The Redeemer's Return

S>~JHIS book is designed mainly for those who are be-Ff ginners in the study of prophetie and dispensational INSS43 ) truth, though should it fall into the hands of those who are “looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ” and who have, perhaps for years, been giving earnest heed to the “more sure Word of prophecy,” we trust that it will afford meat in due season and stimulate praise to God for the marvelous and blessed prospect which His Word sets before us.

Many books have already appeared before the public presenting in clear and Seriptural language the various aspects of the subject of our Lord’s Return, and we hesitated long before we decided to add one more to the number. The different chapters in this volume have been given by the writer in sermon and lecture form to numerous audiences both in this country and in England, and it is only the repeated requests of many of those who have heard these addresses which has caused us to now set them down in writing, so that they may be preserved in a more permanent form and obtain a still wider hearing. They are sent forth with the prayer that the God of all grace will condescend to use them in blessing to His dear people and in the conversion of lost sinners even more widely than in their oral delivery.

While it is true that many books which treat of the Redeemer’s Return have been issued and widely circulated, yet, there are still great numbers of the Lord’s people who know next to noth- - ing about this precious theme. Notwithstanding the fact that the Second Coming of Christ occupies a prominent place in the Holy Seriptures, nothwithstanding the fact that this subject is a most practical one having, as it does, some bearing on every phase of our present and future life, and notwithstanding that it is calculated to awaken a deep interest in “things to come” and lead to definite heart-searching, nevertheless, the vast majority of our pulpits entirely ignore the subject and in consequence great numbers of our church-members are in almost total ignorance concerning those things which God’s Word declares will shortly come to pass. It is with the earnest desire to reach a few of these that this book has been prepared and is now sent forth.

We wish it to be clearly understood that there is nothing in these pages except that which we have ourselves first received. We lay no claim at all to originality. We have read diligently many works on prophetic themes and have sought to “prove all things” and to “hold fast that which is good.” It is impossible for us now to do more than make this general acknowledgment of our indebtedness to other students of the Word. We have gleaned in many fields, gathering a fragrant flower here and there, and all that we now attempt is to arrange these in simple form, leaving our readers to admire the products of the labors of others into which we have entered.

He Redeemer’s Return! Here is a theme which in this oF day is regarded by many well-meaning people as an ideal

of visionaries or as the pet hobby of certain cranks. So

grievously has the study of Prophecy been ignored, so little place is given in the modern pulpit to the exposition of eschatology, and so generally is the daily reading of the Bible neglected by those in the pew, that it is an easy matter to persuade the average church-goer that the subject of the Second Coming of Christ is impractical and one that had better be left alone. Moreover, this subject has suffered so grievously at the hands of those who are the enemies of the Cross, that many Christiais“have been prejudiced against it. Satan has not been slow to avail himself of the wild and unscriptural teaching of such men as Irving and Joseph Smith, and more recently, Dowie and Pastor (?) Russell; nay, he has employed them to cast reproach on those who do seek to search and interpret the Prophetic Seriptures. Yet, notwithstanding, it is the imperative duty of every believer to seriously and prayerfully examine the Seriptures for himself and see what the Word of God has to say about Coming Events. In that Word we are plainly warned that in the “last days” (of this age) there should arise those who ridicule and mock at the very doctrine of which we are now speaking (see 2 Pet. 3:3,4). Therefore we need not be surprised if we hear and read of those who seek to cast reproach upon this blessed theme; instead, as the Dispensation draws to a close, we should expect just what we now hear and see on every side.

The Redeemer’s Return! Is there anything that can be compared with this momentous and stupendous prospect? Excepting the Cross of Calvary, the greatest event of all in the past history of the world was the Advent of God’s Son to our earth. The Divine Incarnation was the theme of Old Testament prophecy. The very first promise ever given to fallen man was that the woman’s Seed should come and bruise the Serpent’s head (Gen.

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3:15). When the Divine revelation was committed to writing, numerous passages recorded the promised descent. of God’s Son to this earth. The prophets of Israel made known the fact that the Comirig One was to be of the stock of Abraham and a lineal descendant of David, and thus for fifteen centuries the Hope of Israel was the Messianic Hope. And, when the fullness of time was come God sent forth His Son born of a woman.

It is impossible for us to fully estimate the tremendous im-. portance of the first Advent of Christ to this earth, The Divine Inearnation is without a parallel in the annals of the human race. -Heaven itself was stirred at the miraculous birth of the God-Man. Unto the angels wasentrusted-the-honorous commission of announcing the birth of the Savieur. Heathendom was affected, the-good-news-being”Gonveyed to Chaldea by means of a mysterious “star” which heralded the birth of the King of the Jews. The Coming of Christ to this world changed its chronology, for all civilized time is now by common consent dated from the Bethlehem manger. As the result of the first Advent a new era was inaugurated, a new prospect was set before the sons of men, the door of mercy was flung wide open, and command was given that the glad tidings should be made known to every creature.

But wondrous and blessed as was the first Advent of our Lord in many respects, His Second Coming will be even more

omentous. At His first appearing He was here in weakness and humiliation, but at His second He shall come in power and glory. When He was heré before He was “despised.and rejected. of-men,” but when He comes back again every knee shall bow

, before Him and every tongue confess His Lordship. When He was here before He paid tribute to Casar, but when He returns He shall reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. When He was here before His personal ministry was confined to the land

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