REVELATION ITS GRAND CLIMAX AT HAND!/Chapter Eleven -Coming "as a Thief"

 Jesus' warning that he would come "as a thief" reaches down into modern times. It had a special appreciation for Christians who survived in the Lord's day. Soon after 1914, there was a fulfillment of Malachi's prophecy: "Suddenly there will come to His temple the true Lord, whom  you people are seeking, and the messenger  of the covenant in whom you are delighting.  Look! He will certainly come,' Jehovah of armies has said." (Malachi 3:1; Revelation 1:10) As  "messenger of the covenant," Jesus cam to inspect and judge those who claim to be his followers. ( 1 Peter 4:17) A that time, in 1918, Christendom was embroiled in the shedding of blood in World War I and was completely dead, spiritually speaking. Even true Christians, who before the war had preached so zealously, went through a time of spiritual drowsiness.  Some of their prominent elders were put into prison, and the preaching activity almost stopped.  When Jehovah's spirit awakened  these Christians the following year, not all were ready. Some, like the foolish virgins  of Jesus' parable, were not  equipped spiritually for the privilege of serving Jehovah.  Happily, though there were many who, like the discreet virgins, had heeded Jesus' warning  "Keep on the watch, therefore, because you know neither the day nor the hour." - MATTHEW 25:1-13.

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