Chiliasm Defended, From Sources Ancient And Modern

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 21)

2008-03-31T08:14:00.000-07:00

John, after describing the final punishment brought upon the heads of the wicked, and the casting of Satan into the lake of fire, then proceeds to paint a graphic picture of the Final Judgment. He writes: "And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God: and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20: 11-15).

It is important to note that the whole of Chapter 20 presents one continuous discourse. From the end of chapter 19 to the beginning of 21, the events which John records are set forth without any break in the continuity of the narrative. Thus, the Millennium follows the punishment of the beast and false prophet, inasmuch as those who overcame the beast are then seen receiving their rewards (Rev. 20: 4). Likewise, the battle of Gog and Magog and the destruction of Satan follow the Millennium. This also concludes with the General Judgment, at which time all men shall receive their eternal portions; and then follows the renovation of the world (Rev. 21: 1 ff). It is essential that Satan's destruction should bring to end the present course of ages, for it was he who first brought sin into the world, whereby the creation became marred. Hence, when all sin is destroyed and put down finally, the world itself will be made immortal and eternal. In all respects the creation must follow the condition of man.

We find, also, that at the general judgment, death shall be destroyed, and consequently corruption also, as corruption is a work of death. Perhaps we should say, then, that the resurrection and the abolition of death are simultaneous. For, when the processes of natural dissolution are cancelled out, there will result a resurrection of all men-- and vice versa. All souls shall be brought up from Hades, and clothed in their own restored bodies, each individual to be judged according to his works. For it only reasonable that men should be judged for their deeds in the very bodies in which they were committed.

As Tertullian writes, the body of man is ancillary to the soul in the commission of evil. "Now the party which aids in the commission of a crime is brought to trial, only in such a way that the principle offender who actually committed the crime may bear the weight of the penalty, although the abettor too does not escape indictment." (De Anima, xl). The soul, then, may be viewed as the principle offender, and the body as its accomplice. Both the guilty parties must be brought before Christ's tribunal.

And so, death being nullified, a wholesale reversal of its operations will take effect. As Hades is but a repository of disembodied souls, its annulment as well may be seen as part of this process. Souls come forth from Hades, and bodies from the dust. And let no man think that God is unable to restore these bodies in which we now dwell. For as He created man from the dust of the ground (Gen. 2: 7), and as corruption was the penalty of disobedience (Gen. 3: 19), so too when death is destroyed, the bodies of all men shall come forth from the dust into which they, by death, were dissolved. This is the mystery of the resurrection, which, if any man understand not, he cannot comprehend the fullness of God's power. But God brings all things to pass in their proper season. And as death brought darkness upon the world, and sorrow, and pain, and all attendant miseries, so after the resurrection shall Christ bring light. And light then being separated from darkness for ever, the two portions of mankind-- the believing and unbelieving-- will go each to their own places. One class shall inherit eternal light, the other eternal darkness.

This will be that public resurrection and judgment spoken of by Christ, in which the sheep and the goats shall be divided (Matt. 25: 31-46). It will be a judging of "all nations." And John informs us, as also does Christ, that then all men shall be judged according to their works. Some have wondered why this should be the case if Christ has already paid for our sins. Of course, we should keep in mind that the atonement is not completed until Christ leaves the Holy Place: so what is called "salvation" is still an ongoing process until He returns. Remember the parable of the talents (Matt. 25: 14-30). Then, too, think of that corruptible crown for which Paul so earnestly strove (1 Cor. 9: 25). Salvation is only begun in the process of regeneration; it is finished in the resurrection. Let us make no mistake. Whatever tree is planted shall bear its appropriate fruit; and when the Master of the Vineyard comes at the Harvest close, He shall judge, not by the tree, but by its fruit--for the fruit determines the nature of the tree. Hence, all men shall be judged according to their works.

At the time of judgment, there will be a fulfillment of those promises given by Christ to them who receive the saints, and do offices of kindness to them. "He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth Him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, will receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones, a cup of cold water, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward" (Matt. 10: 40-42). Thus, there shall be a general amnesty from among the ranks of all mankind. And the men of Nineveh and the queen of the south shall rise up against the generation of the wicked, and condemn them for not hearkening to the words of God, and to His Son, Jesus Christ (Matt. 12: 41-42).

God, during this great judgment, shall have the books opened. What books? Surely that "book of remembrance" (Mal. 3: 16) written before God for them that fear the Lord. Then, also, the book of men's consciences; for, "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do" (Heb. 4: 13). And there shall also be opened that Book of Life, in whose secret pages the names of the righteous are written. Unknown to men in this world are the contents of that Book. But in the Day of Judgment, the hidden things shall be brought to light, and the counsels of the hearts shall be made manifest to all (1 Cor. 4: 5; Rom. 2: 16). They who, walking in ways of righteousness, fulfilled the law in their hearts and lives, shall be accounted worthy to enter the eternal Kingdom of God; whilst they who, ignoring the commands of God, served their own lusts and strove for temporal honors and corruptible goods, shall be cast alive into the lake of fire, which is eternal. Into this lake of fire shall Satan too be consigned, and then the darkness and light, the good and the wicked, shall be permanently separated, finally and for ever. This is that "age to come" of which Christ and the apostles speak.

Now, at the judgment shall occur that final conflagration of all things, which will result in a "New Heaven and New Earth" (2 Peter 3: 13), wherein the "nations which are saved" shall dwell. Because the creation became cursed on account of sin (Gen. 3: 17), there must needs be a purging, that it may partake of immortality and incorruption. As we've elsewhere stated, there shall be a "regeneration" of the Genetic economy when our Lord returns to execute judgment and justice on earth. However, as long as sin remains, there cannot be true perfection; and, although the whole world will be dressed in joy during the Millennium, yet nevertheless, only when sin is defeated ultimately shall the renewal of the world take place. There has always been within the church, great question whether the earth will be absolutely destroyed and annihilated by fire, or simply changed to a new and better condition. Augustine wrote: "For this world shall pass away by transmutation, not by absolute destruction. [...] The figure therefore passes away, and not the nature." (City of God, XX. xiv).

But, Commodian writes: "Again, the fire of the Lord sent forth shall be appointed. The earth gives a true groan; then those who are making their journey in the last end, and then all unbelievers, groan. The whole of nature is converted in flame, which yet avoids the camp of the saints. The earth is burned up from its foundations, and the mountains melt. Of the sea nothing remains; it is overcome by the powerful fire. The sky perishes, and the stars and these things are changed. Another newness of sky and of everlasting earth is arranged. Thence they who deserve it are sent away in a second death, but the righteous are placed in inner dwelling-places." (Instructions, xlv).

And what saith Lactantius? The sage writes: "But when the thousand years shall be completed, the world shall be renewed by God, and the heavens shall be folded together, and the earth shall be changed, and God shall transform men into the similitude of angels, and they shall be white as snow; and they shall always be employed in the sight of the Almighty, and shall make offerings to their Lord, and serve Him forever." (Divine Institutes, VII. xxvi). Perhaps we should say that the new heavens and new earth will form a habitation suitable for eternal and deathless bodies. Whether this implies that there shall be a wholesale alteration of the fabric of the world, or only a renewal of its condition, is difficult to decide. However, we suppose that in the age to come, man shall live in his body; and so it is natural to concede some kind of physical habitation fitted for his renewed and sinless condition.

All of this brings to mind the state of the righteous in the age to come. What shall be the portion of the saints? Shall all occupy the same position in the Kingdom, or shall there be a hierarchy according to individual merit? We believe in the latter. Irenaeus writes: "Then those who are deemed worthy of an abode in heaven shall go there, others shall enjoy the delights of Paradise, and others shall possess the splendor of the City; for everywhere the Savior shall be seen according as they who see Him shall be worthy. They say, moreover, that this is the distinction between the habitation of those who produce an hundred-fold, and that of those who produce sixty-fold, and that of those who produce thirty-fold: for the first will be taken up into the heavens, the second will dwell in Paradise, the last will inhabit the City; and that it was on this account the Lord declared, 'In my Father's house are many mansions.' For all things belong to God, who supplies all with a suitable dwelling-place; even as His word says, that a share is allotted to all by the Father, according as each person is or shall be worthy. And this is the couch on which the guests shall recline, having been invited to the wedding. The presbyters, the disciples of the apostles, affirm that this is the gradation and arrangement of those who are saved, and that they advance through steps of this nature." (Against Heresies, V. xxxvi. 2).

Really, what more can we add? Irenaeus has given us a picture of that eternal blessedness, which our language is incapable of approaching. If the presbyters taught by the apostles themselves believed that such a state would come to pass, then surely their testimony ought to be heeded.

While not all men will inhabit the same state of blessedness, all nevertheless will be rendered immortal and eternal. Then we shall be made "equal unto the angels." This promise has been often misinterpreted, as if Christ said, "Ye shall be angels." But Christ did not say that the saints would be turned into angels, but that they should be made equal to the angels. Of course, this doesn't mean that we will lose our personal identities, but that we'll be clothed in new bodies no longer subject to injury or death. And some will enjoy the delights of heaven, others shall dwell in the city of Jerusalem itself, whilst others will inhabit Paradise, or have their dwellings in select locations of the new earth. Let us sing praises unto God, and to His Son Jesus Christ, by Whom we were called to embrace these blessings!

That, I think, wraps up the present series. At this time, there is little I need to say in commendation of these views. After all, the majority of today's Christians are Pre-Millennialists. And there is nothing in the foreseeable future which will change this fact. As the doctrines, then, are already firmly established, though perhaps not in their apostolic purity, I send forth this offering to those who wish to study them further. Let us labor in love as we await the time of grace, knowing that the Lord's approach is drawing near. And let all Christians in apostolic communion look forward to that day, making sure their election through perseverance in the faith and through good works--which shall have their reward when the King returns in glory. May He make you to attain unto the end, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 20)

2008-03-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, there has been a lack of material written concerning the Gog and Magog invasion. Perhaps this is due to the obscurity of the predictions themselves. After all, there are very few interpreters who see the events described by the prophet as transpiring after the Millennium. Before tackling any interpretation, the reader must pause, and decide, firstly, whether John's and Ezekiel's visions speak of the same events. If the answer is yes, then it is clear that Ezekiel mentions several particulars which John left out. If the answer is no, then perhaps John alludes to a series of prior events as a foreshadowing of those which will occur after the close of the Millennium. Either way, we understand there is an established connection between the two prophetic accounts.

The reader should also consult ancient church sources to see how these visions have been interpreted in the past. For example, if all of the early fathers understood Scripture in a certain way, then we should allow their opinions to have some influence upon our own. Of course, we speak primarily of whether a prophetic passage is to be understood "literally" or "figuratively." As the majority of the church fathers read the prophetic passages in a literal (that is, in a plain and natural) sense, so we ought to do the same. These preliminary factors followed out, our interpretations will have some amount of objectivity. Once again, however, in dealing with events that have not yet come to pass, we should always keep in mind our own limitations.

Now, how do we go about interpreting these passages? For our part, we'll simply attempt to harmonize the accounts given by both John and Ezekiel. Thankfully, Lactantius has given us his views concerning this last battle, and by reading his account we may easily infer that he saw Ezekiel's "Gog and Magog" as the same mentioned by John. Since we agree that this is the correct view (for there is nothing in Scripture which permits us to doubt it), we'll use his interpretation as an exegetical compass, meanwhile keeping our eyes closely on Ezekiel himself to bring out any points that need to be clarified.

We'll give Lactantius's views in whole. He writes: "We have said a little before, that it will come to pass at the commencement of the sacred reign, that the prince of the devils will be bound by God. But he also, when the thousand years of the kingdom, that is, seven thousand of the world, shall begin to be ended, will be loosed afresh, and being sent forth from prison, will go forth and assemble all the nations, which shall then be under the dominion of the righteous, that they may make war against the holy city; and there shall be collected together from all the world an innumerable company of the nations, and shall besiege and surround the city. Then the last anger of God shall come upon the nations, and shall utterly destroy them; and first He shall shake the earth most violently, and by its motion the mountains of Syria shall be rent, and the hills shall sink down precipitously, and the walls of the cities shall fall, and God shall cause the sun the stand, so that he set not for three days, and shall set it on fire; and excessive heat and great burning shall descend upon the hostile and impious people, and showers of brimstone, and hailstones, and drops of fire; and their spirits shall melt through the heat and their bodies shall be bruised by the hail, and they shall smite one another with the sword. The mountains shall be filled with carcasses, and the plains shall be covered with bones; but the people of God during those three days shall be concealed under the caves of the earth, until the anger of God against the nations and the last judgment shall be ended.

"Then the righteous shall go forth from their hiding-places, and shall find all things covered with carcasses and bones. But the whole race of the wicked shall utterly perish; and there shall no longer be any nation in this world, but the nation of God alone. Then for seven continuous years the woods shall be untouched, nor shall timber be cut from the mountains, but the arms of the nations shall be burnt; and now there shall be no war, but peace and everlasting rest." (Divine Institutes, VII. xxvi).

Although Lactantius doesn't cite any Scriptures directly, nevertheless, by doing a bit of detective-work it shouldn't be difficult to find out which Scriptures he is using for his exposition. He is keeping closely to the record of Ezekiel, however it is evident that he is also fetching information from other sources. Admittedly, we do not recall any Scripture that speaks of the righteous hiding in the caves for three days. Is it possible Lactantius is referring to Isaiah 2: 19-21? We cannot be certain. But from this theory we may infer that these righteous people are not the saints inhabiting the New Jerusalem, but those left among the nations. This tells us that not all men will join in the Gog and Magog invasion; and while Satan shall deceive many, even a great multitude, God will always have His remnant, however small and insignificant it may become.

Then Lactantius refers to those punishments of fire which shall befall the wicked, and the rising up of every man against his neighbor. He is evidently referring to Zechariah 14: 12-13: "And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult of the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor."

This division and discord among the enemies themselves is corroborated by Ezekiel, who writes: "And I will call for a sword against him, throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man's sword shall be against his brother" (Ezek. 38: 21). But, while there is some correspondence between the two prophets, Zechariah's prophecy ought more logically to be applied to Armageddon. For the punishment there mentioned issues in "all nations keeping the feast of tabernacles" (Zech. 14: 17), with a proviso concerning those who refuse to do homage to the Lord (Zech. 14: 17-19). This, of course, can only apply to the Millennium itself.

Nevertheless, Lactantius draws primarily from Ezekiel's account, saying that there will be a burning of the weapons for seven years following the destruction of Gog and Magog. The prophet himself writes: "And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire for seven years: so that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire; and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord" (Ezek. 39: 9-10). This burning of weapons for seven years also includes a burying of the dead for seven months (Ezek. 39: 11-16).

Now, John's account of the Gog and Magog invasion does not refer to these events. Rather, it would seem that the general judgment immediately follows upon the destruction of the last enemies of God. He writes: "And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away: and there was found no place for them" (Rev. 20: 9-10).

Thus, according to the bare context, John would appear to place the judgment immediately after the destruction of Gog and Magog, and the casting of Satan into the lake of fire. However, it should be noted that the phrase "and I saw" generally marks the introduction of new subject-matter. Concerning this apocalyptic expression, Rev. W.J. Erdman, D.D. writes: "This phrase is used not only for the introduction of a vision, but it suggests a principle of interpretation; it is a formal word, leading to new matter, like the Old Testament phrase, 'And the Lord spake unto Moses.' It indicates when prefatory to even one brief vision that its subject is one of great import demanding a pause of due contemplation. But especially remarkable is the fact that when only one "And I saw" covers an extended range of objects, it indicates that all such objects are in a unitous relation to each other as to time or theme or both." (Notes on Revelation, pg. 23-24).

Therefore, it is possible that John, after describing the judgments of the last enemies of God, transitions from that destruction to the judgment which follows, leaving out the additional seven years, which we must infer from Ezekiel. However, it has recently been pointed out to me that divers passages in Ezekiel should be relegated to Pre-Millennial fulfillment. It is suggested that the visions in Ezek. 38: 1-7 will take place before the Millennium. Then, "after many days" (that is, after the thousand years are over), Gog and Magog will gather together to battle, thus implying that Ezekiel 38: 8-23 regards Post-Millennial fulfillment, chapter 39 then picking up the Pre-Millennial language once more. This school of prophecy, then, see the whole of chapter 39 as relating to the Battle of Armageddon.

And this view is not unlikely. In fact, it is a valid question whether part of Ezekiel's prophecy ought to be understood as relating to the Battle of Armageddon. For in both prophets is predicted the gathering of the fowls to the great supper that ensues upon the destruction of the wicked (Ezek. 39: 17-20; cf. Rev. 19: 17-18). If we understand the two descriptions as embracing one and the same event, then it is evident that Ezekiel himself makes reference to both Armageddon and the final battle, sometimes speaking of one, sometimes of the other. As stated, prophecies often contain layers of fulfillment that are hard to separate until the events themselves come to pass. Regardless of which view we hold, we'll all agree that the literal method of interpretation is the only one which will solve any difficulties, whether real or apparent.

Going back to Lactantius, we find that he himself believed there would a period of seven years between the destruction of Gog and Magog, and the general judgment and resurrection; and that after this period was over, the dead would be raised and the world renewed. Once more, John is silent regarding any interim period between the two events, although his silence does not mean that such a view is impossible. But, in any case, the general judgment will come to pass after the thousand years are over--that is, after the seven antitypical days are fully expired. And then all men shall be raised from the dead and judged according to their works (Rev. 20: 12-13). So, then, having discussed his visions to the best of our ability, we must lay Ezekiel aside, and move on to the next phase. For it is of this general judgment of all men, and their allotment to their eternal destinies, that we must now speak.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 19)

2008-03-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

Now, at the commencement of the Millennium, Satan shall be bound, and cast into the bottomless pit, that he may no longer deceive the nations (Rev. 20: 1-3). And this accords with the predictions of which we previously made mention, those regarding worldwide peace. For it is the "nations," and not the saints, that have fallen under Satan's jurisdiction; although all will admit that the church has, to a certain extent, been subjected to heresies promulgated by false teachers. Nevertheless, there is a difference between "the church" and "the nations." The purpose of Satan's binding will be to free the nations from his deceptions, that all may acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord.

When Satan is cast into the bottomless pit, there will be a ruling and reigning of the saints for a thousand years. This period will be a realization of what would have occurred on the seventh day, had Adam and Eve kept God's holy law. It involves man's restoration of dominion over all the earth, and a removal of the curse which Adam brought upon the race, which blessing shall apply during this period to the saints only. It is the "first-fruits" of those eternal blessings which shall be conferred in whole, following the resurrection of the Genetic economy.

Again, this thousand year period is the last day of the seven; that is, the antitypical Sabbath. And thus the early church has been given to understand it. Even John of Damascus, not himself a Chiliast, perceived the validity of the diurnal typology. He wrote: "Seven ages of this world are spoken of, that is, from the creation of the heaven and earth till the general consummation and resurrection of men. For there is a partial consummation, viz., the death of each man: but there is also a general and complete consummation, when the general resurrection of men will come to pass. And the eighth age is the age to come." (De Fide Orthodoxa, II. i).

Thus, the Millennium must be viewed as the commencement, and not the completion, of the new creation. It will be an extended period of peace in which all nations shall be blessed in the seed of Abraham, when all peoples will participate in the blessings brought by the dominion of the righteous throughout the whole world. After the beast and false prophet are taken alive and cast into the lake of fire, and Satan himself bound and cast into the abyss, then the saints will reign from Jerusalem, and go forth to declare Christ's glory throughout the entire earth.

(Isaiah 65: 19-21) "And 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. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord, out of all nations, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord."

(Zech. 8: 22-23) "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."

The Millennium will be the culmination of all the Messianic prophecies, and the focal point of all of God's temporal dispensations. It will be, as we've seen, a period of universal blessedness. And yet it will not comprise a total extirpation of all evil. There will still exist those who despise the Lord; and although their iniquity will be powerless to oppress the saints, it will nonetheless serve as a kernel of that latter day uprising that will issue in the invasion of Gog and Magog. When we read Ezekiel's vision of the living waters, we cannot help noticing that, although he describes their wide-reaching effect, he adds: "But the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt" (Ezek. 47: 11).

That is, there will be a certain remnant of wickedness left in the earth, which shall not be affected by the healing waters. This remnant will be restrained from active evil during the Millennium, but will later rebel against Jesus Christ during the "little season" that Satan is unloosed (Rev. 20: 3). John writes: "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea" (Rev. 20: 7-8). We cannot help noticing a correspondence between this last uprising and the earlier Battle of Armageddon. This ought to tell us that Satan's modus operandi is essentially the same whenever he is allowed to function with an open hand. His purpose is to incite the wicked against the righteous, for there is an implacable enmity between the two seeds that will not be eradicated until the final and general judgment.

What details can we give regarding the Gog and Magog invasion? Unfortunately, the Ante-Nicene fathers furnish us with few helps. We must fetch the greater part of our information from Lactantius, who gives us some sure exegetical footing by himself referring back to Ezekiel 38 and 39. We believe, in fact, that the best accounts of the Gog and Magog battle will be found in those two chapters. And it interesting that Ezekiel, from chapters 34 to 40, provides the student with something like a mini-textbook of last time events. We have, firstly, an account of the preliminary judgment of Christ's church, when the true and the false are separated (Ezek. 34: 1-22); then somewhat like an account of Armageddon (Ezek. 35), followed by a detailed description of the blessings which await the righteous (Ezek. 36). Next, the prophet gives us a depiction of the resurrection of the just (Ezek. 37), going on to show us what shall befall after the thousand years are completed (Ezek. 38-39; cf. Rev. 20: 7-9).

It is sometimes thought that Ezekiel's account of the Gog and Magog invasion is to be partially fulfilled in the Battle of Armageddon. Perhaps this is true. In any event, it ought to be discerned that many prophecies contain gradations of fulfillment, which are difficult to distinguish until the events themselves come to pass. Regardless, however, of whether we place Ezekiel's prophecy in its entirety after the Millennium, or only in part, we should readily acknowledge that all of the events described therein are still future: that is, the prophecies have never yet been fulfilled. If the Millennium is future, then so is the Gog and Magog battle.

Now, let us take a closer look at this battle. We don't require a great deal of discernment to figure out what will occur, for the language itself is plain. When the complete number of the elect of Israel have been gathered, and the cities of the world restored to peace, Satan will be loosed and shall go out to deceive the nations. In Ezekiel 38: 1-7 the prophet speaks of a general gathering of nations to battle. Then, he writes: "After many days thou shalt be visited;" that is, by Satan. "In the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them" (Ezek. 38: 8). This denotes the period following the close of the Millennium, when world peace is again shattered.

Ezekiel continues thus: "Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: and thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, to take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of all the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? Hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?" (Ezek. 38: 9-13).

It is important that we pay close attention to the prophet's language. For he clearly implies that the invasion will take place after the land has been restored to peace, and the desolate places re-built. The Millennium, as we've already noticed, will be a time of re-gathering and rebuilding. Ezekiel writes: "Thus saith the Lord God; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them: and they shall know that I am the Lord their God" (Ezek. 28: 25-26).

But when these prophecies have been fulfilled, and the "Day of Lord" (the seventh millenary of years) is coming to a close, the blessedness of the saints shall once more be disrupted, by the coming of Gog and Magog. We sometimes wonder why, with Jesus Christ sitting on the throne, another uprising of the wicked should be permitted to occur. It is not easy to give an answer. However, let us keep in mind that "many people shall be joined to the Lord in that day" (Zech. 2: 11); and in order to have true communion with Christ, there must be an exercise of virtue, which demands trial and fellowship in the Lord's own sufferings. Thus is evil permitted to function during the Millennium, albeit on a much smaller scale. Yet when the thousand years are almost expired, the uprising of the wicked will once again force the world to go one way or another--to choose life or death. Thus, through tribulation are the godly purified, whilst the chaff are consigned to everlasting fire.

And the prophet predicts what shall occur during the last time. He writes: "And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: and thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes" (Ezek. 38: 15-16). The prophecy seems to imply that the saints will then no longer be dwelling in the cities, but shall have obtained refuge in Jerusalem. Satan, after gathering the armies to battle, shall, in the forces of Gog and Magog, make one final assault on God's people. But, he and his powers will be brought to nothing.

