THE MILLENNIUM—[DISPENSATION H].
IN our last chapter we saw from Dan. 2:3535Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. (Daniel 2:35) that when the " stone " falls upon the image, and breaks it to pieces, the stone itself becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth; and in verse 44 the purport of these metaphors is given in the words, " The God of heaven " shall " set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed."
When the ruling powers of the prophetic world are thus judged and removed, they will be superseded by the kingdom of the Lord, as expressed in the triumphant utterances of the voices in heaven after the sounding of the seventh trumpet: " The kingdom of the world of our Lord and of His Christ is come; and He shall reign to the ages of ages " (New Trans., Rev. 11:1515And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)).
Then the millennium begins, and the Lord Jesus Christ becomes the King of the whole world. It is not going to be gradually brought about by the preaching of the Gospel, or by the evangelization of the world (desirable as that blessed work may be), but by the personal coming of Christ Himself—first to judge the nations, and put away the evildoers; and then to set up His kingdom.
As soon as the world is cleared of the beast and the Antichrist, and of their followers, and Satan, the great adversary of mankind, is cast into the bottomless pit, with all his armies of demons, men being delivered from their baleful presence, the blessed Sabbath of rest and peace, so long foretold by the prophets, will commence. "There remaineth... a rest (or keeping of a Sabbath) to the people of God" (Heb. 4:99There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9)).
One special characteristic of this period is, that there will be no devils on the earth. Indeed, it could not be the Lord's millennium, such as we find in Scripture, if there were to be any in it. Satan, who has reigned as the god of this world for nearly six thousand years, must as a matter of course be cast out of it before the Lord takes His throne. Obviously he could not be allowed to remain on the earth for a single hour as a reigning prince when Christ becomes the one sovereign Lord and King of the whole world. How then is he to be cast out? Surely the preaching of the Gospel will never do it, for after centuries of preaching he is as much the god of this world as ever. But at the coming of the Lord, and before the millennium begins, an angel descends from heaven and, binding him, as we learn from Rev. 20:22And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Revelation 20:2), shuts him up in the abyss for a thousand years,—another convincing proof that the second coming of the Lord must be pre-millennial.
It has often been stated that a widespread tradition prevails in many different countries, to the effect that the world will continue to exist for six thousand years from the creation to the end of this age in its present condition, and that then there will come a Sabbath of a thousand years.
Although we have no direct statement in Scripture to warrant this tradition, yet it is quite possible, not to say probable, that it may ultimately prove to be the divine purpose of God, whose appointments are all founded in perfect wisdom and order. Most probably it derived its origin, in the first instance, from the account of the creation in Genesis, where it is seen that the work was accomplished in six days, and God " rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made." By regarding each of these days as one thousand years on the principle of 2 Peter 3:88But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Peter 3:8), it might be naturally supposed that there would be six thousand years of work, followed by a Sabbath of a thousand years. Six thousand years of toil and trouble, sickness and death; and then undisturbed rest and peace, and true happiness, to the people of God for a thousand years I Truly a most beautiful and happy thought. The nearest approach to this that we find in Scripture is the institution of the seventh year as a Sabbath of rest. " Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; but in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard " (Lev. 25:3,43Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; 4But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. (Leviticus 25:3‑4)). It is very likely that this scripture may also have had something to do with the origination of the above tradition, further strengthened, it may be, by another cycle of years found in the Word—the years of jubilee,—both these cycles of sevens and fifties being analogous in principle, though different as to the number of years; so that we have thus some indirect foundation in Scripture for this belief.
Some writers on the subject have also expressed the opinion that we are now very near the end of the six thousand years of the world's history, though our chronologies do not show it. They, however, say that Archbishop Usher's, as well as others, are defective and unreliable, maintaining that a large number of years have been omitted in calculating the times of the Judges, and other periods; and consequently that the age of the world is really greater than it appears in our tables. One thing is certain, that the chronologies that have been propounded are sadly at variance; so that with such conflicting opinions, and the difficulties that beset the necessary calculations, no one is really able to state with anything like definiteness or precision the exact age of the world at the present time.
Probably God in His divine wisdom has seen fit to allow the subject to remain in this state of uncertainty, just as the time of the second advent of our Lord is kept a secret, and known only to God Himself.
At the same time, judging from various significant signs, my own impression is that those are likely to be most correct who maintain that we are nearer the end of the six thousand years of the world's history than many people suppose; and therefore near to the glorious Sabbath that is coming.
With regard to the inhabitants of the earth at large at the commencement of the millennium—especially of the nations outside the prophetic sphere—we have very little information in the prophecies of Scripture.
We see, however, two companies of saints mentioned in Rev. 7, as specially kept while passing through the great tribulation, and preserved through all its persecutions and troubles, as well as through the judgments of that time, to enter into the blessings of the millennial kingdom, as had been foretold in prophecy concerning God's people by Isaiah in chap. 26:20: "Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast." Thus they are kept protected through that day of God's indignation and vengeance upon the wicked.
These two companies, as already noticed, are the 144,000 Israelites sealed out of every tribe, and the great multitude of palm-bearers (Rev. 7)—the Gentiles,—who, it may be, with many others that are not mentioned, will then enter upon the new order of things, to begin another and different phase of the world's history under the righteous reign of the Divine King, the Lord Himself. For, beside these two companies of saints, there are allusions in the Word to other nations and peoples who will be on the earth during the millennium, though they are not so specifically described. In one of these we see that the Israelites in that millennial day are to be sent "to the isles afar off that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles " (Isa. 66:1919And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. (Isaiah 66:19)).
A great many references appear in the Scriptures, with regard to this glorious millennium, especially in the Old Testament; but we shall only be able to note some of the chief passages relating to it; and in doing so, we shall endeavor to present the main features of this wonderful dispensation under seven different heads.
FIRST. The King who is to reign, and the character of His reign.
Among the vast number of monarchs who have governed from time to time the various nations of the world, there has never been one truly righteous and perfect sovereign seated upon any one of these earthly thrones. Even the best kings of Israel, such as David and Hezekiah, were personally faulty, and in their administrations very defective. But the Lord Jesus, who is soon coming to rule over the earth, will be this one perfect and righteous King, and will therefore have full power and dominion over the whole world during His millennial reign.
As soon as He appears invested with supreme authority as the Judge of the whole earth (Rev. 19), He also appears in all the majesty of His kingly power as " King of kings, and Lord of lords;" and then, by virtue of His rights, both as Creator and Redeemer, He takes possession of His own world, for it had been ordained of old that He should have the heathen for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession (Psa. 2:88Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (Psalm 2:8)).
The Old Testament prophecies abound with allusions both to Christ as King, and to His perfect and glorious reign. "And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one" (Zech. 14:99And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. (Zechariah 14:9)).
While the Lord will thus rule over the whole world, He will be in a special manner the King of His ancient people, the Israelites. Hence the numerous references to this fact. " Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jer. 23:5, 65Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Jeremiah 23:5‑6); and Psa. 89:18-2018For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king. 19Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. 20I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: (Psalm 89:18‑20)). The Lord will actually reign in Jerusalem on the throne of His father David over the house of Jacob.
According to the words of Hos. 3:4, 54For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: 5Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days. (Hosea 3:4‑5), the Israelites have been for hundreds of years without a king; but in the latter days, when they shall be restored to their land, their long desired Messiah will appear to reign over them: " For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord... and His goodness in the latter days." This reign of the Messiah King, which has ever been the hope and expectation of true Israelites, is beautifully expressed in the angel's announcement to Mary, " He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end " (Luke 1:32, 3332He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:32‑33)). Then, and not till then, will the words so often repeated in the Psalms be fulfilled, "The Lord reigneth"; and all the saints of that happy day—led on by the devout Israelites—will rejoice and sing, "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the Lord Most High is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth.... Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King; sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing ye praises with understanding. God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness" (Psa. 47:1, 2, 6-81<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.>> O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. 2For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. (Psalm 47:1‑2)
6Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. 7For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. 8God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. (Psalm 47:6‑8)). "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory “(Psa. 24:7-107Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 8Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. (Psalm 24:7‑10)).
His dominion, moreover, shall be universal, for He alone shall have sovereign power over all the inhabitants of the earth. "And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed " (Dan. 7:1414And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14)).
