THE GREAT TIME OF TROUBLE
“For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:22)
“…Watchman what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said the morning cometh, and also the night…” (Isa 21:12)
“The Morning comes"–of that there is no doubt–“and also the night“–the dark night of distress described by Daniel as “a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.” (Dan 12:1)
“The watchman said, the morning comes“, and though, while making this answer, he forewarns us of night, he also assures us of the morning. There is a morning, says he, therefore do not give way to faintness of spirit; but there is a night between, therefore take warning, that you may not be surprised nor dismayed, as if the promise were broken, or some strange thing allowed to befall you.
There may be delay, he intimates, before the morning–a dark delay, for which we should be prepared. During this he calls for watchfulness, for the length of the night is hidden, the time of daybreak is uncertain. We must be on the outlook, with our eyes fixed on the eastern hills (towards the sun’s risings).
We have nothing wherewith to measure the hours, save the sorrows of the church and the failing of hearts.”
“The clouds (troubles) are even yet gathering and men’s hearts are beginning to fail for fear of the approaching storm–“for fear of those things that are coming on the Earth.” Soon it will break in all its fury. But though it fills all hearts with fear and dread, in its final results, it will prove a great blessing to the earth (mankind), displacing the present order of things, the “powers of the Air” (“powers of darkness,”—spiritual wickedness in high-controlling-places, and giving place to the “new earth”, the new order and, its rightful ruler–Jesus and his Bride, also spiritual beings, powers of the air.) So then after the storm shall the “Sun of righteousness rise with healing in his wings,” and the kingdom of darkness shall give place to the kingdom of light and mankind will rejoice in the pure air and cloudless sunlight of that perfect day.”
Nevertheless, it is the duty of the watchman on the walls of Zion to declare the whole counsel of God the bitter (the dark night) as well as the sweet (the millennial dawn).
And so it is that we hold back nothing and speak of the dark night coming and of the rise of the beast, which is also to “come again”. For this we must turn to:
Habakkuk’s Prophecy
The Book of Habakkuk was most likely written during the reign of King Jehoiakim roughly 15 to 20 years before the invasion and destruction of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in 606 B.C.
The name “Habakkuk” means “wrestle, wrestling”—hence the mental and moral struggle presented in Habakkuk’s prophecy. Other commentaries imply that the Hebrew name is derived from the verb habaq, “embrace.” Thus his name probably means “One who Embraces” or “Clings” And so it was that the Prophet Habakkuk chose to cling firmly to God regardless of what was transpiring at the time.
Now of course in the type the Prophet was writing about the condition of things in his day, prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, but in the antitype these things apply to conditions as they soon will be in our day, as seen through the eyes of THE GREAT COMPANY CLASS, some of which are even now becoming manifest.
Therefore, by extension, the Book of Habakkuk pertains to the mental and moral struggle or condition of the Great Company (who cling firmly to God regardless of what is to transpire), a righteously inclined class who will experience severe difficulties once the Little Flock is off the earthly scene, and they enter the great time of trouble.
We will begin with Verse 1 in our next post.
