The Day of Wrath, Its Duration and Purpose: We sincerely wish that it were possible to proclaim a message of hope and peace and that we were about to enter a time of tranquility when prosperity and happiness would prevail. We have the promise of the coming of such a day when, as a nation, we will have awakened and complied with what God requires of the people who are to be the recipients of His blessings. If and when, as a nation, we elect to conform with the precepts of righteousness, our well-being will be assured. But, if we fail to heed the call to turn, as a nation, to the Lord, the Day of wrath becomes inevitable. God has decreed regarding His wayward and rebellious people: �I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.� In light of the present deepening apostasy, there is no evidence of a national awakening to righteousness but rather the coming of the Day of Wrath which will accomplish its goal as a Divine objective.

When Jesus was resting on the Mount of Olives, His disciples came to Him privately and asked, as translated in the King James Version: �What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?� (Matthew 24;3) Ferrar Fenton, in his translation, renders this: �What is the signal of Your presence, and the completion of this age?�

Jesus proceeded to give the order of events that would climax with the signal revealing His presence, the prelude to His second advent and triumphant return. The question asked is why did the disciples manifest interest in first wanting to know what would be the signal that would reveal His presence and what would then be the timing of His triumphant return when the age would end? The reason become clear when it is recognized that His appearing, that is, His unheralded presence, is His thief-like coming, an event to transpire prior to the triumphant return.

It was this thief-like appearing for which His disciples and followers were to be prepared if they were to be accounted worthy to reign and rule in His Kingdom. Paul very well expressed what our Lord�s disciples understood: �For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be revived. But each in his own order. Christ a Forerunner (the firstfruits), then those in Christ at His appearing.� ( 1 Corinthians 15:22-23, Ferrar Fenton Translation)

Paul also declared that there was a crown of righteousness laid up for all who loved or desired His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8) The disciples of our Lord and the early Christians were fully aware of all this. Following the questions asked by His disciples, Jesus proceeded to give the order of events with the final major sign denoting the generation when His presence will be manifested.

Christ informed them that, in the inception of this Christian era, a period of persecution would occur with many dying a martyr�s death. Following this, there would be many years of trial and persecution and then a period of worldwide evangelistic activity, with the gospel of salvation being proclaimed to the ends of the earth. This time of evangelistic activity would lapse into a state of general apostasy such as we are experiencing today. We have witnessed how the doctrine of Modernism has engendered skepticism and unbelief, while the resorting to spiritualization of certain passages of the Scripture by the Fundamentalists destroys the truth as revealed by the c0ntext. Spiritualization is a method of exegesis of Biblical passages of the Scripture that destroys the very essence of the meaning conveyed by the words used. It is etherealization of literal statements of Scriptural facts, resulting in the emasculation of the truth of the Word of God.

As pointed out: �Our generation is a generation witnessing the greatest apostasy the world has ever known; with only one exception, perhaps, that the extent to which lack of faith was in evidence on earth in the time of Noah has not been exceeded. Jesus said the two �days� would be similar in this respect. We may be living in a day of wealthy and magnificent churches, with extensive welfare programs and profound conferences, but, insofar as the Bible is concerned, it has become a closed book to the understanding of the modern theologian who denies the need of the atonement, refuses to accept the fact of the virgin birth, disbelieves in miracles and discounts the historical records and prophecies of the Old Testament while questioning much that is recorded in the New Testament. The Angel rightly informed Daniel that these men have gone raving mad, for they are accepting the doctrines of devils in the place of the words of life.� (Study In Daniel, by Howard B. Rand, pp. 61-362)

Added to the sign of Noah, Jesus also said it would be as it was in the days of Lot and the evil indulgences of the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah are very much in evidence today. The fire of God, atomic in nature, destroyed those two citi3s. Will such fires again burn in our generation? Malachi declares: �Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.� (Malachi 4:1)