Much is given in Scripture with regard to the character of the Lord's blessed reign; for it is repeatedly stated that it will be characterized by perfect wisdom, righteousness, truth, justice, and holiness. The world will then, for the first time in its chequered history, be rightly governed under the sway of the one true and holy King. "Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment" (Isa. 32:11Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. (Isaiah 32:1)). "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth even forever" (Isa. 9:6,76For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6‑7)). "Give the king Thy judgments, O God, and Thy righteousness unto the king's son. He shall judge Thy people with righteousness, and Thy poor with judgment.... In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.... Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper " (Psa. 72:1, 2, 7, 8, 11, 121<<A Psalm for Solomon.>> Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. 2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. (Psalm 72:1‑2)
7In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. 8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. (Psalm 72:7‑8)
11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. 12For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. (Psalm 72:11‑12)). In this seventy second Psalm we have a beautiful picture of the Lord's perfect reign during the millennium. "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: the scepter of Thy kingdom is a right scepter" (Psa. 45:66Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. (Psalm 45:6)). This and many other Psalms—as well as the prophets—are full of this grand theme.
The governmental rule of the Lord Jesus will, in every respect, be a complete contrast to all that has gone before.
All human governments have hitherto failed, more or less, to cope successfully with evil; to effectually suppress crime, oppression, injustice, and rebellion; to stop the ravages of war, and to secure a state of permanent peace.
The most they have done has been partially to keep in check these evils for varying intervals of time, after which they break out again, in defiance of all authority and order.
For with all the complex and elaborate machinery of our modern governments, what do we find but growing dissatisfaction and disorder, constant conflicts between the ruling powers and the people, struggles between the employers and the employed, deliberate frauds and gross injustice, and hosts of other evils, which the authorities seem powerless to effectually put an end to?
Even in our highest courts we find at times sad miscarriages of justice, the innocent being punished, while the guilty—through various legal quibbles, or the contradictory evidence of unreliable witnesses—are allowed to go free; and some of our most distinguished judges often disagree as to the interpretation of the laws on our statute books, which are assumed to be the embodiment of the wisdom of ages. Furthermore, when we see the terrible spirit of lawlessness that is now abroad everywhere, culminating in the various and unprecedented forms of a reckless democracy (the "miry clay" of these last days, already noted in chapter 6.), daringly opposing the powers that be, and producing general uneasiness and a sense of instability, it must be admitted that the impotency of the ruling powers to deal with evil is becoming more and more apparent every day.
Even the government of Nebuchadnezzar of old was founded on a better principle than our modern constitutions, for all authority and power were in the hands of one sovereign ruler of the whole nation; his word was law, and he had but to command and it was done. It was the one man government —such as the Lord Jesus Christ's will be,—the most perfect of all, when the right man can be found to wield it, though Nebuchadnezzar was not, of course, such an one in himself, as he was only a pagan despot. Still, the foundation principle of his rule—undivided authority centered in one man—was represented by "gold." Then later on, as counselors and advisers were multiplied and called in to assist the sovereign and share in his responsibilities, we come down lower and lower in the various degrees of inferiority (in proportion as authority becomes divided), from the " silver " to the " brass " and the " iron," and, lastly, to the most inferior of all, the mixture of miry clay with the iron. This latter condition of things—to which the governments of the world have now come—distinctly presents a marked indication of weakness and instability; owing to the loosening or disintegrating effects of the clay element, the democratic power, that is, in its very nature, ever antagonistic to regular law and settled government.
All this will be changed when the Lord comes to reign; for He will be the one all-wise and perfect Ruler, to whom absolute power and authority will be committed; and if evil shall then venture to assert itself, it will be checked and righteously judged, and the offender removed, or otherwise dealt with, in divine wisdom by the Lord and His servants. The heavenly saints, it is true, will rule with Him, for they will be His administrators, sent forth direct from Himself with all wisdom and power to carry out His behests and to execute His judgments, while everything will finally be determined by His infallible and infinite wisdom.
Of the King it is recorded, " And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;... and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins" (Isa. 11:2-52And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; 3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. (Isaiah 11:2‑5)).
He will not depend on the unreliable evidence of witnesses, no two of whom might agree as to what they saw or heard; but being perfectly acquainted with every detail of all that transpires, He will at once judge and reprove with equity. And should the transgressions be such as to require severer punishment, He will, with the breath of His mouth, slay the wicked, or command such to be cut off at once, and not allow them to go on transgressing with apparent impunity. The people of God will then acknowledge the blessedness of a true and righteous government (never as yet seen in this world) administered by the one all-wise and perfect King. Moreover, He will appear in that day in all the glory of His divine majesty, especially in Jerusalem, the seat of His earthly government; and many grand and glorious scenes will be witnessed, such as have never been known on this earth, and of which we can form but a faint conception at present.
David, in Psa. 145, speaks of "the glorious majesty of His kingdom;" for the Lord shall be personally seen in Jerusalem as the glorious King reigning over the house of Israel.
In the transfiguration on the mount we have a very beautiful and sublime picture of a millennial scene. The Lord had said to His disciples, " Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom" (Matt. 16:2828Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. (Matthew 16:28); Mark 9: 1; Luke 9:2727But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:27)). In the verses that immediately follow the above passages we read: " And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here; if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him " (Matt. 17:1-51And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. (Matthew 17:1‑5)). Thus the above prophecy, that there were some who should not taste death till they had seen the Son of man coming in His kingdom, was fulfilled six or eight days afterward, when the Lord took three of His disciples (those who should not die till they had seen His glory) up into the high mountain, and they beheld Him in all the majesty of His kingly character, when " His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light," and as. He will appear in the millennium.
Though this wonderful scene may have lasted but a very short time, it was a striking representation of that glorious day which is coming. The two classes of saints of the first resurrection who shall then reign with Christ are represented by Moses and Elias,—the former typifying the saints that will have died as he had died; the latter those who shall not die, but be changed at the Rapture, as Elijah had been changed and caught up into heaven; while the three disciples represent the inhabitants of the earth in the millennium, who will be delighted with the presence of the Lord and of the risen saints.
Peter, who could never forget this transcendent scene, pointedly alludes to it in his second Epistle, chap. 1:16-18, " For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount."
Evidently Peter had in view the King coming in His millennial kingdom, a representation of which he had seen in the mount.
It may be well to note that while Christ is spoken of as the " King of the Jews," and will be pre-eminently, in the millennium, the King of Israel, and indeed of the whole world, He is never called in Scripture the King of the Church or of Christians, because He holds a much nearer relationship to them than that of a king to his subjects, for He is pleased to call them " My brethren." He is the Head, while they are the members of the "one body," the Church. "For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones;" and hereafter, when with Him in glory, He will be the Bridegroom, and the Church will be His bride. Some of our hymns are partly responsible for this mistake of calling Christ the King of Christians. The words in Rev. 15:33And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. (Revelation 15:3), " King of saints," should be " King of nations," as more correctly given in the margin of the Authorized Version.
Another and far more serious mistake, that deserves to be particularly noticed, is the error of spiritualizing all these prophecies relating to the reign of Christ on the earth, the future hopes and blessings of Israel, and the millennium.
It would be almost incredible, did we not know it to be a fact, that a great many of the leading commentators on Scripture, a vast number of Biblical writers, and many learned theologians, maintain that all that is stated in the sacred Word concerning the reign of Christ on the earth simply means Christ's spiritual reign in the hearts of Christian believers; that all, or nearly ill, the blessings promised to Israel are blessings to the Church; and that the millennium will be a time when all mankind will be converted, and become spiritually subject to Christ, which happy state of things is to be gradually brought about by the preaching of the Gospel. To these erroneous views they further add the mistaken notion, that when the Gospel thus spreads all over the world, and is preached in every nation, the last day of judgment will come, after which the world will be burnt up, and finally destroyed!
This unwarranted and mischievous practice of spiritualizing God's blessed Word, under the specious but false plea that it gives a higher view of truth, has done incalculable harm to thousands, who have been hindered thereby from seeing and enjoying much of the beauty, harmony, and consistency of the inspired Word. The surprise is, that these spiritualizing interpreters can maintain their mistaken views, in the face of so much plain and pointed teaching of Scripture with regard to the personal reign of Christ with His saints on or over the earth; as well as to the actual restoration of Israel to their own land, according to the numerous predictions of the prophets.
