MOSES AND ELIJAH.

DISCOURSE XII.

MORE ABOUT THE TWO WITNESSES-MORMONISM-G.o.d RULING AMONG THE NATIONS-CAREER OF THE TWO WITNESSES-ANTI-CHRIST-THE THRONE AND HOUSE OF DAVID.

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever."-Rev. ii. 15.

Last Sabbath evening we called your attention to two special witnesses who are at a given time to appear at Jerusalem for a specific purpose.

At the time of their appearance Anti-Christ will be reigning with great power and pomp. He will have succeeded in persuading the Jews and many others that he is the promised Jewish Messiah; this claim he will be able to sustain and confirm in the eyes of the mult.i.tude, from the very fact that he will, to all appearance, work miracles. Nor need we query that such a thing can take place. Look at some of the facts of our own day, and see how pliable human nature is. There are millions of people who sincerely believe that Leo XIII. is G.o.d's vicegerent, and that he is infallible. Take into account the Mormonism of this day, and see how terrible a thing in the name of Christianity can be established and maintained. Aye, in the nineteenth century, and in the United States of America. Or look in upon the Spiritualists and consider their claims and pretensions. Thousands upon thousands of them are persuaded that they are _en rapport_ with heaven and in communication with spirits and spirit-land. Then you will not be surprised at the pretensions, claims, and success of Anti-Christ. In our calm and unprejudiced consideration of these organisations, we are bound to admit that they have done more, and owe more for their success, to deception and error, than to truth and openness. Each in its turn has been caught in the act of deceiving, and has been frequently exposed, but of what avail? Truly but little. We do not mean that in these systems there is no good, for surely there is, but that the errors and deceptions are of so glaring a kind, that we wonder that anybody of common sense can be so easily led astray.

With these facts before us, can we wonder any longer that Anti-Christ shall be so successful? The very occasion and peculiar times and incidents of the reign of Anti-Christ will call for some special manifestations on the part of the Divine One that shall soberly and clearly confront the hollow and hypocritical pretensions of that age.

Hence the appearance of the two witnesses-Moses the Ancient of Days, and Elijah the Tishbite, who will look like the Son of G.o.d.

Allow us to submit further evidence in proof that the two witnesses of John in Rev. xi. are none other than Moses and Elijah: for many pa.s.sages of Holy Writ are sealed to the understanding till we comprehend who the two witnesses are, their mission and work. We will notice the attributive features of these witnesses as they are related by John in this chapter-that is, Rev. xi.

In the first place, there are two persons or individualities; this appears plainly from the tenor of the whole record. They are spoken of as "they, them, their mouth, their feet, as dying and being resurrected."

But, strange to say, after all this plainness of speech, men have become so accustomed to spiritualise and generalise that Anti-Christ stood for Rome, and naturally enough, having generalised Anti-Christ, they must do the same with the two witnesses; hence they found them in the Churches of the Waldenses and Albigenses. In such an interpretation nearly all the attributive features of these witnesses are ignored. Such as that they had power to work miracles, to lie unburied in the streets of Jerusalem for three days and a half. Some have laboured to prove that the Old and New Testaments were these witnesses, others that they were symbolised by the law and Gospel. Again, some that the two sacraments, baptism and the Lord's supper, were these two witnesses, and so on almost without end.

These instances will suffice for our present purpose; for surely any of you reading G.o.d's own Word need not so blunder.

In the second place, Jesus calls them His two witnesses. Now, in what sense were they His? for such they are now. Not that they will be His when they appear, but they will appear to oppose Anti-Christ at Jerusalem because they are sent. The prophets are all witnesses; for, as Peter says, "To Him give all the prophets witness." The apostles were witnesses, and all believers are witnesses for Jesus; yet these two are so in a special and pre-eminent sense. Let any one read the account of the transfiguration of Jesus and the circ.u.mstances attendant thereon, and all will be plain. Moses and Elias (another spelling for Elijah) we find were present, as well as Peter, James, and John. When Christ was transfigured, "Behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias" (Matt, xvii. 3). These two persons talked with Jesus, "and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem." Thus, then, they were special witnesses for Christ, and so they will come again and witness for Him in the time appointed.

The number of days we must take in a literal sense; here the 1,260 days and 3 days are the days appointed for their work and death. It is well to remember that many of the prophetic numbers contain a double prophecy.