Just before the signal that would reveal His presence, Jesus gave the final event sign preceding His appearing. He said, as translated by Ferrar Fenton: �the powers of the heaven will be shaken: and then will appear the signal of the son of Man in the sky.� (Matthew 24:29-30, Ferrar Fenton Translation)

The King James Version relates it this way: �Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.�

Since beginning to experiment with splitting the atom and then finally dropping the bomb on japan on August 6, 1945; the signal the disciples asked Christ about that would reveal His presence will be the outshing of the Glory of the Lord. Isaiah thus refers to that coming day: �Howl ye: for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.� (Isaiah 13:6)

John, in revelation, refers to the effect the appearing, that is, shining forth of the sign of the Son of Man, will have upon the multitude who are in fear and consternation as they this exclaim: �For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?� (Revelation 6:17)

Sephaniah refers to that day as a time of great darkness: �The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty men shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.� (Zephaniah 1:14-15)

Christ made a very interesting remark concerning this coming day of darkness when He said: �I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.� (John 9:4)

Moffatt renders this: �while daylight lasts, we must be busy with the work of him who sent me: night comes, when no one can do any work.�

It is well to note that, according to this rendering from Moffatt and confirmed in the translation of this passage by Goodspeed, the use of the plural pronoun �we� indicates that not only our Lord, but His followers also, must be busy with the work assigned to His Son, which He passed along to His followers for them to do. This work is to be done during the period referred to by Jesus as the time of light, or while it is day.

In order to understand the full purpose of the instructions to work before the night comes, we must take into consideration Jesus� assertion: �As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.� (John 9:5)

The day, or daylight, is thus defined as the time when the light is in the world. Christ constituted His disciples as a light in the world. (Matthew 5:14-16) They and all of His followers were to be instrumental in keeping the light shining. He also would continue to be with them. (Matthew 28:19-20) Thus, as long as the age lasted, Jesus, through His followers, who are His body (1 Corinthians 12:24), that is, spirit-filled men and women, would be the light of the world. The night will not come until the overcomers are summoned to attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. That summons will be given when the sign of the Son of Man appears in heaven.

This departure of the witnesses is timed to take place when the period of their ability to effectively carry on the work assigned to them will have ended. That will occur when the forces of evil have gained such and ascendancy, that the terrifying events of the Great Day of the Lord can no longer be delayed. Following the summons of the witnesses to go in with Him to the Marriage Supper will come the blackness of the night during which no work can be done. When the hour strikes, the witnesses, obedient to the summons, will attend, with their Lord, and be in attendance with Him at the Marriage Supper. At this festival they will become acquainted with new assignments.

In the 11^th chapter of Revelation, John describes the events preceding and following the ascension of the witnesses. Just as our Lord in His ascension from the Mount of Olives left the world without visible knowledge of His presence-for unregenerated men and women are unacquainted with the meaning of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

John declares: �Behold, the third woe cometh quickly.� (Revelation 11:14)

Many students of the Scriptures believe that the First Woe began with the Mohammedan Era. The date of the beginning of this era was 622 A.D., when Mohammed fled to Medina and which date marks the beginning of the Hegira. The events of the First Woe are dates from the rise of Omar the Saracen who came to power in 633-634 A.D. With an army of fanatics, he began to build an empire. Dating from his rise to power, 666 years later the Second Woe began with the rise of the Ottomans. Their military depredations date from July 27, 1299 A.D. The era of the beginning of the Third Woe 666 years later is July 27, 1965 A.D. This third Woe, or perhaps better named the Red Woe, does not become fully established, in all of its fury, until after the appearing of the sign of the Son of Man. This Woe encompasses the events of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.

It is almost impossible to fully visualize the effect the sign of the Son of Man will have upon the world at large and upon God�s Israel people in particular, a startling event to occur when the revelation of the presence of our Lord becomes an actuality, when the sign of the Son of Man bathes the earth in its glory. But, the entire structure of man�s activities will be so affected by this supernatural event that it will precipitate an immediate worldwide economic crisis. Since Soviet Russia is planning to Attack Anglo-Saxondom, an economic crisis of such proportions would signal, in spite of the supernatural, that the time to attack had come.

