THE COMBATANTS ON BOTH SIDES—WHO “THE KINGS OF THE EAST” ARE—THE GREAT NAPOLEONIC IDEA—DISRAELI, LINCOLN AND GRANT—ENGLAND’S POLICY IN TURKEY—FUTURE WARS AND INTRIGUES—THE GREAT BATTLE-FIELD—GATHERING OF THE NATIONS—EARTHQUAKES—JERUSALEM A SEAPORT.

“And He gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”—Rev. xvi. 16.

Christian students and prophetic writers are generally agreed on three things touching this great event. First, that there is to be such a decisive battle fought. Second, that it will take place in some part of Palestine. Third, that this great struggle will be final, the end of war, the beginning of the Millennium morn.

In the Scriptures the contestants are pointed out, as they rally under the standards of the dragon, the beast, and Anti-Christ on one side, and on the other, under the standard of David, will be the called, the chosen, and the faithful; or, in other words, the Ten Lost Tribes as found chiefly in the Saxon race, with all who sincerely believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

In another sermon we pointed out to you the plain fact of the existence of David’s throne and David’s seed as found and seen specially in the throne of England. We there see how faithfully God has kept His promise to David and His people. For God frequently told David that his throne should be established unto all generations, and of David’s seed there should never be wanting a man to sit thereon. It is the permanence, the grandeur, and progressive character of this throne and people that make it a fitting type of Christ and His Church. Nay, more, it is on this throne that Christ now sits, so far as this world goes; and it is through this people that He reigns, and He will and must reign until He has conquered a universal peace. It is a delusion too long entertained by the Church to think that David’s throne and seed have not now, nor for centuries had, an existence. It is a delusion that we should not entertain for a moment to think that the Ten Tribes of Israel are lost for ever, or that their work or mission is fulfilled. As surely as the Two Tribes, Judah and Levi, now exist, fulfilling and filling in the outlines of prophetic history, so surely are Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh in existence, answering the purpose of an all-seeing Providence.

Who are the kings of the East spoken of in the Scriptures? We answer, They are the royal ones of the House of David. The word king, both in Hebrew and Greek, means such. This seed God chose, and made them royal by that very selection. They have been away from their own land, Palestine, wandering and dwelling in the West. But God in Providence is preparing a way for their return. In connection with the pouring out of the sixth vial upon the great river of the Euphrates, or upon Turkey, as most writers agree, the waters are to dry up—that is, Turkey is to decay, to be absorbed. And why? “That the way of the kings of the East might be prepared” (Rev. xvi. 12).

These kings have been away from the East, and their return is assured, and the preparation for such return is to be seen at this time and in connection with the decay of Turkey. If Turkey, as symbolised by the river Euphrates, is drying up, then these kings must be advancing Eastward; and so they are.

The crownless king, Disraeli, who, like many other men God has raised up, is for these times an index finger pointing out the way of Providence. He is a receptive agent of Divine force, to the intent that he may interpret a Divine purpose. He may know, or he may not know, that he is so directed of heaven. The prophets of old were seldom permitted to interpret or understand their own prophecies. If they asked, like Daniel, the meaning, they were told to “go their way,” for oftentimes the words were “closed up and sealed until the time of the end.” No wonder this man, against all England nearly, and to the amazement of all the world, proclaims the Queen of England the Empress of India, for the way of the kings of the East must be prepared.

Napoleon Bonoparte’s grand idea was to prepare the way of the kings of the East and make himself and his descendants these kings. “Conquer England and the world is ours,” he said. But when his secret and well-prepared assault on England was revealed and frustrated by a chain of providential events, he hit upon another plan to get possession of Palestine. Seventy years ago he invited all the leading Jews of the world to a secret council in Paris; he wished them to aid him in getting possession of Palestine. He pretended to want their return. He gave them certain privileges and laboured to procure more from the other nations; he did much for the Jews in enlarging their liberties and taking away from them the curse of society. The one idea that is distinctly Napoleonic, is to possess Palestine. The late Napoleon had his idea, and in his day this idea had become a part of France; so much so, that France thought herself to be then and now the real protector of Palestine. It was for this idea that she allied with England and Turkey in the Crimean war. It was to keep Russia back from possessing the holy places. Not till France was weakened could England advance on her way East rapidly; so Germany was used to destroy her prestige and cause her to stand aside till England proceeds on her way homeward.

