"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 he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped." – Rev. 14.
"The harvest is the end of the World." – Matt. 13:39.
In offering this book to the people and Church of God, the writer, while freely acknowledging his indebtedness for many of its best thoughts to friends of the cause, is aware of his inability to do justice to the great subjects presented. If they are of any value, their importance should cover the imperfections of the agents used in their dissemination. And may God in his infinite love, cause that the book may accomplish the work of leading the Church into the truth concerning the Bible plan of Redemption, and the Harvest of the Gospel Age.
THE THREE WORLDS and plan of redemption, A fourth world, or a fourth heaven, is nowhere named in the Bible or associated with the past, present, or future, of man; but three heavens and three earths, are distinctly mentioned. And in order to understand the language of Scripture, these three worlds must be recognized. – Not the heaven, earth, and hell, of the catechism; but the world that was before the flood; "this present evil world;" and "the world to come." And all that God has revealed of man or his destiny, is associated with one or more of these worlds. And they follow each other; that is, no two exist at one and the same time; hence the Bible is a progressive science.
If the above is true, the whole of Revelation, when properly handled, will arrange itself into one grand system. And the details, instead of being a confused mass of facts, commandments, and promises, will prove susceptible of perfect organization, every part taking its true place.
If one would but admit the truth of the above, and it is sustained from Genesis to Revelation, much of the obscurity connected with the plan of salvation would vanish; and harmony exist among the many apparently conflicting texts of Scripture.
Each of these three worlds is spoken of in 2 Peter 3, as a distinct "heavens and earth." "The heavens were of old, and the earth, standing out of the water, and in the water; whereby the world that then was being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and earth are now [clearly spoken of as distinct from the former] by the same word, are kept in store which unto fire....
Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Pet. 3:5-13). Notwithstanding these various worlds are said to "perish," or "pass away," this planet is the basis of all three; passing away meaning nothing more than a change of dispensation; as is proven, not only by the facts connected with the flood, but also by positive Scripture testimony. At the flood the waters rose until the hills were covered, and then the mountains; and when the waters subsided, the tops of the mountains and the hills appeared again.
And even the trees were not uprooted, for if they had been floating on the water the dove could have found rest for the sole of her feet. And when sent out the second time she returned bearing an olive leaf, plucked off, "so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth." If the olive tree had been floating, the plucked-off leaf would have been no sign of the waters having abated. Thus it appears there was little or no change of the earth, or heavens, but simply a great destruction of life. And yet the language, taken literally, would imply a total annihilation of both heavens and earth; and the one "that now is," is mentioned as another heavens and earth, which, in turn, is to "pass away," not with a great flood, but with "a great noise." And yet the general teaching of Scripture is that the "passing away" of this present heavens and earth, is only a change of dispensation, attended with great national destruction. "Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou remainest; they all shall wax old as doth a garment, and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail" (Heb. 1:10).
This is in harmony with Psa. 93:1, "The world is established that it cannot be moved." "While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease;" and "the earth abideth forever." And "the righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever."
The former dispensation was called "the old world" (2 Pet. 2:5). And this, "the world that now is;" and that which is to follow, "the new heavens and new earth;" or "world to come."
The order of succession may be illustrated to the eye, thus; There are also three subdivisions of the world that now is, viz. the Patriarchal age, reaching from the flood to the death of Jacob; the Jewish age, reaching to the death of Christ; and the Gospel age, reaching to the first resurrection, and end of this world. Then follows "ages to come" (Eph. 2:7); the first of which is [HG12] the millennial age; or rather the age of conquest, for in it Christ is to "reign until he has subdued all enemies; and death is the last enemy that shall be conquered" (1 Cor. 15:26).
In the world that was before the flood, man was without law or national government; and the result was utter corruption. In the world that now is, a system of gradual development has obtained. Under the patriarchal age a people were called out; after which, "the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ." Then the gospel was given that the "seed," with the Great Captain of our salvation, "might be made perfect through suffering."
