Future Events And Coming Glories
Walter Biggar Scott
Table of Contents
Introductory Notes
We have combined two separate volumes of short questions and answers on prophetic subjects by Walter Scott. One was originally entitled Future Events and the other Coming Glories. We have attempted to integrate the two in a way that gives some meaningful context to the reader who wishes to read the book from start to finish. There is some overlap in the content which has been left to serve the many for whom this volume will be used as a quick reference guide or a book to dip in and out of at leisure. We have also added subject and scripture indices, and 5 major sections. We hope these will make your browsing of the content more useful leaving you more time to meditate on the valuable contents.
Preface From Coming Glories
Coming Glories:
or,
Plain Answers to Seventy-Six Prophetic and Other Questions
It is hoped that these answers to questions that the writer was repeatedly asked will prove helpful in the study of prophetic truth, and especially to the young and inquiring Christian. We are conscious that others better taught in the Word might have supplied more able — and in some cases more full and satisfactory — replies, yet we feel convinced that the book will meet a need long and widely felt.
The numerous scripture references are highly important, and are to be regarded as so many signposts, directing the enquirer to the sole source of full and authoritative information on all divine subjects — the Word of God. Our anxious desire is that these references and quotations be duly consulted and carefully weighed, in order that the faith of the reader may repose on the sure and unfailing testimony of the living God. The world passeth away and its glory fadeth, “but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”
Walter Scott,
Glasgow, August, 1877.
Note to Second Edition:
It is a pleasing duty to comply with the publishers request for a careful revision of the book throughout. That a second edition should be called for so soon is evidence of the growing interest with which the Lord’s coming is regarded. The suggestions of several brethren in the Lord, well taught in the prophetic Word, have been used to bring out certain points with more clearness and distinctness, and several verbal blunders have also been corrected.
The book is again committed to the care of Him who has already vouchsafed blessing to His people through its pages. May the blessing widen and deepen, and to His precious name be all glory.
April, 1878.
Preface to Future Events
Future Events:
With Numerous Prophetic Details.
Some time ago we prepared a manual of prophetic truths and subjects entitled Coming Glories, and now we are privileged to issue a companion volume under the name of Future Events.
Speculations are rife as to the Lord’s advent, judgments overwhelming living Christians, and the impending fate of this and other European lands. Near dates are fixed, and special judgments — as fire and earthquake — are predicted as drawn from the physical phenomena of the heavens and earth, and are professedly based on the teachings of Scripture. We regard these unhallowed thoughts as the work of the enemy to disturb the souls and shake the peace of the saints of God — the revival of the old Thessalonian attempts (2 Thess. 2). Yet we are thankful to add that the interest in the prophetic Scriptures is deepening and spreading, and that many are seriously considering the future in a spirit of subjection to God, His Word and Spirit.
We believe the little books named, in which the reader is constantly referred to Scripture, will prove real aids in the study of God’s prophetic future.
There may occasionally be found repetition in the following pages, but only on points deemed highly important.
May our knowledge of Scripture increase in proportion as our hearts are abidingly maintained in fervent communion with God.
Walter Scott 1881
Foundations
1. What Is the Moral Effect Intended by the Consideration of the Solemn Future?
“What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness ... therefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot and blameless. Therefore, let us not sleep as do others; but let us watch and be sober” (1 Pet. 3:11, 14; 1 Thess. 5:6).
2. What Is Coming?
It is either judgment or glory to you! It must be one or the other. If washed in the blood of the Lamb, eternal glory is your future portion; but if unreconciled to God by the death of Jesus, then eternal judgment is your certain inheritance. What is coming? Judgment and glory.
3. Who Is Coming?
Jesus is coming. He tabernacled among men; loved sinners, and died for them. His work on the cross is finished for sinners; His work on the throne is accomplishing for saints. On the cross He dealt with my sins; on the throne He occupies Himself with my necessities, and He is coming. Then there will be the mingled voice of rejoicing and of wailing. His saints will triumph; sinners will mourn. The wrath of the coming Lamb will fall upon the ungodly; the glory of the coming Lamb will be shared by the blood-washed, blood-redeemed saints of God. Who is coming? Jesus, and every eye shall see Him. Are you ready?
4. What Is the Hope of the Believer?
Our hope as believers is the personal return of the Lord to fetch us to Himself, and afterwards to reign in glory. As He said, “I will come again and receive you unto Myself” (John 14:3). That is it. Jesus Himself coming is our “blessed hope,” and Jesus Himself in the Father’s house and our being like Him morally (1 John 3:2) and bodily (Phil. 3:21), our richest blessings.
John 14:3 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
1 John 3:2 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Philippians 3:21 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
5. What Is the Hope of the Church?
The Hope of the Church is the personal return of the Lord to claim “His own.” He will come from heaven into the “air,” and with “shout,” “voice,” and “trump” gather His people from every land and every clime, from tomb and sea. Not a single person redeemed through the precious blood of Christ will be left behind, whether alive on the earth or resting in the grave. All will be caught “up” in clouds to meet the Lord in the air — the trysting-place with our adorable Lord and Master (1 Thess. 4:17). Then Christ will present to Himself His Church all glorious and spotless — without sign of age or decay, holy and blameless (See Eph. 5:25-27; Col. 3:4). What is the hope of the Bride but the coming of the Bridegroom (Rev. 22:17)? Now espoused to Christ, what is her hope but to have the relationship of wife established? (See 2 Cor. 11:2, with Rev. 19:7.) What a hope! We wait for Christ coming personally to take the Church to Himself, displaying her in the coming ages in joint-heirship over creation (Eph. 1:10-11), and forming in her everlasting bridal affections and establishing eternal relationship (Rev. 21:2).
1 Thessalonians 4:17 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Ephesians 5:25-27 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Colossians 3:4 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Revelation 22:17 17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
2 Corinthians 11:2 2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Revelation 19:7 7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Ephesians 1:10-11 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Revelation 21:2 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
6. What Is the Hope of the Servant?
The hope of the servant is to find the fruit of his labor in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at His coming (1 Thess. 2:19). “And now, little children, abide in Him; that when He shall appear, we (the servants) may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28). The crown of glory will, on the appearing of the Chief Shepherd, be set on the brow of the faithful laborer, now toiling among the flock of God (1 Peter 5:1-4). The crown of righteousness will be bestowed as reward of service, and to all who love His appearing (2 Tim. 4:7-8).
There are four crowns held out as reward and encouragement. Every Christian will receive a crown of gold (Rev. 4:4). The faithful witness gains the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). The devoted servant earns the crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8). The crown of glory (1 Pet. 5:4) will be a rich recompense to the faithful pastor.
Heralds of the grace and glory of the risen Jesus, may you be ready when your Lord comes and knocks, to open unto Him “immediately” (Luke 12:36).
1 Thessalonians 2:19 19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
1 John 2:28 28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
1 Peter 5:1-4 1The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Revelation 4:4 4And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Revelation 2:10 10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
2 Timothy 4:8 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
1 Peter 5:4 4And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Luke 12:36 36And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
7. What Is the Hope of Israel?
Jehovah-Jesus, the Saviour, is the only Hope of Israel, as the prophet stated, “O the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble” (Jer. 14:7-9). “All Israel shall be saved;” but how? and when? There is no salvation for Israel as a people until they acknowledge their offence (Hosea 5:15), and turn to their long and bitterly rejected Messiah, saying, “Blessed is He that cometh [not that came] in the name of the Lord” (Matt. 23:39); then they shall see Him. Through mercy we have believed in Him whom we have not seen (1 Peter 1:8); Israel, Thomas-like, will believe when they see (John 20:29). The blessing of Israel — effected by looking upon Him whom they have pierced — is yet future, as Zechariah 12 clearly shows. Jerusalem will be besieged — not as before by the Romans, but by the north-eastern powers of the closing days, and the city captured once, and a second time assaulted. At that interesting moment the Lord will interfere by descending from heaven with His heavenly saints (Zech. 14:5) to Mount Olivet, effecting deliverance for His people and destroying their foes. Israel will then mourn in presence of her Messiah as Jacob’s children did in presence of Joseph, of which it is a type. When the kingdom will be restored “again” to Israel (Acts 1:6-7), when the glorious declarations of prophets and the theme of bards will be fulfilled to the very letter. The 72nd Psalm is an actual and true description of these millennial days. Israel’s hope then, whether for conversion as a people, or for glory of millennial times, is the personal return of her Messiah. “The Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgressions in Jacob, saith the Lord.” Then follows a description of Zion’s glory, which for beauty of language is matchless (Isa. 60). Read the prophets as descriptive of what will actually take place. Alas! that Christians should seek to deny or fritter away the plain and obvious meaning of the numerous predictions in the Old Testament, which intimate a glorious future for Israel.
Jeremiah 14:7-9 7O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. 8O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? 9Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.
Hosea 5:15 15I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
Matthew 23:39 39For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
1 Peter 1:8 8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
John 20:29 29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Zechariah 14:5 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
Acts 1:6-7 6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Psalm 72:1-20 1A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. 2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 3The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. 4He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. 5They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. 6He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. 7In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. 8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. 10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. 12For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. 15And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. 16There 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. 17His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. 18Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. 19And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. 20The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
Isaiah 60:1-22 1Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. 5Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. 6The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. 7All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. 8Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? 9Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. 10And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. 11Therefore 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. 12For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. 13The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. 14The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. 16Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. 17For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. 18Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. 19The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 22A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.
8. What Is the Future of the Gentile World?
The Gentiles, or nations, will not be converted by the well-meant missionary and other evangelistic efforts of Christian men and societies. That is not the Lord’s present purpose, which is instead to “take out” from among the Gentiles a people for His name (Acts 15:14). Then the Lord will “gather the nations” and “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” (Zeph. 3:8). The Church is being gathered in grace now; the nations will be gathered in judgment then. Look at that assembly of the might, chivalry, and power of Europe, of Christendom. Are they congregated to welcome the “Prince of the kings of the earth”? No; “and I saw the Beast (the resuscitated Roman Empire) and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against Him (the crowned and victorious rider) that sat on the horse and against His army” (the heavenly saints). What is the result? An angel stands in the sun and invites the fowls of heaven to the supper of the great God. Alas! that Christians with their Bibles in their hands and the 19th chapter of Revelation before their eyes, should dream of a universal period of conversion by the preaching of grace. No, no. One word, one short, emphatic statement dissolves the fancy of ages: “When Thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9). What we find previous to the Lord’s return is not a converted world, but a sleeping Church. The sounding of the midnight cry is not to effect the evangelization of the world, but to awaken the Church (Matt. 25:6-7). Are the foolish virgins, that is professors but not possessors of life and the Holy Spirit, converted? No; when the Bridegroom comes, true Christians go in with Him to the marriage, while the foolish virgins are shut out. The awakening of the Church and not the conversion of the world is the great work preceding the second advent. Thus instead of the kingdom or millennium before the Lord Jesus Christ comes, instead of the world or mass of it converted, it will be arrayed against Him. The one half of the world, speaking generally, will be gathered against Jerusalem, (Zech. 14:1-4); and the other half against the Lamb Himself (Rev. 19:16-21). Does not our blessed Lord intimate the scarcity of faith on the earth at His coming when He said, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth” (Luke 18:8)? Judgments, therefore, of the most appalling character will fall upon the Gentiles, especially on these highly favored Christian lands, for their abuse of grace and privilege. After the severe judgments which come at the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, then will arrive the blessed era long since foretold by prophets, apostles, and the Lord Himself. The conversion of the Gentiles spared by the Lord and their employment as publishers of His glory amongst the distant heathen (Isa. 66:19), their blessed mission to gather the remnant of Israel then scattered amongst the nations as an offering to Jehovah in Jerusalem (Isa. 66:20), and the grace that will take of them for priests and Levites (Isa. 66:21), these and other blessings of the 1,000 years’ reign over the earth show that there will be a blessed future for the Gentiles. Christ will reign as “King over all the earth,” dispensing the blessings of His glorious rule to the distant isles of the Gentiles (Isa. 51:5), as also to the hitherto unconquered tribes of the great Arabian deserts (Psa. 72:9). In Him, therefore, shall the Gentiles trust (hope) (Rom. 15:12). Again, Rejoice, ye Gentiles with His people (Rom. 15:10-11). Israel, then, will occupy the chief place in the coming days of earthly glory (Deut. 28:12-13); with the Gentiles in a subordinate place of blessing. (See Isa. 60; Psa. 100; Mal. 1:11, etc.) Jehovah will pour of His Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28), and the mass of the people then living will know the Lord, after the judgments have run their course, and wickedness on the earth been punished.
Christ must needs first come, break the will of the nations with a rod of iron, and then call the spared and converted of them into the full enjoyment of His glorious reign. Such seems the plain force of these and numerous other unfailing declarations of God’s blessed Word as to the Gentile future.
Acts 15:14 14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Zephaniah 3:8 8Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: 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.
Isaiah 26:9 9With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Matthew 25:6-7 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Zechariah 14:1-4 1Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For 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. 3Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Revelation 19:16-21 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND Lord OF LordS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Luke 18:8 8I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Isa 66:19-21 19And 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. 20And 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. 21And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 51:5 5My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
Psalm 72:9 9They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
Romans 15:12 12And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
Romans 15:10-11 10And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
Deut. 28:12-13 12The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. 13And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
Isaiah 60:1-3 1Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Psalm 100:1-5 1A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Malachi 1:11 11For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.
Joel 2:28 28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
9. What Is the Hope of the Creation?
The sin of Adam ruined creation, subjecting it to vanity. It is in bondage to “corruption.” For six thousand years it has been groaning and travailing together in pain until now. What, then, is creation’s hope? When will it emerge from its long millenaries of bondage, into the “glorious liberty [better translated “liberty of the glory] of the children of God”? Our future glory when displayed will liberate the groaning and suffering creation, and for that revelation creation anxiously awaits: “For the earnest expectation of the creature (creation) waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:19-22); that “manifestation” will be when Christ appears in glory (Col. 3:4). Psalm 115 and Hosea 2:18-22 indicate a blessed future for this earth.
Romans 8:19-22 19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Colossians 3:4 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Psalm 115:1-3,11-18 1Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. 2Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? 3But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.... 11Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. 12The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. 13He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. 14The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children. 15Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth. 16The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. 17The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence. 18But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord.
Hosea 2:18-22 18And 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. 19And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. 20I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord. 21And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; 22And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.
10. What is meant by “the gospel of the kingdom,” and when, by whom, and to whom will it be preached (Matt. 24)?
The gospel of the Lord’s personal reign over the earth and the establishment of His kingdom thereon will be preached by converted Jews to the Gentiles as a closing testimony, before the Lord comes in judgment, and after the translation of the Church to heaven. There will be a further testimony to the heathen after the Lord’s arrival; for this latter, see Isaiah 66:19.
Matthew 24:14 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Isaiah 66:19 19And 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.
11. Is There Any Distinction Between the Kingdom and the Church?
Yes. The Kingdom is the scene of displayed authority and glory (See 1 Cor. 15:24; 2 Peter 1:16-17; Psalm 145:11-13). The Church, on the other hand, is the aggregate of the saved (See Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:23-25). When I speak of the Kingdom, I think of Christ as King (Psa. 2); when I speak of the Church, I think of Christ as its Head (Eph. 5:23). Many are now in the kingdom not truly converted to God (Matt. 13; Matt. 25:1-12); none can be in the Church except those united to Christ by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 12:12). The former is profession of life; the latter reality of life; in the former, evil is not presently to be dealt with (Matt. 13:28-30); in the latter, evil is to be purged out (1 Cor. 5).
1 Corinthians 15:24 24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
2 Peter 1:16-17 16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Psalm 145:11-13 11They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; 12To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. 13Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
Acts 20:28 28Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Psalm 2:6-12 6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. 10Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Ephesians 5:23-25 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Matthew 13:10-15 10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Matthew 25:1-12 1Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
1 Corinthians 12:12 12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
Matthew 13:28-30 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
1 Corinthians 5:6-7 6Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
12. What Is the Difference Between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God?
The kingdom of heaven is a phrase peculiar to the gospel of Matthew where it is used about 30 times. It is a dispensational term; whereas the kingdom of God is of moral application. The kingdom of heaven was preached as “at hand” (Matt. 3:2), the kingdom of God was at hand as well, but was also preached as among them in moral power (Luke 17:21). The kingdom of God was “come,” because Christ was acting in power in their midst (Matt. 12:28). The kingdom of heaven could not be so spoken about, either in mystery or manifestation, because for the former aspect of the kingdom, Christ must needs die and go to the right hand of God; while for manifestation Christ will come a second time in glory. The kingdom of heaven, therefore, is spoken of as “at hand,” not as “come.” The kingdom of heaven is a thing of “observation;” but the kingdom of God cometh not with “observation” (Luke 17:20), that is, it has a distinctly moral character attached to it, as in Romans 14:17. Thus in all cases the larger expression, “kingdom of God,” covers the phrase “kingdom of heaven.” I could not substitute “the kingdom of heaven” for that of “the kingdom of God,” because the latter is sometimes used in an exclusively moral sense; but I could, generally at least, use “the kingdom of God” where “kingdom of heaven” occurs.
Matthew 3:2 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luke 17:21 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Matthew 12:28 28But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Luke 17:20 20And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Romans 14:17 17For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
13. Do You Distinguish Between Israel and the Church?
Yes; and the prophetic Scriptures will never be understood correctly unless the distinction between Israel, which is Messiah’s kingdom, and the Church, which is Christ’s body, is borne in mind. Israel is the subject generally of the Old Testament, which reveals historically (the past) and prophetically (the future) the earthly government of God, of which Israel is the center. On the other hand, the Church, which began its history at Pentecost, and is composed of believers from among Jews and Gentiles formed into one body and united to Christ as man in glory, is only spoken of in the New Testament, and is not the subject of prophecy at all, but of revelation. Israel, too, is destined to be head of the nations and to occupy the highest places on earth, where the divine presence and glory rests, but the Church will always be heavenly in character, blessing, and position. God’s time counsels are with respect to Israel, while His eternal counsels concern the Church. Israel was set geographically, in relation to mankind, in the center of the world (Ezek. 5:5; Deut. 32:8-9), blest and a blessing to the earth (Psa. 102:13-16; Isa. 27:6; Zech. 2:11); but the Church is sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6), the object of eternal admiration of the spiritual powers on high (Eph. 3:10). Read carefully the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians, Ephesians, and Colossians, where the true nature, constitution, character, and destiny of the Church are unfolded.
Ezekiel 5:5 5Thus saith the Lord GOD; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.
Deuteronomy 32:8-9 8When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 9For the Lord’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
Psalm 102:13-16 13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. 14For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. 15So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. 16When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
Isaiah 27:6 6He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.
Zechariah 2:11 11And 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.
Ephesians 2:6 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Ephesians 3:10 10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
14. Are the Seventy Prophetic Weeks of Daniel Weeks of Days or of Years (Dan. 9:24)?
The Hebrew word, hebdomad, signifying seven, or week, “a septenary number,” does not in itself answer this question. There can be no doubt, however, from the context, that the weeks are those of years—490 in all.
Daniel 9:24 24Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
15. How Are the Seventy Prophetic Weeks Divided?
First, 7 weeks, or 49 years, for the rebuilding of Jerusalem — not the Temple — according to and dating from the decree of Artaxerxes in the 20th year of his reign (Neh. 2).
Second, 62 weeks, or 434 years, from the city built to the Messiah’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:1-11 with Zech. 9:9).
Third, one week, or seven years, yet future (Dan. 9:27). Between the 69th week and the concluding seven years, the present interval — a blessed parenthesis of grace to Gentiles (Rom. 11:12), and one of national degradation to the Jew — transpires (Dan. 9:26).
Nehemiah 2:1 1And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
Matthew 21:1-11 1And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strowed them in the way. 9And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 10And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
Zechariah 9:9 9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
Daniel 9:27 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Romans 11:12 12Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
Daniel 9:26 26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
16. Are the Seventy Weeks of Daniel Running Their Course Now?
No. The present period is an interruption in the history of the world and of Israel. After the cutting off of Messiah, at the close of the 69 weeks or 483 years, the Jews were scattered worldwide in the year 70 A.D., “as the four winds of the heaven” (Zech. 2:6), and Jerusalem was trodden under foot of the Gentiles. Therefore there was then no room nor is there still for the last week of Daniel, which is yet future; it awaits the taking up of Jerusalem, and the re-opening of the “Jewish Question.”
Zechariah 2:6 6Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord.
17. Is a “Year for a Day” a True and Scriptural Principle in Prophetic Truth?
No. The only two undoubted references to this principle applies to Israel; first, in the wilderness (Num. 14:34); second, when in the land (Ezek. 4:5-6); but neither instance is strictly prophetic.
Numbers 14:34 34After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
Ezekiel 4:5-6 5For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. 6And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.
18. Is the Parable of the Ten Virgins Jewish or Christian Teaching?
The teaching in this parable is undoubtedly Christian. The pious God-fearing remnant of Israel will not go “forth” to meet the Bridegroom. “Go ye out to meet Him” (Matt. 25:6) would fittingly express the Christian position, but not the Jewish one. Christ coming to the “air” for us characterizes the heavenly position of the Christian, while Messiah coming to Judea for the earthly blessing of the Jew characterizes the position of the Israelite. Blessing on the earth and in Judea under the peaceful reign of the Messiah is Jewish expectation; there is therefore no going forth, but rather the clinging to the land until the Messiah come. Besides, the slumbering condition out of which the virgins are roused (Matt. 25:5-6) cannot apply to the future remnant of Israel. They will not be found asleep at that desparate crisis in their history. They will sigh and cry through that short but terrible midnight when the murder of their Messiah and the guilt of a broken law will be owned and confessed as their own and the nation’s sin (Psa. 74, Psa. 79; Isa. 63:15-19; Isa. 64; Ezek. 9:4).
Matthew 25:6 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Matthew 25:5-6 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Psalm 79:1-13 1A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. 2The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. 3Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them. 4We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us. 5How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire? 6Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. 7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. 8O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. 9Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake. 10Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed. 11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die; 12And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord. 13So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations.
Isaiah 63:15-19 15Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained? 16Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting. 17O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance. 18The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. 19We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name.
Isaiah 64:1-4 1Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence. 2As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! 3When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. 4For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
Ezekiel 9:4 4And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
19. How Would You Section off the Lord’s Great Prophetic Discourse (Matt. 24, 25)?
Into four main divisions.
First (Matt. 24:1-14), The general state of things and the position of the disciples down to the middle of Daniel’s seventieth prophetic week. Note, however, that the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70 involved the complete blotting out of Israel’s nationality, and dashed to the ground her hopes of pre-eminent glory over the nations as a matter of then present expectation. These instructions therefore directly applied to God-fearing Jews, while the nation was cherishing these delusive hopes (Matt. 24:5); and they will yet more fully apply in the future Jewish crisis. Christianity comes in between these points.
Second (Matt. 24:15-44), Judah in her last days of special sorrow with the coming of the Son of Man, the gathering of all Israel, and moral instruction founded on the certainty and nearness of these events.
Third (Matt. 24:45–25:30), The relation of the professing Christian body on earth to the Lord’s coming, which is detailed in three parables.
Fourth (Matt. 25:31-46), The relation of the Gentiles then living on earth to the Lord’s coming. Notice that the judgment here recorded is that of living persons on earth, and is distinct in time, character, and persons from the judgment of the dead disclosed in Revelation 20.
Matthew 24:1-14 1And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. 2And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Matthew 24:15-44 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore 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. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29Immediately 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: 30And 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. 31And 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. 32Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 45Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Matthew 24:45-25:30 45Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 25:1-46 1Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. 14For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. 19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strowed: 25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strowed: 27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 25:31-46 31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Revelation 20:11-15 11And 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. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
20. Give an Outline of the Lord’s Celebrated Prophetic Discourse in Matthew 24 and 25.
Chapter 24:1-44 is the Lord’s coming in relation to the Jews.
Chapter 24:45 — 25:30 is the Lord’s coming in relation to the professing Church.
Chapter 25:31-46 is the Lord’s coming in relation to the Gentiles or nations.
Chapter 24:15, notes an important event which happens after the translation of the Church to heaven. It is very important in the fixing of dates and in the understanding of the prophetic future. If compared with Daniel 12:11, its future reference is clear. Matthew 24:15 clearly marks the beginning of the awful time of Jacob’s trouble; Matthew 24:16-28 describes the terrible state of things in Palestine during the last half of Daniel’s week of seven years, the period of the tribulation; Matthew 24:29-44, the events which follow the close of the tribulation, the personal coming of the Son of Man in glory, and moral truth addressed to the consciences of the disciples — the representatives of the sufferers under the Beast and Antichrist.
The three parables which follow — the evil servant, the virgins, and talents — show the connection between service in the Church, waiting for Christ, and service in the world. They should be deeply pondered by every saint and servant of God.
The judgment of the nations by the Son of Man is a calm and solemn scene. It only needs careful reading and a little attention to the connection to dispel the idea that it is the last judgment.
Matthew 24:1-51 1And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. 2And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore 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. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29Immediately 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: 30And 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. 31And 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. 32Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 45Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 25:1-46 1Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. 14For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. 19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strowed: 25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strowed: 27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Daniel 12:11 11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
21. Who Are the “Brethren,” the “Sheep” and the “Goats” of Matthew 25:31-46?
When Jesus, as Son of Man, comes and sits upon the throne of His glory, He will resume Jewish connections; He will have a Jewish bride (Psa. 45) as well as a Christian one (Rev. 19). Those, therefore, whom He here speaks of as my “brethren” are Jews who have been sent out at the close of this age to preach among the nations (after the translation of the Church) “the gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 24:14). The King will regard how His messengers are received or rejected and their message accepted or spurned as if it were done to Himself. The treatment accorded to the King’s servants and message forms the ground of judgment upon the nations. Those who accepted the message and bowed to it are termed “sheep,” and take their place at the King’s right hand, going into everlasting life; while those who refused and insulted the messengers are called “goats,” and have to take their place at the King’s left hand, going into everlasting punishment; the blessing of the “sheep” and the judgment of the “goats” are definite and final.
A few points of contrast between the judgment of the nations with the judgment of the dead may help to clear away the difficulties of some.
Rev. 20 records the judgment of the dead,
Matt. 25 of the living;
Rev. 20 of individuals,
Matt. 25 of nations;
Rev. 20 has God as Judge,
Matt. 25 the Son of Man;
Rev. 20 is in the eternal state,
Matt. 25 judgment is in time;
Rev. 20 speaks only of one class of persons,
Matt. 25 of three classes of persons;
Rev. 20 has books of works,
Matt. 25 has none;
Rev. 20 has its book of life,
Matt. 25 has not;
Rev. 20 does not speak of a “Coming,”
Matt. 25 does;
Rev. 20 speaks of God and men only,
Matt. 25 of the Son, men, and angels;
Rev. 20 shows the heaven and earth fleeing away,
Matt. 25 shows a continuance of the heaven and the earth;
Rev. 20 speaks of a great white throne,
Matt. 25 of a throne of glory.
Matthew 25:31-46 31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Psalm 45:13-15 13The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. 14She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. 15With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace.
Revelation 19:7-9 7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Matthew 24:14 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
22. What Is the Difference Between “the Latter Times” and “the Last Days”?
If I were asked to define Popery, I would read 1 Timothy 4:1-3. The characteristic features of the Romish Church are graphically delineated in these verses. The apostle meets this greatest of all religious iniquities by a lofty statement of Christianity, (1 Tim. 3:16). I take it, therefore, that “the latter times” specially refers to the dark or middle ages; of course the principles and workings of these “times” were quickly perceived by the keen and observant eye of the apostle as then existing. “Some shall depart from the faith” is not, however, the same as a general departure from it, as in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
“The last days” (2 Tim. 3:1-5) refers to the closing days of Christendom, which have now set in. All the Second Epistles contemplate more or less the closing period of Christendom’s history. If “the latter times” delineate papal apostasy, “the last days” show a revival of pagan wickedness (compare with the close of Romans 1).
1 Timothy 4:1-3 1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
1 Timothy 3:16 16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2 Timothy 3:1-5 1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Romans 1:20-32 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
23. Do the Expressions “the Day of God,” “the Day of the Lord,” and “the Day of Christ” Mean the Same Thing?
“The day of God” (2 Peter 3:12) refers to God as the root and source of that solemn future that is before Christians, men, and the world.