It was a comely sight, some five years ago, to see two Jews closeted together making a secret bargain—one had power, the other had money. The man of power asked the man of money to lend him twenty million dollars; it was done. At once the man of power purchases with this twenty millions part of his fatherland back again—the Suez Canal. This very canal is on the boundary of the land of Palestine as given to Abraham centuries ago. By this very route the old patriarch entered the Promised Land. It was fitting, indeed, that this should be the first piece purchased back. No one knew save those directly interested. England murmured and France protested, but the thing was done. Poor France, bleeding and divided, could do but little; for Disraeli and Rothschild had done the work. The way of the kings of the East must be prepared. So on they go. A man who executes a Divine purpose is always strong. Abraham Lincoln, in the history of our country, was so chosen and led of God. The politicians, and statesmen, and generals, and many of the people were against him at first; but the Lord was with him, so he marched on to victory, the country following in the wake. And though dead, not forgotten, the country and the civilised world are marching on after him, and now they have nearly overtaken him. Lincoln’s ideas and the country’s are nearly equal. A man led of God is generally a good distance behind, and the people led by such a man are equally as far behind him as he is behind God. But this nation and Abraham Lincoln are now one, and in those things in which they once were divided they are a unit, with more than the honoured Lincoln; for they are a unit with God and providence. Thus follows the English nation in the wake of Disraeli, and the world is coming on behind, and the day will come when all will be a unit. It does not shock our idea of human honesty much when we learn that this crownless king played a double game with Russia and Turkey. It is intensely Jewish, but if it were only Jewish, then it would be very detestable; it is more, it is Divine in part. “Had the princes of this world known, they would not have crucified the Prince of Glory.” Had the princes of the late Berlin Congress known the double game being played by one of the quietest of their number, they would not have done as they did. Turkey in Asia was given over to England’s protection, aye, yes, that included Palestine. The island of Cyprus is given over entirely—surely the way of the kings of the East is being grandly prepared.

Why did not the Congress hand over to England’s protection Turkey in Europe? For reasons good and sufficient. Turkey in Europe will be the cause of much strife, of several wars, and of strange alliances; hence it would not have done for Israel-England to be mixed up with it. Constantinople alone, of European Turkey, England will keep. Israel is to be much preserved from war, until the great battle of Armageddon comes on. Against that time she will have to husband her strength and resources. It is marvellous now to think that what the Congress settled as belonging to England, none dispute—all is peace. But Russia’s share and Austria’s are in arms. Servia, Greece, Roumania, and all the Turkish provinces rebel and are in a state of disquietude, that portends war and strife again in a few years. But England will have nothing to do with it, excepting that Russia and Austria, with the consent of Germany, Italy, and France, are to set a precedent for England, which in a few years she will need. It is plain that if Russia and Austria can force by arms the conditions of the Berlin Congress, England will be at liberty to do the same without any interference even from France. The Congress handed over to England’s keeping Turkey. England, then, can make Turkey do her bidding by force of arms sustained by the very precedent already set. Thus will Israel-England open up Palestine for Christian settlement. The Mahommedans will murmur and resist to have the holy places taken from them, but no matter; England, when the time comes, will enforce it. It is just here that Turkey and England will dispute, and in each dispute England will find a reason for drawing the lines a little tighter around poor Turkey.

The contestants on one side at the great battle of Armageddon, you remember, are the dragon, the beast, and Anti-Christ. Now what people is represented by the term dragon? We answer, the Pagan nations and authorities, just as the Chinese have on their standards to-day a dragon, as we have the eagle. The Mahommedans, Hindoos, Brahmins, Buddhists, and all Pagan idolaters, are summed up in the word dragon. At present, England is tolerant with the subjects and adherents of these different worshippers and religions; but the time will come when she will no longer tolerate the same; thus will they arraign themselves against her in the battle of Armageddon. This will come to pass as the gradual destruction of Mormonism in our country. This system has been fortified by law; now laws are being arraigned against it. It is now only tolerated, and in a short time it will be wiped out of existence.

