CHAPTER VII. - THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES

THERE is no room for question that the collapse of the Ottoman Power prepares the “way” for “the kings of the East,” which are “the kings of the earth and the whole world,” to be gathered to the battle of Armageddon.WGI 87.1

It must not be overlooked that the drying up of the water of the Euphrates—the fall of the Turkish Empire—takes place under the sixth of the “seven last plagues.” The scripture that tells this says: “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared.” Revelation 16:12. And we have seen that it is in the midst of the battle of that great day, that the seventh and last plague is poured out, and the great voice is heard from heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done.” Thus these seven plagues are the last plagues that will ever be on the earth; because with the seventh one, comes the end of the world.WGI 87.2

It is said that in these seven last plagues there is “filled up”—completed, finished,—“the wrath of God” which in judgment falls upon the finally apostate and rebellious world. Read Revelation 15:1; 14:9, 10.WGI 88.1

These plagues are “The wine of the wrath of God,” “without mixture,” “in the cup of His indignation.” It is “the wine cup of this fury.” Jeremiah 25:15. The seven vials that are given to the seven angels to be poured out on the world, are “full of the wrath of God,” there is nothing else in them.WGI 88.2

These expressions show of themselves that the day of salvation is past before there begins this time of “indignation,” “wrath,” and “fury” “without mixture.” This is confirmed in other scriptures. The mystery of God, of which the gospel is the revelation, is “finished,” before this day of indignation and wrath begins. Revelation 10:7. The service in the temple of God in Heaven is ended, before the first of the plagues is poured out; and there is no service there, while they are being poured out. Hebrews 8:1; 9:24; Revelation 15:5, 8.WGI 88.3

In every respect therefore, it is true, and from every evidence plain, that “the seven last plagues” are the final judgments incurred by an atheistic and anarchistic world.WGI 88.4

The first plague is “a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which have the mark of the beast and upon them which worship his image.”WGI 89.1

The second plague is, that the seas become “as the blood of a dead man.”WGI 89.2

The third is, that “the rivers and fountains of waters” become blood.WGI 89.3

The fourth is, that the sun’s beat becomes so intense as to scorch and burn men.WGI 89.4

The fifth is poured upon “the seat of the beast,” and his kingdom is filled with darkness.WGI 89.5

The sixth is the drying up of the Euphrates—the ending of the Turkish power—and the gathering of the kings of the East, and of the earth and the whole world, to the great battle.WGI 89.6

The seventh is poured into the air, and the heaven departs as a scroll when it is rolled together; the great voice from the throne, in the words “It is done,” declares the end; there is the great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth; and the cities of the nations fall.WGI 89.7

Again let it be noted that it is under the sixth of these plagues that the Ottoman Empire comes to its end. The five preceding ones fall before the Turkish Empire falls.WGI 89.8

But the mystery of God is finished, the service in the heavenly temple is ended, probation is closed, before the plagues begin to fall; before the first one is poured out.WGI 89.9

There is no room for any question that the fall of the Turkish Empire is very near. And just as certainly as that is so near, so certainly the finishing of the mystery of God, the ending of the heavenly temple service, the closing of probation, is nearer.WGI 90.1

It is certain that the end of the whole world is now so near, that it is time to prepare for it. It is equally certain that the finishing of the mystery of God, the ending of the heavenly temple service of intercession for sinners, the closing of probation, is so much nearer, that of all things it is now high time to be prepared for this.WGI 90.2