For then there will be a great shaking in the land of Israel. All nature will be convulsed, insomuch that the mountains shall be thrown down, the towers and stairs of the cities shall fall, and hailstones will rain down on those armies that defy God (Ezek. 38: 19-23). This will constitute the last temporal punishment of the wicked. The prophet writes: "Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: and I will turn thee back, and strike thee with six plagues, and will cause thee to come up from the sides of the north, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: and I will smite the bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field, to be devoured. Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord" (Ezek. 39: 1-6).

Concerning the exact identity of this Gog and Magog, interpreters are at variance. Some believe that these are actual nations. Ambrose of Milan, writing to the emperor Gratian in 378 A.D., identified them as the Goths. (De Fide, II. xvi). His view evidently sees Ezekiel's prophecy as largely disconnected from that of the Apocalypse. But St. Augustine writes: "For these nations which he names Gog and Magog are not to be understood of some barbarous nations in some part of the world, whether the Getae and Massagetae, as some conclude from the initial letters, or some other foreign nations not under the Roman government. For John marks that they are spread over the whole earth, when he says, 'The nations which are in the four corners of the earth,' and he added that these are Gog and Magog. The meaning of these names we find to be, Gog, 'a roof,' Magog, 'from a roof,'-- a house, as it were, and he who comes out of the house. They are therefore the nations in which we found that the devil was shut up as in an abyss, and the devil himself coming out from them and going forth, so that they are the roof, he from the roof. Or if we refer both words to the nations, not one to them and one to the devil, then they are both the roof, because in them the old enemy is at present shut up, and as it were roofed in; and they shall be from the roof when they break forth from concealed to open hatred." (City of God, XX. xi).

Although we disagree with Augustine on the matter of timing, we allow that by "Gog and Magog" must be meant a collection (or rather collusion) of nations throughout the entire world. Thus a genealogical analysis of the names will hardly do us any good. Indeed, we've noticed that many expositors do consider the Apocalyptic reference to Gog and Magog as entirely spiritual, while that of Ezekiel they refer to a set of nations placed in past history. Since opinions, however, are so divided, we have maintained the unity between the two respective visions--that of John and Ezekiel coinciding in all essential respects. Once again, many passages (perhaps a large portion of chap. 39) seem to bear more logical reference to the battle of Armageddon. Nevertheless, of one thing we can be sure--that any interpretation we undertake must be maintained with caution. As a rule of thumb, all prophecies remain obscure until their fulfillment.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 18)

2008-03-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

Now that we've given some account, however cursorily, of what the world will be like during the Millennium, many of us will naturally ask, what life will be like within Jerusalem itself, the blessed city? In ancient times, Zechariah prophesied, saying: "Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire about, and will will be the glory in the midst of her" (Zech. 2: 4-5).

That the prophet speaks of the personal presence of Christ, is intimated when he says: "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. 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. Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for He is raised up out of His holy habitation." (Zech. 2: 10-13).

Our Lord will be "raised up out of His holy habitation" when He returns to earth to establish His kingdom. At that time, all secular world-government will be brought to an end, and "the Lord alone will be exalted in that day" (Isa. 2: 11). The Hebrew prophets are uniform in their testimony regarding the worldwide reign of Jesus Christ with all His saints. Yet, although the prophets foretold wonderful times, many of their predictions are confessedly obscure to those who do not perceive, or won't acknowledge, that a personal reign of Jesus Christ among men is part of the Divine plan. Yet such men are in the minority.

And here we should remind readers that Chiliasts are far from alone in advocating views of a worldwide reign of Messiah. There be many earnest and reverent students of Scripture (perhaps a great majority of Christians) who perceive a permanent establishment of the "New Heavens and New Earth" when Jesus Christ comes back, and following the general judgment of all mankind. The differences between the two prevailing schools of prophecy is far less conspicuous than are the points of agreement. Both concern themselves with the order, and not the reality, of the events themselves.

Nevertheless, we have adopted the Chiliast view, which holds there will be a thousand year period of blessedness on earth, prior to the consummation of all things. Tertullian writes: "But we do confess that a kingdom is promised to us upon the earth, although before heaven, only in another state of existence; inasmuch as it will be after the resurrection for a thousand years in the divinely-built city of Jerusalem, 'let down from heaven,' which the apostle also calls 'our mother from above;' and, while declaring that our politeuma, or citizenship, is in heaven, he predicates of it that it is really a city in heaven. This both Ezekiel had knowledge of, and John beheld." (Against Marcion, III. xxv).

Tertullian recognizes, then, the correspondence between the temple seen by Ezekiel and that later behold by the blessed Apostle. The two must be perceived as one and the same--that city, in fact, that Jesus Christ will bring down to earth when He establishes His presence among us. For it is proper that the King should have a glorious habitation from which to rule and reign over all the earth. As a matter of fact, if we look closely at Ezekiel's prophecy, we'll find that the King Himself shall enter by the east gate: "And of the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east (Ezek. 43: 4); and after He has entered, the gate shall be shut (Ezek. 44: 2). For he (the prophet) says: "It is for the Prince; the Prince, He shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; He shall enter in by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same" (Ezek. 44: 3).

Christ is seen ascending from the east, for He is "the bright and morning-star" (Rev. 22: 16), Who brings a new dispensation down to men. And when He arrives, the New Jerusalem will be established, and the whole house filled with glory. In no uncertain terms did the prophet Haggai predict this, when he wrote: "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts" (Haggai 1: 9). Again, the prophet intimates when this shall be fulfilled: after the Lord has shaken all nations (Hag. 1: 7)-- that is, after the Great Tribulation. To this John has reference when he saw "a great multitude" of "all nations, and kindreds, and peoples and tongues" (Rev. 7: 9) "which came out of great tribulation" (Rev. 7: 14) serving the Lord day and night in His temple. "And He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them." (Rev. 7: 15). Wherefore Ezekiel, not inconsistently, writes: "And the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there" (Ezek. 48: 35).

But Ezekiel also speaks of the partitioning of the land among the children of Israel. "And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel" (Ezek. 47: 22). It is evident that the prophet is referring the ancient land promises, which shall have their true fulfillment in that day. As the Lord Himself gave promise, so David also predicted, "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace" (Psa. 37: 11). The context of the prophecy shows that this will occur after the destruction of the wicked (Psa. 37: 10). Thus, the inheritance of the earth can in no wise be interpreted in a spiritual sense, nor can it be said to have fulfillment during the present time. It is a real and substantial promise, which shall have fulfillment when the Lord returns.

Let us call to mind the promise that God to made to Abraham himself, when He said: "Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land that thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever" (Gen. 13: 14-15). Again, He said: "Arise, walk through the land in the length of it, and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee" (Gen. 13: 17). This precludes any kind of spiritualizing, for if God promised Abraham a celestial inheritance, He would not have told him to "walk through the land in the length of it, and in the breadth of it." The inheritance, then, can only be realized on earth. But, Abraham himself never received the promise during his own lifetime. For Stephen says: "And He gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that He would give it to Him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child" (Acts 7: 5).

Now, after Sarah died, the Hittites, then in possession of the land, were willing to give Abraham the cave of Machpelah as a burying-place, which gift Abraham refused, purchasing it of Ephron for four hundred shekels of silver (Gen. 23). For Abraham was unwilling to receive from men what God had already promised to give him. For He said: "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt, unto the great river the river Euphrates" (Gen. 15: 18). This promise, far from being a matter of doubt, was ratified in a solemn covenant (Gen. 15: 17-18). Thus, if Abraham received a promise that he and his seed would inherit the whole land of Canaan, and if he himself never received it, but sojourned as a stranger and pilgrim upon the earth (Heb. 11: 13), then it is manifest that the promise still holds good, and that it shall be fulfilled to the letter in the First Resurrection.

Irenaeus writes: "If, then, God promised him the inheritance of the land, yet he did not receive it during all the time of his sojourn there, it must be, that together with his seed, that is, those who fear God and believe in Him, he shall receive it at the resurrection of the just. For his seed is the Church, which receives the adoption to God through the Lord, as John the Baptist said: For God is able from the stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Thus also, the apostle says in the Epistle to the Galatians: But ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise. And again, in the same epistle, he plainly declares that they who have believed in Christ do receive Christ, the promise to Abraham thus saying, The promises were spoken to Abraham, and to his seed. Now He does not say, And of seeds, as if He spake of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And again, confirming His former words, He says, Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith are the children of Abraham. But the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, declared to Abraham beforehand, That in thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham. Thus, then, they which are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham, and these are the children of Abraham. Now God made promise of the earth to Abraham and his seed; yet neither Abraham nor his seed, that is, those who are justified by faith, do now receive inheritance in it; but they shall receive it at the resurrection of the just. For God is true and faithful; and on this account He said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." (Against Heresies, V. xxxii, 2).

Consider also the promises which Isaac made to his sons Esau and Jacob. To Jacob, he said, "Therefore, God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine. Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee" (Gen. 27: 28-29). And yet these promises were never fulfilled in Jacob's own lifetime. For the nations did not serve him; rather, he fled from his brother Esau and served Laban the Syrian for twenty years. And upon his return, he bowed down to Esau his brother (Gen. 33: 3). Then, too, he never received any abundance of corn and wine, for he emigrated to Egypt because of the great famine that then prevailed in the land; and upon coming thither, he became subject to Pharaoh. Once again, Irenaeus writes: "The predicted blessing, therefore, belongs unquestionably to the times of the kingdom, when the righteous shall bear rule upon their rising from the dead; when also the creation, having been renovated and set free, shall fructify with and abundance of all kinds of food, from the dew of heaven, and from the fertility of the earth." (Ibid., V. xxxiii. 3).

Then, to Esau Jacob says: "Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother: and it shalt come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck" (Gen. 27: 39-40). Now, Esau never served Jacob in his own lifetime. Rather, it was the other way around. The fulfillment, then, is future. But, we grant that these things also denote the two dispensations. For in the promises made to Jacob may be seen the blessings bestowed upon the church, which receives, first, the spiritual promises (the dew of heaven) and the earthly promises (the fatness of the earth) in the Millennium; while those made to Esau denote the blessings bestowed on the children of Israel, who received the earthly promises first, and will later be grafted back in through the Gospel. But, there is one people, one elect church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles. And these shall rule and reign together with Christ.

To this Ezekiel alludes when he writes: "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand" (Ezek. 37: 19); the "tribes of Israel his fellows" referring, no doubt, to the Gentiles, who lie beyond the portion of Ephraim, as it is written: "The land of Zebulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles" (Matt. 4: 14). When Christ comes to reign, He will rule over one elect nation composed of Jews and Gentiles alike. "And David my servant shall be King over them, and they shall all have one Shepherd; they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them" (Ezek. 37: 24). Judging from the context of Ezekiel's vision, we learn that fulfillment will take place upon the raising of the dry bones; that is, the First Resurrection.

And the prophet continues thus: "And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt, and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children, for ever: and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever. Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them: it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle shall also be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore" (Ezek. 37: 25-28). No one who compares this prophecy with John's vision of Rev. 21: 2-3 ff., will doubt that both speak of the same blessed state of God's people during the times of the Millennium. And we look forward to these times with "exceeding great joy."

Therefore, our conclusion is, that the fulfillment of the earthly blessings are not now, nor can they attained in the celestial realms, for they relate to the things of this world. But they have regard to a time in the near future. It is true that the world must first be renewed and refreshed, that blessings may indeed be conferred, and that the promises be not frustrated by the presence and power of evil. For, where the wicked prevail, righteousness must suffer. But where the righteous prevail, the wicked must be driven out. So, then, as the present age is that of the dominion of the wicked, the Millennium shall be that of the dominion of the righteous. And then shall the land promises be fulfilled. And all Israel will dwell in peace and safety, for they shall stand in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of all the earth.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 17)

2008-03-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

Having cleared up those more abstruse issues concerning the First Resurrection, let us discuss what the world will be like during the times of the Millennium. What will be the conditions of living? We've already spoken of the glorious, personal return of Jesus Christ, at which time He shall punish the "host of the high ones that are on high" (Isa. 24: 21). Whether this means that He will destroy all the wicked in one definitive moment,--whether the battle of Armageddon will result in the annihilation of every unrighteous person living on earth, is difficult to conjecture. However, as previously intimated, we do not feel that this will be the case. The central scene for the Battle of Armageddon will be the city of Jerusalem. But, while the battle admits of some localization, it is equally certain that it demands fulfillment more wide-reaching than that within the confines of Palestine. Lactantius writes that the nations shall not be utterly extinguished. (Divine Institutes, VII. xxiv).

However one decides to view certain passages, it is evident that the Lord's return will result in a "new heavens and new earth" in which the conditions of life will be substantially changed. From our study of the Scriptures, we are not to suppose that all evil will be abolished when our Lord comes to reign. Rather, we incline to the view that there will be a wholesale suppression of evil, and that conditions of vastly greater blessedness will prevail for all men.

Indeed, Peter speaks of the dissolution of the heavens and earth in the day of the Lord's judgment (2 Peter 3: 7, 10, 12). But, we have already given our opinion, that the new heavens and earth will be commenced in the regeneration, but not completed until after the general judgment. Thus, the destruction of which the apostle speaks must be placed at the end of the day of the Lord, and not at its beginning. Nevertheless, we deem it not unlikely that the prediction, in accordance with prophetic usage in general, may have reference to both near and distant fulfillments.

Keeping that in mind, let us discuss what life will be like when our Lord comes back to reign. We believe that upon our Lord's return and the destruction of the wicked, there will be great upheavals throughout the whole world, insomuch that the geological structure of the earth will be altered and changed. In John's Apocalypse, at the opening of the sixth seal, "the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places" (Rev. 6: 14). John saw a great opening made in the heavens preceding the coming of Jesus Christ with all His saints. At this time, the earth itself suffered convulsions. By this we are not sure what is meant exactly, but is quite reasonable to suppose that the Lord's coming will be felt throughout the entire world. The whole earth will quake and tremble in that day.

The prophet Micah confirms this, when he says: "For behold, the Lord cometh forth out of His place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten under Him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place" (Mic. 1: 3-4). Moreover, Zephaniah informs us that the land of Palestine itself will be entirely swept clear when Jesus Christ returns: "I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the Lord. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord" (Zeph. 1: 2-3). Those who are not gathered by Jesus Christ will be left to desolation and destruction. And this view accords with those who hold that there will be a "rapture" before the pouring out of the seven vials.

The vials themselves, in their effect, will be far-reaching throughout the world. All the life in the sea will die (Rev. 16: 3) and the solar rays will be augmented to such an extent that men will be scorched by their heat (16: 8). There will also be "a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great" (16: 18). The cities of the nations shall fall at this time (16: 19), signifying that the devastation will be massive in its results. Aside from these general details, we are unable to determine much more concerning these upheavals that will shake the globe. However, we know that they will culminate in the glorious reign of King Jesus, to which Christians of all nations look forward in anticipative joy. "For thus saith the Lord of Hosts; yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of Hosts" (Haggai 1: 6-7).

Then will the New Jerusalem come down to earth, and be planted in the midst the nations. As Lactantius writes: "After His coming the righteous will be collected from all the earth, and the judgment being completed, the sacred city shall be planted in the middle of the earth, in which God Himself the builder shall dwell together with the righteous, bearing rule in it." (Divine Institutes, VII. xxiv). As we've already discussed the nature of the New Jerusalem, we must move onwards. However, we may make one additional remark: that Irenaeus sees the establishment of a preparatory New Jerusalem during this period. He writes: "But in the times of the kingdom, the earth has been called again by Christ (to its pristine condition), and Jerusalem rebuilt after the pattern of the Jerusalem above, of which the prophet says, 'Behold, I have depicted thy walls upon my hands, and thou art always in my sight' [Isa. 49: 16]". (Against Heresies, V. xxxv. 2). The reader must decide which view to accept. We ourselves incline to the teachings Lactantius, Commodian, and Tertullian.

Regardless of the finer mechanics, however, one thing is certain-- that the city will be established in that day, and the Lord shall dwell in the midst of His people (Ezek. 36: 26-28). Then all nations shall flow unto Jerusalem (Isaiah 60), and do homage to the Prince of Peace. The world will know a new age of righteousness, the which man has never yet seen, though often longed for. It will be, in short, a realization of the Golden Age foretold by the Hebrew prophets and sages. The healing waters will rush forth from the city to cleanse the earth from its defilement, renewing the face of the land. Then shall life flourish once more. But as the devastation preceding the Lord's return will be wholesale, there shall be during this epoch a universal repairing of the desolated places. Isaiah, as well as the other prophets, speak of the Millennium as a time of rebuilding.

(Isaiah 58: 12) "And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in."

(Isaiah 61: 4) "And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations."

(Ezekiel 36: 33-35) "Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited."

I realize, of course, that some men interpret these passages in a strictly moral sense; and we cannot deny that in a true (albeit, limited) manner, such verses have their fulfillment in the Gospel. Nevertheless, they also look forward to the time when Christ's atonement will be fully accomplished,-- that is, during the Millennium. For the consummation of atonement will issue in the resurrection of the just. So, then, when Jesus Christ leaves the Holy Place "without sin unto salvation" (Heb. 9: 28), and returns to earth to reign, these prophecies will have their true and complete fulfillment. As the world will have been destroyed under Antichrist's rule, the Millennium will be the time of restoration and renewal. And the saints shall take an active part in the work of renovating the cities and supervising the cultivation of the ground.

Of course, the earth will of itself yield such abundance, that the work of tillage will be attended with much less hardship than it is now. As all the technological contraptions of man's making will be abolished in that day, and the earth restored to its primitive purity, the vine will no longer hold back its abundance, nor will the ground remain sterile and unproductive, but nature in all its offices will be enhanced. Joel writes: "And it shall come to pass in that day; that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with water, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim" (Joel 3: 18). Amos, too, predicts the abundance that shall be in those days: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the ploughman shall overtake the reaper, and the trader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt" (Amos 9: 13).

Nonetheless, Isaiah paints the most detailed account of the times we are considering. Isaiah 30: 25-26: "And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall." That is, after the battle of Armageddon, the world shall be refreshed, resulting in a new earth. Then, the prophet continues thus: "Moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of His people, and heal the stroke of their wound." That is, when the stroke of our wound (death) is nullified, there shall be, not only a new earth, but also new heavens.

Meanwhile, wickedness and evil, though not abolished entirely, will be rendered futile and powerless. Isaiah speaks of this period, not as consisting of the abolition of all wickedness, but of its subjugation under the reign of the Messiah. "The vile person shall no more be called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful" (Isa. 32: 5). He elsewhere speaks of sinners as being accursed under this new administration (Isa. 65: 20). David, in the Psalms, also prophesies the following: "Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies yield feigned obedience unto thee" (Psa. 66: 3, Margin). Again, he writes: "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thy enemies" (Psa. 110: 2). From these passages and others, we are not to infer any total abolition of enemies, but rather a glorious reign of righteousness, wherein enmity shall be overruled by the power of the Highest.

And in that day, the saints shall share in Christ's judicial administration, as Paul had previously intimated, "Do ye not know, that the saints shall judge the world?" (1 Cor. 6: 2). When Christ returns, He shall reward His servants, placing them as rulers and governors over cities (Luke 19: 17, 19). The prophet Micah foresaw this in vision, when he wrote: "And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off" (Micah 5: 7-9).

Micah is clearly predicting the enforcement of righteousness throughout the whole world. While Christ shall reign from Jerusalem, the saints will bear rule with Him over the nations, and evil will shrink back under this new state of things. In fine, the Millennium will issue in the re-institution of Christian knighthood throughout the world. If any oppresses his neighbor, judgment shall be swiftly administered, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Then, too, those nations that keep not the Feast of Tabernacles will receive no blessings (Zech. 14: 17). In fact, all who do not follow Jesus Christ will be rendered miserable, even as those now who follow Him are made sorrowful by the prevalence of evil. Truly, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5: 5).

We see, then, the Millennium as being a period of great blessedness unto them that love the Lord's appearing, who have patiently waited for His return. Although they have suffered tribulation and hardship, their reward shall be great. For then shall be fulfilled the antitype of the Lord's Supper: "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I will drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matt. 26: 27). That is, we shall enjoy His personal presence, and will dine with Him in His kingdom. "Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them" (Luke 12: 37). Of course, there are many other evidences we can adduce from Scripture, that speak of these times. But, whether the dining is to be taken metaphorically, it is not for us to decide. Only concede that all such prophecies will be fulfilled upon Christ's personal, visible, and glorious return, and you will not be far from the truth.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 16)

2008-03-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

But, lest anyone should scoff at these doctrines, a few more statements need to be brought into clearer focus. If the First Resurrection is the re-union of souls and bodies in the presence of God, and if it involves the restoration of man to his primitive condition, then it's obvious that no sinful conceptions may be attributed to the saints in that day. Remember, God instituted marriage while Adam and Eve were in a condition of blameless purity. Evil concupiscence came after the fall. For, man's soul was made rational accoring to the Divine image. The irrational element did not enter until after they yielded to temptation. Now, what do we mean by this?

We all know that man is composed of both body and soul. There is a higher part made after the image of God, which we term the soul; and a lower part fashioned from the earth, which we call the body. As it is the office of the heavens to govern the earth, so it is the function of the soul to govern the body. It is not natural that the body, or lower part of man, should rebel against the soul. And yet this is precisely what the present state of man is, due to his primal yielding to temptation. Prior to eating of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve had not yet experienced any warring of the members against their will. They stood clothed in a grace the loss of which they did not realize until "the eyes of them both were opened" (Gen. 3: 7). In fine, their wills were in entire subjection to God and to themselves.

But when they yielded to temptation, disgrace entered, and they became endued with a new knowledge. Pride, envy, lust, shame, and divers evils now attended their new condition. Not only was the soul divided against itself, due to an irrational element that entered from without, but the members of the body warred against the will of man. And that which was previously pure now becomes shameful and evil. I speak of the office of generation. Augustine writes: "Justly is shame specially connected with this lust; justly, too, these members themselves, being moved and restrained not at our will, but by an independent autocracy, are called 'shameful.' Their condition was different before sin. For as it is written, 'They were naked and were not ashamed,'-- not that their nakedness was unknown to them, but because nakedness was not yet shameful, because not yet did lust move those members without the will's consent; not yet did the flesh by its disobedience testify against the disobedience of man." (City of God, XIV. xvii).

So, the state of man today is much different from that in which he stood before the fall. Paul testifies to this when he writes: "For I delight in the law of God, after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is my members" (Romans 7: 22-23). That is, the body or lower part of man, now wars against the will, so that we "cannot do the things that we would" (Gal. 5: 17). But the blessed apostle says: "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 7: 24-25). The Lord Jesus Christ ordained to annul this warfare; firstly, by purging our sins in His own blood, thus cleansing the conscience from guilt; then, by sending the Holy Spirit upon us to renew our wills, that we may follow that alone which is acceptable to God; and finally, when He comes again, to re-unite soul and body in their pristine condition. Until that time the warfare must continue. But, when it is ended, how will any man attribute to the saints the works of the flesh? Such an one must show his ignorance of the power of God.

[.... edit]

For, think ye, how does one suppose that sin is transmitted from generation to generation? We believe in the doctrines of Traducianism, that is, that sin is transmitted in the act of conception. Which truth is borne out by the Scriptures; as, for instance, when Job says: "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one" (Job 14: 4); or David, when repenting before God, he cries: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51: 5). From these texts, and from the teachings of the orthodox fathers, we rightly infer that sin is transmitted in natural generation from father to son. And anyone who disagrees must be willing to give their view of the origin of the soul--an important doctrine that mustn't be laid aside.

There are three views of the origin of the soul. The view which we hold, called Traducian, teaches that soul and body are conceived, formed, and perfected in element simultaneously. And this may be confirmed when we consider that no life can exist without the conjunction of the soul and body. Thus, in order for life to begin, soul and body must begin together. As Tertullian writes: "Now we allow that life begins with conception, because we contend that the soul also begins with conception; life taking its commencement at the same moment and place that the soul does. Thus, then, the processes which act to produce separation by death, also combine in simultaneous action to produce life." (De Anima, xxvii). The two views which are opposed to Traducianism are respectively known as "Creationism" and "Pre-Existence." Creationism typically holds that the soul is created at some point after conception; whilst Pre-existence teaches that the soul exists from eternity.

