LECTURE LXXXII.

AWFUL DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM -WATCHFULNESS ENJOINED.

MARK Xiii. 24-32.

24. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25. And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the that are in heaven shall be shaken.

powers

26. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

27. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

Under the image of the failing of the sun and moon, and the shaking of the powers of heaven, the total destruction of Jerusalem is foretold, and the removal of the Divine presence from that rebellious city. The Lord adopts the language of the ancient prophets concerning the overthrow of Babylon and Egypt, as if to denote that the ruin of Jerusalem would be no less terrible than that of her former enemies. Isaiah had written concerning the fall of Babylon, "Then the stars of heaven, and the constellations thereof, shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine." And so Ezekiel

1 Isa. xiii. JO.

2

concerning Egypt: "When I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark: I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord God." Hitherto, the sun had shone upon Jerusalem with a brightness elsewhere unknown; the light of revelation had given its inhabitants a knowledge of God, and instructed them in his will. But now the sun should be darkened, and the moon should not give her light; the law in which they made their boast was superseded; the "oracles of God" were no longer committed to their single care. They should see the truth of Christ's word confirmed; they should see the Son of man coming in clouds of vengeance to "burn up the city" which would not have him to reign over it; and they shall see him coming, not only in the power of a conqueror, but in the glory of a king, to rule over a willing people who hear and obey his word. He shall send his angels, his apostles and evangelists, who shall gather from the uttermost parts of the earth, "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people," redeemed from iniquity, zealous of good works, and waiting for a heavenly kingdom.

All this should happen at the appointed time. They were to expect it, when they saw the first appearance of the signs which he had revealed, as the leaves put forth from the tender branch betoken the approach And many of that generation, many

of summer.

2 Exek. xxxii. 7, 8.

living when these words were uttered, should survive to witness their truth. So it proved: within forty years the temple was destroyed, the city was laid waste, the people perished, or were carried off as captives the law ceased to be observed; and they who had been aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and "without God in the world," were gathered into a holy catholic church, " built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." "

28. Now learn a parable of the fig-tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:

when ye

29. So ye in like manner, shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

31. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

32. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

The apostles had naturally desired to ask when these events would take place. What would be "the time of his coming, and of the end of the world ?" 4

But of that day and hour God did not see fit to make precise revelation. It is among "the secret things which belong to the Lord our God:" which knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. The Son, as a prophet, knoweth it not among the things which

3 Eph. ii. 20.

4 Supra v. 4; Matt. xxiv. 3.

he is to declare to mankind. As "God, and with God from the beginning," he is a partaker of the Father's counsels, and nothing is hidden from him. But as the Son of man, he knoweth not "the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power," and does not reveal to the world. He does not disclose to men what it is not important for men to know; much less what ought rather to be concealed from them. The apostles combined in their thoughts the destruction of Jerusalem, and "the end of the world." The Lord allowed his language to be so interpreted, nay, used language which, while it described the fearful signs which should accompany that destruction, might not improperly be applied to that future season, when "the day of the Lord shall come, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat:"5 when the sun shall be darkened for ever, and the moon shall no longer "cause her light to shine."

But although the Lord concealed the day and hour, either when the judgment should fall upon Jerusalem, or when all mankind shall be summoned to their great account, there are two things which he earnestly inculcated. First, the certainty of the event; and next, the necessity of being prepared for its arrival. Heaven and earth, he says, shall pass away. We believe that they will: and that God hath prepared "a new heaven and a new earth" for those that are found faithful, and "endure unto the end." But my words, he adds, shall not pass away. All shall be fulfilled that I have foretold.

2 Pet. iii. 10.

Thus far it has so proved. "Nation did rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there were earthquakes in divers places, and famines and troubles; these were the beginnings of sorrows."6 In the midst of these national commotions, the gospel made its silent way; was "published among all nations so that a single one of the apostles is represented as having almost throughout all Asia turned away much people" from the vain traditions which they had received from their fathers, and brought them "to serve the living and true God, through Jesus Christ whom he had sent." Meanwhile, the Roman army, the abomination of the Jews, did encompass the holy city; afflictions followed, such as "had not been from the beginning of the creation:" and in the end, Jerusalem was "trodden down of the Gentiles," and so complete was the overthrow that "not one stone was left upon another."

Thus his words did not pass away, till all were

fulfilled.

There are other words which he has left for our instruction, who live in these later times. He has foretold a time (though the day and hour knoweth no man) when "the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, and shall sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be gathered all nations." These words shall not pass away and we may here also take example from what happened at Jerusalem. The Christians, warned by the Lord's word's, "fled into the moun

6

Supra, v. 8.

6 Matt. xxv. 31.

7 Acts xix. 26.