Thus 1,260 here may be coincident with the treading down of Jerusalem by Mahommedanism. But whether it is or not, does not vitiate the literal quant.i.ty when applied to these two witnesses. In the third place, they are called two olive trees and two candlesticks standing before the G.o.d of the whole earth. The figurative meaning will be found by finding some pa.s.sage where two trees are mentioned in the interpretation given-such a pa.s.sage by Zechariah iv. Here the prophet saw two olive trees and asked of the angel the meaning; and the angel said, "Knowest thou not what these be?" And I said, "No, my Lord." Then said he, "_These are two anointed ones_ that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." The simple meaning is, that the two olive trees mean two persons, who are in heaven at present, but are anointed-that is, set apart, selected for some distinct work for G.o.d.

Moses and Elijah evidently were anointed and specially selected, for it is probable they both escaped death. The wonder connected with the disappearance of Moses and the translation of Elijah now finds some measure of explanation. None doubt the translation of Elijah. John the Baptist was not Elias, except he was to go before Christ in the spirit and power of Elias; in this sense John stood for Elias. John the Baptist prepared the way of Christ the first time, so will Elias for Christ's second coming. The record of Moses's departure from this world is as mysterious as it is dramatic. But, certainly, neither the mysterious nor the dramatic have any meaning excepting we allow something Divinely special. To die as other people, would mean nothing on the line of specialities; but he did not so die. He went from the people alive; no one saw him die or dead. He went up into Mount h.o.r.eb and never returned.

So, so far as the people were concerned, he was to them a dead man, for he went from them no more to return. The word death in Hebrew has not less than six meanings, one of which is simply to disappear. This is the meaning that we must attach to the death of Moses. Neither his grave nor body have ever been found.

There is a peculiar pa.s.sage in the book of Jude where "Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee." Now, Satan then had power over death in some way Divinely permitted. Paul says (Heb. ii. 14), speaking of Christ, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him _that had the power of death_-that is, the devil." When G.o.d was translating Moses, pa.s.sing him by death, Satan fought with Michael, who was G.o.d's messenger, to inflict the sting of death on Moses, and although Michael carried Moses on by death into the presence of G.o.d, Satan durst not bring a railing accusation against him.

Jude, in his epistle, probably quoted from one of the now lost books of Revelation, which was ent.i.tled, "The Ascension or a.s.sumption of Moses the servant of G.o.d." The Church father, Origen, makes mention of this work, but, like the book and prophecies of Enoch, from which Jude makes a quotation, it has been lost, they having served their purpose. The fairest and most generous interpretation, then, is, that Moses did not die the ordinary death, but disappeared, was, in fact, translated, anointed, and set apart for a special work in connection with his own people, the Jews, in the days of the coming Anti-Christ. Thus, without any trouble, he could appear with Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration.

And it is worthy of note that before he disappeared in h.o.r.eb-the sacred writer is mindful to tell us "Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died-_his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated_" (Deut.

xxiv. 7). But, supposing Moses died naturally, there is nothing unreasonable or irregular in concluding that G.o.d resurrected him as a mortal for future use. True, he will die again as a witness; so there are in heaven now eight persons who have died twice in this world-namely:

The child raised by Elijah (1 Kings xvii. 21).

The child of Elisha (2 Kings iv. 35).

The Moabite soldier who came to life on touching the bones of Elisha (2 Kings xiii. 21).

The daughter of Jairus (Luke viii. 55).

The widow's son at Nain (Luke vii. 15).

Lazarus of Bethany (John xi. 44).

Dorcas or Tabitha by Peter (Acts ix. 40).

Eutychus by Paul (Acts xx. 10).

Anti-Christ will be a great electrician; electricity by that time will be a fearful power in the hands of science. Edison with his genius and marvellous discoveries, and others of like gifts, will have perfected the use of this agent in a wonderful degree. Anti-Christ will make use of this power to cower his enemies and bring them in fear-subjection. He will bring fire down from heaven. The two witnesses, however, will be clothed with Divine power; they will be able to bring fire by a simple command-this they both understood and used when on earth.

Moses called fire down upon the 250 rebellious Korahthites, as we read in Numbers xvi. Ahab, the King of Israel, thought to punish and compel the obedience of Elijah; but G.o.d gave fire from heaven in answer to the prophet's prayer. So when Ahaziah sent a captain and fifty men to bring Elijah into the king's presence, they found him sitting on the top of a hill and commanded him to come down. "And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of G.o.d, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty" (2 Kings i. 10). Thus will these two anointed ones be able to contend with Anti-Christ and all the powers of scientific infidels. "If any man hurt these two witnesses, by the very means used so shall they be killed."