Obviously, both of these opposing views are false. For the one implies that bodies are formed before souls, the other that souls are formed before bodies. The abortionists would have us to accept the former, whilst those who preach a Gnostic/ subjective salvation would necessarily incline to the latter. Regarding Creationism, let us hear from Gregory of Nyssa: "As man is one, the being consisting of soul and body, we are to suppose that the beginning of his existence is one, common to both parts, so that he should not be found to be antecedent and posterior to himself, if the bodily element were first in point of time, and the other were a later addition." (On the Making of Man, xxix).

Concerning Pre-Existence, it is enough to say that any soul which existed in past eternity would be unbegotten; and this would place souls on an equality with God Himself--an impious and irreverent absurdity. Then, too, such a view itself would cancel out any requirement of the soul's salvation, considering that the soul, existing as it did in past eternity, would only return to its eternal state after death. For, if some new thing should befall the soul, God's eternal purpose would be divided against itself. But, if no new thing can befall the soul, (and this affirms the immutability of the Divine counsel,) what need is there for salvation?

The concept of Pre-Existence, which can be traced back to Plato, has been refuted so eloquently by the fathers, that we need not dwell upon it much further. A single quote from Irenaeus will suffice: "But all things which proceed from Him, whatsoever have been made, and are made, do indeed receive their own beginning of generation, and on this account are inferior to Him Who formed them, inasmuch as they are not unbegotten. Nevertheless they endure, and extend their existence into a long series of ages in accordance with the will of God their Creator; so that He grants them that they should be thus formed at the beginning, and that they should so exist afterwards." (Against Heresies, II. xxxiv. 2).

What, then, may be infer to be the truth of the matter? Certainly that the soul, having no prior existence in eternity, is formed in the act of conception, by what precise means we do not know, nor do we think it wise to peer too closely into such matters. Again, that the body, in order to have life at all, must have its own soul, so that soul and body begin together. And if you think about it, you'll soon discern that Traducianism is the correct doctrine. For if it were false, what need would there be for an Immaculate Conception? But, Christ being sinless, it was first of all necessary that He should be born of a Virgin. Then it was needful that Mary should conceive, not by man, but by the Holy Spirit. "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest should overshadow thee: therefore also that Holy thing that shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1: 35).

Where are we going with all this? We are saying, in the clearest terms possible, that the sinful condition brought upon the race by Adam's transgression, and which includes physical death, and the transmission of ills from father to son, will be removed and blotted out in the First Resurrection--and that not hypothetically or subjectively, but in a real and objective sense. For as the warfare between the spirit and the flesh is experimental, so it will be removed in an experimental sense. As shame and disgrace are moral experiences, they must be removed experimentally, and not hypothetically. But, first man must be melted down in the crucible of death, that, rising into life from the ashes of corruption, like the Phoenix of yore, he may attain to that blessed newness of the First Resurrection. [... edit]..

Perhaps Isaiah had regard to these things, when, in predicting the "new heavens and new earth," he wrote: "They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them" (Isaiah 65: 23). And elsewhere he writes: "And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed" (Isaiah 61: 9). And the Psalmist, as if envisioning this new and glorious race to come in the days of the Messiah, writes: "There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth" (Psa. 72: 16). [..edit...].

However, let those who yet stand in doubt as to non-resurrected Israelites bearing children in that age, only bethink themselves of the doctrines of A-Millennialism, and even Post-Millennialism. Now, the former holds that we are living in the Millennium today. And yet the saints continue to bear children. According to their scheme marriage is not taken away until the second resurrection. Then, also, the great majority of Post-Millennialists teach that the "thousand years" are still future. Now, we teach nothing at variance with either A- or Post-Millennialists. For Chiliasm holds that the Millennium is future, that the non-resurrected, but wholly regenerated remnant of Israel, shall marry and have children, and that after the age is finished they shall be made "equal unto the angels" (Matt. 22: 30). [edit...]

...Although Commodian holds the belief that the resurrected saints will marry, other Chiliasts hold that we shall be made "equal unto the angels" when the First Resurrection begins. And really, the distinction is probably not a very vital one. After all, so long as one believes that there must be a personal return of Christ to restore all things, he should not be far from the truth, no matter which opinion he adopts. But, as Christ's advent is still future, there are struggles to endure, and trials to overcome. First, there must be a gathering together of the elect from the four corners of heaven (Matt. 24: 31). Next, a destruction of the wicked must take place. After that, a marvelous regeneration of the whole fabric of the world will occur. Then shall commence an age of glory, the likes of which man has never seen before.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 15)

2008-03-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

In order to gauge the precise nature of the "First Resurrection," we must understand exactly what is meant by the term "death." In accordance with the uniform teachings of historic, orthodox Christianity, we unhesitatingly aver that by "death" is meant the departure of the soul from the body. For what is "life," but the conjunction of the soul and body, by which union the body lives? Since, however, there are indications that death enters the soul's domain as well, a more detailed definition is required. But rather than invent some new theory of our own, let us go back to the teachings of the Christian church and try to fetch forth a more explicit definition.

There is really no better synopsis of the matter than that which has already been given by St. Augustine. In his discussion of "what death God intended, when He threatened our first parents with death if they should disobey his commandment," he writes: "When, therefore, it is asked what death it was with which God threatened our first parents if they should transgress the commandment they had received from Him, and should fail to preserve their obedience--whether it was the death of soul, or body, or of the whole man, or that which is called second death, --we must answer, It is all. For the first consists of two; the second is the complete death, which consists of all. For, as the whole earth consists of many lands, and the Church universal of many churches, so death universal consists of all deaths. The first consists of two, one of the body, and another of the soul. So that the first death is a death of the whole man, since the soul without God and without the body suffers punishment for a time; but the second is when the soul, without God but with the body, suffers punishment everlasting. When, therefore, God said to that first man whom he had placed in Paradise, 'In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die,' that threatening included not only the first part of the first death, by which the soul is deprived of God; nor only the subsequent part of the first death, by which the body is deprived of the soul; nor only the whole first death itself, by which the soul is punished in separation from God and from the body;--but it includes whatever of death there is even to that final death which is called second, and to which none is subsequent." (City of God, XIII. xii).

You'll see in Augustine's synopsis a definition of both the first and second deaths. The "first death" involves a separation of God from the soul on account of sin. But it also comprises a separation of the soul from the body. These two component factors are brought forward in Scripture: the first by Paul, who says, "And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2: 1)-- intimating that the soul became separated from God on account of transgressions of His law-- and the second, in the common account which we often read in passages such as: "And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died" (Gen. 5: 5). Adam "died" when his soul and body were sundered one from the other. This is physical death, as the former is spiritual. And these twin components of the first death are experienced by every member of humanity.

Now, following Augustine's definition, it becomes clear the second death involves a re-union of the body and soul, but in a state of permanent separation from God. It is to this death our Lord has reference when He says: "But rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10: 28). In no uncertain terms Christ is announcing that soul and body will be re-united when this "destruction," or second death, takes place. And John tells is that this will occur during the second, or general, resurrection (Rev. 20: 11-15).

What, then, is the nature of the "first resurrection"? Let us follow logic, and see where it guides us. Whatever the first resurrection may be, it obviously repairs and annuls the first death. But, we read in the sacred texts that it also seals one from the "second death" (Rev. 20: 6): "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." So, it is the reparation of the first death, the antithesis of the second. The definition, then, is easy to determine. As the second death concerns the reunion of soul and body in permanent separation from God, so the first resurrection involves the reunion of soul and body in God's permanent presence. This is the "First Resurrection."

At one point, St. Augustine apparently followed these truths to their evident conclusions, embracing a Chilast system of Divinity. Alluding to his original view, he makes an interesting remark: "And this opinion would not be objectionable, if it were believed that the joys of the saints in that Sabbath shall be spiritual, and consequent on the presence of God; for I myself, too, once held this opinion." (City of God, XX. vii). However, he later dropped Chiliasm in preference to A-Millennialism; and his spiritual interpretation became prominent, insomuch that it has since been the official teachings of the Roman church on the the Millennium.

Nevertheless, Augustine's own definitions of the first and second deaths seem to confute any A-Millennial theory. For, according to that system, the "first resurrection" is simply the restoration of the soul to God, effected in the Divine work of regeneration. But that does not cancel and repair the "first death" entirely, but only partially. And herein it is manifest that A-Millennialism is false. For the saints already enjoy the resurrection of regeneration (Titus 3: 5), but nonetheless are exhorted to await a "better resurrection" (Heb. 11: 35). What must this resurrection be, if not the re-union of soul and body in the presence of God? For the fathers had the anointing of the Holy Spirit, as well as ourselves (Ps. 51: 11-12). And yet we, as well as they, await this "better resurrection" (Heb. 11: 39-40). That is, the entire assembly of Christ's elect await that time when their bodies and souls will be re-united, and they shall enter the kingdom of Jesus Christ when He comes to reign on earth. And in that day we shall stand in His presence, in that exact same condition which Adam enjoyed before he sinned. This is the meaning of the "First Resurrection."

This resurrection was foretold by the prophet Ezekiel in his vision of the raising up of the dry bones. He writes: "The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones. And caused me to pass by them round about: and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and lo, they were very dry. And He aid unto me, son of man, can these bones live? and I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said He unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then He said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dry, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And 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: 1-14).

Of course, there be some who allegorize these prophecies, and assert that the passages do not at all speak of the raising up of our bodies, but must be understood in a mystical sense. Such an one was Origen, who evidently taught that the raising of the dry bones was figurative of the release of the Israelites from their Babylonian captivity. It is obvious, however, that this view is totally subjective. Tertullian, commenting on such opinions, writes: "Unquestionably, if the people were indulging in figurative murmurs that their bones were become dry, and that their hope had perished--plaintive at the consequences of their dispersion--then might God fairly enough seem to have consoled their figurative despair with a figurative promise. Since, however, no injury had as yet alighted on the people from their dispersion, although the hope of the resurrection had very frequently failed amongst them, it was manifest that it was owing to the perishing condition of their bodies that their faith in the resurrection was shaken. God, therefore, was rebuilding the faith which the people were pulling down." (De Resurrectione Carnis, xxxi).

Tertullian's view, which represents that of the early fathers in general, must be recognized as the correct and orthodox position. In recent years it has been contested and overthrown, and that primarily by men who have little faith in the ability of God to accomplish His own designs (as evidenced by their practical and dogmatic rejection of the Holy Spirit's ministry), but limit everything to according to their own power. Perhaps science has had something to do with this departure from the faith; yet not science as the legitimate pursuit of knowledge, but "oppositions of science falsely so called" (1 Tim. 6: 20); the scientific positivism which reduces all knowledge to that alone which it has already verified. This kind of science is the dry-rot of humanity. It draws a circle about our perceptions of truth, beyond the bounds of which no man is permitted to venture. If he should do so, he is branded as ignorant or superstitious, perhaps both.

But, as all Divine truth lies outside this circle of skepticism, it becomes plain that reason alone can never account for that which it is God's prerogative to fulfill in His own time. God has promised a resurrection, and it shall be fulfilled. Should science deny such a resurrection, this cannot alter God's purpose, nor His ability to effect His will. Therefore, science as a means of "yeaing" or "naying" the dictates of the Almighty, is both vain and futile. But faith is everything.

We've determined that the precise nature of the "First Resurrection" is the re-union of the souls and bodies of the saints, and that such re-union will restore them to those conditions in which Adam stood before he transgressed. Man will no longer be corruptible, but shall be rendered incorruptible. As Gregory of Nyssa defined it, resurrection will be the "re-constitution of our nature in its original form." (On the Soul and the Resurrection). Notwithstanding, there is some distinction to be made between this renewed nature and that which will render us "equal to the angels" (Luke 20: 36). For, Adam was never equal to the angels; but David saith: "Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor" (Psa. 8: 5). Thus, if the "First Resurrection" is tantamount to the "restitution of all things," then the rendering of man equal to the angels must and can only occur after the thousand years have been completed.

And, this view, far from being unacceptable, is advanced by all of the early Chiliasts whose writings I've consulted. In the third article of this series, I made mention of Commodian's belief, that during the thousand years those raised to life would marry and beget children; and this would seem to be countenanced by Ezekiel, when he says: "And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt, and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever" (Ezek. 37: 25). The view, of course, would be somewhat questionable if it were not countenanced by certain Patristic authority. To our regret, Lactantius is not clear whether the saints will bear children or not. He writes: "Then they who shall be alive in their bodies shall not die, but during those thousand years shall produce an infinite multitude, and their offspring shall be holy, and beloved by God; but they who shall be raised from the dead shall preside over the living as judges." (Divine Institutes, VII. xxiv).

Commodian alone makes an implicit statement that the saints of the First Resurrection will marry and beget children. Nevertheless, Irenaeus, Lactantius, and Tertullian, and himself all agree that the First Resurrection is not that which will make us "equal unto the angels," but is rather the resurrection that commences that process. Irenaeus writes that the Millennial kingdom is the commencement of incorruption, by which we are gradually accustomed to partake of the Divine nature. (Against Heresies, V. xxxii. 1). He also says that during this period the saints shall be "disciplined beforehand for incorruption" (Ibid., V. xxv. 2). That is, they shall not be made perfect until the thousand years are complete. Lactantius, too, places the perfection of our resurrection after the Millennium: "But when the thousand years shall be completed, the world shall be renwed by God, and the heavens shall be folded together, and the earth shall be changed, and God shall transform men into the similitude of angels, and they shall be white as snow." (Divine Institutes, VII xxvi).

Tertullian is not very explicit in his statements concerning the Millennium. However, enough may be fetched from his writings to infer that he likewise held that the First Resurrection was only the beginning of the perfection of the saints. He writes: "Not that we indeed claim the kingdom of God for the flesh: all we do is, to assert a resurrection for the substance thereof, as the gate of the kingdom through which it is entered. But the resurrection is one thing, and the kingdom another. The resurrection is first, and afterwards the kingdom. We say, therefore, that the flesh rises again, but that when changed it obtains the kingdom." (Against Marcion, V. x). Referring again to the Millennium, he writes: "After its thousand years are over, within which period is completed the resurrection of the saints, who rise sooner or later according to their deserts, there will ensue the destruction of the world, and the conflagration of all things at the judgment: we shall then be changed in a moment into the substance of angels, even by the investiture of an incorruptible nature, and so be removed to that kingdom in heaven of which we have now been treating." (Ibid., III. xxv).

Of course, Tertullian sees the incorruptibility of the body as being confirmed in the second resurrection-- not the first. But we rather believe that the First Resurrection will render us incorruptible, inasmuch as Adam knew no corruption before he sinned. And our Lord's own resurrection released Him from the bonds of corruption (Acts 2: 31; 13: 30-37); and after forty days among His disciples, He ascended into heaven. But whatever view you choose to adopt, it must be admitted that the bearing of children was something made possible to Adam and Eve before they sinned. For, it is written, "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Gen. 1: 28). In the restitution, therefore, when Paradise is restored to earth, and man once more stands in the presence of God, we must believe that he shall have power, of his own will, and without sinful passion, of begetting children who shall be "holy unto the Lord."

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 14)

2008-03-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

We've already alluded to the passage in John's Apocalypse in which the "First Resurrection" is mentioned. We've also given our own views of what this resurrection is about, and the period of time which it embraces; namely, that it does not speak of any allegorical or spiritual resurrection, nor has it ever occurred in past history: but that it speaks of a resurrection of the body, and is a future event. Now we must get into the exegetical issues involving this view. It is often implied by those who are not themselves Chiliasts, that the New Testament uniformly represents the righteous and wicked as being judged contemporaneously; and that this "general judgment" is what we are to look for--not a specialized resurrection and judgment of the church alone.

Of course, many of us who believe in a thousand year period between the first and second resurrections, and have studied the matter impartially, are aware of the difficulty of harmonizing certain of the sacred texts. Yet while not all the mechanics are clear to our view, we nonetheless hold a firm faith in the doctrines we hold; and this primarily because we believe Chiliasm solves far more discrepancies than it creates. To refer to the common rule, Scriptures cannot contradict themselves. If a contradiction exists, it exists because of the limitations inherent in our own understanding: and therefore we must, to the best of our ability, seek to harmonize any disparities that we find, trusting to the Holy Spirit that He may lead and guide us into a more perfect understanding.

While it is true that certain passages seem to place the two judgments together, it is equally apparent that other texts represent them as separate events. The question then becomes, which view is the more consistent with the theology of the New Testament. Frankly, we believe that Chiliasm presents a system of Divinity more complete, more harmonious than any we've studied. And it is one that has strong historical continuity to give it credence. In fact, it has been around from the very beginning of the church's history; and from patristic testimony we are led to infer that John himself personally believed in a Millennium following Christ's advent. Irenaeus writes: "John, therefore, did distinctly foresee the first 'resurrection of the just,' and the inheritance in the kingdom of the earth; and what the prophets have prophesied concerning it harmonize with his vision." (Against Heresies, V. xxvi. 3).

John's personal belief alone, while not implying any element of Divine assent, shows itself all throughout the Apocalyptic book. And as John was simply the penman who committed what he saw and heard, we must, then, adopt the view that the teachings of Chiliasm represent the system authorized by Christ Himself.

That said, we'll try, as far as we are able, to reconcile any passages that display such inconsistencies as are brought to our view; knowing this, that it is not our prerogative to make any private interpretations of Scripture, but simply to clarify what Scripture teaches. If we are uncertain of anything that presents itself to our view, we shall refer to Patristic testimony. Lacking that, we will simply and honestly suspend our judgment.

We've already stated, that at Christ's coming there will be a general resurrection and judgment of the church. By 'the church' is meant particularly that universal body of God's people which has existed from Adam downwards. We believe that the elect assembly began with Adam, and includes all those in whose hearts the Decalogue is written, and who keep the commandments of God. However, the church also embraces those who are bound to God's covenant by the sacraments which He ordained for admission into the body. For Christians, this signifies water baptism. Thus, all who have been baptized into the church have been grafted into God's covenant; and their subsequent lives must therefore pass before the judicial scrutiny of Christ, that their true relation to Him may be determined.

All are aware that within the visible church there is much good and evil intermixed. It has always been thus, during the times of the Old Testament, and even so to the present day. There has never yet been a visible church that may be called "perfect." St. Augustine writes: "As long as she is a stranger in the world, the city of God has in her communion, and bound to her by the sacraments, some who shall not eternally dwell in the lot of the saints. Of these, some are not now recognized; others declare themselves, and do not hesitate to make common cause with our enemies in murmuring against God, whose sacramental badge they wear. These men you may today see thronging the churches with us, tomorrow crowding the theatres with the godless. [...] In truth, these two cities are so entangled together in this world, and intermixed until the last judgment effects their separation." (City of God, I. xxxv).

Today's Christianity has a tendency to ignore the importance of the sacraments. That Christ ordained baptism for the purpose of ratifying His covenant with those who wish to partake of eternal life, is testified both by Scripture and the apostolic churches. Christ's command to His church was: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." (Matt. 28: 19). Thus baptism was appointed an ordinance of the church, and those who partake of this ordinance follow Christ's own submission, declaring themselves willing to walk after Him in all things. Now, as baptism formed the commencement of Christ's ministry, it is clear that no one can follow Christ except he be baptized. And for this reason the sacrament is recognized by God.

The Jewish baptism of proselytes, after which John Baptist's was patterned, was an obligation to perform the law (Lightfoot, Heb. et Talm., Matt. iii. 6). John's baptism was an obligation to repent and believe in Him who should come afterwards (Acts 19: 4). Christ's baptism, which followed John's, obliges us not only to repent, but to obey the Gospel. Hence Christ taught that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24: 47). For as John preached repentance and remission of sins (Mark 1: 4), the church does the same. But as John the Baptist heralded Christ's first advent, so the Christian church heralds Christ's Second Advent. There is, then, only "one baptism" (Eph. 4: 5) which admits one into God's covenant; and this enjoins upon him the obligation of keeping Christ's commandments.

But there be many who, although grafted into the covenant, yet do not obey the Gospel. Instead of following Christ, they follow their own lusts. Instead of cleaving to the gospel of the Good Shepherd, they invent false gospels to lead astray the souls of the simple. What shall be their end? They must be resurrected certainly, and judged, in order that their true relation to Christ may be established. And this will not take place until Christ returns to take account of His servants. That is the teaching of the parable of the talents (Matt. 25: 14-30), as all will readily acknowledge. For how did the "unprofitable servant" ever become a servant at all? He must have obtained some relation to Christ while on earth, inasmuch as only those in covenant will receive a command to "occupy till I come" (Luke 19: 13). The wicked servant, then, is he who entered the covenant through baptism and yet never made any effort to serve Jesus Christ.

The same truth is brought out in the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25: 1-13). As the parable of the talents concerns Christian service, so this parable speaks of spiritual preparation and readiness. Those five foolish virgins and five wise virgins had all the same Lord (Matt. 25: 11), and yet the wise virgins followed the Gospel precepts, strengthening their virtues and graces, whereas the foolish virgins made no improvements whatever to their inner condition. But, from the parable it is evident that all the virgins were under the same covenant. Therefore, there must needs be a preliminary judgment of the church, prior to the general judgment of all men. For Peter writes, "The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4: 17).

The "First Resurrection," then, embraces that class of God's people who are accounted worthy to enter into the Kingdom of God, when Christ comes to establish His reign upon the earth. And this is in accordance with uniform New Testament teaching. Those who are not accounted worthy, shall be cast into outer darkness.

This principle, again, is exemplified in the parable of the two debtors (Matt. 18: 23-35). The Lord's teaching here concerns the forgiveness of others. Once again, both debtors own the same Lord and Master. But the wicked servant did not obey Christ's command of brotherly forgiveness; and thus he was "delivered to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto Him" (Matt. 18: 34). Christians who fall into this category will be forced to expiate their crimes in a place of punishment, not to be released until the Second and public resurrection. But a preliminary resurrection and judgment is required for sentencing.

Then there be professing Christians who teach false doctrines, or otherwise trample upon the Lord's commands, deeming themselves above any law whatsoever. It is to these the Lord probably refers when He says, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7: 22-23). It is not certain whether these individuals will receive and reprieve whatsoever. We've met many in our own day who think they are above any requirements of keeping the Lord's commands. Yet Christ says, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 7: 21).

There is thus a judgment necessary in order to separate the professing church into their two respective classes. One class shall enter into the kingdom of God, while the other will be excluded. And it is the former class that shall partake of the "First Resurrection." The remainder of men will not be judged until after the thousand years. As the beloved disciple says: "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (Rev. 20: 5).

Speaking of this preliminary judgment, Lactantius writes: "Not all men, however, shall be judged by God, but only those who have been exercised in the religion of God. For they who have not known God, since sentence cannot be passed upon them for their acquittal, are already judged and condemned, since the Holy Scriptures testify that the wicked shall not arise to judgment [Psa. 1: 5]. Therefore, they who have known God shall be judged, and their deeds, that is, their evil works, shall be compared and weighed against their good ones: so that if those which are good and just are more and weighty, they may be given to a life of blessedness; but if the evil exceed, they may be condemned to punishment." (Divine Institutes, VII. xx).

We believe that this view represents the correct New Testament teaching concerning the judgment of believers. And so, we cannot agree with those systems that ignore the radical importance of works in the process of Divine salvation. For "every tree is known by his own fruit" (Luke 6: 44); and "God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6: 7). Hence we tend to see a first resurrection and judgment of believers, which will be followed by the period of the Millennium. At the time when Christ comes, all men who have known God will be judged according to their works; that those who like Paul, strove for the mastery (1 Cor. 9: 25), may receive an incorruptible crown, and attain unto the "out-resurrection of the dead" (Phil. 3: 11). Then they deemed worthy of the honor shall rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 13)

2008-03-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

Before launching into those details concerning the "First Resurrection," it remains for us to discuss one important element of the time-period we are considering, and which is connected in a special manner with the salvation of God's elect. We speak of the long-awaited national conversion of the Jewish people. As we've written, Antichrist will arise and, through his false signs and specious promises, be hailed as the Messiah. However, it is evident from certain Scriptures that he will fail to bring deliverance. On the contrary, woe unto them who are delivered into his hand!

For, as well as persecuting the saints, he will be an especial hater of the Jews, notwithstanding he'll derive his lineage from the tribe of Dan. Of course, few will doubt but that he'll keep this genealogy a secret. For no one will willingly accept a savior who comes from that tribe which drew Israel into idolatry. The genealogy will probably be known to a select group of "insiders." It will surely be known to his armor-bearer and associate, the False Prophet. But there is little more we can say concerning the matter, as we are unable to peer into the future.