The "Seed," means one complete Christ; in other words, the head and body; "He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ" (Gal. 3:16). "And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed [not seeds], and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:29). Thus the object and work of the gospel is to perfect this "seed," those who are to take the name of Christ, and become one with him. And this agrees with Acts 15:14; "Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name." And this is the sole object of the gospel to the Gentiles; not to convert the world, that work belongs to the millennial age, but to perfect the second Adam and the second Eve, Christ and his wife. And the millennial age is introduced by the marriage of the Lamb; "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready" (Rev. 19:7).
This world ends with the second coming of Christ and the resurrection of this "seed;" just this number who make up the body of Christ, "Christ, the first fruits, afterwards they that are Christ's, at his coming." And then it is, the work of the salvation of the world begins.
All that was lost in Adam, is to be restored in the second Adam. And this "restitution of all things," begins only at the second advent: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you; 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 3:19-21).
A restitution of all things, must include a resurrection of the whole human family; and as the resurrection does not commence until the end of this gospel age; and does not end until "the thousand years are finished;" therefore the restitution belongs, not to the gospel, but to the millennial age, and world to come. And it is there we get our reward; "There is no man that hath left house, or parents, for the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many fold more in this time, and in the world to come, life everlasting" (Luke 18:30).
The kingdom of God belongs to the world to come, and is a spiritual kingdom; and those who inherit it are to be spiritual beings. Christ, its head, was "put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." And the apostle affirms, "Though we have known Christ after the flesh, henceforth know we him no more." And of the dead in Christ, it is said, they are "sown a natural [or animal] body; raised a spiritual body. There is an animal body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living animal; [soul, in this text means person], the last Adam a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is animal; and afterwards that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth earthy; the second man, the Lord from heaven.... Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 15:44-50). A spiritual body does not mean a soul without a body. Hence, in the state of death, man has no body; for it is only at the resurrection we get a spiritual body. And in 1 Cor. 15, Paul claims that if there be no resurrection "then they which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." "But some will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what bodies do they come"? Then he goes on to show that the dead in Christ are raised a spiritual body.
Although the kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom, it is to be set up on this earth; and we are taught to pray, "Thy kingdom come." In the second of Daniel, four great empires, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome, are brought to view; and the fourth was to be divided into ten parts, represented by the ten toes of the image. These ten divisions of the Roman empire now exist as France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Spain, Portugal, Lombardy, Romania, and Ravenna. The last three, being "the three plucked up" by the papacy. And when "the stone" smites the image, it is on "the feet and toes;" viz. the divisions of the empire. And the explanation given, is that "In the days of these [ten] kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, and it [that is this kingdom of God] shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Dan. 2:44). And in Rev. 11:15, under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord. And in Dan. 7:14, "One like the Son of man came in the clouds of heaven, and [HG13] there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages, should serve him."
Here is positive proof that this kingdom of God is not set up, nor given to Christ, until the end of this world, when He comes in the clouds of heaven. And He himself says "My kingdom is not of this world."
The kingdom of God being a spiritual kingdom; and those who are to inherit it having spiritual bodies; when set up, it will be distinct and separate from the kingdoms of this world. Under the seventh trumpet, the kingdoms of this world are not said to become the kingdom of our Lord; but the kingdoms, in the plural.
"Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doeth corruption inherit incorruption." It is the kingdom of God, set up "in the days of these kings," which is to conquer and bring the kingdoms of earth into subjection, until "all peoples, nations, and languages, shall serve him," "and his will be done on earth, as it is in heaven," and not the gospel of the kingdom.
This subjugation of the nations is also affirmed in Rev. 17:14; "These [ten kings] shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." And in Rev. 19:19, it reads, "I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army." Whatever the nature of this "war;" it is certainly opposition by the kings of the earth towards Christ and those who are with him.
And in no way can such language be construed so as to mean gospel conversion, unless being cast "alive into a lake of fire," means conversion. It is only "the beast, and false prophet," however, who are cast into the lake of fire.