“The day of the Lord” (2 Peter 3:10) is a familiar expression in the writings of the prophets; it is also frequently used in the pages of the New Testament. It means that period of a 1,000 years—regarded as “one day” (2 Peter 3:6-10)—when judgment will be executed upon the wicked on the earth and the world ruled in righteousness.
“The day of Christ” (Phil. 1:10) denotes that Christ as man will have His day. It will be a day of wondrous blessing, when after the judgments introductory to His beneficent rule over the earth have been exhausted, He will reign in the peaceful and glorious character of Solomon. His saints raised and changed will share His glory, and be associated with Him in joint-heirship over creation; that will be “the day of Christ.”
2 Peter 3:12 12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2 Peter 3:10 10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2 Peter 3:6-10 6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Philippians 1:10 10That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
24. Whom Do the Twenty-Four Elders of Revelation 4 Represent?
That these elders represent saints is evident from their intelligence (Rev. 5:5), their worship (Rev. 5:9), their dignity (Rev 4:4), and their robes (Rev 4:4, compare with Rev. 19:8). It is equally clear that they represent all the worshipping company of the redeemed in heaven, from Adam till the translation of the Church since we hear no more word of churches (save Babylon) after chapter 3, and the Bride and guests are in heaven in chapter 19. The conclusion therefore is evident that these elders, who are representatives of the redeemed, will have been taken to heaven according to the terms of 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. This removal of the saints from earth to heaven, although not mentioned in the book of Revelation, must necessarily take place between the close of the third and the opening of the fourth chapters, as it is the representatives of the heavenly company of the redeemed who are seen seated, crowned, and clothed, in chapter 4. This explanation meets every difficulty, and gives great simplicity in the understanding of the structure of the Revelation.
Revelation 5:5 5And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Revelation 5:9 9And they sung 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;
Revelation 4:4 4And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Revelation 19:8 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
25. Where Does the Strictly Prophetic Part of Revelation Begin?
Chapter 6 commences the prophetic part of the book. Chapters 2 and 3 trace the earthly course of the professing Church’s history from the Apostolic era until it is spued out of Christ’s mouth. Its rejection in Laodicea is final and definite (Rev. 3:16). Chapters 4 and 5 show the saints in heaven seated, crowned, and robed. Then follows the strictly prophetic part of the book commencing with seal judgments (chapter 6), and closing with a description of the eternal state in chapter 21:1-8. The Revelation, therefore, from chapter 6 till verse 8 of chapter 21 awaits fulfillment.
Revelation 3:16 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Revelation 21:1-8 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of 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. 4And 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. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
26. What Is Signified by the Expression “the Times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24)?
This expression refers to the lengthened period in which the government of the world is in the hands of the Gentile, and which dates from the destruction of Jerusalem in 588 B.C., when Babylon and not Jerusalem, and the Gentile and not the Jew, became the seat and center of earthly government (Dan. 2:37-38). The close of this period will be marked by the Lord’s personal judgment upon Gentile power (Dan. 2:45), and the transference of the government of the earth to Jerusalem and the Jew; this at the epoch of the Lord’s return from heaven (Dan. 7:18-27).
Luke 21:24 24And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Daniel 2:37-38 37Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
Daniel 2:45 45Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Daniel 7:18-27 18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 19Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27And 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.
The Coming of the Lord
27. Will the Lord Come Personally or by the Spirit?
Personally. The Lord said, “I will come again” (John 14:3). Luke said, “This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Paul said, “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven” (1 Thess. 4:16). The Spirit came at Pentecost (Acts 2), and will come again after the Lord has set up His kingdom on earth (Joel 2). Thus Scripture intimates two advents of our Lord — one past, the other future; as also two comings of the Spirit — one past, the other future.
John 14:3 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Acts 1:11 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Acts 2:1-4 1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Joel 2:27-29 27And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. 28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
28. Will the Lord’s Coming Be Pre-Millennial or Post-Millennial?
Pre-millennial it must be, for, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.” This obviously happens before the millennium, because the saints then “shall reign with Him a thousand years,” (Rev. 20:6). The epoch of the Church’s glory (Col. 3:4), creation’s deliverance (Rom. 8:21), and Israel’s blessedness (Psa. 102:16) synchronize with and are dependent upon the Lord’s second and personal advent. The Son of Man is the nobleman of Luke 19, who “went into a far country, to receive for Himself a kingdom and to return,” which latter is at the commencement of the millennial reign of one thousand years; then at the end the kingdom is delivered up to God, even the Father, in absolute perfection (1 Cor. 15:24).
Revelation 20:6 6Blessed 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.
Colossians 3:4 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Romans 8:21 21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Psalm 102:16 16When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
1 Corinthians 15:24 24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
29. What Will Be the Moral Condition of the World and of the Church Immediately Preceding the Lord’s Coming?
The Hebrew prophet says “darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people” [which may be translated “peoples”] (Isa. 60:2). In other words, the Gentile world will be in a state of utter ignorance of God while truth and righteousness will be trampled upon, many then saying, “Who will show us any good?” (Psa. 4:6). Good will have been vanished from the earth before Jehovah shines in glory and visits Zion in mercy. The Apostle Jude, in burning words and striking emblems, sketches Christendom-corruption from the conception of evil in the bosom of the Church till its destruction by the personal advent of the Lord with His saints, according to the earliest prophecy on record, that of Enoch delivered 3,500 years ago. The Christian profession will be one of complete apostasy at the coming of the Lord (Jude 4-18). The last phase of the professing Church, which is rapidly developing, will be one of utter loathing and disgust to Christ. When He has rejected her, then the “beast” (civil power of Rome) will take her up (Rev. 3:16; Rev. 17). There is at present a marked and decided return to the ancient philosophy of heathenism, as well as to the subverting of Christianity itself.
Isaiah 60:2 2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Psalm 4:6 6There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Revelation 3:16 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Jude 4-18 4For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 11Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. 14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. 17But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Revelation 17:3-5 3So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
30. Will Christendom Continue in the Goodness and Mercy of God?
No. The Christian profession is warned by the example and fate of Israel, and threatened with a like excision if she does not continue in the divine goodness (Rom. 11). The kingdom of heaven (baptized Christendom) is likened to a field consisting of wheat and tares (of mingled good and evil) and to a woman inserting leaven (always the type of evil) in the pure meal “till the whole was leavened.” It is also compared to a net full of fishes — good and bad (Matt. 13). The seven parables of that chapter also show that evil will exist and increase till dealt with by the Lord Himself. Christendom has not continued in the goodness and mercy of God (see also 1 Tim. 4; 2 Tim. 3; Jude; Rev. 2-3).
Romans 11:18-22 18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Matthew 13:47-49 47Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
1 Timothy 4:1 1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Timothy 3:1,13 1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.... 13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Revelation 2:4-5 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Revelation 3:17-19 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
31. Will Evil Increase or Decrease Before the Lord Comes?
It will increase. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” “In the last days [already set in] perilous times shall come.” This inspired oracle is followed by an account of Church-corruption, in words almost precisely similar to that employed to set forth old heathen wickedness (2 Tim. 3:1-13, with Rom. 1:28-32).
2 Timothy 3:1-13 1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. 10But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Romans 1:28-32 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
32. What Scriptures Show the Coming of Christ for His Saints?
John 14:3; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; 2 Thess. 2:1. In the first, we have simply the fact stated; in the second, we have precious details given; in the third is laid the ground of weighty warning and needed instruction. See also 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thess. 1:10; Phil. 3:20-21; Rev. 3:10-11).
John 14:3 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
2 Thessalonians 2:1 1Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
1 Corinthians 15:23 23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 10And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Philippians 3:20-21 20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Revelation 3:10-11 10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
33. What Scriptures Show the Coming of Christ With His Saints?
Rev. 19:11-14; Zech. 14:5; Col. 3:4. The first, shows the fact in relation to the Western powers; the second, treats of it in reference to the Northern and Eastern powers; the third, reveals the blessed association of the heavenly saints with Christ in His glorious appearing. See also 1 Thess. 3:13; 2 Thess. 1:10; Jude 14; Rev. 17:14.
Revelation 19:11-14 11And 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. 12His 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. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Zechariah 14:5 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
Colossians 3:4 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
1 Thessalonians 3:13 13To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
2 Thessalonians 1:10 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Revelation 17:14 14These 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.
Jude 14 14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
34. Distinguish Between Christ’s Coming for His People and His Coming With Them.
The return of the Lord from heaven accompanied by all His saints and angels to rule and reign over the earth is the great theme of the prophets. That coming will be marked by divine majesty and power. It is obvious, however, that there must have been a “taking up” of the saints to the Lord before they could possibly accompany Him in His glorious return to earth. The only passage which unfolds in detail the catching up of the saints as introductory to their return with the Lord is 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. The Lord, then, will come Himself, unattended and without any displayed glory. He will descend into the “air” to meet His redeemed. The “shout,” “voice,” and “trump” are heard only by His own. Others are not here in question. The dead will be raised and the living changed, and all “together” caught up to meet the Lord. He will descend from heaven; we will ascend from earth and thus meet our LORD. The meeting place, “the air,” is only once thus named in Scripture. Where we meet is important, but who we meet is the point for the heart attached to Jesus. This beautiful order is a distinct and specific revelation to the Apostle. Such I take to be the force of the words, “This we say unto you by the Word of the Lord.” Take any of the numerous passages which speak of the glory of Christ’s second advent, and contrast them with this beautiful Scripture, and the difference between His personal and private descent into the air for His own, and the after event, His glorious appearing with His saints, will be at once perceived. The distinction between His coming into the “air” for His own (1 Thess. 4:17) and His standing on Mount Olivet with His own (Zech. 14:4-5) is the key to many difficulties. This latter event stands connected with the whole scheme of prophecy; the former is a personal matter between the Lord and His people, and is entirely outside the range of, and stands distinctly apart from, all prophetic and other subjects. Our hope is independent of circumstances. Not a single passage in the Old Testament speaks of the coming for the saints; they all refer to the coming with the saints, as “the Lord my God shall come and all the saints with thee” (Zech. 14:5).
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Zechariah 14:4-5 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
Zechariah 14:5 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
35. Will Christ, in the Rapture, Come to the Earth?
No; but to the air, where His saints — the raised dead and changed living — will meet Him (1 Thess. 4:17). Afterwards He will come to Mount Olivet, accompanied by His heavenly people (Zech. 14:4) and the holy angels (Matt. 25:31).
1 Thessalonians 4:17 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Zechariah 14:4 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Matthew 25:31 31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
36. Does Death Interfere With Our Hope, the Coming or Presence of the Lord?
Death cannot touch the “blessed hope.” Some are waiting with the Lord in His own immediate presence; others are waiting on the earth for Him. Whether therefore we “wake or sleep,” we wait for the Lord to come. Death may change the “waiting room,” but not the waiting position itself. The sleepers will accompany Jesus on His road to glory and the kingdom equally with the living (1 Thess. 4:14). Jesus is “expecting” (Heb. 10:13), and if I am called into His presence, I will wait with Him, for we are called to share in His kingdom and in His patience (Rev. 1:9).
1 Thessalonians 4:14 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Hebrews 10:13 13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Revelation 1:9 9I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
37. Define the Difference Between the Blessed Hope and the Glorious Appearing, Titus 2:13.
The Lord Jesus Christ is Himself expressly declared to be “our hope” (1 Tim. 1:1). This “blessed hope,” therefore, is independent of prophetic or other events. He will come Himself. Far beyond the glory that will dazzle by its exceeding brightness, confounding the schemes of the wise, and laying low the proud and haughty pretensions of man, is the infinitely deeper because distinctly moral glory in the person of the Lord. We look for a person to come, even “Him who delivered us from the wrath to come.” We wait for Jesus: that is our hope; it is neither crown, harp, robe, glory, nor kingdom, but Himself. It is well termed “that blessed or happy hope.”
“The glorious appearing,” or, “appearing of the glory,” does not refer to Christ’s coming for His saints, but to the after event — His coming with them. It is called the “appearing of the glory,” because the world, angels, and the Church will witness it. It will be a grand public event, a spectacle worthy of the coming Christ; many dignities will be His in that day (Rev. 19:12). As a saint, I wait for that blessed hope; as a servant, I look for the appearing of the glory. The former is entirely of grace, the latter is connected with my responsibility. In the one I am more immediately occupied with Himself as the morning star; in the other, with the glory connected with the kingdom.
Titus 2:13 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
1 Timothy 1:1 1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
Revelation 19:12 12His 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.
38. Will All the Saints Then Alive on the Earth Meet the Lord in the Air?
Yes. The phrase “we which are alive and remain,” embraces all the saints living on the earth when the Lord returns (1 Thess. 4:17).
1 Thessalonians 4:17 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
39. Will All the Righteous Dead From Adam Be Raised to Meet the Lord in the Air?
Yes. “They that are Christ’s at His coming” is wide and comprehensive and means that God will sweep the tombs, the earth, and sea of every particle of the precious dust of the redeemed, from the death of Abel onwards (1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thess. 4:16).
1 Corinthians 15:23 23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
40. Will the Living Saints Be Changed and the Righteous Dead Raised Simultaneously?
No. “The dead in Christ shall rise first,” that is before the living are changed (1 Thess. 4:16). “I am the resurrection (that to the dead) and the life” (this to the living) (John 14:25). This is ever the order in Scripture; first, the dead raised, then the living changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
John 14:25 25These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
41. Will the Foregoing Classes of Saints Be Translated Together?
Yes. “We,” the changed living, and “them,” the raised dead, “shall be caught up together ... in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17).
1 Thessalonians 4:17 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
42. What Is Meant by “the Dead in Christ Shall Rise First,” 1 Thessalonians 4:16?
The contrast in the verse is between the dead in Christ and the living in Christ; certainly not between the righteous dead and the wicked dead, as some have strangely enough supposed. The context in this, as elsewhere, decides the point. The meaning is, “the dead in Christ” shall rise before the living are changed. Priority is accorded to those who sleep, but all will be done in the twinkling of an eye. The first, then, who will respond to the Lord’s shout and voice will be the dead; “then we who are alive and remain.” Such is the divine order, and such seems to be the purport of the words, “The dead in Christ shall rise first.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
43. Does “the Dead in Christ” Include the Old Testament Saints?
There is no necessity for confining the expression to those who die from Pentecost. The Old Testament saints and others, such as John Baptist, who may have died before the descent of the Holy Ghost to form the Church at Pentecost, (Acts 2), are raised to share the millennial glory of Christ. I apprehend that they are the guests at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9), as also the Bridegroom’s friends (John 3:29). The bride and the guests surely are distinct. At the “voice” of the Son “they that are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:23) shall be raised. Would any one venture to say that the Old Testament saints are not Christ’s? — that they do not belong to Him?
“They that are Christ’s at His coming” really decides the point. All saints, then, who have died from Adam up till the moment of the Lord’s descent into the air, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, will be raised as a whole to share with the living (who will then be changed) the heavenly glory of Christ.
Acts 2:1-4 1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Revelation 19:9 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
John 3:29 29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
1 Corinthians 15:23 23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
44. Will the Lord’s Descent to the “Air” Be a Public Event?
No. The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven to the air (1 Thess. 4:16). “I will come again and receive you unto myself” (John 14:3). There is no thought in these or other Scriptures which bear upon that aspect of His return, save the Blessed One Himself coming personally and alone for His own; (see also Eph. 5:27).
1 Thessalonians 4:16 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
John 14:3 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Ephesians 5:27 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
45. What Is the Meaning of the Words, “Them Which Sleep in Jesus Will God Bring With Him,” 1 Thessalonians 4:14?
The Thessalonians had been but lately converted, when the Apostle wrote them the first of the Pauline Epistles. They were living in immediate expectation of the return of God’s Son from heaven; but while waiting and watching, some had died. The enemy sought to disturb the minds of these fresh, affectionate, but not established saints by suggesting that their deceased brethren would lose somewhat in the glory of the coming reign. Not so, writes the apostle; “for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him”; and passing over the parenthetic verses 15-18, he adds: “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.” When God brings Christ into the world again, He will bring your deceased brethren with Him. The parenthetic verses unfold that which will take place previously. The dead will be raised and the living changed, and together meet Him in the “air.” After this “air” meeting has taken place, God will bring Jesus and the saints to earth.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 5:1 1But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
46. Will the Church Be Translated Before the Seventieth Week of Daniel (Dan. 9:27)?
Yes. The Church is now the object of God’s present actings in grace. After its translation to heaven the Jews then will come up before God as the subject of His earthly dealing and government.
Daniel 9:27 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
47. Will Christ Personally Appear on the Earth?
Yes. He will appear in Person to the Jews, whom He will bring into permanent spiritual and temporal blessing (Zech. 12:10); (see also Mal. 3:1; Ezek. 43:7; Zech. 8:3, etc). He will not, however, reign on but over the earth.
Zechariah 12:10 10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Malachi 3:1 1Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
Ezekiel 43:7 7And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.
Zechariah 8:3 3Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.
48. in What Character Will Christ Come for His Bride?
As the Bridegroom, to present her to Himself — in youth, beauty, and glory (Rev. 22:17; Eph. 5:25-27; 2 Cor. 11:2).
Revelation 22:17 17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Ephesians 5:25-27 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
2 Corinthians 11:2 2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
49. in What Character Will Christ Come for His People Individually?
As the Saviour, thus completing His blessed work — already applied to their souls and consciences — in fashioning and glorifying, like His own, the bodies of His saints (Phil. 3:20-21).
Philippians 3:20-21 20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
50. in What Character Will Christ Assume the Government of the Earth?
As “Son of Man” — His title of peculiar delight (Psa. 8).
Who is this Son of Man? — Jesus, now honored and glorified (Heb. 2:6-9).
When will the Son of Man exercise universal sovereignty? At the completion of the first resurrection, which will be of saints only, and will precede the raising of the wicked by 1,000 years (1 Cor. 15:23-27; Rev. 20:5-6).
Psalm 8:1-9 1To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 3When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
Hebrews 2:6-9 6But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
1 Corinthians 15:23-27 23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
Revelation 20:5-6 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed 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.
51. in What Characters Will Christ Come for Israel’s Blessing and Glory?
As Son of God, King of Israel, Son of David, and Son of Man. The title Son of God lays the ground of all blessing in the glory and dignity of His person; the title King of Israel secures the gathering of and government of all the tribes of Israel; the title Son of David lays the ground of His legal right to Judah’s long-deserted throne, Christ being legal heir through the Solomon or royal branch of the house of David; while the title Son of Man lays the moral ground in His work, and reveals His rights over man and creation (Psa. 8; Psa. 45; Matt. 21:9; etc.).
Psalm 8:1-9 3When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
Psalm 45:6-11 6Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 7Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 8All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. 9Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. 10Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; 11So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.
Matthew 21:9 9And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
52. What Is Meant by the Expression “That Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13)?
The “blessed” or happy “hope” refers to the Lord’s personal return to fetch us up to Himself in the Father’s house, perfectly like Him and with Him forever. It does not directly refer to, although closely connected with, the public manifestation of Christ and us in glory; that is a later event.
Titus 2:13 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
53. What Is Meant by the Expression, “the Glorious Appearing,” or “Appearing of the Glory” (Titus 2:13)?
Christ and the saints will be presented together in the same glory, after He has, as the “Blessed Hope,” translated them into His Father’s home and presence (John 17:22-23; Col. 3:4).
Titus 2:13 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
John 17:22-23 22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Colossians 3:4 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
54. How Are God’s Grace and Our Responsibility As Christians Connected With the “Hope” and the “Appearing”?
The “blessed hope” presents the completion of the Saviour’s work applied to the body, and hence the whole Church of God is embraced — those living or dead (1 Thess. 4; Phil. 3:20-21; Rom. 8:23). It is being a sovereign act of absolute grace. The appearing in glory, on the other hand, connects itself with the whole life of responsibility, whether of saint or servant (1 John 2:28; 2 John 8; 2 Tim. 4). Luke 12 shows the contrast in verse 37, the blessed ones are simply watching, as Christ’s saints waited for the rapture, while in verse 43 the blessed ones are doing, faithfully fulfilling their obligations as servants.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Philippians 3:20-21 20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Romans 8:23 23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
1 John 2:28 28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
2 John 8 8Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
2 Timothy 4:1,7-8 1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;.... 7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Luke 12:37 37Blessed 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 12:43 43Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
55. Is the Call of the Spirit and the Bride in Revelation 22:17 to Christ or to the Sinner?
In the previous verse Jesus announces Himself as the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. This awakens the tenderest affections of the bride and deeply stirs her heart, and she answers His presentation of Himself by saying to Him, “Come.” It is a happy fellowship greeting to the Blessed One, for the Spirit and the bride say “Come.” It is the united voice of the Spirit and the church. Individually, too, I have my part in the expressed yearning of heart for the coming of Jesus: “Let him that heareth say, Come.” Then follows the invitation to the sinner: “And let him that is athirst come.” This third “Come” is addressed to the sinner thirsting for the waters of eternal life. “And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely;” not the thirsty only, but all who “will” may come; the waters are free, and the invitation is creature-wide. “Whosoever will” excludes none, but may embrace all.
Revelation 22:16-17 6I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
56. Does Hebrews 9:28 Imply That Those Not Intelligently Looking for Christ Will Not Be Translated at the Second Advent?
The words of difficulty are really simple if Christ is before the soul: “Unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” All are looking for Christ. The second advent of our Lord is a part of the faith of God’s elect. It is found embodied in every creed and confession in Christendom. The difficulty is not in the words, but in the enquirer’s mind. There may not be intelligent looking for Christ, but looking for Him is the all important point. To support the unscriptural theory that because some are not looking for Christ in the intelligence of the Word of God, therefore they will be left to pass through the great tribulation which succeeds the rapture of the Church, is directly opposed to the teaching of the Word of God. The verse does not say “Unto them that look for Him before the millennium”; it is not when or how He comes, but the fact that is stated. Every believer looks for Christ to come; some before, some after the millennium, others at the “last day;” but all are agreed in the truth that He will come, therefore He will appear to all believers the second time without sin (i.e., without reference to sin, that question being forever settled for believers at His first coming) unto salvation.
Hebrews 9:28 28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
57. Will Israel Be Delivered and Blest at the Lord’s Descent Into the “Air,” or When He Stands on “Mount Olivet”?
At the time of the latter event, as Zechariah 14 undoubtedly teaches; (see also Acts 1:6-7,11-12; Isa. 2:1-4; Psa. 72; Psa. 102).
58. Will the Lord’s descent to Mount Olivet be a public event?
Yes. “The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee” (Zech. 14:5). All the hosts of angels will also attend the train of the conquering Lord (Matt. 24:30); (see also Jude 14; Rev. 19:11,14, etc).
Acts 1:6-7,11-12 6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.
Isaiah 2:1-4 1The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Zechariah 14:3-4 3Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Psalm 72:2-8 2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 3The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. 4He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. 5They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. 6He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. 7In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. 8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Psalm 102:12-16 12But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. 13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. 14For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. 15So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. 16When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
Zechariah 14:5 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
Matthew 24:30 30And 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.
Jude 14 14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
Revelation 19:11,14 11And 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. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
59. Is the Cleaving in Two of the Mount of Olives to Be Accepted As a Literal Statement?
Yes. The geographical position of the Mount, the extensive valley formed by its rupture, and other considerations which a careful perusal of Zechariah 14 would suggest, show that the cleaving of Olivet in two must be accepted in its literal import.
Zechariah 14:3-10 3Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 6And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. 8And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. 10All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses.
60. Will the Heathen World Be Blest Before or After the Second Advent?
After. At the close of the judgments preceding and accompanying the coming of the Lord, and when the Lord has taken up His abode in midst of redeemed Israel — “It shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,” of which Pentecost was a pledge and sample (Joel 2:28); consult with their contexts, Psa. 98:2-3; Isa. 11:9.
Joel 2:28 28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Psalm 98:2-3 2The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen. 3He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Isaiah 11:9 9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
The Tribulation
61. Are the Seven Trumpets of the Book of Revelation and the “Last Trump” of 1 Corinthians 15:52 Connected?
No. The sounding of the Apocalyptic trumpets is some time after the blast of “the last trump.” Clearly, therefore, they cannot be identical. Moreover, the trumpets of Revelation announce judgments upon the earth then in apostasy from God. “The last trump,” on the contrary, is the last summons to the saints dead or living on the earth. This last message from God to His people is at the epoch of Christ’s second advent, and the effect is that the dead are raised and the living are changed. Only the redeemed whether alive or dead will hear the blast of the trump. To them, and for them only, it will sound. I connect the passage, therefore, with the one of similar import in 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
1 Corinthians 15:52 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
62. Does the New Jerusalem, of the Book of Revelation, Refer to the Literal City of That Name (Rev. 21)?
No. “Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife,” should be conclusive enough on that debated point. The terms and symbols employed to set forth the Church in glory, are mainly found in Isaiah 60, where the literal Jerusalem in her future glory is magnificently described. The apostle John, in Revelation 21, beholds the true bride and wife of the Lamb, after the destruction of the whore or false and corrupt religious system on earth, both being represented as cities.
Revelation 21:1-2, 9-11 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.... 9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Isaiah 60:1-22 1Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. 5Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. 6The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. 7All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. 8Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? 9Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. 10And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. 11Therefore 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. 12For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. 13The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. 14The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. 16Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. 17For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. 18Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. 19The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 22A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.
63. Will the Saints Be Judged or Manifested Before the Tribunal of Christ?
John 5:24 is conclusive that the believer will not come into judgment. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment (not condemnation), but is passed from death unto life.” Instead of being judged, we shall sit in judgment upon the world and upon angels (1 Cor. 6:2-3). “As He is so are we.” We are as the judge. Judgment upon kings, nobles, peoples, and heathen is an honor conferred upon “all His saints” (Psa. 149). For the believer, therefore, judgment is past; it was fully borne by Christ on the cross, and now such is the worth of His peerless sacrifice that instead of His sacrifice being called in question, which would be the effect of our appearing for judgment, our association now and forever with Him who bore both our sins and their judgment is the blessed answer of God to the infinite worth and divine glory of the person and work of Jesus. But is it not written, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:10)? Yes, my beloved reader, every one who has played a part in the great drama of life will appear before the tribunal of Christ, but certainly not for judgment. Many will be there as we have seen, to judge. What the passage does assert is, that all must appear, or be manifested (same word as in verse 11) before the judgment seat of Christ. This judgment seat will be set up for at least 1,000 years, for proof of which see the judgment of nations (Matt. 25)—which is at the beginning of the millennial reign—and the judgment of the dead—which is after the millennial reign—has closed (Rev. 20). It is a very solemn consideration. It need not alarm the weakest saint, whose standing in grace is eternally secured, but it may act in present power on the conscience and ways, that we must be fully and perfectly manifested before Christ. Our persons, our actions, our ways, our hidden thoughts, will all come out in that day. Yes, all that has been thought, said, and done on earth must pass in calm and solemn review before the searching gaze of Christ, but to us it will be in the presence of infinite grace and marvelous glory. This manifestation of persons certainly includes all human beings, but will not occur for all at the same time. The tribunal of Christ will be a prolonged one. There is, therefore, no judgment for the believer, his person can never be called in question, but his works will (1 Cor. 3). The effect of this manifestation to ourselves (not to others) will be to cast down our crowns at the feet of our adorable Saviour, saying “Worthy art thou, Lord Jesus; worthy art thou alone.”
John 5:24 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
1 Corinthians 6:2-3 2Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
Psalm 149:5-9 5Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. 6Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; 7To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:10-11 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
Matthew 25:31-46 31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Revelation 20:1-15 1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed 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. 7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8And 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. 9And 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. 10And 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. 11And 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. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
64. Is the Bride or King’s Daughter of Psalm 45 and the Lamb’s Bride of Revelation 19 the Same?
Certainly not. In the coming days of the kingdom, the Lord will have a heavenly bride and an earthly one. The Psalmist introduces me into circumstances of earthly joy; the Apostle sets me in the midst of heavenly joys. Judea is the scene in Psalm 45; heaven is the marriage scene of Revelation 19. The King is the subject of the psalm; the Lamb is the subject of the chapter. Fighting and victory precede the marriage of the earthly Bride; fighting and victory follow the marriage of the heavenly Bride. Read carefully the two portions and write down the contrasts, which are marked and numerous.
