Babylon, Medo-Persia,
Greece, and Rome. With each of these, as with
nations of less power, history repeated itself. Each
had its period of test, each failed, its glory faded,
its power departed, and its place was occupied by
another.
Key Text
"MENE; God hath numbered thy While the nations rejected God's principles, and in
kingdom, and finished it. this rejection wrought their own ruin, it was still
manifest that the divine, overruling purpose was
TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the working through all their movements.
balances, and art found wanting.
This lesson is taught in a wonderful symbolic
PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and representation given to the prophet Ezekiel during
given to the Medes and Persians. his exile in the land of the Chaldeans. The vision
"Daniel 5:26-28 was given at a time when Ezekiel was weighed
down with sorrowful memories and troubled forebodings. The land of his fathers was
desolate. Jerusalem was depopulated. The prophet himself was a stranger in a land where
ambition and cruelty reigned supreme. As on every hand he beheld tyranny and wrong, his
soul was distressed, and he mourned day and night. But the symbols presented to him
revealed a power above that of earthly rulers.

Upon the banks of the river Chebar, Ezekiel beheld a whirlwind seeming to come from the
north, "a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of
the midst thereof as the color of amber." A number of wheels, intersecting one another,
were moved by four living beings. High above all these "was the likeness of a throne, as
the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness
as the appearance of a man above upon it." "And there appeared in the cherubims the
form of a man's hand under their wings." Ezekiel 1:4, 26, 10:8. The wheels were so
complicated in arrangement that at first sight they appeared to be in confusion; but they
moved in perfect harmony. Heavenly beings, sustained and guided by the hand beneath
the wings of the cherubim, were impelling these wheels; above them, upon the sapphire
throne, was the Eternal One; and round about the throne a rainbow, the emblem of divine
mercy.

As the wheellike complications were under the guidance of the hand beneath the wings of
the cherubim, so the complicated play of human events is under divine control. Amidst the
strife and tumult of nations, He that sitteth above the cherubim still guides the affairs of
the earth.

The history of nations that one after another have occupied their allotted time and place,
unconsciously witnessing to the truth of which they themselves knew not the meaning,
speaks to us. To every nation and to every individual of today God has assigned a place in
His great plan. Today men and nations are being measured by the plummet in the hand of
Him who makes no mistake. All are by their own choice deciding their destiny, and God is
overruling all for the accomplishment of His purposes.

The history which the great I AM has marked out in His word, uniting link after link in the
prophetic chain, from eternity in the past to eternity in the future, tells us where we are
today in the procession of the ages, and what may be expected in the time to come. All
that prophecy has foretold as coming to pass, until the present time, has been traced on
the pages of history, and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be fulfilled
in its order.
Event 1 - Final Signs

Prophecy Fulfilled

Hundreds of years before certain nations came upon the stage of action, the Omniscient
One looked down the ages and predicted the rise and fall of the universal kingdoms. God
declared to Nebuchadnezzar that the kingdom of Babylon should fall, and a second
kingdom would arise, which also would have its period of trial. Failing to exalt the true
God, its glory would fade, and a third kingdom would occupy its place. This also would
pass away; and a fourth, strong as iron, would subdue the nations of the world.

Had the rulers of Babylon--that richest of all earthly kingdoms--kept always before them
the fear of Jehovah, they would have been given wisdom and power which would have
bound them to Him and kept them strong. But they made God their refuge only when
harassed and perplexed. At such times, failing to find help in their great men, they sought
it from men like Daniel--men who they knew honored the living God and were honored by
Him. To these men they appealed to unravel the mysteries of Providence; for though the
rulers of proud Babylon were men of the highest intellect, they had separated themselves
so far from God by transgression that they could not understand the revelations and the
warnings given them concerning the future.

In the paragraphs that follow you will learn about God's interaction with an ancient pagan
monarch, about 600 years before the birth of Christ, which reveal the power and
faithfulness of the God of Israel. The knowledge of the fulfillment of this prophecy has
increased the faith of millions in God's ability to predict future events.

If we, with humble hearts, compare the Holy Scriptures with history we, like the apostle
Peter, will also be able to say, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye
do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn,
and the day star arise in your hearts:" 2 Peter 1:19
An Ancient Kings Dream
One night king Nebuchadnezzar had a remarkable dream, by which "his spirit was
troubled, and his sleep brake from him." But although the king's mind was deeply
impressed, he found it impossible, when he awoke,
to recall the particulars.

In his perplexity, Nebuchadnezzar assembled his

wise men--"the magicians, and the astrologers, and
the sorcerers"--and besought their help. "I have
dreamed a dream," he said, "and my spirit was
troubled to know the dream." With this statement
of his perplexity he requested them to reveal to him
that which would bring relief to his mind.

To this the wise men responded, "O king, live Key Text
forever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will "And in the second year of the reign
show the interpretation." of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar
dreamed dreams, wherewith his
Dissatisfied with their evasive answer, and spirit was troubled, and his sleep
suspicious because, despite their pretentious claims brake from him." Daniel 2:1
to reveal the secrets of men, they nevertheless
seemed unwilling to grant him help, the king commanded his wise men, with promises of
wealth and honor on the one hand, and threats of death on the other, to tell him not only
the interpretation of the dream, but the dream itself. "The thing is gone from me," he said;
"if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be
cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. But if ye show the dream, and the
interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor."
Still the wise men returned the answer, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we
will show the interpretation of it."

Nebuchadnezzar, now thoroughly aroused and

angered by the apparent perfidy of those in whom
he had trusted, declared: "I know of certainty that
ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is
gone from me. But if ye will not make known unto
me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for
ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak
before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell
me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show
me the interpretation thereof."
Key Text Filled with fear for the consequences of their failure,
"The king answered and said to the the magicians endeavored to show the king that his
Chaldeans, The thing is gone from request was unreasonable and his test beyond that
me: if ye will not make known unto which had ever been required of any man. "There is
me the dream, with the not a man upon the earth," they remonstrated,
interpretation thereof, ye shall be "that can show the king's matter: therefore there is
cut in pieces, and your houses shall no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at
be made a dunghill." Daniel 2:5 any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. And it is a
rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king,
except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."

Then "the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of
Babylon."

Among those sought for by the officers who were preparing to fulfill the provisions of the
royal decree, were Daniel and his friends. When told that according to the decree they also
must die, "with counsel and wisdom" Daniel inquired of Arioch, the captain of the king's
guard, "Why is the decree so hasty from the king?" Arioch told him the story of the king's
perplexity over his remarkable dream, and of his failure to secure help from those in whom
he had hitherto placed fullest confidence. Upon hearing this, Daniel, taking his life in his
hands, ventured into the king's presence and begged that time be granted, that he might
petition his God to reveal to him the dream and its interpretation.