It will be remembered that God has promised the kingdoms of this world to Christ; "Ask of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession; and thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel" (Psa. 2:8). This certainly does not look like the mild sway of the gospel. And in Rev. 11:15-18, we learn that when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, "The nations were angry, and thy wrath is come." And in Rev. 2:26, 27, the same promise is made by Christ, to his people, to be fulfilled at the end; "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, and as the vessel of a potter shall they be broken to shivers; even as I received of my Father."
This is not gospel conversion, else He is simply promising his bride that if she is faithful to the end, she shall be permitted to rule over and dash herself in pieces. Nor is it the burning of the world, as some suppose; for in that case they would not rule over them at all. In Luke 19:11-27, Christ supports the same idea, that the reigning and the gospel are distinct; and that the above "ruling with a rod of iron," means real subjugation. He gave the following;" Because they thought, being near to Jerusalem, that the kingdom of God should immediately appear; He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. [Here is the work of the gospel, "Occupy till I come]. And it came to pass, when he had returned, having received the kingdom," he first reckoned with his servants, and afterwards exercised his sovereign power over his enemies. "The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings, in the day of his wrath; he shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with dead bodies, he shall wound the heads over many countries" (Psa. 110). Compare also Psa. 46, 47 "For the Lord most high is terrible, he is a great king over all the earth; he shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth on the throne of his holiness. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth; he maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in the earth."
This work of subduing, and ruling the nations with a rod of iron, does not commence, however, until the sounding of the seventh trumpet at the end of the gospel age; for until that time the kingdoms of this world remain in possession of "the prince of this world;" "wheat and tares grow together;" "evil men and seducers wax worse and worse," "and they that will live Godly shall suffer;" "for every son that he loveth, he chasteneth."
That Christ and his saints are eventually to reign on the earth, is placed beyond all doubt by comparing Rev. 20:4, and Rev. 5:10, "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. " And this reigning is positively affirmed to be after the resurrection; and in Dan. 7:13, 14, as if to make it doubly sure, it is shown that the dominion over the nations is not given to Christ until he comes in the clouds of heaven, which we know is at his second advent. And under the seventh trumpet, when the saints are rewarded, the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Hence until that time, they remain in possession of those who are opposed to Christ. And Jesus not only [HG14] acknowledged the devil to be the prince of this world, but positively affirms, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:30). But the period of time during which the seventh trumpet is sounding, a period to continue yet nearly forty years, is a pivotal point, so to speak, between "this present evil world," and "the world to come." And during this transition period, the kingdoms of this world are to pass into the hands of our Lord, but in the midst of such a "time of trouble," and "angry nations," as this world has never witnessed; when these kingdoms will be "dashed to pieces, like a potter's vessel;" and the above Scripture realized, "God reigneth over the heathen [not over the immortalized bride of Christ], Come, Behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth; he maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth." And when this state of things obtains; when "the kingdom is the Lord's and he is the Governer among the nations," David says, "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall come and worship before thee" (Psa. 22:27). And there, in the millennial age, "Christ [and his immortal bride] shall reign until all enemies are subdued; and death [which is not conquered until the thousand years are ended] is the last enemy." And the conversion of the world, clearly promised, will then be consummated.
The Christian church have been right in believing in the eventual conversion of the world, no doctrine of the Bible is so clear and unmistakable; but they have failed to distinguish between the work of the gospel of the kingdom, and the kingdom itself; the one being a preparatory step to the other.
If the reader will but entertain the natural and Bible outcome of this progressive plan; that "the world to come," belongs after the "world that now is;" that the passage from the one to the other, is but a change of dispensation, greater than occurred at the first advent between the law and the gospel, but still only a change of dispensation from the gospel of the kingdom to the kingdom; a change involving a resurrection; for, "as in Adam all die, so in Christ, shall all be made alive, but every man in his own order;" he will see that "a restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21), is not a forced doctrine, but a necessity. He will also see that as yet, no one has entered the "world [aion, or age] to come," nor can until this one ends. And that therefore, the Adamic death is but a sleep; and only when "they that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake," do they enter upon a future life.