Does any one say that now we are leaving the ground of history and of current events, and becoming alarmists? If so, let us tell him something: On the desk before me as I write this, there lies a two volume work of five hundred and sixty-four, and five hundred and forty-five pages, respectively, entitled “The Re-shaping of the Far East.” It is a history and a presentation of the re-shaping politically of the Far East by the great powers that are the powers of the East and of the West and of the whole world. It gives the history and the present standing of Britain in China, of Russia in China, of France in China, of Germany in China, of Japan in China, and of the United States in China; as well as the condition of things in China itself. The work was closed early in 1905 in the midst of the late war, and was published shortly after the close of that war in 1905. It is not in any sense a religious work. There are no indications that the author is a religious man. It is wholly a secular and political history. and yet in this wholly secular history, that treats only of the political and diplomatic relations and influences of the great powers of the West in the far East, the very first words that are printed, except the mere words “The re-shaping of the Far East”—even before the title page—on a page otherwise wholly blank, are the following lines printed there exactly in the form as here copied:—WGI 90.3

“And the second ... poured out his vial upon the sea and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea.WGI 91.1

“And the third ... poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.WGI 91.2

“And the fourth ... poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given him to scorch men with fire.WGI 91.3

“And the sixth ... poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of THE KINGS OF THE EAST might be prepared ....WGI 91.4

“And I saw three unclean spirits ... for they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them together to the battle of that great day ... into a place called in the Hebrew tongue ARMAGEDDON....”WGI 92.1

There, then, is a two volume work on this great world-question, circulating by the many thousands throughout the whole world, giving the bearings of the Eastern Question as it is in the farthest East. And as each reader picks up the book and opens it at the beginning, the very first thing that he reads is this quotation on the plagues and the kings of the East and Armageddon.WGI 92.2

That is, the author of that important work on the re-shaping of the far East under the diplomacy and rivalries of the great powers, would have his book to be read in view of what the scripture says concerning the last plagues, the preparing of the way of the kings of the East, and the gathering of the kings of the earth and the whole world to Armageddon. Therefore, at the very threshhold [sic.] of his book, on a page all by itself, he prints these striking verses from Revelation 16, in order that the first impression that the reader shall receive shall be that the re-shaping of the far East means the seven last plagues, the preparing of the way of the kings of the East, and the gathering of these kings, by the spirits of devils, unto the battle of the great day and Armageddon.WGI 92.3

Now what can be the meaning of that? In a work treating wholly of the secular, political, diplomatic, and commercial relations of the great powers in the far East, why should the author print first of all in the book for the reader’s attention, this passage from the Scripture relating to the last plagues, the preparing of the way of the kings of the East, and their being gathered to Armageddon?WGI 93.1

In answer to this question there is one thing that is certainly clear; that is, that the Spirit of God is saying to men and to the world, that the last plagues, the preparing of the way of the kings of the East, and the gathering of these kings to the world-war, and the world-battle of Armageddon, is the final meaning and the only culmination of the Eastern Question.WGI 93.2

All this is the truth as to the meaning and the culmination of the Eastern Question. From the many evidences on every hand, it is plain that this final meaning and culmination of the Eastern Question is soon to be accomplished. This being the truth, and the Spirit of God being “the Spirit of Truth,” it is only to be expected that the Holy Spirit should witness to men and the world that such is the truth of the events that are now constantly re-shaping the far East, and finally shaping the Eastern Question which is the whole World’s Question.WGI 93.3

And when the Holy Spirit, in His own Person, is telling this directly to men and the world, what else than this can possibly be done by those who have the Holy Spirit, and who in their words and works would harmonize and co-operate with the Holy Spirit? What should be done by all these, but, in harmony with the Holy Spirit, to tell “with a loud voice” this same thing to men and the world: yea, “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people”?WGI 94.1

And in the fact that the Spirit of God is already telling it directly to men and the world, what divine assurance there is in this to every soul who, in harmony with the Spirit, will also tell it to men and the world! what divine assurance that the Holy Spirit will witness to the telling of it, and will witness with the spirit of him who tells it, that it is the truth, that it is the present truth, and that he is right in telling it!WGI 94.2

Who, then, will not tell it? Who that knows it, can keep from telling it? The Holy Spirit is telling it; who will refuse to join with Him in the telling of it? The Spirit of God is speaking; who will refuse to speak with Him?WGI 94.3

“The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?”WGI 95.1