Data publicării
15.10.1913
Volumul
34
Numărul
20
Turnul de veghe
Resume of the Ending of the Times of the Gentiles
Revistele originale Turnul de veghe în limba engleză
../literature/watchtower/1913/20/1913-20-1.html
 
 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
Thursday, 
August 
28, 
fOLlnd 
us 
at 
Kilmarnock, 
with 
twelve 
hundred 
in 
attendance 
and 
one 
hundred 
and 
eighty-two 
re­ 
quests 
for 
literature. 
Southport 
was 
reache(l 
on 
Friday, 
August 
29. 
The 
small 
hall 
available 
was 
cro\I'ded, 
somc 
standing, 
about 
six 
hundred 
in 
all. 
W 
c 
Idt 
on 
the 
night 
train 
for 
Paris, 
failing 
to 
learn 
thc 
numlJer 
of 
requests 
for 
literature. 
Sunday, 
August 
in, 
found 
us 
in 
Paris, 
France. 
Here 
we 
mct 
the 
littlc 
COIl\'cntiou 
of 
about 
scventy 
earnest, 
zealous 
1,rethl'l'n 
and 
sisters, 
sonle 
of 
\I"hom 
had 
come 
as 
much 
as 
a 
thousaJl(l 
kilometers-from 
Bclgium, 
Switzerland, 
Gcrmany, 
and 
v:lriolls 
parts 
of 
FI':lllce. 
'J'1J('y 
represented 
little 
classes 
of 
Bible 
Students, 
and 
were 
full 
of 
the 
same 
loving 
zeal 
mani­ 
J'esV,d 
alllollgst 
other 
nationalitil·s. 
The 
intelligent 
interest 
of 
these 
dear 
friends 
was 
manifest 
in 
their 
faces 
and 
manner 
and 
in 
their 
testimonies, 
although 
we 
were 
not 
able 
to 
understand 
the 
latter, 
except 
with 
our 
pyes. 
We 
addressed 
the 
little 
convention 
through 
one 
of 
the 
brethren, 
who 
acted 
as 
interpreter. 
Altogether 
we 
greatly 
enjoyeJ. 
the 
Paris 
convention. 
No 
public 
service 
was 
arranged 
for. 
We 
arrived 
back 
in 
London 
September 
2, 
attended 
to 
some 
affairs 
connected 
with 
the 
work 
thl're, 
and 
left 
for 
Liverpool 
on 
the 
3d, 
embarking 
the 
same 
day 
on 
the 
steamship 
, 
, 
Tunisian. 
' 
, 
We 
had 
a 
pleasant 
homeward 
voyage, 
with 
good 
oppor­ 
tunities 
for 
literary 
work, 
reaching 
Brooklyn 
on 
]'riday 
morn­ 
ing, 
September 
12. 
VOL. 
XXXIV 
BHOOKL 
YN, 
N. 
Y, 
OC'rOBER 
15, 
1913 
No. 
20 
RESUME 
OF 
THE 
ENDING 
OF 
THE 
TIMES 
OF 
THE 
GENTILES 
We 
thiuk 
of 
Octoher, 
1914, 
as, 
in 
rouna 
numbers, 
the 
ending 
of 
the 
Gentile 
times. 
As 
a 
matter 
of 
fact, 
however, 
the 
first 
dlly 
of 
Or,tober 
is 
not 
the 
end 
of 
the 
Jewish 
year, 
which 
varies 
at 
its 
dosing, 
just 
as 
at 
its 
]leginning. 
It 
is 
regulate 
a 
by 
the 
moon, 
instead 
of 
the 
sun. 
'fhe 
Jewish 
calendar 
can 
never 
de­ 
part 
from 
this 
fixed 
al'l'angement 
of 
regulation 
by 
the 
moon. 
The 
date 
1914 
is 
not 
an 
arbitrary 
date; 
it 
is 
merely 
what 
the 
chronology 
of 
the 
S('riptures 
sepms 
to 
teach. 
