What about the 120 years?

120 years prior to the flood the Lord warned Noah that the present age of mankind had but 120 years remaining before He would destroy them from the face of the earth (Gen 6:13). Noah then immediately commenced to warn his contemporaries of this impending judgement; however, the majority chose to ignore him while others mocked and jeer him.

Now it has been surmised that as the Lord gave a warning previous to the destruction of the “heavens and earth” which existed then (2 Pet 3:6) that He has likewise given the same warning of judgement upon our generation that we likewise have but 120 years before the present “heavens and earth” pass away (2 Pet 3:7, 10).

But from what point do we date this warning?

Some of the brethren had once imagined this period to have dated from the commencement of the harvest and the return of the Lord in 1874, bringing us to 1994.

But were the warnings of impending judgment (the Great Time of Trouble, more specifically Armageddon) issued there or was it the announcement of the present Lord and the commencement of the restoration of all things?

In 1878 the announcement came of the fall and rejection of Babylon and to its eventual destruction.

Was this the warning?

120 years from 1878 brought us to 1998, but alas Babylon still remains so this could not be the warning spoken of.

The warning appears to have to do with the destruction of the present order, “heaven AND earth” passing away, not just the “heavens” the ecclesiastical element (Babylon).

What if it dated from the commencement of the first plague in 1914?

If you recall the plagues are the results of the messages of the trumpets having not been heeded, warnings having been given. 120 years from the autumn of 1913 would bring us to the autumn of 2033.

What makes this date any more significant than those which came before?

Take another look at our diagram. The Scriptures inform us that sometime shortly after the completion of the Church the present heavens and earth will pass away with a great noise (in great trouble and turmoil), the elements (of society) melting with fervent heat (dissolving into the sea, the anarchist masses) there to be burned up (destroyed).

Understand that the year 2033 only marks the end of the two little “whiles” (as previously mentioned in our last post) and the beginning of the “third watch” wherein the Lord states that he (the Christ, Head and body) would be perfected, completed, it does not state that the present order would be destroyed by that time. However, we know from other scripture that the end of the present order will take place sometime after the completion of the Church (Refer back to Part 6 “In the Days of these Kings” for more on this), thus the date 2033 is given more as a general reference point for the end of the present order of things not as a positive one. Once again remember prophecy can never be for certain until its fulfillment. Likewise recall the words of our Lord in Verses 35 and 36 of Matthew, viz.,

“Heaven and earth [the present ecclesiastical and social order] will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

It is with the hope that this study may have provided a blessing to all the “Watchers” those who long for the Lord’s Parousia.