To this request the monarch acceded. "Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing
known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions." Together they sought for
wisdom from the Source of light and knowledge. Their faith was strong in the
consciousness that God had placed them where they were, that they were doing His work
and meeting the demands of duty. In times of
perplexity and danger they had always turned to
Him for guidance and protection, and He had
proved an ever-present help. Now with contrition of
heart they submitted themselves anew to the Judge
of the earth, pleading that He would grant them
deliverance in this their time of special need. And
they did not plead in vain. The God whom they had
honored, now honored them. The Spirit of the Lord
rested upon them, and to Daniel, "in a night vision,"
was revealed the king's dream and its meaning.
Key Text
Daniel's first act was to thank God for the revelation "Then was the secret revealed unto
given him. "Blessed be the name of God forever Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel
and ever," he exclaimed; "for wisdom and might blessed the God of heaven." Daniel
are His: and He changeth the times and the 2:19
seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and
knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: He
knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him. I thank Thee, and praise
Thee, O Thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made
known unto me now what we desired of Thee: for Thou hast now made known unto us the
king's matter."

Going immediately to Arioch, whom the king had commanded to destroy the wise men,
Daniel said, "Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will
show unto the king the interpretation." Quickly the officer ushered Daniel in before the
king, with the words, "I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known
unto the king the interpretation."

Behold the Jewish captive, calm and self-possessed,

in the presence of the monarch of the world's most
powerful empire. In his first words he disclaimed
honor for himself and exalted God as the source of
all wisdom. To the anxious inquiry of the king, "Art
thou able to make known unto me the dream which
I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?" he
replied: "The secret which the king hath demanded
cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the
magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king;
but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets,
Key Text and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar
"But as for me, this secret is not what shall be in the latter days.
revealed to me for any wisdom that
I have more than any living, but for "Thy dream," Daniel declared, "and the visions of
their sakes that shall make known thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O
the interpretation to the king, and king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy
that thou mightest know the bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and He
thoughts of thy heart." Daniel 2:30 that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what
shall come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not
revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that
shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts
of thy heart.

"Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was
excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of
fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of
iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

"Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his
feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the
brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the
summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for
them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole
earth.

"This is the dream," confidently declared Daniel;

and the king, listening with closest attention to
every particular, knew it was the very dream over
which he had been so troubled. Thus his mind was
prepared to receive with favor the interpretation.
The King of kings was about to communicate great
truth to the Babylonian monarch. God would reveal
that He has power over the kingdoms of the world,
power to enthrone and to dethrone kings.
Nebuchadnezzar's mind was to be awakened, if
possible, to a sense of his responsibility to Heaven.
The events of the future, reaching down to the end Key Text
of time, were to be opened before him. "Thou, O king, art a king of kings:
for the God of heaven hath given
"Thou, O king, art a king of kings," Daniel thee a kingdom, power, and
continued, "for the God of heaven hath given thee a strength, and glory." Daniel 2:37
kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the
beasts of the field and fowls of the heaven hath He given into thine hand, and hath made
thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

"And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of
brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

"And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and
subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

"And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of

potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be
divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of
the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed
with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were
part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall
be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas
thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall
mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they
shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not
mixed with clay."
Key Text
"For all the gods of the nations are "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven
idols: but the LORD made the set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed:
heavens." Psalms 96:5 and the kingdom shall not be left to other people,
but it shall break in pieces and consume all these
"Let them bring them forth, and kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as
show us what shall happen: let them thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the
show the former things, what they mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces
be, that we may consider them, and the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the
know the latter end of them; or gold; the great God hath made known to the king
declare us things for to come. Show what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream
the things that are to come is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."
hereafter, that we may know that ye
are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, The king was convinced of the truth of the
that we may be dismayed, and interpretation, and in humility and awe he "fell
behold it together. Behold, ye are of upon his face, and worshiped," saying, "Of a truth it
nothing, and your work of nought: is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of
an abomination is he that chooseth kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou
you." Isaiah 41:22-24 couldest reveal this secret."

Nebuchadnezzar revoked the decree for the destruction of the wise men. Their lives were
spared because of Daniel's connection with the Revealer of secrets. And "the king made
Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole
province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then
Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the
affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king."

In the annals of human history, the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear
as if dependent on the will and prowess of man; the shaping of events seems, to a great
degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the word of God the
curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, above, behind, and through all the play and
counterplay of human interest and power and passions, the agencies of the All-merciful
One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will.
In words of matchless beauty and tenderness, the apostle Paul set before the sages of
Athens the divine purpose in the creation and distribution of races and nations. "God that
made the world and all things therein," declared the
apostle, "hath made of one blood all nations of men
for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath
determined the times before appointed, and the
bounds of their habitation; that they should seek
the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and
find Him." Acts 17:24-27.

God has made plain that whosoever will, may come

"into the bond of the covenant." Ezekiel 20:37. In
the creation it was His purpose that the earth
should be inhabited by beings whose existence Key Text
would be a blessing to themselves and to one "...all the inhabitants of the earth
another, and an honor to their Creator. All who will are reputed as nothing: and he
may identify themselves with this purpose. Of them doeth according to his will in the
it is spoken, "This people have I formed for Myself; army of heaven, and among the
they shall show forth My praise." Isaiah 43:21. inhabitants of the earth: and none
can stay his hand, or say unto him,
In His law God has made known the principles that What doest thou...Now I
underlie all true prosperity, both of nations and of Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol
individuals. To the Israelites Moses declared of this and honour the King of heaven, all
law: "This is your wisdom and your understanding." whose works are truth, and his ways
"It is not a vain thing for you; because it is your judgment: and those that walk in
life." Deuteronomy 4:6; 32:47. The blessings thus pride he is able to abase." Daniel
assured to Israel are, on the same conditions and in 4:35, 37
the same degree, assured to every nation and to every individual under the broad
heavens.

In the history of nations the student of God's word may behold the literal fulfillment of
divine prophecy. Babylon, shattered and broken at last, passed away because in prosperity
its rulers had regarded themselves as independent of God, and had ascribed the glory of
their kingdom to human achievement. The Medo-Persian realm was visited by the wrath of
Heaven because in it God's law had been trampled underfoot. The fear of the Lord had
found no place in the hearts of the vast majority of the people. Wickedness, blasphemy,
and corruption prevailed. The kingdoms that followed were even more base and corrupt;
and these sank lower and still lower in the scale of moral worth.

The power exercised by every ruler on the earth is

Heaven-imparted; and upon his use of the power
thus bestowed, his success depends. To each the
word of the divine Watcher is, "I girded thee,
though thou hast not known Me." Isaiah 45:5. And
to each the words spoken to Nebuchadnezzar of old
are the lesson of life: "Break off thy sins by
righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing
mercy to the poor: if it may be a lengthening of thy
tranquillity." Daniel 4:27.
Key Text To understand these things,--to understand that
"Be still, and know that I am God: I "righteousness exalteth a nation;" that "the throne
will be exalted among the heathen, I is established by righteousness," and "upholden by
will be exalted in the earth." Psalms mercy;" to recognize the outworking of these
46:10 principles in the manifestation of His power who
"removeth kings, and setteth up kings,"-- this is to understand the philosophy of history.
Proverbs 14:34; 16:12; 20:28; Daniel 2:21.