It is indeed difficult to imagine how certain passages could be spiritualized, such as, "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east" (Zech. 14:3, 43Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:3‑4)). " This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye leave seen Him go into heaven " (Acts 1:1111Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)). " We shall reign on the earth; " coupled with, " And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years " (Rev. 5 and 20.).
Many similar passages might be cited that demand a literal interpretation, if any sense is to be made out of them. Again, what an immense amount of misunderstanding of God's Word is produced by the statements, incessantly heard in sermons, discourses, and hymns, that Zion is the Church, that Israel means Christians, and that Jerusalem in the Old Testament sometimes bears a symbolical reference to the Church Indeed, the very headings in our Bibles (which of course are not inspired) help to perpetuate these palpable errors, as, for instance, over Isaiah, chapter 54., " Prosperity of the Church; " Isa. 40 " Evangelical predictions;" Isa. 66, " Enlargement of the Church;" and Isa. 59, " Blessings of the Gospel!" A glance at the contents of these four chapters is sufficient to show how sadly misleading these headings are.
Zion in Scripture is always primarily used to denote Mount Zion in Jerusalem, and its temple there,—the spot whither all the Jews had to go up to worship, the appointed place of God's presence;—and, secondarily, it is sometimes applied to the Israelites as God's people, gathered to His center in Jerusalem. But not in one single instance can Zion in the Old Testament be taken to refer to the Church, seeing that it was totally unknown then, and was never the subject of prophecy, until our Lord foretold it in the words, "Upon this rock I will build My church." Even in Heb. 12:2222But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Hebrews 12:22), "Mount Sion " is not used to denote it, but to express the fact that believers have come by faith to the mount of royal grace and not to Sinai.
Why, we might ask, should Christians, who have such rich stores of spiritual instruction in the Gospels and the Epistles (such as could not have been given to the Old Testament saints) as to their blessings "in heavenly places in Christ," desire to appropriate to themselves the privileges contained in the Old Testament prophecies, which were specially given to the Jews, and, by a false method of spiritualizing, seek to rob them of their portion? This seems both selfish and unfair, as well as unscriptural.
SECOND. The hope of Israel, their blessing, place, and portion in the millennium.
The possession of the land of Canaan (in accordance with the covenant that God made with Abraham) under the reign of the promised Messiah, who should rule over the house of His father David, has ever been the undying hope of the Israelites. Hence, whilst "waiting for the consolation of Israel," and the "redemption in Jerusalem," they were ever ready to inquire, "Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"
As this hope was given to them by God Himself through the prophets sent to them from time to time, they have had divine authority for entertaining it, and forever looking forward to its realization. In the millennium, but not till then, all that God has ever promised to them will be fully realized. The whole house of Israel shall be restored, not only to their own land, but also to the favor of God, who will resume His dealings with them as of old; and will be pleased to again call them " My people,... the sons of the living God " (Hos. 1 to). [This fact is denoted in the Chart by the red line, which appears running through Dispensations C and D, and is broken off at the Captivity, being resumed, and extended through the whole millennium.]
From Zechariah we learn that this restoration to God's favor will be preceded by deep and heartfelt repentance, when they shall look on Him whom they have pierced, and discover that He is of a truth their Messiah. "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn, In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem " (Zech. 12 to 14). Then Jehovah graciously comes in, and provides full deliverance by cleansing them from all their uncleanness, through the application to their hearts and consciences of the blood of Christ, and through the washing of water by the Word. "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness" (Zech. 13:11In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. (Zechariah 13:1)). They shall realize that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin, and that in consequence of that atonement, the guilt of sin and all moral defilement is washed away by the application to their consciences of the Word of God, based on Christ's finished work. Not only cleansed by blood, but washed by water—that purification all need continually—both of which we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. "This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood." The "fountain opened " is, of course, a figurative expression, signifying that the one true source of cleansing provided for all in the atonement of Christ is applied at this time to the repentant Israelites. This figure also represents the moral power of the death of Christ for the cleansing of all defilement such as is implied in the washing of the feet in John 13 It does not say it is opened in the house of David, but to the house, &c.; that is, the cleansing fountain already opened by the atonement of Christ, is now applied to these restored Israelites, and by it they are cleansed from all their defilements. It is distinctly a Jewish reference, specially applicable to them at this particular crisis; but, like many other portions of the Word often exclusively applied to Christians, without any thought of the Jews whatever. Of course we and all believers come to the same fountain; but here the allusion is to the Jews. Of this work of purification it is further added, "And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God" (Zech. 13:99And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God. (Zechariah 13:9)). Then will come to pass the words in Ezek. 36:24-2724For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. (Ezekiel 36:24‑27), " I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all, your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them " (compare Ezek. 11:19, 2019And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 20That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. (Ezekiel 11:19‑20)). " When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning" (Isa. 4:44When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. (Isaiah 4:4)). See also Isa. 59:20, 2120And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. 21As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. (Isaiah 59:20‑21), and Jer. 31:33, 3433But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:33‑34). The words in Rom. 11:26, 2726And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (Romans 11:26‑27), will then be fulfilled, "All Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins."
After the children of Israel are restored to the land of their fathers, and are purified and renewed, they will possess the long-expected kingdom, under the reign of Christ. It is chiefly to these Israelitish saints (who shall then be the foremost or leading people in the whole world, and the very reverse of what they are now) that Daniel refers in chapter 7:22, "And the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom." Many other allusions to this fact are found in the prophets, such as, "For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong " (Zech. 8:12, 1312For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. (Zechariah 8:12‑13)).
"But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions " (Obad. 1:1717But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. (Obadiah 17)). " Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel " (Ezek. 11:1717Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. (Ezekiel 11:17)). " Ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put My Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord " (Ezek. 37:13, 1413And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord. (Ezekiel 37:13‑14)).
In Rev. 7 we see the 144,000 Israelites sealed that they might be preserved through the day of tribulation; and just as the millennium opens we see these same Jewish saints on Mount Sion with the Lamb, "having His Father's name written in their foreheads " (Rev. 14:11And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)); showing that God in His faithfulness had indeed safely kept them all through the "time of Jacob's trouble." And their appearance on Mount Zion with the Lamb (whom they will now be delighted to recognize as "The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world ") is the occasion of great rejoicing among their brethren, the harpers (the martyred saints of the tribulation now risen and in heaven), "and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand,"—doubtless because they had passed triumphantly through the trials and troubles of that same dark period.
When they have come into possession of their own land, and all their fond hopes and aspirations are fully realized, and they are found worshipping once more on their holy hill of Zion, in the most holy portion of their restored temple the " sanctuary," they will doubtless repeat and sing with holy joy and enthusiasm those beautiful psalms that specially refer to this period,—such as " Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King" (Psa. 48:22Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. (Psalm 48:2)); " The Lord loved] the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God " (Psa. 87:2, 32The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah. (Psalm 87:2‑3)); " Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion " (Psa. 2:66Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (Psalm 2:6)).
Jehovah Himself in their midst will cheer and comfort them with the thrilling words of their prophets: "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord " (Zech. 2:1010Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. (Zechariah 2:10)); " Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem " (Zeph. 3:1414Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. (Zephaniah 3:14)); " Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust: arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem " (Isa. 3: 1, 2, 9).
From these wonderful scriptures, and a great many others like them, we see that the despised Israelites, so long trodden down and ill-treated by the Gentiles, will be the highly favored people of God, and will be blessed with innumerable blessings, both temporal and spiritual; the best of all being the presence of Jehovah Himself in their midst—Jehovah Shammah, "the Lord is there" (Ezek. 48:3535It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there. (Ezekiel 48:35)). " Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all " (Jer. 31:1212Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. (Jeremiah 31:12)). The fore-going scriptures are beyond question strictly Jewish references to a literal Zion, a literal Jerusalem, and literal circumstances yet to come; but when they are exclusively appropriated by the Church, and used as descriptive of Christian blessings and privileges, what can we say but that such a spiritualizing method is a most serious misapplication of God's Word, which diverts attention from the plain and obvious meaning of such passages, and in reality amounts to a downright perversion of the sacred Scriptures! Yet there are thousands who continually repeat and sing them in their churches and chapels, who never have a thought of the Jews to whom they were specially given, but think only of themselves; while there are many who do not even believe that God's ancient people are to return to their own land, or that these inspired pre: dictions are to be fulfilled, as if the solemn covenant of God could ever be set aside l Such is the terrible unbelief to which we have come in these last days.
