(Continued from page 305.)

Enoch's prophecy.

"And Enoch, [the] seventh from Adam, prophesied also as to these, saying, Behold, [the] Lord has come amidst His holy myriads, to execute judgment against all; and to convict all the ungodly of them of all their works of ungodliness, which they have wrought ungodly, and of all the hard [things] which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him " (vers. 14, 15).

The source of Jude's information as to this prophecy of "Enoch the seventh from Adam," is not given. Criticism has busied itself to find out, but all to little purpose, and certainly to no profit.

An apocryphal book of Enoch there is, which dates evidently from pre-Christian times, and which contains language very similar to that here recorded, but the nature of the book forbids the thought that it, in any sense, is a part of, or can be placed on the same plane as the Holy Scriptures. Yet its use of the words referred to makes it evident that in some way, whether orally or in writing, God had seen fit to preserve Enoch's prophecy, so that it was readily incorporated into the weird book to which some dreamer gave the name of the one who was translated that he should not see death. Jude, by divine inspiration, declares the words were uttered by the patriarch, and that they are to have their full application and final fulfilment, in common with all prophecy, at the ushering in of the yet future day of the Lord.

A partial fulfilment they had in the flood. A more complete one awaits the appearing of the Lord Jesus, in manifested glory, to take vengeance on all who have refused His grace and done despite to the Holy Spirit.

What is referred to here is something very different to the happy event predicted in John 14:1-3; i Cor. 15:51 and i Thess. 4:13-18. In those scriptures, the theme is the return of the Lord to translate His saints to heaven, of which Enoch's rapture was a type. This may transpire ere the reader lays down this little book. In a moment, the Lord may descend and call all His own to meet Him in the air. But this will not be their, or His, manifestation before the world. That will take place later, the judgment-seat of Christ and the marriage-supper of the Lamb intervening above; while on earth apostasy will rise to its full height in the revelation and acceptance of Antichrist, and the utter rejection of all that is of God.

Then, when the cup of guilty Christendom's iniquity is full, the Lord shall come to the earth with myriads of His holy ones-redeemed men and un-fallen angels-to execute the judgment long foretold upon the despisers of His word.

A very similar expression occurs in chapter 14 of Zechariah's prophecy:"The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee " (ver. 5). In each passage "saints" or "holy ones" does not, of itself, necessarily refer to redeemed humanity. Angels are also thus spoken of, and some would therefore limit the application to them alone. But Scripture clearly teaches the double aspect of the second coming of the Lord alluded to above. He is coming for His saints (John 14:3; i Thess. 4:15-17). He is also coming with them (Col. 3:4). Caught up to meet Him as He descends with a shout, they will return with Him in manifested glory-when Enoch's prophecy and that of Zechariah shall be fulfilled.

Then will righteousness reign-every enemy being destroyed. No longer will impious deceivers profit by a profession of Christianity while secretly working to undermine the faith of God's elect, and turning the grace of God into lasciviousness. To every one will be rendered according to their works.

The present period (from the cross to the coming again of the Lord) is denominated by the Holy Spirit,"man's day" (see i Cor. 4:3, marginal reading). While it lasts, God endures with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted, by their pertinacity in gainsaying His word, to destruction. But when man's day ends, the day of the Lord begins, when He who has been so long silent, while blaspheming and damnable heresies have been widely promulgated, to the ruin of untold myriads, will arise to act in judgment.

Then shall men who have despised the Word of Truth learn, when too late for blessing, that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God."

Reader:challenge your heart I pray you now as to how you will stand then ! H. A. I.

(To be continued.)