In the word of God only is this clearly set forth. Here it is shown that the strength of
nations, as of individuals, is not found in the opportunities or facilities that appear to make
them invincible; it is not found in their boasted greatness. It is measured by the fidelity
with which they fulfill God's purpose.

Event 1 - Final Signs

End of the World

The final overthrow of all earthly dominions is plainly foretold in the word of truth. In the
prophecy uttered when sentence from God was pronounced upon the last king of Israel is
given the message:

"Thus saith the Lord God; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: . . . exalt him that
is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no
more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him." Ezekiel 21:26, 27.

The crown removed from Israel passed successively

to the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece,
and Rome. God says, "It shall be no more, until He
come whose right it is; and I will give it Him." That
time is at hand. Today the signs of the times
declare that we are standing on the threshold of
great and solemn events. Everything in our world is
in agitation. Before our eyes is fulfilling the
Saviour's prophecy of the events to precede His
coming: "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of
wars. . . . Nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be Key Text
famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in "And to you who are troubled rest
divers places." Matthew 24:6, 7. with us, when the Lord Jesus shall
be revealed from heaven with his
The present is a time of overwhelming interest to mighty angels, In flaming fire taking
all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy vengeance on them that know not
positions of trust and authority, thinking men and God, and that obey not the gospel of
women of all classes, have their attention fixed our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be
upon the events taking place about us. They are punished with everlasting
watching the strained, restless relations that exist destruction from the presence of the
among the nations. They observe the intensity that Lord, and from the glory of his
is taking possession of every earthly element, and power;" 2 Thesalonians 1:7-9
they recognize that something great and decisive is
about to take place--that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis.

Angels are now restraining the winds of strife, that they may not blow until the world shall
be warned of its coming doom; but a storm is gathering, ready to burst upon the earth;
and when God shall bid His angels loose the winds, there will be such a scene of strife as
no pen can picture.

The Bible, and the Bible only, gives a correct view of these things. Here are revealed the
great final scenes in the history of our world, events that already are casting their shadows
before, the sound of their approach causing the earth to tremble and men's hearts to fail
them for fear.

"Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside
down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. . . . They have transgressed the
laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse
devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate. . . . The mirth of tabrets
ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth." Isaiah 24:1-
18.

Key Text
"And after these things I saw four
angels standing on the four corners
of the earth, holding the four winds
of the earth, that the wind should
not blow on the earth, nor on the
sea, nor on any tree. And I saw
another angel... Saying, Hurt not
the earth, neither the sea, nor the
trees, till we have sealed the
servants of our God in their
foreheads." Revelation 7:1-3
was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place
was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down." Jeremiah 4:19, 20, 23-26.
"Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand,
and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it
come. . . . The seed is rotten under their clods, the
garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken
down; for the corn is withered. How do the beasts
groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because
they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are
made desolate." "The vine is dried up, and the fig
tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm
tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of
the field, are withered: because joy is withered
away from the sons of men." Joel 1:15-18, 12.
"I am pained at my very heart; . . . I cannot hold
my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the
sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Destruction
upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is
spoiled."
"I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form,
and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I
beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and
all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there

"Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble;
but he shall be saved out of it." Jeremiah 30:7.

"Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide
thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast." Isaiah 26:20.

"Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge,

Even the Most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee,
Neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling."
Psalm 91:9, 10.

"The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, And called the earth from the rising of the
sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence."

"He shall call to the heavens above,

And to the earth, that He may judge His
people. . . .
And the heavens shall declare His righteousness;
For God is judge Himself." Psalm 50:1-3; 50:4-6,
R.V.

"O daughter of Zion, . . . the Lord shall redeem

thee from the hand of thine enemies. Now also
many nations are gathered against thee, that say,
Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.
But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither
understand they His counsel." "Because they call
thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man
seeketh after," "I will restore health unto thee, and
I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord." "I
will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and
have mercy on his dwelling places." Micah 4: 10-12;
Key Text
"And it shall be said in that day, Lo,
this is our God; we have waited for
him, and he will save us: this is the
LORD; we have waited for him, we
will be glad and rejoice in his
salvation. " Isaiah 25:9
Jeremiah 30:17, 18.
"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God;
We have waited for Him, and He will save us:
This is the Lord; we have waited for Him,
We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."

"He will swallow up death in victory; . . . and the rebuke of His people shall He take away
from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it." Isaiah 25:9, 8.

"Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet
habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down. . . . For the Lord is our judge, the
Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king." Isaiah 33:20-22.

"With righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the
earth." Isaiah 11:4. Then will the purpose of God be fulfilled; the principles of His kingdom
will be honored by all beneath the sun.

"Violence shall no more be heard in thy land,

Wasting nor destruction within thy borders;
But thou shalt call thy walls Salvation,
And thy gates Praise."

"In righteousness shalt thou be established:

Thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not
fear: And from terror; for it shall not come near thee."
Isaiah 60:18; 54:14.

The prophets to whom these great scenes were revealed longed to understand their
import. They "inquired and searched diligently: . . . searching what, or what manner of
time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify. . . . Unto whom it was revealed,
that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported
unto you; . . . which things the angels desire to look into." 1 Peter 1:10-12.

To us who are standing on the very verge of their fulfillment, of what deep moment, what
living interest, are these delineations of the things to come--events for which, since our
first parents turned their steps from Eden, God's children have watched and waited, longed
and prayed!

At this time, before the great final crisis, as before

the world's first destruction, men are absorbed in
the pleasures and the pursuits of sense. Engrossed
with the seen and transitory, they have lost sight of
the unseen and eternal. For the things that perish
with the using, they are sacrificing imperishable
riches. Their minds need to be uplifted, their views
of life to be broadened. They need to be aroused
from the lethargy of worldly dreaming.

From the rise and fall of nations as made plain in

Key Text the pages of Holy Writ, they need to learn how
"Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, worthless is mere outward and worldly glory.
were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Babylon, with all its power and its magnificence, the
GOD, they shall deliver neither son like of which our world has never since beheld,--
nor daughter; they shall but deliver power and magnificence which to the people of that
their own souls by their day seemed so stable and enduring, --how
righteousness." Ezekiel 14:20 completely has it passed away! As "the flower of
the grass" it has perished. So perishes all that has not God for its foundation. Only that
which is bound up with His purpose and expresses His character can endure. His principles
are the only steadfast things our world knows.

It is these great truths that old and young need to learn. We need to study the working
out of God's purpose in the history of nations and in the revelation of things to come, that
we may estimate at their true value things seen and things unseen; that we may learn
what is the true aim of life; that, viewing the things of time in the light of eternity, we may
put them to their truest and noblest use. Thus, learning here the principles of His kingdom
and becoming its subjects and citizens, we may be prepared at His coming to enter with
Him into its possession.