We 
have 
never 
said 
positively 
that 
the 
Scriptures 
do 
so 
teach-that 
the 
Jewish 
favor 
\1 
ill 
begin 
exactly 
at 
that 
time, 
or 
that 
the 
Gentile 
times 
will 
end 
exaely 
at 
that 
time. 
We 
say 
that 
according 
to 
the 
hest 
chronological 
reckoning 
of 
whieh 
we 
are 
capahle, 
it 
is 
approximately 
that 
time-wheth­ 
er 
it 
he 
Oetoher, 
1914, 
or 
later. 
'Without 
dogmatizing, 
we 
are 
looking 
for 
('('rtain 
events: 
(1) 
The 
termination 
of 
the 
Gentile 
times-Gentile 
supremaey 
in 
the 
world-and 
(2) 
For 
the 
in­ 
allgllr:ltion 
of 
Mcssiah's 
killp:r1om 
in 
the 
world. 
'rhe 
kingdoms 
of 
carth 
will 
r,omc 
to 
an 
end, 
and" 
the 
God 
of 
heaven 
will 
set 
lip 
a 
kingdom." 
(Daniel 
~ 
:4,1) 
The 
Sniptul'es 
do 
not 
say 
that 
the 
trouhle 
will 
('OlllC 
in 
lm 
Ilonl', 
or 
in 
one 
day, 
or 
in 
one 
year. 
']'he 
intimation 
is 
that 
the 
catastrophe 
('oming 
upon 
our 
eivilization 
will 
he 
a 
very 
sml(len 
one. 
(Revelation 
18:8, 
10, 
17, 
21; 
1 
Thessalonians 
G: 
il) 
But 
it 
will 
be 
very 
sudden 
if 
it 
eomes 
within 
twelve 
months. 
The 
flood 
I'l'{juired 
many 
days 
to 
('ome, 
alHl 
m:lTIY 
(lays 
to 
assuage. 
NOAH'S 
DAY 
SIMILAR 
TO 
THE 
PRESENT 
TIME 
Om 
t 
honght 
ill 
conncetioll 
with 
the 
inauguration 
of 
Mes­ 
siah's 
kingdom 
is 
that 
there 
is 
a 
similarity 
between 
the 
ending 
of 
"The 
\\"Orltl 
that 
then 
was," 
and 
the 
ending 
of 
this 
Gospel 
age. 
Jt 
is 
not 
0111' 
tho1lg,lIt 
that 
the 
events 
associated 
with 
the 
illauguration 
of 
11essiah's 
killg(lom 
will 
all 
be 
momentary, 
in­ 
stantmH'ous-in 
a 
litl'ra] 
hour, 
or 
day; 
rather, 
we 
are 
to 
expect 
that 
it 
is 
to 
1)(' 
a 
gTadu:tlly 
ill(',reasing 
trouble. 
It 
is 
to 
be 
a 
culmination 
of 
tJ'ouble-" 
sl!ell 
as 
never 
was 
since 
there 
was 
a 
nation. 
' 
, 
Then 
it 
will 
take 
a 
eertain 
time 
for 
the 
bringing 
in 
of 
God's 
favor-the 
peace, 
the 
hlessing. 
It 
will 
he 
sOllie 
little 
time 
be­ 
fore 
this 
peace 
\yill 
h(~ 
developed, 
as 
represented 
hy 
the 
dove's 
retnrning 
to 
the 
ark, 
unahle 
to 
find 
rest 
for 
its 
foot. 
The 
dove 
was 
ng'ain 
sent 
forth, 
and 
tlIis 
tinw 
it 
returned 
with 
an 
olive 
twig, 
indir,ating 
that 
the 
lilessing 
of 
the 
Lord 
was 
bringing 
ahout 
wgetatioll 
agaiu. 
Thlls 
Noah 
knew 
that 
the 
waters 
wpre 
eonsidcrahly 
ahated. 
"\Ve 
(10 
not 
undertake 
to 
say 
that 
the 
trouhlc 
1vill 
all 
1)(' 
on'r 
in 
a 
year; 
hut, 
with 
the 
kind 
of 
trouble 
that 
the 
Bihll' 
sel'IJIS 
to 
pidure 
to 
our 
minds, 
we 
cannot 
see 
how 
it 
r,oulrl 
!:1st 
mol'(, 
than 
a 
ycar, 
nnd 
yet 
any 
of 
mankind 
be 
left 
alivr. 
