Our Lord's Great Prophecy, Part 43

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Matthew Chapter 24

VERSE 25-27 See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Having in our previous posts (Parts 22-42) expounded upon the Lord’s warnings found in Verses 24 and 25 concerning the “great signs and lying wonders”, with which this age will close, we will now precede on to our next verse, Verse 26, however we should like to mention once again that the statement made in Verse 25, viz. “See, I have told you beforehand” can be looked at from two different perspectives, one as relating to what has transpired before, particularly the events relating to the end of the Jewish age as mentioned in Verses 15-19, and/or it can relate to what is to come.

For those who wish to review Verses 23-25 once again before moving on we have provided a link which will take you back to Part 21 of our study and to those particular verses likewise at the bottom of that post a link bringing you back here.

The Sun of Righteousness Shall Arise

That great delusions, "strong delusions" by Satan, are just before us is witnessed not only by our Lord's words here, but also by the Apostle Paul. (2 Thess 2:10-12)

Had it been foretold precisely what form these deceptions would take, this would have somewhat hindered their deceptive power. God permits these deceptions for the very purpose of separating the "over-comers" from all others, and merely guarantees us that the "elect" will be kept from falling. And yet it is quite possible that some of these trials, siftings and delusions, may come closest upon those possessing the largest degree of the light of present truth.

How all-important it is that we "keep ourselves in the love of God"; that we have not only a knowledge of the truth which alone might merely puff up, but that additionally we have the spirit of Christ, which it should produce--love to God and to each other and sympathy for all men; for "love builds up" character in likeness of our Lord.

The claim, "Behold he is in the secret chamber," is already being made by Spiritualists --that they can have face-to-face interviews with the Lord at some of their séances; and that all who are in sympathy with their views may have the same privilege, etc.

What if the caution that, if it were possible, it would deceive the very elect, should be found to mean that the "very elect" will be subjected to the severest trials in this evil day? "Who shall be able to stand?" (Rev. 6:17) The answer through the Prophet is, "He that hath clean hands [an honest life] and a pure heart [a conscience void of offense toward God and man]...he shall ascend into the mountain [Kingdom] of the Lord...and stand in the holy place." Psa. 24:3, 4

But how shall God's people know assuredly that these manifestations are not genuine?

He has instructed us that his day will come as a thief in the night, that he will be PRESENT unseen by the world superintending the harvest work-- gathering his elect, etc.

How do we know that he will not manifest himself to his watching people, as so-called Christian Spiritualists claim, in the "secret apartments"--in their séances?

We know that he will not so manifest himself to us, because (1) his instructions are that we shall be "changed," made "like him," and thus "see him as he is"; and (2) he forewarned us against these deceptions which would propose to show him to us in our unchanged or flesh condition saying, "If they shall say he is in a desert place or in secret apartments, believe it not"; because in no such manner will he be manifested.

On the contrary, "As the bright-shiner [the Sun] cometh out of the East [and can neither be confined to a solitary place nor to a private room], but shines [everywhere] even unto the [remote] West, so shall the presence [Greek parousia] of the Son of Man be."

Our Lord's revelation at his second presence will not be in a room, nor to a community in a wilderness or desert place; nor even to one nation as at the first advent; but it will be a general world-wide manifestation: "The sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his beams."

It is the searching beam of truth from the great Sun of Righteousness that already causes so much confusion amongst men, by shining into the dark places and discovering error and corruption of every kind. Whatsoever doth make manifest is light. And it is the great Light of the world, Christ (and ultimately also his associated Church), that shall bless mankind by bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness; for nothing is hidden that shall not be made manifest. "The day shall declare it"; and there could be no day without the Sun shining from the East even unto the West. "This is the true light which lights [in due time] every man that cometh into the world." D581-583

Continued with next post.

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