PROPHETIC LATTER DAYS—OUR BEARINGS IN THE AGES—UNWISE IMPATIENCE—ISRAEL TO BE ALWAYS A NATION—HER EMPIRE—HISTORIC CAREER OF AND FUTURE OF ENGLAND, AMERICA, AND JUDAH—RELATIVE INCREASE OF POPULATION—THE INFIDEL SAXON—JEWISH, BRITISH, AND AMERICAN INTERESTS ONE—A FULL END OF ALL NATIONS BUT ISRAEL—FAMINE HENCEFORTH ONLY FOR THE HEATHEN—ARBITRATION TO BE ENFORCED BY ISRAEL—AMERICAN ABSORBTION—STARTLING FIGURES OF FUTURE POPULATION—THE BALANCE OF POWER.
“Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered; and it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.”—Hosea i. 10.
A period of time is frequently referred to in the Scriptures as being the “latter days.” It is, therefore, very important for the prophetic student, and the Church of Christ at large, that the time of days spoken of should be known. For connected with these days are a number of prophecies waiting fulfilment, and they are of such a nature that their fulfilment may easily be discerned. In breadth and scope they cover much territory and include many people. They cannot be hid in a corner, for the parts are so numerous and the interests so great. The fulfilment of these prophecies will make a radical and fundamental change in Church and State.
I take it for granted we are now entering into the time of the latter days—a time that precedes by a natural consequence the millennium. It is, therefore, unwise on the part of any person to claim that Christ may come any day, and that His millennial reign may be begun at any moment. It is but fair that we should carefully consider our bearings in the circle of Providence and our position in the ages. The story and work of redemption are grand, full of interest and thrilling incidents; still we must take things in their order. Some stories we read are very fascinating. The plot culminates, the characters and incidents converge toward and centre in the hero. At such a point we are often carried away with our sympathy for the hero; we become anxious for him, and desires to know the issues, and so are tempted to skip a few pages and get at the end unwisely and unlawfully. Thus I think many are carried away by a loving desire for the millennium; they become anxious for the return of the Hero of redemption; they skip a few pages of Providence, and come to the end too soon.