[398]The most important thing to which all the prophecies point and for which the apostles looked forward has been the second coming of the Lord.  It is described by the Prophet as a blessed time.  Daniel then says:  “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty [1335] days”. (Daniel 12:12) The watchers here, without question, are those who were instructed by the Lord to watch for his return.  This date, therefore, when understood, would certainly fix the time when the Lord is due at his second appearing.  Applying the same rule, then, of a day for a year, 1335 days after 539 A.D. brings us to A.D. 1874, at which time, according to Biblical chronology, the Lord’s second presence is due.  If this calculation is correct, from that time forward we ought to be able to find some evidences marking the Lord’s presence.

[399]It Is not the purpose of this writing to enter into a detailed statement of Biblical chronology.  The searcher for truth can find an extensive treatment of this question in Volumes 2 and 3 of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES.  The purpose here is to call attention to certain important dates and then see how much, if any, prophecy has been fulfilled within these dates.  Chronology, to some extent at least, depends upon accurate calculations and there is always some possibility of mistakes.  Fulfilled prophecy is the record of physical facts which are actually existent and definitely fixed.  Physical facts do not stultify themselves.  They stand as silent witnesses whose testimony must be taken as indisputable.

[400]There are two important dates here that we must not confuse, but clearly differentiate, namely, the beginning of “the time of the end” and of “the presence of the Lord”.  “The time of the end” embraces a period from A.D. 1799, as above indicated, to the time of the complete overthrow of Satan’s empire and the establishment of the kingdom of the Messiah.  The time of the Lord’s second presence dates from 1874, as above stated.  The latter period is within the first named, of course, and at the latter part of the period known as “the time of the end”.

[401]The understanding of the prophecies with reference to “the time of the end” and the Lord’s presence was purposely concealed by Jehovah until the due time.  Daniel desired to know what would be the end of these things, but God said to him:  “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end”. (Daniel 12:4) It is reasonable to expect that Jehovah would indicate something by which “the time of the end” could be discerned when it arrived.  He did not say to Daniel to look for some words emblazoned across the sky that the end had come, but told him to look for such evidences as could be seen and understood by men familiar with the prophecies, and who in the light of the prophecies should be watching for their fulfillment.  He did not expect Daniel to understand it in his day, because he said:  “Go thy way, Daniel:  for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end".—­Daniel 12:9.