'l'hcl'(' 
would 
be 
no 
flesh 
sllwd-all 
would 
be 
destroyed. 
TIll' 
Lora 
intiul:ltes 
that 
unless 
these 
days 
be 
shortened 
such 
\voul(l 
IJC 
the 
fa 
d.-Matthew 
24: 
22. 
LIGHT 
FROM 
THE 
PROPHECY 
The 
eled 
will 
cOllstitute 
the 
kingilom 
before 
that 
time. 
On 
the 
ili 
vine 
planl' 
they 
will 
then 
lwgin 
the 
work 
of 
blessing 
and 
]"('stitution; 
allll 
this 
\Iill 
have 
the 
effert 
of 
bringing 
the 
strife 
and 
trouhl(, 
in 
the 
worl,l 
to 
an 
end. 
Thus 
the 
difficulties 
will 
1I0t 
he 
so 
proloni~'rd. 
'('he 
olive 
branch 
will 
sprout, 
the 
dove 
Idll 
find 
a 
rcsting 
place, 
and 
the 
new 
dispensation 
will 
be 
fully 
i 
naugnrate,1. 
'When 
we 
look 
through 
the 
prophedes 
relating 
to 
the 
times 
of 
the 
(il'ntiles, 
we 
fin,l 
that 
there 
arr 
two 
promises-one 
ap­ 
pertaining 
to 
the 
,Jews 
aud 
the 
otlH'r 
to 
the 
world. 
During 
this 
period 
of 
2,520 
years, 
known 
as 
the 
times 
of 
the 
Gentiles, 
the 
.1 
l'W 
\\as 
to 
havc 
more 
or 
less 
tribulation 
from 
the 
Gentiles. 
He 
was 
not 
to 
])(' 
fl'('e-he 
would 
he 
more 
or 
less 
llllller 
subjec­ 
tion 
to 
the" 
pow('rs 
that 
he." 
At 
the 
close 
of 
this 
period 
the 
ehurch 
will 
be 
glorified. 
The 
kingdom 
\yill 
not 
be 
established 
until 
that 
time. 
At 
the 
end 
of 
the. 
Gentile 
times 
Messiah 
will 
appear 
and 
set 
up 
his 
kingdom. 
Referring 
to 
the 
last 
king 
of 
Israel, 
Zedekiah, 
we 
read, 
"Thou 
profane, 
and 
wicked 
prince 
of 
Israel, 
whose 
day 
is 
come, 
when 
iniquity 
shall 
have 
an 
end; 
thus 
saith 
the 
Lord 
God, 
Re­ 
move 
the 
diadem 
and 
take 
off 
the 
crown; 
... 
I 
will 
overturn, 
overturn, 
overturn 
it; 
and 
it 
shall 
be 
no 
more, 
until 
he 
eome 
whose 
right 
it 
is; 
and 
I 
will 
give 
it 
to 
him." 
(Ezekiel 
21:25­ 
27) 
If 
this 
period 
of 
overturning 
be 
rightly 
understood 
to 
be 
2,520 
years, 
it 
would 
seem 
to 
end 
with 
the 
second 
coming 
of 
Christ 
and 
the 
setting 
up 
of 
his 
kingdom. 
The 
Gentile 
suprem­ 
acy 
was 
to 
pass 
from 
nation 
to 
nation 
until 
the 
time 
of 
the 
establishment 
of 
Messiah's 
kingdom. 
That 
would 
prove 
that 
the 
treading 
down 
of 
Jerusalem 
would 
then 
cease-it 
would 
not 
r,ontinue 
after 
the 
end 
of 
these 
Gentile 
times. 
The 
lease, 
or 
permit, 
to 
govern 
the 
world 
was 
given 
to 
the 
Gentiles 
at 
the 
time 
it 
was 
taken 
away 
from 
the 
.Jews 
in 
the 
days 
of 
Zedekiah-606 
B. 
C. 