Psalm 45:1, 9-14 1To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.... 9Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. 10Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; 11So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. 12And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour. 13The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. 14She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.
Revelation 19:1-9 1And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 4And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
65. What Is the Length of Time Between the Translation of the Saints to Heaven, and Their Subsequent Return With the Lord?
Daniel’s last week or seven years (Dan. 9:27), forming no part of this Church age, will commence its course after the return of the Jews to their land has been effected. The mass of the Jewish people, then in apostasy, will enter into covenant with the head of the Roman empire that then exists. This unholy league is made for “one week” or seven years (Dan. 9:27). These Jewish scenes and circumstances suppose the Church already translated to heaven. In point of fact it is, as the numerous poat-rapture events from chapter 6 till chapter 19 of the book of Revelation cover this same period of time referred to by Daniel. A period, therefore, of at least seven years transpires between the rapture of the Church to heaven and her subsequent descent from heaven with the Lord.
Daniel 9:27 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
66. Describe the General Situation in the Closing Days.
The Jews will be restored to their own land through the friendly offices of a maritime power — one which has not hitherto, actively at least, meddled in Jewish affairs (Isaiah 18). Restored in unbelief, they will build their ruined temple and city, offer sacrifices, and observe their feasts and sabbaths as before. The antichrist will be accepted as king by the mass of the nation and will rule in Palestine, exercising the power of the Roman arms. In order to protect themselves from the inroads of the king of the north, the then leaders of Judah will make a covenant with the head of the revived ten-kingdomed empire for “one week,” or seven years (Dan. 9:27). He will agree to protect them in their religious privileges and also from the fierce and cruel attacks of their northern foe. But in spite of their agreement, this king of Syria invades their country, destroys their civil and religious guides, captures Jerusalem — or at least the half of it — and commits frightful cruelties upon the inhabitants. After three and a half years, or in the “midst of the week” (Dan. 11:27), the Roman prince, aided by the antichrist, breaks the seven years’ covenant and seeks to force idolatry upon the nation. “The abomination that maketh desolate” is set up in a prominent part of the temple; that is, a certain idol is set in an exposed place in the sanctuary. This will be the signal for flight to the godly Jews, long previously foretold by our Lord (Matt. 24:15; compare with Dan. 12:11). Those who refuse to worship Satan and his agents — the beast of Rev. 13:1-8, and the man of sin (2 Thess. 2:3) in that terrible hour will either have to flee or suffer death. The whole power of the empire will be let loose against these holy witnesses and sufferers. For three and a half years there will be a dreadful time of trouble, such as never has been or will be. The trials, distresses, prayers, and confessions of the God-fearing remnant of Judah during this time are fully detailed in the Psalms. The sins of the nation in crucifying the Messiah, the guilt of a broken law, the outraged government of God, their awful idolatry, their acceptance of the false Messiah, their history as a people from the redemption out of Egypt, will all be owned and confessed in that day. A third part of the people (Zech. 13:8-9) will be converted and be accounted to the Lord for a generation; they will form the nucleus of the happy nation in the millennial rest and glory. The ten tribes will be restored to the land, and united to Judah after the Lord has come. The prophets Ezekiel, Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah fully unfold these interesting events and details.
Isaiah 18:1-31Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: 2That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! 3All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
Daniel 9:27 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Daniel 11:27 27And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
Matthew 24:15 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Daniel 12:11 11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Revelation 13:1-8 1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Zechariah 13:8-9 8And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.
67. Will There Be a National Restoration of the Jews to Palestine?
Yes. God foretells a national return of Judah — in unbelief and for Gentile-political purposes only — and which will be effected by the aid of a certain commercial and maritime people specified in Isaiah 18. We say not whether this unnamed nation who will undertake to settle the “Eastern Question” will be Great Britain, France, or any other European power, although the marks and characteristics more fully apply to Great Britain than to any other.
Isaiah 18:1-31Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: 2That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! 3All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
68. Will There Be an Individual-Israelitish Return to Palestine Subsequent to the National One?
Yes. “Ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel” (Isa. 27:12-13). The Gentiles spared from judgment will instrumentally effect a full return of any Israelites left amongst the nations (Isa. 66:19-20; Zeph. 3:10). This individual restoration will take place after the Lord has come to Judea (Matt. 24:31). Most of the passages which speak of the Lord’s restoration of His ancient people, refer to those gathered in after He has come with all His heavenly saints and angels.
Isaiah 27:12-13 12And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. 13And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.
Isaiah 66:19-20 19And 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. 20And 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.
Zephaniah 3:10 10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
Matthew 24:31 31And 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.
69. Do the Seventy Weeks of Daniel Form Any Part of the Present Period of God’s Long-Suffering Grace to the World?
This justly celebrated prophecy is an interesting study — the due understanding of which is most needful to students of the prophetic word. The seventy weeks — weeks of years — cover a period of 490 years. “Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks (49 years), and threescore and two weeks (434 years); the street shall be built again and the wall even in troublous times” (Daniel 9:25). When was this decree respecting the rebuilding of Jerusalem given? It will be found in Nehemiah, chapter 2. From the granting of Artaxerxes’ decree, therefore, unto Messiah’s public entry into Jerusalem as Judah’s Prince and King (Matt. 21:5 with Zech. 9:9), we have a period in all of 483 years. Now it is most important to note, that that which follows forms no part of these weeks, but comes in after the conclusion of the 69th week and before the opening of the 70th. The death of the Messiah, the destruction of Jerusalem, and a long period of appointed desolation are the events which were to happen between the 69th and 70th weeks, yet forming no part of either (verse 26). This then is a parenthetic period of great importance, and which has already lasted 1876 years. [Ed. Walter Scott made this statement initially in 1876.] If the parenthesis between these periods (verse 26) is not seen, the prophetic future will be wrapped in confusion, and the student find himself involved in inextricable difficulty; admit the parenthesis, and all becomes clear. During this time the testimony to the risen Son of God is being published worldwide. God is gathering out by the ministry of the Word and the testimony of the Spirit a people for the name of His Blessed Son. The Bride is being called out and conducted through the wilderness to Christ as Rebecca was brought to Isaac. (Gen. 24). Joint dominion and lordship over all the works of God’s hands have been conferred on Christ as man, and also on the members of His body — heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Now, when this present work of grace and glory is over, when the family are gathered home to the many-mansioned house of the Father (John 14:1,3), then the course of the seventy weeks will be resumed. The seven years needed for the completion of the whole period (490 years) is thus future. The Jews in their land, the temple rebuilt, and covenant making between the mass of the people and the head of the fourth empire are needful circumstances for the fulfillment of this last period of seven years (Daniel 9:27). Thus the seventy weeks, or 490 years of Daniel’s celebrated prophecy, form no part of this period of God’s long-suffering grace to the world.
Daniel 9:25 25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Matthew 21:5 5Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
Zechariah 9:9 9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
John 14:1,3 1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Daniel 9:26-27 26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
70. What Is Meant by the “Falling Away,” or Apostasy, Spoken of 2 Thessalonians 2:3?
It is not the corruption of Christianity, as at present, but its total abandonment by the mass of the people now professing it. After the removal of the saints to heaven the forms of Christianity may be retained for a time; but, alas! for these lands of Christendom where the torch of divine truth has been kindled. The apostasy will be wide spread. The worship of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost — the divine trinity — will be set aside for the worship of Satan, the beast, and the false prophet — the infernal trinity (Rev. 13). Peter, in his second epistle, delineates the wickedness of the closing days of Christendom; but Jude’s short epistle goes a step beyond, and sketches with remarkable energy the apostasy of Christendom.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Revelation 13:1-18 1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
71. When Will the Apostasy Take Place, and the Antichrist Be Revealed?
After the removal of the Church to heaven and before the day of the Lord arrives, there will be “a falling away,” literally “the apostasy,” and the revelation of the Man of Sin, or the Antichrist. Observe very carefully the reasoning of the apostle. He uses the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto Him (2 Thess. 2:1) to comfort the troubled Thessalonians and to prove that the day of the Lord was not yet present. Why should they be shaken in mind or agitated in spirit by Jewish or heathen persecution? Why mistake these troubles for the day of the Lord? The Lord had not come, and they had not been gathered to Him. How then could the judgments have set in, when “the day” with which the judgments stand connected had not arrived? Another consideration adduced in proof that the day of the Lord had not arrived, was that there must “come a falling away first,” and that the man of sin would be revealed, the “son of perdition.” In the day of the Lord, apostate Christendom and the antichrist or “man of sin” would be singled out as special objects of divine judgment; but the apostasy must have taken place and the man of sin have been revealed previously. The argument of the apostle then briefly stated is: “The day of the Lord is not present because the Lord has not come, and we are not gathered unto Him; secondly, the day of the Lord is not present because the apostasy and the man of sin are not yet developed.” Thus the apostasy will take place and the Antichrist be revealed after the removal of the Church to heaven, and before the revelation of the Lord from heaven with all His heavenly saints. If the chapter is carefully considered, other and weighty considerations will present themselves in proof of what is here stated.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 1Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
72. What Are the Names and Titles by Which the Antichrist Is Spoken of in Scripture?
(1) “Antichrist” is a term found only in John’s epistles, and is used as defining his anti-religious character in denying the Father and the Son. (1 John 2:18,22). (2) “Man of Sin” (2 Thess. 2:3). Every form of iniquity will be fully developed in a man; sin, so to speak, will be concentrated in one individual, here called “that man of sin.” (3) He is also styled “The Son of Perdition” (2 Thess. 2:3), as significantly expressive of his awful origin and terrible end. (4) “That Wicked” or “Lawless One” (2 Thess. 2:8), the very personification of self-will, and thus set in sharp contrast to Him who never once sought His own will, but ever did that which pleased the Father. (5) “Another Beast” (Rev. 13:11-16). Imitation of Christ in power and character, he has “horns like a lamb,” but his utterances are the expression of satanic influence, for “he spake as a dragon.” (6) “The false Prophet” (Rev. 16:3; 19:20). The expression of his malignant influence in falsely representing himself as God’s mouth-piece to apostate Israel. (7) “Foolish and Idol Shepherd” (Zech. 11:15,17). Instead of caring for the flock, this shepherd — raised up in retributive justice because of Israel’s rejection of Jehovah’s shepherd and king — will treat the flock with cruelty. The sword (judgment) will rest on “his arm and right eye,” his boasted power and intelligence. (8) “The King” (Daniel 11:36). This is his royal character in Palestine. (9) “The bloody and deceitful man” (Psa. 5:6). This and other titles are applied to “Antichrist” in the Psalms, but the names and titles generally are self-explanatory.
1 John 2:18,22 18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2 Thessalonians 2:8 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Revelation 13:11-16 11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Zechariah 11:15,17 15And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. 17Woe to the idol 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.
Revelation 16:3 3And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea.
Revelation 19:20 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Daniel 11:36 36And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
Psalm 5:6 6Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
73. Will the Antichrist Be a Jew or Gentile, and What Relationship Will He Have With the Revived Roman Power?
The antichrist to come is neither a system nor principle, but a person. A Gentile he could not be, as that would invalidate his claim to be received as the Messiah in Judea. Daniel 11:37 proves him a Jew: “Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers.” Of all the peoples on the face of the earth, only the Jews had a religion passed down from God (Rom. 9:3-5); the Gentiles are very differently spoken of (Eph. 2:12). “Nor” shall he regard “the desire of women.” The great object of desire on the part of godly women in Judea was to become the mother of the Messiah. For any woman in Israel not to become a mother (the only possible way to become the mother of the Messiah) was therefore justly regarded as a reproach and shame. The antichrist has no care for this, but the expression shows he will be a Jew.
In Revelation 13 we have two beasts — two great powers. The close connection, yet distinctness of each, is carefully marked in the chapter. The one beast rises up out of the sea; the other beast comes up out of the earth. The beast out of the sea (Rev. 13:1-8) I regard as identical with “the little horn” of Daniel 7. This blasphemous beast is the full expression of satanic wickedness and power. The prince of this world will find a man ready and willing to receive from his hands the kingdoms of the world — which were refused by Christ (Luke 4:5-8). The Gentile representative of the fourth monarchy will receive all at Satan’s hands, and on his awful terms. But although the power will be in the hands of this first beast, it will be fully exercised by the second beast. It will be the second beast, also called antichrist or false prophet who will imitate the royal and priestly functions of Christ, and actually perform signs and great wonders, so as to cause the world to deify the first beast, or blasphemous imperial power. While, therefore, a Gentile (the first beast) will sit on the throne of the world in possession of the full power of Satan, the energy of that power will be displayed by the second beast, (a Jew) thus: “he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him [in his presence].” This second beast, the antichrist has been aptly termed, “The first beast’s Lieutenant.” Associated together in wickedness, (Rev. 13) they will meet a common doom; “these both (beast and antichrist) were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Rev. 19:20).
Daniel 11:37 37Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
Romans 9:3-5 3For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Ephesians 2:12 12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Revelation 13:1-8 1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Daniel 7:7-8 7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold 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. 8I 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.
Revelation 13:11-15 11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Luke 4:5-8 5And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Revelation 19:20 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
74. Who Will Be the Leading Actors in the Coming Crisis?
There will be four main actors in the closing days, the whole scene being under the leadership of Satan, king of the bottomless pit.
(1) The little horn of Daniel 7, or first beast of Revelation 13. The civil power delegated to the Gentile in the person of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2) will be found in open revolt against the Lamb and His heavenly saints in the coming crisis (Rev. 19:19-21). This beast or little horn will head up the civil apostasy.
(2) The Antichrist, who will sum up the Jewish apostasy—the denial of the Christ, the Messiah (2 John 7)—and also the Christian apostasy, the denial of the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22). He will also reign as king in Palestine (Dan. 11:36), and be accepted as such by the apostate nation (John 5:43).
(3) The King of the North or “ little horn” of Daniel 8, termed also “the Assyrian” (Isaiah 10, etc.) in the prophets, and used as a rod in Jehovah’s hand for the punishment of the then apostate nation. He will be the chief of the coalition formed for the total destruction of Israel, and for the complete blotting out of her name and nationality from the earth (Psalm 83), and thus Israel’s great political enemy in the closing days.
(4) The King of the South (Egypt). This personage does not play nearly as important a part at the close as his northern antagonist, the king of the north. All these powers will be energized and directed by Satan, the prince and god of this world.
Revelation 19:19-21 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
2 John 7 7For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
1 John 2:22 22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
Daniel 11:36 36And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
John 5:43 43I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
Daniel 7:7-8 7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold 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. 8I 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.
Revelation 13:1-41And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Daniel 2:31-38 31Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34Thou 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. 35Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 36This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. 37Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
Daniel 8:8-14 8Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. 9And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. 10And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 11Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 12And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered. 13Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
Isaiah 10:5-7 5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
Psalm 83:2-8 2For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. 3They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. 4They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. 5For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: 6The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; 7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.
75. Does the Babylon of the Book of Revelation Refer to the Literal City of That Name (Rev. 17)?
No. The center of this religious and idolatrous system, falsely representing herself as the bride of Christ, is the seven-hilled city of Rome; but the terms used to describe her character of glory (Rev. 17; Rev. 18) are borrowed from the prophet’s account of the historical city (Jer. 51). The apostle sees the mystical Babylon; the prophet describes the literal city of that name.
Revelation 17:1-9 1And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. 7And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
Revelation 18:1-24 1And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 6Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 7How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. 9And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, 10Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. 11And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 12The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 14And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. 20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. 21And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 22And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Jeremiah 51:1-64 1Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind; 2And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about. 3Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host. 4Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets. 5For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. 6Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the Lord’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense. 7Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. 8Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. 9We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies. 10The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God. 11Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple. 12Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the Lord hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon. 13O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness. 14The Lord of hosts hath sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillars; and they shall lift up a shout against thee. 15He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding. 16When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. 17Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. 18They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. 19The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the Lord of hosts is his name. 20Thou art my battle ax and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; 21And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; 22With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid; 23I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers. 24And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the Lord. 25Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain. 26And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the Lord. 27Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillars. 28Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion. 29And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the Lord shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant. 30The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken. 31One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end, 32And that the passages are stopped, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted. 33For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come. 34Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out. 35The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. 36Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry. 37And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant. 38They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions’ whelps. 39In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the Lord. 40I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats. 41How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations! 42The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof. 43Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass thereby. 44And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall. 45My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord. 46And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler. 47Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her. 48Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, saith the Lord. 49As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth. 50Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the Lord afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind. 51We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame hath covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the Lord’S house. 52Wherefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will do judgment upon her graven images: and through all her land the wounded shall groan. 53Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the Lord. 54A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans: 55Because the Lord hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered: 56Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the Lord God of recompenses shall surely requite. 57And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts. 58Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary. 59The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince. 60So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon. 61And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words; 62Then shalt thou say, O Lord, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever. 63And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates: 64And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
76. Will the Old Roman or Latin Empire Be Resuscitated, and by Whom and When?
It will. Satan will be the agent in effecting its revival, which will be accomplished after the present interval of grace is closed and the Church is translated to the Father’s house. Satan will then be allowed to consummate the civil and ecclesiastical apostasies; (see Rev. 17:8 for the former, and 2 Thess. 2:8-9 for the latter).
Revelation 17:8 8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-9 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
77. Into How Many Parts Will the Roman Empire Be Distributed?
Into ten kingdoms. Ireland, America, and some portions of the Continent will probably be excepted since they did not constitute part of the empire. The area covered by the revived empire will generally be Europe (see Dan. 7:7-8; Rev. 17:3, Rev. 17:7-16).
Daniel 7:7-8 7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold 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. 8I 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.
Revelation 17:3 3So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Revelation 17:7-16 7And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 14These 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. 15And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
78. How Does Scripture Epitomize the History of the Empire?
Scripture regards the western or fourth Empire in four distinct positions. “The beast that thou sawest was,” refers to its imperial form as existing in John’s day, and under which he was exiled for a time to the island of Patmos. “And is not,” that is, does not at present exist as a united empire, refers to Europe as presently formed being consequent on its break-up by the Goths, Vandals, and other barbarian races. “And shall ascend out of the bottomless pit,” means it will be revived by direct Satanic origin. “And go into perdition,” foretells its last and awful phase being one of divine judgment, as Revelation 19:20 prophetically intimates (Rev. 17:8).
Revelation 19:20 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Revelation 17:8 8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
79. What City Will Form the Capital of the Future Empire?
Rome, the seven-hilled city (Rev. 17:9-18). Italy is rapidly rising into prominence, and will soon take a leading place amongst the western powers. “The Eternal City,” impiously so termed, will become the seat as formerly of Popery during the brief hour of her coming triumph, as also of the ten kingdoms of the empire; both these points are developed with remarkable clearness in Revelation 17. Alas for the future of these Christianized nations! Yet a little while, and an armed, apostate and united Europe will daringly confront the Lamb of God, and lift up her puny arm, but her doom is fixed (Rev. 17; Rev. 19:19-21). Oh, that men would turn to God the Saviour of the lost!
Revelation 17:9-18 9And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 14These 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. 15And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Revelation 19:19-21 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
80. Who Are Meant by the Two Beasts of Revelation 13?
The first beast refers to the fourth or Latin Empire, Revelation 13:1-8, which rises out of the sea or unsettled state of things. The second beast refers to the Antichrist or man of sin, Revelation 13:11-18, which rises out of the land or settled order of things.
Revelation 13:1-8 1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Revelation 13:11-18 11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
81. Who Are Meant by “the Beast” and “the False Prophet” (Rev. 19:20)?
“The beast” is the revived Latin Empire, and “the false prophet” is the antichrist acting as leader in Judah’s apostasy from God. Their concert in wickedness is unfolded in Revelation 13, while their union in one common doom is noted in Revelation 19.
Revelation 19:20 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Revelation 13:11-17 11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Revelation 19:19-21 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
82. Can You Name the Leading Characters and Actors in the Future Crisis Preceding the Millennium?
(1.) The Assyrian, or leader of Israel’s foes in the north and east.
(2.) The beast, or power of Rome revived.
(3.) The antichrist, or Jewish prince in Palestine and false prophet amongst the people.
(4.) The King of the South, or Egypt.
(5.) The Jews restored to their land — the event round which all others circle.
The important personages who will play their part in the closing days of Christendom and Jewish apostasy are often confounded. There is a largeness and completeness in the prophetic future little thought of by many, and if you lose sight of, or confound, any of the distinct actors in the busy scenes of the coming crisis, you get wrong in more points than one, for the prophetic map has been accurately and divinely filled up by the Spirit of God. Not only does it present the harmonious whole, but all its parts, even to the smallest details, are adjusted in relation the one to the other. What is greatly needed is grace to own our ignorance where it exists — and where does it not? — and to wait upon God for light and guidance. To clearly distinguish, therefore, the horns of Daniel 7 and 8 will be found immensely helpful in seeing the general situation, and many details of interest at the close of the age.
83. Who is the little horn of Daniel 7?
Daniel 7 sketches the successive history of the four empires, from the political ruin of Judah till the Lord’s second advent. Volumes have been written upon the ancient empires of Babylon, Persia, and Greece. Although the Spirit of God in this chapter has devoted to each of these powers but a single verse, in each of these verses (Dan. 7:4-6) He has compressed the salient points needful for us to know, and in substance not more will we find in the learned treatises of the historians.
But the chapter especially discusses the “fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong, exceedingly” (Dan. 7:7), the representative of which, in the person of Pilate, delivered up Jesus to the will of the Jews. The empire will be divided into ten kingdoms (Dan. 7:24). It is the “little horn,” however, which will give compactness and unity to the empire. Arising from among the ten horns or kings, it will gradually assume importance and power until the whole strength of the beast is concentrated in himself, and he becomes the head or chief of the empire. The prolongation, grandeur, and extent of this gigantic godless power, as well as its utter final destruction, are morally dependent upon this cruel persecutor of the saints and daring blasphemer against God (Dan. 7:11).
This ten-horned condition of the Latin Empire is most certainly future. For when the barbaric hordes poured their resistless forces into it in the fifth century, it became completely broken up, and the consequence was Europe as presently constituted. But will anyone gravely contend that the dismemberment of the vast colossal power of the West, and the formation of numerous independent kingdoms out of its broken fragments meets the requirements of this important scripture? Surely not. Besides, what is more important still is to know that God has affirmed the revival of the empire — a satanic revival moreover — and that purely is enough for faith to rest upon. Charlemagne, and Napoleon I both attempted the resuscitation of the Roman empire, and certain European statesmen of note have been lately discussing the desirability of such an event, but in vain — God’s time has not come. Not man, but Satan will revive it (Rev. 17:8). After its distribution into ten kingdoms, this little horn — whose insignificant rise, political progress, character, and doings are noted in this important prophetic chapter — will occupy, on behalf of Satan, the throne of the world. He will be the great political leader and distinguished Gentile chief in the West. This little horn is a distinct power from the antichrist on the one hand, and the little horn of the East ( Daniel 8) on the other.
Daniel 7:4-6 4The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. 5And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. 6After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
Daniel 7:7 7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold 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.
Daniel 7:24 24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
Daniel 7:11 11I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
Revelation 17:8 8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
84. Who Is the Little Horn of Daniel 8?
The scenes in Daniel 8 are laid in the distant East. The general bearing of the chapter is plain. The two-horned ram (Dan. 8:3,20) is the Medio-Persian power. He pushes his conquests west, north, and south, from the east, achieving victories subduing kingdoms, and acting in proud self-will. Attention is next directed to a he-goat from the west, with “a notable horn between his eyes.” Who is this power that successfully meets the Persian, disputes with him the mastery of the world, and effectually destroys the mighty tyrant of the east? Gabriel’s explanation is brief and lucid. “The rough goat is the king of Grecia, and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king” (Dan. 8:21). History is useful in its place, but when it is insisted upon as needful to understand Scripture, when brought in as the interpreter of the Word of God, then the principle and the interpretation should be at once rejected as utterly false and dishonoring to the Spirit of God, who is alone competent to search out “the deep things of God,” and who is also the power by which these “deep things” are communicated to us, and received by us (1 Cor. 2:9-16). A double evil is the result of this false system when applied to the prophetic writings. First, prophecy ceases to be such if it is to be understood by history — for fulfilled prophecy is simply history; and, second, the practical value of the prophetic word is lost, and I cannot take heed to it, or use it as a lamp in the dark (2 Peter 1:19-21), if it cannot be understood, except by the miserable light afforded in the historical writings of the school-men; and it might, in truth, be added, that much of the Bible would be a sealed book to the mass if it were it to be interpreted by the uncertain light of history. The prophecies of Daniel, the visions of Ezekiel, and the Apocalypse of John can be understood by the very same power — the Holy Ghost — as that which gives me the meaning of the simple but exquisitely beautiful words of Jesus recorded in John 14.
The rapid and furious attacks of the renowned statesman and soldier, Alexander the Great, mainly directed by the recollection of the Persian’s former insult and injury to his nation, are vividly set forth by a few energetic sketches of the divine pen, not after the events, but a considerable time before either the Persian or Grecian had attained to eminence, or were likely to do so. Then follows the rapid, wide-spread growth of the Grecian empire under its famous “first king.” “Therefore the he-goat waxed very great, and when he was strong the great horn was broken” (Dan. 8:8). Alexander, in the very zenith of his power, when a conquered world lay at his feet, when kings and princes, from the Ganges to the Mediterranean, acknowledged his sway, and received their crowns and kingdoms at his hand, when an empire, which for strength and vastness was unequalled, had been built up in the course of twelve years—then the renowned soldier and statesman was taken away in the very flower of his age, being only 32. Alexander possessed, in a remarkable degree, the essential qualities for founding and maintaining a vast empire, but which were found sadly deficient in his generals, who after his death squabbled for his power. Two out of the four kingdoms which arose on the breakup of the empire occupy an important place in the prophetic Word. These two are the Syrian and Egyptian kingdoms, the sovereigns of which are spoken of as the Kings of the North (Syria) and the Kings of the South (Egypt) — Daniel 11. But here it is important to remark that Jerusalem as a city, and Judea as a country, are the centers of these earthly dealings and counsels of God. The haughty Turk treads with a proud step the streets of that wonderful city which the Saviour loved so well, and over which He wept. The Gentile scans with disdainful glance the crouching Jew sadly weeping in the “place of wailing.” But God has better things in store for His scattered people. Glorious things are spoken of thee, Zion! and God has His eyes and heart on thy land and people “perpetually” (1 Kings 11:3; Deut. 11:12). Make your standpoint Jerusalem, and at once you fix with precision and definiteness north and south, east and west. In Daniel 8:9-10, we have this celebrated “little horn” coming from the north, invading the “pleasant land” (Judea), destroying the civil and ecclesiastical leaders of the Jews, “the host of heaven and stars,” and casting “down the truth to the ground.” Who is this terrible and cruel enemy of the Jews? I believe the distinct reference is to Antiochus Epiphanes, King of the North, or of Syria, whose mad hatred of the Jews knew no bounds. What is attributed to him in Daniel 8:9-10, and the last two clauses of Daniel 8:12 is a simple matter of exact historical fulfillment. Gabriel, in explaining, however, makes the vision “the time of the end.” It is to be understood now (Daniel 8:16), but its complete and ample fulfillment is at the time of the end (Daniel 8:17).
In Daniel 8:23 we have a king spoken of, the antitype of Antiochus. The character and doings of this king of fierce countenance are detailed in Daniel 8:23-25, related in Isaiah 10 as the Assyrian, and spoken of in Isaiah 28 as the overflowing scourge. He is the King of the North, the great political enemy of the Jews in the latter day. Further information about this king is given in Daniel 11, as also of the King of the South. Judea was ever the object of attack by these kings, to one or other of which it generally belonged. The reappearance of these kingdoms, their mutual hatred of each other, and their cordial dislike of the Antichrist who will be king in Judea are detailed at length in Daniel 11. It must be borne in mind that the course of the four empires form one great branch of prophetic truth. Daniel 7 and the book of Revelation generally take up and occupy that part of the prophetic field. But there is another set of nations outside the western powers, of whom the King of the North, or “little horn,” is leader. The western powers will be in alliance with, and friendly to, the cause of the Jews as a nation. The north-eastern powers on the contrary will be bent on the complete destruction of Israel as a people. The little horn of Daniel 7 is the great leader in the West. The little horn of Daniel 8 is the great leader in the North-East. Hence, in this chapter, neither the first (Babylonian) nor fourth (Roman) empires are referred to.