When the Israelites shall have come into full possession of their land, it will be divided among them in accordance with the original and divine purpose of God, as announced in Deut. 32:8,98When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 9For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. (Deuteronomy 32:8‑9),-" When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance." The whole of Palestine, from the river of Egypt (the Nile) to the great river Euphrates, will be distributed among the restored twelve tribes of Israel on a systematic plan, according to special directions given by God Himself; of which we have a full account in Ezek. 47 and 48. From these chapters we learn that the land will be divided into twelve parallel segments, running from east to west. (See the Map of Palestine.)
In addition to these twelve divisions, a square portion is to be offered as an holy oblation to the Lord between the allotments of Judah and Benjamin. " All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city " (Ezek. 48:2020All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city. (Ezekiel 48:20)). " And the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it" (ver. 8). Assuming these measurements to be in cubits (of twenty-one inches to the cubit), it will be a little over eight miles square. It is to be divided into three parallel portions; two of the same size, and the third smaller. The first (the central and most important) is the "holy portion," twenty-five thousand (cubits) in length by ten thousand in breadth. " In it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place. The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the Lord" (Ezek. 45:3, 43And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place. 4The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the Lord: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary. (Ezekiel 45:3‑4)).
The second, on the north side of the square, is also to be ten thousand in breadth; and shall be for "the Levites, the ministers of the house" (ver. 5). The third or smaller portion on the south side shall be the same length as the first two, but only five thousand broad; for a "possession of the city (Jerusalem). It "shall be a profane [place] for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs; and the city shall be in the midst thereof" (Ezek. 48:1515And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof. (Ezekiel 48:15)).
BENJAMIN.
The sanctuary is to be exactly in the midst of the Holy Square, and in the center of the priests' portion from east to west, but a little to the north of that portion, so as to be in the middle of the whole.)
A wonderful river is to issue from the sanctuary, and flow eastward to the Dead Sea (after first flowing a short distance to Jerusalem, as shown in the diagram), whose "waters shall be healed." It shall no longer be a dead but a living sea, full of all kinds of fish, " exceeding many," whilst on the banks of the river all manner of fruit trees shall grow, and bear fruit in great abundance. "And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine " (Ezek. 47:8-128Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 9And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. 10And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. 11But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. 12And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:8‑12)).
In Zech. 14:88And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. (Zechariah 14:8) this river is described as flowing from Jerusalem in two branches, one to the east, and the other to the west. "And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea (the eastern or Dead Sea), and half of them toward the hinder sea (the Mediterranean): in summer and in winter shall it be."
It is supposed that the river from the sanctuary is to flow a short distance southward to Jerusalem, and then branch off into two streams, one flowing east and the other west, as mentioned in the above passage from Zechariah.
Thus there will be some great and marvelous physical changes in Palestine just before, and as soon as the millennium begins, as foretold in Zech. 14 and the concluding chapters of Ezekiel,—the miraculous rent in the Mount of Olives, producing a very great valley, half the mountain being removed towards the north, and half towards the south, and this extraordinary river flowing from Jerusalem (rising from under the sanctuary to the north of thkt city), half towards the Dead Sea, and half towards the Mediterranean, a river that enlarges as it progresses, with " waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over."
THIRD. Rewards to the heavenly saints, and their reigning with Christ over the earth.
It will come to pass in this millennial day, especially at the commencement of it, that the Nobleman (or King) of Luke 19:11-2711And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 14But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 15And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. 17And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. 20And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. 22And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 23Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? 24And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 25(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) 26For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. 27But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. (Luke 19:11‑27) will return, after receiving His kingdom, to reckon with His servants, and to give them their rewards according to their faithfulness in using the talents, which had been committed to them, while on the earth. The reward given, as mentioned in the parable, will be authority to rule over certain cities,—in some cases five, and in others ten,—or " over many things," as in Matt. 25:21,2321His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:21)
23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:23), " Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things." In other scriptures this giving of rewards by the Lord to His servants is also mentioned. " Behold, the Lord God will come... behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him" (Isa. 40 Jo). " Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be" (Rev. 22:1212And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12)). " For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works " (Matt. 16:2727For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. (Matthew 16:27)). The time has come " that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets " (Rev. 11:1818And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. (Revelation 11:18)). " Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor" (1 Cor. 3:88Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. (1 Corinthians 3:8)).
On the minds of many Christians there seems to be a vague impression to the effect that all these, and other statements of the Word with regard to future rewards, relate wholly to the blessedness of the saints in heaven; or it may be to some special distinctions that will be given to them in the glory above. But this exclusive localizing is not borne out by Scripture, and is indeed quite contrary to the thought that runs through all the passages just quoted.
It is true that our Lord speaks of great reward and treasure in heaven, and that Peter mentions the inheritance reserved there for believers; but these, and many other like statements, appear to refer to the general blessedness of glorified saints given to all alike on the ground of Christ's atonement.
The question may be asked, Will there be distinctions in heaven, and will some have higher positions or blessings than others? It would be difficult to point to anything in Scripture that definitely warrants such a thought. At the same time, it might not be wise to positively assert the contrary, because we have no explicit teaching one way or the other. One of the passages most commonly cited is 1 Cor. 15:4141There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. (1 Corinthians 15:41), “One star differeth from another star in glory." But it does not refer to the subject at all. It is simply an illustration used to show that as the natural sun, moon, and stars differ from one another in brilliancy, so will the celestial bodies of saints after the resurrection differ from their terrestrial ones. The whole argument of the chapter is the contrast between corruption and incorruption, dishonor and glory, weakness and power, natural and spiritual bodies, &c., and it never touches the question of distinctions among the saints in heaven. The above passage is thus often entirely misapplied.
Whether there may be such distinctions or not, one thing is very certain, that there will be differences in the Lord's kingdom on the earth. It is important to observe, that the rewards spoken of in Scripture are generally, if not exclusively, connected with Christ's appearing and kingdom, and that different ones will be given according to the degrees of faithfulness in service down here. Even the " crown of life," of which our Lord and the apostles speak, is more or less connected with the earthly kingdom, though the honor of receiving it will no doubt be reckoned as one of the highest gifts of heaven.
Paul having fought the good fight, &c., could say, " Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:88Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)). James tells us, " Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive, the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him " (James 1:1212Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12)). Peter, in like manner, says, " When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away" (1 Peter 5:44And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (1 Peter 5:4)); and in Revelation the Lord's message to Smyrna is, " Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life " (ch. 2: 10); and to Philadelphia, " Behold, I come. quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown " (Rev. 3:1;11And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. (Revelation 3:1)). Note the words I have italicized, which point to the Lord's appearing, and to the conduct of the saints connected with the crown of glory. It is not salvation, but rewards for faithful service on the earth.
In 1 Cor. 9:24-2724Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:24‑27) we read, "They which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize. So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things," &c. These words clearly refer to diligence in service.
The same teaching is presented in 1 Cor. 3:12-1512Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12‑15), where we learn that the faithful builder or teacher who builds with "gold, silver, precious stones," so that his work abides, shall receive a reward; while he who uses " wood, hay, stubble," shall suffer loss, and his work be burned,-not the loss of his soul, but of his reward, for it is added, " he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." Furthermore, looking at all the promises to the " overcomers " in Rev. 2 and 3., we see that two main thoughts run through them all,—namely, nearness to, and intimacy with Christ Himself, and association with Him in His blessed reign on the earth; while some of these promises very pointedly and unmistakably refer to the coming kingdom, such as that to Thyatira,—" He that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations (there are no nations in heaven): and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father" (Rev. 2:26,2726And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (Revelation 2:26‑27)); that to Philadelphia,—" I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God " (Rev. 3:1212Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation 3:12)). In Rev. 21 to we see the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven in the millennium. Again, the Lord says to Laodicea,—" To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne" (Rev. 3:2121To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21)).
