Volume 107, Number 4

In the Beginning – Harvest Preparations

The French Revolution marked the beginning of the Enlightenment, which culminated in the worldwide proclamation of human rights and the opening of biblical truth. In this issue, we explore that period through the people who contributed to it. …read more

The Importance of 1799 – Ending a Dark Period

The closing chapter of Daniel, chapter 12, is unique. It contains three sequential time prophecies: the 1260, 1290, and 1335 days — representing 1260, 1290, and 1335 years — which take us to the Harvest of the Gospel Age. …read more

A Note on the French Revolution – Additional Information

The French Revolution (1789‑1799) had a profound influence on religious thought, particularly in its final year. By 1799, the revolution had reached a point where secularism and anti‑clericalism had dramatically altered the religious landscape of France. Churches had been closed, clergy had been persecuted, and new secular ideologies, such as the Cult of Reason and the Cult of the Supreme Being, had been promoted. These events led many European religious thinkers to reflect on the dangers of secularism and reassess the relationship between the church and the state. …read more

James Strong and John McClintock – Bible Study Helps

One of the most valuable resources in Bible study is a concordance. A concordance is an alphabetical list of the words in a book or body of work, along with each word’s context. The first Bible concordance was completed for the Latin Vulgate in the year 1230 AD and was a simple alphabetical index of major words. In 1535, Thomas Gybson produced the first English concordance for the New Testament only. Others followed (Cruden’s, Young’s), but their scope was less extensive until Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible appeared. …read more

The Wise Shall Understand – Albury Conferences

In June 1826, a group of about forty interested Christians, hosted by Henry Drummond, gathered in the English countryside at Drummond’s estate in Albury. They had come on foot, horseback, and by carriage or farm wagon. The few reference books and Bibles they had carried would absorb their time during a conference on Bible prophecy. They were a mix of Protestants from the few denominations that existed at the time — Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Moravians, Anglicans, and some independents. Also attending were the earliest charismatics, who would later be called Apostolics. …read more

News and Views – Current Events

Religious, Social, Political, Financial and Israel and Middle East Current News …read more

Today in Prophecy – Death of a Pope

In the heart of the Vatican and the soul of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis emerged as a transformative figure whose life and teachings became a guiding light for millions around the globe. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, he rose to lead the worldwide Catholics through his position and commitment to humility, compassion, and social justice. …read more

Influencers of the Past – Paving the Way

Pastor Russell wrote of the United States, “In no other country could the blessed harvest message — the plan of the ages and its times and seasons and privileges — have been so untrammeled in its proclamation and so widely and freely heralded. It was, we believe, for this very purpose that the providence of God has been, in a measure, over this country (USA). There was a work to be done here for his people which could not so well be done elsewhere … and therefore, when the hand of oppression sought to throttle the spirit of liberty, a Washington was raised up to lead the … daring liberty-lovers on to national independence. … When disruption threatened the nation … God raised up another brave and noble spirit in the person of Abraham Lincoln, who struck off the shackles of the enslaved and preserved the unity of the nation” (“Studies in the Scriptures,” The Battle of Armageddon, page 144). …read more

William Penn – Seeds of Truth

“A world totally new, demands a new political science” (Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835). The administrative capital building for the newly formed colony of Pennsylvania was the centerpiece of the Delaware River port city of Philadelphia. Philadelphia was a planned city, and the Capitol Building was situated on a broad green mall, which has been preserved to this day. It was far from imposing by 18th century standards. Like most colonial structures, it was constructed of wood with no special ornamentation. The interior was built to be functional. Indeed, it had functioned first as an assembly for the delegates from the 13 British colonies who defied their monarch and declared independence on July 4, 1776. Later, it served as the meeting place in 1787 for the now independent Confederation of American States to draft an improved instrument for their union. The adoption of the document then formed a nation known as the United States of America. …read more

A Vision for the Appointed Time – Shower of Truth

“A knowledge of these things, and the evidences that they are nigh, even at the door, should have a powerful influence upon all, but especially upon the consecrated children of God, who are seeking the prize of the divine nature. … But to obtain this knowledge and this strength, which God thus proposes to supply to each runner for the heavenly prize, will surely test the sincerity of your consecration vows. You have consecrated all your time, all your talents, to the Lord; now the question is, How much are you giving? Are you still willing, according to your covenant of consecration, to give up all?’’ (The Divine Plan of the Ages, page 346). …read more