Daniel 8:3,20 3Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. 20The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
Daniel 8:21 21And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
1 Corinthians 2:9-16 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
2 Peter 1:19-21 19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Daniel 8:8 8Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
John 14:16-18 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
1 Kings 11:3 3And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
Deuteronomy 11:12 12A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
Daniel 8:9-10 9And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. 10And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
Daniel 8:12 12And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered.
Daniel 8:16 16And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
Daniel 8:17 17So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
Daniel 8:23 23And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
Daniel 8:23-25 23And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
Daniel 11:5-15 5And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. 6And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king’s daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. 7But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: 8And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. 9So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. 10But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. 11And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 14And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. 15So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.
Isaiah 10:5-7 5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
Isaiah 28:2,15 2Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand....15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
Daniel 7:8-9 8I 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. 9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
85. Who Is Meant by the “Little Horn” of Daniel 7, and What Relationship Will He Sustain to the Jews?
This little horn or king will head the revived Roman power, and will politically favor the Jews, taking them under his special protection. It is this future Roman prince that is referred to in Daniel 11:27, who will make a political league with the apostate nation for seven years, and who will also ally himself with the Antichrist or Jewish prophet and king (Rev. 13).
Daniel 11:27 27And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
Revelation 13:11-15 11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
86. Who Is Meant by the “Little Horn” of Daniel 8, and What Relationship Will He Sustain to the Jews?
This king will be the future antagonist of the Jewish people, and is the same spoken of by the prophets Isaiah and Micah as “The Assyrian.” He will be the great leader of Israel’s enemies in the east, as the “little horn” of the previous chapter will head the nations politically favorable to the Jews in the west; the former arises from the broken up third empire, the latter out of the fourth empire.
Daniel 8:8-27 8Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. 9And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. 10And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 11Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 12And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered. 13Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. 15And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man. 16And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. 17So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. 18Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright. 19And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. 20The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. 21And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. 23And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. 26And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. 27And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
87. What Is Symbolized by “Beast,” “Horn,” “Horse,” and “Throne” in the Prophetic Scriptures?
Beast, denotes an empire;
horn, a king or kingdom;
horse, successful power in war and conquest;
throne, established authority.
88. Will the Antichrist Be the Political Ally or the Enemy of the Revived Empire and of “the Assyrian”?
The antichrist, so termed because of his antichristian character (see John’s Epistles), will also maintain the royal authority in Palestine (Dan. 11:36) by the favor and powerful support of the fourth Empire. He will not, however, be the head of the Empire, as some have supposed, but the connection between the great Gentile chief of the Empire with this Jewish king will be a close and intimate one; for this see that Revelation 13:1-10 applies to the power of Rome, while Revelation 13:11-18 shows “another beast,” or antichrist, that is, Jewish king and his relation to the empire. The Assyrian will occupy the present Syrian territory comprehended within the Empire of Turkey, while the antichrist will reign in the land. They will be bitterly opposed to each other; for this see Daniel 11:40.
Daniel 11:36 36And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
Revelation 13:1-10 1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Revelation 13:11-18 11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Daniel 11:40 40And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
89. Why Is the Beast Said to Arise up Out of the Sea (Rev. 13:1) and Ascend Out of the Bottomless Pit (Rev. 17:8)?
The beast — fourth empire — rising up out of the sea refers to its human origin. It arose, as the previous empires did, out of a restless condition of things (Dan. 7:3); the peoples, like the troubled waves of the sea, being in a state of anarchy and confusion. In Revelation 17, the beast “shall ascend out of the bottomless pit,” referring to its future satanic revival. It will be revived by the direct energy of Satan.
Revelation 13:1 1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Revelation 17:8 8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Daniel 7:3 3And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
Revelation 17:8 8The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
90. Who are the sufferers in the great tribulation?
The Awful Trouble of the Coming Period of Tribulation Is Solemnly and Strongly Expressed in Mark 13:19. “in Those Days Shall Be Affliction Such As Was Not From the Beginning of the Creation Which God Created Unto This Time, Neither Shall Be.” Its Duration Is Limited to Three Years and a Half, at the Close of Which the Son of Man Will Come (Rev. 13; Matt. 24:15,30). the Principal Scriptures Which Speak of This Period of Unequalled Trouble Are ...
First, Jeremiah 30:7, where it is spoken of as “Jacob’s trouble.”
Second, Daniel 12:1: Daniel’s people, the Jews, are in the tribulation.
Third, Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:19. In these New Testament references to the coming tribulation, our Lord refers to Daniel 12:1,11, and speaks of the disciples in the tribulation, as praying that their flight might not be in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day, and further, providing the Judean mountains for safety and shelter, and urging instant flight from the storm ere it bursts. All this shows clearly enough that none but persons in Jewish circumstances will be in this tribulation. That others besides Jews will suffer is true; the tribulation will rage hotly and fiercely in Jerusalem, where the iron furnace of affliction “will be seven times heated”; but it will enlarge and widen until the whole earth is embraced (Rev. 7:9-17).
Fourth, it is evident that those Gentiles who come out of the great tribulation (Rev. 7:14) are set in contrast to the heavenly saints, for one of the elders speaks of the innumerable company who have emerged out of the tribulation as a distinct class of persons from the elders (Rev. 7:14). No portion of the Church will pass through the tribulation. There is an express scripture exempting them from it: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation (or trial) which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). The promise is not to be kept through the hour of trial, as Noah in the Ark, but from it, as Enoch from the deluge. Jews and Gentiles, therefore, but not the Church, will pass through the hour of unequalled tribulation.
Mark 13:19 19For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
Revelation 13:4-10 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Matthew 24:15,30 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 30And 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.
Jeremiah 30:7 7Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
Daniel 12:1 1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Matthew 24:15 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Mark 13:19 19For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
Daniel 12:1,11 1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Revelation 7:9-17 9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Revelation 7:14 14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 3:10 10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
91. Are the “Days,” “Times” and “Months” of Revelation 12 and 13 to Be Understood Literally or Symbolically?
In these chapters we meet with certain measures of time. (1) 1,260 days; (2) time, times, and half a time; (3) 42 months.
In the first of these periods God is graciously registering, and that daily, the time of His people’s sore affliction under the Beast and Antichrist. What a blessed comfort to the sufferers in those days of unparalleled sorrow to know that the time of their awful distress is divinely measured, and beyond that that the enemy is powerless. “For the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:22).
In the second of these periods it is not so much God’s eye resting on the suffering remnant of Israel as the fact of her escape from the great dragon, hence the whole time is summed up as a time (a year), times (two years), and half-a-time (six months) — compare Daniel 4:16-37 for the force of this measure of time. The third period is briefly stated to be forty-two months, during which the beast (resuscitated Roman empire) blasphemes God and those that are in connection with heaven, and makes war against — especially — the Jewish saints. Now, it will be observed that all these periods refer to the same time; namely, the great tribulation, the last half of Daniel’s 70th week of seven years. As these measures, therefore, are differently expressed, although referring to the same time, and make up singly the 3.5 years spoken of by Daniel as commencing “the midst of the week” (Dan. 9:27) we are forced to the conclusion that these periods must be taken literally, not symbolically. Any interpretation other than the literal one introduces endless confusion, and is positively misleading to the student and reader of the prophetic scriptures.
Revelation 12:1414And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Revelation 13:4-54And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Matthew 24:22 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
Daniel 4:16-37 16Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him: and let seven times pass over him. 17This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. 18This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. 19Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. 20The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 23And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 24This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 26And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. 27Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. 28All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 31While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 32And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 33The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. 34And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 37Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Daniel 9:27 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
92. Is the Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand of Revelation 7 and 14 the Same Company?
In Revelation 7:4-8 the twelve tribes are contemplated, and not Judah merely. A hundred and forty-four thousand — a definite number is the thought — are elected and set apart by God for blessing in the millennial earth. In Revelation 14 the hundred and forty-four thousand are a distinct class; they are the preserved remnant of Judah. The ten tribes of Israel will not be restored to the land similarly, nor will they suffer in the land as will the Jews. It was not they who crucified Christ, nor will it be they who will receive the Antichrist. I take it that the hundred and forty-four thousand, therefore, of Revelation 14 refer to the sealed of Judah in contrast to the mass of the nation who receive the mark of the beast, and this sufficiently distinguishes the two companies.
Revelation 7:4-8 4And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Revelation 14:1-5 1And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. 2And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
93. Who Are the Harpers and Singers of Revelation 14:2-3?
I apprehend these are the martyred of Judah. They sing the new song in heaven and before the elders, which means they are a distinct class of saved persons from the elders, who are the saints from Adam till Christ’s descent into the air (1 Thess. 4:15-17). There is an intimate and close connection between this martyred company and the hundred and forty-four thousand with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Only the hundred and forty-four thousand can learn the song of these martyrs. The preserved remnant on earth learn the song of the martyred remnant in heaven; both are Jewish companies.
Revelation 14:1-3 1And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.2And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
94. Who Is the Great Whore Seen Sitting Upon Many Waters in Revelation 17?
After the translation of the Church to heaven there will be a rapid concentration of the now numerous and widely separated religious parties and sects. They will all combine and be headed in person by the antichrist. The religious systems on the earth will quickly assume definiteness and form, and will be energized and directed by satanic wisdom. “Union” is the cry of the politician and of the religionist. Men are getting weary of the religious strife and contentions of Christendom, and pant for union at all costs. On the other hand, the efforts of diplomacy are powerless to preserve the “balance of power” among the nations of Europe; the Continent is like a great armed camp; the struggle is coming. Satan will give effect to the yearning of men very soon. As the god of the world He will raise up the Antichrist to head up and concentrate the religious sects and churches of corrupt Christendom; and, as the prince of the world, give to the nations of Europe a king who will unite the kingdoms and powers now confronting each other, fully equipped and armed for deadly strife. Beware, my beloved reader, of Satan’s counterfeits; the principles of evil which will be fully developed in the coming days in the beast and antichrist are making rapid strides. Our only safety is in cleaving to God and to the word of His grace. Satan’s counterfeit of the true bride will be the great whore, and his counterfeit of the Lamb will be the antichrist. The world kingdom of Christ he will imitate with the beast’s universal sovereignty, and the King of kings with the king of the ten kingdoms. Thyatira, which is Popery, and her children (Rev. 2:20-23), and Sardis, which is Protestantism in her many sects (Rev. 3:1-3), will coalesce in the closing days, and make up the great whore of Revelation. This great whore is represented as a city (Rev. 17; 18), just as the true church is set forth under the symbol of a city (Rev. 21). The false and wicked woman is enriched with and decked out in the world’s glory and grandeur, just as the true and holy bride of the Lamb stands out in the glory of God. The false one is said to be a “mystery;” the true one is declared to be a “mystery” (Ephesians 5:32). The false one is destroyed by the kings of the earth; the true one receives the homage of the kings of the millennial earth. The great whore is the future religious corrupting system on the earth, falsely and wickedly counterfeiting the true bride of Christ.
Revelation 2:20-23 20Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Revelation 3:1-3 1And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Revelation 21:2 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Ephesians 5:32 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Revelation 17:1-5 1And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Revelation 18:16-21 16And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. 20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. 21And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
95. Are the Dates Mentioned in the Central Chapters of the Book of Revelation to Be Understood Literally?
Yes; and when so accepted, the study of the book is immensely simplified. The dates in the prophetic portion of the book of Revelation all refer to the last half, that is, three years and six months or 1,260 literal days, of Daniel’s future week of seven years.
96. Will the Antichrist to Come Be a Jew or a Gentile?
A Jew, else his false Messianic claims and pretensions would not find favor in the land of Judea: “Neither shall he regard the god of his fathers, nor the desire of women.” Jehovah, the national God of Israel, is denoted by the former expression; and Messiah, the expectation of godly women of old, is signified by the latter. “The King” sets himself in opposition both to “Jehovah” and “Messiah” (Dan. 11:37). John, in his epistles, styles him “antichrist,” as denoting his religious character; in Revelation 13:11 he is spoken of as a political power; and in Revelation 19 as “the false prophet” among the Jews; while the Gentile apostle styles him “the man of sin,” and “the son of perdition,” and “wicked” one (2 Thess. 2).
Daniel 11:37 37Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
Revelation 13:11 11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
97. What Relationship Will the Antichrist Sustain to Restored Judah?
Falsely claiming to be the expected Messiah, he will reign as king in the land, and act as “the false prophet” among the people. In this twofold character, the antichrist will wickedly usurp the royal (Psa. 45:1) and prophetic rights (Deut. 28:15) of Christ (Dan. 11:36; Rev. 19:20; Zech. 11:16-17).
Psalm 45:1 1To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves. My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
Deuteronomy 28:15 15But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
Daniel 11:36 36And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
Revelation 19:20 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Zechariah 11:16-17 16For, 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. 17Woe to the idol 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.
98. Will the Temple Be Rebuilt and a Jewish Ritual Established?
Yes. The antichrist to come will make the Temple the seat of his worship (2 Thess. 2:4). It is also regarded as existing with its daily sacrifice and worship, during the course of the future judgments (Rev. 11; Isa. 66:6; Dan. 12:11). The Lord, too, in His great prophetic discourse (Matt. 24:15), pointed to that “holy place” as yet future even then. Scripture records nothing as to the erection of it, but simply notes the fact. The prophetic portions of Daniel also suppose the existence of the Temple, and consequently a Jewish ritual as of old; see especially Daniel 9:27.
2 Thessalonians 2:4 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Isaiah 66:6 6A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompense to his enemies.
Daniel 12:11 11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Matthew 24:15 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Daniel 9:27 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
99. What Is the Meaning of “One Shall Be Taken and the Other Left,” Matthew 24:40-41?
The words refer to the separation of persons in Judea at the coming of the Son of Man. The one “taken” will be for judgment; the other “left” will be for blessing. The Jewish hope, promised to Israel in the Psalms and Prophets, was to be blesses in the land. Taken for judgment; left for millennial blessing is, I apprehend, the meaning. At the coming for the Church, the Jewish order will be reversed; the ones taken will be for heavenly blessing; the ones left will be for damnation (2 Thess. 2:12). The truth is simple but weighty. The Christian blessing is heavenly, the Jewish blessing is earthly.
Matthew 24:40-41 40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
2 Thessalonians 2:12 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
100. Who Are the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11?
These prophetic witnesses of Messiah’s coming glory and kingdom may be two or more; sufficient testimony as demanded by the law is the point (John 8:17). The testimony of these witnesses is in Jerusalem, the then seat of corruption; and the character of the miracles they work, as attesting their divine mission, signify that the people are in captivity to the Gentiles as in the days of Moses (see Revelation 11:6 end of verse), and of apostasy from God and truth as in the time of Elijah (see Rev. 11:5-6 first part). They prophesy for 3.5 literal years, the latter half of Daniel’s future week, and are then slain, but are raised after 3.5 literal days, and ascend to heaven.
John 8:17 17It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
Revelation 11:6 6These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
Revelation 11:5-6 5And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
101. Who Is Meant by the Woman Who Gives Birth to the Man-Child (Rev. 12)?
The man-child is Christ, which is evident from comparing Revelation 12:5 with Psalm 2:9; the woman, therefore, must be Israel, of whom Christ came (Rom. 9:4-5). The symbolic description of the woman’s earthly supremacy (Rev. 12:1) can alone refer to Israel, the destined head of the nations; compare with Genesis 37:9.
Revelation 12:5 5And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Psalm 2:9 9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Romans 9:4-5 4Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Revelation 12:1 1And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
Genesis 37:9 9And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
102. How Long Will “the Great Tribulation” Last?
Forty-two months, or three years and a half, occupying the last half of Daniel’s last and future week of seven years (Rev. 11; Rev. 12; Matt. 24:15-29).
Revelation 11:1-3 1And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Revelation 12:6-7,14 6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. 7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels....14And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Matthew 24:15-29 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore 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. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29Immediately 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:
103. What Will Be the Special Character of Suffering During “the Great Tribulation”?
The crowning act of Jewish national guilt was the murder of her Messiah; and for this the people will suffer a double oppression: under the antichrist, who will plunge them in apostasy, and also under the great political oppressor of the north, the Assyrian, who will again and again ravage the land and destroy the people. Then will men seek death, so terrible will be their anguish, but death will flee from them (Rev. 9:6). “In those days shall be affliction such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be” (Mark 13:19). Satan’s power let loose in Palestine will bring in the coming period of woe spoken of as “The Tribulation.”
Revelation 9:6 6And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Mark 13:19 19For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
104. Who Are the Parties Who Will Be in “the Great Tribulation”?
Gentiles, as distinguished from the Church or any portion of it (Rev. 7:9-17). Observe, that here the elders (representatives of Old and New Testament saints). as also the angels and living creatures, are contrasted with the innumerable company who emerge out of the tribulation. Jacob, or Israel, will also be in it (Jer. 30:7). Godly Jews figure more especially in the Palestinian tribulation. There, wickedness by the ungodly part of the nation and the unexampled sorrows of the righteous will rise to their height. The Church is expressly exempted from the coming temptation with its accompanying period of unsurpassed trouble (Rev. 3:10). There are just six passages which directly speak of the tribulation, and in none is the Church or Christians comprehended: — Matt. 24:15-29; Mark 13:14-24; Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Rev. 3:10; Rev. 7:14.
Revelation 7:9-17 9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Jeremiah 30:7 7Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
Revelation 3:10 10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Matthew 24:15-29 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore 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. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29Immediately 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:
Mark 13:14-24 14But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 15And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. 20And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. 21And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. 24But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
Jeremiah 30:7 7Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
Daniel 12:1 1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Revelation 3:10 10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Revelation 7:14 14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
105. What Is Meant by “the Abomination of Desolation” (Matt. 24:15)?
“Abomination” refers to idolatry; see 1 Kings 11:5-8. The meaning is that in the future crisis of Jewish history a certain idol, or special form of idolatry, will be forced upon the nation, and that the acceptance of this will involve a period of awful desolation upon Judah and her land. The Lord’s reference is to Daniel 12:11, not to Daniel 11:31; the latter passage referring to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes.
Matthew 24:15 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
1 Kings 11:5-8 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. 7Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
Daniel 12:11 11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Daniel 11:31 31And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
106. What Is Meant by “the Everlasting Gospel,” and When, by Whom, and to Whom Will It Be Preached (Rev. 14:6)?
After the translation of the Church, and immediately preceding the Lord’s advent to judgment, the beast will be the object of universal worship. Then God will cause a rapid (hence a flying angel) widespread testimony, universal in its scope and range, to be proclaimed. God worshipped in His rights as Creator seems to be the character of that gospel.
Revelation 14:6 6And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
107. Distinguish in the Book of Revelation Between the Spared and Martyred Remnants of Judah.
In Revelation 14 we have the spared and martyred remnants of Judah, as also their close connection. The former company (the spared) are associated with the Lamb on earth — the nucleus of redeemed Israel for millennial glory. The latter company (the martyred) harp and sing in heaven — a new and distinct class from the elders; their heavenly song is alone learned by their brethren spared through the tribulation and on earth. Note the 144,000 here are of Judah, while the 144,000 of Revelation 7 are of all Israel, totally distinct companies.
Revelation 14:1-5 1And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. 2And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Revelation 7:4-8 4And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
108. Who Are the Class, As Distinguished From the Mass of Judah, Referred to in Daniel 11:32-35 and Daniel 12:3?
The historical reference is to the times and doings of the Maccabees, who for a time successively resisted the introduction of idolatry, which had been forced upon the nation by Antiochus Epiphanes, and who also secured for a brief period the complete independence of their country from their Syrian oppressors. The prophetic reference, however, is to a class of faithful, godly Jews, who, in the latter days of Jewish sorrow, will labor to reestablish the authority of Jehovah — His word and law — among the ungodly people, and seek to instruct the mass in practical righteousness. No doubt the Lord’s sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) will form the basis of these latter-day instructions.
Daniel 11:32-35 32And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 34Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
Daniel 12:3 3And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
109. Who Are Meant by the “Elect” of Matt. 24:31?
The outcasts of Israel throughout the earth. There will be a national return of the people before the Lord returns to Judea, and there will also be an individual return after the Lord has returned to Zion. It is this latter event that is referred to here, for which see Isaiah 27:12-13 and Isaiah 66:19-20.
Matthew 24:31 31And 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.
Isaiah 27:12-13 12And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. 13And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.
Isaiah 66:19-20 19And 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. 20And 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.
110. What Is Meant by the “Carcass” and “Eagles” of Matt. 24:31?
Judah as a whole will be ripe for judgment at the coming of Christ. She will be apostate and lifeless as a “carcass” before God. Her thorough unsparing judgment is set forth by the “eagles;” see Job 39:27-30. There is no reference here to the Roman eagles, nor to the past destruction of Jerusalem by Titus; not the Romans, but others, will be instruments of the Lord’s yet future vengeance upon Judah.
Matthew 24:31 31And 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.
Job 39:27-30 27Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? 28She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. 29From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. 30Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.
111. Can You Describe the Character of the Seal-Judgments?
We have seven seals successively opened by the Lamb (Rev. 6 and 8:1). (Chapter 7 forms no part of the seals, being a parenthetic interruption in the course of the events.) The beasts, or living creatures, say to the immediate instruments of judgment, “Come,” and at once the summons is obeyed. Authorities agree that the additional words, “and see,” in verses 1, 3, 5, 7 should be omitted.
Seal 1. A victorious conqueror, but one whose extensive conquests will be effected without much bloodshed.
Seal 2. The almost bloodless victories of the white horse and his crowned rider with bow in hand, is followed by a red horse and rider wielding a great sword, thus signifying a general war and terrible bloodshed amongst the nations.
Seal 3. Here we have a black horse and bread doled out by weight. A general scene of mourning and lamentation is here intimated, accompanied with a famine; the wealthy and governing classes being spared in the meantime, “Hurt not the oil and the wine” — the luxuries of the rich.
Seal 4. Here the pale horse and its rider named Death, as also the outpouring of God’s four sore plagues (Ezek. 14:21), make up a fearful picture of death and desolation.
Seal 5. Intimates a dreadful slaughter and persecution of the saints.
Seal 6. A general break-up of all civil and political society.
Seal 7. Introductory to the trumpet-series of judgments.
Ezekiel 14:21 21For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
Revelation 6:1-17 1And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. 3And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. 5And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. 7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. 9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. 12And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Revelation 8:1 1And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
112. Describe the Character of the Trumpet-Judgments?
The judgments here recorded (Rev. 8:1 — 9:21; Rev. 11:14-18) are more severe than those under the seals, but more limited in their range. Here it is angelic action.
Trumpet 1. The general prosperity (the grass) of the revived fourth empire is destroyed, and distinguished persons (the trees) overwhelmed with judgment.
Trumpet 2. Judgment upon the nations outside the Roman earth — the sea, and which is executed by a mighty power itself under judgment — a burning mountain.
Trumpet 3. A fallen and apostate power effecting the moral ruin of the nations.
Trumpet 4. The supreme and subordinate authorities of the empire smitten by judgment.
Trumpet 5, or first “woe.” Diabolic power in Judea exercised upon apostate Israel.
Trumpet 6, or second “woe.” This fearful judgment will come from the east — the Euphrates, and desolate the prophetic earth (the scene of Christian professions) with death, moral and physical; these Christianized lands will, as a consequence of this scourge, become utterly apostate.
Trumpet 7, or third “woe,” grandly announces the establishment of the worldwide kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.
Revelation 8:1-13 1And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 3And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 6And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. 8And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 9And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. 10And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 11And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. 12And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. 13And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
Revelation 9:1-21 1And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 12One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. 13And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 15And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. 16And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. 17And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. 18By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. 20And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Revelation 11:14-18 14The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. 15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 16And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
113. Describe the Character of the Vial-Judgments?
These vial plagues are direct inflictions by God, and are truly awful in severity and unlimited in their range (Rev. 16).
Vial 1. Here the scene of the four Gentile monarchies is swept by destruction of a moral kind, and marked judgment inflicted upon all connected with the beast.
Vial 2. The outlying nations are given up to utter and complete apostasy.
Vial 3. Here the settled nationalities of the earth are given up to fully taste the bitter anguish of civil, moral, and religious apostasy; the righteous ground of judgment is also given (Rev. 16:5-7).
Vial 4. Earth’s supreme civil authority — the sun—becomes the means of intense anguish.
Vial 5. The seat of authority and capital of the apostate empire is here visited in judgment.
Vial 6. The powers of the east arrayed against the nations of the west; all gathered by Satan for the last dreadful conflict.
Vial 7. The completion of God’s wrath ere the King of kings and LORD of lords come; mankind is in terror, and a universal rupture of society takes place. It is done.
Revelation 16:1-21 1And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. 2And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. 3And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea. 4And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. 5And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. 6For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. 7And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. 8And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. 10And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. 12And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 13And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, 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. 15Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 17And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
114. Who Is Meant by “the Assyrian” or “King of the North” (Isa. 10; Dan. 11)?
He is the future cruel political oppressor of the Jews, who will geographically occupy that part of Syria lying north of Palestine. The cruelties inflicted upon the Jews by this terrible enemy of the nation — Jehovah’s scourge of judgment (Isa. 10) — are prefigured by the undying hate to the Jewish race displayed by Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian monarch of infamous memory (Dan. 11:6-45).
Isaiah 10:1-7 1Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; 2To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! 3And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? 4Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
Daniel 11:6-45 6And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king’s daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. 7But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: 8And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. 9So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. 10But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. 11And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 14And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. 15So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. 16But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. 17He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. 18After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 19Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 20Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. 21And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 23And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 24He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. 25And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 26Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 27And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 28Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. 29At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. 30For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. 31And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. 32And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 34Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. 36And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. 37Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 38But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. 40And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. 45And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
115. Who Is Meant by the “King of the South” (Dan. 11:5)?
The King of Egypt, the past and future antagonist of the King of the North (Dan. 11:5-29). Palestine, lying geographically between the kingdoms of Syria and Egypt, was constantly exposed to the attacks of both; and after the partition of the Grecian Empire, on the death of the renowned Alexander the Great, Judea was generally a subject province of either the northern or southern kings until the year 63 B.C., when the Romans took formal possession of the country.
Daniel 11:5-29 5And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. 6And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king’s daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. 7But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: 8And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. 9So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. 10But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. 11And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 14And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. 15So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. 16But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. 17He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. 18After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 19Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 20Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. 21And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 23And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 24He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. 25And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 26Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 27And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 28Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. 29At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.
116. Who Are Meant by “Gog and Magog” (Ezek. 38, 39)?
The last Emperor of all the Russias and his land. The Septuagint of Ezekiel 38:3 and Ezekiel 39:1, reads, “O Gog, prince of Rosh,” (that is, Russia) and of “Meshech and Tubal.” The naming of her late European and present Asiatic capitals, Tobolsk and Moscow, would undoubtedly confirm the reference to Russia. The expression, “Gog and Magog,” in Revelation 20:8, must be understood in a symbolic sense, as the powers historically so named are destroyed at the commencement, or soon after, of the kingdom-reign of Christ over the earth.
Ezekiel 38:3 3And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
Ezekiel 39:1 1Therefore, 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:
Revelation 20:8 8And 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.
117. Who Is “Gog the Chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2-3)?
The Greek version of the Old Testament, commenced about three centuries before Christ, and which was largely quoted from by our Lord and writers of the New Testament, reads thus: — “Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.” Undoubtedly the reference is to the Russian power and to the Scythian races forming part of her vast empire. “Gog” is the symbolic term for the head or emperor of all the Russias. “Magog” is his land, also a symbolic term. Were the slightest doubt remaining as to who is meant, the naming of the ancient capitals of the empire might remove the difficulty. The Siberian or Asiatic seat of government is Tubal or Tobolsk; while the European capital, until the invasion of the empire by Napoleon, was Meshech or Moscow.
Thus Russia, centuries before she was known by name, is distinctly pointed out in the Word of God, along with her destined leader, Gog. With Persia, and other countries as allies, will with proud self-will put himself at their head to rob, and spoil, and destroy Israel after she is restored to her land and dwelling safely in her “unwalled” towns and villages. As a cloud they will cover the land, only to find a miserable end and a grave on the mountains and plains of Israel. God will also reach the land of Gog (Russia) and surrounding countries by divine judgment. Seven years will the weapons of war be burning. The riches of the spoilers, too, will enrich the spoiled; and seven months will be needed to bury Gog and his countless multitudes (Ezek. 38, 39) This invasion of Canaan by Gog occurs after Israel has been brought back to her land and while Christ is there. It takes place soon after Christ has come with all His saints, probably at, or shortly after, the commencement of the millennium, or 1,000 years’ reign over the earth.
