It is a common saying, "Coming events cast their shadows before them," and as we see them lengthen, as the surroundings darken, we know the light is fading and the night draws near.

How many shadows of ominous import have fallen across the course of this world in the past fifteen years- a brief span indeed, but one marked by great rapidity of movement and phenomenal development. Some prevailing conditions make men tremble, while others give cause, so they think, to boast the louder. The lurking fear of what may come next often alarms them, but they seek to banish the spectra by loudly sounding the praises of world advance.

Future as we may believe the six seals of Revelation to be, and only commencing after the Lord's coming for His people, there is no high wall across the path of Time to forbid the shadows of the condition described falling on the last years of the present. They are the monitors of the near night, when sudden destruction shall come as a thief and fall upon this godless world.

Look at the general features of the seals:

Power going forth to conquer,
Terrible warfare,
Demoralized economic conditions,
Increased death by violence, famine and natural forces,
Persecution of the godly,
Political convulsions.

Note the striking parallel of our Lord's prophecy in Matt. 24:

Deceivers coming in Christ's name,
Wars and rumors of wars,
Famines,
Pestilences and earthquakes,
Affliction and martyrdom,
Abounding lawlessness.

Events and conditions of similar character to these have crowded in upon the world during the last decade and a half. Are they not the shadows of coming events which tell how near the time is when their substance will be the portion of this evil age? It may be said that seasons like this have occurred in by-gone days, but though this be so, never before have these shadows so lengthened and darkened as to cast their gloomy portent over the whole habitable world.

But look again, and what do we see in the prophetic earth? The great war brought into alignment as a matter of common preservation the powers occupying the sphere of the old Roman Empire, resulting in its old boundaries becoming the line of separation between western and northern powers. To this we may add the fact that the old Roman territory of Northern Africa is again in control of the nations that occupy its place in Europe. Add to this the growing independence of Egypt-the King of the South in prophecy; and the development of the new Turkey in the territory of the prophetic King of the North; and also the state of things in Palestine with the Jews returning there under Zionist plans for the government and development of what is called the Jewish Homeland. Consider the revival of Trans-Jordanic kingdoms where we must expect Edom, Moab, and Ammon to be in the last days fully ripened for judgment. Look at Italy and her advance under the present regime, with its outreach for influence and power in every part of western Europe, while the place now filled by the Papacy in civil as well as religious affairs must speak loudly in any opened ear.

Russia is sworn to hate all western policies-commercial, civil, and religious, and out of her throes of social, industrial and political revolution we may expect an iron-shod monster to arise, armed with a power before which other northern nations will either fall or with which they will ally. Against this we may well imagine the line of the Rhine and the Danube, made a fortified barrier as of old by Rome against the northern barbaric hordes. The pretentious plans for a United States of Europe must eventually come to the more limited prophetic Roman empire of ten kingdoms. The mighty forces of these two confederacies of world-power will meet their doom in vale and plain of Palestine, when the Lord Himself shall appear as the white horse rider of Rev. 19.

Then out of the chaos of China and the ferment of India we may expect a more stable and organized form of government, perhaps ultimately dominated by the island empire of Asia, so that at the end there may be the eastern confederacy of kings who shall seemingly break through the recognized boundary of the Roman Empire-that is, the Euphrates, as of old (Rev. 16:12).

Again, what is the general mark stamped upon the world to-day? In one word, lawlessness. It is eating like a gangrene into the vitals of the social, commercial, and political spheres of world-life. On the other hand, when did we ever hear so much about union, when so much about the will and sovereignty of the people? Yet we see the dictator and demagogue coming to the fore. Again extremes meet. It is like the iron and clay of the great image of Gentile power.

Whether we look at the Gentiles, Jews, or Christendom, everywhere the shadows have fallen, and become more portentous, for we must be rapidly nearing the figures of violence, corruption, and final apostasy which will stalk through this world when "He who restrains now . . .be gone."

And what about us? "The coming of the Lord has drawn nigh." Blessed hope! Glorious moment of complete change and transportation just before the day-dawn when the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.

We await the Son from heaven, our Deliverer from the coming wrath, for God has not appointed us unto wrath but salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. "For our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens, from whence also we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, who shall transform our body of humiliation into conformity to His body of glory, according to the working of the power which He has even to subdue all things to Himself" (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:8,9; Phil. 3:20,21, New Trans.). "Wherefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope with perfect steadfastness in the grace which will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:13, New Trans.).

"But the end of all things is drawn nigh:be sober therefore, and be watchful unto prayers; but before all things, having fervent love among yourselves, because love covers a multitude of sins; hospitable one to another, without murmuring; each according as he has received a gift, ministering it to one another, as good stewards of the various grace of God" (1 Pet. 4:7-10, New Trans.). John Bloore