This timing accounts for Esdras� statement of fear that seizes the leaders in the Kremlin when, at that time, they give the order to attack. Esdras predicts that, knowing against whom they had elected to fight and while a great fear, yet still will press forward to fight: �Lo, all they which were gathered together to subdue him were sore afraid, and yet durst fight.� (2 Esdras 13:8)

Has the Kremlin now made known their intention? Was the great gathering of battleships in the North Atlantic by the Kremlin last April a massive unprecedented exercise looking to the coming day of attack? They launched six nuclear missiles toward the United States exploding them as soon as they entered outer space. Was this practice for a day to come when they will make a first strike? Especially with the present Jewish Traitor, William Blythe Jefferson Clinton, having told them we would accept a first strike before we respond.

Could it have been a trial run to be finalized before God was ready to schedule the appearing of the sign of the Son of Man? Did the Lord intervene and prevent a premature strike by the Kremlin and hold them back by causing the following to occur?

On May 13^th at the principal Northern Fleet ammunition depot at Severomorsk, on the Barents Sea, a great explosion destroyed a large number of missiles belonging to the fleet. Some 200 people, including many technicians, lost their lives. This disaster would have grave implications for the readiness of the Northern Fleet in the destruction of their battleship equipment and stored munitions. The surface-to-air missiles used to shoot down aircraft in the defense for a battleship very likely were greatly depleted. We have had an appraisal that this destruction has set the Kremlin back for at least six or more months. Does this place at our understanding the question of timing?

It would appear the midnight hour is rapidly approaching, when the light (The teaching of the Scriptures) of the world will be withdrawn for a season and all hell will break lose in an orgy of terrorism and destruction, for evil will know that its time is short and the day of judgment has come. All this will contribute to make the Great Day of the Lord terrible. After this midnight hour, the men and women who reject the testimony of the witnesses will face the day of which all the prophets have spoken. Amos declared: �The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it?� (Amos 5:18-20)

The prophets of the Lord have given evidence that the coming night in which no man can work is, indeed, the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, which is a day of darkness in which there will be no brightness.

One does not have to be a seer to recognize the forces that will materially contribute to making the coming Day of the Lord a terrible time, for they are already at work as evidenced in current world turmoil and chaos. The shadow of the Third Woe is even now darkening many lands as the Jews with their control of Russia extends their power and influence over countless numbers of people. In the absence of the witnesses and, with all restraints removed, the Kremlin will make a final bid to gain world control in a drive that Daniel was told would be in great fury to destroy many. (Daniel 11:44)

We are approaching the hour of total darkness and, when the hour strikes, a darkness will envelop the world (Christianity will be all but destroyed) the symbolism of which is furnished in the darkness which could be felt that covered all Egypt just prior to the exodus of the Children of Israel from that heathen land.

The Egyptian civilization had, at that time, reached the height of worldly wickedness and, under the tyrannical rule of its Pharaohs, Israel had been enslaved. The Israel people themselves had apostatized, but God sent Moses to deliver them from both the physical and spiritual bondage into which they had fallen. Because of Pharaoh�s refusal to let God�s people go, the land of Egypt had suffered, and eight plagues had already brought trouble and hardship upon the Egyptians. But Pharaoh continued to harden his heart, so the Lord told Moses: �Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.� (Exodus 10:21-22)

In the Wisdom of Solomon, Chapter 17, of the Apocrypha is a vivid description of the horror of a darkness that could be felt, as experienced by the Egyptians. They were vexed with monstrous apparitions and their hearts failed them for sudden fear as they swooned because of the things they heard and that which they felt and could not see.

But there was light in Israel�s dwellings, for the darkness did not cover the land of Goshen where God�s people resided. While the Egyptians were unable to move about because of the darkness, great activity was going on among the Israelites as they prepared to celebrate the coming Passover that would commemorate their departure from the land of their enslavement. During that period, while gross darkness covers the land of Egypt, Israel was receiving instructions concerning the significance of what was happening and the means and method by which they were to be delivered from bondage.