Nevertheless, we have Scriptures which speak of Antichrist as a leader and gatherer of the Jews. As Christ was ordained to gather an elect people, so Antichrist, in imitation of the true savior, shall also gather a people of unbelievers from among all nations. Hippolytus writes: "He will call together all the people to himself, out of every country of the dispersion, making them his own, as though they were his own children, and promising to restore their country, and establish again their kingdom and nation, in order that he may be worshipped by them as God." (Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, liv). Thus Antichrist, relying entirely upon false promises and lies, will lure away many before they realize his true nature. It is likely that, upon stepping into office, he shall be given carte blanche to execute his designs. It is not impossible that he will even be given dictatorial powers. But therein will be the beginning of his madness. He is that "idle shepherd" prophesied by Zechariah.

(Zech. 11: 15-17) "And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. For lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. Woe to the idle shepherd that leaveth the flock! The sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened."

Now, I suppose that while his persecutions are being waged, many will come to a realization that this is that same man foretold by Isaiah: "He who smote the people with wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger," &c. (Isaiah 14: 6). But few will be able to resist his tyranny, as his power shall be beyond human strength to withstand. Wherefore the Lord has given those who live within Judea a solemn warning, that when the abomination of desolation appears (that is, when Antichrist stands forth in his true colors): "Let them flee into the mountains," He says; "Let him which is on the house-top not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes" (Matt. 24: 16-18). Luke also implies that there shall be a leading away into captivity of those under Antichrist's jurisdiction (Luke 21: 24). However, when Christ returns He shall free Jews and Gentiles alike from the fury of the oppressor.

We spoke in our last article concerning the battle of Armageddon. Our conception of this great end-time battle is something like the following: When Antichrist knows that his time running out, and when he sees the signs in heaven that presage Jesus Christ's advent, he will dispatch ambassadors to all the nations, to gather an immense army. The military forces will be mobilized to the City of Jerusalem, along with all the weapons of mass destruction that technology has ever been able to devise. Not all men will know exactly what is about to occur. Some, not knowing the Scriptures, will fear an invasion from extra-terrestrial powers. Thus, armies will be gathered together to do battle against this coming menace. It would appear that during this time there will be tyranny and violence within the city of Jerusalem itself. Some of the troops, lacking morale, may rifle the houses of the inhabitants.

The prophet Zechariah paints a general outline of those days. "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city" (Zech. 14: 2). What does this signify? The prophet says that "all nations," that is (as we understand it), 'the combined military forces of all nations,' will be gathered against Jerusalem; in other words, to prevent the Lord's return, who comes to establish the New Jerusalem in glory.

The prophet Joel likewise hinted at the battle of Armageddon, when he wrote: "For behold, in those days, and at that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people, and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and have parted my land" (Joel 3: 1-2). It is obvious that Joel is speaking of the times of Antichrist, for he alludes to the same "captivity" predicted by Luke. But if anyone should suspect that these prophecies were fulfilled in the Jewish War (A.D. 66-70), a simple reading of the text itself will disabuse them of their views. If "the nations" be interpreted as meaning the armies under Vespasian, then the prophecy falls to the ground. For Zechariah says: "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle" (Zech. 14: 3).

Now, it is a known fact that the Roman armies were never "destroyed" when they gathered against Jerusalem. So that event cannot in any wise be claimed as the fulfillment of these prophecies. Zechariah clearly states that the Lord will fight against those very nations that surround Jerusalem. This plainly has reference to the times of Antichrist, and not to any past period in the history of the Holy City. Hence these events are future. And really, if we simply read these Scriptures, harmonizing them with those parallel passages in the Apocalypse, our eyes will be enlightened, and we'll understand that they speak of nothing else than the Battle of Armageddon, which precedes the Millennium.

Our interpretation, then, of these final events runs thus: When Antichrist mobilizes the world's military forces to the City of Jerusalem, in an attempt to prevent Jesus Christ's coming, the sky will become darkened gradually, until night spreads across the entire land. Then, a luminous Cross shall suddenly appear in the sky, heralding the army of Christ and His saints. This is the "sign of the Son of Man" (Matt. 24: 30) foretold by the Savior. Cyril of Jerusalem writes: "Now Christ's own true sign is the Cross; a sign of a luminous cross shall go before the King, plainly declaring Him who was formerly crucified. [...] The sign of the Cross shall be a terror to His foes; but joy to His friends who have believed in Him, or preached Him, or suffered for His sake. Who then is the happy man, who shall then be found a friend of Christ?" (Catechetical Lectures, XV. xxii).

It is important that this sign of the Cross be clearly seen, in order that those who have not yet repented may accept Jesus Christ and be saved before the Final Battle begins. It has been thought by many students of prophecy that the national conversion of the Jewish people will occur immediately prior to this battle; that is, during the siege of Jerusalem, but before the Lord wreaks vengeance upon the adversaries. Joel once again makes reference to this time, when he writes: "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and terrible day of the Lord shall come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call" (Joel 2: 31-32). The "remnant" is clearly the same of which Paul speaks: "Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace" (Rom. 11: 5). That is, there is a large number of natural Jews who shall be grafted back into their own olive tree (Rom. 11: 24) before Christ returns.

Truly, this is one of the most wonderful events which will ever occur in the world's history. And anyone who begrudges the Jews the blessings of Christ's salvation is clearly one of envious disposition. But we, along with countless others, look forward to this event. For when the Jews, when they see what great terrors Antichrist has brought upon the world, and perceive that it is Christ alone who is their Messiah, will repent and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and shall be saved. Zechariah also foretold the wholesale conversion of the remnant of Israel. He, too, depicts it as occurring during the times of Armageddon: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 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 first-born" (Zech. 12: 9-10).

As well, Ezekiel seems to have regard to this conversion, when, in predicting the day of the Lord, he says: "But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity" (Ezek. 7: 16). It would appear that Ezekiel refers to those who follow Christ's warnings to "flee into the mountains" when they see the abomination of desolation. Hence, there will probably be a "first-fruits" of national conversion among those who believe in Christ before Armageddon actually begins. Those who remain in the city will be converted only when they see the mobilization of the troops, the darkening of the heavens, or the sign of the Cross. But one thing is certain, to which the prophets uniformly testify--namely, that "all Israel shall be saved."

This salvation will be all the more necessary, inasmuch as there seems to be evidence in Scripture that the gathering of the elect will take place before Christ and His saints wage war against the adversaries. We are not at all sure of the actual details, but, judging from Christ's Olivet Discourse, it is quite reasonable to assume that there will be an immediate gathering of all the elect from the four corners of heaven before the Lord fights against Jerusalem. When the tribes of the earth mourn, and see the Lord coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, "He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matt. 24: 30-31). Thus, prior to the battle itself the "First Resurrection" will take place.

Then, immediately after, or concurrent with this resurrection, there shall be earthquakes and thunderings, followed by a parting, or opening, in the heavens. Then, the Lord and His saints will appear to do battle against the powers of iniquity. The blessed evangelist John gives us a few more details, when he prophesies of the "harvest of the earth." He writes: "And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped" (Rev. 14: 14-16 ff.).

I don't suppose anyone would assume that by these Scriptures we are to understand the "harvest of the earth" as implying that of the "whole world," as if all mankind will be collected and destroyed in one massive battle. Frankly, that concept is antagonistic to the idea of the Millennium, which holds that all nations shall come to Jerusalem to worship Jesus Christ (Isaiah 66: 23; Zech. 14: 16). Rather, we believe that Jerusalem will be the main scene of these events. For John writes: "The wine-press was trodden without the city" (Rev. 14: 20), that is, the battle will be waged within the environs of Jerusalem itself.

Once again, Joel gives us the local coloring. "Let the heathen be wakened, and come to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord shall be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel" (Joel 3: 12-16).

Our personal understanding, then, of the Battle of Armageddon, is that those nations and armies which come against Jerusalem will be destroyed at Jesus Christ's coming. Since these troops will be those very persons who shall take Antichrist's mark their forehead and willingly serve him, it is only fitting that they should "drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation" (Rev. 14: 9-10). But as inferred from Joel's prophecy and other Scriptures, there will be a great quaking of the whole earth, and the heavens as well, insomuch that all areas of the world will feel and know what is going on in the Holy City. Of course, we have many other opinions we could give involving Armageddon and the things which will occur at that time. But we have already digressed too far from our immediate subject, which involves the Lord's Second advent in glory, the gathering of His saints, and the Resurrection of the Just.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 12)

2008-03-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

The Great Tribulation will be a time of intense persecution for the people of God. Nevertheless, we have Christ's promise that for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened. But should anyone suppose that the events themselves will be unverifiable, we have Christ's implicit statements that the Tribulation will be accompanied by signs in the heavens. These phenomena will be paralleled by geological disturbances, insomuch that both the heavens and the earth shall seem to cry out against the wickedness of men. But all these things are harbingers of the Lord's glorious appearance, when evil will have an end. Looking at the parallel passages in Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13, we find a corroboration of these phenomena, all of which will take place prior to Christ's return.

(Matt. 24: 29-30) "Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

(Mark 13: 24-26) "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of the heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."

(Luke 21: 25-27) "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory."

Now, "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (2 Cor. 13: 1). In order that nothing be left in uncertainty, the three inspired authors record the sayings of Jesus concerning those events that shall transpire "immediately after the tribulation;" that is, after Antichrist has filled the measure of his iniquities, his allotted three-and-a-half years having expired. Christ had already taught His disciples that His coming would not be missed by the world. "For as lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt. 24: 27). This, of course, precludes any notion of an "invisible" Second Coming. St. Chrysostom writes: "How then shineth the lightning? It needs not one to talk of it, it needs not a herald, but even to them that sit in houses, and to them in chambers it shows itself in an instant of time throughout the whole world. So shall that coming be, showing itself at once everywhere by reason of the shining forth of His glory." (Homilies on Matthew, lxxvi).

It stands to reason, then, that as Christ's appearance will be visible to the eye, the events that precede His appearance shall be visible in like manner. But there are some who deny this, avowing that the above passages must be understood in a figurative sense. Such persons do not believe that by the terms "sun" and "moon" the celestial bodies are meant, but that something else, political or ecclesiastical, is denoted. Obviously, such theories have their foundations in a Gnostic view of Scripture-interpretation. This would bring all the supernatural elements of Biblical teaching into agreement with the intellectual faculties alone. Thus, anything that appears miraculous is explained away as hyperbole, and the prophets themselves are alleged to be mere writers of "Oriental poetry."

However, if one should subscribe to these fallacies, he ought, in absence of early church testimony, to be able to point to evidence in the text itself. But if he is unable to do this, he responds that "passages must be interpreted by those which speak more plainly." In making this statement, however, he only manifests his ignorance of the passage in question. For why hunt for clarity, unless you confess obscurity in the passage you are examining? But such obscurity is purely subjective. For anyone reading these passages should know what Christ is speaking about. The visual factor of Christ's advent is announced in the clearest language: "Then they shall see." This is amply corroborated by Rev. 1: 7: "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him."

It is enough, however, to clear away the discrepancies of any Gnostic interpretation by simply asking, whether or not the darkening of the sun during our Lord's crucifixion was a real event. "And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the vail of the temple was rent in the midst" (Luke 23: 44-45). If by "the sun" is meant the celestial body, then we have sure exegetical grounds for positing a like interpretation of the verses concerning our Lord's Second Coming. For it is shown that this solar eclipse has a doctrinal significance.

Tertullian, speaking of the observation of fasting and prayer until the ninth hour, writes: "And so that 'pressure' must be maintained up to that hour in which the orb--involved from the sixth hour in general darkness--performed for its dead Lord a sorrowful act of duty; so that we too may return to enjoyment when the universe regained its sunshine." (On Fasting, x). Therein he alludes to the exact meaning of the eclipse. As Christ created the heavens, so the heavens mourned at His death. As Christ is Lord of the heavens, so shall the heavens cower when He comes to execute judgment upon the earth. Although not all will accept this view, most will concede that this is the true significance of the "darkening of the sun and the moon." As for "the powers of the heavens being shaken," Christ may be referring to the quailing of those "principalities," those "powers," those "rulers of darkness of this world" (Eph. 6: 12) against which Christians must struggle. These powers were once spoiled by Christ (Col. 2: 15), albeit they remain in commission to the present day.

Why do they still function? We shall follow the school of Lactantius, and suggest that in all events the Lord leaves some elements of evil in the world to test and try His people. For virtue is exercised in the forbearance of evil and the pursuance of good. When God created Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden, he assigned man to exercise his virtue, inasmuch as fidelity to the Divine image includes the overcoming of temptations. If Adam had eschewed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would have attained the right to partake of the tree of life. Yet, he chose the evil, and lost the good. That, I suppose, may be brought down to an individual level. For man has only two ways set before him in the world. He either chooses the evil, which truly never appears as evil, but is decked out with some elements of passing good; or he eschews the temptations of the forbidden tree, and strives for that alone which leads to eternal life. For the Tree of Life contains good unmixed, in its purest form, the only nourishment for the soul of man. "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4: 4).

Thus, there must be temptations and trials in this present world. And where the trials are taken away, virtue no longer has any field whereon to gain its victories. For virtue is made precious insofar as it is attained with difficulty. If it were made easy for all, it would be nothing commendable. For why must Christians struggle in the world, if not for eternal life? If eternal life were given us now, virtue would be overthrown; for virtue is exercised in the striving after good. But if the good is already held in hand, what more need to strive? Man endowed with eternal life here and now would cease living unto God, and would live unto himself: the very thing man is not permitted, as a subject and citizen of God's city, to do. But God has wisely placed the blessings of eternal life in the world to come; showing us that by despising the things of this temporal life we may attain a better life. Now, if a man fights with robbers and resists violence done to his body, wherefore does he fight? He fights that he may continue to live. But the body fights only those elements that can destroy it. After that they can do no more.

Why, then, must the soul resist evil? What is the reason why a man must fight against evil, pride, greed, lust and all forms of unrighteousness? Surely, that the soul, too, may continue to live: for overcoming the enemies of the soul will ensure its future existence. And the life of the soul is confirmed in the age to come, and not now. Moreover, they who have obeyed God in this present evil world will also enjoy life in the body, being restored in the First Resurrection, when they shall enjoy communion with Christ, and bear rule with Him upon the earth which was the scene of so many trials and hardships. By how much more, then, does good prevail over wickedness! But the field of virtue is trial. And trial demands that there be enemies against which we must battle. The warfare is now, the rewards are in the age to come. Hence there is a reason why our Lord left these principalities and powers in office, as a means of strengthening His elect.

But when Jesus Christ comes back to reign these spiritual enemies shall doubtless be defeated, and locked up in the bottomless pit with Satan himself. Now there are unclean spirits in the world. But in the world to come, they shall be locked up in the deep. Luke gives us strong evidence of this truth when he records the Gadarene devils as imploring that they be not commanded "to go out into the deep." (Luke 8: 31). Matthew records the same devils as crying, "Art thou come hither to destroy us before the time?" (Matt. 8: 29). These Scriptures imply that there is a time coming when all unclean spirits will be sent into the abyss with their leader, Satan. And this can only occur when Antichrist is destroyed and the world reclaimed to God, at the personal advent of Jesus Christ.

Hence those passages in which celestial phenomena are predicted should not be interpreted allegorically or metaphorically, but in their plainest and most natural sense. For they give us clear indications of the signs which shall precede the Lord's coming. These will be a source of consolation to God's people, but of menace to the adversary. Not to mention the great unrest among those forces of spiritual wickedness which ride the air, think of the despair which will overtake the earthly enemies of God. For the "day of the Lord" will not be pleasant to those who despise Jesus Christ.

Hearken to Isaiah: "Howl ye: for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt; and they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible" (Isaiah 13: 6-11).

Nevertheless, despite the certain fulfillment of these prophecies, the wicked will make one final stand. When they see the day approaching, they will act very quickly. Let us remember by whom the world will be ruled and governed at that time. As all nations will be under the dominion of Antichrist, the military forces of the world will be at his beck and call. Prompted by Satan, these evil world-rulers (Antichrist and his false prophet) will dispatch ambassadors to every nation on earth (Rev. 16: 13-14), commanding them to mobilize their forces to the City of Jerusalem. For the signs in the heavens shall tell them that Christ is coming back. At this point they shall attempt to do everything they can to prevent His coming. With the utmost weapons of mass destruction technology has yet devised, the armed forces shall gather into Jerusalem for the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16: 16; 19: 19). But their hope shall perish, they shall be utterly defeated at the coming of Jesus Christ with all His saints.

(Rev. 19: 11) "And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse: and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the wine-press of the wrath of Almighty God. And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

At this time, the nations who oppose the Lord's coming will be beaten in pieces by the mighty power of the Word of God. All their weapons of mass destruction will avail them nothing. There shall be "voices, and thunders, and lightnings" and a "great earthquake" (Rev. 16: 18), and when the Lord stands upon the Mount of Olives, the city will be divided into three parts (Rev. 16: 19; cf. Zech. 14: 4), and Babylon shall come into remembrance before God (Rev. 16: 19). Concerning this Babylon, Isaiah also prophesied its destruction in a parallel passage: "And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah" (Isaiah 13: 19).

Admittedly, we are not sure whether "Mystery Babylon" is meant to designate an actual city upon the earth, or the entire assembly of wicked men in general. Preferring the latter view, we bring to mind the words of St. Augustine: "Thus it has come to pass, that though there are very many and great nations all over the earth, whose rites and customs, speech, arms, and dress, are distinguished by marked differences, yet there are no more than two kinds of human society, which we may justly call two cities, according to the language of our Scriptures. The one consists of those who wish to live after the flesh, the other of those who wish to live after the spirit; and when they severally achieve what they wish, they live in peace, each after their kind." (City of God, XIV. i).

Thus, Babylon stands for the earthly city as a whole, whose interests are in direct opposition to the heavenly city-- that is, the church. And this city can be traced as far back as the times of Cain (Gen. 4: 17), however its first major manifestation in world history occurred after the Noachian dispersion (Gen. 11: 1-9). Since then it has existed in a more or less permanent form, just as God's city has always existed in the world alongside it. Both cities, considered as spiritual assemblies, are invisible to the naked eye. But they are real nonetheless. However, as the earthly city now displaces the City of God, so when Jesus Christ comes to reign, establishing the New Jerusalem in glory, the earthly city will be totally displaced and abolished. Then shall Antichrist, the King of Babylon (Isaiah 14: 4), be taken alive with his false prophet and cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 19: 20; cf. Isaiah 14: 15).

Now, as the Lord's coming is implicitly declared to be like lightning, all shall see Him in that day. Great cataclysms and upheavals will rock the world. It will almost seem that the world itself is coming to an end. And, in fact, many areas of the world will probably be renovated completely. There will be a "new heaven and new earth." Our favorite prophet speaks again: "The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth that are upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered together in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days they shall be visited. 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" (Isaiah 24: 19-23).

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 11)

2008-03-18T08:06:00.000-07:00

Naturally, the rise of Antichrist will precipitate a state of things that results in hostility to the people of God. We've already seen how wars and devastations must continue until the world is divided into ten nations. Lactantius, alluding to these times, writes: "First, the kingdom will be enlarged, and the chief power, dispersed among many and divided, will be diminished. Then civil discords will be perpetually sown; nor will there be any rest from deadly wars, until ten kings arise at the same time, who will divide the world, not to govern, but to consume it. These, having increased their armies to an immense extent, and having deserted the cultivation of the fields, which is the beginning of overthrow and disaster, will lay waste and break in pieces and consume all things." (Divine Institutes, VII. xvi).

Thus will the world will be brought into bondage by the powers of wickedness, and evil will prevail among all classes of men. During or after this preliminary division of nations, Antichrist will arise and defeat three of the world-powers, after which he will be constituted the head of the entire confederacy--not to mention, he will be hailed as the Messiah. He will likely come forward as a humanitarian leader, professing his wish to inaugurate a new era of peace throughout the world. But his words will be only a pretext to gaining office.

Once he has wheedled his way into the government, and obtained the power he desires, he will wage a wicked persecution against mankind, but especially against the saints. It is he, in fact, who will cut off the two witnesses. Here it should be noted that both Lactantius and Commodian speak of two Antichrists, the first one being that prince who shall be denominated head of the ten-nation confederacy, and under whose rule laws will be changed, and the world's peoples subjected to continual harassment and vexation. Then, after he has reigned a short time, he shall be defeated by the true Antichrist, who shall demand divine honors. As the mechanics of this "dual-Antichrist" theory are somewhat obscure, being as they are fetched from epitomes and fragments, we are unable to give details. However, it would appear that this school of prophecy identifies these individuals as "the beast" and the "false prophet" of Rev. 13. But regardless of whether you believe in one Antichrist or two, you'll have to admit that fulfillment will come in the midst of catastrophic worldwide events. It will not be a very good time to be living upon the earth.

As implied in certain passages of John's Apocalypse, the battle-ground for many of these events will probably be the City of Jerusalem. And this is corroborated by our Lord's Olivet Discourse. However, lest any should think that other areas of the world will be unaffected, please think again. For as Antichrist will have power over all the nations, his machinery shall extend throughout the whole earth. John, writing to the church in Philadelphia, speaks of an "hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (Rev. 3: 10). This, of course, can only signify a worldwide tribulation, and the idea is opposed to any excessive localization of the prophecy.

Let us go back to Christ's Olivet Discourse and see if we can follow the course of this tribulation-period. I am aware that theories exist which place the Tribulation as a past event. However, these theories will not be discussed in the present course of articles. The language itself, which speaks of significant signs in the heavens (Matt. 24: 29 ff.) should tell us that the whole period of which are Lord is speaking, although it may have been foreshadowed by previous events, is to take place at the end of the world (aeon), when Christ comes to gather His saints and bear rule on the earth. It is entirely sufficient that we read these passages with a believing heart, knowing that they are addressed to the church of God.

We made mention in our last two articles of those "wars and rumors of wars" (Matt. 24: 6) which must occur prior to the rise of Antichrist. Attendant upon these wars will be an increase of persecution and betrayal, which bespeaks a great intolerance for Christianity in general. But during the whole of this time, the Gospel shall be preached unto all nations. "And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matt. 24: 14). From these Scriptures, and from what we've already said, we learn that the days preluding the advent of Antichrist will be characterized by certain general tendencies: 1): By a 'falling away' or apostasy; 2): By numerous wars and upheavals; 3): By persecutions and betrayals; 4): By a fervent preaching of the pure Gospel. Not to mention, there will be "famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places" (Matt. 24: 7). But when the Gospel shall have been preached to all nations, then will the end come.

What will be the sign of the commencement of the Tribulation itself? Christ tells us: "When ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand,) then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the house-top not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor shall ever be" (Matt. 24: 15-21).

Thus, the Lord tells us that the Tribulation will be heralded by the "abomination of desolation." This evidently refers to Antichrist himself. Referring to Daniel's prophecy of the Seventy Weeks (Dan. 9: 24-27), Hippolytus writes: "For when the threescore and two weeks are fulfilled, and Christ is come, and the Gospel is preached in every place, the times being then accomplished, there will remain only one week, the last, in which Elias will appear, and Enoch, and in the midst of it the abomination of desolation will be manifested, viz., Antichrist, announcing desolation to the world. And when he comes, the sacrifice and oblation will be removed, which are now offered to God in every place by the nations." (Fragments from Commentaries; Daniel, II. xxii). Of course, we can probably learn the true nature of Antichrist's sacrilege by going back to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes, to whose abominations Daniel's prophecy seems to have a principal reference. For as Antiochus persecuted the Jews and defiled their sanctuary, so shall Antichrist persecute the church in a like manner.

And as Christ relates, the "abomination of desolation" will precipitate the events of the Great Tribulation. But lest we should seem to dip our pen too much in earthquake and thunder, let us have a few words of comfort. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem during the fourth century, writes: "For this cause the Lord knowing the greatness of the adversary grants indulgence to the godly, saying, Then let them which be in Judea flee to the mountains. But if any man is conscious that he is very stout-hearted, to encounter Satan, let him stand (for I do not despair of the Church's nerves), and let him say, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ and the rest? But, let those of us who are fearful provide for our own safety; and those who are of good courage, stand fast. But thanks be to God who hath confined the greatness of that Tribulation to a few days; for He says, But for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened; and Antichrist shall reign for three years and a half only." (Catechetical Lectures, XV. xvi). There is thus an appointed time for the prevalence of wickedness, after which it shall be vanquished and overthrown.

