The Gospel Day Part 38

"For thus saith the Lord G.o.d; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day [sectism]. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord G.o.d. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment." Ezek. 34:11-16.

G.o.d is gathering out his own into the beautiful light of Zion. We have now reached the time when the above promise is being fulfilled by the delivering hand of G.o.d. Amid the ruins of Babel confusion the Lord has a remnant which he is gathering home to their goodly fold, in the top of the mountains of Israel.

"Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah." Isa. 1:9.

"Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that _shall be brought forth_." Ezek. 14:22.

"Have you heard the voice from heaven, Calling in a solemn tone, 'Come, my people, from confusion, This is not your native home?'

"Do you know, O ransomed brother, That we stand upon the verge, Where old time fills up his ages, And the lost will mourn his dirge?

"Yes, I heard, and to my vision Zion's glory brightly shone; Then I rose and fled the ruin, Taking not a Babel stone.

"Yes, my soul has come to Zion, On the high and holy way, And I've seen all darkness flying, Driven by the light of day.

[Now the evening light is flas.h.i.+ng, G.o.d is gathering to their home All the pure and holy remnant Waiting for the Lord to come.]

"Oh, what myriad souls are sleeping, Soon to wake in judgment-fires; Help, O G.o.d, thy remnant gleaning, Until time indeed expires."

I have cast each sectish idol To the mole and to the bat; (Isa. 2:20.) I am feeding on the mountain, And my soul is growing fat. (Ezek. 34:14.)

The Second Coming Of Christ.

When Jesus was taken up into heaven and a cloud had received him out of sight, two heavenly visitants appeared unto the men of Galilee and said, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11. Jesus went up in a cloud and he is to come again in like manner as he went up. "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory." Mark 13:26.

No one knows the exact time of his coming. "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Mat.

24:36. We can know, however, when his coming is near. "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door." Mat. 24:33. The things spoken of here by which we may know that the coming of the Lord is near, is the gathering together of G.o.d's elect from out the ruins of Babylon and the world. The work of gathering is now in rapid progress. The messengers are flying with the everlasting gospel.

Soon it will reach all nations. They are calling, "Come out of her, my people, for the hour of her judgment is come." Thus we now see the Savior's coming is near, even at the door. Even so, come, O Lord Jesus!

He sounds a warning to all to be ready. "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Mat. 24:44. What will be the condition of this world when Jesus comes? "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Mat. 24:37-39. Who is not able to fully understand this? In the end of the world wickedness and revelry shall be as it was in the days of Noah. "In the last days perilous times shall come." "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." 2 Tim. 3:13. The very deepest deceptions shall be upon the people in the time of the end. They shall be saying, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction cometh upon them.

Just before the second coming of the Savior, and while G.o.d is gathering together the scattered fold of Israel, Satan "shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog [both forms of the apostasy], to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went upon the breadth of the earth, and compa.s.sed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city [Zion]." Rev. 20:8, 9.

We are now living in the time when the sixth angel is pouring his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the waters are being dried up. The time when the unclean spirits (the state power, ecclesiastical power, and the Babylon ministry) are going out unto the whole earth to gather them to the battle of that great day of G.o.d Almighty. Rev. 16:12-14. Even at this day the state power is favorably inclined toward the beast power. The candidate for office is upheld and defends the corrupt city for advantage.

The kings of the earth are committing fornication with her. The state officials are so infatuated with her delicacies and intoxicated upon her wines that a true child of G.o.d can scarcely get a hearing of justice to-day in the courts. The prophet (ministry), church (so-called), and state, are the powers engaged in battle against G.o.d.

We are living in the time when the sixth angel is sounding. Rev. 9:13.

Soon the seventh angel will stand upon the land and sea and with hand uplifted to heaven swear by him that liveth forever and ever, that time shall be no longer. Rev. 10:5-7. That day shall not come unawares upon the children of light. They will be watching for their Lord to come, when they shall be caught up to meet him in the air and forever be with him. Amen. 1 Thes. 4:17.

What shall be the doom of the wicked when that great and notable day of the Lord shall come? "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not G.o.d, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." 2 Thes. 1:7-9.