The day is at hand. For the lessons to be learned, the work to be done, the transformation
of character to be effected, the time remaining is but too brief a span.

"Behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to
come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off. Therefore say unto them, Thus
saith the Lord God; There shall none of My words be prolonged any more, but the word
which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God." Ezekiel 12:27, 28.

Event 1 - Final Signs

Dangers of Spiritualism
The ministration of holy angels, as presented in the Scriptures, is a truth most comforting
and precious to every follower of Christ. But the Bible teaching upon this point has been
obscured and perverted by the errors of popular theology. The doctrine of natural
immortality, first borrowed from the pagan
philosophy, and in the darkness of the great
apostasy incorporated into the Christian faith, has
supplanted the truth, so plainly taught in Scripture,
that "the dead know not anything." Multitudes have
come to believe that it is spirits of the dead who are
the "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for
them who shall be heirs of salvation." And this
notwithstanding the testimony of Scripture to the
existence of heavenly angels, and their connection
with the history of man, before the death of a
human being. Key Text
"And there came two angels to
The doctrine of man's consciousness in death, Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the
especially the belief that spirits of the dead return gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them
to minister to the living, has prepared the way for rose up to meet them; and he
modern spiritualism. If the dead are admitted to the bowed himself with his face toward
presence of God and holy angels, and privileged the ground;" Genesis 19:1
with knowledge far exceeding what they before
possessed, why should they not return to the earth "Be not forgetful to entertain
to enlighten and instruct the living? If, as taught by strangers: for thereby some have
popular theologians, spirits of the dead are entertained angels unawares."
hovering about their friends on earth, why should Hebrews 13:2
they not be permitted to communicate with them,
to warn them against evil, or to comfort them in sorrow? How can those who believe in
man's consciousness in death reject what comes to them as divine light communicated by
glorified spirits? Here is a channel regarded as sacred, through which Satan works for the
accomplishment of his purposes. The fallen angels who do his bidding appear as
messengers from the spirit world. While professing to bring the living into communication
with the dead, the prince of evil exercises his bewitching influence upon their minds.

He has power to bring before men the appearance of their departed friends. The
counterfeit is perfect; the familiar look, the words, the tone, are reproduced with
marvelous distinctness. Many are comforted with the assurance that their loved ones are
enjoying the bliss of heaven, and without suspicion of danger, they give ear "to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils."

When they have been led to believe that the dead

actually return to communicate with them, Satan
causes those to appear who went into the grave
unprepared. They claim to be happy in heaven and
even to occupy exalted positions there, and thus
the error is widely taught that no difference is made
between the righteous and the wicked. The
pretended visitants from the world of spirits
sometimes utter cautions and warnings which prove
to be correct. Then, as confidence is gained, they
Key Text present doctrines that directly undermine faith in
"And when they shall say unto you, the Scriptures. With an appearance of deep interest
Seek unto them that have familiar in the well-being of their friends on earth, they
spirits, and unto wizards that peep, insinuate the most dangerous errors. The fact that
and that mutter: should not a they state some truths, and are able at times to
people seek unto their God? for the foretell future events, gives to their statements an
living to the dead? To the law and to appearance of reliability; and their false teachings
the testimony: if they speak not are accepted by the multitudes as readily, and
according to this word, it is because believed as implicitly, as if they were the most
there is no light in them. " Isaiah sacred truths of the Bible. The law of God is set
8:19-20 aside, the Spirit of grace despised, the blood of the
covenant counted an unholy thing. The spirits deny the deity of Christ and place even the
Creator on a level with themselves. Thus under a new disguise the great rebel still carries
on his warfare against God, begun in heaven and for nearly six thousand years continued
upon the earth.

Many endeavor to account for spiritual manifestations by attributing them wholly to fraud
and sleight of hand on the part of the medium. But while it is true that the results of
trickery have often been palmed off as genuine manifestations, there have been, also,
marked exhibitions of supernatural power. The mysterious rapping with which modern
spiritualism began was not the result of human trickery or cunning, but was the direct
work of evil angels, who thus introduced one of the most successful of soul-destroying
delusions. Many will be ensnared through the belief that spiritualism is a merely human
imposture; when brought face to face with manifestations which they cannot but regard as
supernatural, they will be deceived, and will be led to accept them as the great power of
God.

These persons overlook the testimony of the Scriptures concerning the wonders wrought
by Satan and his agents. It was by satanic aid that Pharaoh's magicians were enabled to
counterfeit the work of God. Paul testifies that before the second advent of Christ there will
be similar manifestations of satanic power. The coming of the Lord is to be preceded by
"the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians 2:9,10. And the apostle John,
describing the miracle-working power that will be manifested in the last days, declares:
"He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in
the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those
miracles which he had power to do." Revelation 13:13, 14. No mere impostures are here
foretold. Men are deceived by the miracles which Satan's agents have power to do, not
which they pretend to do.

The prince of darkness, who has so long bent the powers of his mastermind to the work of
deception, skillfully adapts his temptations to men of all classes and conditions. To persons
of culture and refinement he presents spiritualism
in its more refined and intellectual aspects, and
thus succeeds in drawing many into his snare. The
wisdom which spiritualism imparts is that described
by the apostle James, which "descendeth not from
above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish." James
3:15. This, however, the great deceiver conceals
when concealment will best suit his purpose. He
who could appear clothed with the brightness of the
heavenly seraphs before Christ in the wilderness of
temptation, comes to men in the most attractive
manner as an angel of light. He appeals to the Key Text
reason by the presentation of elevating themes; he "And no marvel; for Satan himself is
delights the fancy with enrapturing scenes; and he transformed into an angel of light.
enlists the affections by his eloquent portrayals of Therefore it is no great thing if his
love and charity. He excites the imagination to lofty ministers also be transformed as the
flights, leading men to take so great pride in their ministers of righteousness; whose
own wisdom that in their hearts they despise the end shall be according to their
Eternal One. That mighty being who could take the works." 2 Corinthians 11:14-15
world's Redeemer to an exceedingly high mountain
and bring before Him all the kingdoms of the earth "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get
and the glory of them, will present his temptations thee hence, Satan: for it is written,
to men in a manner to pervert the senses of all who Thou shalt worship the Lord thy
are not shielded by divine power. God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Then the devil leaveth him, and,
Satan beguiles men now as he beguiled Eve in Eden behold, angels came and ministered
by flattery, by kindling a desire to obtain forbidden unto him." Matthew 4:10-11
knowledge, by exciting ambition for self-exaltation.
It was cherishing these evils that caused his fall, and through them he aims to compass
the ruin of men. "Ye shall be as gods," he declares, "knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:5.
Spiritualism teaches "that man is the creature of progression; that it is his destiny from his
birth to progress, even to eternity, toward the Godhead." And again: "Each mind will judge
itself and not another." "The judgment will be right, because it is the judgment of self. . . .
The throne is within you." Said a spiritualistic teacher, as the "spiritual consciousness"
awoke within him: "My fellow men, all were unfallen demigods." And another declares:
"Any just and perfect being is Christ."