At this juncture, the hopes of the godly shall run high. And it appears from Christ's words that wicked and impious men will spread false knowledge of the Lord's coming in all places. "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christ, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore, if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt. 24: 23-27).

Here the Lord gives us a solemn warning to beware of any Gnostic/ subjective interpretations of His coming. For during this period false teachers will be zealously active in lulling to sleep the Christian conscience, and fooling unwary disciples. They will promise that "everything is under control;" and that "Christ is reigning on earth now." Notwithstanding the oppressions and robberies, the accusations and persecutions, the devastations and conflagrations, they will succeed even in luring away many to their views, and in almost deceiving the very elect. But Christ tells us not to listen to such heretics; for His coming will be visible and glorious. And thus Christ gives encouragement and counsel to all believers who shall live to see those times.

Thus, in a somewhat imperfect fashion, owing to the fact that "we see through a glass darkly" (1 Cor. 13: 12), we have given a brief sketch of the Great Tribulation. And we must here pause to thank heaven that we have not yet arrived at such a pass. And we pray the Lord that He will continue to keep His church safe from the persecutions of anti-Christian powers. However that may be, we know that "through much tribulation" alone may we enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14: 22). Let it be enough for us that we abstain from evil, and "resist unto blood, striving against sin" (Hebrews 12: 4).

Fighting against the old man is tribulation enough. And those who keep His word and do not deny His name, may be given that "open door" to escape from real Tribulation (Rev. 3: 8). Notwithstanding, even if we be accounted worthy to suffer for Jesus Christ's name, we must remember the persecutions endured by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (Daniel 3: 13 ff.). Their being cast into the fiery oven by Nebuchadnezzar was a type of the Tribulation which shall be waged by Antichrist. As Christ was with them in the furnace (Dan. 3: 25), so we know that they who endure persecutions for Jesus Christ's sake will have His presence, and be ensured the safety of their souls. "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matt. 24: 13).

But why must there be a future Tribulation? Anyone who seriously considers the topic from a Christian perspective will see the necessity of some such event taking place. In order for good to prevail, there must first be a displacement of evil. In order for Christ to reign, there must first be a subjugation of all hostile powers. When Satan sees that his time is short, he will re-double his persecutions. And the warfare he will wage during the last half-week of the present age shall end with his binding in the bottomless pit, that he may no longer be permitted to deceive mankind. Then will Daniel's prophecy of Christ's kingdom (Dan. 7: 14, 22, 27) be fulfilled.

Although we admit that it is not pleasant to consider the possibilities of Tribulation and persecution, we must concede that it shall issue in a more glorious dispensation than the world has ever seen. However you regard these events, whether reluctantly, or with acknowledgement of the greater hope, know that Satan's hourglass is getting low; his time is running out. As we await his period of defeat, let us keep our candles burning brightly as worthy stewards of the grace of God, ever crying, Maranatha! The Lord cometh!

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 10)

2008-03-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

By studying the eschatological writings of the early Fathers, and diligently comparing their several descriptions, it is not impossible to put together something like a composite view of end-time events. In our last article, we discussed the Great Apostasy, briefly touching upon its general character. Now we must discuss the rise of Antichrist. Looking back through a number of early writings, it seems that the church always, from day one, held an expectation that some such personage would arrive on the scene in the last days of the world's history. In recent years, however, the doctrine of Antichrist has been pronounced a fable; and since that time, rationalistic theologians have tried to relegate this mysterious individual to the pages of past history. But it won't do. No person in history has ever matched with the delineations given in Scripture of Antichrist; or, if some parallels be found, the discrepancies are too great to admit of any assent.

One common view among modern Bible-critics is that Nero was the Antichrist. But, there is no trustworthy evidence that Nero's infamous persecution ever extended beyond Rome itself. This alone makes the theory highly unlikely; and only a headstrong enthusiast would maintain it in absence of any proof beyond an assumption. Withal, the persecution of Antichrist is to be waged during the last half-week (i.e., three-and-a-half years) of the present age, which period will close with the coming of Jesus Christ in glory. These data do not match up with the Roman emperor. Nero was never "destroyed with the brightness of the Lord's coming" (2 Thess. 2: 8), nor "taken, and cast alive into the lake of fire" (Rev. 19: 20). In fact, he committed suicide in A.D. 68. Nor did he ever sit in the temple at Jerusalem, boasting himself as God. Obviously, he is not the man we are looking for.

In all events, we must have recourse to the proper fountains, and study the ancient church fathers. For they, leaning back to Apostolic tradition, had greater knowledge of these matters than ourselves. One of the earliest allusions to Antichrist is contained in the Didache, or "Teaching of the Twelve Apostles." In this primitive document, he is referred to as "the world deceiver" (ho kosmoplanos). The full text reads: "For in the last days, false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate; for when lawlessness increaseth, they shall hate and persecute and betray one another, and then shall appear the world deceiver as Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning." (xvi. 3-5). This prediction certainly approximates more closely to the truth. That Antichrist is to exercise his power over the entire world, is evident from various passages of Scripture.

But who is he? From whence does he come? What are his origins? Is he a man, as many believe?--or the devil incarnate? We shall discuss these matters to the best of our ability. Nearly all orthodox writers describe his advent as occurring at a time of great worldwide discord and calamity. We've already seen how the Apostasy creates conditions favorable for a shattering of worldwide peace, and that numerous wars and rumors of wars must first take place before Antichrist comes on the scene. The Apostasy will pave the way for his appearance. Lest we be carried away by conjecture, however, let us study the visions and interpretations of the prophet Daniel. For his accounts are the best starting-point for learning of the times of Antichrist.

We'll remember King Nebuchadnezzar's vision, wherein he saw the great image depicting the prominent world kingdoms from his time to Christ's coming in glory. Daniel says: "Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors. 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" (Dan. 2: 31-35).

Daniel then gives us the exposition. He tells Nebuchadnezzar: "Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings, shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Dan. 2: 38-44).

While Daniel does not identify the successive kingdoms by name, he nonetheless gives an accurate account of those mighty nations that would follow Babylon in dominion of the world. Most commentators agree that the head of gold represents Babylon; the breast and arms, the Medes and Persians; the belly and thighs of brass, the Grecians; while the legs of iron stand for the Roman empire. When we come to feet of iron and clay, however, opinions are divided. Some early expositors believe that the feet represent the Roman empire at its very close. Thus from the beginning there was a strong tradition that Christ would come at the dissolution of the Roman Empire. But, if we look carefully at Daniel's interpretation, we'll perceive that Daniel only attributes the quality of strength to the iron of the feet. Thus, if the legs represent the Romans, the feet must partake of the power of that empire. This does not necessarily argue for the identity of the legs and the feet. At any rate, Daniel's vision of the great stone breaking the image to pieces predicts a time when human governments will be brought to nothing by the Kingdom of Christ.

The feet, then, must represent the last kingdom which shall bear rule over all the world before Christ returns. It shall be one empire divided into ten nations. Interestingly, Hippolytus identifies these ten nations as democracies. If we take his view, it is quite reasonable to assume that the ten nations will be held together by the strength of a Rome-like administration. Howbeit, because of the wide intermixture of various ethnic and cultural classes (represented by the clay) it shall not cleave together. That is, there will be no common interest among the several toes. This I think is the best, or at least the most credible, exposition of Daniel's vision. Of course, we cannot be absolutely certain. But one thing is sure. The world must first be re-organized into ten nations, ere Daniel's prophecy of the feet can be fulfilled. How will this take place? Who knows. Perhaps this preliminary division of the world will be preceded by a Third World War, or some such upheaval so great as to break down the structures of national governments. It is too early to tell.

However, this division will clear the way for Antichrist. And it is here that we must refer to Daniel's vision of the four beasts, which in many particulars lines up with his vision of the great image. In Daniel 7: 3-8, the prophet sees four beasts rising out of the ground. The first is like a lion, having eagles wings. This has been identified as the Babylonian empire. After this arises another beast, like a bear. This was the Persian empire. Then Daniel sees a third beast, like unto a leopard, with four wings. This can be none other than the Grecian power, which after Alexander the Great's death was partitioned into four empires. Following the leopard Daniel sees a fourth beast, "dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. And I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things" (Dan. 7: 7-8).

Almost all the early commentators agree that the ten horns of the fourth beast parallel the ten toes of the image, while the "little horn" represents Antichrist. Hippolytus, harmonizing Daniel's visions, writes: "As these things, then, are destined to come to pass, and as the toes of the image turn out to be democracies, and the ten horns of the beast are distributed among ten kings, let us look at what is before us more carefully, and scan, as it were, with open eye. The 'golden head' of the image is identical with the 'lioness,' by which the Babylonians were represented. 'The golden shoulders and arms of silver' are the same with the 'bear,' by which the Persians and Medes are meant. 'The belly and thighs of brass' are the 'leopard,' by which the Greeks who ruled from Alexander onwards are intended. The 'legs of iron' are the 'dreadful and terrible beast,' by which the Romans who now hold the empire are meant. The 'toes of clay and iron' are the 'ten horns' which are to be. The 'one other little horn' springing up in their midst is the 'antichrist.' The stone that 'smites the image and breaks it in pieces,' and that fills the whole earth, is Christ, who comes from heaven and brings judgment on the world." (Fragments from Commentaries, II. iii).

With the sole exception of his identification of the fourth beast as the Roman empire, I agree on the whole with Hippolytus' interpretation. If we concede, then, that the little horn represents the Antichrist, it will be a relatively simple matter to form some notion of end-time events. Firstly, the world must be divided into ten nations. Then, Antichrist shall arise as a great political leader. He shall subdue and conquer three of the nations, and will probably be constituted the head of the entire confederacy. But, we are going too far. We must back up a little and try, if we can, to get some idea of the personal character of this Antichrist. From whence does he arise? Is he a Jew or a Gentile? Interestingly, this latter question seems to be a hot topic of debate among students of prophecy. Some are for maintaining his Jewish origins, whilst others proclaim him to be of pure Gentile extraction. What do we think?

The opinion of the early church was that Antichrist would arise from among the Jews, and be hailed as their Messiah. Moreover, it was believed that he would draw his lineage from the tribe of Dan. The evidence in support of this view is fetched mainly from Jeremiah 8: 16, where the prophet writes: "The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan; the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones: for they have come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein." Another proof-text is Gen. 49: 16-17: "Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse-heels, so that his rider shall fall backward." Then, too, there is the likening of Dan to a lion, in imitation of the true Lion, Christ. Moses writes: "Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan" (Deut. 33: 22). Thus, there is strong support for the view that Antichrist will rise from among the Jews, and constitute himself as their leader.

Moreover, it is likely that he is the one who shall rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. For his crowing act of iniquity will be to sit in the temple of God and demand divine worship (2 Thess. 2: 4; cf. Isa. 14: 13-14). But, we ask, when shall these events take place? It is evident that they shall be fulfilled in the last half-week of the world's history. That is, when the first half of Daniel's 70th week has expired, Antichrist shall arise and deceive all mankind. He shall function for three years and six months, after which he will be brought to nothing. The first half of the week will be taken up by the two witnesses, Enoch and Elijah, who shall preach the Gospel unto all nations, exhorting men to turn from their iniquities and embrace the way of life. These matters are related more fully in John's Apocalypse, and may be verified by comparing Rev. 11: 1-7 with Rev. 13: 1-7.

Again, hearken to Hippolytus: "Thus, then, does the prophet [Daniel] set forth these things concerning Antichrist, who shall be shameless, a war-maker, and despot, who, exalting himself above all kings and above every God, shall build the city of Jerusalem and restore the sanctuary. Him the impious shall worship as God, and will bend to him the knee, thinking him to be Christ. He shall cut off the two witnesses and forerunners of Christ, who proclaim his glorious kingdom from heaven, as it is said: 'And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.' As also it was announced to Daniel: 'And one week shall confirm a covenant with many; and in the midst of the week it shall be that the sacrifice and oblation shall be removed'--that the one week might be shown to be divided into two. The two witnesses, then, shall preach three years and a half; and Antichrist shall make war upon the saints during the rest of the week, and desolate the world, that what is written may be fulfilled: 'And they shall make the abomination of desolation for a thousand two hundred and ninety days.'" (Fragments from Commentaries, II. xxxix).

This gives us a tolerably clear picture of what shall occur during the last seven years of the world's history; that is, prior to Christ's coming in glory to establish His throne among us, and to rebuke iniquity. And our Lord Himself, in His Olivet Discourse, foretells all the events which shall lead up to His coming. As related in our last article, the Apostasy must first break out. Although we feel that the beginnings of the Apostasy have arrived, we have not yet seen the persecutions and betrayals (Matt. 24: 9-10) that shall follow in its wake. Only a calamitous state of the world could give rise to such conditions as pave the way for these tragic events. And what more likely than that a Third World War should occur to shatter the comity of nations? We believe that such an event is not unreasonable, considering the perturbed state of present-day politics. And that two such wars have already occurred, do not render it improbable that a repeat event, on a larger and more disastrous scale, may become a reality. And then only will the long-contested Apocalyptic imagery have its true fulfillment.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 9)

2008-03-14T07:48:00.000-07:00

But now we must leave Zion's serene heights and descend into the valleys, where the visibility is poor, and the air less healthful. As we already discussed the nature of the Millennium, we must now talk about the events that shall lead up to Christ's return in glory. And this demands that we review the facts of the Great Apostasy, Coming of Antichrist, and the Tribulation. We've heard a lot of discussion of these topics in recent years, and although we do not agree with all we've heard, we nevertheless concur on one vital point-- that these things are future events, and will perhaps take place in the near future. Paul, when writing to the Thessalonian church, said: "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that the man of sin be revealed" (2 Thess. 2: 3). Thus we learn that two things shall occur before the Lord returns to gather His saints: 1): A great apostasy; 2): The revelation of Antichrist.

The apostasy itself is a difficult topic to discuss with people, inasmuch as so many have imbibed an evolutionary/ progressive view of mankind. Those who have their riches in this present evil world do not like to think of the possibility of it ever coming to end. Those who maintain that the coming of Christ is a strictly providential event tend to see the danger as past, and things getting better and better; while actually the Bible speaks of things growing worse and worse. I doubt any honest individual who really knows what is happening can deny that there has been a radical change in recent years, which has resulted in a falling away of whole nations from the profession of Christianity. This has resulted in a demoralization of the community at large. As I look around, it seems that people are not very interested in the things of God anymore. Anyhow, we are definitely not living in a society that is governed by Christian standards.

Of course, I attribute much of the present moral climate to the poisoning influence of network television. For years it has my personal practice to eschew all products of the mainstream media. I have preached from orthodox pulpits against the evils of network television, and have consequently gathered to myself many dissenters. Nevertheless, in most cases I felt that I drove the arguments home all too well. "What concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" (2 Cor. 6: 15).

From the general reaction, it would appear than many men love the things of the devil more than the things of God. But the Bible explicitly warns us to keep separated from the world (1 John 2: 15); and those who fail to do so will become the surest candidates of apostatizing. So, it is really no surprise to me that such apathy now prevails in the community. Instead of striving against evil, Christians have a tendency to either fight with each other, or to adopt a "feel good" conciliatory attitude which opens the doors to the enemy camp. It is obvious that many people are not paying close attention to Jesus Christ.

Both our Lord and His inspired apostles, however, tell of a period in human affairs marked by a great apostasy. This is predicted to take place in the "last days." This term 'last days' may refer to any crucial turning point in the Divine administration of the world. It probably does not relate to any single period, albeit there are clear indications in Scripture that in many instances it points to the times preceding the Millennium; whereas the predictions regarding the Twelve Patriarchs will probably be fulfilled during the Millennium itself (see Gen. 49: 1 ff.). The Lord is said to have come "in these last days" (Hebrews 1: 2); that is, at the end of the law and the beginning of the Gospel (cf. Luke 16: 16). The prophet Isaiah sees the New Jerusalem established "in the last days" (Isaiah 2: 2). The prophet Joel envisions "the last days" as marked by outpourings of the Holy Spirit, and signs in the heavens which presage the Lord's return (Joel 2: 28-31). Many of these descriptions can only point to that epoch of history which ends with the coming of Jesus Christ with all His saints.

But the period is to be characterized by the aforesaid apostasy, which won't be confined to the church alone, but will spread to all classes of mankind. The general defection will be paralleled by an increase of wickedness and injustice in the earth. Although Paul gives the best delineation of the apostasy, Christ nevertheless provides a true exegetical platform in His Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24, Luke 21, Mark 13). When asked by His disciples, "When shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matt. 24: 3), Christ proceeds to describe the events which will transpire from His session at the right hand of the Father to the consummation of the present aeon, or age. Our Lord gives us the outline of the apostasy which shall occur before His coming. He speaks of "wars and rumors of wars" (Matt. 24: 6); "famines, earthquakes, and pestilences" (Matt. 24: 7); persecutions and betrayals (Matt. 24: 9-10); multitudes of false prophets (Matt. 24: 11); and a general prevalence of iniquity (Matt. 24: 12). These are the signs by which we may tell that the end is drawing near.

It is here that we must recur to the warnings given in Paul's epistles. For while the above portents shall herald the Great Tribulation and coming of Antichrist, we are more concerned now with the Apostasy itself. The real question that many people are asking is a vital one. Has the apostasy arrived? We are not sure. However, from what we've seen and heard personally throughout many sectors of the religious world, we believe that it has. Paul writes: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (2 Tim. 3: 1-5). Thus he speaks of the state of the world in general. It would take large work to enumerate each of these wicked qualities one by one. Let us simply draw our attention to that one which stands as the spring-head from whence all the others flow: "Men shall be lovers of their own selves."

When Jesus Christ walked among us, He avowed it one of our foremost duties to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 19: 19, 22: 39). When we love our neighbor, we show our love of God, for man is made in the image of God. And when we follow the precept faithfully, though at many times we may stumble and fall, yet it will have the effect of purifying our hearts and drawing it off from vice. When the eye is single, the whole body is full of light (Luke 11: 34-36). A constant reminder of our own infirmity may do much to prevent ourselves from getting caught up in the things of 'self.' When we remember that man is not an individual unit existing by himself, on his own terms with God, but that he is part of a great whole, and that the co-operation of every part is needed to make the make the whole function soundly, we tend to see our own interests as connected with those of others. This is salutary.

But whenever we forget our relation to our fellow man, self rears its ugly head and takes dominion over the creature. The philosophy, theology, or whatever you call it, that holds as its prime tenet the acquisition of temporal goods and benefits, or the gratification of the individual, is one of the chief corrupters of society. Even the irrational beasts know enough to get for themselves, and to defend what they've gotten with violence. But as the body is perishable, so are its goods. They, then, who hoard up the goods of the body do so to the detriment of the soul. The goods of the soul are eternal. And love being the chief good of the soul, it has two objects: God and our neighbor.

When men become lovers of their own selves, they forget these things. Instead of remembering God, they blot out and darken their minds with temporal and passing pleasures. Instead of seeking the good of their fellow man, they seek what they can get in this present evil world. Both have a tendency to drive out righteousness, and bring into the foreground the fruits of sin. Jesus Christ did not speak in vain when He said, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will wax cold" (Matt. 24: 12). Evil has its obverse and its reverse sides. When our love waxes cold, we fall into iniquity. When iniquity abounds, our love waxes cold. When the moral climate of the world runs low, men must look ever to their own perishable goods, inasmuch as security lessens with the increase of wickedness. Rather than share their resources with others, men erect iron fences around their possessions. Because life is short and uncertain, they place more value on the gratifying of themselves than on self-denial and sacrifice. All of these factors held to create a climate which Paul unqualifiedly marks as evil.

And yet, while Paul's description applies to the state of the world as a whole, it is also seen working its poison within the church of God. He writes: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron" (1 Tim. 4: 2-3); and "For the time will come, when they will not endure endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Tim. 4: 3-4).

Here we are given a two-fold depiction, in which antinomianism is seen working with novelty of dogma and its inevitable counterpart--the resistance to sound orthodoxy. How many times have we personally encountered those who preach a "shake and bake" theory of Christian salvation completely dissociated from the fruits of righteousness. The general notion of many seems to be that all one need do is make a profession, or "believe" in a few abstract doctrines, in order to attain eternal life. Then, too, we've seen a marked hostility toward creeds and confessions, in short, to any kind of dogmatic authority which restricts individual expression. The authority of the local church has been subverted, while the proverbial "57 Varieties" steals the day.

It is difficult to say how far the Protestant principle of 'private judgment' may be attributable to this spiritual disease. In the seventeenth century, John Dryden wrote ardently against the inconsistencies of Protestant churchmen who raise private judgment to the level of Popish infallibility. The tendency, while dangerous back then, has surely become worse in our own times. No matter where we look, new "isms" are popping out all over the place. And these doctrines would not be so reprehensive if they didn't evince a hostility toward all forms of orthodox Christianity. As one writer observed, we are engaged in a massive information war with Gnostic/ subjective Christianity. It is clearly a matter of who can more quickly and more effectively plant the seeds of information on the field of Christ's battleground before He returns. These seeds, of whatsoever quality they be, are now germinating with a rapidity that is inconceivable; and the upshot is that more and more Christians are leaving the waters of Siloam to drink from broken cisterns that can hold no water. And so an apostasy now rages in all quarters of professing Christianity.

As stated, the apostasy has a dual manifestation. On the one hand, it works within the church. On the other, it works upon the world in general. But however the leaven operates, it is evident that it will bring about precisely those conditions favorable for the rise of Antichrist. First, however, there must be "wars and rumors of wars." For coordinate with the apostasy is a gradual prevalence of violence and strife among the nations, which shall shatter governments and kingdoms, making way for that "Man of Sin," whose persecutions shall be brought to bear upon the people of the Most High during the last three-and-a-half years of the present age.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 8)

2008-03-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

And so, when Jesus Christ comes to Mount Zion to establish His glorious reign over all the earth, there will be a "regeneration," and "times of refreshing from the presence (not absence) of the Lord" (Acts 3: 19). Satan will be cast into the bottomless pit and a seal set over him, that the nations may no longer be deceived. The resurrected saints and martyrs will awake from the dust, and be judged. The land of Canaan will be restored, and the promise made to Abraham and his seed fulfilled to the very letter. Moreover, when the glorious reign commences, the world will know peace as it has never known before. Indeed, many men have often longed for "peace on earth, good will toward men" (Luke 2: 14). But, in its broadest meaning, such will never be possible until the Prince of Peace takes up his abode with us. To these events we look forward.

Let us now discuss the exact conditions that will prevail on earth during the Millennium. In our last article, we talked of the living waters, and of the immense healing properties they contain. Wherever the waters shall come, life will be restored. It is only natural that the Creator of all life should bring life more abundantly when He establishes His presence among us. And such will be needful. There is evidence in the word of God that during the times of Antichrist the world will be overrun by sin and wickedness. The land itself, in many quarters of the globe, will be devastated by warfare and industrial pollution. The prophet Joel speaks of wide-scale famine, and failure in agriculture. Isaiah corroborates this when he writes: "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left" (Isaiah 24: 5-6).

The prophet gives us just a peek into what the world's condition will become under Antichrist. And anyone who has followed ecological affairs may see how these visions can easily become a reality. It will be quite possible for one given power "over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations" (Rev. 13: 7) to harness the world's resources in a manner that substantially results in its destruction and defilement. And Isaiah seems to allude to this when he writes: "Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms: that made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof: that opened not the house of his prisoners?" (Isaiah 14: 16-17).

Lactantius, that great Chiliast, writes of the general state of the world in the time of Antichrist: "Cities shall be utterly overthrown, and shall perish; not only by fire and the sword, but also by continual earthquakes and overflowings of waters, and by frequent diseases and repeated famines. For the atmosphere will be tainted, and become corrupt and pestilential--at one time by unseasonable rains, at another by barren drought, now by colds, and now by excessive heats. Nor will the earth give its fruit to man: no field, or tree, or vine will produce anything; but after they have given the greatest hope in the blossom, they will fail in the fruit. Fountains also shall be dried up, together with the rivers; so that there shall not be a sufficient supply for drinking; and waters shall be changed into blood and bitterness." (Divine Institutes, VII. xvi.).

Thus, when Jesus Christ comes, He will effect a great salvation in the administration of the world; and the defilement of the world will be washed away. The kingdom of the lawless one will be brought to nothing, and the "kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High" (Dan. 7: 27). Then "all peoples and languages and nations" shall serve Christ (Dan. 7: 14).