"These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy, and have power over waters to turn them to blood." To whom would these gifts and attributes apply better than to Elijah, who in the days of the wicked King Ahab sealed the heavens against rain for three years and a half? and to Moses, who, when contending with Pharaoh, turned the sweet flowing Nile into a stream of blood? What two prophets had such a wide range of prophetic energy and liberty as Moses and Elijah?

None. Well may the Revelator say, then, of them, that they can smite the earth with all manner of plagues as often as they will.

By awful and sublime manifestations the world shall see that G.o.d rules in the heaven and on the earth. They shall learn that Anti-Christ is a false Christ. Then shall fear and repentance fall upon the people. The Jews shall be convinced, and converted, and persuaded by the appearance of their beloved Moses. They shall know of a truth that the Messiah has been, and is waiting to come again. Referring to that time the prophet Zechariah calls it a time of trembling, the time of a terrible siege.

But he tells us that "The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the House of David, and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, do not magnify themselves against Judah." Thus we learn that the Jews, who have been so long despised and bereft of a king, country, and government, shall see through the great mystery of Providence first.

The House of David is found in the royal family of England. The Jews, seeing this, will invite, in concert with all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the English Government to take charge of their affairs.

"Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselves one _head_" (Hosea i. 2). The Jews will then be Christians. "For they shall look upon Him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son."

At this time the whole world will be amazed and confounded at the destruction of Anti-Christ and his host. The Jews, the House of David, and the Lost Tribes, Israel, the Saxons, will hold a council in Jerusalem. David's house, which G.o.d selected, and throne, both of which the Almighty promised perpetuity to, shall be found and recognised in the English throne and royal family. The Saxon race shall distinctively appear as long-lost Israel. So that the Jews, and David's House, and Israel, will unite and acknowledge Christ as Lord and Master. They will make known to America, who stands for Mana.s.seh, and all the colonies, the decision of the said council; all parties will see, and accept, and federate for the world's conquest and peace.

This federation of the ancient people, the literal seed of Abraham, will cause jealousies and alliances on the part or rest of the world, excepting some portions of France, Austria, and Prussia. The beast, dragon, and Anti-Christ's force, that will survive the shock of the two witnesses, will all unite for an onslaught upon England, but especially Palestine. Russia, though nominally Christian, will join the beast or Romish Church. The dragon means the Pagan portion of the world. Thus will be inaugurated the battle of Armageddon, the issues of which we are permitted to know through Revelation. Then will the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ.

With many, and to many, these things are but as dreams; they are chimerical. But one thing is certain: the history of the Church and Providence in the future are appallingly grand. Providence was grand in leading forth His people of old from Egypt. But He will be no less grand when He shall set His hand a second time to recover His people as He has promised to do.

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness." (That is, the ruler of G.o.d's choice-a king, then, in fact, by Divine right.) "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the House of Israel out of the North country, and from all countries whither I had driven them, and they shall dwell in their own land" (Jer. xxiii. 68).

G.o.d has now one of the seed of David on the throne, and He has a Jew doing her bidding, executing her decrees over and for Israel. For though Israel were to be numerous and powerful, yet to David's seed belongs the throne.

The recent Congress was but a forerunner of the one yet to come. The crownless king, Disraeli, who forced the Congress, is, perhaps, an unconscious instrument in the hands of Providence. But whether he be or not, he is hastening on the day with lightning speed. Forth from the recent Congress he goes, having once again linked the destinies of England to the Continent, which has been so strangely severed, till Russia, Italy, Austria, France, and Spain might each test the other, and each find their appointed place. Now, again, England pledges herself a Continental Power-nay, more-an Asiatic Power. She will come forth from the Congress the virtual ruler of Turkey, the owner of Palestine.

BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.

DISCOURSE XIII.

THE COMBATANTS ON BOTH SIDES-WHO "THE KINGS OF THE EAST" ARE-THE GREAT NAPOLEONIC IDEA-DISRAELI, LINCOLN AND GRANT-ENGLAND'S POLICY IN TURKEY-FUTURE WARS AND INTRIGUES-THE GREAT BATTLE-FIELD-GATHERING OF THE NATIONS-EARTHQUAKES-JERUSALEM A SEAPORT.

"And He gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."-Rev. xvi. 16.

Christian students and prophetic writers are generally agreed on three things touching this great event. First, that there is to be such a decisive battle fought. Second, that it will take place in some part of Palestine. Third, that this great struggle will be final, the end of war, the beginning of the Millennium morn.