Thus, in place of the righteousness and perfection of the infinite God, the true object of
adoration; in place of the perfect righteousness of His law, the true standard of human
attainment, Satan has substituted the sinful, erring nature of man himself as the only
object of adoration, the only rule of judgment, or standard of character. This is progress,
not upward, but downward.

It is a law both of the intellectual and the spiritual

nature that by beholding we become changed. The
mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon
which it is allowed to dwell. It becomes assimilated
to that which it is accustomed to love and
reverence. Man will never rise higher than his
standard of purity or goodness or truth. If self is his
loftiest ideal, he will never attain to anything more
exalted. Rather, he will constantly sink lower and
lower. The grace of God alone has power to exalt
man. Left to himself, his course must inevitably be
Key Text downward.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things
are true, whatsoever things are To the self-indulgent, the pleasure-loving, the
honest, whatsoever things are just, sensual, spiritualism presents itself under a less
whatsoever things are pure, subtle disguise than to the more refined and
whatsoever things are lovely, intellectual; in its grosser forms they find that
whatsoever things are of good which is in harmony with their inclinations. Satan
report; if there be any virtue, and if studies every indication of the frailty of human
there be any praise, think on these nature, he marks the sins which each individual is
things." Philippians 4:8 inclined to commit, and then he takes care that
opportunities shall not be wanting to gratify the tendency to evil. He tempts men to excess
in that which is in itself lawful, causing them, through intemperance, to weaken physical,
mental, and moral power. He has destroyed and is destroying thousands through the
indulgence of the passions, thus brutalizing the entire nature of man. And to complete his
work, he declares, through the spirits that "true knowledge places man above all law;" that
"whatever is, is right;" that "God doth not condemn;" and that "all sins which are
committed are innocent." When the people are thus led to believe that desire is the
highest law, that liberty is license, and that man is accountable only to himself, who can
wonder that corruption and depravity teem on every hand? Multitudes eagerly accept
teachings that leave them at liberty to obey the promptings of the carnal heart. The reins
of self-control are laid upon the neck of lust, the powers of mind and soul are made
subject to the animal propensities, and Satan exultingly sweeps into his net thousands who
profess to be followers of Christ.

But none need be deceived by the lying claims of spiritualism. God has given the world
sufficient light to enable them to discover the snare. As already shown, the theory which
forms the very foundation of spiritualism is at war with the plainest statements of
Scripture. The Bible declares that the dead know not anything, that their thoughts have
perished; they have no part in anything that is done under the sun; they know nothing of
the joys or sorrows of those who were dearest to them on earth.
Furthermore, God has expressly forbidden all pretended communication with departed
spirits. In the days of the Hebrews there was a class of people who claimed, as do the
spiritualists of today, to hold communication with the dead. But the "familiar spirits," as
these visitants from other worlds were called, are declared by the Bible to be "the spirits of
devils." (Compare Numbers 25:1-3; Psalm 106:28;
I Corinthians 10:20; Revelation 16:14.) The work of
dealing with familiar spirits was pronounced an
abomination to the Lord, and was solemnly
forbidden under penalty of death. Leviticus 19:31;
20:27. The very name of witchcraft is now held in
contempt. The claim that men can hold intercourse
with evil spirits is regarded as a fable of the Dark
Ages. But spiritualism, which numbers its converts
by hundreds of thousands, yea, by millions, which
has made its way into scientific circles, which has
invaded churches, and has found favor in legislative Key Text
bodies, and even in the courts of kings-- this "Regard not them that have familiar
mammoth deception is but a revival, in a new spirits, neither seek after wizards, to
disguise, of the witchcraft condemned and be defiled by them: I am the LORD
prohibited of old. your God. " Leviticus 19:31

If there were no other evidence of the real character of spiritualism, it should be enough
for the Christian that the spirits make no difference between righteousness and sin,
between the noblest and purest of the apostles of Christ and the most corrupt of the
servants of Satan. By representing the basest of men as in heaven, and highly exalted
there, Satan says to the world: "No matter how wicked you are; no matter whether you
believe or disbelieve God and the Bible. Live as you please; heaven is your home." The
spiritualist teachers virtually declare: "Everyone that doeth evil is good in the sight of the
Lord, and He delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?" Malachi 2:17. Saith
the word of God: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for
light, and light for darkness." Isaiah 5:20.

The apostles, as personated by these lying spirits,

are made to contradict what they wrote at the
dictation of the Holy Spirit when on earth. They
deny the divine origin of the Bible, and thus tear
away the foundation of the Christian's hope and put
out the light that reveals the way to heaven. Satan
is making the world believe that the Bible is a mere
fiction, or at least a book suited to the infancy of
the race, but now to be lightly regarded, or cast
aside as obsolete. And to take the place of the word
of God he holds out spiritual manifestations. Here is
Key Text a channel wholly under his control; by this means
"As the cloud is consumed and he can make the world believe what he will. The
vanisheth away: so he that goeth Book that is to judge him and his followers he puts
down to the grave shall come up no in the shade, just where he wants it; the Saviour of
more. He shall return no more to his the world he makes to be no more than a common
house, neither shall his place know man. And as the Roman guard that watched the
him any more." Job 7:9-10 tomb of Jesus spread the lying report which the
priests and elders put into their mouths to disprove His resurrection, so do the believers in
spiritual manifestations try to make it appear that there is nothing miraculous in the
circumstances of our Saviour's life. After thus seeking to put Jesus in the background, they
call attention to their own miracles, declaring that these far exceed the works of Christ.

It is true that spiritualism is now changing its form and, veiling some of its more
objectionable features, is assuming a Christian guise. But its utterances from the platform
and the press have been before the public for many years, and in these its real character
stands revealed. These teachings cannot be denied or hidden.

Even in its present form, so far from being more worthy of toleration than formerly, it is
really a more dangerous, because a more subtle, deception. While it formerly denounced
Christ and the Bible, it now professes to accept both. But the Bible is interpreted in a
manner that is pleasing to the unrenewed heart, while its solemn and vital truths are made
of no effect. Love is dwelt upon as the chief attribute of God, but it is degraded to a weak
sentimentalism, making little distinction between good and evil. God's justice, His
denunciations of sin, the requirements of His holy law, are all kept out of sight. The people
are taught to regard the Decalogue as a dead letter. Pleasing, bewitching fables captivate
the senses and lead men to reject the Bible as the foundation of their faith. Christ is as
verily denied as before; but Satan has so blinded the eyes of the people that the deception
is not discerned.