The final battle referred to in the text is to occur at a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon, the literal meaning of which is at the mount of Megido. In olden times there was a city called Megiddon; it stood in what is now called the great plain of Esdraelon—a plain that lies midway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean. It was also called Jezreel. The prophet Hosea speaks of this place, battle, and time, all by this one word. Referring to the time when the children of Judah and of Israel are gathered together under one head in their own land, he says, “For great shall be the day of Jezreel” (Hos. i. 11). It is spoken of in the Scriptures and history as the valley of Jehoshaphat, because here Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, gained a great victory; for here the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel, as He will in the coming battle. Joel iii. 12 says, referring to this coming struggle, “Let the heathen be waked up and come to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.”

There is one name given to this time and battle that is very significant and striking. Have you ever noticed it? If not, let me call your attention to it. It is called “That great day of God Almighty,” by John in the chapter of the text. The day of the Lord of hosts by Isaiah. Ezek. xxx. 3: “Howl ye! Woe worth the day! For the day of the Lord is near: it shall be the time of the heathen.” And Joel says, “Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” By the prophets Amos, Obadiah, Zephaniah, Zechariah, Malachi, and apostles Paul and Peter, it is called the day of the Lord.

You ask if this battle may not have taken place. We answer, No. Of such a battle we have no record. Again, it will be the end of the war—the final overthrow of Paganism, the beast, and Anti-Christ. Malachi says, “Behold I will send you the prophet Elijah before the coming of that great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Elijah has not yet been a witness. At the time of this great battle nature is to take a wonderful part. As when Christ was on the cross, the sun darkened, the rocks rent, the mountains shook, so in connection with this battle there shall be some strange wonders—earthquakes, thundering, lightning, hail and fire. The Mount of Olives will divide; the valley of the Dead Sea will fill with water and join to the Mediterranean; Jerusalem will become a seaport; an appointed centre from which, being central to all the world, will go forth the ships of the Lord. The city of Jerusalem, between this time and that, will be considerably enlarged, then it will divide into three parts. At the time of this dividing John says, “That the cities of the nations are to fall”—London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, St. Petersburg, and many others—that all may turn to Jerusalem, the capital appointed of Heaven.

If you wish to know more of the particulars of this day, read the prophets, study what John the Revelator says under the sixth vial and sixth seal. With awful grandeur and with terrible majesty have the sacred writers set forth this day and time.

That this day will come, who will deny? Look at the world ripening for this day. Here, in our own land, as well as others, the forces are maturing, the agents are at work. Many of the events of the past year we were permitted to forecast by looking into the future through the prophets, and onward yet we look. And the events coming are neither less in number, merit, or force, than those passed. Keep the events of prophecy in their proper order lest they confuse you. The Jews and Ten Lost Tribes are to be found and possess Palestine before this battle. Anti-Christ is to appear. The two witnesses, Moses and Elijah, are to appear. And Jesus, our beloved Master, will not come till the world is settled long in perpetual peace—till the house is prepared for the bride, then shall He come. But with lightning speed events are crowding on along the ages. The accumulative forces of centuries are pressing hard upon time present. The time of the end is near—not the end of time, but the time appointed of God in which certain great things are to be accomplished. Eighteen hundred years ago John cried out, “Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year” (Rev. ix. 14).

The Turkish Power originated on the banks of the Euphrates. It first was divided into four Sultanies—namely, Bagdad, Aleppo, Damascus and Cesarea. These are typified under four angels. Their time was to be 396 years and a fraction—an hour, day, month, and year. Thus, taking a day for a year, 365 for the year, thirty for the month, one for the day, and we have 396. So from the taking of Bagdad by the Turks in 1057, which was the overthrow of the Saracens, until the capture of Constantinople in 1453, which overthrew the Greek Empire, we have just 396 years. And the time for the drying up of Turkey is at hand; and so it comes to pass.

Dear friends, how wonderful are the dealings of our God! Can we shut our eyes to His Divine revelation? Let us be wise in the day of grace, taking heed to the sure Word of prophecy, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. The world indeed is dark, and all confusion. But His Word shows unto us order in all this confusion, blessed be His name. More next Sunday evening.