In light of al this, the outlook on earth as we approach the Day of Wrath is not completely hopeless for modern Israel, the Anglo-Saxon, Germanic and kindred peoples, and, for the Christians who fail to attain unto the status of an overcomer, there is a message of comfort addressed to their attention. In this coming night when gross darkness covers the earth, the Kingdom people and all who seek the Lord, as a result of the appearing of the Glory of the Lord, will turn to Him and a voice will call His people: �Arise (stand up) to the light, for your dawn has arrived; the Lord�s splendor above you has sprung; for though darkness may cover the earth, and black gloom the Peoples, THE LIFE shines over you, and His splendor on you.� (Isaiah 60:1-2, Ferrar Fenton Translations)

The Prophet Isaiah depicts a great spiritual renaissance among the Kingdom people with the nations around them in darkness but ultimately coming to their light and Kings to the brightness of their rising. Those gathered at the Marriage Supper will be made aware of the great spiritual change that has taken place on earth among His Kingdom people. Thus, they exclaim as they are about to return to earth with Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords and to assume rulership under Him over His Kingdom: �Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife (His Israel people, whom He had divorced) hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.� (Revelation 19:7-8)

Isaiah, prophetically witnessing this great national conversion, exclaimed: �The Lord shall be to you a light everlasting, and your God be the Splendor for you! Your sun never set. And your Moon never cease, For the Lord shall be to you perpetual light. And the days of your sorrow will end. When your People will always be just, hey shall conquer the earth.� (Isaiah 60:19-21, Ferrar Fenton Translation)

The question arises, are we able to peg the length of this coming time of darkness as well as the length of time devoted to attendance at the Marriage Supper?

Did the three days of darkness in Egypt, darkness that could be felt, the three days our Redeemer was in the grave be a type of the time of gross darkness that is about to cover the earth? As Israel made preparation at that time to leave Egypt and become God�s Kingdom people, will modern Israel awaken to Kingdom requirements expressing a longing desire, accompanied by a firm resolution, to keep the covenant made with our forefathers at Mount Sinai? During this same three years, as light begins to dawn for the House of Israel, will Soviet Russia also imitate the Egyptians in their endeavor to pursue and destroy Israel before they became, in fact, God�s Kingdom people? If so, they will attack the Anglo-Saxon, Germanic people with the same object in view, that is, their destruction.

Will the triumphant return of the Lord to save His Kingdom people and deliver them from their foes be the climactic end of the three years of darkness? John depicts that return when he saw heaven opened and witnessed our Lord, accompanied by those who were in attendance at the Marriage Supper, coming as a great world Conqueror: �And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath (A Day of Wrath) of almighty god.� (Revelation 19:15)

His enemies and the enemies of His Kingdom are all defeated. Esdras described what John depicts as a sword out of His mouth. Witnessing the great army preparing to fight, Esdras gives a detailed account of the complete destruction of the multitude prepared to fight, by an atomic-like fire, the sword from the mouth of Him that sat on the white horse: �But only I saw that he sent out of his mouth as it had been a blast of fire, and out of his lips a flaming breath, and out of his tongue he cast out sparks and tempest; and fell with violence upon the multitude which was prepared to fight, and burned them up every one, so that upon a sudden of an innumerable multitude nothing was to be perceived, but only dust and smell of smoke: when I saw this I was afraid.� (2 Esdras 13:10-11)

Thus, the enemies of God and of His Kingdom are destroyed and righteousness is fully established. In that day and time, the Lord will exclaim: �Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the lord God; THIS IS THE DAY WHEREOF I HAVE SPOKEN.� (Ezekiel 39:8) This study taken, in part, from Destiny Editorial Letter Service, by Howard B. Rand, P.O. Box 177, Merrimac, Massachusetts 01860.