There are few who have any just conception of the deceptive power of spiritualism and the
danger of coming under its influence. Many tamper with it merely to gratify their curiosity.
They have no real faith in it and would be filled with horror at the thought of yielding
themselves to the spirits' control. But they venture upon the forbidden ground, and the
mighty destroyer exercises his power upon them against their will. Let them once be
induced to submit their minds to his direction, and he holds them captive. It is impossible,
in their own strength, to break away from the bewitching, alluring spell. Nothing but the
power of God, granted in answer to the earnest prayer of faith, can deliver these ensnared
souls.

All who indulge sinful traits of character, or willfully cherish a known sin, are inviting the
temptations of Satan. They separate themselves from God and from the watchcare of His
angels; as the evil one presents his deceptions, they are without defense and fall an easy
prey. Those who thus place themselves in his power little realize where their course will
end. Having achieved their overthrow, the tempter will employ them as his agents to lure
others to ruin.

Says the prophet Isaiah: "When they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have
familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek
unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak
not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isaiah 8:19, 20. If men
had been willing to receive the truth so plainly stated in the Scriptures concerning the
nature of man and the state of the dead, they
would see in the claims and manifestations of
spiritualism the working of Satan with power and
signs and lying wonders. But rather than yield the
liberty so agreeable to the carnal heart, and
renounce the sins which they love, multitudes close
their eyes to the light and walk straight on,
regardless of warnings, while Satan weaves his
snares about them, and they become his prey.
"Because they received not the love of the truth,
that they might be saved," therefore "God shall
send them strong delusion, that they should believe Key Text
a lie." 2 Thessalonians 2:10, 11. "For the living know that they shall
die: but the dead know not any
Those who oppose the teachings of spiritualism are thing, neither have they any more a
assailing, not men alone, but Satan and his angels. reward; for the memory of them is
They have entered upon a contest against forgotten. Also their love, and their
principalities and powers and wicked spirits in high hatred, and their envy, is now
places. Satan will not yield one inch of ground perished; neither have they any
except as he is driven back by the power of more a portion for ever in any thing
heavenly messengers. The people of God should be that is done under the sun. "
able to meet him, as did our Saviour, with the Ecclesiastes 9:5-6
words: "It is written." Satan can quote Scripture
now as in the days of Christ, and he will pervert its teachings to sustain his delusions.
Those who would stand in this time of peril must understand for themselves the testimony
of the Scriptures.

Many will be confronted by the spirits of devils personating beloved relatives or friends and
declaring the most dangerous heresies. These visitants will appeal to our tenderest
sympathies and will work miracles to sustain their pretensions. We must be prepared to
withstand them with the Bible truth that the dead know not anything and that they who
thus appear are the spirits of devils.

Just before us is "the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them
that dwell upon the earth." Revelation 3:10. All whose faith is not firmly established upon
the word of God will be deceived and overcome. Satan "works with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness" to gain control of the children of men, and his deceptions will continually
increase. But he can gain his object only as men voluntarily yield to his temptations. Those
who are earnestly seeking a knowledge of the truth and are striving to purify their souls
through obedience, thus doing what they can to prepare for the conflict, will find, in the
God of truth, a sure defense. "Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will
keep thee" (verse 10), is the Saviour's promise. He would sooner send every angel out of
heaven to protect His people than leave one soul that trusts in Him to be overcome by
Satan.

The prophet Isaiah brings to view the fearful deception which will come upon the wicked,
causing them to count themselves secure from the judgments of God: "We have made a
covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge
shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under
falsehood have we hid ourselves." Isaiah 28:15. In the class here described are included
those who in their stubborn impenitence comfort themselves with the assurance that there
is to be no punishment for the sinner; that all mankind, it matters not how corrupt, are to
be exalted to heaven, to become as the angels of God. But still more emphatically are
those making a covenant with death and an agreement with hell, who renounce the truths
which Heaven has provided as a defense for the righteous in the day of trouble, and accept
the refuge of lies offered by Satan in its stead--the delusive pretensions of spiritualism.

Marvelous beyond expression is the blindness of the people of this generation. Thousands
reject the word of God as unworthy of belief and with eager confidence receive the
deceptions of Satan. Skeptics and scoffers denounce the bigotry of those who contend for
the faith of prophets and apostles, and they divert themselves by holding up to ridicule the
solemn declarations of the Scriptures concerning Christ and the plan of salvation, and the
retribution to be visited upon the rejecters of the truth. They affect great pity for minds so
narrow, weak, and superstitious as to acknowledge the claims of God and obey the
requirements of His law. They manifest as much assurance as if, indeed, they had made a
covenant with death and an agreement with hell-- as if they had erected an impassable,
impenetrable barrier between themselves and the vengeance of God. Nothing can arouse
their fears. So fully have they yielded to the tempter, so closely are they united with him,
and so thoroughly imbued with his spirit, that they have no power and no inclination to
break away from his snare.

Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to

Key Text
"And the serpent said unto the
woman, Ye shall not surely die: For
God doth know that in the day ye
eat thereof, then your eyes shall be
opened, and ye shall be as gods,
knowing good and evil." Genesis
3:4-5
deceive the world. The foundation of his work was
laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden: "Ye
shall not surely die." "In the day ye eat thereof,
then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as
gods, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4, 5. Little
by little he has prepared the way for his
masterpiece of deception in the development of
spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full
accomplishment of his designs; but it will be
reached in the last remnant of time. Says the
prophet: "I saw three unclean spirits like frogs; . . .
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." Revelation 16:13,
14. Except those who are kept by the power of God,
through faith in His word, the whole world will be
swept into the ranks of this delusion. The people are fast being lulled to a fatal security, to
be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of God.

Saith the Lord God: "Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the
plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow
the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement
with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall
be trodden down by it." Isaiah 28:17, 18.

Event 1 - Final Signs

Bible Verses

Watch and Pray

"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if
the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have
watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up." Matthew 24:42-43

"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man
cometh." Matthew 25:13

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak." Matthew 26:41

"Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is." Mark 13:33

"For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave
authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the
master of the house cometh, at even, or at
midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the
morning:... And what I say unto you I say unto all,
Watch." Mark 13:34-35,37

"And if he shall come in the second watch, or come

in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are
those servants." Luke 12:38

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may

be accounted worthy to escape all these things that Key Text
shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of "And what I say unto you I say unto
man." Luke 21:36 all, Watch." Mark 13:37

"Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn
every one night and day with tears." Acts 20:31

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." 1Corinthians 16:13

"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;" Colossians 4:2

"Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." 1Thessalonians
5:6

"But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full
proof of thy ministry." 2Timothy 4:5

"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your
souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for
that is unprofitable for you." Hebrews 13:17

"But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." 1Peter
4:7

"Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If
therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know
what hour I will come upon thee." Revelation 3:3

Signs of the Times

"He answered and said unto them, When it is
evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky
is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to
day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye
hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but
can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Matthew
16:2-3