When Jesus Christ returns to the Mount of Olives, the living waters will break forth and will bring health and healing to the world. And life will flourish where death previously prevailed. Paul seems to refer to this great event, when he writes: "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the the Sons of God" (Romans 8: 19). That is, the whole creation waits for the time when Christ shall be "revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 1: 7-8). It awaits this time with longing, for then shall the world be released from vanity and the bondage of corruption. We take this to mean that all created beings will share in and enjoy the blessedness of Christ's Millennial reign.

For what is signified by the term 'creature?' Certainly St. Chrysostom had it correct when he wrote: "Now, what is this creation? Not thyself alone, but that which is thy inferior, and partaketh not of reason or sense, this too shall be a sharer in thy blessings. For 'it shall be freed, 'he says, 'from the bondage of corruption,' that is, shall no longer be corruptible, but shall go along with the beauty given to thy body; just as when this became corruptible, that became corruptible also; so now it is made incorruptible, that also shall follow it too." (On Romans, Hom. xiv.). Thus, all the creation over which Adam was placed shall become a partaker in the glorious liberty of the children of God (Rom. 8: 21). The whole created world shall partake of the rich blessings which flow from the city of Jerusalem, because of the mercy and beneficence of its Great King. And this is doubtless to what certain Scriptures relate when they speak of lions and lambs dwelling together in peace.

(Isaiah 11: 6-8) "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 suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den."

(Isaiah 65: 25) "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt and destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord."

(Hosea 2: 18) "And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely."

These blessings relate more particularly to the land of Israel, but they shall also extend throughout the entire world. And let no man allegorize these passages, for the blessings will be real and substantial. Irenaeus writes: "I am quite aware that some persons endeavor to refer these words to the case of savage men, both of different nations and various habits, who come to believe, and when they have believed, act in harmony with the righteous. But although this is true now with regard to some men coming from various nations to the harmony of the faith, nevertheless, in the resurrection of the just the words shall also apply to those animals mentioned. For God is rich in all things. And it is right that when the creature is restored, all the animals should obey and be in subjection to man, and revert to the food originally given by God (for they had been originally subjected in obedience to Adam), that is, the productions of the earth." (Against Heresies, V. xxxiii. 4).

As St. Chysostom implies, not only the animals themselves, but also that which neither partakes of reason nor sense, will rejoice in Christ's presence. For He is the Creator of all things. Indeed, there are many passages in Scripture which speak of the trees shouting for joy, and the gladdening of the everlasting hills. Although such verses may be taken allegorically, and almost generally always are, we believe that there shall be a real fulfillment when Christ comes to reign. Of course, we are not implying that trees will literally clap their hands or shout for joy, but that there shall be a universal acclamation among all created things, to such extent that the trees shall seem to sing praises unto God. Whereas even now the whole creation groans under the burden of sin and corruption, it will be delivered with joy when the Sons of God appear.

(Psalm 96: 11-12) "Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein; then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice."

(Psalm 98: 7-9) "Let the sea roar, and all the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the Lord; for He cometh to judge the earth; with righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with equity."

(Isaiah 35: 1) "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice, even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God."

(Isaiah 55: 12-13) "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. 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."

As we learn from Isaiah, the coming of Christ will result in a flourishing of life, of fruits and flowers and all pleasant trees. The creation, which once was cursed under the first Adam, shall be renewed and restored under the Second Adam; and after the Millennium, shall be made perpetual and eternal. "For as the new heavens and new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain" (Isaiah 66: 22). Hence, the nations which are saved will forever dwell with Christ in the new heavens and the new earth. But the beginning and commencement of these blessings is the Millennium. For it is according to the mercy of Christ that all men be given a chance to enter into eternal salvation. And the incentive will be great when they see the blessings that He brings to the renewed earth. For the goodness of God leadeth men to repentance (Romans 2: 4).

But our words are not sufficient to describe the wondrous changes that shall take place when Christ returns. We'll let Lactantius speak for us: "Then that brilliant darkness will be taken away from the world with which the heaven shall be overspread and darkened, and the moon will receive the brightness of the sun, nor will it be further diminished: but the sun will become seven times brighter than it now is; and the earth will open its fruitfulness, and bring forth most abundant fruits of its own accord; the rocky mountains shall drop with honey; streams of wine shall run down, and rivers flow with milk: in short, the world itself shall rejoice, and all nature exult, being rescued and set free from the dominion of evil and impiety, and guilt and error. Throughout this time beasts shall not be nourished by blood, nor birds by prey; but all things will be peaceful and tranquil." (Divine Institutes, VII. xxiv).

And thus will be the condition of the world during the Millennium. Naturally, it is needless to say that all of these things are yet future. And although men water down God's promises, Christ shall fulfill everything to the very letter. Wherefore He expressly affirms, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till Heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matt. 5: 17-18). That both the law and the prophets are comprehended in this promise can be seen by anyone who reads. Of course, we admit that there is still a way to go before the "heaven and earth pass away." And there is an intervening period between now and then, which the saints call the Millennium. We have not yet attained to that blessedness, but await its fulfillment as we look to the things above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 7)

2008-03-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

Let us now ask, what is the true significance of these "living waters" which shall break forth over all the earth? Do they simply mean the blessings of the Spirit, or something more substantial? Commentators are at variance, however the Chiliast view tends to look at the waters in a dual sense: for man is composed of both body and soul, and Christ saves and heals both. Ambrose of Milan takes the spiritual view, when he writes: "There is certainly the River proceeding from the Throne of God, that is, the Holy Spirit, Whom he drinks who believes in Christ, as He Himself says: 'If any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He that believeth on me, as saith the Scriptures, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.' But this spoke He of the Spirit. Therefore, the River is the Spirit." (On the Holy Spirit, III. xx).

This view is tenable, only if we restrict ourselves to an allegorical interpretation. But, say we, the waters must have a more substantial significance-- spiritual blessings in this age, we agree, but fuller blessings in the age to come. For the Spirit is the "earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession" (Eph. 1: 14).

It is recommended that we go back to that phrase, "restitution of all things." Remember once more, that Adam was in his natural body when he was placed in Paradise. Remember, too, that a river went out from Eden to water the garden (Gen. 2: 10). A true restitution of Paradise must include real, and not allegorical waters. If restoration simply involves men having access to heaven, then why didn't God create man and place him in heaven at the very first? But He made him of the clay of the earth, and placed him in Paradise, on earth. Restitution, then, can only be fulfilled when man is restored to Paradise on earth. This is the redemption. Hence the term, "new heavens and new earth." Because the earth was cursed on account of sin, it too must be restored and redeemed.

And once again, we believe that the Millennium forms the beginning of this "new heavens and new earth." As regeneration is the commencement of the eternal life of the believer, so Christ speaks of a regeneration of the world (Matt. 19: 28), which shall form the beginning of the permanent and eternal heavens and earth, where Christ shall rule and reign with His saints forever. And thus we find that when Christ returns to reign, living waters rush forth from Jerusalem to fill the entire earth. That is, when He comes, He shall return to exactly the same place whence He left--the Mount of Olives. And this may be easily inferred from Acts 1: 11, where, after Christ's ascension, the angels tell His disciples: "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." As a cloud received Him (Acts 1: 9), so He shall come with clouds (Rev. 1: 7). And, as He ascended from the Mount of Olives, so He shall return thither.

And this is corroborated in Zechariah 14: 4, where the prophet writes: "And 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." And then he writes: "And 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 winter shall it be" (Zech. 14: 8). This passage will be fulfilled when the Lord is "King over all the earth" (Zech. 14: 9; cf. Rev. 11: 15). And so the prophet's vision, which corresponds with the message of the angels, precludes any kind of allegorizing. For Christ has never appeared "in like manner," with His feet on the Mount of Olives. And if these events, then, be perceived as future, the living waters must also be seen as future. Hence they have a deeper significance than what pertains to the soul alone.

Of course, all these verses of Christ's 'coming back' to reign can only be understood as pertaining to the earth. For if He were already here, what need would there be for His coming back? But since He left, it is obvious that He must return. And as He lived and walked among us once, it is a sure hope that we have of His coming back to dwell among us again. And, indeed, we cannot argue with anyone who claims that Christ is ruling from Zion now, for His city is where He is. "The Lord hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all" (Ps. 103: 19). Nevertheless, because all things in heaven and earth are placed under His authority (Matt. 28: 18), this does not mean that His will is being effected on earth. That is far from the case, as the wicked still persecute the righteous, and the tabernacles of robbers prosper (Job 12: 6). However, we are taught to pray for a time when His will shall be done on earth, even as it is done in heaven (Matt. 6: 10). And when He comes, He will execute His will, destroy the transgressors, and establish His everlasting city among us. At that time the living waters shall break forth over all the earth.

Once again, John sees the New Jerusalem descending to earth (Rev. 21: 2-3), and being placed in the midst of all mankind. If there will be a real city, then there shall also be real living waters. But some people doubt that there will be a real and tangible city. Well, if they think so, they must be prepared to refute John's vision. Nevertheless, there are other passages in Scripture which prove that Christ will reign on earth from a visible city.

(Psalm 48: 1-5) "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Beautiful 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: 12-13) "Walk about Zion, and go around about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following."

This city is so substantial, that kings who pass by it are troubled, and haste away (Ps. 48: 4-5). Is it likely that one would run away from an invisible and ethereal city located in heaven? Certainly not. Also, how does one count the towers and bulwarks of an invisible city? Obviously, the Psalmist is talking of a real city. Besides, the heavenly city during the present administration is described as being built; and it is impossible to count the bulwarks and towers under its construction is complete. Nevertheless, "When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory" (Ps. 102: 16); that is, when the city is completed, and the full number of saints have been gathered into Christ, the Lord shall return in glory and establish His heavenly city for all the saints to dwell in. As this will be a visible and glorious event (Ps. 97: 4; cf. Matt. 24: 27), all the kings of the nations will tremble when they see it fulfilled. For "The Lord hath hath made known His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly showed in the sight of the heathen" (Ps. 98: 2).

At Christ's glorious advent, we believe there will be a destruction of the nations that gathered together to prevent His return, a general resurrection of the saints, and a permanent establishment of the New Jerusalem in the midst of the earth, that the remnant of men may come and see the glory of the Lord, and to do homage to Christ the Everlasting King. Then will commence a one thousand year period of renewed grace wherein all nations will be given a chance of everlasting salvation. Our Lord's reign will result in a universal period of peace, when all wars will cease upon the earth. "Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations He hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh he bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariot in the fire" (Ps. 46: 8-9). The prophet Micah also confirms this period of worldwide peace. "And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Micah 4: 3; cf. Isaiah 2: 4). Nations will no longer lift their hands against Christ, but will meekly come to Jerusalem, bringing Him presents (Ps. 68: 29).

This is the era which all God's saints long and hope for. And we long, also, to see the living waters break forth upon the whole earth. But I have said that the living waters must represent something real, pertaining to the earth. And anyone who simply looks at Ezekiel's vision will concede that this is so (Ezek. 47: 1-10). For if the temple is located on earth, then the living waters must be of an earthly nature. And that the temple is located on earth is clearly seen in that sacrifices are administered, as well as statutes kept. When is this temple established? Well, certainly when Christ leaves the Holy Place, after He has consummated atonement (Heb. 9: 24-28).

For Ezekiel sees Christ enter the temple by the east gate (Ezek. 43: 2-4), after which the Lord tells him, "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 forever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcasses of their kings in their high places" (Ezek. 43: 7). This cannot refer to Herod's temple, for Christ Himself drove defilers forth from it. And as that temple was later destroyed by the Romans, and has never since been re-built, it is plain that Ezekiel's vision relates to a future temple--the same, in fact, that John describes in the Apocalypse. The place will be holy, because in the resurrection of the just, we shall be "holy, and without blemish" (Eph. 5: 27) and conformed to the image of Christ. I would imagine that the glorified saints are the "priests" who will minister before God (Ezek. 44: 15-16). For John says that in the first resurrection, "They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him for a thousand years" (Rev. 20: 6).

To sum things up, then: there will be a personal and visible reign of Christ; a real resurrection; a real reign of peace; and a tangible and visible city, the New Jerusalem, from which living waters shall flow. Ezekiel sees these living waters issuing from under the threshold of the house eastward (Ezekiel 47: 1). And as the waters proceed on their way, they get deeper and deeper, until they become a river that cannot be passed over. This river "will issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, withersoever 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 wither the river cometh (Ezek. 47: 8).

Isaiah also refers to the same city with its living waters. For he writes: "Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle which shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby" (Isaiah 33: 20-21). He says, 'thine eyes shall see this city.' Thus, we cannot agree with those who allegorize these prophecies. Their views may constitute spiritual application, but not true interpretation.

It is clear to me that these "living waters" are the restoration of the river of Eden. And the Psalmist, seeing this in vision, writes: "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the Holy Place of the tabernacles of the Most High" (Ps. 46: 4). As the original river of Eden parted into four heads to water all the land round about (Gen. 2: 10-14), so the river which John describes as issuing from the throne of God in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22: 1-2), and which Ezekiel sees issuing from the east gate of the Third Temple, waters all the lands wither it comes. These waters shall bring health and healing to the sin-accursed earth; and the curse and defilement of the world (Isaiah 24: 5) shall be washed away. And thus will be the renewal, or regeneration, of the world. Of course, these waters will be vastly superior to anything that man can conceive of. They will contain spiritual properties of health and healing; wherefore Ezekiel speaks of the great number of fishes. For wherever the waters shall come, life will flourish.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 6)

2008-03-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

So, it is necessary to see that the resurrection is none other than the restoration of the privileges which Adam lost. As God created man from the dust of the ground and placed him in Eden, so God shall renew man from the dust of the ground, and place him in the city of Jerusalem, which then will be established on earth, inasmuch as it is the palace of the Great King. And really, all these things were predicted by the ancient prophets. They are not really as obscure as many suppose; though admittedly, some make them obscure with their allegorical and subjective interpretations. But let us simply look at the Scriptures, and we'll see a correspondence between John's vision and those of the Hebrew prophets on all the essential points.

For Ezekiel speaks of the same tabernacle of God being placed in the midst of His people. He writes: "Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary will be in the midst of them for evermore" (Ezek. 37: 26-28).

This vision is described as being fulfilled at the resurrection of the just. For the prophet says: "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And 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 I 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: 12-14).

Granted, these visions, and prophecies relating to Israel in general, may be applied to the church. For indeed there is an "Jerusalem, which is above" and which is "the mother of us all" (Gal. 4: 26). But the prophecies shall have a more complete fulfillment in the times of the Millennium. For John sees the same city descending from heaven to earth, and being placed amongst the nations. Moreover, he sees these same nations walking in the light of this city, and kings bringing their glory and honor into it. This corresponds with the Messianic prophecies that all nations (not only a few) will do homage to Jesus Christ, the King of all the earth, once Satan's kingdom has been brought to desolation. It is crucial that we recognize this distinction between the present age and the age to come. In the present age, Jesus Christ is absent from earth. He is sitting at the right hand of the Father, and "waiting" until His enemies be made His footstool (Ps. 110: 1). The heavenly city is above, not on earth. Thus the church represents Jerusalem during the present dispensation.

But when Christ returns to execute justice in the earth, and the resurrection of the just takes place, the city of Jerusalem will come down to earth. Notice that our Lord brings His house with Him, and places those who have been accounted worthy within it. Within the walls of the city is located the Paradise of Eden. This is a state of things which can only happen on earth. And anyone who reads the prophecies will see that it is so. For if John's visions are only accomplished in heaven, why did he affirm that the leaves of the Tree of Life (Rev. 22: 1) are for the healing of the nations? For when one has attained to heaven, there is no longer any need for healing. But John mentions the medicinal properties of the Tree of Life to show that it will bring healing on earth. And the city must first be placed in the midst of the earth, for the Tree is located within the city.

Now unbelievers will scoff at this view, and say that the Tree represents something spiritual. And as I've already mentioned, it is true that all of these visions may be applied to spiritual things. But if you agree with me that the Tree of Life from which our first parents were prohibited from eating was a real tree, you must also admit that the Tree of Life in John's vision is of a like nature. For in the "regeneration," or Millennium, the heavenly things will come down to earth.

If his predictions involved spiritual realities alone, John would never have described Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, and being placed among men. This is a real and substantial city he is talking about. And everyone knows that Jerusalem can not be at the same time both in heaven and on earth. At the present time it is in heaven truly, and if the nations require healing they must go to the pure fountains of the Gospel, and draw life therefrom. But when Jesus Christ returns to take up His abode on earth, such a state of things will no longer be necessary, for the nations shall come to Christ personally to be healed--just as they did when He first dwelt among us.

For Ezekiel prophesies the same thing as John, when he describes the Third Temple. It is known that his predictions have puzzled and perplexed expositors for centuries. For it is hardly possible to interpret his visions as relating solely to the present dispensation. But he sees the great city planted on earth, and the living waters rushing forth the east to replenish and heal the earth (Ezek. 47: 1-10). Moreover, he says that, "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 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: 12).

Now, since man is a compound being, formed both of body and soul, it is apparent that these blessings cannot be restricted to the soul alone, but must also pertain to the body. For when Christ was among us He healed both spiritual and bodily infirmities. Now that He is absent we must be content with spiritual things, while our outward man languishes. But when He returns, His saints shall be refashioned after His image, and enabled to enjoy communion with Him in the outward man. For there is a distinct reason why in the present time we must be willing to abnegate the desires of the flesh. Since we are "carnal, sold under sin" (Rom. 7: 14), we cannot righteously pursue a life in the body: but when we attempt to do so, we become immersed and immured in sin.

Wherefore Christ, knowing that the outward man must be put to death, after purging our sins in His own blood through the sacrifice of Himself, sent the Holy Spirit into our hearts, that we might live after the things of the Spirit, keeping our focus on the things above (Col. 3: 2), until the body of death be destroyed. Then, when Christ restores all things, our bodies shall be remade in glory and splendor, and able to enjoy life according to the laws of righteousness. For it was not, as some contend, Christ's purpose to do away forever with life in the body. For when those sent by John the Baptist asked Him why His disciples never fasted, He replied: "Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they shall fast" (Matt. 9: 15). Christ tells us in plain words, that His disciples will indeed feast with Him, but not according to a carnal conception. The body of sin must first be subdued and put down, that the true feast may be kept in holiness.

And elsewhere He says: "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until the day that I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matt. 26: 29). Once again our Lord had no intention of doing away with life in the body. For there can be no drinking of the fruit of the vine except in our bodies. But until our bodies be restored to their original sinless condition, there can be neither eating nor drinking in righteousness. And thus in the present economy, while our sins are being atoned for, we must abjure the things of the flesh.

Irenaeus writes: "He promised to drink of the fruit of the vine with His disciples, thus indicating both these points: the inheritance of the earth in which the new fruit of the vine is drunk, and the resurrection of His disciples in the flesh. For the new flesh which rises again is the same also which received the new cup. And He cannoy by any means be understood as drinking of the fruit of the vine when settled down with His disciples above in a super-celestial place; nor, again, are they who drink it devoid of flesh, for to drink of that which flows from the vine pertains to the flesh, and not spirit." (Against Heresies, V. xxxiii. 1).

So, inasmuch as the Lord saves the entire man, we shall certainly see a re-institution of life in the body when He returns. And the nations shall enjoy this privilege as well, although not in any carnal manner. Ezekiel's vision, then, as well as John's, may certainly have a spiritual application. However, we believe that it more truly pertains to the times of the Kingdom. And nobody will deny that the "trees" in Ezekiel's vision may relate to Gospel ministers of the present dispensation. For their teachings, when faithfully administered, constitute the true spiritual meat and medicine of the world. But when the heavenly Jerusalem comes down to earth, the prophecies will also be fulfilled to the very letter; as Christ came to save not only the soul, but body as well. And then the Gospel ministry, as we now know it, will be changed. For Christ's laws will go out from Jerusalem directly, in a more complete and perfect manner than they've ever done.

Otherwise, what does Jeremiah mean when he writes: "And 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" (Jer. 31: 34). This prophecy cannot relate entirely to the present dispensation, for the church's business is just that--to teach all men to "Know the Lord." But when Christ dwells among us personally, all will know Him, and all will have access to Him in a way equivalent to when He first lived and walked among us. What need for doctrinal teaching when Christ returns? His saints will spread knowledge of Him to every quarter, bringing all nations in subjection to Christ. And all the kings of the earth will come to Jerusalem to do homage to Christ.

Moreover, the church, long worried and harassed by false teachers, will be freed from all enemies when Christ comes back.

(Zechariah 13: 1-2) "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. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land."

If these prophecies involve the present age alone, then it is remarkable that we should find so many false teachers and prophets functioning and flourishing among us. And honestly, can anyone really claim with a straight face that idolatry has been abolished? For although these things are described as taking place "in the land," Isaiah gives us a "sure word of prophecy" that there will be a universal abolition of idolatry. When speaking of Christ's personal and visible reign on earth, he writes: "And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols He shall utterly abolish" (Isaiah 2: 17-18).

Unless you believe in extremely hypothetical and limited views of fulfillment, you'll have to concede that no such state of things has ever been fulfilled on earth. Since Christ ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father, man has retained his loftiness, and we have been living in a world ruled by Satan. The church has suffered greatly at the hands of evil and wicked men, idolatry has become general throughout the world, and if it weren't for the comforts of the Holy Spirit, the hearts of the meek would have failed. Christ spoke truly when He said: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Matt. 10: 34). This state of turmoil has existed ever since He left, and shall continue for the sake of refining the righteous, until He comes back. Peace and righteousness shall only be restored, when Christ establishes His reign on earth. And He will reign from a visible and substantial city.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 5)

2008-03-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

I cannot stress too highly the importance of learning the real nature of last things by going back to the first things. For these first things, when properly discerned, may serve as a key to unlocking the true import of last things. And indeed many have already figured this out. But since so many false systems of eschatology are current, concerning whose teachers the sacrifice of evidence on the altars of delusion is all too common, it does little good to investigate these matters unless one is willing to accept the facts as they stand.

Some heretics, although they have no comprehension of the first principles of Christ's salvation, are nevertheless shrewd enough to see that the validity of their eschatology relies on certain views of "first things." Thus they contend hotly over such topics as the Genetic creation, the Garden of Eden, and even the nature of the death which Adam incurred on the whole human race. These sophists, skeptics, and downright heretics, have so confused and jumbled the Gospel message, that a deal of repair is necessary, that more Christians be not carried away by their falsehoods. It is for this reason that I mentioned in my last article the importance of the term, "the restitution of all things." Because if we can find out what Adam lost, we'll be able to see what God's plan of salvation really consists of.

Now the facts are these: Adam was made a rational being compounded of both body and soul (Gen. 2: 7). He was placed in the Garden of Eden (on earth) to have communion with God and enjoy His presence, and to rule over the Creation which God had prepared for Him. When he transgressed God's law, he incurred death upon himself, and forfeited the right to eat of the Tree of Life. The ground was cursed (Gen. 3: 18), and Adam and Eve were evicted from Eden, to live in toil and hardship, while looking forward by faith in Christ to the consummation of their (and our) restoration. This will be the restoration of exactly what they lost, with the added privilege of partaking of the Tree of Life.

I must here concur with Methodius, in that death, while being the just punishment for sin, was nevertheless given as a remedy. Alluding to the parable of the potter and the marred vessel (Jer. 18: 3-6), he writes: "Now God's plan seems to me to have been the same as that which prevails among ourselves. For seeing Man, His fairest work, corrupted by envious treachery, He could not endure, with His love for man, to leave him in such a condition, lest he should be forever faulty, and bear the blame to eternity; but dissolved him again into his original materials, in order that, by remodeling, all the blemishes in him might waste away and disappear." (Discourse on the Resurrection, vi). Thus, the marred vessel (man) is melted down by death, in order that God may refashion it in glory in the resurrection. And God gave the promise to Adam and Eve that this salvation would be effected by Christ.

Of course, it is needless to say that this has not all happened yet. For the restitution is incomplete until Christ comes to establish His presence among us. That is why it is essential that we understand why in John's vision the New Jerusalem is seen descending to earth. Because as Paradise is within the New Jerusalem, access to the Tree of Life is not possible until the city descends.