Probation to a restored human family in the millennial age, is not consistent, it is true, with the idea that the heathen, and all the unconverted go to a place of torment at death; but is consistent with the statement so universal in the Bible, that they are not dead, but sleep. The almost unanimous testimony of Scripture, when one was said to die, was, that "they slept with their fathers, and were buried" & c.; "They that sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him." And Christ said of more than one who was buried, or ready for burial, "He is not dead, but sleepeth."
This is what the Bible terms "sleep," but there is a death; to distinguish it, it is called the " second death." And it is a clearly Scriptural position that no man can die the real death, without committing that one sin which is "unto death;" "There is a sin unto death; I do not say that ye shall pray for it" (1 John 5:16); a sin which Paul claims that one must "taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come," and thus be brought "to the knowledge of the truth; if such sin wilfully, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful looking for of fiery indignation" (compare Heb. 6:4-6, and Heb. 10:26-27). A sin Jesus says "Can be forgiven, neither in this world; neither in the world to come." But one must sin wilfully after having been brought by the Holy Spirit, to the knowledge of the truth, before they can commit the sin "that is unto death." But God has declared that "He will have ALL men come to the knowledge of the truth." Before the plan of redemption is finished this will be accomplished. God has promised a resurrection to all ; and a universal restitution; and that "All nations which thou hast made, shall come and worship before thee." Even the Sodomites are promised a restitution back to their "former estate" (Eze. 16:55).
There is much positive Scripture, to be adduced, to prove that there is to be probation in the millennial age, or world to come, for all who have not been brought to the knowledge of the truth in this world, and committed the unpardonable sin. Christ gave himself "a ransom for all, to be testified in due time "(1 Tim. 2:6). God "is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe" (1 Tim. 4:10). Not that he saves all men eternally; but he will save all men from the Adamic fall. Every person must and will be saved; that is, come to the knowledge of the truth, taste of the good word of God and power of the world to come; and have their sins forgiven, before they can "fall away" into that fearful condition for which "there remaineth no more sacrifice." "I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess" (Isa. 45:23). Paul in reasoning "that Christ both died and rose, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living, For it is [HG15] written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God" (Rom. 14:11), is proving a resurrection; and that all, both dead and living, will, in the day of judgment, or millennial age, be brought to this good confession.
If it be asked, Why did not God bring these extinct nations to the knowledge of the truth before they fell asleep, if he ever intended to do so? I answer, God having arranged that there was to be a second Adam, and a second Eve, the "wife" of this second Adam (see Rev. 19:7); and that through this second Adam all that was lost through the first Adam should be restored; has, thus far, been doing only a preparatory work. The Jewish nation supposed the promise of God that "All the families of the earth should be blessed," through the Seed of the woman, would be fulfilled under the law; while the Christian church have, with as little authority, claimed all for the gospel. If God had satisfied the Jewish nation, much Scripture in relation to Gentiles would have remained unfulfilled. If God satisfies the nominal Christian church, much prophecy irreconcilable with "the narrow way," would remain unfulfilled. But he has said that "He will be for a stone of stumbling to both the houses of Israel."
The salvation under the law, was for a class, and not for all mankind. The salvation under the "gospel of the kingdom," is for a class, "the bride, the Lamb's wife." Hence, the way is narrow, and few there be that find it. Hence, "many are called, and few are chosen." Hence, "No man cometh unto me except the Father draw him." But in the kingdom, the waters of life will be broad and deep; and there, will the "Spirit, and the bride say Come, and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely."
As the "marriage of the Lamb," and beginning of "the restitution of all things," follows the second advent; the salvation of the world does not commence until then. Hence, Christ says, "I pray not for the world, but for them thou hast given me (John 17:9); and adds, (John 17:20), "Neither pray I for these [the twelve] alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, . . in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." Notice carefully the meaning; He prays, not for the world, but for his own, his bride, all that will believe through the word of the twelve, that they all may be one with him; "they twain become one;" and the outcome of this mystical marriage, is "that the world may believe.
And, to show that this is the true order, the marriage is placed at the end of the gospel dispensation.