Ezekiel 38:2-3 2Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
Ezekiel 38:1-23 1And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 7Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 8After many days thou shalt be visited: 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. 9Thou 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. 10Thus 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: 11And 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, 12To 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 the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 13Sheba, 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? 14Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? 15And 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: 16And 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. 17Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? 18And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21And 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. 22And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 39:1-15 1Therefore, 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: 2And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 3And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. 4Thou 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. 5Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 6And 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. 7So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. 8Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken. 9And 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 seven years: 10So 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 GOD. 11And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog. 12And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land. 13Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD. 14And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search. 15And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man’s bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog.
118. Who Are Meant by Gog and Magog, Revelation 20:8?
The “Gog” of Ezekiel 38 and 39 is the personal head of the Russian peoples comprising that vast and growing empire. “Magog” is his land. Gog is the last enemy of Israel destroyed by the Lord at the commencement of the millennium. His destruction is full, his ruin is final. The countless swarms of people gathered by Satan at the close of the millennium are termed “Gog and Magog,” symbolically, not literally. Gog and his allies had been already destroyed, and, besides, the powers signified by these names are not geographically located “in the four quarters of the earth,” from whence Satan draws his followers. The attempt to crush Israel at the commencement of Christ’s glorious reign is repeated on a larger and bolder scale at the close of it. Hence the words “Gog and Magog” are to be understood symbolically in this book of visions and symbols. While denying the historical connection, however, their moral identity is evident. They each come up against the Holy City when the Lord is there, and they each meet with signal judgment divinely administered.
Revelation 20:8 8And 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.
Ezekiel 38:3 3And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
Ezekiel 39:1 1Therefore, 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:
119. What Relationship Will “the Assyrian” Have With Gog and With the Jewish People?
The Assyrian or King of the North, typified by Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian monarch of vile memory by Jews past and present, will hold his power subject to Gog, that is, Russia (Dan. 8:24), and will be used by Jehovah as a scourge to punish His apostate people (Isa. 10:5-12).
Daniel 8:24 24And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
Isaiah 10:5-12 5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. 8For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? 9Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? 10As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria: 11Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? 12Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
120. What Is Meant by the Drying up of the River Euphrates?
That river, so famous in Scripture and history, was the extreme limit of the Holy Land on its eastern side (Gen. 15:18), as also the boundary of the Roman conquests. Palestine, lying between it and the Mediterranean, thus becomes the battlefield of the nations. There need be no difficulty in accepting the statement of Revelation 16:12 in its literal import. The main point, however, is, that the natural and other barriers to the kings from the east, assembling in deadly conflict with the western powers will be removed (Rev. 16:12).
Genesis 15:18 18In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
Revelation 16:12 12And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
121. How and When Will the Lost Ten Tribes Be Restored, and Can They Be Presently Identified?
Israel, or the ten tribes, were taken to Assyria (2 Kings 17) about 130 years before Judah, or the Jews, were taken to Babylon. The immediate causes of the deportation of the ten tribes to Assyria were idolatry and turning to Assyria for help instead of to God (see the prophet Hosea). Not being involved in the guilt of Judah in rejecting and crucifying the Messiah, their restoration to the land of their fathers will be accomplished in a special way. They will not pass through the awful trials under the antichrist which their brethren of Judah will. Ezekiel 20:33-39 records the restoration of the ten tribes by the Lord Himself. The mass of Judah will be restored by the aid of a seafaring nation (Isa. 18). Whatever human instruments may be employed in assisting the return of the ten tribes, they are hid in the meantime, and God Himself is presented as the source and power of their return. It is to be noted, too, that God deals with the conscience of Israel, or the ten tribes, in the wilderness, not in the land, and as the unbelieving and disobedient fell in the wilderness, and only the faithful entered it, so will it be in the return of these tribes; the rebels and disobedient will first be purged out, and then the godly will be brought into the land to rejoin their converted brethren of Judah. This sifting will take place while the Jews are suffering under the antichrist in the land. The wondrous meeting of the long disunited tribes of all Israel is most touchingly described in Jeremiah 31:8-9. There is an after return of any scattered among the nations, whether of Jews or Israelites, when the Lord comes, for it is He who sends out His messengers to gather His elect (Matt. 24:31; Isa. 66:19-20). There was a return of certain remnants of Judah from Babylon to Jerusalem after the seventy years’ captivity (see Ezra and Nehemiah), but there has been no return of Ephraim or the ten tribes. God has His eye upon them; He knows where they are, for He scattered them. It is most singular that people will pretend to tell who and where the descendants of these long-lost tribes are. The truth is, no single people or nation can claim to be their descendants, for they were to be scattered amongst the heathen, and dispersed through the countries; their scattering and dispersion were to be world-wide (Ezek. 20 and 34). (The attempt to identify the English nation with these tribes is at best a futile one. The origin of both absolutely disproves the theory. Of course, as individuals all have Adam as their head, but as a nation inhabiting one of the “isles of the Gentiles” we are sprung from Japheth, eldest son of Noah; while Israel, on the contrary, is descended from Shem, second son of Noah (Gen. 10). The reasons adduced for the supposed identification are so weak as to be unworthy of notice. God further declares them to be “lost,” that He will “search” and “seek them out.” What God says He will do, man is daring enough to say he has done. God says He will search for and seek the lost sheep of Israel. Man says he has searched them out, and can tell you who, and where they are. You have only to read carefully these two chapters (Ezek. 20 and 34) to have all such thoughts as have been current of late thoroughly dispelled. There is nothing like the sure and unerring testimony of God’s blessed Word in meeting the foolish thoughts and vain speculations of men.
Ezekiel 20:33-39 33As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: 34And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. 35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. 36Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD. 37And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: 38And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. 39As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.
Jeremiah 31:8-9 8Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. 9They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Matthew 24:31 31And 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.
Isaiah 66:19-20 19And 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. 20And 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.
2 Kings 17:5-6 5Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. 6In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
Isaiah 18:1-7 1Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: 2That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! 3All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. 4For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. 5For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. 6They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. 7In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.
Ezekiel 20:23-24,34-35 23I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; 24Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols....34And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. 35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
Ezekiel 34:5-6,11-13 5And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.... 11For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
Genesis 10:1-4,21-32 1Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. 2The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 3And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. 4And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations....21Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. 22The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. 23And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. 24And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. 25And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 27And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, 28And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, 29And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan. 30And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east. 31These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. 32These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.
122. Is the Drying up of the River Euphrates for the Battle of Armageddon, to Be Understood in Its Literal Import?
The drying up of this famous river, 1,500 miles long, is preparatory to the grand and final struggle. The words must be understood in their literal import, as the object stated is: “that the way of the kings from (not “of”) the east might be prepared” (Rev. 16:12). The Euphrates formed the eastern boundary of the Roman conquests, and is also stated to be the eastern limit of Palestine (Gen. 15:18). The kings and their armies will be gathered, instrumentally at least, by Satan’s chief agents (Rev. 16:13), and to effect their gathering in Canaan, for the battle of Armageddon (a symbolic term), the great barrier dividing the east from the west will be dried up. The literal accomplishment of this great physical fact is necessary to facilitate the march of vast bodies of men from the East. That the powers of the west will mingle in deadly conflict with those of the east, making Judea their great battlefield, is, I believe, a certain, though future event. It is figured in the battle scene between the west and the east in Genesis 14. This great gathering of the nations to meet their awful doom at the hand of Christ is frequently referred to in the prophets (Joel 3; Zeph. 3:8); it is termed “the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
Revelation 16:12 12And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
Genesis 15:18 18In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
Revelation 16:13 13And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Zephaniah 3:8 8Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: 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.
Genesis 14:1-8 1And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; 2That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. 3All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. 4Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness. 7And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar. 8And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;
Joel 3:11-16 11Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. 12Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. 13Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 16The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
123. How and in What State Will the Ten Tribes Be Restored?
The ten tribes, or Ephraim, will be dealt with in a way and time distinct from Jehovah’s last dealings with the Jews. The latter allying themselves with the apostate civil power (Dan. 11:27) will suffer in the land from the “desolater” or King of the North — Jehovah’s scourge upon His guilty people — and there in the land the unbelieving and apostate Judah-part of the nation — “two parts shall be cut off and die” (Zech. 13:8). The other tribes will not at first enter the land, but will be brought into the wilderness through the direct intervention of Jehovah. There in the wilderness the transgressors and rebels amongst them will be judged and punished on grounds distinct from that of Judah; the rest will be saved and then brought into the land to rejoin their brethren of Judah (Ezek. 20 and 34).
Daniel 11:27 27And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
Zechariah 13:8 8And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
Ezekiel 20:23-24,34-35 23I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; 24Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols....34And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. 35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
Ezekiel 34:5-6,11-13 5And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.... 11For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
124. Does Scripture Record the Meeting of the Long Separated and Estranged Houses of Israel?
Yes. The return of Ephraim is most touchingly described in Jeremiah 31:1-21; while the surprise and delight of Judah at the happy re-union is told us in Isaiah 49:18-21; see also Ezekiel 34 for additional features of interest.
Jeremiah 31:1-21 1At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. 2Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. 3The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. 4Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. 5Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. 6For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God. 7For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. 8Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. 9They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. 10Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. 11For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. 12Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. 13Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. 14And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord. 15Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. 16Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. 17And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border. 18I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. 19Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. 20Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. 21Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.
Isaiah 49:18-21 18Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth. 19For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. 20The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell. 21Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
Ezekiel 34:13-16,22-31 13And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. 15I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. 16I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.... 22Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. 23And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 24And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it. 25And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. 26And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. 27And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. 28And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. 29And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. 30Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD. 31And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.
125. Are the Nations Destroyed in Zechariah 14 and Revelation 19, the Same?
The prophet writes, “I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle;” the apostle says, “I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse and against His army.” Zechariah speaks of the enemies of Jerusalem; John writes of the enemies of the Lamb. Judah will fight at Jerusalem; the Lamb alone will deal with His foes. The remnant of the congregated nations at Jerusalem will yearly worship and keep the feast of tabernacles; the remnant of the gathered hosts arrayed against the Lamb are destroyed. The nations gathered together in Zechariah 14 are under the leadership of the great north-eastern power — the terrible enemy of the Jews; while those congregated in Revelation 19 are under the chieftainship of the beast and false prophet. The book of Revelation deals mainly with the closing days of Christendom apostasy, and only with the close and doom of the fourth empire. The mass of nations lying north and east of Palestine, and whose enmity are directed against Israel as a people, form no part of the Apocalyptic visions.
Zechariah 14:1-4 1Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For 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. 3Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Revelation 19:19-21 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
126. Will the Jews Be Delivered Before or After the Conclusion of the Seventieth Week (Dan. 9:27)?
They will be restored nationally to Judea in unbelief before the last week or seven years commence; while their deliverance and blessing by the return of their Messiah will be after its conclusion (Matt. 24:29-31; Dan. 12:1-2).
Daniel 9:27 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Matthew 24:29-31 29Immediately 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: 30And 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. 31And 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.
Daniel 12:1-2 1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
127. Who Are the Nations Who Will Make War Against the Lamb (Rev. 17:14)?
There will be a coalition among the states and monarchs of the western or the fourth Empire then revived. Thus the most responsible part of Christendom will be found in open revolt against the authority of Christ, and will voluntarily ally itself in this awful apostasy with the head of the empire. The local references to Rome (Rev. 17:9,18) identify these nations with the western world.
Revelation 17:14 14These 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.
Revelation 17:9,18 9And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 18And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
128. Who Are the Nations Who Will Be Gathered Against Jerusalem (Zech. 14:2)?
The nations here referred to are distinct from those ranged under the beast, and who make war against the Lamb (Rev. 17:14). The power of the east will be marshaled under the Assyrian, or King of the North, and will besiege Jerusalem on at least two distinct occasions; see Isaiah 28-29. The west, which will be under the chieftainship of the beast, will favor the Jews as a people, but express its hatred to God’s Lamb. The Assyrian is the hater of the Jews; the beast, the enemy of the Lamb.
Zechariah 14:2 2For 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.
Revelation 17:14 14These 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.
Isaiah 28:15-18 15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: 16Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. 18And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
Isaiah 29:1-8 1Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. 2Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. 3And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. 4And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust. 5Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly. 6Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. 7And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. 8It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.
129. What Does Scripture Reveal About Egypt’s Future?
After passing through a season of awful distress and oppression appointed by Jehovah — similar to that furnace of affliction which Israel passed through in Egypt so many centuries ago — the Egyptians will turn to the Lord in brokenness of spirit, and be received to divine favor, they will be owned as Jehovah’s people, and be associated with Israel and Assyria in millennial blessing (Isaiah 19) as one of the three leading powers in “the world to come,” or millennium.
Isaiah 19:1-25 1The burden of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. 2And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. 3And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. 4And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts. 5And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up. 6And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither. 7The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. 8The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish. 9Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded. 10And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish. 11Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings? 12Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt. 13The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. 14The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. 15Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do. 16In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it. 17And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which he hath determined against it. 18In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the Lord of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. 19In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord. 20And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. 21And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it. 22And the Lord shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them. 23In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. 24In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: 25Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
130. What About the Edomites or Descendants of Esau?
The Edomites will undoubtedly gather again to their land, which is to be incorporated within the territory of Israel (Obadiah 19-21); their history is contemporaneous with that of Jacob’s, for Esau, that ancient and proud hater of Israel, is named in the last confederacy of the nations to destroy the land and to blot out the nationality of Israel from the earth (Psa. 83:6). In the last assault of the Assyrian upon Palestine and adjoining peoples and lands (Dan. 11:41), Edom is spared, but only for a season, as her doom is decreed at the hands of conquering Judah (Isa. 11:14). The utter and final destruction of the house of Esau is prophetically announced in the shortest of the prophetic books (Obadiah).
Obadiah 19-21 19And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 20And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south. 21And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.
Psalm 83:6 6The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
Daniel 11:41 41He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
Isaiah 11:14 14But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
131. What About the Ancient Philistines, Moabites, and Other Nations Either Settled in or Contiguous to Palestine?
The peoples and states who formerly interacted with Israel are not extinct, as many suppose, but will reappear in the closing Jewish crisis. The old enmity to Israel will break out afresh, and more bitterly than ever. All those connected are found in the closing days gathering in deadly determination against the people and land of Jehovah’s choice, or else gathered under the beast and antichrist against the Lamb of God. Alas for them! The former class of nations are consumed as “stubble before the wind,” and through their awful overthrow Jehovah’s name is spread over all the earth (Psa. 83).
Psalm 83:1-18 1A Song or Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. 2For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. 3They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. 4They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. 5For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: 6The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; 7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. 9Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: 10Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. 11Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: 12Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. 13O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. 14As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; 15So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. 16Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. 17Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: 18That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
132. Will the Cities of Babylon and Nineveh Be Restored?
No. These old centers of hatred to Judah and Israel are doomed to perpetual ruin. For Babylon see Jeremiah 51:64, for Nineveh, see Nahum 1-3.
Jeremiah 51:64 64And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
Nahum 1:7-10 7The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. 8But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies. 9What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. 10For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.
Nahum 2:8-13 8But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back. 9Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture. 10She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness. 11Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid? 12The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin. 13Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.
Nahum 3:7,12-19 7And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee? .... 12All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater. 13Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars. 14Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the mortar, make strong the brickkiln. 15There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts. 16Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and fleeth away. 17Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are. 18Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them. 19There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?
133. Will the Descendants of the Canaanites yet Inhabit Palestine?
Yes; but only for a brief season. Israel was commissioned under Joshua to exterminate the Canaanites, root and branch. This she failed to do; but the Lord will undoubtedly accomplish the will of Jehovah, and “in that (millennial) day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 14:21; Psa. 83).
Zechariah 14:21 21Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.
Psalm 83:1-18 1A Song or Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. 2For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. 3They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. 4They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. 5For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: 6The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; 7Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. 9Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: 10Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. 11Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: 12Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. 13O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. 14As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; 15So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. 16Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. 17Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: 18That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
134. What Does Scripture Reveal About Assyria’s Future?
Assyria, the first oppressor of Israel in her land and the destroyer of the ten-tribed kingdom, will again in her representative, the King of the North, become Jehovah’s scourge against His guilty and apostate people (Isa. 10), and the old hatred to Egypt will also break out afresh (Dan. 11). But divine grace will yet triumph, and, as in the case of Egypt, so here Assyria will be joined by her ancient rival in joint blessing with Israel (Isa. 19:23-25). How blessedly true! “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”
Isaiah 19:23-25 23In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. 24In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: 25Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
Isaiah 10:5-7 5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
Daniel 11:8-15 8And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. 9So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. 10But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. 11And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 14And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. 15So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.
135. Will the Jews As a Nation Be Converted Before the Restoration to Palestine?
No; for when restored, the mass of the people will receive the Antichrist or false Messiah. Two-thirds will be cut off in judgment by the Lord, and a remnant alone preserved and saved (Zech. 13:8-9). This remnant will morally represent the nation before God; “be accounted to the Lord for a generation” (Psa. 22:30-31). Further, this saved remnant will be increased by the ingathering of others subsequently, so that “all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26), “they shall all know [Him]” (Jer. 31:34); and His “people also shall be all righteous” (Isa. 60:21). Unbelief and infidelity will characterize the nation prior to and when restored; their spiritual quickening and blessing is a subsequent event.
Zechariah 13:8-9 8And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.
Psalm 22:30-31 30A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
Romans 11:26 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Jeremiah 31:33-34 33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, 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.
Isaiah 60:21 21Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
The Millennium
136. When, and How, Will Gog and His Allies Be Destroyed?
Gog (Russia), and the nations of which he is the acknowledged chief, will come up against Israel after the Lord has come back in glory to Israel and the millennial reign has commenced. Plunder, lust, and love of conquest will be their object. Jerusalem — the treasury of the world’s wealth — will lure on the mighty hosts to their awful destruction. The mountains of Palestine will be the scene of the complete overthrow of Gog and his allies — a judgment typified by the destruction of Sennacherib of old. This will close the series of Gentile judgments at the end of the tribulation (Ezek. 38, 39).
Ezekiel 38:1-23 1And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 4And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 7Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 8After many days thou shalt be visited: 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. 9Thou 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. 10Thus 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: 11And 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, 12To 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 the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 13Sheba, 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? 14Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? 15And 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: 16And 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. 17Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? 18And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21And 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. 22And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 39:1-26 1Therefore, 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: 2And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 3And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. 4Thou 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. 5Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 6And 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. 7So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. 8Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken. 9And 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 seven years: 10So 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 GOD. 11And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog. 12And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land. 13Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD. 14And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search. 15And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man’s bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog. 16And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land. 17And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. 18Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan. 19And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. 20Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD. 21And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. 22So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward. 23And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. 24According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. 25Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; 26After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.
137. Who Are the Saints Embraced in “the First Resurrection”?
“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” (Rev. 20:6). These words, although occurring in a symbolic book, must be taken in their simple and obvious meaning. The first resurrection has Christ as the first-fruits of the resurrection-harvest, afterwards they that are Christ’s at His coming, then the martyrs and others who die from after the Church’s removal to heaven up to the introduction of the world-kingdom of Christ. Thus every saint of God, who has died or will die, is embraced in the first resurrection. “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” This is conclusive to our mind that there will be no death among saints on earth during the millennial reign, because “the rest of the dead” clearly refers to the wicked. The first resurrection is of saints, and only of saints, and is finished at the commencement of the kingdom reign, for all who have part in it shall reign with Christ 1,000 years; the second resurrection is of all the wicked, and only of the wicked, at the close of the kingdom reign or the 1,000 years. This distinction clearly seen disposes of the common notion of one general resurrection. There will be a “resurrection of life” and a “resurrection of damnation” (John 5:29), separated, as we are told in Revelation 20:5, by the period of 1,000 years.
Revelation 20:6 6Blessed 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.
John 5:29 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Revelation 20:5 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
138. Does Scripture Intimate That There Will Be One General Resurrection of the Dead?
No. It might seem as if in John 5:28-29 a resurrection common to all in time and character were intended, but it is not so; it merely states that “all shall come forth,” while from Revelation 20:5 we learn that a thousand years will transpire between the resurrection of the just and that of the unjust.
John 5:28-29 28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Revelation 20:5 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
139. Who Are Embraced in the First Resurrection, and When Will It Be Completed?
Of the first resurrection, Christ is the first- fruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming, which will embrace the whole company of the redeemed who sleep — Old and New Testament saints; followed by the resurrection of the slain martyrs of the Apocalypse. After which there will be no death amongst Jewish or Gentile saints on earth during the whole course of the millennium (1 Cor. 15; Rev. 20) Thus after the translation of the Church and immediately preceding the introduction of the millennial kingdom on earth, the first resurrection is completed with the raising of the martyrs.
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 20:4-6 4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed 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.
140. What Is the Difference in Character, Results, and Time of the Two Resurrections?
The righteous will be raised out of or from among the dead (Phil. 3:11) unto life, that is, its enjoyment (John 5:29). This will happen a thousand years before the wicked are raised (Rev. 20:5). The two resurrections are expressly contrasted in character, results, and time. The wicked are raised to damnation (John 5:29), a thousand years after the righteous; the power of Christ’s word will effect the former, the glory of His person the latter.
Philippians 3:11 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
John 5:29 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Revelation 20:5 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
John 5:29 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
141. What Is Meant by the Awaking “of Them That Sleep in the Dust of the Earth” (Dan. 12:2)?
The first verse of the chapter reveals the deliverance of the Jews in the land at the close of the coming tribulation, while the second verse intimates a moral resurrection of that part of the nation found outside the land and scattered worldwide. “The dust of the earth” would express the depths of humiliation and degradation in which the Jews are at present. How apt the figure, therefore, of resurrection to the nation who will arise from her moral death of many centuries! The quickening here spoken of is evidently a moral one, the same as in Ezekiel 37; Isaiah 26:19, etc.
Daniel 12:1-2 1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Ezekiel 37:1-11 1The 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, 2And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. 3And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. 4Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6And 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. 7So 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. 8And 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. 9Then 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. 10So 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. 11Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
Isaiah 26:19 19Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
142. What Is Meant by “the Valley of Dry Bones” in Ezekiel 37?
It refers to Israel’s condition immediately preceding her spiritual resurrection and revival in her land. In Isaiah 26:19 Israel is styled by Jehovah “My dead body;” and in both passages, her future in life and blessedness in the land is intimated. After her many centuries of trial Jews are a people distinct in physiognomy, character, and national faith, without political existence, and without a home and country. [Ed. This statement was made in 1876, before Israel became a nation.] Hence she is regarded by the Hebrew prophets as dead, and her future revival spoken of as a resurrection.
Isaiah 26:19 19Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Ezekiel 37:1-11 1The 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, 2And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. 3And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. 4Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6And 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. 7So 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. 8And 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. 9Then 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. 10So 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. 11Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
143. What Is Meant by the Kingdom of the Son and the Kingdom of the Father?
“The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His (the Son of man’s) kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity ... then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt. 13:41-43). These verses contrast the kingdoms — the former being on earth, out of which offences and wicked men are gathered and cast into fire; the latter is the scene of heavenly glory. The Millennium will have a celestial glory — kingdom of the Father; and a terrestrial glory — kingdom of the Son. The upper sphere, where Christ and His heavenly saints are located, is more immediately set in connection with the Father; the lower sphere, where restored and converted Israel and the Gentiles are gathered in blessing, is set in direct connection with the Son of Man.
The cloud of glory into which Moses and Elias entered with Christ, above the Mount, and out of which the Father’s voice uttered His delight in His Son, might be termed the kingdom of the Father (Luke 9:34-35); while the three disciples on the Mount, but not in the cloud, would fittingly represent the kingdom of the Son.
Matthew 13:41-43 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luke 9:30-32 30And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. 32But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
Luke 9:34-35 34While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
144. Does the Kingdom of the Father Differ From That of the Son, and If so, in What Respect?
The kingdom of the Father is the upper or heavenly sphere of the millennium, where Christ and His glorified saints shall shine forth as the sun, not on but above the earth; to this the prayer, “Thy will be done,” refers. The kingdom of the Son applies more especially to Christ’s government of the earth, out of which evils and scandals are removed. Matthew 13:43 refers to the former, while Matthew 13:41 applies to the latter; both expressions, however, are comprehended under the general title, “the kingdom.” The millennium is a mere human title, and fails to describe the character of the future scene over which Christ will so gloriously reign.
Matthew 13:43 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 13:41 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
145. Who Are the Saints Who Reign With Christ a Thousand Years?
The millennial reign of Christ is in the main the burden of the glowing and magnificent strains of the prophets, and the theme of song and harp by the Jewish bards. In setting forth the future reign of righteousness and glory symbolic language is largely used. It has ever been a favorite mode of teaching in all ages, especially in the east. But it must not for a moment be supposed that the majestic and lofty language of Isaiah, nor the holy and sublime psalms of David are pitched on a key beyond the sober truth. The Holy Ghost, the writer of Scripture, never exaggerates. He is a true witness of the things of God, and a faithful declarer of the glory of Christ. Apply distinct and definite thought to every statement, whether in the Old or New Testaments, as to the character, glory, and universality of Messiah’s reign. What is figurative and what is not, may occasionally present a difficulty to the reader, but patience and waiting upon God will solve the difficulty. The Scriptures clearly intimate that others besides Christ — the Son of Man — will share His blessed and glorious reign. Who those saints are who will be associated with Him in joint heirship and dominion over tbe redeemed and blest creation is only answered in the New Testament. Revelation 20:4-6 is the fullest and most comprehensive passage upon the subject in the Word of God. It will be observed that there are three classes of heavenly saints who will reign and rule with Christ, embraced in the first resurrection; termed also “Blessed and holy” and constituted “priests of God and of Christ,” some of whom will have been “changed” at the coming of Christ for His saints, which is equivalent to resurrection. (1.) “I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.” Daniel beheld these same thrones, “I beheld till the thrones were set” (Dan. 7:9 — lit. reading). John saw the thrones occupied; Daniel the thrones unoccupied. Who are the sitters occupying these judgment thrones? I believe those represented by the robed and enthroned twenty-four elders; that is, all the saints raised and changed at the coming of Christ to the “air” — Old and New Testament saints. Here the thrones are not numbered (as in Dan. 4), because it is not a representative company who will occupy them. (2.) “I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God.” Observe that the apostle does not see persons who had been beheaded, and who were then raised, but merely the souls of them; not persons, but the souls of persons. If people object, saying, “O, you cannot see souls, therefore that is not what is meant,” I reply, “You must settle that with God, for it was He who wrote Scripture, and I want to learn what He has written; not to correct what He says.” Unbelief is daring and bold in these days. Can we identify this martyred company? I think we can. After the gathering of the saints to the Lord in the “air,” and during the close of the first half of Daniel’s unfulfilled week, or seven years (Matt. 24:14-15), and previous to the persecution by the beast out of the bottomless pit, many will be sent through the cities of Israel (Matt. 10:23), and amongst the Gentiles, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom; a distinct testimony for those times and circumstances. The results of this preaching to the nations are given in Matthew 25:31-46. Many of these holy witnesses for the truth will seal their testimony with their blood. They are distinctly pointed out under the fifth seal in Revelation 6:9-11, as slain. Their cry for judgment is heard, and will be answered. But in the meantime they are to “rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also, and their brethren that should be killed, as they were, should be fulfilled.” Who are these fellow-servants and brethren yet to be slain? Let us turn again to our chapter, and read on. (3.) “And which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands.” The reference to Revelation 13 is too plain to need proof. The worshipping of the beast, his image, his mark in the forehead and hands, are all so many finger-posts pointing to Revelation 13. In Revelation 13:11 we read of this third company of martyrs: “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death.” Thus these two persecutions, the one (Rev. 6) general, and the other (Rev. 13) special, embrace the martyrs referred to in our verse. It is added, “they lived (the two companies previously mentioned) and reigned with Christ a thousand years;” this last statement applies to all. Some object that the duration of the reign — stated to be a thousand years only in this Scripture — must be understood on the “year for a day” principle. (Because this principle is conceded in Numbers 14:34; and Ezekiel 4:5-6, does its application to the prophecies necessarily follow? The prophetic scriptures will be greatly simplified if the measures of time are taken exactly as written) To those I would say, Well, be it so; lengthen it out as long as you may. It is, we conceive, one of those mistakes about which there need be little said. It will be a blessed time for all. God will have His portion and delight in that glorious scene. All the heavenly saints will have their peculiar place in that wonderful day. Israel (the highest in the lower department of the kingdom) the Gentiles, and creation will also rest from toil and sorrow. Lord, keep us in the power of that day, even now!
