The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

to be serene--until the great social explosion described in the Revelation as an earthquake
will take place. In symbolic language an earthquake signifies social revolution, and the
Scriptural declaration is that none like it ever before occurred. (Rev. 16:18,19.) See our
Lord's reference to it in Matt. 24:21."
Events that have occurred since this exposition was given, and especially those transpiring
in the world at the present time, all show that this forecast is most reasonable and causes
us to have a strong conviction that we are very near the great crisis in human affairs, the
great battle of Armageddon that will complete this vision. Let us note further:
"'And they gathered them together into that place which is called in Hebrew
Armageddon.' (Ver. 16.) Armageddon means Mount of Destruction; and this describes
what will be the result of this doctrine. It will unite all these systems in one cause as
against the masses of the people and their liberties, and the result will be the total
destruction of all those erroneous systems of church and state. They shall fall.
"The fifteenth verse is abruptly thrown in as a parenthesis. It reads literally thus: 'Lo, I
come as a thief! Blessed the one watching and keeping the garments of himself; so that not
naked he may walk, and they see the shame of him.' This is very significant. It declares
that at the time when this evil doctrine will be apparently uniting all upon the side of law
and order--upon the side of kings and clergy--our Lord will then be present, but secretly
and unknown except to the watching ones. Only those who are truly His and watching in
the light of His Word will not be deceived by this impure teaching, but will realize His
presence and the necessity of the foretold fall of all these things, because the rightful King
is present to remove these out of the way of His Kingdom.
"The position of this declaration--thrown in disconnectedly--is significant. It teaches that
our Lord will be present before the impure teaching begins to gather them to their
destruction."
It will be profitable to the Lord's consecrated ones to know what Mr. Russell's thought was
concerning the attitude or position the saints should assume when this great battle is fully
introduced:
"The Lord's saints are not to be in this battle at all. God's consecrated people, longing at
heart for Messiah's Kingdom and the glorious year of Jubilee and Restitution which it will
inaugurate, will patiently abide the Lord's time, and wait unmurmuringly for it. Their
lamps trimmed and burning, they will not be in darkness respecting the momentous
events of the impending battle; but they will be of good courage, knowing the outcome
portrayed in the 'more sure word of prophecy,' to which they have done well to 'take heed,
as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the Day dawn.'--2 Pet. 1:19. . . .
"The attitude of the people of God should be that of great thankfulness to the Giver of
every good. They should make provision for the great storm that is coming and keep very
quiet, not unduly interested in the side of either rich or poor. We know in advance that the
Lord is on the side of the people. He it is that will fight the Armageddon Battle, and His