Thus the rewards given at the appearing of the Lord, are represented in a different light from the blessedness given to all believers in the heavenly glory, through the free and unmerited grace of God, on the ground of Christ's finished work of redemption. We have two sides to the blessings conferred on the saints hereafter, one being connected with the heavenly glory, and the other with the earthly reign, and bestowed on account of faithful service.
These distinct aspects of future blessings are usually so mixed up in the popular mind of Christendom as to appear one and the same thing, being resolved into a general and vague idea of happiness in heaven. Few seem to take in the thought-although it is so plainly revealed in the Word-that believers will have to do with this world, and will rule over it with Christ in His millennial kingdom. This is owing, no doubt, to the erroneous system of spiritualizing the Scriptures referring to the subject.
With, many Christians the one thought that appears to occupy them is that of being in heaven. It is indeed a blessed thing to go there; but such a desire savors more or less of selfishness, as it does not rise beyond our own happiness. In Scripture a much higher thought is set before us (without excluding the blessedness of heaven) as to the desires and prospects that should ever animate us with regard to the future; namely, that of the triumph and glory of our blessed Lord in His kingdom on this earth, where He was despised, rejected, and cast out. The sacred Word abounds with references to this glorious subject, such as, " God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth" (Phil. 2:9,109Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:9‑10)); " And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed " (Dan. 7:1414And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14)); " He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.... Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him: all nations shall serve Him " (Psa. 72:8, 118He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. (Psalm 72:8)
11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. (Psalm 72:11)).
Surely true loyalty of heart to the Lord Jesus, who is to be King over the whole earth, ought to characterize every Christian, lifting us above ourselves, and leading us to pray, "Come, Lord Jesus, and take to Thyself Thy power to reign."
Look at the noble and enthusiastic loyalty of David with regard to the King and His kingdom, so grandly and beautifully expressed throughout the Psalms. Many of them are royal millennial songs, prepared beforehand for that glorious day, and often sung by pious Jews, as they were by David, in anticipation of that time.
Christians ought not to be behind the Psalmist in devotedness to the Lord. The first thing the Jewish disciples were taught to pray for was, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." 'Even the thief on the cross said, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom."
As already observed, the special privilege granted to the heavenly saints in the millennium as a reward for their faithfulness, is power to reign with Christ over the earth, to which the following passages allude. "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (Rev. 5:1010And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10)). "They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" (Rev. 20:44And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)). "If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him " (2 Tim. 2:1212If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: (2 Timothy 2:12)). "I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My Father hath appointed unto Me; that ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:29, 3029And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 30That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:29‑30); Matt. 19:2828And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)).
"Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?"
Who, it might be asked, are these saints that are thus to reign with Christ? To this question we have a very direct and explicit answer in Rev. 20:44And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4): " And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." In this verse we have three classes of saints.
First, Those who sat upon thrones, "and judgment was given unto them," the saints of the first resurrection—or Rapture,—who are seen as the " four and twenty elders " around the throne in Rev. 4 and 5.
Second, "The souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus," the martyred saints of the first half of the last week, seen at the opening of the fifth seal under the altar, crying for vengeance (Rev. 6:9-119And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:9‑11)).
Third, Those who " had not worshipped the beast," &c.—the martyred saints of the last half of the week, the witnesses [the number "two " is probably used here symbolically to denote adequate or sufficient testimony (see Matt. 18:1616But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. (Matthew 18:16)), while representing many] whom we see slain near the close of the last three and a half years, but, after three days and a half, raised from the dead and taken up to heaven in a cloud.
The second class, or souls "under the altar," that were to rest until their brethren (the witnesses) should be killed, will, it is very likely, be raised at the same time as their fellow-martyrs (the third class), and both companies will then ascend to heaven together to join the previously translated saints of the Rapture.
These three classes of risen saints are grouped together in this verse, and it is stated, "They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Though a small interval of time intervenes between their resurrection, it is further added of these three, "This is the first resurrection," to distinguish them from the rest of the dead who " lived not again until the thousand years were finished," and who will at the end of that time realize the terrible meaning of the second resurrection and the "second death," when they appear before God at the judgment of the great white throne.
There cannot therefore be any doubt as to the saints who are to reign with Christ during the millennium. That exalted privilege will be the blessed portion of all true believers, from the beginning of the world to the time of the first resurrection, when both the Old and New Testament saints shall receive their new celestial bodies, and be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. "They (Old Testament saints) without us should not be made perfect" (Heb. 11:4040God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:40)). These are the armies that come out of heaven with the Lord to judge the nations.
But it must not be supposed that the saints will come back to dwell, or to take up their abode, on this earth. On the contrary, they will rule over the earth from the heavens above. This interesting fact we learn chiefly from particulars given to us concerning the New Jerusalem in Rev. 21:1010And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (Revelation 21:10), where John sees "The holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God." This heavenly city will be composed of all the saints of the first resurrection, among whom the Church will be specially distinguished by having some peculiarly honored position of nearness to the Lord as His bride,—" The holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." This great company of saints, with the Lord in their midst, will come down to the lower heavens, some distance above the earth (we are not told how far), and from that heavenly center they will reign over the earth.
It should be remembered that there are three heavens alluded to in Scripture. The first or lowest is the firmament or the earth's atmosphere; the second, the interstellar space where planets revolve; and the third, the highest place of God's glory. It was to this last that Paul was caught up in a trance (2 Cor. 12:2, 32I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) (2 Corinthians 12:2‑3)). Doubtless it is in the second heaven that Satan, "the prince of the power of the air," has his seat at present, and from which he will ere long be cast down. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places " (Eph. 6:1212For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)). But Christ, the true and rightful Sovereign, after casting out the usurper, will take His place in those same heavens with all His saints, to reign in perfect righteousness over the earth.
The description of this wonderful city is exceedingly grand. Nothing could be more magnificent than this picture, in which the purest metals and the most precious gems of this earth, are used as symbols to depict its glory,—symbols intended doubtless to convey lessons of the deepest spiritual instruction to the saints of God. In reflecting upon the whole scene, we cannot help wondering at His love and goodness in raising poor worms of the earth to such a position of heavenly honor and splendor, in intimate connection with the Lord of life and glory. How true are the words of the apostle John, " Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it when not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is " (1 John 3: 2); and the notable words of Paul, " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God " (1 Cor. 2:9, 109But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9‑10)).
It is said of this marvelous city, "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." The whole scene is flooded with the light of the glory of God and of the Lamb, far surpassing in splendor anything that has ever been seen in this world. This supernatural and glorious light will stream down from the heavenly city over Mount Zion, and especially over the temple or sanctuary in the most holy portion, somewhat like the pillar of cloud and of fire that rested on the tabernacle in the wilderness, the Shechinah that appeared between the cherubim on the mercy-seat, and the glory of the Lord that filled the temple in the days of Solomon, only it may be much more extensive and brilliant than any of these former manifestations.
There also appears to be an allusion to this marvelous light in Isa. 4:55And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. (Isaiah 4:5): "The Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount. Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a covering" (see marginal reading). Compare Ezek. 43:22And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. (Ezekiel 43:2), " And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and His voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with His glory; " and again, in Zech. 2:55For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. (Zechariah 2:5), " For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her."
The saints of this holy city will descend from their heavenly center in the execution of their mission of ruling and judging on the earth. A glorious pathway of light will in all probability connect the heavenly capital above—the New Jerusalem—with the earthly capital in Palestine, where the Lord will then be reigning; and upon this pathway the risen saints in their celestial and glorified bodies will (it may be supposed) continually ascend and descend in the performance of their holy services. Of this we probably have a pre-figurement in Jacob's dream, when he beheld " a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it " (Gen. 28:1212And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. (Genesis 28:12)). Our Lord's words to Nathanael may have also been intended to bear some reference to these millennial circumstances, " Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man " (John 1:5151And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (John 1:51)).
[In the chart the oval figure above the millennial period is intended to represent the glorified saints in the New Jerusalem; while the radial lines descending therefrom denote their coming down to rule over the earth. The golden crown seen lower down in this space is also intended to point to the righteous reign of Christ with His saints.]