Revelation 20:4-6 4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed 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.
Daniel 7:9 9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
Matthew 24:14-15 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Matthew 10:23 23But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Matthew 25:31-46 31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Revelation 6:9-11 9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Revelation 13:11 11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Numbers 14:34 34After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
Ezekiel 4:5-6 5For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. 6And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.
146. the Millennium: What About Its Heavenly Sphere?
The millennium will be God’s publicly expressed delight in Christ as man. It will further be God’s answer to the thirty and three years’ life of suffering and reproach borne by the Blessed One. In His days of humiliation the world knew Him not; it treated with cold neglect its Creator and Benefactor (John 1:10). He came unto His own (things) — His crown, His kingdom, His Judaic and earthly glories — but His own (people) proudly rejected Him — Messiah was cut off and had nothing, that is, nothing of the glories due Him at His coming (Dan. 9:26, see margin). Israel knew not the time of her gracious visitation. In deepest grace to man, to lay down His life as God’s Lamb for sin, becoming the ground for the accomplishment of God’s counsels aforetime prepared for our glory and for Israel and creation’s blessing —Christ came in in meekness and unresistingly — accepted the place of utter rejection by man and Israel. What a scene! (Matt. 27:26-33). Jesus was set in midst of the brutal Roman soldiers with his back cruelly scourged. The guard is fully mustered; the whole company are “gathered unto Him.” He is robed in scarlet, the sign of earthly glory and grandeur. A platted crown of thorns, sign of the curse, is set upon His blessed head; a reed, the sign of authority, is thrust into His right hand, then, mockingly, they bow the knee, and say, “Hail, King of the Jews.” They dared to spit upon that transcendently beautiful countenance which God has covered with glory. They dared to smite the Judge of Israel on the head and cheek, with the sign of that authority by which He will smite and rule the nations. Ah! little did they think that the farce enacted in Pilate’s “Common Hall,” will be repeated in truth, and in a style befitting the dignity of Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords. In gathering up from the Word of God certain features of the millennial period, may the heart of the reader be, as I trust that of the writer has been, more occupied with the One who suffered, and who will reign, than even with the results of His suffering life and atoning death in present grace and future glory. His love is deeper, infinitely so, than even the demonstration of that love in the brightest millennial scenes. His glories may fix the eye and leave one in raptures in their midst; but Himself, as the bright and morning star, is the object of the heart’s deep longings to the one who has found his all in Jesus. The millennium will have its two distinct spheres of blessing — the one above the earth, the other on the earth. There will be a heavenly people and an earthly people. All who share in the blessedness of the “first resurrection” will reign with Christ over the earth, while the Jews and nations will be subjects of the kingdom. “Jesus our King,” and “Jesus King of the Church,” are neither scriptural in thought or word. Instead of being subjects of Christ’s everlasting kingdom the very reverse position is that which grace has given to us believers on the Lord Jesus Christ. “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?” And, adds the apostle, “Know ye not that we shall judge angels?” (1 Cor. 6:2-3) — a truth almost entirely forgotten by the Church. “If we suffer we shall also reign with him” (2 Tim. 2:12), says the same apostle. Constituted “kings and priests unto God” (Rev. 1:6) is the statement of another. Jesus risen is “Head over all things,” over all the works of God’s hands — God manifestly excepted (1 Cor. 15:27) — as also the Church (Eph. 1:22-23). But is it not said in the martyrs’ song, “Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints” (Rev. 15:3)? It is well known, however, and the margin in most Bibles gives the true sense of the passage to be “Thou King of Nations”; He is also “King of the Jews.” The special place of the Church, as the vessel for the display of the glory of God, and as the Lamb’s bride and wife, is very fully unfolded from Revelation 21:9 till Revelation 22:5, and in symbols borrowed from creation and Judaism. There is a correspondence between the terms used in setting forth Jerusalem on earth and those to describe Jerusalem on high, with the marked difference, however, that in the latter case they are merely figures, but figures of real and substantial truths. The true union of Church and State also awaits the coming days of glory, and will be exhibited in perfection in the close connection between the heavenly city and the earthly one.
Here are 22 features given us.
(1.) The state (“holy”), the home (“heaven”), and the source (“from God”) (Revelation 21:10).
(2.) She is endowed with the “glory of God,” that for which we wait (Rom. 5:2).
(3.) Her light, or shining, is as jasper — symbol of the glory of God (Rev. 4:3). Jasper is also found in the “wall” (Rev. 4:18), and in the foundations (Rev. 4:19); that is, the glory of God is the light, security, and foundation of the heavenly city.
(4.) “The wall, great and high,” denotes strength and security; everything unsuited to the glory of God can find no admittance to that holy place.
(5.) “Twelve gates and twelve angels.” The gate was the place of judgment. The rule and administration of the world to come in the millennium is not committed to angels but to man (Heb. 2:5). We shall judge the world (1 Cor. 6:2), and the twelve apostles will specially govern Israel (Matt. 19:28); hence the names of the twelve tribes are written on the gates. We are sons, but angels never rise above the position of servants. They are regarded as waiting at the gate to obey.
(6.) “The twelve foundations of the city had in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” The apostles have a distinctive place in the Church (Eph. 2:20), besides being in special relationship to Israel.
(7.) The city, gates, and wall, are divinely measured, and a perfect square is the result. A line of flax may suffice to measure the earthly city (Ezek. 40); a golden reed — divine righteousness — is the only and adequate rule to measure the Church in that day. The result will be “the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13).
(8.) The wall is specially measured by the same golden reed, and instead of the “equal” and amazing size of the city, the wall is only 144 cubits; the former measurement expresses the Church’s perfection in the glory according to God; the latter, the Church’s perfection in glory according to men and angels.
(9.) The building of the wall was of jasper, that is, the glory of God will be our defense and security; while the city itself was pure gold, like clear glass. As to the gold, we are made the righteousness of God in Him even now (2 Cor. 5:21); then, it will be displayed — the purity will be transparent.
(10.) The gates were pearls; every gate was of one pearl. Israel, angels, and men, will then learn as they look upon the pearly gates, that Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it — the one pearl (Matt. 13:46) of priceless value to Him.
(11.) The golden and transparent street of the city tells us that the walks of the wilderness are over. The sand of the desert is exchanged for the golden street of the golden city. No more defilement; no more feet washing. We will walk on that which cannot possibly defile or be defiled (compare with 2 Cor. 6:16).
(12.) “No temple therein.” There will be no “holy” and “most holy;” no curtains and veils; no temple with its confining the glory of God to the favored few. All will see Him alike. I will see Jesus equally with Paul. “We see Jesus,” says the apostle (Heb. 2:9). “We see Jesus” is the language of “I saw no temple therein.”
(13.) The city needs no created light as the “sun,” nor borrowed light as the “moon,” nor artificial light as the “candle,” for the uncreated glory of God is its light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
(14.) The nations shall walk in its light; what we ought to be now — the light of the world (Matt. 5:14-16) — that we shall be then.
(15.) The kings and nations shall yield their homage, and pour their treasures at our feet (compare Rev. 21:24-26 with Rev. 3:9).
(16.) It will not be “the gates ajar,” but they “shall not be shut at all by day.” Absolute security; the open gates tell the certainty of perfect rest and quiet; but will they not be closed as the shades of evening draw their curtains over the face of creation? No, no; “for there shall be no night there.” Blessed and everlasting day that will know no evening!
(17.) “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth.” It is the home of the holy; no plea nor title of any sort will admit save those written in the Lamb’s book of life.
(18.) God and the Lamb’s throne will be the source of life. Grace will reign through righteousness then as now (Rom. 5:21). The river will flow uninterruptedly; now the waters should flow freely in us (John 7:38). Alas! that its course should be so often checked and hindered by the working of flesh.
(19.) Not only does the river of life refresh and gladden, but the tree of life, with its varied and abundant supply of fruit affords eternal nourishment, while its “leaves” will be the witness of grace to the millennial nations.
(20.) “No more curse.” What then? The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, upholding the glory and sustaining the blessedness while “His servants shall serve Him” unceasingly. We serve Him in weakness and imperfection now; then we shall serve Him in strength, and perfectly, and forever.
(21.) We “shall see His face;” that will be a blessing beyond harp, or crown, or robe, or glory. We shall see the face of Him who died, and His name shall be on our foreheads. Like Rebecca of old when she lifted up her eyes at the close of her wilderness travel, and beheld Isaac, and veiled her face that she might shine in his likeness; so in that day His name on our foreheads will be the public bearing of His likeness, morally (1 John 3:2) and corporeally (Phil. 3:21).
(22.) They “shall reign forever and ever.” Thus closes this truly marvelous and magnificent description of the Church in the glory, with a statement that reaches far beyond the millennial age. In the eternity of God the Church will reign forever and forever.
John 1:10 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Daniel 9:26 26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Matthew 27:26-33 26Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. 27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 28And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 31And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. 32And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. 33And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
1 Corinthians 6:2-3 2Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
2 Timothy 2:12 12If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Revelation 1:6 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 15:27 27For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
Ephesians 1:22-23 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Revelation 15:3 3And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Revelation 21:9 9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
Revelation 22:5 5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Revelation 21:10 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Romans 5:2 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Revelation 4:3 3And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Hebrews 2:5 5For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
1 Corinthians 6:2 2Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Matthew 19:28 28And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Ephesians 2:20 20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Ephesians 4:13 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
2 Corinthians 5:21 21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Matthew 13:46 46Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
2 Corinthians 6:16 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Hebrews 2:9 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Matthew 5:14-16 14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Revelation 21:24-26 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Revelation 3:9 9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
Romans 5:21 21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 7:38 38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
1 John 3:2 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Philippians 3:21 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Revelation 21:9-27 9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 22:1-5 1And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Ezekiel 40:1-49 1In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the Lord was upon me, and brought me thither. 2In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. 3And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. 4And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall show thee; for to the intent that I might show them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel. 5And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed. 6Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad. 7And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reed. 8He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed. 9Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward. 10And the little chambers of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side. 11And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 12The space also before the little chambers was one cubit on this side, and the space was one cubit on that side: and the little chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. 13He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door. 14He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate. 15And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits. 16And there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees. 17Then brought he me into the outward court, and, lo, there were chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty chambers were upon the pavement. 18And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement. 19Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate unto the forefront of the inner court without, an hundred cubits eastward and northward. 20And the gate of the outward court that looked toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof. 21And the little chambers thereof were three on this side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. 22And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before them. 23And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits. 24After that he brought me toward the south, and behold a gate toward the south: and he measured the posts thereof and the arches thereof according to these measures. 25And there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. 26And there were seven steps to go up to it, and the arches thereof were before them: and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, upon the posts thereof. 27And there was a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south an hundred cubits. 28And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures; 29And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad. 30And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad. 31And the arches thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it had eight steps. 32And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures. 33And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, were according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad. 34And the arches thereof were toward the outward court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps. 35And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according to these measures; 36The little chambers thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. 37And the posts thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps. 38And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering. 39And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering. 40And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate, were two tables. 41Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices. 42And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43And within were hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering. 44And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south: one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north. 45And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house. 46And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the Lord to minister unto him. 47So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house. 48And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side. 49The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and he brought me by the steps whereby they went up to it: and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.
147. the Millennium: What About Its Earthly Sphere?
What heart does not swell as it contemplates in the light afforded by Scripture that blissful era groaned for by creation, and yearned after by man for nigh 6,000 years? Our thoughts, however, must be regulated, and our imagination kept in check by the sober statements of the Word of God. All poetic flight of fancy and mere word painting should be carefully avoided in our meditations on divine subjects, especially when they bear as directly on the glory of Christ as the millennium does. A few touches of the divine pen are infinitely more preferable than any amount of fancy or conjecture. The words of God are pure words. They sound the depths of conscience, arrest the heart, and point to Christ. They carry moral, divine weight with them.
The Church, as a lamp of glory suspended over highly favored Israel (Isa. 4:5-6, see margin), and the happy and redeemed creation in light of which the nations will walk, will be the seat of the heavenly administration of the kingdom — the kingdom of the Father; while Jerusalem on earth, a crown of joy among the Gentiles, will be the center and seat of the earthly rule of the kingdom — the kingdom of the Son. Thus will be secured to Israel (Psa. 72) and to the world (Psa. 98:9) wise, equitable, and beneficent government — a priceless boon the earth has never yet enjoyed. Another distinguished blessing of that day will be the expulsion of Satan and his angels from the heavenly places, after the translation of the Church, and accomplished, I apprehend, in the middle of Daniel’s future and eventful week (Rev. 12:7-12), celebrated and rejoiced in by the dwellers in the heavens, then followed by his subsequent banishment from earth and confinement in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1-3). What a relief to walk abroad in those glorious days and see the sad effects of the curse removed, and to know that the seducer, tempter, and adversary is chained and shut up from defiling God’s beauteous world, and from injuring the souls and bodies of men during the whole course of the millennium.
As to the extent of Messiah’s kingdom we read: “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth” (Psa. 72:8) As to its duration, read Psalm 145:13, “Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.” As to its glory, see Psalm 8:1, “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth.”
Isaiah 4:5-6 5And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.
Psalm 98:9 9Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
Revelation 12:7-12 7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Revelation 20:1-3 1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Psalm 72:8 8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Psalm 145:13 13Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
Psalm 72:1-4 1A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. 2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 3The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. 4He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
148. What About All Israel in the Millennium?
The long separated houses of Israel — Judah and Ephraim — will be restored to their land, re-united, all converted, largely increased in numbers and settled as one people in their country as head of the nations, not as at present the tail (Ezek. 37; Rom. 11:26; Jer. 31:31-34; Deut. 28:13).
Ezekiel 37:15-28 15The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, 16Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. 18And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not show us what thou meanest by these? 19Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in 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 mine hand. 20And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. 21And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25And 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. 26Moreover 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. 27My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
Romans 11:26 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Jeremiah 31:31-34 31Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, 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.
Deuteronomy 28:13 13And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
149. What About the City of Jerusalem in the Millennium?
Jerusalem will be rebuilt in a style befitting the appellation, “The city of the great King” (Matt. 5:35). It has been computed from Ezekiel-measurement (Ezek. 45:6) that the city will be about 9 miles square, or 36 miles in perimeter. It will be the metropolitan city of the millennial earth; to it the nations will gather (Jer. 17); the Gentiles will be attracted to its light, and kings to its brightness; the wealth and treasures of the world will be poured in profusion at its feet (Isa. 60); the families of the earth will yearly flock to it for worship (Zech. 14:16-17); the nations will go to it for teaching, for the law and word of Jehovah will be promulgated from Jerusalem (Micah 4:2); holiness to Jehovah will characterize its civil and ecclesiastical polity (Zech. 14:20-21); and its new name will be the truest expression of its blessedness — Jehovah-Shammah, meaning “The LORD is there” (Ezek. 48:35).
Matthew 5:35 35Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Ezekiel 45:6 6And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.
Jeremiah 17:24-26 24And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; 25Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever. 26And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the Lord.
Isaiah 60:5-17 5Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. 6The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. 7All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. 8Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? 9Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. 10And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. 11Therefore 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. 12For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. 13The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. 14The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. 16Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. 17For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
Zechariah 14:16-17 16And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 17And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
Micah 4:2 2And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Zechariah 14:20-21 20In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE Lord; and the pots in the Lord’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.
150. What About the Temple in the Millennium?
The temple of Daniel (Dan. 9:27; 12:11), and of Revelation (Rev. 11:1-2), will probably be pillaged and destroyed by the Assyrian or King of the North. It is certain, however, that one of vast dimensions will be erected, with numerous gates, courts, and chambers, according to measurement carefully prescribed (Ezek. 40-45). We can trace the glory slowly and lingeringly leaving the throne and the city when the apostasy of Judah made it impossible for God to sanction by His presence the unrighteousness of the throne, and the greater iniquity of His house (Ezek. 1-11); that was at the epoch of the Babylonian attack upon Jerusalem. The glory of the God of Israel will again enter the temple, by its eastern gate (Ezek. 43:1-6; Ezek. 44:4). This same gate will be closed during the six working days, and will be opened on the Sabbaths and new moons. It is set apart for the exclusive use of one styled “the Prince” (Ezek. 44:1-3; 46:1-2). The temple thus filled with the glory of God will then be called, and become, “an house of prayer for all people“ (Isa. 56:7).
Daniel 9:27; 12:11 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. 11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Revelation 11:1-2 1And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Isaiah 56:7 7Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
Ezekiel 40:1-49 1In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the Lord was upon me, and brought me thither. 2In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. 3And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. 4And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall show thee; for to the intent that I might show them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel. 5And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed. 6Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad. 7And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reed. 8He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed. 9Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward. 10And the little chambers of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side. 11And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 12The space also before the little chambers was one cubit on this side, and the space was one cubit on that side: and the little chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. 13He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door. 14He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate. 15And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits. 16And there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees. 17Then brought he me into the outward court, and, lo, there were chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty chambers were upon the pavement. 18And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement. 19Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate unto the forefront of the inner court without, an hundred cubits eastward and northward. 20And the gate of the outward court that looked toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof. 21And the little chambers thereof were three on this side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. 22And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before them. 23And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits. 24After that he brought me toward the south, and behold a gate toward the south: and he measured the posts thereof and the arches thereof according to these measures. 25And there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. 26And there were seven steps to go up to it, and the arches thereof were before them: and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, upon the posts thereof. 27And there was a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south an hundred cubits. 28And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures; 29And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad. 30And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad. 31And the arches thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it had eight steps. 32And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures. 33And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, were according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad. 34And the arches thereof were toward the outward court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps. 35And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according to these measures; 36The little chambers thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. 37And the posts thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps. 38And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering. 39And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering. 40And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at the porch of the gate, were two tables. 41Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices. 42And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt offering, of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43And within were hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering. 44And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south: one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north. 45And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house. 46And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the Lord to minister unto him. 47So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house. 48And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side. 49The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and he brought me by the steps whereby they went up to it: and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.
Ezekiel 41:1-15 1Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. 2And the breadth of the door was ten cubits: and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits. 3Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits. 4So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place. 5After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side. 6And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house. 7And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst. 8I saw also the height of the house round about: the foundations of the side chambers were a full reed of six great cubits. 9The thickness of the wall, which was for the side chamber without, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side chambers that were within. 10And between the chambers was the wideness of twenty cubits round about the house on every side. 11And the doors of the side chambers were toward the place that was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south: and the breadth of the place that was left was five cubits round about. 12Now the building that was before the separate place at the end toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick round about, and the length thereof ninety cubits. 13So he measured the house, an hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, an hundred cubits long; 14Also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, an hundred cubits. 15And he measured the length of the building over against the separate place which was behind it, and the galleries thereof on the one side and on the other side, an hundred cubits, with the inner temple, and the porches of the court;
Ezekiel 42:1-20 1Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the north. 2Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits. 3Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories. 4And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north. 5Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building. 6For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground. 7And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits. 8For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were an hundred cubits. 9And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the utter court. 10The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over against the separate place, and over against the building. 11And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they, and as broad as they: and all their goings out were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors. 12And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door in the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one entereth into them. 13Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the Lord shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy. 14When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people. 15Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about. 16He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. 17He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about. 18He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed. 19He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed. 20He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.
Ezekiel 43:11-17 11And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, show them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them. 12This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house. 13And these are the measures of the altar after the cubits: The cubit is a cubit and an hand breadth; even the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about shall be a span: and this shall be the higher place of the altar. 14And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser settle even to the greater settle shall be four cubits, and the breadth one cubit. 15So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns. 16And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof. 17And the settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about; and his stairs shall look toward the east.
Ezekiel 45:1 1Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the Lord, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about.
Ezekiel 43:1-6 1Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: 2And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. 3And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. 4And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. 5So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. 6And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.
Ezekiel 44:4 4Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.
Ezekiel 44:1-3; 46:1-2 1Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. 2Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. 3It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same. 1Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 2And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.
151. What About the Sacrifices and Feasts in the Millennium?
Certain sacrifices and feasts (Pentecost, which has its antitype in the Church, being omitted) will be reinstituted (Ezek. 44-46). The Jewish rites and observances of old were anticipative; in the future they will be commemorative, as the Lord’s Supper is to Christians.
Ezek. 46:2 2And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.
152. What About the Priesthood in the Millennium?
The Aaronic priesthood will be re-established. The Levites of the priestly family of Zadok (1 Kings ), are not extinct, for they will be God’s priests, ministering, worshipping, teaching, and judging Israel in the future day of her gladness (Ezek. 44:15-31).
1 Kings 1:32-39 32And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. 33The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: 34And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. 35Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. 36And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. 37As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David. 38So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
Ezekiel 44:15-31 15But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD: 16They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge. 17And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. 18They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat. 19And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments. 20Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads. 21Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court. 22Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before. 23And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 24And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths. 25And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves: but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves. 26And after he is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days. 27And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, saith the Lord GOD. 28And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession. 29They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering: and every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest’s: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house. 31The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast.
153. What About “the Prince” in the Millennium?
There will be a lineal descendant of the house of David — the occupant of Judah’s long-deserted throne (Zech. 12:6-8). The prince, of whom we hear a good deal from Ezekiel 44 till end of Ezekiel, is not the Messiah, as he has to prepare a sin-offering for himself (Ezek. 45:22). Christ will sit as a Priest upon His throne (Zech. 6:13), but will have His vicegerent in Jerusalem, who will also combine royal glory and priestly ministry.
Zechariah 12:6-8 6In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. 7The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. 8In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.
Ezekiel 45:22 22And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering.
Zechariah 6:13 13Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
154. What About the Country of Judea in the Millennium?
The mountainous part of the country, from Geba (north) to Rimmon (south), will be leveled, and the city of Jerusalem (now being excavated) will be lifted up and rebuilt, and inhabited in safety. These and other physical changes of great importance are noted in Zechariah 14.
Zechariah 14:1-11 1Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For 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. 3Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 6And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. 8And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. 10All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses. 11And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
155. What About the Geographical Limits of the Land in the Millennium?
The limits of the land from west to east (Gen. 15:18) will extend from the head of the Nile in an almost straight line across the upper part of Egypt to the head of the Persian Gulf, into which the Euphrates falls. This will very greatly increase the size of the country.
Genesis 15:18 18In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
156. What About the Red Sea and the River of Egypt in the Millennium?
The tongue of the Egyptian or Red Sea will be utterly destroyed; this will necessarily involve the destruction of the Suez Canal, the connecting link between the Mediterranean and the Egyptian Sea; the seven streams of the Nile, also connecting that river with the Great Sea, will be smitten by the hand of judgment. These changes will open up a free passage for men to pass over the country dryshod (Isaiah 11:15).
Isaiah 11:15 15And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
157. What About the Powers of Egypt and Assyria in the Millennium?
Egypt and Assyria were powers of considerable importance in their days. Out of the one Israel was redeemed (Exodus 12; Exodus 14); into the other Israel was sent in chastisement (2 Kings 17). These powers cordially detested each other; both eagerly contested for the mastery of the world, and strove to effect the other’s ruin. Palestine, situated between the two, lay exposed to the attacks of both countries. The long continued and bitter enmity of these respective powers is not extinct, but will break out afresh and more fiercely than ever in the fast approaching crisis, with Judea, as formerly, figuring largely in their struggles (Daniel 11). Egypt, the ancient oppressor of God’s people, will in turn be sorely oppressed. Jehovah will smite the land and utterly confound the boasted wisdom of Egypt. Then the Egyptians will turn to the Lord, and the Lord will hear their cry, send them deliverance, heal their land, establish an altar in their midst, and save the people. The enmity, too, of Assyria and Egypt will be buried forever, and from one country to the other the highway will be one of perfect security; the peoples will mingle in peace as brethren dwelling together in unity. Of the three great powers in the millennial day we read, “The Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel [better still] mine inheritance” (Isaiah 19:25).
Exodus 12:17-18, 51 17And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. 18In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.... 51And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.
Exodus 14:26-31 26And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. 29But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 30Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. 31And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.
2 Kings 17:5-6 5Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. 6In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
Daniel 11:13-29 13For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 14And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. 15So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. 16But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. 17He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. 18After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 19Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 20Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. 21And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 23And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 24He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. 25And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 26Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 27And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 28Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. 29At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.
158. What About the Conversion of the World in the Millennium?
The mass of the Gentiles preserved from the judgments executed by the Lord at the commencement of His reign will be converted, for the Spirit will be poured from on high (Joel 2:28-32; Isa. 66:19-23). The majority of the earth’s teeming multitudes will know the Lord (Isa. 11:9; Psa. 98:2-3; Zeph. 3:9), and will yield obedience to the reigning king. With some it will be feigned (Psalm 66:3 — see margin).
Joel 2:28-32 28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. 32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on 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.
Isaiah 66:19-23 19And 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. 20And 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. 21And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord. 22For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.
Isaiah 11:9 9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Psalm 98:2-3 2The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen. 3He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Zephaniah 3:9 9For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.
Psalm 66:3 3Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
159. What About the Earth’s Fertility in the Millennium?
The close connection of the heavens with the earth (Hosea 2:21-23), and the removal of the curse from the ground (Gen. 3:17-19; 4:12) will secure such abundance of the precious fruits of the earth that poverty and want will be utterly unknown. The earth will enter on a new and blessed era of existence, and will yield its stores so richly and at so little labor to man (Isa. 65:23) that toil will become pleasure, for the “plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt” (Amos 9:13). Numerous glowing descriptions of the earth’s wonderful fertility in these happy millennial days are scattered through the Psalms and Prophets.
Hosea 2:21-23 21And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; 22And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. 23And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
Genesis 3:17-19; 4:12 17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 12When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
Isaiah 65:23 23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.
Amos 9:13 13Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
160. What About the Prolongation of Life in the Millennium?
Life will be wonderfully prolonged in these days. All the converted on earth will live during the full period of the millennial reign — one thousand years. Death will be rare even among the unsaved. No one will be regarded as old if he attains to a century; then he will be considered as a child at that age, and if one die it will be because of the infliction of special judgment for special sin (Isa. 65:20).
Isaiah 65:20 20There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
161. What About War in the Millennium?
War, which has so fearfully desolated the earth, will cease forever. The great Eastern Question has baffled the wisest and most sagacious heads in Europe and Asia. The ultimate solution of that vexed question is found in Zechariah 14. Shortly the evil passions of men will be let loose, and directed by satanic energy, will deluge the lands of the east with blood; all the powers of Europe will be involved in the struggle. Christ Himself will close the fearful conflict in awful and terrible judgments, and the survivors, awed by these judgments, will turn in heart to the Lord. “ And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks. Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they leam war any more” (Micah 4:3; Isa. 2:4; Hosea 2:18).
Zechariah 14:9 9And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.
Micah 4:3 3And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah 2:4 4And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Hosea 2:18 18And 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.
162. What About the Widow, the Fatherless Etc. in the Millennium?
The widow, the fatherless, the destitute, the stranger, the oppressed, the prisoner, the hungry, the blind, the needy, and the bowed down will find in Jesus, Israel’s King, refuge and help (Psa. 72:12-14). The heart of the priest and the arm of the king (Zech. 6:13) will relieve the sorrow and correct the wrong.
Psalm 72:12-14 12For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
Zechariah 6:13 13Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
163. What About Righteous Rule in the Millennium?
All kings, princes, judges, and officers will rule by Christ, and decree just judgment, and the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever (Isa. 32:15-20). Righteousness will “reign” in the repression of evil and the rewarding of good. In the eternal state there will be the absolute perfection of good and no evil, hence righteousness will “dwell.” The world has never yet enjoyed the precious boon of a righteous and beneficent government; it will then (Prov. 8:15; Psa. 72; Isa. 32:1).
Isaiah 32:15-20 15Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. 16Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 17And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. 18And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; 19When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place. 20Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.