The positive proof that there is a chance for the world in the millennial age, after this present dispensation ends; after the second Adam and his "wife" are joined together, is gathered, first, from the order of progression given in 1 Cor. 15:45-49.
The apostle, be it remembered, is speaking not of the individual, but of the race of Adam: "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul [person]; the last Adam a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural [or animal]; and afterwards that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."
The apostles reasoning is, that the first stage of this progressive development of the human family, is to bear the image of the first man, male and female, for "they were one flesh;" after which, they are to bear the image of the "second man," who also has a "wife" who becomes one with him. And to suppose the apostle is speaking of only the "second man" and his wife, simply the bride of Christ, is just as absurd as to suppose when speaking of the "first Adam," he meant only the individual pair. He is showing that the earthy animal man, precedes the heavenly, spiritual man, as God's true order; and therefore, the work of the "first man," precedes that of the "second man." And God does not perfect separate individuals, but works by dispensations. While under the Jewish dispensation, not a Gentile could be saved; and even the Jew "could not be made perfect, without us." Hence, " David hath not ascended into the heavens" (Acts 2:34;) nor has any man, "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven" (John 3:13). And the second Adam does not begin the re-generation of the "children of the kingdom," until the "marriage of the Lamb, when his wife hath made herself ready."
As the natural [or animal] man has multiplied and replenished the earth; so also, "In the re-generation, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory," will He multiply and replenish the earth with a spiritual family; "and a nation shall be born in a day." And the evidence is conclusive, that when he sits on the throne of his glory; when "the kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the governor among the nations, 'All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all kindreds of the nations shall come and worship, before thee." But it is only when he comes in his glory, and during the sounding of the seventh trump, that "the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord (Rev. 11:15), and he thus becomes "the governor among the nations." Hence, it is after the marriage of the Lamb; after this present dispensation is ended; and in the millennial age [or "world to come"], that the conversion of the world, [HG16] is due.
If God has been trying to save the world before the "second man" and his wife were perfected [in opposition to his own pre-arranged plan], he has taken a strange way to do it. Why, for more than two thousand years, did he let the human family go down in death [for "death reigned from Adam to Moses"], with no effort to bring them to the knowledge of the truth? Why, if he was trying to save the world under the Jewish dispensation, did he make it "unlawful to give the children's meat to dogs"? Why should Christ command his disciples, "Go not in the way of the Gentiles; and into any city of the Samaritans, enter ye not." They were dying day by day, and if modern ideas be true, were going to hell, to eternal torment; and Christ, who was about to give his life for the world, would not allow the "bread of life" to be given them; and excused himself by saying, "For I am sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
If there was to be no "restitution;" and this life was indeed the end of all hope to the sinner, such apparent indifference to man's eternal interests, could not be reconciled with God's professions of love to the world; "all men," " every man that cometh into the world," &c. Not a Gentile saved, or even an effort in that direction, until a prearranged and definite point of time had arrived; and yet God no respecter of persons: "And when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law; " and until the day of Pentecost, he made no provision for any other class.
He did not come, at his first advent, to save the world; for he was sent only to those under the law. He did not even pray for the world, "I pray not for the world" (John 17:9). He took upon him our nature, "that he might taste death for every man; and "gave himself a ransom for all; to be testified in due time "(1 Tim. 2:6).
And this "due time," is after his second advent, and during the millennial age."
The gospel is designed to reach only a class, "a royal priesthood, a holy nation;" to become one with Christ; truly a wonderful exaltation, to become part of the Godhead; exalted above angels, principalities, powers; "know ye not that ye shall judge angels"? But the gospel dispensation must end, and a new order of things commence, before the world can be reached. Here, we are to be "pilgrims and strangers," separate from the world. Here, we are to suffer, and obey the powers that be. Here, the way is narrow, "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, and few there be that find it." Here, "many are called, and few are chosen;" wheat and tares grow together; evil men and seducers wax worse and worse; even as it was in the days of Noah. How then can " all know the Lord, from the least to the greatest," and the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth, as the waters do the sea," in this dispensation?