Although the millennium will be characterized as a time of prevailing holiness, particularly in the Holy Land, yet the fact that the heavenly saints are to judge the world, and even to rule "with a rod of iron," clearly implies that the tendency to sin will still exist, and that consequently there will be transgressors who will have to be judged and properly dealt with. For though Satan and all his emissaries will be absent from the scene, poor human nature, with its innate tendency to evil, will be there. Besides, we are not told in Scripture that all will be converted even in that blessed day; so that sin will sometimes be committed, though no doubt it will be the exception rather than the rule as at present.
In Isa. 65:20, 2220There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. (Isaiah 65:20)
22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. (Isaiah 65:22), we read: " There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old, shall be accursed.... They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of My people, and Mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands."
From these words we learn two things. First, that the people of this time—the millennium—will live to a very great age, so that persons a hundred years old will be regarded as but children; and that many, if not all, will pass through the whole thousand years. Methuselah lived nearly as long as that. Indeed, it seems very probable that the assigned duration of human life during this glorious Sabbath will be a thousand years, and that only those who commit some deliberate wickedness will be cut off. Second, that "the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed;" that is, judged and condemned. The offenders in this day of holiness will no doubt be judged, and it may be in some cases cut off at once, or otherwise righteously dealt with. In these disciplinary acts the risen saints will in all likelihood be called to take part, under the immediate direction of the Lord the King, while rendering useful service in thousands of ways by counseling and guiding all who may require their assistance. For if they are to be frequent visitors to this earth (as we have already assumed), coming down and returning to their home above, no doubt the righteous will be delighted with their presence, as Peter, James, and John were delighted to be in the company of the Lord and Moses and Elias on the mount of transfiguration, saying, " It is good for us to be here."
As to the practical exercise of their judicial functions, perhaps Peter's action in dealing with Ananias and Sapphira, and the results that followed, may be regarded as furnishing us with a general illustration of the judgment that will be exercised in similar cases by the saints in the millennium.
FOURTH. It will be a time of universal peace, while true happiness and holiness will be its prominent features. But it must be remembered that the scriptures which refer to these blessings mainly apply to the Israelites restored to Palestine. Still many of them will no doubt flow out from that holy and happy center to all the surrounding nations, and to the world at large. "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:99They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)).
True peace fled from this world the day that sin entered into it, with all its dire consequences, and has never yet returned to the world at large, nor will it do so, until the Prince of Peace Himself comes to establish it in His kingdom.
When we look at the past history of this restless and turbulent scene, we see that all the way down from the beginning—a long dark record of nearly sixty centuries—it is deeply stained with innumerable wars, some of them the most horrible and devastating, in which millions of precious souls have been hurriedly driven out of time into the solemn realities of eternity. Yet with all this, as the centuries rolled on, rulers and statesmen cried aloud for peace, and protested that they were about to put an end to all war, and bring about a time of general tranquility. But these promises have never been fulfilled. At every fresh stride of civilization our rulers and statesmen repeatedly proclaim with louder voices than ever, often too with the utmost confidence, that all these great improvements are soon to usher in the glorious and long-desired era of peace. That day has not yet come, nor do we see that the much lauded improvements of these last days—good as many of them undoubtedly are in themselves—have helped in the least to extirpate the demon of war that is still unquestionably lurking beneath the apparently placid surface of the political world. On the contrary, science itself, with some of its most wonderful discoveries, is being more than ever harnessed to the chariot of war; and never has there been a time when the preparations for it have, been conducted on such an extensive scale, or when the expenditure of the different nations lavished upon these preparations has been so enormous, as at present. Millions are spent by the nations of Europe in providing the various deadly munitions of war for the mighty conflict that is soon coming. Terrible ironclads and enormous guns, torpedoes and magazine rifles, are some of the awful engines of destruction that are being rapidly multiplied; while governments vie with one another in hurrying on their construction.
It is appalling to think that all these expensive appliances are expressly designed for the wholesale slaughter of human beings, and for the destruction of property! Yet the rulers, when they make their set speeches to their people, assert again and again that the result they hope to achieve by these means is peace! Their ministers and statesmen echo and highly applaud these pacific speeches, while they know full well that a gigantic war—the long-expected European conflagration—is impending, and likely to burst over this Continent in the near future. Moreover, some competent authorities, who are in positions to judge correctly as to what is coming, assert that this great conflict will be one of the most terrible and far-reaching as to its consequences that has ever been known.
"He saw on all sides great nations arming to the teeth for the coming struggle. Those who studied the map of Europe at the present moment, must feel that there was hanging over a war cloud greater than ever hung before, and if that burst, as surely it would, it meant not a contest between two highly trained armies, but a war of devastation, a war of extinction between great nations, the whole of whose population was armed and trained to fight. It was a sad thing to think that at this period of the nineteenth century, notwithstanding all the beneficial results of physical, moral, and philosophical teaching, as far as one could see, the tendency of the time, instead of leading to peace, led to war. It was a strange thing that the older the world became the larger were the sums of money devoted to the purpose of warlike implements, and the greater the portion of the population in every country trained to arms.")
We know from some of the unfulfilled prophecies of Scripture that there are yet to be wars before the end of the age, as our Lord said while looking forward to these last days, that there should be "wars and rumors of wars." What do the first four seals—the four horses—of Rev. 6 mean, if not wars and their consequences? to take place, be it remembered, after the Church and all the risen saints have been translated to heaven, who are seen in the two previous chapters (4 and 5) crowned and seated around the throne as the four-and-twenty elders. The Church has not yet been caught up, consequently those wars are yet to come. Then, again, the king of the north has not yet come down to devastate Palestine for the last time; nor has the battle of Armageddon taken place, in which he and all his mighty armies, together with the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, shall be destroyed on the hills of Israel. Therefore we can confidently repeat, that there will be no real and lasting peace on the earth until the Lord Jesus comes to establish it.
Furthermore, the great " Eastern question," that has been menacing the peace of Europe for so many years, has not been settled, and indeed never will be, until the children of Israel, to whom the whole of Palestine belongs (as it was given to them for a perpetual inheritance by a solemn covenant of God), are restored to the full possession of their own land. This must come to pass, because God has said it, and not all the nations of the earth combined will be able to prevent it. The Eastern question is God's question, His controversy with the nations that still debar His people from taking possession of their own land.
But this restoration of Israel is not likely to take place without a tremendous conflict, as is known by those who are acquainted with the state of affairs in the East, and with the undying traditional designs and ambition of the great power of the north. So here again we have war ahead,—a war that is becoming more imminent every day; and is the constant theme of the secular papers, some of which have more than once predicted that it may come upon us as suddenly as thunder and lightning from a clear sky. My own impression is, that whenever it does come, it will in all probability change the map of Europe, and-will be the beginning of the end. In this I may be mistaken; but I mention it for the consideration of those who are watching the drifting of things in the restless and unsettled state of Europe and the East towards some momentous crisis. Daniel says, "The wise shall understand."
The millennium will be the reverse of all this, for real and lasting peace will prevail all over the world, as is clearly set forth in numerous scriptures. "The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end " (Isa. 9:6, 76For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6‑7)). " And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever. And My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places" (Isa. 32:17, 817And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. (Isaiah 32:17)
8But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand. (Isaiah 32:8)). "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and. their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more " (Isa. 2:44And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)). " He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariot in the fire " (Psa. 46:99He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. (Psalm 46:9)). " In His days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth " (Psa. 72:77In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. (Psalm 72:7)).
Delightful scenes of joy and gladness shall be seen on every hand, and true happiness shall be the portion of God's children, especially of the Israelites in Palestine, for sorrow, sickness, want, and distress shall be banished from their midst. "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands" (Isa. 55:1212For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12)). "In this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees... well refined " (Isa. 25:66And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. (Isaiah 25:6)). " To comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified " (Isa. 61:2, 32To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:2‑3)). " The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away" (Isa. 35:10; 65:1910And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 35:10)
19And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. (Isaiah 65:19)). "They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all" (Jer. 31:1212Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. (Jeremiah 31:12)). "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes" (Rev. 7:16,1716They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:16‑17); Isa. 49:1010They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. (Isaiah 49:10)).