Proverbs 8:15 15By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
Psalm 72:1-5 1A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. 2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 3The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. 4He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. 5They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
Isaiah 32:1 1Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
164. What About the River of God in the Millennium?
Jerusalem will be the source of blessing to the millennial earth. Living waters, called by the psalmist “The River of God,” will flow from under the temple; then separating, half will flow into the “former” or Mediterranean Sea, and half into the “hinder” or Dead Sea, enriching, fertilizing, and filling with life wherever they go. The whole earth will, in this way, be visited in blessing, and greatly enriched with the River of God (Psa. 65:9-10). As to the Dead Sea, waters will be healed and teem with fish in all variety, thus affording constant occupation to the numerous fishermen on its shores. A solemn and abiding memorial of the judgment of God will be preserved in the unhealed “miry places and marshes thereof.” On both banks of the sea, trees in almost endless variety, never fading, and in profuse and inexhaustible abundance, will yield their fruit for meat, and their leaves for medicine (Ezek. 47; Zech. 14:8).
Psalm 65:9-10 9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. 10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.
Ezekiel 47:6-12 6And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. 7Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 9And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. 10And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. 11But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. 12And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.
Zechariah 14:8 8And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
165. What About the Animal Creation in the Millennium?
The brute creation will share in the general blessing of that day. Their savage and cruel instincts will be changed. “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,” instead of preying upon and devouring each other as they do now; and “the lion shall eat straw like the bullock.” The concord among the beasts in the Ark (Gen. 6:19-21) was surely a foreshadowing of these millennial times! One solemn exception to the general blessing will be the serpent, the creature in which Satan appeared to and effected the ruin of man; “dust shall be the serpent’s meat” (Gen. 3:14; Isa. 11:6-9; Isa. 65:25). All through the millennium there will be preserved a witness of God’s judgment upon man (Isa. 66:24); upon the animal creation (Isa. 65:25); and upon the ground (Ezek. 47:11).
Genesis 6:19-21 19And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. 21And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
Genesis 3:14 14And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Isaiah 11:6-9 6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 65:25 25The 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 nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
Isaiah 66:24 24And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Isaiah 65:25 25The 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 nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
Ezekiel 47:11 11But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.
166. What About Idolatry in the Millennium?
Idol worship — Satan’s masterpiece — will be utterly abolished from the earth (Isa. 2:18). “In that day shall there be one Lord, and his name One” (Zech. 14:9). A more blessed description is not to be found in the precious pages of inspiration than is supplied by the closing prophet of the Old Testament; “for from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same My name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts” (Mal. 1:11).
Isaiah 2:18 18And the idols he shall utterly abolish.
Zechariah 14:9 9And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.
Malachi 1:11 11For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.
167. Will Grace or Judgment Be the Characteristic Introduction to the Millennium?
Judgment undoubtedly. For the gathering of the western powers, see Revelation 17:19; for the north-eastern nations, see Zechariah 14; and for the last attack upon Jehovah’s people and land by Gog and his allies, see Ezekiel 38 and 39. The whole world, except the heathen part of it, will be found in open rebellion and apostasy against God and the Lamb at the beginning of the millennium; righteous judgment will accordingly be executed on the whole scene, and meted out, too, according to the measure of guilt and responsibility of each; then will succeed the blessed era of peace foretold by the prophets of Israel, and celebrated by her ancient bards in magnificent strains.
Revelation 17:11And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Revelation 19:11-21 11And 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. 12His 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. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And 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 winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND Lord OF LordS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Zechariah 14:1-11 1Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For 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. 3Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Ezekiel 38:18-23 18And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21And 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. 22And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 39:1-6 1Therefore, 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: 2And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 3And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. 4Thou 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. 5Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 6And 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.
168. Will the Lord and His Heavenly Saints Reign on or Over the Millennial Earth?
Over the earth. In the synoptic gospels, we have the millennial kingdom prefigured in the well-known transfiguration scene. Christ and the changed (Elijah) and risen (Moses) saints enter into the same cloud of glory, while the disciples, representatives of Jewish saints on earth, remain on the mount, and the people are gathered down on the plain, representing Gentiles. We have the Spirit’s warrant in applying the scene of the “Holy Mount” to the future system of glory (2 Peter 1:16-19). The correct translation of Revelation 5:10 reads, “They shall reign over the earth.”
2 Peter 1:16-19 16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Revelation 5:10 10And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
169. With Whom Will the New Covenant Be Established, on What Is It Founded, and Who Is Its Mediator?
Scripture speaks of two covenants, both made with the whole house of Israel. The “first” or “old” had Moses as its mediator, and the people’s legal obedience as the ground on which its provisions — promises of earthly blessing — were to be enjoyed. God had no pleasure in it, and the people never reaped blessing under it, as they failed in obedience to its righteous claims. The “second” or “new” covenant is founded not on the people’s obedience, but on the blood of Christ, the Messiah being the mediator and dispenser of its blessings. This new covenant will be made with restored Israel — all of whom will be saved (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8; Matthew 26:28). There is no covenant made with Christians. Both are made with Israel — the one being past, while the other is yet future.
The covenant of unconditional blessing made with Abram (Gen. 17:1-8), and confirmed to Isaac (Gen. 26:3-4) and to Jacob (Gen. 28:12-15), is distinct from either of the two made with Israel; these rich promises of blessing to the pilgrim fathers of Israel have alone the word and oath of Jehovah for fulfillment, and not in anywise the obedience of man.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 31Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, 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.
Matthew 26:28 28For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Genesis 17:1-8 1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Genesis 26:3-4 3Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
Genesis 28:12-15 12And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
Hebrews 8:7-13 7For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
170. Will the Whole World Be Converted During the Millennium?
No. The terrible judgments accompanying the return of the Lord to claim His inheritance will thin the vast populations of the earth; this being followed by the outpouring of the Spirit upon all flesh, will effect the conversion of the mass of the millennial inhabitants. All Israel shall be saved, but not all the world. This statement, however, as to an almost universal state of conversion only applies to the earliest inhabitants of the millennial earth; that future and glorious dispensation will, like every preceding one, close up in judgment. We have no reason to assume that the countless multitudes born during the 1000 years’ reign will be saved (Isa. 40:5; Psa. 98:2-3; Zech. 2:10-12; Micah 4:2-4; Zeph. 3:9).
Isaiah 40:5 5And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
Psalm 98:2-3 2The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen. 3He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Zechariah 2:10-12 10Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. 11And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee. 12And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.
Micah 4:2-4 2And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 4But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.
Zephaniah 3:9 9For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.
171. When Will the Spirit Be Poured Out Upon All Flesh?
After the Lord has come and swept the scene with the besom (broom) of destruction (Isa. 14:23), making Israel His dwelling-place and center, from whence He will governmentally judge the whole earth. Such Scriptures as Ezekiel 36:25-27 and Isaiah 44:2-5, connect the blessing of Israel with the Spirit, but the passage in Joel 2:28-29 connects the blessing of the world at large with the outpouring of the Spirit.
Isaiah 14:23 23I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 25Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Isaiah 44:2-5 2Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. 3For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 4And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. 5One shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
Joel 2:28-29 28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
172. What Will the Saved Gentiles Be Commissioned to Carry Out?
The Gentiles spared from the desolating judgments prior to, at the time of, and immediately succeeding the advent of the Lord, will be sent out to the most distant parts of the earth to declare the glory of Jehovah (Isa. 66:19) and to restore any Israelites to their land yet remaining amongst the nations (Isa. 66:20). Their kings, princes, and nobles will also gladly co-operate in the rebuilding and beautifying of the city of Jerusalem (Isa. 60:9-10) and will worship the Lord yearly in the city and temple of Jerusalem (Zech. 14:16-19; Isa. 56:7).
Isaiah 66:19 19And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
Isaiah 66:20 20And 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.
Isaiah 60:9-10 9Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. 10And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
Zechariah 14:16-19 16And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 17And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18And 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. 19This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
Isaiah 56:7 7Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
173. What Will Be the Geographical Extent of Palestine During the Millennium?
The extent of the country, as unconditionally granted to Abram in covenant, was only enjoyed by Israel during the latter period of David’s reign and early part of Solomon’s. Israel’s conditional tenure of the land was of brief duration and greatly circumscribed in extent from that promised to Abram. The country, as prophetically defined, will stretch from the Nile on the west to the Euphrates on the east; its northern and southern boundaries are also carefully and accurately pointed out. Everlasting possession of it, too, according to divine promise, will be enjoyed in millennial days. According to Dr. Keith, millennial-Palestine will occupy about 300,000 square miles, or two and a half times the area of Great Britain and Ireland together. (See also Gen. 15:18; Gen. 13:14-17; Gen. 17:8; Exod. 23:31; Deut. 11:24; Ezek. 48.)
Genesis 15:18 18In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
Genesis 13:14-17 14And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 17Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
Genesis 17:8 8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Exodus 23:31 31And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
Deuteronomy 11:24 24Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.
Ezekiel 48:1-7,23-35 1Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan. 2And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher. 3And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Naphtali. 4And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Manasseh. 5And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Ephraim. 6And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Reuben. 7And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah.... 23As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin shall have a portion. 24And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon shall have a portion. 25And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion. 26And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a portion. 27And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion. 28And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great sea. 29This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord GOD. 30And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures. 31And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. 32And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. 33And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. 34At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. 35It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.
174. How Will the Tribes Be Arranged in Their Land During Millennial Times?
They will be arranged in parallel bands across the country, from east to west—from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean — commencing with the northern limit of the land. Dan — from whence Jewish tradition asserts the rise of Antichrist (see also Gen. 49:17), and who is markedly omitted in the sealing of the tribes for millennial blessing (Rev. 7) — is here first named in the future division of the land (Ezek. 48).
Genesis 49:17 17Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
Revelation 7:1-8 1And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Ezekiel 48:1-2 1Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan. 2And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher.
175. Will the Land of Palestine yet Become More Fertile and Fruitful?
Yes. The Lord’s glorious reign, and the removal of the curse from the earth, accompanied by certain physical changes, will bring in a measure of blessing unexampled in the history of that wonderful land (Isa. 65:21-23; Micah 4:2-4). The law, the psalms, and the prophets teem with glowing descriptions of the future productiveness of the millennial earth, and especially of Emmanuel’s land, then under the immediate government of her Messiah. From the law, see Numbers 14:8 and Deuteronomy 30:9; from the psalms, see Psalm 65 and Psalm 147; from the prophets, see Ezekiel 36:35, Amos 9:13, Joel 3:18, Isaiah 35:1-2 and Isaiah 65:21-23.
Isaiah 65:21-23 21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.
Micah 4:2-4 2And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 4But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.
Numbers 14:8 8If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Deuteronomy 30:9 9And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
Psalm 65:1-13 1To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. 2O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. 3Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. 4Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. 5By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea: 6Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power: 7Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people. 8They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. 9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. 10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. 11Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. 12They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. 13The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.
Psalm 147:1-20 1Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. 2The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. 3He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. 4He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. 5Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. 6The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. 7Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: 8Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. 9He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. 10He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. 11The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. 12Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. 13For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. 14He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat. 15He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly. 16He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. 17He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? 18He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow. 19He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. 20He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.
Ezekiel 36:35 35And 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.
Amos 9:13 13Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
Joel 3:18 18And 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 waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
Isaiah 35:1-2 1The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. 2It 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 65:21-23 21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.
176. How Many Temples Are Mentioned in Scripture?
Five.
Solomon’s, 1 Kings 8;
Zerubbabel’s, Ezra 1,
Herod’s, John 2:19-20;
Antichrist’s, 2 Thessalonians 2:4, yet future;
and Christ’s millennial temple, Ezekiel 44:2,4.
This latter will probably be about a mile in length, so as to become a house of prayer for all peoples, that is, Gentile nations of the earth (Isa. 56:7). It will be erected according to divine measurement and in a style befitting the entrance of the Lord of glory.
1 Kings 8:1-10 1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. 2And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4And they brought up the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up. 5And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 6And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims. 7For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. 8And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day. 9There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
Ezra 1:1-2 1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 2Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
John 2:19-20 19Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
2 Thessalonians 2:4 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Ezekiel 44:2,4 2Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. 4Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.
Isaiah 56:7 7Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
177. Will Sacrifice, Feasts, and Other Rites Be Established, and a Priesthood Be Set up During the Millennium?
Yes. The ecclesiastical arrangements of millennial Israel are pretty fully detailed in the last nine chapters of the prophecy of Ezekiel. The priesthood of that day will be established in the family of Zadok, and the descendants of the ancient Levites will minister as of old.
178. What Will Be the General Character of the Millennial Jewish Ritual?
Commemorative in character, as the Lord’s Supper is to Christians. The feast of Pentecost, which has had its fulfillment (Acts 2), is markedly omitted. The veil, too, will be set up, for the millennial ritual will respect a people on earth drawing nigh. For us the veil is rent, and right of access furnished in the blood of Christ, and title moreover to stand before God in the glory and delight of His presence (Heb. 9,10) These millennial sacrifices will be accepted by Jehovah (See Psa. 51:18-19; Psa. 118:26-27; Isa. 56:7; Isa. 60:7).
Acts 2:1-47 1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Hebrews 9:24-28 24For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Hebrews 10:12-23 12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21And having an high priest over the house of God; 22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Psalm 51:18-19 18Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. 19Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Psalm 118:26-27 26Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. 27God is the Lord, which hath showed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
Isaiah 56:7 7Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
Isaiah 60:7 7All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
179. Who Is Meant by “the Prince,” and What Relation Will He Sustain, to Christ (Ezek.44)?
A lineal descendant of the house of David will occupy the throne at Jerusalem, who will act as Christ’s vicegerent on earth — the link in government and authority between the millennial nations and the reigning Messiah. “Out of Zion shall go forth the law” (Isa. 2:3), would conclusively prove that the prince could not be Christ.
Ezekiel 44:1-4 1Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. 2Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. 3It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same. 4Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.
Isaiah 2:3 3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
180. Will Jerusalem Be Rebuilt During the Millennium, and If so, by Whom, and What Will Be Its Probable Size?
Jerusalem will be rebuilt in a style and grandeur of surpassing magnificence. The wealth of the Gentiles will adorn the city, and their kings and princes willingly contribute their aid and service, so that Jerusalem, rebuilt and beautified by Gentile help, will become the royal seat of earthly government — the city of the Great King (Isa. 40). It will cover the site of the old city, but will be greatly enlarged, probably occupying, with its surrounding gardens and suburbs, a space of about 50 miles square while the city proper will cover a square of about 36 miles (see Ezek. 48:8-21).
Isaiah 40:1-10 1Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 6The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: 7The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. 8The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. 9O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! 10Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
Ezekiel 48:8-21 8And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it. 9The oblation that ye shall offer unto the Lord shall be of five and twenty thousand in length, and of ten thousand in breadth. 10And for them, even for the priests, shall be this holy oblation; toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of the Lord shall be in the midst thereof. 11It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray. 12And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites. 13And over against the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand. 14And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the Lord. 15And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof. 16And these shall be the measures thereof; the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred. 17And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty. 18And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city. 19And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel. 20All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city. 21And the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof.
181. What City Will Be Regarded As the Metropolitan City of the Millennial World?
Restored Jerusalem. “At that time they shall call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem” (Jer. 3:17). Again: “And thou, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion; unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion, the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem” (Micah 4:8; see also Isa. 60)
Jeremiah 3:17 17At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
Micah 4:8 8And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 60:1-22 1Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. 5Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. 6The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. 7All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. 8Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? 9Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. 10And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. 11Therefore 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. 12For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. 13The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. 14The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. 16Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. 17For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. 18Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. 19The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 22A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.
182. What Will Be the Moral Character of the Inhabitants of the Future Jerusalem?
The people will be all righteous (Isa. 60:21), and her prince, officers, and judges govern in peace and righteousness (Isa. 60:17; Isa. 1:26). The civil and ecclesiastical government of that day will be characterized by holiness (Zech. 14:20-21).
Isaiah 60:21 21Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
Isaiah 60:17 17For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
Isaiah 1:26 26And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
Zechariah 14:20-21 20In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE Lord; and the pots in the Lord’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.
183. Are the “Living Waters,” or River of God, Which Will Issue From Jerusalem, to Be Understood Literally?
Yes; for we can geographically trace their course, and are told of their physical effects upon the seas and earth (Ezek. 47; Zech. 14:8; Joel 3:18; Psa. 65:9-10).
Ezekiel 47:1-10 1Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. 2Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. 3And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. 4Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. 5Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over. 6And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. 7Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 9And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. 10And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
Zechariah 14:8 8And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
Joel 3:18 18And 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 waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
Psalm 65:9-10 9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. 10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.
184. Trace the Course of These “Living Waters.”
“It shall be in that (millennial) day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea (the Mediterranean), and half of them toward the hinder sea (the Dead Sea): in summer and winter shall it be” (Zech. 14:8).
Zechariah 14:8 8And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
185. State the effect of these “living waters.”
The Dead Sea will be healed, and its verdant banks on either side covered with fruit-trees. The sea will teem with fish, equal in size and kind to those found in the Mediterranean, and its shores lined by busy fishermen (Ezek. 47:7-12). The whole earth will also be greatly enriched and fertilized by the river of God (Psa. 65:9-10), which in its progress from Jerusalem, west and east, will circle the globe.
Ezekiel 47:7-12 7Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 9And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. 10And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. 11But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. 12And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.
Psalm 65:9-10 9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. 10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.
186. What Is Meant by the “Tree of Life” and “Water of Life”?
“Life,” the food and refreshment of the heavenly saints (Rev. 22:1-2). Life in its abundance will eternally sustain and everlastingly gladden the inhabitants of the land of glory.
Revelation 22:1-2 1And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
187. What Place As a Nation Will Saved Israel Occupy Amongst the Millennial Nations?
Israel is now the most degraded of all peoples, a nation dispersed to the four winds of heaven, and is yet under the ban of Jehovah’s governmental displeasure. The Lord’s indignation against His ancient people will cease with the destruction of the Assyrian — Israel’s northern enemy in the future Jewish crisis (Isa. 10). Then Israel will take her place of supremacy in the earth, head of the nations, and served by every kingdom. Kings, queens, and princes of the Gentiles will gladly pay their court; maritime and inland nations, too, convey their wealth and lay their treasures at the feet of Israel, as wonderful in her greatness then as in her ruins now. Gentiles will build her walls, tend her flocks, pronounce the people blessed, and term her land “delightsome.” An alliance with the Jew of that day will be eagerly sought by the nations (See Isa. 60; Mal. 3:10-12; Psa. 72; Zech. 8:2-8).
Isaiah 10:1-34 1Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; 2To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! 3And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? 4Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 5O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
Isaiah 60:11-16 11Therefore 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. 12For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. 13The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. 14The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. 16Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
Malachi 3:10-12 10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. 12And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
Psalm 72:8-11 8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. 10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
Zechariah 8:2-8 2Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. 3Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain. 4Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. 5And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. 6Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts. 7Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; 8And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
188. How Will Restored and Converted Israel Be Governed During the Millennium?
In contrast to the Antichrist who will reign as king in Palestine prior to the millennium, a prince of the royal tribe and a lineal descendant of David will occupy the throne set up in Jerusalem — Christ’s vicegerent. The government of Israel will be specially committed to the Apostles, whose mission was to Israel (Matt. 19:28). The seat of all earthly government will be the heavenly scene above the redeemed earth with Christ and His saints (Rev. 21) Then “the prince” in Jerusalem, and all lesser authorities in Judea and elsewhere, will govern subordinately to Christ (See Ezek. 44-46; Isa. 60; Jer. 30:18-21).
Matthew 19:28 28And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Revelation 21:9-27 9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Ezekiel 44:1-3 1Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. 2Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. 3It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.
Ezekiel 45:9-12 9Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD. 10Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath. 11The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer. 12And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.
Ezekiel 46:17-18 17But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons’ for them. 18Moreover the prince shall not take of the people’s inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession.
Isaiah 60:1-22 1Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
Jeremiah 30:18-21 18Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. 19And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. 20Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them. 21And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.
189. What Will Be the General Condition of the Earth During the Millennium?
The wise, powerful, and beneficent government of Christ and His heavenly saints, and the earth freed from the presence of Satan, will create a character of blessing to be measured only by what is due to Christ, once dishonored by man but then glorified in the scene of his humiliation. The heavens and the earth will be brought into the closest fellowship; the whole earth will become exceedingly fertile and fruitful beyond man’s highest expectations. Vegetation will universally flourish, and abundant harvests in rapid succession characterize the period; even in the most barren places — the tops of mountains (Psa. 72:16) — the Lord will crown with goodness. “The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn” (Psa. 65:9-13; Amos 9:13).
Psalm 72:16 16There 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.
Psalm 65:9-13 9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. 10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. 11Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. 12They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. 13The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.
Amos 9:13 13Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
190. Will the Millennium or Kingdom Itself Be a Perfect Condition?
No; not absolutely perfect, for there will be occasional outbreaks of evil (Isa. 65:20) among individuals, and even insubjection amongst nations (Zech. 14:17-19). Further, it will be a reign of righteousness, which supposes evil to be repressed. The subjugation of Christ’s foes is a work which will embrace the whole millennial period; the last enemy is only destroyed at the close of the reign (See 1 Cor. 15:24-26; Psa. 110). Thus the Millennium, grand and blessed as it will be, will yet be an imperfect condition.
Isaiah 65:20 20There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
Zechariah 14:17-19 17And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18And 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. 19This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
1 Corinthians 15:24-26 24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Psalm 110:1-7 1A Psalm of David. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 3Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. 4The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 5The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. 6He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. 7He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
191. Is the Promised Creation of New Heavens and a New Earth a Physical or Moral Work?
There will be numerous changes of a physical nature witnessed on the millennial heaven and earth, but the characteristic features will be of a moral kind, and to this, the expression in Isaiah 65:17 refers. For the eternal state, on the other hand, a material heaven and earth will be created, in which God will display an absolutely perfect state of things (Rev. 21:1-8). In the millennial earth the sea will exist; in the eternal earth it will not (Rev. 21:1).
Isaiah 65:17 17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Revelation 21:1-8 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of 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. 4And 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. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 21:1 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
192. Will the Animal Creation Share Millennial Blessing?
Yes; the inferior creation will fully share the blessings of Christ’s millennial reign. The instincts of the beasts will be changed (Isa. 11:6-9); the reversal, too, of the Noahic governmental judgment upon all the animals (Gen. 9:2) will be accomplished. The serpent, however, will form an exception to the general blessing; there will be no relief to it from the Eden-curse (Gen. 3:14; Isa. 65:25). The statements of Scripture as to the animal creation must be accepted literally. Creation suffers because of the first man’s sin (Rom. 8:20); it will be delivered because of the second man’s triumph (Rom. 8:21).
Isaiah 11:6-9 6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Genesis 9:2 2And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Genesis 3:14 14And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Isaiah 65:25 25The 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 nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
Romans 8:20 20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Romans 8:21 21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
193. Will the Celestial Orbs Undergo Any Physical Change During the Millennium?
Yes. We suppose the sun and moon will shine together in the same firmament. In the heavenly city over the earth “there will be no night” (Rev. 21:25), and on earth the day will be so lengthened out that at “eventide it shall be light;” it “will be a day peculiar to Jehovah,” probably, one long nightless day during the whole course of the millennium — a day without night or darkness (Zech. 14:6-7; Isa. 60:19-20).
Revelation 21:25 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Zechariah 14:6-7 6And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
Isaiah 60:19-20 19The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
194. Will There Be Open, Flagrant Sin During the Millennium, and, If so, How Will It Be Dealt With?
After the last (yet future) uprising of the nations against the royal authority of Christ at His second advent will have been dealt with, and the series of Gentile judgments closed up with the judgment of Gog and his allies (Ezek. 38, 39), Christ will reign in the peaceful character of Solomon — a reign characterized by an almost total exemption from war and open wickedness at least. Scripture does intimate occasional outbreaks of evil, which will at once be summarily dealt with (Isa. 65:20). There will, however, be an open and universal revolt of the nations under the leadership of Satan at the close of the kingdom-reign (Rev. 20:8-9). These apostate nations will probably consist, in the main, of those born during the 1,000 years’ reign.
Ezekiel 38:18-23 18And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21And 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. 22And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 39:1-6 1Therefore, 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: 2And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 3And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. 4Thou 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. 5Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 6And 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.
Isaiah 65:20 20There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
Revelation 20:8-9 8And 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. 9And 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.
195. Where Will Satan Be During the Lengthened Era of Blessing?
After his expulsion from the heavens (Rev. 12:7-12), he will act as leader of the powers opposed to the entrance of Christ into His earthly inheritance; for this, see the central part of the Revelation. But at the introduction of the kingdom-reign, Satan will be ignominiously chained up by an angel and confined in the bottomless pit, which will then be sealed up during the whole period of Christ’s reign (Rev. 20:1-2).
Revelation 12:7-12 7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Revelation 20:1-2 1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
196. Will War and Idolatry Cease During the Millennium?
Yes. War, now exalted into a science, will then utterly cease, and the implements of warfare and engines of destruction either be broken (Hosea 2:18), or burned (Ezek. 39:9), or else adapted for agricultural purposes (Micah 4:3). Every idol will be utterly destroyed, and idolatry banished for ever from the earth. “All flesh” will worship the Lord (Isa. 66:23; Isa. 2:18).
Hosea 2:18 18And 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.
Ezekiel 39:9 9And 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 seven years:
Micah 4:3 3And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah 66:23 23And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.
Isaiah 2:18 18And the idols he shall utterly abolish.
197. Will the World Be Densely Populated or Otherwise During the Millennium?
At the commencement of Christ’s reign, the earth’s population will be very greatly decreased by judgment, many nations being then utterly exterminated; but as death during the reign will be of rare occurrence, and countless multitudes be born, the population will wonderfully increase. In Israel it will certainly be so, and also throughout the earth (Psa. 72; Isa. 9:3; Isa. 26:15; Jer. 3:16).
Psalm 72:16 16There 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.
Isaiah 9:3 3Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
Isaiah 26:15 15Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.
Jeremiah 3:16 16And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
198. Will Human Life Be Prolonged, and Will Death Be As Common Then As Now?
The saved or righteous on the earth will live on during the whole millennial period — a thousand years, as at its close the wicked only are raised (Rev. 20:5-15). Under the reign of the Prince of Life death will certainly be the exception, as now it is the rule, and will only take place as an act of signal judgment upon open, manifested evil.
Revelation 20:5-15 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed 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. 7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8And 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. 9And 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. 10And 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. 11And 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. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
199. What Will Be the Characteristic Features of Christ’s Millennial Reign?
The extent of Christ’s earthly dominion will be from “shore to shore,” in other words, it will be universal in its range, circling the globe (Psa. 72:8-9; Rev. 11:15).
The beneficent character of the reign is described in Psalm 72;
its righteous character is noted in Isaiah 11:4-5;
its glorious character in Revelation 21;
its powerful character in Psalm 2;
its holy character in Zechariah 14:20-21;
its permanent character in Psalm. 72:17.
Psalm 72:8-9 8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
Revelation 11:15 15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Psalm 72:6-16 6He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. 7In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. 8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. 10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. 12For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. 15And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. 16There 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.
Revelation 21:10-27 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Isaiah 11:4-5 4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Psalm 2:1-12 1Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, 3Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. 10Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Zechariah 14:20-21 20In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE Lord; and the pots in the Lord’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.
Psalm 72:17 17His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
200. Where Is the Heavenly Character of the Millennial Reign Fully Set Forth?
The fullest description of the Church in millennial glory is given in Revelation 21:9-22:5. There are occasional glimpses also in certain of the prophets, as in Isaiah 4:5-6 and Daniel 7:22,27. It is also pictured in that panoramic view of the kingdom witnessed on the holy mount (Mark 9).
Revelation 21:9-22:5 9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. 28And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 29In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 30And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 31And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 32And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Isaiah 4:5-6 5And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.
Daniel 7:22,27 22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 27And 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.
Mark 9:1-9 1And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. 2And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. 3And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 4And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. 5And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 6For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. 7And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 8And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. 9And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
201. How Is the Heavenly Jerusalem Spoken of As to Shape, Situation, and Character?
She is described as a square, implying her perfection. She is situated above the earth, the center of light and attraction to the nations; clothed in glory and adorned with every beauty and perfection, holy and righteous in herself, and governmental in her relationship to the earth (Rev. 21). The Lamb’s wife has thus heaven as her home, holiness as her character, and God as her source of blessing (Rev. 21:10).