"And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also

Key Text
"And 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; Men's hearts
failing them for fear, and for looking
after those things which are coming
on the earth: for the powers of
heaven shall be shaken. And then
shall they see the Son of man
coming in a cloud with power and
great glory." Luke 21:25-27
before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy
them with the earth." Genesis 6:5,12-13
in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they
drank, they married wives, they were given in
marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the
ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all."
Luke 17:26-27
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was
great in the earth, and that every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the
earth was filled with violence... And God looked
upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all
flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And
God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come

"Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they
sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained
fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day
when the Son of man is revealed." Luke 17:28-30

"But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the
house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto
Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them
out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut
the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly." Genesis 19:4-7

"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance
of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the
poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore
I took them away as I saw good." Ezekiel 16:49-50

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end:
many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Daniel 12:4

"And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake;
and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the
stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she
is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together;
and every mountain and island were moved out of their places." Revelation 6:12-14

Prophetic Understanding to Increase

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end:
many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Daniel 12:4

"Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall

he make to understand doctrine? them that are
weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon
precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little,
and there a little:" Isaiah 28:9-10

"Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried;

but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the
wicked shall understand; but the wise shall
understand." Daniel 12:10
Key Text
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that "Blessed is he that readeth, and
giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and they that hear the words of this
it shall be given him." James 1:5 prophecy, and keep those things
which are written therein: for the
"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; time is at hand." Revelation 1:3
whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a
light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your
hearts:" 2 Peter 1:19

"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as
travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thesalonians 5:2-4
"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those
things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." Revelation 1:3

Disasters Increasing
"And 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; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for
looking after those things which are coming on the
earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a
cloud with power and great glory." Luke 21:25-27

"Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. . . .

Key Text Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom
"For nation shall rise against nation, against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and
and kingdom against kingdom: and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."
there shall be earthquakes in divers Matthew 24:6-7.
places, and there shall be famines
and troubles: these are the "Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at
beginnings of sorrows." Mark 13:8 hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall
it come. Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of
our God? The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are
broken down; for the corn is withered. How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are
perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate. O
LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the
flame hath burned all the trees of the field. The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for
the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the
wilderness." Joel 1:15-20

Declining Morality
"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew
24:37

"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the
LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart...And God said
unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence
through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." Genesis 6:5-6,13

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own
lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are
ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out
of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with
water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are
kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly
men." 1 Peter 3:3-7

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from
such turn away." 2 Timothy 3:1-5

"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change
the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the
natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working
that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which
was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them
over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy,
murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful,
proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding,
covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the
judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the
same, but have pleasure in them that do them." Romans 1:26-32

Spiritualism Increasing
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" 1
Timothy 4:1

"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed

into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing
if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers
of righteousness; whose end shall be according to
their works." 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 Key Text
"For they are the spirits of devils,
"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the working miracles, which go forth
Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and unto the kings of the earth and of
shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: the whole world, to gather them to
Even him, whose coming is after the working of the battle of that great day of God
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders," Almighty." Revelation 16:14
2 Thesalonians 2:8-9

"And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth
in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those
miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on
the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword,
and did live." Revelation 13:13-14

Learn Lessons from the Past

"A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth
himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished."
Proverbs 27:12

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be;

and that which is done is that which shall be done:
and there is no new thing under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 1:9

"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and

Key Text see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good
"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for
the ways, and see, and ask for the your souls..." Jeremiah 6:16
old paths, where is the good way,
and walk therein, and ye shall find "Remember the former things of old: for I am God,
rest for your souls..." Jeremiah and there is none else; I am God, and there is none
6:16 like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and
from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I
will do all my pleasure:" Isaiah 46:9-10

"And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat
thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose
waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt
raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the
breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in." Isaiah 58:11-12

God's Promises
"Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs
of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them." Jeremiah 10:2

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for
your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear,
though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the
sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with
the swelling thereof....The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice,
the earth melted...Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in
the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and
cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am
God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:1-
3,6,8-10

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from
the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that
keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor
sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall
not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil:
he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from
this time forth, and even for evermore." Psalm 121

State of the Dead

"For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have
they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their
hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither
have they any more a portion for ever in any
thing that is done under the sun." Ecclesiastes
9:5-6

"As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away:

so he that goeth down to the grave shall come
up no more. He shall return no more to his
house, neither shall his place know him any
more." Job 7:9-10

"The dead praise not the LORD, neither any Key Text
that go down into silence." Psalm 115:17 "The dead praise not the LORD, neither
any that go down into silence." Psalm
"His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his 115:17
earth; in that very day his thoughts perish."
Psalm 146:4

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain
unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

A Soul is:
"All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt,
which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons'
wives, all the souls were threescore and six;"
Genesis 46:26

"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the
sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man;
and every living soul died in the sea." Revelation
16:3
Key Text "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the
"And the LORD God formed man of ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of
the dust of the ground, and life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7
breathed into his nostrils the breath
of life; and man became a living "The soul
soul." Genesis 2:7 that sinneth,
it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the
father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of
the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be
upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall
be upon him." Ezekiel 18:20

Key Text
"To them who by patient
continuance in well doing seek for
Immortal Soul
glory and honour and immortality,
"That thou keep this commandment without spot,
eternal life:" Romans 2:7
unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall
show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who
only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no
man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." 1 Timothy
6:14-16

"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for
ever and ever. Amen" 1 Timothy 1:17

"Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?" Job
4:17

Immortal life is a gift for the righteous - the wicked get death.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

"The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither
shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be
upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." Ezekiel 18:20

The first sermon on the immortality of the soul:

"And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:" Genesis 3:4

Immortality is a gift to be recieved in the future:

"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the
dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death,
where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:51-55

"To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and
immortality, eternal life:" Romans 2:7

"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath
abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:" 2
Timothy 1:10

Talking to the Dead

Key Text
"So Saul died for his transgression
which he committed against the
LORD, even against the word of the
LORD, which he kept not, and also
for asking counsel of one that had a
familiar spirit, to inquire of it;" 1
Chronicles 10:13
that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their
blood shall be upon them." Leviticus 20:27
"When thou art come into the land which the LORD
thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after
the abominations of those nations. There shall not
be found among you any one that maketh his son
or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that
useth divination, or an observer of times, or an
enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter
with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto
the LORD: and because of these abominations the
LORD thy God doth drive them out from before
thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
For these nations, which thou shalt possess,
hearkened unto observers of times, and unto
diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath
not suffered thee so to do." Deuteronomy 18:9-14
"A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or
"So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against
the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a
familiar spirit, to inquire of it;" 1 Chronicles 10:13

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy;
having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to
abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them
which believe and know the truth." 1 Timothy 4:1-3

"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." Revelation 16:14

Event 1 - Final Signs

A Parable Explained: The Lost Sheep

The wide-spreading tablelands on the east of Jordan afforded abundant pasturage for
flocks, and through the gorges and over the wooded hills had wandered many a lost
sheep, to be searched for and brought back by the shepherd's care. In the company about
Jesus there were shepherds, and also men who had money invested in flocks and herds.
Christ did not at this time remind His hearers of the words of Scripture. He appealed to the
witness of their own experience and all could appreciate His illustration: "What man of you,
having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the
wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?"