And 
during 
the 
2,520 
years 
in 
which 
the 
J 
e\vs 
were 
to 
have 
no 
government 
of 
their 
own, 
the 
Gentiles 
were 
to 
have 
the 
privilege 
of 
maintaining 
such 
govern­ 
ments 
as 
they 
could. 
One 
nation 
after 
another 
has 
tried 
to 
gov­ 
ern 
the 
world-first 
the 
Babylonian, 
then 
the 
Medo-Persian, 
then 
the 
Grecian, 
then 
the 
Roman-including 
Papal 
Rorne­ 
whieh 
was 
the 
fourth 
to 
attempt 
universal 
empire. 
We 
are 
waiting 
for 
the 
time 
to 
come 
when 
the 
government 
of 
the 
world 
1yill 
be 
turned 
over 
to 
Messiah. 
We 
cannot 
say 
that 
it 
may 
not 
be 
either 
October, 
1914, 
or 
Odober 
1915. 
It 
is 
pos­ 
sible 
that 
1ve 
might 
be 
out 
of 
the 
correct 
rer,koning 
on 
the 
sub­ 
ject 
a 
numher 
of 
years. 
We 
cannot 
say 
with 
certainty. 
We 
do 
not 
know. 
It 
is 
a 
matter 
of 
faith, 
and 
not 
of 
knowledge. 
"We 
walk 
by 
faith, 
not 
by 
sight." 
"STRONG 
MAN" 
MUST 
BE 
PUT 
OUT 
But 
when 
these 
Gentile 
times 
expire, 
we 
are 
not 
to 
expect 
that 
the 
transfer 
will 
come 
as 
a 
flash 
of 
lightning. 
For 
in­ 
stance, 
ahout 
May 
1, 
when 
it 
is 
moving 
day 
here 
in 
New 
York, 
the 
one 
whose 
lease 
has 
expired 
is 
to 
move 
out. 
Then 
the 
new 
tenant 
will 
move 
in. 
This 
requires 
a 
little 
time. 
So 
it 
will 
be 
with 
the 
great 
change 
now 
imminent. 
He 
who 
bought 
the 
world 
is 
going 
to 
take 
possession. 
The 
kingdoms 
of 
this 
world 
are 
going 
to 
move 
out. 
In 
the 
world, 
when 
moving 
day 
has 
arrived, 
some 
may 
say, 
It 
is 
time 
now 
to 
move. 
And 
they 
may 
move 
out 
in 
the 
morning 
of 
May 
1. 
Some 
may 
have 
moved 
on 
the 
day 
previous. 
And 
there 
are 
some 
who 
may 
stay 
in 
until 
noon 
of 
the 
day 
of 
the 
expiration 
of 
the 
lease. 
Others, 
brazen 
in 
the 
matter, 
will 
say, 
This 
moving 
makes 
us 
a 
lot 
of 
trouble; 
and 
they 
make 
a 
great 
deal 
of 
fuss 
about 
moving; 
and 
when 
they 
go, 
they 
leave 
the 
house 
in 
bad 
order. 
We 
rather 
think 
it 
will 
be 
so 
at 
the 
close 
of 
the 
Gentile 
lease 
of 
power. 
The 
putting 
out 
will 
not 
be 
done 
before 
the 
expira­ 
tion 
of 
the 
lease. 
Suppose 
you 
were 
a 
landlord 
and 
your 
tenant 
were 
upstairs, 
and 
should 
refuse 
to 
get 
out. 
What 
would 
be 
done 
g 
You 
would 
have 
to 
get 
an 
officer 
to 
put 
him 
out. 
So 
the 
offircr 
comes 
and 
puts 
him 
out, 
and 
sets 
all 
his 
things 
in 
the 
street. 
We 
think 
such 
a 
procedure 
is 
a 
picture 
of 
how 
the 
"prinr,e 
of 
the 
world," 
being 
slow 
to 
move 
out, 
will 
be 
put 
ont-that 
he 
will 
have 
to 
be 
bound 
hand 
and 
foot. 
(Matthew 
12:29) 
We 
think 
there 
is 
going 
to 
be 
a 
great 
deal 
of 
trouble. 