Revelation 21:10-27 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
202. What Are Signified by Its Pearly Gates, Jasper Walls, and Street of Gold?
The “pearls” would publicly witness of Christ’s delight in His Church (Matt. 13:46); its “gates” express its governmental relation to the earth (Gen. 19:1); and its “jasper walls” signify that the divine glory is the security of the redeemed (Rev. 4:3). Its “street of gold” tells of divine righteousness in presence of the Lord, and which the feet of the saints will ever tread (Rev. 21) — the defiling sand of the desert exchanged for the undefilable street of gold.
Matthew 13:46 46Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Genesis 19:1 1And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
Revelation 4:3 3And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Revelation 21:21 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
203. Will the Heavenly Inhabitants of the Millennium Ever Know a Night?
Oh, no! “For there shall be no night there.” Moreover, “the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light (lamp) thereof.”
Revelation 21:23,25 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
204. What Relation Will the Heavenly Jerusalem Sustain to Saved and Happy Israel?
It will be the source of blessing and center of government to Israel and the earth (Isa. 4:5-6; Rev. 21). The light and glory of God will be centered in the heavenly Jerusalem, while the earthly city — the witness of grandeur — will form His footstool (Isa. 60:13; Ezek. 43:7). The city and people above will overshadow with glory the city and people beneath.
Isaiah 4:5-6 5And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.
Revelation 21:10-27 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Isaiah 60:13 13The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
Ezekiel 43:7 7And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.
205. What Relation Will the Heavenly Jerusalem Bear to the Nations and to the Redeemed Earth?
It will be the source of their light, blessing, and government (Rev. 21). In its light the nations shall walk (Rev. 21:24), and to it the homage of kings and peoples shall be brought (Rev. 21:24,26); its ever-opened gates will be the sure pledge of protection to all (Rev. 21:25), and its overshadowing glory will shelter at all times and in all circumstances (Isa. 4:5-6). Creation will be delivered from its long and oppressive agony (Rom. 8:19), and will grandly celebrate her deliverance in the last five Psalms, which may be well termed “Creation’s Song of Praise.”
Revelation 21:24 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Revelation 21:24,26 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 26And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Revelation 21:25 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Isaiah 4:5-6 5And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.
Romans 8:19 19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
206. Who Will Be the Leading Powers in Association With Israel in Millennial Times?
Egypt and Assyria (Isa. 19:23-25). Israel was a slave in Egypt and a captive in Assyria, and, owing to the close proximity of these powers to Palestine, the Jews were peculiarly exposed in the wars of their northern and southern neighbors. The old hatred to Israel by these powers and to each other will break out afresh (Dan. 11), till the Lord in grace unite them all in one common brotherhood of peace and blessing.
Isaiah 19:23-25 23In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. 24In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: 25Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
Daniel 11:40-45 40And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. 45And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
207. What Will Succeed the Loosing of Satan After the Thousand Years’ Reign (Rev. 20)?
Satan, the deceiver of the race and destroyer of man, effects the apostasy of the nations; his imprisonment in the bottomless pit and their long millennial blessing is over; man had been tested under promise, law, grace, and lastly by glory under Christ. The last testing process is yet future. Satan will lead on his countless millions, held in check during the reign of Christ, but not saved, to recover the lost mastery of the world; both he and they are involved in one awful ruin, and consigned to one eternal abode of misery.
Revelation 20:1-15 1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed 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. 7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8And 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. 9And 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. 10And 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. 11And 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. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
208. Who Are Meant by Gog and Magog, to Be Gathered Under the Leadership of Satan (Rev. 20:8)?
Gog and Magog, that is, the last Russian autocrat and his land, are visited in judgment shortly after the commencement of the millennial reign (Ezek. 38 and Ezek. 39); but here the judgment recorded is at the close of the reign, and upon nations drawn together by Satan from the four quarters of the earth, hence symbolically termed Gog and Magog. The last attack of Gog upon Israel, so graphically described by the exiled seer of Chebar, and the crushing defeat of that great and growing Northern Power, are in this book of symbols and figures, regarded as types of the complete overthrow of Satan’s closing attempt to overturn the throne of the King of Glory. “The camp of the saints” is Israel, and “the beloved city” the glorified Church (Rev. 20:9).
Revelation 20:8 8And 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.
Ezekiel 38:18-23 18And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21And 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. 22And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 39:1-6 1Therefore, 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: 2And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 3And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. 4Thou 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. 5Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 6And 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.
Revelation 20:9 9And 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.
209. What Is Meant by “the Day of the Lord,” and How Is It Divided?
This familiar expression of the Hebrew prophets is used to denote the future era of mingled judgment and glory. Its early morn is for Christians (Rev. 2:28); its noon will bring blessing to the Jew (Mal. 4:2); its evening will be one of universal judgment and dissolution of creation (2 Peter 3:12).
Revelation 2:28 28And I will give him the morning star.
Malachi 4:2 2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
2 Peter 3:12 12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
The Eternal State
210. Point Out the Various Scriptures Which Describe the Eternal State.
The very few passages which speak directly of the eternal state are as follows — 1 Cor. 15:24-28; 2 Pet. 3:12-13; Rev. 21:1-8.
1 Corinthians 15:24-28 24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
2 Peter 3:12-13 12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Revelation 21:1-8 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of 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. 4And 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. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
211. What Is the Meaning of “That God May Be All in All” (1 Cor. 15:28)?
As man, Christ has gone to “receive” the kingdom (Luke 19:12), and as man He will maintain it in righteousness, putting down all opposing rule, authority and power. When the subjugation of His foes is complete, the last enemy that is destroyed being death, then the blessed and only worthy One will “deliver up the kingdom” to God, even the Father. He receives the kingdom, and administers it for one thousand years in subjection to God, and delivers it up in the same perfection as He received it. Every previous steward had proved unfaithful; not one had delivered up what they had received. “And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” Manhood once taken up will never be laid aside, but all delegated authority will cease, and as such the Son Himself will be subject, not cease to be “Son.” The words are used in contrast to delegated authority exercised by the Son. When the hand of God will create a scene altogether according to Himself, and He will rest in His love, then God alone, in His nature and in the moral perfections of His being, will become the rest of man and creation in the eternal ages. God will be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:28 28And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Luke 19:12 12He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
212. What Is the Great Moral Distinction Between the Millennium and the Eternal State?
The millennium is the subject of counsel and prophecy. It is the period when everything committed to man, Israel and the Church having been sinned away, will be administered in perfection in Christ, the Second Man.
The eternal state is neither the subject of promise nor prophecy; it is nowhere revealed in the Old Testament, but is the fruit of what God is in Himself; “God is light” and “ God is love.” In the millennium we see the accomplishment of God’s purposes for the glory of Christ, and the blessing of man. In the eternal state — which is the force of what God is in Himself — everything will witness to that absolute perfection conveyed in that beautiful sentence, “God, all in all.” In the millennium righteousness will “reign” because of the presence of evil, the state not being a perfect one, but in the everlasting condition righteousness will dwell, because the state is set in absolute goodness.
213. What Are the Main Features, and What the Characteristic Blessing of the Eternal State?
The fullest and most comprehensive statement as to the everlasting and absolutely perfect condition succeeding the millennium is in Revelation 21:1-5. All time distinctions are gone. We have passed into eternity. We have seen the complete dissolution of all things. “The Great White Throne” has been set up, and the wicked “dead, small and great,” gathered around it to receive from the lips of the Judge their final and irrevocable doom. They are upheld in space by the power of God, for the earth and heaven have fled away; raised in time, but judged in eternity. Then follows those magnificent verses, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” Thus an everlasting distinction will exist between heavenly and earthly saints. The bride will joy in that she is the Bridegroom’s, while the Bridegroom’s friends will rejoice in His immediate presence (John 3:29). The blessing of all will be fully secured. Into this new created world the bride descends from God and takes up her abode as His tabernacle. “Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,” she is thus represented as still wearing her bridal robes (Rev. 19:7-9), and entering the everlasting state after the thousand years’ reign, in the freshness and beauty of bridal affection and established relationship. The “bride” tells of love; the “Husband” speaks of relationship. God will dwell with (not over, as in the kingdom) men in His tabernacle, the Church; He will rest in His love (Zeph. 3:17). Neither Israel, nor nations as such, will have any place in that grand condition. Another marked feature will be the absence of the sea; now indispensable for the life of man and creation, then no longer needed, for God Himself dwelling in the midst of His new creation will be its life, its rest, its joy. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” For full a thousand years the Bride had ceased to weep, but saints on earth during the period of the millennial reign will witness one scene of judgment after another, the most terrible and appalling being at the close (Rev. 20:7-10); now, however, they will weep no more, for God Himself, blessed for ever be His adorable name! will wipe away all tears from their eyes. Death, sorrow, crying, and pain, shall never enter that scene, disturb its rest, or interrupt its joys. God will impress these deathless and blessed regions with the stamp of His own infinite perfection.
As to the characteristic blessing of the everlasting condition, read Revelation 21:5, “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Everything that would remind us of the world, its ways, its changing scenes, its sins and its sorrows, will be banished from these regions of fadeless and eternal delight. May the Holy Spirit expound in power and sweetness to our hearts that ineffably blessed sentence, “Behold I make all things new.” Amen and amen.
“For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36).
Revelation 21:1-5 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of 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. 4And 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. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
John 3:29 29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
Revelation 19:7-9 7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Zephaniah 3:17 17The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
Revelation 20:7-10 7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8And 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. 9And 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. 10And 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.
Revelation 21:5 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
214. Is the Expression, “There Was No More Sea,” to Be Understood Literally?
Yes. It will be observed that in the passage where the statement occurs, a material heaven and earth, entirely new in all respects, is spoken of. Revelation 21:1 must be accepted as literal statement of what will shortly be fact.
Revelation 21:1 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
215. Is the Eternal State the Subject of Prophecy?
No. The millennium or kingdom is, after the sacrifice of Christ, the great burden of Old Testament Scripture and part of the New; but the grand, absolutely perfect, eternal condition is not the accomplishment of counsel merely, or of Scripture, but is the fruit or force of what God is in Himself. Because God is God He must have a state or condition according to His nature, one displaying the perfection of light and love.
Appendix
The All-Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures
If any word of ours could deepen in the souls of our readers the unspeakable importance of possessing a written revelation from God, we would be truly thankful. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament consisting of 66 books, and embracing an endless variety of subjects, being the work of about 40 different penmen, drawn from all classes of society, from the wisest of monarchs down to the unlettered fisherman of Galilee. They are composed at different periods during the progress of 16 centuries, and in some cases in, places up to 1,000 miles apart. These Scriptures, though penned in such diversity, are pervaded by One mind, one plan, and characterized throughout by unity of design because they are fully inspired of God, and hence their authority is absolute and unquestionable. The authority of the Living God is lodged in these divine and imperishable records. The declarations of Scripture on whatever subject, must be accepted as the voice and will of God.
The contempt of man has been poured upon the Scriptures; the power and ingenuity of man have been exerted to their utmost to blot them out of existence; the learning of man has been employed to destroy their divine diameter; but all has been in vain. Has the accumulated lore of 33 centuries produced one fact contradicting a single statement in the earliest written of all books — the book of Genesis? On the contrary, that venerable document written by Moses on the plains of Moab, in the middle of the fifteenth century before Christ, throws its certain light upon every branch of science and subject to which it refers, and upon every moral question bearing upon man, his present and future. Fuller light there may be in other portions of the matchless Word of God, but there is as much divine certainty in the statements written by Moses as in the utterances of the Lord Himself (John 5:45-47). Believing most firmly in the plenary inspiration of the Scriptures — as they came from the hands of the various penmen employed by the Spirit of God — we utterly reject the thought that Bible statements need to be confirmed by human testimony; or that the sacred page needs light from the scientist; or that text throws light upon text. “The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Psa. 12:6).
With ever-increasing delight we turn to the sacred volume, every page, and line, and word of which were penned by inspiration of God. In these divine records we have unfolded the history of man from paradise to paradise, from the first transgression to its final judgment in the lake of fire, from the tribunal in the garden (Genesis) to the judgment throne of eternity (Rev. 20), from eternity, through all time and its vicissitudes, on to eternity.
What a tangled, twisted web, what a mass of complications, what a crowd of unanswered questions, and multitude of unsolved problems the history of man presents! But in the Word of God all is plain, and the mind of man is fully instructed in every theme bearing on his present relation to God, and on those connected with his eternal future. There the true account of creation, the origin and unity of the race and subsequent history, their distribution into nations, their geographical location, their future whether of judgment or blessing, and kindred subjects of universal interest are clearly unfolded; while the yet more perplexing questions of the ancients, as the existence of sin, the unity and character of God, the ultimate triumph of good; the revelation of heaven, of hell, of eternity; of grace, and of Christ too, are moral questions of supreme moment satisfactorily and divinely answered by Him who alone could sound the depths of man’s utter wretchedness and ruin, and yet disclose in love and righteousness His beloved Son as the Saviour of the lost. In the divine volume we have the veil lifted from the historic-past and the prophetic-future — for with God all is one present. The certain light of inspiration is thrown across the whole history of the race, and we are given to weigh actions and motives, origin and destiny, in the light of God and of eternity. What a book! Truly its author is God!
The Records of Antiquity
When we turn to the boasted records of antiquity, to the historic annals and hieroglyphic inscriptions of the Hindus, Chinese, Egyptians, and Assyrians, we are at once plunged into a labyrinth of doubt and perplexity.
The earliest scraps of information outside the Bible are furnished by the Greek poets, Homer and Hesiod, who flourished about a century and a half after Solomon. Both writers did much to form and mould the Greek mind, and Homer has been pronounced as a man unequalled in his day and “the prince of poets;” but it has been found no easy task to separate fact from fiction in these early poems. Even Herodotus, who produced his celebrated history (the first in time of all historians) about the close of the Old Testament canon, makes too many demands upon the credulity of his readers to make his great work in all respects trustworthy. The Greek writers, it is admitted, were exceedingly fond of the marvelous, hence their tendency to exaggerate — not a commendable quality in a historian.
Assyria, Egypt, and other nations held the existence of a reign of gods and demigods before man appeared on the scene, founded, we suppose, on the divine account of the origin of the giant races furnished by Moses (Gen. 6). Assyrian history ascribes godhead to Nimrod, the founder of their kingdom. The Egyptian priests, who supplied Herodotus with records and information concerning their country, assigned a reign of 30,000 years to the Sun, besides shorter periods to inferior gods and demigods, and this before the first of kings — Menes — commenced his reign. But besides these fabulous accounts, they produced a papyrus roll containing a dry list of more than 300 names of sovereigns who reigned in succession after Menes, but of whom nothing is known “because they left no monuments behind them.” But who was Menes? When did he reign? Was he a real person, or one of their deities merely? These are questions on which the learned are not yet agreed. Then Manetho, the Egyptian priest who wrote a history of his country in Greek for the Alexandrian Library, corrected numerous mistakes in the account by Herodotus. The history as a whole perished, but certain fragments found in Josephus and Eusebius attest the existence and value of Manetho’s work. It is true that the monuments — the enduring witness of past Egyptian greatness — sometimes confirm the statements of Manetho, but they frequently correct them. Now, which are we to believe — the stone or written history? Which, too, of the historians are we to credit — Herodotus or Manetho? Even Josephus, the popular referee on Jewish matters, cannot always be relied on, as there is good evidence to believe that his text has been tampered with. Where will you find a sane person in these lands who seriously credits the historical veracity of the Hindu and Chinese annals? Is the Hindu account of creation resting on a huge tortoise, and the whole encircled by the serpent, or their absurd chronology, assigning periods of from 30,000 to 300,000 years for the past history of our race, worth a moment’s serious consideration? A favorite task both by nations and individuals, especially in the east, is self-glorification; that would at least partly account for these enormous periods of time, which was sometimes arrived at by the curious process of giving 15 days to a month, and two months to a year.
How blessed to turn from these vagaries and baseless speculations to the unerring testimony of Scripture! The scientist only writes truly when the first chapter of the Bible lies open before him, and God’s account of creation is accepted in its literality. The chronologist is alone safe when he reverently founds his studies upon the fifth chapter of the Bible. The historian has sure landmarks to guide him in his interesting researches with the tenth chapter of Genesis as a basis. What a flood of light is poured upon the present questions agitating the scientific and theological world by the first book of Holy Scripture!
The highest point of antiquity to which authentic profane history conducts us is about 250 years after the flood, and for all the knowledge we possess of events and dates previous to that we are alone indebted to the Hebrew text of the Hebrew Scriptures. The Word of God then is our only safe guide to the understanding of the past, as it alone unfolds the future. Neither the kingdom records of the past, nor present monumental remains, interesting as these are, of Assyria and Babylon, can afford the slightest information of a reliable kind as to the origin of these ancient empires. The part of Herodotus’ history bearing upon Assyria is lost, so in that quarter nothing can be known; nor is Rollin, of modern date, to be trusted, for he gives carefully arranged accounts of the Greek historians, who delighted and feasted on the marvelous. But when we turn to Scripture we learn on divine testimony that Nimrod, the first hunter and conqueror in the world, was the founder of both kingdoms, and further that the original strength of each consisted of but four cities; for Babylon, see Genesis 10:10, and for Assyria, see verse 11 and 12.
It may reasonably be questioned whether any of the fathers of the first three Christian centuries, except Origen, were acquainted with Hebrew; hence their extreme reverence for the Greek version of the Old Testament. This, the oldest translation of the earlier oracles of God, the Old Testament — commenced if not finished in the third century before Christ — differs considerably from the Hebrew in names and dates. Our English Bible, following the Hebrew, assigns a period of 1,656 years from Adam to Noah, whereas the Septuagint adding a century to the age of the early patriarchs, noted in Genesis 5, brings up the period to 2,242 years at least. The fact that the Septuagint was repeatedly quoted from by the Lord, and writers of the New Testament, no doubt endeared it to the early Church. Undoubtedly its general correctness was thus divinely sanctioned. Jerome, who flourished in the beginning of the fourth century, and who was an accomplished Hebraist in these times, was the first of the fathers who discarded in toto the authority of the Septuagint for that of the Hebrew, the language in which the original Scriptures of the Old Testament were penned. The Greek Church still accepts the authority of the Septuagint over that from which it was translated; while the Western Churches adhere to the ancient Hebrew. The English readers of the Bible may depend upon it that the dates in their Bibles are correct. We have, of late, been interested in the perusal of an unpretending little volume, of anonymous authorship, — entitled: “The Dates and Chronology of Scripture,” (Morrish, London) — in which the writer, without any effort to arrive at a foregone conclusion, carefully goes through the dates mentioned in the text of the Word of God, with the result of fixing the date given in our English Bibles, 4004 B.C., thus confirming the conclusions of Clinton, Ussher, Lloyd, and other chronologists.
History and Prophecy
Ancient history has a charm for many minds and is a study of interest and value, but the combined subject of history and prophecy should certainly command the attention of every child of God, and mere human writings are not necessary for its efficient study. Histories in their place are useful. The English Bible, however, under the teaching of the Spirit of God, will be found amply sufficient for the education of the Christian in this as in other subjects. Of course, if time and access to works of a reliable kind, can be had, that is fine; but for the mass of believers, whose time and means and education are limited, we would strongly insist upon the all-sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures as containing all a Christian needs to know upon the origin and past history of nations, as also their future. “Knowledge puffeth up,” and it is a notable fact th at the heresies of the day are brought in by men whose intellectual endowments are of a high order, and yet these scholarly men are more ignorant of the contents of the Scriptures than thousands of simple, unlettered Christians. This fact has been forced on our attention recently, by the large number of careless statements, misquotations of Scripture, and utter inability to comprehend what a devout reader of the English Bible has no difficulty in perceiving. We would rather trust the judgment of a sober Christian man, taught of the Spirit and acquainted with his Bible, than that of the most accomplished and learned theological professor.
The Bible instructs us as to the rise, course, and doom of the four successive Gentile empires. It gives a more exact description of the imperial powers of Babylon, Medo-Persian, and Grecian, and that within the compass of a few words, than will be found in volumes written on these kingdoms (Dan. 7:4-6). Is not the conquest of the Grecian over the Persian, the character of the renowned Alexander, the swiftness, vigor, and fury of his attacks, the breakup of the empire on the death of its mighty chief, when in the very zenith of his glory, and the after formation of four kingdoms by Alexander’s principal captains — foretold with remarkable precision? And have not all been fulfilled to the very letter? (Dan. 8). The first 35 verses of the eleventh chapter of the prophet Daniel are full of most interesting details. The Syrian and Egyptian kingdoms — two of the four kingdoms into which the third empire was partitioned soon after the death of Alexander — are here the scene of war and intrigue, with Palestine lying between, and its hills and valleys eagerly coveted by both powers. The circumstantial details are related with so much minuteness, that some have boldly asserted that the book of Daniel, or the eleventh chapter at least, must have been written after the accomplishment of the events narrated. The testimony of a whole nation to the contrary, of a people so jealous of their sacred writings as the Jews ever were and are, can have no weight with such infidel objectors. If the past fulfillment of the first part of the chapter is a matter of fact, what of the relation of these same powers to each other, to the Jew, and to the Antichristian king in the last great crisis for Israel and the world? You will get a divine answer to these questions in the latter part of the chapter. We are not in the least surprised at the exactness of God’s Word; actually, we expect it in every page of that blessed book — His treasury and storehouse for man.
The notices in Scripture of the fourth universal empire are so abundant that if they were carefully collected, a history of great interest might profitably be written. The character of the Roman power, its cruelty and avarice in war, the siege of Jerusalem and cities of Judah, the fearful straits to which the people would be reduced by famine, and the complete triumph of the enemy, are vividly predicted 700 years before Rome was founded, and 1,500 years before the destruction of Jerusalem by Vespasian and Titus (Deut. 28:49-57). The predictions of Moses were fulfilled to the very letter (verse 57). Further particulars of that most memorable and interesting of all sieges are given by our Lord about 45 years before it took place (Luke 21:20-24).
The future of that truly amazing Latin or Roman power which will excite the admiration of the world at its revival (Rev. 17:8), is as fully recorded in Scripture as its past history. Satan will revive it. Ten kingdoms, with a supreme head or chief sitting in Rome, then capital, will historically characterize the empire. Its personal head, who will be a Gentile, will receive his authority directly from Satan — this the Lord refused (Luke 4:5-6). Energized by Satan, the “beast” will be a blaspheming power against God, and a violent persecutor of His saints. This imperial power will support the pretensions of Antichrist — the Jewish king in Palestine — enter into a seven years’ league or covenant with apostate Judah then returned to her land, and for a time uphold the guilty Church or “whore,” granting her material support, and covering her with the world’s splendor and glory. After her destruction, the empire will become openly infidel in character, and, under its great chief or imperial head, the “little horn” of Dan. 7, will gather its vast armies, a great European host, against the Lamb of God. The empire is there destroyed, and its supreme head, with the Antichrist, a Jew, will together share one common doom, the lake of fire. Satan, the source and author of all the mischief, will be confined in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years, the whole course of the kingdom reign of Christ, and will then be consigned to his eternal abode of misery, with his agents and dupes. These and numerous particulars, past and future, are recorded in the books of Daniel and the Revelation, which specially concern themselves with the history and last actings of the western powers, allied with the Jewish antichristian king and the apostate nation of Judah in the future crisis.
The Relation of the Jews to History and Prophecy
It cannot be too strongly impressed upon our souls that God inspired Scripture with a moral end in view—the glory of His beloved Son, and this applies to every part and line of the Word of God. Thus the history of nations assumes importance only as that history stands related to the Jew and Jerusalem, through whom and where God governed the earth, for the sake and glory of Christ. Thus saith the Lord God, “This is Jerusalem, I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her” (Ezek. 5:5). And however much the nations may squabble and fight to enlarge their respective countries — like Nimrod, the first who waged war upon man and beast — yet God has His eye resting on the whole political horizon, and His hand is laid on the grasping ambition of those powers which seek to pass beyond His decree. The children of Israel are the center round which God will group the millennial nations (Deut. 32:8).
This principle is an all-important one in considering the history of the ancient empires of Egypt and Assyria, as also of the four successive Gentile empires (Dan. 2 and 7), besides other kingdoms as Russia (Gog, Ezek. 38-39), and minor states as Tyre, Edom, Philistia. Wherever these or other peoples are named in Scripture, it is always in relation to the Jew, through whom the earth is to be governed by the Lord Jesus Christ. Egypt is named more often in the Scriptures — about 800 clear references to the country, king, or people — than any other nation except Israel, and in every instance it is in distinct relation to God’s people.
Asia became the first seat of mighty kingdoms. No quarter of the globe has witnessed such a succession of changes, of once flourishing empires now in ruins, as the Eastern Continent; of these the most noted in Scripture history are the kingdoms of Assyria and Babylon. The former was the elder of the two, and for many centuries was the dominant power in Asia. Babylon arose on the overthrow of the Assyrian power, and it is a significant circumstance that, except for a few passing allusions, Scripture records nothing about these empires until the star of Jacob began to sink. These, then, were the two powers which God was pleased to raise up in succession as His instruments in the punishment of His idolatrous people—first Israel by Assyria, and next Judah by Babylon.
It has been asserted that many of the nations who have played their parts in the great drama of life have absolutely passed off the scene — have become extinct. It is not so; the truth is, that national responsibility is as distinctly taught in the Word, as personal accountability to God, and hence all, or nearly so, of the peoples named in Genesis chapter 10, and by whom the earth was to be occupied, are distinctly pointed out in the prophetic Scriptures as reappearing in the awful future now looming in the distance. Representatively or nationally, all will be gathered either under “Gog” (Russia), the great northern power, and oppressor of Israel, or under “the beast,” the consolidated power of the west. Psalm 83 shows a concert of the nations north and east of Palestine, under the leadership of the Assyrian; chapters 38 and 39 of the prophet Ezekiel may also be read as a summary of the powers gathered against the Jew in the future crisis of her history; while chapters 7 of Daniel and 17 of Revelation may be perused for the actings of those nations — who in the latter day will politically favor the cause of the Jew — gathered under “the beast” and “the false prophet,” the Gentile and Jewish heads of the civil and ecclesiastical apostasies. Thus, speaking generally, the one-half of the world will be arrayed in deadly conflict against the other, Judah as a people, being the cause, and Palestine as a country, being the scene of these coming world-wide conflicts.
The Lord and the Millennium
The personal return of the Lord to the Mount of Olives (the mount from whence He ascended to heaven), will accomplish the deliverance and blessing of Judah, and close the great “Eastern” or “Jewish Question” in a baptism of blood (Zech. 14).
The victorious Lord will sheathe His glittering sword, His “indignation shall cease” against His ancient people and the Gentiles with the destruction of “the Assyrian” and his master “Gog” (Isa. 10; Ezek. 39). Previous to this, the armies of the Western powers will have met with complete and utter ruin in their mad attempt to match themselves against the Lamb and His heavenly saints (Rev. 19:11-21). In the judgment of the East, the Messiah heads His conquering people of Judah against their and His enemies, and the mountains of Israel will witness to the complete overthrow of the mighty host gathered to enrich themselves with the wealth and treasures laid up in the land of Judah. The victory is with Israel, and her mountains and valleys afford but a grave to “Gog” and his allies — lured on to their own destruction by greed and lust (Ezek. 39). All Israel — Judah and Ephraim — will be saved; Jerusalem rebuilt, adorned, greatly enlarged and gifted with the wealth and splendor of the Gentile world, will become the center of government for the millennial earth, and its large and costly temple will then be “a house of prayer for all people” (Isa. 60). The Gentiles, near and distant, will, as a whole, be converted. Obedience, real or feigned, will be rendered by all to King Jesus. Satan confined in the bottomless pit, and Christ and His heavenly saints in the reign of life and glory over the earth, will be the grand witness to creation of the triumph of good over evil — of Christ’s victory and Satan’s overthrow. The tears of men will be wiped away by the hand of Him who died, the groans of creation will be hushed by the presence of Him who is love, and its evil removed by Him who is light.
Lord Jesus, come and present Thy bride spotless and in glory to Thyself! O speak, and Thy sleeping dead will wake up, and Thy waiting ones be changed! Only wave Thy hand and we will be with Thee! Sound the trump soon, O God, and the Saviour and the saints will gather is Thy presence and Thou wilt be satisfied, the heart of Jesus will rest, and Thy redeemed will triumph! O Bright and Morning Star, shine upon Thy pilgrim band, who with burning light, girded loins, and longing hearts wait for Thy coming again.