der the personal supervision of Christ will witness to the nations as origin ally they were called to do. In the fifth place, the millennium will be a time of tremendous joy, the curse removed even from the land, the des erts blossoming like the rose and even the animal kingdom freed from ferocity. Best of all, the glory of God will fill the earth. Where sin abounded, grace will much more abound. It is a period to look for ward to. THE MOON Q, Do the prophecies which relate to the moon have their fulfillment in the recent attempts to reach the moon — man’s invasion of space ? I am thinking of S c r ip tu r e s like: “And the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come” (Joel 2:31). Does this mean that a warfare mil be car ried on in the planets, bringing bloodshed? A . I do not consider that there is any connection between Joel’s proph ecy and the present moon project. This prediction, and many similar ones in the prophets Isaiah, Jere miah and Ezekiel have to do with the signs that will usher in the great tribulation. I do not believe this “blood” refers to human bloodshed in war but rather to the kind of phe nomena that appeared in the days of Moses — plagues of blood and dark ness, preceding God’s judgment upon Egypt as recorded in Exodus. TIMES OF THE GENTILES Q. I know you must be asked this question many times but when did “ the times of the Gentiles” actually begin? When will they end? A. When Nebuchadnezzar took the Israelites into captivity they began. They have continued to the present day and will be ended by the return of Christ.
that strange expression in Matthew 24:15: “ abomination of desolation” ? A . We have answered this question many times but perhaps some of our readers have missed it. It means something very definite to a Jew. Matthew here is quoting Daniel who made reference to this image of the beast, or the antichrist, which will be set up in “ the holy place” during the tribulation period. It will be an idol, certainly, but an image of the antichrist himself. It has been for centuries the practice of dictators to set up images of themselves as did Nebuchadnezzar and Mussolini. The last great world ruler will do the same thing and this will make it clear to Israel of that day that anti christ is the false Messiah. I f that period were not shortened to 3% years (which is the time the last part of the tribulation will last) no flesh would be saved. What a period in the world’s history! (Matt. 24:21- 22 ). THE M ILLENN IUM Q. Please teU me what the millennial reign of Christ will be like. I know that for centuries men, even non- Christians, have believed in a golden age. A. The millennium will not be like the Utopia which men have imagined but will be a thousand years of right eous rule and peace. We need to read a large part of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and the Psalms in order to get the full pic ture. It will be quite different from the world today. Can you imagine a universe in which Christ is Lord and King, when every knee must bow to Him, and acknowledge Him as Rul er? The first thing we note about the millennium is that Christ will be sovereign. The second characteristic is that sin will be put down. Nothing that can hurt or destroy will be al lowed. A third thing is that Jerusa lem will be the capital city to which all nations will bring tribute and honor. Fourthly, redeemed Israel un
SIGN'S OF CHRIST'S COMING Q. I f we do not know when the Lord will return, what is meant by the signs of His coming? A . This is a very good question. The signs refer to the revelation, rather than to the rapture, but since only seven years elapse between the two events, what are signs of one are shadows of the other. The signs are often called fig tree and weather signs from Matthew 24:32-33 and 16:2-3, which read as follows: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree: When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” ; “ He an swered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather; for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and low- ring. 0 ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye dis cern the signs of the times?” Such signs as the apostasy, the return of Israel to Palestine, the rise of Russia and Red China, and the ecumenical movements not only characterize the last days, but are present in the world today, as “ shadows” of that which is to come. After the Lord takes His church, there will be speedy, full-fledged development of the religious and political movements which have their beginnings in our time. I think this is what Jesus meant when He said: “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 2:28). The next to the last verse in the Bible deals with His return: “ He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20). ABOM INATION OF DESOLATION Q. Please explain what is meant by
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