But 
we 
shall 
know 
fully 
a 
little 
later. 
"I 
will 
overturn, 
overturn, 
overturn 
it, 
... 
until 
he 
comes 
\yhose 
right 
it 
is, 
and 
I 
will 
give 
it 
him." 
(Ezekiel 
21 
:27) 
The 
new 
King 
will 
not 
set 
up 
his 
kingdom 
in 
a 
minute 
or 
an 
hour 
or 
a 
day. 
He 
has 
already 
come, 
and 
will 
take 
possession 
in 
due 
time. 
He 
is 
getting 
rC'ady 
to 
take 
the 
house, 
and 
its 
present 
occupant 
is 
not 
quite 
sure 
as 
to 
whether 
he 
has 
to 
go 
[5328] 
(303-307) Thursday, August 28, found us at Kilmarnock, with twelve hundred in attendance and one hundred and eighty-two requests for literature. Southport was reached on Friday, August 29. The small hall available was crowded, some standing, about six hundred in all. We left on the night train for Paris, failing to learn the number of requests for literature. Sunday, August 81, found us in Paris, France. Here we met the little Convention of about seventy earnest, zealous brethren and sisters, some of whom had come as much as a thousand kilometers—from Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and various parts of Franec. ‘They represented little classes of Bible Students, and were full of the same loving zeal manifested amongst other nationalities. Vou. XX XLV RESUME OF THE ENDING OF We think of October, 1914, as, in round numbers, the ending of the Gentile times. As a matter of fact, however, the first day of October is not the end of the Jewish year, which varies at its closing, just as at its beginning. It is regulated by the moon, instead of the sun. The Jewish calendar can never depart from this fixed arrangement of regulation by the moon. The date 1914 is not an arbitrary date; it is merely what the chronology of the Scriptures seems to teach. We have never said positively that the Seriptures do so teach—that the Jewish favor will begin exactly at that time, or that the Gentile times will end exacly at that time. We say that according to the best chronological reckoning of which we are capable, it is approximately that time—whether it be Octoher, 1914, or later. Without dogmatizing, we are looking for ecrtain events: (1) The termination of the Gentile times—Centile supremacy in the world—and (2) For the inauguration of Messiah’s kingdom in the world. The kingdoms of earth will come to an end, and ‘‘the God of heaven will set up a kingdom.’? (Daniel 2:44) The Scriptures do not say that the trouble will eome in an hour, or in one day, or in one year. The intimation is that the catastrophe coming upon our civilization will he a very sudden one. (Revelation 18:8, 10, 17, 21; 1 Thessalonians 5:3) But it will be very sudden if it comes within twelve months. The flood required many days to come, and many days to assuage. NOAH’S DAY SIMILAR TO THE PRESENT TIME Our thought in connection with the inauguration of Messiah’s kingdom is that there is a similarity between the ending of ‘‘The world that then was,’’ and the ending of this Gospel age. It js not our thought that the events associated with the inauguration of Messiah’s kingdom will all be momentary, instantancous—in a Hteral hour, or day; rather, we are to expect that it is to be a gradually increasing trouble. It is to be a culmination of trouble—‘‘such as never was since there was a nation.’’ Then it will take a certain time for the bringing in of God’s favor—the peace, the blessing. It will be some little time before this peace will be developed, as represented by the dove’s returning to the ark, unable to find rest for its foot. The dove was again sent forth, and this time it returned with an olive twig, indicating that the blessing of the Lord was bringing about vegetation again. Thus Noah knew that the waters were considerably abated. We do not undertake to say that the trouble will all be over in a year; but, with the kind of trouble that the Bible seenis to picture to our minds, we cannot see how it could last more than a year, and yet any of mankind be left alive. There would be no flesh saved—all would be destroyed. The Lord intimates that unless these days be shortened such would be the faet.—Matthew 24:22. LIGHT FROM THE PROPHECY The elect will constitute the kingdom before that time. On the divine plane they will then begin the work of blessing and restitution; and this will have the effect of bringing the strife and trouble in the world to an end. Thus the difficulties will not be so prolonged. The olive branch will sprout, the dove will find a resting place, and the new dispensation will be fully inaugurated. When we look through the prophecies relating to the times of the Gentiles, we find that there are two promises—one appertaining to the Jews and the other to the world. During this period of 2,520 years, known as the times of the Gentiles, the Jew was to have more or less tribulation from the Gentiles. He was not to be free—he would be more or less under subjection to the ‘‘powers that be.’’ At the close of this period the chureh will be glorified. The kingdom will not be established THE WATCH TOWER BROOKLYN, N. Y. Brooxtyn, N. Y. The intelligent interest of these dear friends was manifest in their faces and manner and in their testimonies, although we were not able to understand the latter, except with our eyes. We addressed the little convention through one of the brethren, who acted as interpreter. Altogether we greatly enjoyed the Paris convention. No publie service was arranged for. We arrived back in London September 2, attended to some affairs connected with the work there, and left for Liverpool on the 38d, embarking the same day on the steamship ‘<Tunisian.’’ We had a pleasant homeward voyage, with good opportunities for literary work, reaching Brooklyn on Friday morning, September 12. OCTOBER 15, 1913 THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES until that time. At the end of the Gentile times Messiah will appear and set up his kingdom. Referring to the last king of Israel, Zedekiah, we read, ‘*Thou profane, and wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end; thus saith the Lord God, Remove the diadem and take off the crown; ... I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it to him.’’ (Ezekiel 21:2527) If this period of overturning be rightly understood to be 2,520 years, it would seem to end with the second coming of Christ and the setting up of his kingdom. The Gentile supremacy was to pass from nation to nation until the time of the establishment of Messiah’s kingdom. That would prove that the treading down of Jerusalem would then cease—it would not continue after the end of these Gentile times. The lease, or permit, to govern the world was given to the Gentiles at the time it was taken away from the Jews in the days of Zedckiah—606 B. C. And during the 2,520 years in which the Jews were to have no government of their own, the Gentiles were to have the privilege of maintaining such governments as they could. One nation after another has tried to govern the world—first the Babylonian, then the Medo-Persian, then the Grecian, then the Roman—including Papal Rome— which was the fourth to attempt universal empire. We are waiting for the time to come when the government of the world will be turned over to Messiah. We cannot say that it may not be either October, 1914, or October 1915. It is possible that we might be out of the correct reckoning on the subject a number of years. We cannot say with certainty. We do not know. It is a matter of faith, and not of knowledge. ‘‘We walk by faith, not by sight.’’ ‘STRONG MAN’’ MUST BE PUT OUT But when these Gentile times expire, we are not to expect that the transfer will come as a flash of lightning. For instance, about May 1, when it is moving day here in New York, the one whose lease has expired is to move out. Then the new tenant will move in. This requires a little time. So it will be with the great change now imminent. He who bought the world is going to take possession. The kingdoms of this world are going to move out. In the world, when moving day has arrived, some may say, It is time now to move. And they may move out in the morning of May 1. Some may have moved on the day previous. And there are some who may stay in until noon of the day of the expiration of the lease. Others, brazen in the matter, will say, This moving makes us a lot of trouble; and they make a great deal of fuss about moving; and when they go, they leave the house in bad order. We rather think it will be so at the close of the Gentile lease of power. The putting out will not be done before the expiration of the lease. Suppose you were a landlord and your tenant were upstairs, and should refuse to get out. What would be done? You would have to get an officer to put him out. So the officer comes and puts him out, and sets all his things in the street. We think such a procedure is a picture of how the ‘‘nrinee of the world,’’ being slow to move out, will be put out—that he will have to be bound hand and foot. (Matthew 12:29) We think there is going to be a great deal of trouble. But we shall know fully a little later. “¢T will overturn, overturn, overturn it, . .. until he comes whose right it is, and I will give it him.’’ (Ezekiel 21:27) The new King will not set up his kingdom in a minute or an hour or a day. He has already come, and will take possession in due time. He is getting ready to take the house, and its present occupant is not quite sure as to whether he has to go No. 20 [5328]

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