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John the Baptist's Prediction of Christ's Imminent Second Coming

Below is the third of multiple excerpts of commentary from Parts I and II of The Parousia , the late 19th-century masterpiece on the Second Coming by James Stuart Russell. The initial 31 posts on this blog deal with the Book of Revelation, which is cogently interpreted in Part III of Russell's magnum opus. (For all blog posts, see russellparousia.blogspot.com) "THE PAROUSIA [SECOND COMING] IN THE GOSPELS. "THE PAROUSIA PREDICTED BY JOHN THE BAPTIST. [Identity of John the Baptist with the Elijah of Malachi] "There is nothing more distinctly affirmed in the New Testament than the identity of John the Baptist with the wilderness-herald of Isaiah and the Elijah of Malachi. How well the description of John agrees with that of Elijah is evident at a glance. Each was austere and ascetic in his manner of life; each was a zealous reformer of religion; each was a stern reprover of sin. The times in which they lived were singularly alike. The nation at both periods was d...
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Malachi's Closing Warning of [an A.D. 1st-century] Judgment on Israel

Malachi's Closing Warning of [an A.D. 1st-century] Judgment on Israel Below is the second of multiple excerpts of commentary from Parts I and II of The Parousia , the late 19th-century masterpiece on the Second Coming by James Stuart Russell. The initial 31 posts on this blog deal with the Book of Revelation, which is cogently interpreted in Part III of Russell's magnum opus. (For all blog posts, see russellparousia.blogspot.com) "THE LAST WORDS OF OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY. "THE BOOK OF MALACHI [The Old Testament Canon Closes on a Note of Doom] "The canon of the Old Testament Scriptures closes in a very different manner from what might have been expected after the splendid future revealed to the covenant nation [Israel] in the visions of Isaiah. None of the prophets is the bearer of a heavier burden than the last. Malachi is the [5th century B.C.] prophet of doom. ... [God's Lengthy Indictment of Israel: "I will come near you to judgment......
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The Second Coming Cannot be Imminent at Two Different Periods Separated by 2,000 Years

Below is the first of multiple excerpts of commentary from Parts I and II of The Parousia , the late 19th-century masterpiece on the Second Coming by James Stuart Russell. The initial 31 posts on this blog deal with the Book of Revelation, which is cogently interpreted in Part III of Russell's magnum opus. (For all blog posts, see russellparousia.blogspot.com) "PREFACE [to the 1878 edition] [IMMINENCE OF THE SECOND COMING TO THE CHURCHES OF THE 1st CENTURY] "No attentive reader of the New Testament can fail to be struck with the prominence given by the evangelists and the apostles to the PAROUSIA, or 'coming of the Lord.' That event is the great theme of New Testament prophecy. There is scarcely a single book, from the Gospel of St. Matthew to the Apocalypse of St. John, in which it is not set forth as the glorious promise of God and the blessed hope of the church. It was frequently and solemnly predicted by our Lord; it was incessantly kept before the eyes...
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The Identity of Revelation's "Babylon," part 3 [conclusion]

Below is the 31st of multiple excerpts of commentary on the Book of Revelation from The Parousia , the late 19th-century masterpiece on the Second Coming by James Stuart Russell. In this excerpt, Russell concludes his explanation of why Revelation's "Babylon" represents 1st-century Jerusalem, not Rome. [THE HARLOT CITY] [TRUE MEANING OF 'KINGS OF THE EARTH' APPLIES TO JERUSALEM] "11. Thus interpreted [i.e., that the 'kings of the earth' is equivalent to 'the ruling authorities in the land' of 1st-century Israel], the description of Babylon the great as ‘reigning over the rulers of the land’ becomes perfectly appropriate to Jerusalem. This appears from the language in which both the Scriptures [such as Lamentations 1:1] and other Hebrew writings speak of the authority and pre-eminence enjoyed by that city. ... [JERUSALEM'S APOSTASY EVIDENT IN ITS REJECTION OF THE MESSIAH] "12. It may possibly be felt to be a difficulty that the ...
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The Identity of Revelation's "Babylon," part 2

Below is the 30th of multiple excerpts of commentary on the Book of Revelation from The Parousia , the late 19th-century masterpiece on the Second Coming by James Stuart Russell. In this excerpt, Russell continues his explanation of why Revelation's "Babylon" represents 1st-century Jerusalem, not Rome. [MORE REASONS WHY "BABYLON" SIGNIFIES 1ST-CENTURY JERUSALEM, NOT ROME] [THE HARLOT CITY] "6. In the catastrophe of the fourth vision (that of the seven mystic figures) the judgment of Israel is symbolised by the treading of the wine-press. We are told also that ‘the wine-press was trodden without [outside] the city’ (chap. xiv. 20) [Rev. 14:20 ]. Since the vine of the land represents Israel, as it undoubtedly does [Psalm 80:8], it follows that ‘the city’ outside which the grapes are trodden must be Jerusalem. The only city mentioned in the same chapter is Babylon the great (ver. 8 [Rev. 14:8]), which must therefore represent Jerusalem. It is inconceivabl...
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