All these beautiful and glowing scriptures particularly describe the blest and happy condition of the godly Israelites, who will then be true and intelligent worshippers of God, in the fear of the Lord, and in humble subjection to His statutes. Holiness, too, shall be a marked feature throughout the land. "They shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord " (Jer. 31:3434And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:34)). " Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: Thou hast the dew of Thy youth " (Psa. 110:33Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. (Psalm 110:3)). " In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD" (Zech. 14:2020In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. (Zechariah 14:20)). "Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto
Wrong-doing and open transgression may, as we have seen, sometimes occur, but such cases of willful evil will be speedily judged, and righteously corrected. What a contrast to the present time, when high-handed sinners put on a bold and daring front, and "draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope" (Isa. 5:1818Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: (Isaiah 5:18)).
FIFTH. Great changes in the natural world.
The terrible curse that fell upon the earth and upon man at the fall, in consequence of sin, was,—" Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground " (Gen. 3:17-1917And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (Genesis 3:17‑19)). The sad effects of this curse have continued for nearly six thousand years, as expressed in Rom. 8:2222For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Romans 8:22), "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." But in the happy days of the millennium, these sad groans that have been rising to heaven for so many centuries, will be hushed, as the curse will be to a great extent removed, and the earth restored to its pristine beauty and fertility, particularly in the favored land of Palestine.
The Almighty Creator has but to command, as at the first, " Let the earth bring forth," and in a moment the face of nature may be completely changed, the most sterile valleys, the great sandy deserts, the wild wildernesses of weeds and bushes, and even the flinty rocks, being converted into fertile and productive fields and gardens. "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.... Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes " (Isa. 35:1, 6, 71The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. (Isaiah 35:1)
6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. 7And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. (Isaiah 35:6‑7)) " Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off" (Isa. 55:1313Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. (Isaiah 55:13)). "Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us " (Psa. 67:66Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. (Psalm 67:6)). " Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt" (Amos 9:1313Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. (Amos 9:13)). "I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen " (Ezek. 36:29, 3029I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. 30And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. (Ezekiel 36:29‑30)). " For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things" (Zech. 8:1212For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. (Zechariah 8:12)). This, we see, specially applies to the land of Palestine, though no doubt the world at large will be greatly changed.
Generally these passages are applied in a metaphorical sense, as descriptive of the improved moral condition of the people of that day. But though they may thus be used as apt figures of moral changes, and spiritual conditions of soul, it surely must be obvious to all who carefully consider these words, that primarily they should be regarded as descriptions of actual physical changes in the natural world. To exclusively and directly apply these scriptures to the growth of spiritual life in the Church, as is often done, is, it seems to me, a gross perversion of the sacred Word.
There will in that day be no deep distressing want or poverty, and consequently not that terrible struggle for existence which is now so prevalent. On the contrary, there will be abundance of good things for all classes, provided by the bountiful Creator, who giveth to all liberally, temporal as well as spiritual blessings.
Some doubters of the rationalistic school imagine, that if people live through the thousand years, and the population be thus greatly increased, it will be impossible to provide sufficient food and other necessaries for them! What a limitation of the omnipotence of God, who with a word can call into existence this and all the great and innumerable worlds we see around us! What unworthy thoughts many seem to have of the infinite God, the Creator of all things I See what a grand and wonderful display of omnipotence appears when our Lord, without any outward show, quietly lifts His eyes to heaven to give thanks, and then feeds five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fishes, and, after all are filled, twelve baskets full of fragments remain! And if the number had been five millions, it would have been the same to Him, for they would all have been filled. What amazing power, so easily and quietly put forth, to gather together, or rather create, on the instant, bread and fish in such abundance! Can the proud scientist explain that? How insignificant all the highest achievements of science appear in the presence of this one fact. What folly then to doubt and reason, and to call in question the almighty power of God.
We can be sure that when God restores the earth to its former state of productiveness, there will be marvelous prodigality of supply, and a profusion of everything needful, such as we have not the slightest conception of at present. Part of the curse, it will be remembered, was that man should "eat the herb of the field," which was to be obtained by the "sweat" of his face-by hard toil, and continuous labor in cultivating the ground. Moreover, it seems that fruit grown on trees was the food originally provided for man, and it did not require such severe labor to procure it. In the passage already quoted from Ezek. 36:3030And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. (Ezekiel 36:30), we see it is particularly stated, "I will multiply the fruit of the tree," as well as the increase of the field (see also Ezek. 34:2727And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. (Ezekiel 34:27)); thus partly returning to the Paradise condition of things.
In Ezek. 47:1212And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:12) we have another very remarkable allusion to this abundant supply of fruit in Palestine, in connection with that wonderful river that is to flow eastward from the sanctuary: " And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine; " no fading leaf or cessation of fruit bearing, as with us in winter, but new fruits by some of the trees, every month according to their respective seasons of bearing.
There will also be a complete change in the nature and habits of the animal creation. "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:6-96The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. 9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6‑9)). "I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods " (Ezek. 34:2525And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. (Ezekiel 34:25)).
These passages, like a great many others, as we have already observed, are most commonly interpreted or applied figuratively, in accordance with the mistaken practice of spiritualizing almost everything in the Old Testament prophecies, whereby their special force and obvious teaching is often completely lost. They may at times, no doubt, be profitably used in a figurative sense as illustrations or parables, but their true and primary meaning is only to be found in their literal interpretation.
SIXTH. The prominent position of Palestine at this time, the glory of Mount Zion, and the restoration of sacrifices and offerings near to Jerusalem, i.e., in the sanctuary to the north. of the city.
The Holy Land will be the most prominent and important country in the world during the millennium, and Jerusalem will be the glorious metropolis and center of the whole earth, when the Israelites, the rightful owners, shall have taken full possession of it according to the decrees and counsels of God. " Thus saith the Lord God; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her" (Ezek. 5:55Thus saith the Lord God; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her. (Ezekiel 5:5)).
The two circumstances that will give such importance to Jerusalem are, first, that it will be the earthly center of the great King, the Messiah, reigning over the house of His father David, and the spot where He. shall appear personally; and, second, that it will be near the central place of Divine worship, where the bright symbol of God's presence will be seen over the sanctuary in the most holy portion, and whither all the nations of the world are to go up on certain occasions to worship Him. "Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously" (Isa. 24:2323Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously. (Isaiah 24:23)). "Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.... Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord " (Zech. 8:3, 223Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain. (Zechariah 8:3)
22Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. (Zechariah 8:22)). Thus the Lord will be seen in His glory reigning as King in Jerusalem, admired and adored by all. "The place of My throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever" (Ezek. 43:77And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places. (Ezekiel 43:7); Isa. 60:1313The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. (Isaiah 60:13)).
As soon as the Israelites are restored to their land, their first consideration will be to rebuild the temple, and to resume their sacrifices and oblations, as in the days of David and Solomon, for this has been the desire of every pious Jew since their dispersion. This movement will be approved and owned of God; while the building, and all the arrangements of the temple, the order of the various sacrifices and offerings, and the ministrations of the priests, will be carried out in strict accordance with the divine commands given in the prophecy of Ezekiel, which the Jews will as closely follow in that day, as their forefathers did the directions given to them through Moses. Thus in Ezekiel, chapters 40 to 43:17, full particulars are given concerning the measurements and arrangements of the new temple, upon which the glory of God is to shine. In chapter 43:18-27 directions are given with regard to the various sacrifices to be offered by the priests. In the three chapters 44 to 46 we find very full instructions concerning the ministrations of the high priest, " the Prince," the ordinary priests and Levites, the various offerings they are to prepare, and the portions of the land to be allotted to them, as well as details respecting the Prince and his portion. In 47:1-12 an account is given of that wonderful river which is to flow from under the house, the fruit trees growing on its banks, and the fish in it "exceeding Many." Chapters 47:13-23 and 48 contain directions as to the division of the land among the twelve tribes of Israel, and the special portions to be given to the priests, the Levites, and the Prince.
Thus these last nine chapters of Ezekiel wholly relate to the millennial period, following in consecutive order chapter 39, in which we have the destruction of the king of the north at the battle of Armageddon, which is to take place at the end of the age, and before the millennium.