These souls whom you despise, said Jesus speaking

to the Pharisees and scribes, are the property of
God. By creation and by redemption they are His,
and they are of value in His sight. As the shepherd
loves his sheep, and cannot rest if even one be
missing, so, in an infinitely higher degree, does God
love every outcast soul. Men may deny the claim of
His love, they may wander from Him, they may
choose another master; yet they are God's, and He
longs to recover His own. He says, "As a shepherd
seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among Key Text
his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My "Then drew near unto him all the
sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where publicans and sinners for to hear
they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark him.
day." Eze. 34:12.
And the Pharisees and scribes
In the parable the shepherd goes out to search for murmured, saying, This man
one sheep--the very least that can be numbered. receiveth sinners, and eateth with
So if there had been but one lost soul, Christ would them.
have died for that one.
And he spake this parable unto
The sheep that has strayed from the fold is the them, saying,
most helpless of all creatures. It must be sought for
by the shepherd, for it cannot find its way back. So What man of you, having an
with the soul that has wandered away from God; he hundred sheep, if he lose one of
is as helpless as the lost sheep, and unless divine them, doth not leave the ninety and
love had come to his rescue he could never find his nine in the wilderness, and go after
way to God. that which is lost, until he find it?

The shepherd who discovers that one of his sheep is
missing does not look carelessly upon the flock that
is safely housed, and say, "I have ninety and nine,
and it will cost me too much trouble to go in search
of the straying one. Let him come back, and I will
open the door of the sheepfold, and let him in." No;
no sooner does the sheep go astray than the
shepherd is filled with grief and anxiety. He counts
and recounts the flock. When he is sure that one
sheep is lost, he slumbers not. He leaves the ninety
and nine within the fold, and goes in search of the
straying sheep. The darker and more tempestuous
the night and the more perilous the way, the
greater is the shepherd's anxiety and the more
earnest his search. He makes every effort to find
that one lost sheep.
And when he hath found it, he
layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he cometh home, he
calleth together his friends and
neighbours, saying unto them,
Rejoice with me; for I have found
my sheep which was lost.
I say unto you, that likewise joy
shall be in heaven over one sinner
that repenteth, more than over
ninety and nine just persons, which
need no repentance." Luke 15:1-7

With what relief he hears in the distance its first faint cry. Following the sound, he climbs
the steepest heights, he goes to the very edge of the precipice, at the risk of his own life.
Thus he searches, while the cry, growing fainter, tells him that his sheep is ready to die. At
last his effort is rewarded; the lost is found. Then he does not scold it because it has
caused him so much trouble. He does not drive it with a whip. He does not even try to lead
it home. In his joy he takes the trembling creature upon his shoulders; if it is bruised and
wounded, he gathers it in his arms, pressing it close to his bosom, that the warmth of his
own heart may give it life. With gratitude that his search has not been in vain, he bears it
back to the fold.

Thank God, He has presented to our imagination no picture of a sorrowful shepherd

returning without the sheep. The parable does not speak of failure but of success and joy
in the recovery. Here is the divine guarantee that not even one of the straying sheep of
God's fold is overlooked, not one is left unsuccored. Every one that will submit to be
ransomed, Christ will rescue from the pit of corruption and from the briers of sin.

Desponding soul, take courage, even though you have done wickedly. Do not think that
perhaps God will pardon your transgressions and permit you to come into His presence.
God has made the first advance. While you were in rebellion against Him, He went forth to
seek you. With the tender heart of the shepherd He left the ninety and nine and went out
into the wilderness to find that which was lost. The soul, bruised and wounded and ready
to perish, He encircles in His arms of love and joyfully bears it to the fold of safety.

It was taught by the Jews that before God's love is extended to the sinner, he must first
repent. In their view, repentance is a work by which men earn the favor of Heaven. And it
was this thought that led the Pharisees to exclaim in astonishment and anger. "This man
receiveth sinners." According to their ideas He should permit none to approach Him but
those who had repented. But in the parable of the lost sheep, Christ teaches that salvation
does not come through our seeking after God but through God's seeking after us. "There is
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of
the way." Rom. 3:11, 12. We do not repent in order that God may love us, but He reveals
to us His love in order that we may repent.

When the straying sheep is at last brought home,

the shepherd's gratitude finds expression in
melodious songs of rejoicing. He calls upon his
friends and neighbors, saying unto them, "Rejoice
with me; for I have found my sheep which was
lost." So when a wanderer is found by the great
Shepherd of the sheep, heaven and earth unite in
thanksgiving and rejoicing.

"Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that

repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just
persons, which need no repentance." You Pharisees,
said Christ, regard yourselves as the favorites of
heaven. You think yourselves secure in your own
righteousness. Know, then, that if you need no
repentance, My mission is not to you. These poor
souls who feel their poverty and sinfulness, are the
very ones whom I have come to rescue. Angels of
heaven are interested in these lost ones whom you
despise. You complain and sneer when one of these
Key Text
souls joins himself to Me; but know that angels
"I am the good shepherd: the good
rejoice, and the song of triumph rings through the
shepherd giveth his life for the
courts above.
sheep.
The rabbis had a saying that there is rejoicing in
And other sheep I have, which are
heaven when one who has sinned against God is
not of this fold: them also I must
destroyed; but Jesus taught that to God the work of
bring, and they shall hear my voice;
destruction is a strange work. That in which all
and there shall be one fold, and one
heaven delights is the restoration of God's own
shepherd." John 10:11,16
image in the souls whom He has made.

When one who has wandered far in sin seeks to return to God, he will encounter criticism
and distrust. There are those who will doubt whether his repentance is genuine, or will
whisper, "He has no stability; I do not believe that he will hold out." These persons are
doing not the work of God but the work of Satan, who is the accuser of the brethren.
Through their criticisms the wicked one hopes to discourage that soul, and to drive him
still farther from hope and from God. Let the repenting sinner contemplate the rejoicing in
heaven over the return of the one that was lost. Let him rest in the love of God and in no
case be disheartened by the scorn and suspicion of the Pharisees.

The rabbis understood Christ's parable as applying to the publicans and sinners; but it has
also a wider meaning. By the lost sheep Christ represents not only the individual sinner
but the one world that has apostatized and has been ruined by sin. This world is but an
atom in the vast dominions over which God presides, yet this little fallen world--the one
lost sheep--is more precious in His sight than are the ninety and nine that went not astray
from the fold. Christ, the loved Commander in the heavenly courts, stooped from His high
estate, laid aside the glory that He had with the Father, in order to save the one lost
world. For this He left the sinless worlds on high, the ninety and nine that loved Him, and
came to this earth, to be "wounded for our transgressions" and "bruised for our iniquities."
(Isa. 53:5.) God gave Himself in His Son that He might have the joy of receiving back the
sheep that was lost. Learn More about the Good Shepherd