When the "second man," Christ and his body, are complete; then begins the process of re-generation, and "the restitution of all things." "And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion [that lost by the first Adam], and the kingdom shall come to the daughters of Jerusalem (Mic 4:8); the bride, "the Jerusalem that is above; the mother [in prospect] of us all."
Eve was a part of the human family; and was "the mother of all living" [excepting herself].
Then, indeed, when Christ "takes to himself his great power and reigns," the nations will be subdued under him. And He will rule them with a rod of iron; "and when thy judgments are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness (Isa. 26:9). And this is the song to be sung by the immortalized bride on the "sea of glass;" "All nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest" (Rev. 15:4).* "Come and let us reason together, saith the Lord." If God has been trying to save the world during the gospel dispensation, He has made as great a failure as during the Jewish age. And if he was not trying to save the world during the Jewish age, nor for the thousands of years prior to that, if he did not then care how many human beings went to hell, what put the happy idea into his heart, even at this late day, to send Jesus to suffer and try to save a few; for under the gospel, he claims but few, "narrow is the way, and few there be that find it"? If it be claimed that perhaps there was some way, before the first advent, for the myriads who never heard of a Saviour, to be saved; then it was a cruel thing to send Christ; for now there is no other way, "or name given among men, whereby we can be saved."
And with all the dark ages under the papacy, there has not been one million in a hundred millions, since the gospel began, who have had any knowledge of Christ, or the way of salvation. If any man of ordinary ability could have been in possession, for these eighteen hundred years, of one half the means of Him, whose "are the cattle upon a thousand hills," he could have placed the simple story of the gospel before every [HG17] human being on this earth.
And the Hebrew word occurring in Isa. 26:9, (mish-paht) has precisely the same meaning. The same word occurs in Ps. 112:5 "He will guide his affairs with discretion," [margin, judgment]. Hence, the above texts are equivalent to saying, When Christ guides the affairs of the earth; when he is the governor among the nations, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Is God's arm shortened that it cannot save? Does he not care for perishing men?
Or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked; or on a journey, and left the eternal welfare of his children to a few church societies, trusting that they will successfully carry out the great plan of the redemption of a lost world.
Are God's ways unequal; or is it our theology which is unequal? It is true Christ sent his disciples with a world wide commission, to gather out from all nations a chosen people; but it is not true that he commissioned us to send all others to hell.
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not, shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). The Greek [katakrino] "damned," occurs eighteen times, in sixteen of which it is rendered condemned. "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall [katakrino] condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here" (Matt. 12:41). This has no connection with eternal torment, but means that the repentence of the Ninevites is a precedent which will condemn, or put to shame the nonrepentence of the Jews.. In the next verse, the queen of the south is to condemn that generation. The Jews condemned Christ by rejecting him and choosing Barabbas. Many thousand men and horses, were sent to the front and condemned, in our late war, being unfit for the service. And the great mass of mankind will be condemned as unfit for the service of the Master, in this "high calling." "Many are called, few are chosen." He that believeth shall be chosen, he that believeth not, shall be rejected.
If the second Adam and Eve, are to restore what was lost by the first Adam, they must of necessity restore this rejected class. And there is to be not only a restitution, but a re-generation, or reproducing. Even the Sodomites, who are held up, all through the Bible, as an ensample of wickedness; and "as suffering the vengence of etenal fire" (Jude 7); are to share in the restitution. "When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them.... When thy sister, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate; and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate....
Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder, and thy younger; and I will give them unto thee for daughters; but not by thy covenant" (Eze. 16:53-61).
Long before this prophecy was written the Sodomites were submerged under the dead sea; and if, in the restitution of all things, they are restored to their former estate [and if the above is true, they certainly will be], Why may not Pharaoh and his Egyptian host also be restored? even if God did raise him up, and harden his heart for the express purpose "of showing forth his power."
