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T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
May 1932
C 0 reseni - CDay Suljillmeni q/PRQPHECY B y L ouis S. B aum an 3 Abounding Lawlessness
translated by our English word “ lawlessness.” The word is so translated in 1 John 3 :4, in the Revised Version. Yes, even in apostolic times, “ the mystery of lawless ness” began to work. But during the centuries since, there has been “ one that restraineth,” and will continue to re strain “until he be taken out o f the way” (2 Thess. 2 :7, R .V .). He will “ be taken out of the way” with the trans lation of the church which is His body (1 Cor. 6:19). The wonder-working Spirit came into the world at Pente cost, and has ever since restrained the power of Satan. When once He is “ taken out of the way,” “ then shall be re vealed the lawless one” (2 Thess. 2:8, R. V .), even “ the man of sin, the son of perdition” (2 Thess. 2 :3 ), “whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to naught by the manifestation of his coming” (2 Thess. 2:8, R. V .). Let the church once be removed, and instantly the pres ent seething mass of lawlessness will become a world-wide conflagration that will call for the coming of “ the lawless one”— lawless even by dire necessity! He will ruthlessly thrust aside all the laws within the constitutional govern ments of men, knowing no law save the law o f his own will (Dan. 11:36). By lawlessness, he will seek to curb lawlessness, endeavoring to save civilization from utter destruction. Ruskin was right, when he said, “ A nation once utterly corrupt can only be redeemed by a m ilita ry despotism—never by talking, nor by its free effort.” The lawlessness of dictators is only too well known in this tempestuous age of ours. Even thus will come to the
tartlingly significant events aré the order of the day. At every sunrise, we rush to the porch and fling open the morning paper to read either the fulfillments or the pro gress of the fulfillments of great prophecies made two mil lenniums and more ago by inspired men of God. Blind indeed must be the man who cannot see that a Gentile sunset is taking place back of dark and ominous clouds, and who is unaware of the approach of a brief but terrible night of world agony. But how consoling it is to the chil dren of God, in that they know the awful night will pass quickly with the rising of the glorious “ Sun of righteous ness with healing in his wings” (Mai. 4 :2 ). O f all the indisputable indications that this age is end ing exactly as the unfailing Wprd of God foretells, two signs stand forth with such prominence that they cannot be ignored. The first of these is the stirring of the “ bones” of “ the whole house o f Israel” (Ezek. 37 :1-14). The sec ond is the abounding lawlessness of our day. We speak now of the latter. Even in apostolic days, it was written, “ The mystery of | lawlessness doth already work” (2 Thess. 2:7, R. V .). The j fermentation that then did “already work” has become a } seething mass of no less size than the whole earth. Every where men are out to walk in ways of their own hearts and in the sight o f their own eyes, seemingly oblivious to the fact “ that for all these things, God will bring them into judgment” (Eccl. 11:9). Without the slightest
compunction o f con science, they trample upon the will of God as it is plainly revealed in His enduringWord. And they are but little kinder to the laws they make for themselves. Unless words have no meaning, exactly such an estate among the sons of men will bring our age to a close with appalling suddenness. The Mas ter foretold it: “ And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold . . . and then shall the end come” (Matt. 24: 12, 14). These words came in answer to the question, “ Tell us, .... what shall be the sign o f thy coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matt. 24 :3 ). T h e word “ iniquity,” used in the reply o f our Lord, is even better
world its lawless “ sav iour,” the pretender who shall precede the One who is the Sav- iour indeed. "in UNDAMENTALLY, lawlessness, a n d nothing less, is the dis ease of the whole world today. The na tions seem to be grip ped with a nameless fear. Statesmen, econ omists, editors, and scientists inform us that fear is the one great cause back of the present “ depression.” Well, Jesus Himself said that just before “ they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory,” men will be “ fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world” (Lk. 21:26, R. V .). But why fear? Why, save for lawlessness?
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