evilish
instrument of war then known, being brought to bear against the doomed
city, doomed as the allies consider it--the Jews can bring but a
comparatively feeble resistance. With seeming ease, Jerusalem would
appear to be taken. "_The city shall be taken, and the houses rifled,
and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into
captivity_, AND THE RESIDUE OF THE PEOPLE SHALL NOT BE CUT OFF FROM THE
CITY." Zech. xiv. 2.

With great spoil, full of unholy rejoicing, their souls steeped in
pride, their hands stained with blood, the victorious armies march to
the great plain of Esdraelon to hold a mighty revel, and to prepare for
any future event.

* * * * * *

"How oft after anxious provisions of man
Flashes in with a silence God's unforseen plan!"

"God is a tower without a stair
And His perfection loves despair."

The residue of the people of Jerusalem, who were left in the city on
the triumphant departure of the allies of Hell, were utterly broken in
spirit. Their discomfited hearts will be being prepared for some word
or sin. Will they then begin to see their national, as well as their
individual folly? Who can say for certain? But the near-to-come
events with them, would almost seem to point to something like this.
Certainly, God's unforseen plan was about to flash in upon their
despairing condition.

The world's peoples were "_fully ripe_" for the Judgment, and the
"_sharp sickle_" of Judgment was now waiting to fall into the earth.

First come "signs," every sign a warning, yet the peoples, the enemies
of Christ, will not hear nor see. "_Immediately after the Tribulation
of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give
her light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the
heavens shall be shaken_." Matt. xxiv. 29. Isaiah xiii. 9-10-13.
Joel ii. 30, 31. Joel iii. 15. Rev. vi. 12-14.

"_And then_" (_after_ the Tribulation, and _after_ these
physical signs and disturbances) "_shall appear the sign
of the Son of Man in Heaven_." Matt. xxiv. 30.

What will this sign be? We cannot actually say. The only Scriptural
hint we know of is our Lord's own word that "the Manifestation of His
Presence will be as the lightning which flashes from the one end of
heaven to the other."

It may be that this will occur while men are horrified with the
unnatural darkness, and that the "sign" will be a sudden and moment