At that time, there will be a renewal of the earth's pristine condition, a resurrection of the just shall take place, and Christ will commence His glorious reign over mankind. Satan shall be bound, and the nations given liberty to eschew evil and follow King Immanuel. In fine, this is what the doctrine of the Millennium is about. It involves the restitution of all things. Wherefore I have embraced Chiliasm in opposition to what is known as Preterism, or past-fulfillment. For Preterism must deny all of the above truths; and because it does so, by its tenets restoration based on the original promises of God simply isn't possible. But God's promises stand sure and immutable. "Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar" (Romans 3: 4).

That the Bible teaches a resurrection of these very bodies in which we now dwell, should be evident to anyone that reads the Scriptures. Past fulfillment systems would do away with this resurrection, making it a salvation of the soul, and not the whole man. However, we ought to know better than that. Indeed, every Christian who has been trained in sound orthodoxy will recognize any such views as the Hyper-Preterists assert as highly dangerous and subversive of the truth. "Is salvation really of the flesh?" they ask. "No, it is not of the flesh at all, but of souls." Kurt Simmons, the foremost proponent of Hyper-Preterism, has stated that resurrection consists of the soul, and not the body. He writes: "The general resurrection consisted in the release of all souls from Hades, which was then destroyed. At death, the souls of men now go directly to their respective rewards – eternal life in heaven, or destruction of the soul in Hell." Let us take a closer look at Simmons' view, to find out whether it is indeed "sound doctrine."

Simmons and the Hyper-Preterists would like us to believe, firstly, that God's salvation does not involve the whole man. But when Adam and Eve transgressed, they were in their natural bodies; the same bodies, mind you, in which we dwell today. Know that the perfect man consists of body, soul, and spirit. For, as we've said in our last article, we do not call the soul 'man,' nor do we call the body 'man.' We are accustomed to refer to the soul and the body as of man. Because man is a compound being, salvation must include all components, not one or two alone. When Adam and Eve sinned they were in their natural bodies. Thus, restoration must bring us back to Paradise in our natural bodies; except that then our bodies will be no longer subject to corruption, but rendered immortal. Perceiving these facts, it is manifest that Simmons errs when he limits the resurrection to the soul only.

He also makes another blunder when he says that the general resurrection consisted of souls being released from Hades. And where do we suppose that Simmons would have them to go? Apparently to Paradise, which he contends is for souls alone, and not bodies. But he forgets that souls were already in Paradise when this invisible and unverifiable resurrection took place. For the righteous after death were gathered unto their fathers, and were 'comforted' in Abraham's bosom (Luke 16: 25). Paul claimed that after death he would be "with Christ" (Phil. 1: 23). Where? Certainly not in the Garden of Eden, for that, even by Kurt's admission, was not yet available. But in Hades, the same state of blessedness to which Lazarus and the Fathers themselves departed after death. Whereas the wicked are described as being in torment, and that immediately after death. Simmons would assert, then, that the resurrection (which he claims to be a past event) merely consisted of souls being transferred from one Paradise to another, or from one hell to another. But this is obviously not what the Bible is talking about!

The Lord says: "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10: 28). If the resurrection has already occurred, as the Hyper-Preterists contend, then we should expect to see bodies raised to judgment and removed from our midst. For if the resurrection is still ongoing, the raising of bodies must be ongoing. But if it be a past event only, then it cannot apply to us. Otherwise, if it applies to us, why do we not see bodies raised either to life, or to judgment? Concerning the general judgment, Christ says: "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation" (John 5: 28). Christ tells us that it is from the graves the dead shall arise. So, if the resurrection applies now, why are dead bodies still in the graves? Or, if it only applied at one time, why isn't there any verification that the bodies arose?

Remember, the restitution must restore exactly what Adam and Eve lost when they transgressed. Now, they had personal communion with God in their own bodies, and that communion was on earth. They had dominion over the creation, which had not yet been made subject to vanity (Rom. 8: 20). They had the right to eat of the Tree of Life, and had not known sin or death. Very well. What, then, is restoration? It must include-- 1): Communion with God in our very own bodies, and that on earth; 2): Dominion over the Creation; 3): The right to partake of the Tree of Life; and 4): freedom from death and sin.

Therefore, considering the above, it is obvious the Hyper-Preterism is fallacious. For, firstly, it denies the personal, visible presence of Jesus Christ on earth. Secondly, it denies that salvation involves our physical bodies. Thirdly, it denies that we shall have dominion over the Creation. All of this denial springs from, as stated, a misconception concerning last things, which may be traced to false notions of first things. Fix your equations, gentlemen. You cannot claim that Christ is on earth now, and in the same breath aver that Paradise is located in heaven. John has already described the New Jerusalem as coming down to earth (Rev. 21: 2-3).

Our answers regarding the resurrection will not line up, or in any way be consistent, unless we perceive that it involves the entire man. It does not appertain to the soul only, but to the body as well. In fact, it is that pre-ordained epoch when the soul will become united to the re-formed body. As sin brought the penalty of death upon us all, it is necessary that our bodies must die. But this is a remedy more than anything else. Irenaus writes: "He (God) set a bound to his state of sin, by interposing death, and thus causing sin to cease, putting an end to it by the dissolution of the flesh, which should take place in the earth, so that man, ceasing at length to live to sin, and dying to it, might begin to live to God." (Against Heresies, III. xxiii. 6).

For the body shall be refashioned anew in the resurrection, that we may enjoy communion with God in exactly the same condition in which Adam and Eve stood before they transgressed; however, with this added privilege of eating of the Tree of Life and living for ever. For when our first parents sinned, and were evicted from Eden, they did not lose spiritual communion with God, inasmuch as they were given the promise of Christ, and believed. Else, if they did not believe, how did their children learn to do sacrifice?

It is evident, however, that Adam and Eve believed, attaining the promise of eternal life through Christ. As Lightfoot once wrote, they were the first to enter the New Covenant. But if the Covenant applies to souls alone, then what did they not already have prior to their eviction from Paradise? For after death, we must conclude that they, as believers, entered the state of the blessed. And if resurrection involves the soul only, what need was there for the prophets to speak of a future resurrection? For in that case, resurrection was secured through faith in Christ, and enjoyed in the afterlife. Then, too, if resurrection doesn't pertain to the body, why were Adam and Eve barred from partaking of the Tree of Life? For their faith in Christ should have qualified them to lay hold of life then and there, and not at some future time. It is obvious that those who hold Simmons' views are not consistent on all points. In fact, they contradict themselves repeatedly, not seeing that Christ's salvation is brought to bear upon the entire man.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 4)

2008-03-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

Naturally, I do not claim the ability to read into every aspect and phase of fulfillment concerning the New Jerusalem. When the city is established, then only will we know in precisely what manner the temple ordinances are fulfilled in Christ. For it is very difficult, nay, impossible, to accurately gauge the nature of a substance by the shadow it casts. We may discern the outlines and general character of that substance, but must wait for the substance to arrive before we can see it distinctly. So, I cannot concur with those "prophetic experts" who claim to peer into the innermost mysteries of fulfillment. Let us only believe that Christ is coming to reign; and that at His reign He shall establish Jerusalem in the midst of the earth, that all nations may be blessed in it. Selah!

Nevertheless, it may be edifying to discuss the general nature of the New Jerusalem, for this lies within our ability. As we stated previously, Jerusalem is seen descending to earth in John's vision. Now, granted, many students will say that this 'descent' must be perceived mystically and allegorically. But we do no think so at all. For their spiritual interpretations do not at all line up with the realities of the evidence before us. The same city is described by Paul, as being "above," and "the mother of us all" (Galatians 4: 25). And so we infer that in the present dispensation, the church has a real existence in the heavenly realms. But that it is not forever to remain in heaven we learn from John, who sees the city descending to earth. Now, if the city were only a celestial city, without any substantial reality, it might very aptly remain in heaven forever: for that would be according to its true nature. But John sees it descending to earth.

Moreover, he says: "And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God" (Rev. 21: 3). This obviously precludes any kind of spiritualizing, for the city is described descending to earth. Why? Because it is the city of the Great King, in which He shall dwell to administer judgment and justice to all nations. Remember that Jesus Christ is Immanuel, which means "God with us." He tabernacled among us once during His first advent. Now this present period is described as His absence. Yes, the King is absent: make no mistake. But God shall come again, to tabernacle with us during His Second Advent. And this is surely what John's vision relates. Of course, it is true that during this entire dispensation the city is invisible: for it is still being prepared. But when the Heavenly Bridegroom comes, what then? His presence and His city will be established.

But those who insist that these passages must be taken allegorically will get themselves into many difficulties. For they cannot explain, firstly, why, if the city is among us now, nobody knows of its existence. For two thousand years the church has functioned in the midst of great upheaval and turmoil. Never has the following admitted of verification on earth: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Rev. 21: 4). Then, too, the allegorists cannot explain why an invisible city is given dimensions. For John clearly states that the city is foursquare, having a length and breadth and height of twelve thousand furlongs (Rev. 21: 16). "Ah!" they say. "These numbers signify something spiritual." Very well. Nevertheless, the city is so substantial that whole nations are seen walking in the light of it; and kings of the earth are seen bringing their glory into it (Rev. 21: 24-25). And we point out, once again, that the prophecy is fulfilled on earth: for the city has descended to earth.

Jeremiah prophesies of this same city, which shall be established when Christ cometh with all His saints to reign on earth. They only shall see it who have kept God's laws:

(Jeremiah 22: 4) "Thus saith the Lord; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. For if ye do this thing indeed, then there shall enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and upon horses, He, and His servants, and His people."

Note that Jeremiah's vision is in essential accord with previous Scriptures I've cited, in which Christ has promised to give His faithful saints power over all nations. And Jeremiah tells us that the reign will be fulfilled in Jerusalem: and not in the old Jerusalem, but in the New Jerusalem.

Let us see if we can examine more closely the nature of this city. Is it mystical or substantial? Note that John's vision agrees with Isaiah's in almost all particulars. In Isaiah 60: 11-12, the prophet writes: "Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted." Of course, these passages may be allegorized, but you must admit that the substantial meaning makes more sense.

And let me say that never in the history of the world has anything of the like been fulfilled on earth. For today we see nations that refuse to serve Jesus Christ not only not being punished, but prospering greatly, while the Christian nations languish. Is this the fulfillment of the prophets' vision? I think not. We'll remember that Zechariah spoke similar words, when he said, "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. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles" (Zech. 14: 17-18).

Hence we infer that all nations shall do homage to Jesus Christ when He comes to reign. Those nations that keep the feast of tabernacles will come to a real and substantial city with true dimensions; whilst those nations which refuse to come will be afflicted with real and substantial punishments. Such fulfillment implies the personal reign of Jesus Christ on earth. There is simply no allegorizing of these passages. For if you choose to allegorize, you must water down fulfillment as the Preterists do, and argue for a restricted and qualified meaning. And the farther you depart from the meaning of language, the more erratic and far-fetched your interpretations will be. No. I believe that these passages have never yet been fulfilled. When they are fulfilled, however, then we shall see Jerusalem established in the midst of the earth, and all nations coming to do homage to the Great King.

Of course, we ought to make a note that there is some difference between the Millennium and the "New Heavens and Earth." However, most of early Fathers agree that the predictions of Revelation 21-22 largely apply to the Millennium. For we must remember that the Millennium is the "regeneration" of the earth (Matt. 19: 28); and so it is the beginning of the New Heavens and Earth. It marks the restitution of all things, of that state of the world which would have existed on the seventh day had Adam and Eve not eaten of the forbidden fruit. Yet the New Heavens and New Earth proper, which are established after the Millennium, what are they but the eternal and perpetual establishment of that which was already begun in the Millennium? As the regeneration forms the beginning of eternal existence, so the resurrection completes it once and for all.

Therefore, it is no inconsistency to say that the Millennium is the beginning of the New Heavens and New Earth--yet that epoch only which is termed the "regeneration," when all the nations will be released from the bondage of tyranny and evil, and made free from the delusions of Satan, that they may serve and worship God. And I suppose we may elucidate the nature of the New Jerusalem further by bringing to mind this phrase, "the restitution of all things." For hearken closely to Peter's speech: "Whom the heaven must receive, until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets, since the world began" (Acts 3: 21). What is this 'restitution of all things?' It must consist of that state of blessedness which Adam forfeited when he and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. If this statement be deemed acceptable (and there is no reason why it shouldn't) then we have in hand a very important key which we may use to unlock the true nature of the New Jerusalem.

For Adam did not lose Christ's presence spiritually, but on earth. He was not evicted from a heavenly paradise, but from an earthly paradise. Thus, the "restitution" must refer to that which Adam lost. Now he (and we through him) lost Christ's presence on earth: but, behold, it is restored when John's vision is fulfilled. And then he was not permitted to eat of the tree of life, but was evicted from the Garden of Eden. But, lo! In John's vision we see not only entrance into Eden, but access to the Tree of Life. And how is Eden entered? John writes that it is entered through the gates of the city (Rev. 22: 14). Where is the city? It is described as having descended to earth. Hence, Paradise is restored to earth; and this is the restitution of all things.

The city, then, is solid and substantial: just as our bodies are substantial, and not ethereal. For Christ formed Adam out of the dust of the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Gen. 2: 7). The perfect man, then, is a compound being, composed of body, soul, and spirit. We do not say that the soul is man, neither that the body or the spirit is man. But when using these terms we refer to the soul, the body, the spirit of man. For this reason we know that the perfect man consists of all three. Thus, they who have previously been prepared and made ready for inheritance by the Spirit of God will awake from the dust and be clothed with their very own bodies: for the body is part of the whole man. And then these blessed ones shall inhabit the eternal and everlasting city that God has been prepared for them.

Wherefore, this is called the "restitution of all things." For Adam dwelt on earth with God in a real and substantial body, which would have become immortal had he not transgressed God's law. But when he transgressed, he became subject to death. Now, of what does restitution consist other than the abolition of death and granting of access to the Tree of Life? And not in ethereal and insubstantial bodies neither, but in real and substantial bodies made eternal and incorruptible in the resurrection. And I think all will agree with me that these are the true teachings of Scripture. So much, then, for the nature of the fulfillment of John's vision.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 3)

2008-03-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

In my last two articles, I have shown that there will be a personal reign of Christ upon the earth; and that this reign constitutes what is known as the Millennium. I realize quite well that some of my friends and correspondents of past months will be surprised that I have taken this position. But, as explained previously, it is not really a new position at all, but an old one. It is not one that I never held before, but the faith in which I was baptized. Moreover, it is not my own teaching, but that of the Word of God itself. It is my business to simply follow what the Bible teaches.

Most of the lack of credibility in a future Millennium has arisen, I think, from allegorical methods of interpretation. Not only are such theories unsound, however, but they are potentially dangerous. From a Preteristic angle, there is nothing in God's word that is plainly spoken or written. Every word has a secret cryptographical meaning, which only certain individuals can unlock. It is maintained that Christ spoke often in parables. Therefore, His words must have a hidden and mysterious sense. So the allegorists would have us to believe. However, they cannot see that, while Christ did often speak in parables to disguise His teachings from the religious hypocrites of His day, this only determines that His words were plainly spoken. For if His words were enigmatical, what need was there to speak in parables? It would have been enough simply to have spoken, and then to have disclosed the true meaning to the disciples. But that He spoke in parables gives us to know that His teachings were plainly understood.

Moreover, when Christ was questioned by Caiaphas, He said: "I spake openly to the world: I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing" (John 18: 20). Then He says: "Why askest thou me? Ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: Behold, they know what I have said" (John 18: 21). Would Christ have referred the High Priest to His hearers if He spoke in riddles? For in that case, He only practiced a deception upon the High Priest. But Christ and His Father are One; He cannot lie. He is all light, and there is no darkness in Him. Thus, when He refers Caiaphas to His hearers, He does so in good faith.

Obviously, many of our Lord's teachings were spoken in parables for a reason. And that because His passion was not yet fulfilled. Christ's sacrifice was hidden from Satan, that it might not be frustrated. And so until Christ was delivered up, many of His teachings were spoken in parables. But the meaning of these parables is disclosed in the New Testament; which proves that Christ's purpose was not to mystify, but to enlighten us. For what good will the preaching of the Gospel do if the sense of words is unknown? For "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10: 17).

It seems the allegorists have gone and split themselves upon the rock of Gnosticism. For they use the very methods that early heretics utilized in attacking and subverting the truth. In looking for hidden meanings, they've only destroyed the theology of the New Testament, and even worked unbelief in themselves. Those who have become shell-hardened over process of time are now perfectly unable to believe anything that we speak or write-- be the proofs presented never so plainly by us. Their error comes from destroying the meaning of language. Wherefore, Paul warns us against "doting about questions and strifes of words" (1 Tim. 6: 4)-- the very fault of the allegorists, who succeed in wresting the Scriptures to their own destruction.

However, anyone who agrees with the meaning of language, and reads the Bible according its plain and natural sense, will discern that there shall be a rule of Jesus Christ upon this very earth, and that this rule constitutes the Millennial reign. A learned Bible critic once implied that Pauline eschatology differs from Joahannine eschatology; that whereas Paul speaks of the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked as being contemporaneous, John inserts a thousand year reign of the righteous between the two resurrections. We are not sure that this statement is correct. For while Paul sometimes places the two resurrections at the same point in time, he also makes allowance for a personal reign of Jesus Christ and His saints.

(1 Cor. 6: 2-3) "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 in the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?"

It is manifest that Paul here refers to the Millennial reign. But will this reign occur in heaven, or on earth? Certainly on earth. For he elsewhere writes that, "The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God" (Rom. 8: 19); looking forward to the time when Christ will come with all His saints to rule the world, when the earth shall be restored to righteousness and peace. And it is to this personal reign of Christ that Isaiah referred when he wrote: "And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Isaiah 2: 4). As I wrote in my last article, it is impossible to interpret this passage as relating to Christ's present Mediatorial kingdom. It must and can only be referred to the Millennial kingdom.

And Paul speaks of both "reigning with Christ" and attaining unto "out-resurrection of the dead" (Phil. 3: 11). The early church always understood this 'exanastasis ton nekron' to be synonymous with the "resurrection of the just," which occurs at the commencement of the Millennium. The resurrected saints will then with Christ bear rule over the world. Lactantius writes: "They who shall be alive in their bodies [i.e., the nations] shall not die, but during those thousand years shall produce an infinite multitude, and their offspring shall be holy, and beloved of God; but they who shall be raised from the dead shall preside over the living as judges." (Divine Institutes, VII. xxiv). This certainly fulfills Paul's prediction that "the saints shall judge the world;" and accords with John's vision of the Millennial reign: "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them" (Rev. 20: 4).

And really, if we look at the general tenor of Revelation, it is no secret that the saints are to rule upon the earth. For Christ has promised: "He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers" (Rev. 26-27). And again, when recording the visions that would take place "hereafter" (Rev. 4: 1), John sees the thrones set up in heaven, and the saints singing a new song, saying: "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (Rev. 5: 9-10). This can refer to no other reign than that described in Rev. 20: 4.

But we do not, like others, interpret this reign to be either harsh or tyrannical, but a rule of righteousness and peace. It will be the inculcation of Gospel precepts among all men. For Christ loves mankind and wishes all men to be saved. And He desires our good and our well-being. But knowing the perversity of the human heart, and the resistance of most men toward all forms of Divine government, He has ordained a time when human dominion will be brought to nothing and superseded by Divine rule. And this is what Daniel's vision relates, in which he saw the great stone cut out without hands which smote the feet of the image and brought it to nothing (Daniel 2: 34). At this time the seventh angel shall sound, and great voices in heaven will shout: "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev. 11: 15).

Once again, where shall this rule take place? If it takes place in heaven, then the saints will not in any manner be allowed reign on earth, nor to exercise power over the nations. But if it takes place on earth, then all the Messianic prophecies harmonize in a wonderful manner; and not allegorically either, but truly, and in accordance with the Word of God. And when we look to John's vision of the New Jerusalem coming down to earth, we cannot entertain any other notion than that the rule must take place here, on earth. For John sees the New Jerusalem coming down to us (Rev. 21: 2). Whereas if the reign were heavenly, we should rather expect to be seen ascending to Him. But Paul, while he speaks of "sitting together in heavenly places" (Eph. 2: 6), only uses this language because Christ is now seated at the right hand of the Father. Thus as we maintain spiritual communion with Him, we are where He is (cf. Col. 3: 1-2). But when our Lord returns to establish His reign among us, the heavenly city will descend to earth. For in Jerusalem the Lord will dwell, to administer His reign over all mankind. And all the saints will reign with Him.

Commodian writes: "From heaven will descend the city in the first resurrection; this is what we may tell of such a celestial fabric. We shall arise again to Him, who have been devoted to Him. And they shall be incorruptible, even already living without death. And neither will there be any grief nor any groaning in that city. They shall come also who overcame cruel martyrdom under Antichrist, and they themselves live for the whole time, and receive blessings because they have suffered evil things; and they themselves marrying, beget for a thousand years. There are prepared all the revenues of the earth, because the earth renewed without end pours forth abundantly. Therein are no rains; no cold comes into the golden camp; No sieges as now, nor rapines, nor does that city crave the light of a lamp. It shines from its Founder. Moreover, Him it obeys; in breadth 12,000 furlongs, and length and depth. It levels its foundations in the earth, but it raises its head to heaven. In the city before the doors, moreover, sun and moon shall shine; he who is evil is hedged up in torment, for the sake of the nourishment of the righteous. But from the thousand years God will destroy all those evils." (Instructions, xliv).

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Nevertheless, during this period Jerusalem will be the glory of all nations, and the fame of Christ's equity shall be spread far and wide. When the Lord establishes His city in the midst of the earth, all nations shall flow unto it from all quarters, to worship the Lord and to keep the feast of tabernacles (Zech. 14: 16).

And we find a parallel between the New Jerusalem described by John, and the temple seen by Ezekiel. Make no mistake, they are one and the same. And yet certain extreme Chiliasts (those known as "Dispensationalists") would infer from Ezekiel's vision the re-institution of the temple sacrifices, which they fetch from passages such as Ezek. 43: 18-27, and similar Scriptures which imply that sacrifices will be set up when Christ comes to reign. Which thing will never be, inasmuch as all sacrifices have been done away by Christ.

For what the Dispensationalists fail to see is that when Ezekiel's prophecy issued forth, Christ had not yet come to offer a final atonement for sin. And so in Ezekiel's vision the Mosaic statutes and sacrifices are described as being in effect in the administration of the Third Temple. But these statutes, which include not only sacrifices, but "new moons and sabbaths" (Ezek. 46: 3) are described by Paul as "a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Col. 2: 17). Hence, Ezekiel was still looking forward to Christ's first advent, at which time the temple sacrifices were abolished. Now, wherefore in John's city is there seen no temple? (Rev. 21: 2). Because when Christ comes to reign in person all the ordinances will be fulfilled and summed up in Himself. Once the substance has arrived, the shadows are of no avail.

To be continued...

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 2)

2008-03-02T10:58:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that Christians of various sects and persuasions have allegorized the prophetic Scriptures, it has become apparent to many that we must, in order to understand the Bible, maintain the meaning of language, according to standard laws which will govern our exegesis. This is nothing more nor less than the science of interpretation. If we learn one thing from a survey of ecclesiastical history, it is the facility with which false teachers have in all ages promulgated their heresies through an allegorical reading of Scripture. While there is much talk nowadays concerning the uses or inconveniences of a "grammatico-historical" interpretive approach, it is seldom perceived that the true hermeneutic is in fact "grammatical, historical, contextual, and canonical."

Understanding all too well the need to return to a plain, untainted reading of God's word, the Protestant Reformers rightly repudiated an allegorical hermeneutic. Martin Luther once declared: "I have grounded my preaching upon the literal Word. He that pleases may follow me, he that will not may stay" (Luther's Table-Talk, pg. 6). So also: "The literal sense of Scripture alone is the whole essence of faith and of Christian theology... allegories are empty speculations... an interpreter must as much as possible avoid allegory that he may not wander into idle dreams... to allegorize is to juggle with Scripture... If we wish to handle Scripture aright, our effort will be to attain unum, simplicem, germanum, et certum sensum literalem" (Encycopedia Americana, 1918 edition, Vol. 10, pg. 632). Hence it is with the keenest pleasure that those who hold to the "one faith" of the "one body" (Eph. 4: 3-4) attest to the fact that an allegorical heremeneutic is rarely accepted among Christians professing sound orthodoxy.