In view of the teaching we have in the epistles, and especially in the Hebrews, that the sacrifices and offerings and priestly ministrations under the Jewish economy were only types and shadows of Christ and of His work of redemption, which have passed away since the one perfect offering of Christ Himself has been made once for all, it may seem strange that they should be again resumed.
But there is nothing contrary to present teaching, or difficult to understand, if we regard this going back to Jewish institutions as a memorial service,—that is, a looking backward, instead of forward, to Christ and His finished work of redemption, just as we now look backward in the Lord's Supper. For there never can be but one way of salvation and entrance into blessing, either in the past, the present, or the future, and that is through the atoning work of Christ.
It is remarkable that the Israelites, for the most part, failed to see Christ prefigured, as the suffering Victim atoning for sin, in the sacrifices which they were commanded to observe, though God, in pardoning sin, ever had that all-important fact in view, " For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins" (Heb. 10:44For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. (Hebrews 10:4)). Therefore, as they failed to learn that great and essential lesson of salvation through a suffering and dying Savior, which God so graciously set before them in the sacrifices, it may be that He intends they should fully learn it in the millennium, according to His original purpose. So that in all the appointed sacrifices and ordinances restored to them after the same pattern as those given through Moses, they shall see Christ, and Christ only, from beginning to end, as the foundation of all God's purposes of mercy towards them and the whole world; and thus, in looking back through these sacrifices and offerings, they will see, with wonder and admiration, how perfectly all those ordinances typically set forth the glories of Christ and His wonderful way of redemption. This was of course God's original intention, and if His people failed to perceive it at one period of their history, they will have to learn it at some other; as all the purposes of God must ever stand fast, and be fully accomplished, even though centuries may intervene between their announcement and their realization.
When Jerusalem shall become the recognized religious as well as geographical center of the world, and the true worship of God is re-established there (especially in the sanctuary to the north of that favored city) under the Jewish ritual, all the Gentile nations are to go up on certain occasions to join in worship with the Israelites, who shall be the priests and leaders of such worship, and the chief religious teachers of that day. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem " (Isa. 2:2, 32And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:2‑3), and Mic. 4:1, 21But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 2And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Micah 4:1‑2)). "At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart " (Jer. 3:1717At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. (Jeremiah 3:17)). " And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be My people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent Me unto thee. And the Lord shall inherit Judah His portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again" (Zech. 2: 11, 12). "Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord" (Zech. 8:2222Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. (Zechariah 8:22)). " And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain " (Zech. 14:16, 1716And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 17And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. (Zechariah 14:16‑17)).
Thus we see, that all the nations are to go up at least yearly to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, then personally reigning in Jerusalem; and to keep the feast of tabernacles there, and that if they neglect to do so, they will lose their usual supply of rain.
In that day of true godliness, when all the Jewish people shall know the Lord, from the least to the greatest, it will doubtless be the chief and first concern of these pious Israelites, restored to the favor of God, to praise and worship Him continually, and to keep His statutes; and the going up to Jerusalem will evidently be a prominent feature of the millennial day, esteemed by all the saints as a most blessed and happy privilege. Companies will no doubt be seen wending their way there to behold with adoring reverence the glorious person of the Lord the King, and the glory of Jehovah over the sanctuary, and to unite with the devout Israelites in praising and worshipping God in the beauty of holiness. (Psa. 29:22Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (Psalm 29:2).) " And the nations shall walk by its light: and the kings of the earth bring their glory to it... And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations to it " (Rev. 21:24, 2624And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. (Revelation 21:24)
26And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. (Revelation 21:26)).
SEVENTH. The glory and mission of Israel in the millennium.
When Israel as a nation is purified, and truly' converted to God, and when Jehovah dwells in their midst (Isa. 12), they will be instruments and channels of blessing to the whole world. This thought appears first in the covenant made with Abraham, " In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed " (Gen. 22:1818And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:18)). This is to be understood in a twofold sense, -first, through Christ the Savior of the world, who came of the seed of Abraham; and, second, through the Israelites themselves as a nation being God's appointed testimony on the earth in the millennium, and the religious teachers of the surrounding nations. The glory of the Lord's presence in their midst will then be shining out through them to all; giving them godly power and influence over those with whom they come in contact. Moreover, to their holy city Jerusalem, upon which the glory of the Lord shall arise, the Gentiles shall come to worship God.
"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.... And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
... The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall came bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou halt been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations " (Isa. 60:1, 3, 14, 151Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:1)
3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (Isaiah 60:3)
14The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. (Isaiah 60:14‑15)). " Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.... How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!... Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God " (Isa. 52:1, 2, 7, 9, 101Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. (Isaiah 52:1‑2)
7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (Isaiah 52:7)
9Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. 10The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. (Isaiah 52:9‑10)). " I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth.... Behold, I will lift up Mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up My standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for Me" (Isa. 49:6, 22, 236And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)
22Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. 23And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. (Isaiah 49:22‑23)). " He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit " (Isa. 27:66He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. (Isaiah 27:6)). " For Zion's sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name.... Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God "(Isa. 62:1-31For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. 2And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. 3Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. (Isaiah 62:1‑3)). " In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance" (Isa. 19:24, 2524In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: 25Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. (Isaiah 19:24‑25)). " At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord ".(Zeph. 3:2020At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord. (Zephaniah 3:20)). " And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be My people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent Me unto thee. And the Lord shall inherit Judah His portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again" (Zech. 2:11, 1211And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee. 12And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. (Zechariah 2:11‑12)). "And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.... Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you" (Zech. 8:13, 22, 2313And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. (Zechariah 8:13)
22Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. 23Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. (Zechariah 8:22‑23)).
The Jews will also be sent to declare the glory of the Lord among the Gentiles, and to show that He reigns as King in Zion. " I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles" (Isa. 66:1919And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. (Isaiah 66:19)).
The prophecies of the Old Testament are largely occupied with this interesting subject. The passages just quoted are only a selection of the principal ones, and show us not only the great importance attached to this subject in the Word, but also the abounding love and mercy of God towards His ancient people, cheering and comforting them with the prospect of a glorious future, even in the days of Isaiah and Jeremiah, when they were in a deplorably low moral condition, and about to come under the chastising hand of God for their idolatries and wickedness, and to be carried away captives to Babylon.
Though God has permitted the Gentiles to ill-treat His people for centuries, when He stretches forth His hand again to restore them it will be a serious time of judgment for those who now oppress and persecute them, for then they shall realize the full force of the solemn words of our Lord: "Shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily " (Luke 18:7, 87And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:7‑8)). God hath said of His chosen people, "He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of His eye" (Zech. 2:88For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. (Zechariah 2:8)).
It seems strange that many Christians, in reading the distinctively Jewish predictions which we have been considering in this chapter, apply most of them to the Christian Church. Certainly such a sad misapplication is a serious error, which has had the effect of hindering thousands from rightly understanding the prophetic word.
In penning the foregoing brief and general survey of millennial truth, two things presented themselves as specially noticeable,-First, the large number of references to it in the various books of the Bible, and the glowing and emphatic language in which it is portrayed, thus showing its great importance; and, second, the perfect contrast this grand picture presents to the whole present order of things.
Now, we have sorrow, misery, and death constantly before us; then, real joy, happiness, and long life as the portion of the children of God (Isa. 65:2222They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. (Isaiah 65:22)):—now, deep poverty and want, and dreadful struggles for bare existence; then, as a general rule, abundance for all of everything needful:—now, nature groaning under the curse; then, the curse removed, and the earth renovated, and made like the garden of Eden, particularly in the Holy Land:—now, sin, high-handed wickedness, and rebellion stalking defiantly through the earth; then, real submission to Divine authority, righteousness and true godliness prevailing especially among the restored Israelites:—now, terribly devastating wars and bloodshed, the cruel passions of men let loose to hurt and destroy one another; then, genuine peace and real kindness and benevolence. Now, foul language and blasphemies often assail the ear; then, pious hymns and anthems of adoring praise and worship shall be perpetually ascending to God from the vast number of true saints who will then be far more numerous than at present; and, to crown all (that which indeed will be the foundation as well as the source of all this blessedness), instead of the diabolical reign of Satan, the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)), there will be the perfectly righteous and glorious reign of the King of kings and Lord of lords—the kingdom of heaven truly established on the earth. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."