November, 1938
369
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
There is no mistaking the meaning of these words. The ten kings come “out of” the fourth “beast” empire. That empire was Rome. Neither Germany nor Russia is in view in these passages. The pro phetic picture calls for the revival of the Roman Empire in the final form of ten king doms within her ancient boundaries, form ing a mighty confederation and giving all their power to a dictator over them all. Here is wisdom for Germany’s Fuehrer. His partnership with Mussolini, it seems clear to us, shall bring him naught. There is not room enough in Europe for two Caesars! Let it be added here that we are not say ing that Mussolini is the Antichrist. W e say only that, should the church be taken out of the world today in accordance with 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 (cf. 2 Thess. 2: 7, 8 ), Mussolini would stand before the world as the most likely candidate for that position. For further evidence of Hitler’s unsuit ability for the actual role of the Antichrist, listen to the news in the morning paper. The headline blares: “NAZI MOB RAIDS CARDINAL PALACE” “C rowds S cream ‘K ill A ll the P riests ’ ” The Nazis, it begins to be evident, will not furnish Satan with the "beast” who shall rule the ten kings. That “beast” when he shall appear, comes on the scene with a “woman . . . arrayed in . . . scarlet” (Rev. 17:3, 4) astride—dominating him and di recting him—until he comes to the zenith of his power through the alliance of the ten kings. Ecclesiasticism thus is not to have her priests persecuted and killed by the “beast” during the time he is advancing to his power. The German dictator is not the beast. Here is more news from your morning paper: “ITALY EXPECTS CLOSER ACCORD” “B etter R elations with B ritain S een ” Certainly! The German leader unknowingly is accomplishing the purposes of God: he is driving Mussolini into “better relations” with France and England. He is compel ling the unloving “kings” of the old Roman Empire, in its reviving form, to “make love” to each other. He is forcing the alliance of the “ten kings” that must be. [Continued on page 398]
"And the king shall do according to his will . . . and shall prosper till the indigna tion be accomplished" (Dan. 11:36). The willful, godless king “shall pros per”! We may not like it. We do not like it. But it is written. And that which is written must come to pass. Therefore, when we see the spirit of tyranny riding roughshod over the nations—when we see weakness in the democracies that in centu ries past have been the protectors of the weak—we see only that which must be. The only silver lining in the dark clouds of despotism, hatred, oppression, cruelty, coercion, and inquisition that now roll over Europe is seen in the fact that “the Lord [who] hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet” (Nahum 1 :3 )— that Lord shall come riding upon those clouds! “He plants His footsteps on the sea, And rides upon the storm.” Manifestation of the Spirit of Antichrist “And the king . . . shall exalt himself . . . and shall speak marvelous things " . (Dan. 11:36). "All the world wondered after the beast . . . saying. W ho is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things . . . and he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God . . . And it was given unto him to make war with the saints [i.e., the Jews] and to overcome them" (Rev. 13:3-7). Read every word of that again. Review your newspapers of the past few weeks. Then deny, if you honestly can, that the spirit of Antichrist is on the march over Europe and over the whole world. Keep this in mind: The spirit of Antichrist is now impregnating the nations. Its final embodi ment in the flesh will be revealed in God’s time—we believe, soon! Interpreting Current Events Biblically "And the ten horns out o f this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise" (Dan. 7:24). "And the ten horns . . . are ten kings . . . These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast" (Rev. 17:12, 13).
There is no record that a single voice of protest was lifted, nor that a single plea for a bit of mercy for Israel was considered at this conference of four rulers of Europe. The blood-besprinkled anti-Semitic forces of Central Europe now ride the saddle un opposed. Armed hate knocks at every door back of which a Jew huddles in tears and agony. Could he find some exit from which he could slip away from the ravishers, it would only be an exit—to what? To where? As we see it, fulfilled to its last jot and tittle is the ancient prophecy: “And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee: and thou shalt fear day . and night, and shalt have none assur-w! ance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see” (Deut. 28:65-67). Know not the nations that more than twenty-seven centuries ago, the prophets foretold that anti-Semitism would be the direct cause of the mobilization for Arma geddon, and the judgment of the nations? Hear it: "I will gather all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehosha- phat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel"! Holding the lives of the seed of Abraham so utterly cheap, they “have given a [Jewish] boy for a har lot, and sold a [Jewish] girl for wine, that they might drink . . . [Therefore] Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen [R. V., ‘nations’] . . . Mul titudes, multitudes in the valley of de cision . . . The Lord also shall roar out of Zion . . . the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel . . . Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a deso late wilderness, for the violence against the children o f Judah, . . . But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation” (cf. Joel 3 ). Enthronement of Force "In his estate shall he honor the God [R. V., 'god'] o f forces [R. V., ‘fortresses’] ” (Dan. 11:38). We do not believe, and therefore we do not say, that Adolf Hitler will ever prove to be the man energized by Satan to per form the work of the Antichrist in the time of the end. W e are looking in another direction—to the area which composed the original Roman Empire—for the coming of that man. But, we do say that Adolf Hitler is an outstanding embodiment of the spirit of Antichrist that is even now in the world. Judged by his activities, Hitler honors only the god of force. Europe has torn up her treaties. She has confidence in no man’s word. She laughs at promises. She no longer keeps, nor expects any one else to keep, covenants. "The god of forces” reigns! Yet according to God’s Word, this condition is only temporary.
• When Mussolini signed the peace pact framed at the Munich four-pow er conference, his action was one of profound in terest to stu d e n ts of prophecy. Who won at Munich? There are dif fe rin g o p in ion s, but God's W o r d indicates what nat i on will ulti ma t e l y c ont r ol the w orld . (International News Photo)
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