XXVI. THE TIME OF THE END

In the 12^th chapter of Daniel, we find the prophetic chain, covering both the typical and spiritual dispensations, summarized into a compendium; it winds up into a synopsis, as it were, and sums up the revelations and their chronologies. It also maps the final result of the prophetic unfoldings, and for that special development it sets apart a certain period of time which is called, "the time of the end."

Daniel, one of the captive Jews in Babylon, was anxiously looking for the time when a perfect restoration of the people of Jehovah, their sanctuary, their city and their kingly power would take place; hence, the Lord used him as an instrumentality through which the two dispensation preceding the establishment of the kingdom of God should be revealed. Therefore it was very difficult for Daniel to understand the revelations. He asked now and then: When shall this or that occur? After the revealing angel had led him onward, step by step, down the stream of time to the very closing up of the times of the Gentiles, he tells him of "the time of the end" and declares that at that time Michael, the great Prince, shall stand up in the time of trouble then prevailing on theearth, as a deliverer of Daniel's people. Then Daniel was told to shut up the words and to seal the book until the time of the end.

"The time of the end" is set apart as the time when the prophetic book is to be opened and understood. And why not before? Simply because the Babylonian power, which is revealed by the prophecy, should continue unlimited up to that period. The captivity includes the two houses, Israel and Judah. The Jews turned back to their land at the end of the seventy years, but the house of Israel did not. Finally the house of Judah was again scattered among the nations. They remain in such a condition until the closing up of the time of the end.

Thus, the certain prophetic period set apart for the winding up of the great work of God preparatory to the setting up of his kingdom is called "the time of the end." If we follow up the prophetic times set forth in connection with the prophetic movement, we shall be able to locate the beginning of that period. It hangs together with the movements carried out under the preceding covenant. There are two chronolgical chains to follow in order to find the time of the end.

• The first is the one of the 2,300 evenings and mornings in Dan. 8: 13, 14, 26.

• That period began at the time the kingly command went forth to the Jews, then captives in the kingdom of Babylon, to return and rebuild the city of Jerusalem. (456 B. C.)

• To that time, the angel added seventy years. (Chap. 9: 24, 25.)

• Thus, the whole length of that period is 2370 years.

• Beginning at 456 B. C.,

• this period ended in 1914;

• because 456 subtracted from 2370 leaves 1914.

The other period, which began at the time King Nebuchadnezzar conquered the Jews: namely, in the year 606 B. C. and which consists of 2520 years called in Dan. 4: 16, 23, 32 "seven times," also ended in the year 1914;

• because 606 subtracted from 2520 leaves 1914.

• Thus, both of these long prophetic periods ended the same year that the World War broke out. From this time, we reckon "the time of the end."

That year, when the war-trumpet sounded twelve proclamations of war, marks the time for the fulfillment of the following prophecy:

"Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest." (Jer. 30: 23, 24; 31: 1, 2.)

The fulfillment of this prophecy is connected with the great day of Jacob, when he will be delivered from his long servitude among the nations. That long day is divided up into two parts, consisting of seven years each, which threw their shadows in Egypt at the time Joseph arose and served as governor over the bread-house there. (See Gen. 41: 17-30.)

The prophecy concerning the great war, called "the whirlwind of the Lord," shows that it will not stop until the children of Israel are brought into a state of wilderness: but then the great change will come. Babylon, with its great red dragon, will then perish, and the people of God will be established in an everlasting kingdom.

This long stretch of prophetic vision was very hard for Daniel to understand; hence, he asked about it again. He says:

"And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, 0 my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end."

This plainly proves that the prophetic words should be closed up and sealed until the time of the end. No one can comprehend or unfold the prophetic light before that time. This accounts for the many failures in the past on the part of those who have attempted to dissolve the mysteries.