This flaming fire in which the Lord shall be revealed from heaven is the fire that shall come down from G.o.d out of heaven and devour Gog and Magog as they are compa.s.sing the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Rev.

20:9.

Dear saint, our G.o.d is able to deliver thee. "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless." 2 Pet. 3:14. The Holy Spirit is in the world searching out and bringing to the light every one that can be persuaded to accept salvation. Soon he will have gone over the world and gleaned out every one that is disposed to serve G.o.d. The world at large will reject him. His mission will be ended. He will ascend to the Father.

Then as Christ went into heaven he will come again, taking vengeance on them that know not G.o.d, and receiving his own unto himself. Then the Savior's mission will be ended. He will turn all over to the Father, and the three shall be but one.

"Be ye therefore also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." "Prepare to meet thy G.o.d."

The Last Day.

This gospel day is the last day. There never will be another age of time.

An age-to-come teacher is branded by the Word of G.o.d and the Holy Spirit, as a false teacher. We need no other age in which to prepare for eternity.

This is the day of salvation. "Now is the accepted time." Now is the day and this is the time for us to accept Christ, and to be accepted of him.

The Word of G.o.d holds no promise to you of another day of salvation. How can man, unless he be wholly subverted, teach another age to come when so many immutable and infallible texts declare this is the last day and last time? We will quote a few texts on this subject, and that alone will convince every one that is candid.

"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him." Eph. 1:10. Are we not to understand that with this dispensation time is full? Then it will be the end, and as the seventh angel declares, "Time shall be no more."

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." 2 Tim.

3:1. These are declared to be the last days, hence there is no other day to come. Only eternity lies before us when this present time is ended.

"G.o.d, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son." Heb. 1:1, 2. Here again it is declared that the day of Christ, this Christian dispensation, is the last day, and that "there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own unG.o.dly l.u.s.ts." Jude 18.

How can you expect another time when this is declared to be the last time?

"Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you." 1 Pet. 1:20. "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers." 2 Pet. 3:3. "Little children, it is the last time." 1 John 2:18.

How does John know it is the last time? Because the antichrists that Paul says should come in the last days have come, therefore John says in the same verse, "We know that it is the last time."

Many more texts from both Testaments could be quoted, but surely the reader will not ask for any more to help him believe it is the last time.

"While false prophets are confiding In a foolish, erring dream, Of millennial enjoyments, They neglect the cleansing stream.

"O poor sinner, don't believe them, There will be no age to come; If in life you find not Jesus, Death will seal your awful doom."

Conclusion Of Part Third.

We have placed before the reader in the best manner we could, considering our limited time, the beautiful light and wonderful accomplishments of redeeming grace in the morning of this gospel day. In the apostolic period, we again repeat, the church was the light of the world. The Christians believed the whole Word of G.o.d. They taught the whole truth and no more. They lived a pure, holy life just as Jesus lived and just as the Bible declares that Christians must live. They were fully consecrated to G.o.d. They counted not their lives dear unto themselves. They forsook all to follow Jesus and lived wholly unto him. They had faith in G.o.d and power with him. They were of one heart and of one soul. They all spake the same thing. They were humble and equal. They healed the sick, cast out devils, and raised the dead in Jesus' name. Thus they were the light of the world.

Now the evening shall be as light as the morning. Man, as a Christian, shall live as pure and holy and as deeply consecrated in this evening of time as did the Christian in the morning time. At this present time G.o.d is raising up a people who believe, experience and teach the whole Word of truth. They have fled the ruins of Babylon and are proclaiming the everlasting gospel in the fear of G.o.d and the clear light of heaven. G.o.d is working with his pure and consecrated ministry, confirming the Word with signs and deeds and wonders, the same as he did with the early ministry.

There are thousands to-day who gladly bear testimony to the wonderful healing power of G.o.d. The blind have been made to see, the lame to walk; broken bones have been united, cancers removed, consumption cured. The deaf have been made to hear, the dumb to speak, and devils have been cast out. All these wonders, and many more, have been wrought in the name of the holy child Jesus in G.o.d's pure church within the last few years. G.o.d is increasing his church in faith, purity, power, and glory, and in the immediate coming years much greater things than these shall ye hear and see. Amen.