In the Scriptures the contestants are pointed out, as they rally under the standards of the _dragon_, the beast, and _Anti-Christ_ on one side, and on the other, under the standard of David, will be the _called_, the _chosen_, and the _faithful_; or, in other words, the Ten Lost Tribes as found chiefly in the Saxon race, with all who sincerely believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

In another sermon we pointed out to you the plain fact of the existence of David's throne and David's seed as found and seen specially in the throne of England. We there see how faithfully G.o.d has kept His promise to David and His people. For G.o.d frequently told David that his throne should be established unto all generations, and of David's seed there should never be wanting a man to sit thereon. It is the permanence, the grandeur, and progressive character of this throne and people that make it a fitting type of Christ and His Church. Nay, more, it is on this throne that Christ now sits, so far as this world goes; and it is through this people that He reigns, and He will and must reign until He has conquered a universal peace. It is a delusion too long entertained by the Church to think that David's throne and seed have not now, nor for centuries had, an existence. It is a delusion that we should not entertain for a moment to think that the Ten Tribes of Israel are lost for ever, or that their work or mission is fulfilled. As surely as the Two Tribes, Judah and Levi, now exist, fulfilling and filling in the outlines of prophetic history, so surely are Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Mana.s.seh in existence, answering the purpose of an all-seeing Providence.

Who are the kings of the East spoken of in the Scriptures? We answer, They are the royal ones of the House of David. The word king, both in Hebrew and Greek, means such. This seed G.o.d chose, and made them royal by that very selection. They have been away from their own land, Palestine, wandering and dwelling in the West. But G.o.d in Providence is preparing a way for their return. In connection with the pouring out of the sixth vial upon the great river of the Euphrates, or upon Turkey, as most writers agree, the waters are to dry up-that is, Turkey is to decay, to be absorbed. And why? "That the way of the kings of the East might be prepared" (Rev. xvi. 12).

These kings have been away from the East, and their return is a.s.sured, and the preparation for such return is to be seen at this time and in connection with the decay of Turkey. If Turkey, as symbolised by the river Euphrates, is drying up, then these kings must be advancing Eastward; and so they are.

The crownless king, Disraeli, who, like many other men G.o.d has raised up, is for these times an index finger pointing out the way of Providence.

He is a receptive agent of Divine force, to the intent that he may interpret a Divine purpose. He may know, or he may not know, that he is so directed of heaven. The prophets of old were seldom permitted to interpret or understand their own prophecies. If they asked, like Daniel, the meaning, they were told to "go their way," for oftentimes the words were "closed up and sealed until the time of the end." No wonder this man, against all England nearly, and to the amazement of all the world, proclaims the Queen of England the Empress of India, for the way of the kings of the East must be prepared.

Napoleon Bonoparte's grand idea was to prepare the way of the kings of the East and make himself and his descendants these kings. "Conquer England and the world is ours," he said. But when his secret and well-prepared a.s.sault on England was revealed and frustrated by a chain of providential events, he hit upon another plan to get possession of Palestine. Seventy years ago he invited all the leading Jews of the world to a secret council in Paris; he wished them to aid him in getting possession of Palestine. He pretended to want their return. He gave them certain privileges and laboured to procure more from the other nations; he did much for the Jews in enlarging their liberties and taking away from them the curse of society. The one idea that is distinctly Napoleonic, is to possess Palestine. The late Napoleon had his idea, and in his day this idea had become a part of France; so much so, that France thought herself to be then and now the real protector of Palestine. It was for this idea that she allied with England and Turkey in the Crimean war. It was to keep Russia back from possessing the holy places. Not till France was weakened could England advance on her way East rapidly; so Germany was used to destroy her prestige and cause her to stand aside till England proceeds on her way homeward.

It was a comely sight, some five years ago, to see two Jews closeted together making a secret bargain-one had power, the other had money. The man of power asked the man of money to lend him twenty million dollars; it was done. At once the man of power purchases with this twenty millions part of his fatherland back again-the Suez Ca.n.a.l. This very ca.n.a.l is on the boundary of the land of Palestine as given to Abraham centuries ago. By this very route the old patriarch entered the Promised Land. It was fitting, indeed, that this should be the first piece purchased back. No one knew save those directly interested. England murmured and France protested, but the thing was done. Poor France, bleeding and divided, could do but little; for Disraeli and Rothschild had done the work. The way of the kings of the East must be prepared.

So on they go. A man who executes a Divine purpose is always strong.