Because God has "foreordained and predestinated certain men to destruction, is no evidence that they are not to share in the restitution, for the evidence is conclusive that such destruction, however strong the language used, has only to do with this Adamic life. Christ "tasted death for every man," Pharaoh as well as Moses. As the potter has power over the clay, to make one vessel to honor, and another to dishonor, that is, to be used for a less noble purpose; so God has power to mold the works of his hands. But that does not prove that all who are not called to this "high calling in Christ Jesus," are to be tormented to all eternity. O how lovable is the God of the Bible; and how hideous is the God of theology!
Election is a glorious doctrine; it is choosing out a few, to become the bride, the spiritual mother of a redeemed world. And "we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe" (1 Tim. 4:10). And the fact that "he gave himself a ransom for all, will be testified in due time "(1 Tim. 2:6); and this dispensation is only a preparation, "that in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us, through Christ" (Eph. 2:7).
There is a second life, as well as a "second death;" "As in Adam all die; so in Christ shall all be made alive; and if any man die the second death, it will be because he crucifies Christ afresh, after having been brought to the knowledge of the truth. And "for such, there remaineth no more sacrifice, but a fearful looking for of fiery indignation."
In all the Bible, there are but two or three passages which appear to conflict with these views, and they are parables, given to illustrate certain truths; and, like the "rich man and Lazarus," refer to nations, or churches, but never to individuals.
Let it once be admitted that there is to be a restitution, that man sleeps in death, but is to live a second time, that this re-generation, or reproducing, is as universal as the generation of the first Adam, and Scripture becomes harmonious, the ways of God equal, and his foreordinations, and denunciations, refer only to this present forfeited Adamic life; and would have been eternal in all their consequences, had not Christ, when there was no arm to save, steped in, and as the second Adam, taken upon himself to reproduce and restore what was lost in Adam. This [HG18] being true, the other class of texts have some meaning, Christ tasted death for every man; he gave himself a ransom for all; he is the light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
There are myriads of men who have come into the world and passed out of it, who never saw this light; "How can they hear without a preacher; how can they preach unless they are sent"? and if that text is true, they must receive that light hereafter.
Some think this is to good, that if the threatnings of God's wrath are confined to this Adamic life, that if Christ is to step in, and restore, and give every man a fair chance; men will cease to fear, and a great inducement to repentance will be lost.
Indeed, then let us go back to "priest, candle, and purgatory;" if error is better than truth, let us have it in abundance.
The evidence of this will be given in a series of tracts, of which this is No. 1. And also soon to be published in book form.
As the "old world" ended with an almost entire destruction of individual life, so national life is to be destroyed in the end of this world. And it will be noticed that the denunciations and judgments, every where point at, and are addressed to the nations; "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 his Christ; and the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged." "The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings, in the day of his wrath; he shall judge among the heathen; he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries" (Psa. 110:5), "A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth, for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will give them that are wicked to the sword.
Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, nor gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground" (Jer. 25:31-33). "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee; for I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle.... Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives" (Zech. 14:1-4). "Which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14). "I will shake the heavens and the earth, and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen" (Hag 2:22). For my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent" (Zeph. 3:8).
Here and elsewhere, is proof in abundance not only that the millennium is preceded by the most terrible judgments on the nations; but that in consequence of these judgments, the people are turned to a pure worship. And this time of trouble, in the which "all the earth is to be devoured with the fire of God's jealousy," is, doubtless, the fire spoken of by Peter through which the world is to pass, at this next great dispensational change.
The world that was before the flood, measured 1655 years. In this world, the patriarchal age, from the flood to the death of Jacob, was 659 years; and the Jewish age, under the twelve tribes, measured 1845 years. And we have now been under the gospel dispensation since the crucifixion, in A.D. 33; making a period almost equal to that of the Jewish age. And there is no lack of evidence that a change of dispensation is at hand.
In the world to come, the first, or millennial age, is to be a 1000 years; and is introduced by the "time of trouble," so often referred to in Scripture. There is very conclusive evidence that this time of trouble is to continue 40 years; and has already commenced; and that "men's hearts are [beginning already] to fail them with fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth "(Luke 21:26).