The present volume consists of fourteen lectures, of which the heads are as follows: 1. On the doctrine of a millennium.—2. On the same.—3. On the genuineness and inspiration of the Apocalypse.—4. On the relation of the Apocalypse to the canon of Scripture.—5. The coming of Christ.—6. Exposition of the Apocalypse: plan of the Apocalypse: the seven epistles and the seven seals.—7. The seven trumpets.— 8. History of Holy Scripture.—9. History of the Church.—10. Introduction to the prophecies concerning Babylon, in the Apocalypse.—11. Whether Babylon, in the Apocalypse, is the city of Rome.—12. Whether Babylon, in the Apocalypse, is the Church of Rome.—13. The seven vials.—14. Concluding discourse.
One of the few things in which we can concur with Dr. W. is in the following strong opinion of the authorized version as regards the Revelation: "Here I would earnestly exhort you, my younger hearers, not to content yourselves with the English version of the Apocalypse, but to have constantly before your eyes the original Greek in some good critical edition, where the various readings are carefully noted—as, for instance, in that of Griesbach, or of Scholz. It would be insidious to specify the numerous errors which have been committed by modern expositors, through neglect of this necessary precaution. Anyone who undertakes to expound the Apocalypse from our English version alone, will deceive himself and mislead others.
"It is no disparagement to our authorized version of the Apocalypse to say that it admits of considerable improvement. This may be easily accounted for from the nature of the case. The Apocalypse, from its peculiar character, is more difficult to render accurately than any other book of the New Testament." &c.—(Pages 162, 163.)
Dr. Wordsworth's continual thesis is the entire denial of the millennial reign of Christ, in any sense, as a thing to be looked for. He is opposed to the idea of a figurative reign of the Spirit before Christ's coming, no less than to the truth of a literal, personal reign of Christ after His coming. Thus, in arguing against the former notion in pages 35, 36, he says very justly: "What was the language of the apostles? When the Thessalonians were expecting the immediate reappearance of Jesus Christ, what did Paul say? Did he tell them a millennium would first ensue? No! he that letteth," &c. So, in the preceding page, he had said: "It is clear from Scripture that the present mixed state of things will continue, as it now is, to the day of judgment, and will be immediately succeeded by that day." That is, his reasoning upon such passages is the same as we should adopt in combating the fond fancy of a triumph for the Church by human instrumentality on earth, or what is called a spiritual millennium here below, before the return of the Lord in person.
If the author sweeps away the figurative' glory of the Spirit, no less than the personal coming and reign of Christ, what does he substitute in their stead? and how does he interpret Isa. 11,35,65,66, and a host of other Scriptures which are supposed to furnish one or other of these hopes.
Lecture 1. is his attempt to prove that the millennial reign is a mere Jewish dream, and a mistaken oral tradition—the literal interpretation of what was meant figuratively in the prophets being the source of the error. He even supposes Rev. 20., rightly understood, to be "a correction of these earthly notions. concerning (Christ) Himself and His kingdom." (Page 8.) He appeals, in the latter part of the discourse, to many Scriptures as disproving the very thing which they in fact confirm and demonstrate (such as Acts 1: 11, 3:21, &c.), but we have no room for discussing their bearing just now. Other texts again, such as John 14:2, 12In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)
1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1) These. 4. &c., are quite irrelevant, that is, the fact that we are to have heavenly mansions in the Father's house, in no way conflicts with the additional fact that we are to reign with Christ over the earth, and that for a thousand years.
But the second Lecture is of a more positive character than the first. We have the author's view of the first resurrection described in Rev. 20. He considers that the angel is the Lord Jesus, that Christ began the conquest of Satan when He came from heaven and gave the chain to others, His disciples and apostles, to carry out the work; that, in short, Christ did bind Satan and fulfill this chapter; and that if Satan still has power in the world, this is due to man and not to God. (Pages 46-49.) Isa. 46. is supposed to be accomplished in the present silence of the oracles, and in the conversion of pagan temples into Christian churches. Accordingly "our first or spiritual resurrection is our death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness;” (pages 54, 55;) so called "because it precedes the revelation of the body, and because it is the opposite of the second death." (Page 56.) The erroneous application of the passage to a mere bodily resurrection (!) he ascribes " to low and inadequate notions of our baptismal privileges and obligations, and of the sacred duties and inestimable blessings of Church-membership and Church-unity; and wherever unworthy notions are entertained on these momentous points, there the doctrine of a millennium may be expected to prevail." (Page 57.) No wonder we read in page 60: "Now, even now, the saints of Christ judge the world." (!)
I feel that simply to state the outline of such views (and the most monstrous assertions are not culled here) is to a spiritual person their immediate and decided confutation. The theory is as old as Hymenaeus and Philetus, “who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already." Along with this goes the scheme that the Church is reigning now. Both these things are affirmed by Dr. Wordsworth, and are the basis of the present volume. Happily the influence of such a theory will be infinitesimally small, else it might demand a sterner warning.