However, it is also apparent to many (myself included) that a revival of the allegorical hermeneutic is currently being wrought in liberal academic circles, even among those who claim, oddly enough, to be successors of Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli. Whence cometh this strange disease? We attribute the greater part of this ongoing hermenutical shift to the steady stream of post-enlightenment rationalism which has, from the close of the eighteenth century, bombarded orthodox churches through institutions of higher learning. Only Fundamentalism could hold back the onslaught waged by the foes of revealed truth, but alas, fundamentalism has too often capitulated to the program of the hour, selling its birthright for a mess of worldly pottage.

Notwithstanding the depradations wrought by academics, there are yet a few who hold to the faith in its original purity, and whose desire it is to defend Christian doctrine from anything that would mar its clarity, or sap its power to save the souls of men. They stand like the seven thousand who would not bend the knee to Baal. And the great majority, if not all, of such Christians are they who hold to a literal, that is a "normative," hermeneutic.

What is a normative heremeneutic? In the broadest terms, it is a method of exegesis whereby the text itself provides the basis for interpretation. Those who endorse a normative hermeneutic accept as a foundational tenet, that the Bible is revelatory literature, and is therefore to be understood according to the customary laws of grammar and rhetoric. Such a method never excludes the uses of figures of speech, for figures of speech are legitimate to all human language. However, adherents of the normative hermeneutic hold that when a figure of speech is employed, it may and can be clearly identified. Symbolism is another matter altogether, and is prevalent largely in the prophetic Scriptures. But the purpose of a symbol is to set forth some truth which may be understood. When a symbol appears, its meaning is generally explained by the context, or elsewhere in Scripture. No forced meanings or "hidden senses" should be read into the text.

When the Scriptures speak of something occurring "on earth," then the student has no right to give it a celestial meaning. There are dozens of prophetical passages which are expressly declared to have their fulfillment on earth, and in connection with earthly things. Our Savior makes this distinction between earthly and heavenly in His discourse to Nicodemus. But while it might be declared that the earthly is sometimes justly used as a type of the heavenly, this is not the whole, or even the half, of the truth.

Paul's statement that "that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual" (1 Cor. 15: 46) has too often, we feel, been made to serve as a fundamental law of prophetic interpretation; when its meaning, as shown by the context, only sets forth the relation between the first and second Adams. On the contrary, a study of the Scriptures will reveal that oftentimes the spiritual precedes the natural. Moses was taken into the Mount and shown the pattern of the earthly tabernacle which he should make. That the heavenly archetype existed prior to the earthly "copy," must be a matter of frank concession. Then, too, Abraham's circumcision in heart preceded the fleshly circumcision which was a token of his and a seal of the everlasting covenant (Romans 4: 11; Genesis 17: 7, 10-11). Seen from this standpoint, it could be argued that the "spiritual Israel" preceded the earthly Israel. The truth is, the spiritual does not always follow the natural; and to lay this proposition down as a fixed law of interpretation is to lose sight of the facts.

This, however, is exactly what the allegorists have done; and because of their methods they have befogged and confused the very meaning of the texts. By a process of spiritual alchemy, earthly promises are transmuted into fulfillments so hypothetical, that the student falters, and is left at last to wonder whether God is not mocking his children. Then the enemies of God take advantage of this confusion; and so raises its head another heresy, which must be combated with the sword of the spirit, by those who champion the literal interpretation of the inspired Word.

After perusing the annals of church history, and especially those which chronicle the "dark ages," I cannot speak too harshly against the allegorical method, which savors either of priestcraft or unbelief. For what reason can there be to depart from the natural meaning of words, unless one is not willing (or not able) to believe them? The priests who kept the Bible, for so many centuries, under lock and key, lest any should discover their true meaning, had a purpose no less sinsister than those modern interpreters who "take away the key of knowledge" by draping their philosophical ideals over the sacred text. Both fail to accept (Gr. dekomai) Scripural teachings as fully inspired and authoritative.

This is to say nothing of the diversity of interpretations which attends an allegorical approach. When the normative interpretation of the text is disregarded, too often the meaning is spiritualized in different directions by different men, each of whom feigns to see some "deep" truth never before seen by mortal man. Speaking of this prevalent trend, E.W. Bullinger writes: "Unless God means exactly what He says according to the laws of all language, then all positive lines of demarcation between truth and error on all the vital verities of religion are obliterated. It is not merfely the prophecies of the second advent that suffer, but all doctrines and all the articles of the faith are involved in one common chaos" (Ten Sermons On The Second Advent, Kregel, pg. 22). It is to be expected, therefore, that when allegorists get hold of the prophetic Scriptures, the end of their labors is to leave the child of God more mystified than he was before. This is not according to wisdom.

Aside from any initial difficulties which the student of Scripture may have, I am convinced that the truth must at last shine plainly to him who humbles himself to learn what God hath written for the edification of his saints. The words of the ancient confession read: "All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them" (1689 Baptist Confession, I. vii).

To interpret the Scriptures is therefore not to pry into the mysteries of God's providence or the inscrutable springs of His counsel. For "the secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law" (Deut. 29: 29). Before one can obey, one must comprehend. And this goes without saying. In His parable of Lazarus and the rich man, Christ charged it as folly upon the rich man's brethren that they believed not Moses and the prophets. "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16: 31). If one accepts not the testimony of God's written word, then little suasion will signs and miracles yield. Prophecy serveth for them who believe not, but for them which believe (1 Cor. 14: 22).

Although there be some things in Scripture designated as "mysteries," or otherwise set forth in symbolic language, a true exegesis will clear up the true sense. It will not render them more enigmatic. In Scriptural language, a mystery is not something comprehensible only to an elite few. Larkin writes: "A 'mystery' in the New Testament sense is not something that cannot be understood, but is some plan or purpose of God that has been known to Him from the beginning, but which He has withheld from the knowledge of men until the time came for Him to reveal it" (Dispensational Truth, 1920 edition, pg. 151). Obviously, there are limitations to our understanding, which exist by nature, and which sometimes render the finer mechanics of certain prophecies obscure until their ultimate fulfillment, when the veil of ignorance is removed (cf. Isaiah 29: 18, 24). But these natural limitations do not prevent us from perceiving the general tenor of even the most abstruse prophecies. Else, to what purpose was the prophetic word given? Wherefore it becomes manifest that the Bible is revelatory literature, and is to be received as such. If any man seek to bewilder us with allegories and fables, we must dissent to even listen to him. For we are hearkening to God, and they to their own dreams and delusions. Yea, what is the chaff to the wheat? (Jeremiah 23: 28).

The Bible states more or less plainly that there will be a reign of Jesus Christ on the earth. In the Lord's prayer we recite the petition: "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6: 10). What are we praying for? Certainly nothing other than the reign of Christ on earth. And no allegorical reign, neither: but a real and literal one. We are praying for Christ to establish His kingdom among us. And the vision which John beheld on Patmos, which awaits its future fulfillment, strengthens and confirms our hope. "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God" (Rev. 21: 3). This is the focal point of all prophecy, even the restoration of that which fell through Adam's transgression. It is the apokatastasis which the saints are awaiting. And what was lost on earth but God's personal presence? It was certainly not immortality, as Adam never partook of the tree of life. He cannot therefore be said to have lost eternal life. But this will be gained in the presence of Jehovah, when Paradise is restored.

John's inspired prophecy foretells a time when Christ will come to dwell among men, just as He did at the first; only the second advent will be in glory; the end result producing, in the words of Knoch, "a precious burden of fruit for all the toil and travail attending the offense."

But there is an anaology between the two advents of Christ which we must not overlook. Both are literal, and take place in connection with the earth. John says of Christ's first advent: "And the Word was made flesh and tabernacled among us" (John 1: 14). But in vision he says: "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men." Thus he speaks of a personal reign of Jesus Christ on earth. When the curse is removed, (i.e., the curse which was brought upon all mankind, as well as the material creation, through Adam's single act of transgression), the prophecy will be fulfilled.

It is not likely, however, that this restoration will commence sooner than the close of the Great Tribulation, at which time the seventh trumpet will sound. For prior to the "regeneration" (Matthew 19: 28), there must, of necessity, be a period of intense birth-pains, followed by a glorious economy in which death shall be dethroned, and life reign.

(Rev. 11: 15) "And 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 forever and ever."

It is at the sounding of the seventh trumpet that the dead shall be judged and the rewards given to the servants (Revelation 11: 18). At this time the resurrection of the just will take place; which Paul elsewhere designates the "manifestation of the sons of God" (Romans 8: 19). And to this the Old Testament prophets concur, presenting the mosaic of a yet-future age when Christ will come to establish His throne on earth to govern the nations.

(Psalm 2: 9) "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."

(Psalm 67: 4) "O, let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth."

(Psalm 96: 10) "Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: He shall judge the people righteously."

(Psalm 72: 8) "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth."

(Isaiah 42: 4) "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His law."

(Jeremiah 23: 5-6) "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."

(Daniel 7: 27) "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him."

(Zechariah 9: 10) "And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle-bow shall be cut off: and He shall speak peace unto the heathen: and His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the earth."

These are but a few of the many passages which we may select from the arsenal of revealed truth. And the reader will certainly agree that these passages demand a literal fulfillment. But those who choose to allegorize present innumerable difficulties. For Christ Himself instructs His disciples to pray for the time when God's will shall be done in earth, even as it is in heaven. One may well ask: How is Christ's will done in heaven? To which the inspired apostle responds: "Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him" (1 Peter 3: 22, emphasis mine). Christ's authority in heavenly places is confessed by all Christians as being absolutely literal in nature. Very well. When Christ's kingdom is established on earth, "the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, Whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him" (Daniel 7: 27). What text can be more plainer than this?

If it be alleged that the above texts denote simply the spread of the Gospel during this present age, the student must adjust the language of prophecy to accord with the standards of an imperfect economy, rather than believe the passages in their plain and natural sense. Such an hermeneutic would demand upon the student a far greater credulity than one which accepts the text as a basis of interpretation.  Not for this reason alone do we discard such a method as worthless. Christ Himself instructs us to pray for a literal kingdom on earth.

At the present time, it must be obvious to anyone that Christ is not reigning in any real sense over the earth. And to prove this beyond any shadow of cavil, I draw the reader's attention to the fact that the kingdom (i.e., all earthly dominion) was given to the first Adam only AFTER his bride had been presented to him (see Gen. 1: 27-28). But Eve was formed out of the rib taken from his side while he slept (Gen. 2: 21-23). The bride of the second Adam, "the church which is Christ's body, the fulness (or complement) which filleth all in all" (Eph. 1: 23), is Eve's antitype. This spiritual "bride" and "body" began to be formed with the ratification of the New Covenant on the cross; as witness the blood and water which flowed from our Lord's pierced side (John 19: 34).  According to an old evangelical divine, the blood stands for justification (the altar), the water for sanctification (the laver); and both, when applied to the regnerate believer, grant spiritual access into the holy place, where fellowship with Christ is enjoyed (see Heb. 10: 19; 1 John 1: 7). But the "body" is still being formed, the "holy temple" (see Ephesians 2: 21-22) still being built; the "bride" will not be formally presented to the second Adam until He returns "the second time, without sin unto salvation" (Heb. 9: 28); wherefore we reason, and justly, too, that Christ's dominion over the earth will not be consummated until His second advent.

But when, in relation to the "1000 years," does this universal reign begin? Once more, let us go back to Rev. 20: 1-3, where John predicts the binding of Satan. The effect of Satan's binding is that the nations should no longer be deceived. His prophecy is not about "individuals from among the nations," which language would best fit conditions appertaining to the present administration. But he says, "that the nations," qua nations, should no longer be deceived. And we must grant that there is a great difference between "the church" and "the nations."

Now, from Christ's ascension to the present day, the nations have continued to walk after their own delusions. They have even, at divers periods following the original publication of the Gospel throughout the entire habitable world (cf. Colossians 1: 23), persecuted the church. But Christ promises to give those who overcome "power over the nations" (Rev. 2: 26-27; cf. Ps. 2: 9). And Paul implies that they who suffer -- and only they -- shall be accounted worthy of reigning with Him (Romans 8: 17; 2 Tim. 2: 12). No servant is greater than his Master; and there is but one "strait gate" that leads to glory. Hence, there can be no period prior to the Lord's second advent and the resurrection of the church corporately, during which His people shall be immune from persecution. The nations, as the larger mass out of which the elect of God are taken,  must therefore abide in unregeneracy until the second advent.  Christian theology leaves no space for a Millennium of any kind prior to the resurrection of the just.

Some, however, insist that the Scriptures which detail, in the plainest possible language, the Messianic blessings of Christ's future kingdom, must be understood in a qualified sense. Either they are taken as partially fulfilled in the past, or as spiritually fulfilled during the present time. But we have not so learned Christ. As the prophecies respecting His first advent were fulfilled to the very letter, so must all the remaining prophecies be which speak of His second advent. Our Lord did not fulfill the first-advent prophecies by fractions and half-measures. The prophecies regarding His sufferings were "filled full." The same manner of "plenary fulfillment" will apply to His advent in glory. Every jot and tittle will be accomplished before heaven and earth passes away (Matt. 5: 18). When our Lord promises to give His saints power to rule the nations, we must not allegorize and water down His promises, as if He were unable to bring about a literal fulfillment, and by so doing belittle His authority. For His bounty exceeds all our expectations. "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" (1 Cor. 2: 9). When Christ makes a promise, be assured that He shall keep it; and though we wait long for its fulfillment, those who maintain patience to the end shall inherit the kingdom.

Chiliasm Defended (Part 1)

2008-03-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

It is no misstatement to say that Chiliasm lies at the core of Christian eschatology. Even among its staunchest adversaries, its antiquity is unquestioned. Although Chiliasm has had ups and downs throughout the centuries, and while it has sometimes even been branded as heresy, a large majority of the saints recognize that it alone properly explains and interprets the Messianic promises in language that "little children" would understand. That Chiliasm was the faith of men such as Irenaeus, Tertullian, Lactantius, Commodian, and others influential in the early church, tells us that it is compatible with the orthodox faith. It also claims a spiritual power that it is conspicuously absent from A-Millennial and Post-Millennial systems. "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1 Cor. 4: 20).

This series will be aimed at defending the doctrines of Chiliasm from a Biblical as well as historical perspective. It will take into account advances made in prophetic studies since the Reformation -- not discounting, of course, the voice of the ancient church. It is my frank opinion that in the first three centuries of Christianity will be found the purest expression of the faith. These papers will therefore reflect that assumption. At the same time, I intend to adhere closely to the Protestant doctrine of "Sola Scriptura." The result will be a well-balanced study of eschatology, and one which I pray the Lord will use to encourage, strengthen, and bless others.

Notwithstanding, when one takes a panoramic view of church history, he/she will find that few doctrines have been more bitterly assailed than have Chiliasm. One would think that it were calculated solely to arouse the enmity in men's hearts; whereas the intent of its foremost teachers has been aimed at promoting the three Christian graces: faith, hope, and charity (1 Cor. 13: 13). Yet when we realize the spiritual nature of warfare in which Christians have in all ages engaged for their Lord, such opposition becomes deveiled of mystery. In fact, its existence seems at times the most natural thing in the world.

Much of the enmity against Chiliasm arises from allegorical interpretations of Scripture. Though it a fixed law of interpretation that the literal must always govern the figurative (and not vice versa), some have not found it so. The allegorical method was highly favored by Origen, and was admired and taken up by his disciples. Even Methodius of Olympus, Origen's earliest known opponent, followed his methods of spiritualizing nearly every passage he got his hands on. While Methodius himself leaned towards a Chiliastic view, after reading his writings one must concede that it is very difficult to maintain a Pre-Millennial position when one allows for such indiscriminate allegorizing of the prophetic Scriptures. It is at least highly difficult to prove anything with any degree of clearness or precision. And so Chiliasm seldom if ever survives in a non-literal hermeneutical environment.

Let us note that it was not a practice of the early church to allegorize the Scriptures. Tertullian freely admitted that some of the prophecies could be taken allegorically, but that this was an exception rather than a rule. Irenaeus had already shown that allegorical interpretations will often plunge one into serious hermeneutical problems. One must really ask whether the allegorizing of Scripture is even permissible, when we see every day the kind of damage it does to one's understanding of the Bible, and the stumbling-blocks it places before "him that is weak in the faith" (Romans 14: 1). In many cases, those who invent newfangled theologies rely on allegorical interpretations because the meaning of the words must first be changed in order to promote their views. With all this nonsense going on, it would seem that allegorizing has a direct linkage to heretical theorizing. Let us beware of such methods; or, at the least, let us investigate to see whether they are sound to begin with.

Although various forms of Chiliasm survived into the Post-Nicene era, it was St. Augustine who put an effectual halt to its further growth. In his work The City of God, he claimed that the Millennium represents the spiritual reign of Christ's people "during the entire duration of this world" (XX. vii). It has been rumored by many, that Augustine's theology capitulated before the altar of political expediency; and so a spiritual ongoing kingdom craftily replaced a literal one headed by Christ in person. Obviously such a view could only spring from the rampant spiritualizing of the Scriptures. For it is evident in the Word of God that the Millennial reign must occur after antichrist was thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 19: 20-21; 20: 4). Also, the reign is continually promised as a future event:

(Matt. 19: 28) "Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

(Rev. 2: 26 ff.) "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations."

(Rev. 5: 10) "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."

(Rev. 20: 6) "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years."

A simple glance at the above verses will tell us that the "First Resurrection" can not occur in the celestial realms, but on earth. For both priesthood and kingship belong to the earthly realm. As a king rules over living men in the flesh, so the priest intercedes between living men and God. To say that anyone can fill this dual role prior to the second advent of Christ is to trifle with the Scriptures. When writing to the Corinthian saints, Paul emphatically stated that neither he nor they were reigning as kings (1 Cor. 4: 8). This is sufficient to refute A-Millennialism.

There is no way one can spiritualize or allegorize the passages listed above. For Christ has clearly told His disciples that "The meek shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5: 5). The earth is not a super-celestial inheritance. To Abraham was given the promise of inheriting the world (Gr. kosmos), and all all true children of Abraham will partake of conjoint sovereignty with Christ when He returns from heaven. See Romans 4: 13. The prophet David places the earthly allotment in connection with the destruction of the wicked (Psalm 37: 9, 11). Our belief is that when the wicked are consumed, the kingdom will be consummated. Paul intimates as much in 2 Thessalonians 2: 7-10.

It is my intention in these papers to show how passages speaking of the Messianic kingdom will be fulfilled during the Millennium, and also to confute the false views that have sprung up within, or in opposition to, Chiliastic theology.

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Now, as we begin these studies, let me draw your attention to what I call the "diurnal typology." For this is really the true starting point for bringing forward Pre-Millennial truths.

Through my studies of the Scriptures, I have found that the seven days of the creative week are actually typical of a larger redemptive week. I have already related in previous articles, that when Adam sinned on the sixth day, he frustrated what would have been a perfect Sabbath, which had to be postponed to a future time. The true sabbath was therefore moved to the last day of the redemptive week. Paul alludes to this in his letter to Hebrews, saying: "There remaineth therefore, a sabbath-keeping (Gr. sabbatismos) to the people of God" (Hebrews 4: 9).

But how was the perfection of the original sabbath frustrated? God told Adam that in the day he ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree, he would surely die (Gen. 2: 17). The punishment was carried out on that same day; yet it fell on a substitute -- most likely a "lamb without blemish." This slain animal typified the redemptive work which would be wrought in Christ, Who is called the "lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13: 8). The skins wherewith our first parents were clothed (Gen. 3: 21) sets forth the doctrine of imputed righteousness, which Adam and Eve must have received before leaving the Garden.

After their exile, Adam lived to be nine-hundred and thirty years old (Gen. 5: 5). That is exactly one thousand minus seventy. Moses states that seventy signifies the years of man's life (Psalm 90:10). But a day of the Lord is a thousand years (Psalm 90: 4; 2 Peter 3: 8). Thus, Adam truly died during the first day; for he was deprived of the number of his years in the midst of the day he ate of the fruit. But it was the first redemptive day. Wherefore we conclude that on the day the innocent lamb was slain, the redemptive week began. The seventh day is the Millennium, whereas the eighth will bring in the eternal economy.

Now, Christ died for our sins after four thousand years had passed. But since Christ was crucified on Friday (sixth day), it is not likely that His death has any correspondence to the redemptive days. At any rate, since days are reckoned from evening unto morning (Gen. 1: 5), the coming of Christ marks the evening of the fourth day and the beginning of the fifth. This leaves two redemptive days of 1000 years each, until the expiration of the "present evil age" (Gal. 1: 4) and the inauguration of the Millennium. But if we would undertake a chronological reckoning, we are not at all sure where to mark the actual expiration of the four thousandth year. In this we need help from orthodox Bible scholars.

There are two theories of chronology which may be accepted. Usher's chronology would make the fourth day end in 4 B.C. Whereas John Lightfoot's reckoning makes the fourth day to end around A.D. 68. What does this prove? Well, if we harmonize the two reckonings it shows that sometime between Christ's birth and the destruction of Jerusalem the fourth day elapsed and the fifth day began. Since that time approximately two thousand years have passed. That means that sometime within the present century, the sixth day will expire, and the seventh will begin. What does all this mean?

Let us recall that the seventh day is the missing Sabbath, which was frustrated by Adam's fall. It must be clear to the most casual observer, that if six thousand years have not already elapsed, then the redemptive Sabbath is still future. It is my firm conviction that the redemptive "sabbatismos" is described in Rev. 20: 1-6. In other words, the seventh day is what Christians call the Millennium. This period shall last 1000 years, during which Christ and His overcoming saints will rule all nations with a rod of iron. This will be the fulfillment, or rather perfection, of the original Sabbath which was originally frustrated by Adam's sin. It will be made perfect by the Second Adam. It takes place on earth; for as the kingdom was forfeited on earth, so it must be consummated thereupon.

Adam lost Christ's presence on earth, physically -- and not in any mere spiritual sense. When he left the Garden of Eden, he believed the Gospel, and called his wife's name Eve (Heb. Chavvah), which signifies "Lifespring;" for from her should Messiah be born. Adam later taught his sons to sacrifice, indicating that he was the first priest of Jehovah. Else it is uncertain as to how, when, or where Cain and Abel learned to bring their offerings unto God. It is also possible that Adam kept the Sabbath after his eviction from Eden, as a pledge of Christ's future kingdom on earth; though it should pointed out that by the time the law was given to Israel on Mount Sinai, the sabbath as an institution of redemptive significance had become forgotten among men (see Nehemiah 9: 14).

It is natural to suppose that as true worship was gradually eclipsed by idolatry, the keeping of the sabbath became obsolote. Jehovah restored the true religion when he called Israel out of bondage; and from thenceforth began the institutition of those types, both sacrificial and prophetical, which would find their consummation in the Millennial day of rest. Thus, it is fair to conclude that the Sabbath looks forward to the Seventh day on earth, to the restoration of Christ's presence among us (cf. Acts 3: 19-21), in which He shall be rule and reign in His physical person.

(Psalm 22: 27) "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's: and He is the governor among the nations."

(Psalm 86: 9) "All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name."

(Zech. 14: 9) "And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day there shall be one Lord, and His name one."

Again, these verses cannot be allegorized, nor can they be relegated to any present hypothetical reign, such as A-Millennialists would have us to believe. The verses will be literally fulfilled. Our Lord speaks in His parable of going to receive a kingdom, and then returning (Luke 19: 12 ff.). Hence if the kingdom He received is a universal kingdom, then it follows that He shall return to fulfill the prophecies of His reign on earth (which was the scene of the original fall), and to distribute rewards unto His servants. That nearly every orthodox creed preserves the idea of a universal dominion of Christ following the resurrection of men, leads us to believe that the very germ of Chiliasm is latent in orthodoxy.

Scripture gives us no warrant, however, for concluding that the pre-millennial advent of Christ will issue in the general resurrection of all men. Only "they who are Christ's" will be raised at His parousia (1 Cor. 15: 23), as corporate harvest to Christ the firstfruits. The "church which is His body" (Eph. 1: 22-23) represents only one rank or tagma, which is raised at Christ's second advent. The wicked dead form another rank altogether, and will not be raised until the close of the Millennium. In the following articles, we hope to bring into sharper profile the mechanics of the several resurrections, and the typological relationship which they occupy in God's redemptive program.

To be continued...