Part 1 - Questions of Interest Relating to the Coming of Christ and His Reign on Earth

From: Some Papers on the Second Coming of Christ and on Prophecy By: Charles Stanley

Second Coming of Christ, Questions of Interest on the: No. 1

• 10 min. read • grade level: 8

We have noticed lately, as the coming of Christ draws nearer and nearer, that many Christians who have spent years in complete darkness on these subjects, are being stirred up to serious inquiry. Take the following extract from a letter before me: “I now wish for a little more light on the church during the millennial reign. You say in harmony with Joel that Christ will come to this earth and gather the living nations for judgment. Will Christ, in administering judgment, and the after blessing, be on this earth during His one thousand years’ reign? In your tract on the millennial reign, page 9, you imply that the saints will look down upon this earth. If so, how will the church be reigning with Christ? Will not the church be helping to administer in the government of the earth during the millennial reign, in harmony with the parable of the ten pounds in Luke 19:17¹⁷And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. (Luke 19:17), ‘Have thou authority over ten cities’; and so with the five pounds?” Let us turn to the scriptures for answers to these questions — questions evidently on the minds of great numbers of Christians. It will be important to notice what we find in the Old Testament as to God’s purpose of blessing to this earth, centering in the people of Israel. “When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance” (Deut. 32:8-9⁸When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. ⁹For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. (Deuteronomy 32:8‑9)). “Yea, He loved the people; all His saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words” (Deut. 33:3³Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. (Deuteronomy 33:3)). These and all the words of Jehovah shall be fulfilled to them, His chosen nation.

The Psalms are largely occupied with the sufferings of their Messiah, and the sufferings of the remnant of Israel. And after the sufferings, the reign of Christ, Jehovah, Messiah. In Psalms 2 the kings and rulers of the earth take counsel against Him, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” He asks for the inheritance of the earth for judgment, but asks not for it during the period of the church being gathered. See John 17:9⁹I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. (John 17:9).

We thus learn that the millennial reign will be brought about, not by the gospel, but by judgments. Then in Psalms 8 we have a greatly enlarged view of the millennial glory Christ, “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! who hast set Thy glory above the heavens.” And though there is not one word in this Psalm about the church, yet the Spirit in Paul refers to it, as applicable to the great truth of Christ the Head of the church: “And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:19-23¹⁹And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, ²⁰Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 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. (Ephesians 1:19‑23)). The apostle does not go on to quote Psalms 8:7, 8⁷All 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. (Psalm 8:7‑8). He carefully distinguishes between the celestial and terrestrial glory of the kingdom. We must keep this distinction before us in our inquiry: the glory above the heavens; and His kingdom and glory on the earth.

If you now read Psalms 72, you will have no difficulty in seeing that this is entirely the theme of the earthly dominion of Jesus, as Israel’s Messiah. But over the whole earth, “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth” (vs. 8). The Psalms will become a deeply interesting study if we read them as referring to God’s future dealings with His ancient people. “In Judah is God known: His name is great in Israel. In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion” (Psalms 76:1-2¹<<To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.>> In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel. ²In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. (Psalm 76:1‑2)). We are told expressly that it is Israel that is before the mind of the Lord in the prophecy of Isaiah: “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:1¹The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:1)). No doubt the Holy Ghost often uses these precious chapters to the Christian. Indeed, as in the Psalms, we see a far wider range of the glories of Jehovah Jesus, than only as the Messiah of Israel, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever” (Isaiah 9:6-7⁶For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ⁷Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6‑7)). That child, who is the mighty God, has been born, and rejected by Israel. Yet He must be established on the throne of David, according to these words of God. True, there is no statement as to His being on the earth, or the church with Him during the one thousand years.

That in Isaiah 11, which gives a very full description of His millennial kingdom, is all on earth. And the same judgment as is named in Psalms 2:9⁹Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalm 2:9) is shown to be the prelude to the millennial kingdom. “He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth (vs. 4). Then the peaceful millennium, when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Israel and Judah are gathered from the ends of the earth. Yet there is no evidence again of the residence of the Messiah during the one thousand years. No doubt there is a reason for this, and that reason will yet be plain to us, as we go on. Yet He is in the midst. “Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee” (Isa. 12:6⁶Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. (Isaiah 12:6)). “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation” (Read Isaiah 25:6-9⁶And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. ⁷And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. ⁸He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. ⁹And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (Isaiah 25:6‑9)). Precious also are the promises to Israel in Isaiah 52, and then the atoning death of the Lord Jesus in Isaiah 53, and the blessing as the result in Isaiah 54, and when iniquity has come to the full, Isaiah 59, then the Redeemer shall come to Zion (vs. 20). As Paul also quotes in Romans 11, when the time of the kingdom and glory is come to Israel: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” But still not one word as to the church being on the earth with Christ. (Isa. 60:1¹Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:1)).

Let us read Isaiah 61 carefully. We know that verse 1 and half of verse 2, as quoted by the Lord in Luke 4, refers to His presence then on earth. And though as to His body He is now above all heavens, yet all through this period of the church He still continues through His gifts to proclaim here the acceptable year of the Lord. It is actually the jubilee up to this moment. He is still proclaiming liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Now read Isaiah 61:3³To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:3) to end of chapter 62. What wonderful blessing for Zion, Jerusalem, and Israel, and the Gentiles during the millennium! But no statement as to the church. Indeed it was hid (in God, not in the OT Scriptures), as we are told in Ephesians 3.

Many details are given as to how all this will be brought about in Isaiah 66:8-22⁸Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. ⁹Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. ¹⁰Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: ¹¹That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. ¹²For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. ¹³As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. ¹⁵For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. ¹⁶For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many. ¹⁷They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord. ¹⁸For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. 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. (Isaiah 66:8‑22). All nations shall come up to Jerusalem to worship. The reign of Messiah is also foretold in Jeremiah 23:5-7⁵Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. ⁶In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. ⁷Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; (Jeremiah 23:5‑7): “In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely.” And there can be no doubt to those who believe the Word of God, that all this shall be fulfilled.

In the prophet Ezekiel we have some most remarkable details as to the millennial kingdom. The wondrous grace of God to Israel, Ezekiel 37:23-28²³Neither 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. (Ezekiel 37:23‑28). We learn here that (a scion of the house of) David will have the place of king and prince in the millennial kingdom. “My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore. Then after the destruction of their great enemy of the north in Ezekiel 38 and 39, we have the description of the millennial temple in Ezekiel 40-47. Yet there is no special reference to Messiah having His residence, or bodily presence, in this temple. In other words, there is nothing to indicate that this temple is the center of Christ’s throne or reign. The prince of Ezekiel 46 must not be mistaken for Christ; verse 2 could not be true of Christ; “He shall worship at the threshold of the gate.” Daniel says: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days.” And the glory of the terrestrial kingdom is given to Him (Daniel 7:14¹⁴And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14)). The same kingdom and dominion is also given to the saints of the Most High (vs. 27).

In Micah also very distinctly is it foretold that that blessed One, who was born in Bethlehem and has been taken up to the Father in heaven, is to be ruler in Israel, “Whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity” (margin). In Zephaniah 3 after the judgment (vs. 8), comes the glorious reign: “The 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.” So, in Zechariah again, after the judgment comes the reign of Messiah. “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives” (Zech. 14:4⁴And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:4)). “And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee... and the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one” (Zech. 14:5⁵And 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)). How great is the blessing reserved for the remnant of Israel, who shall be saved as objects of mercy. The earthly supremacy shall surely be theirs, and theirs the earthly glory with Jesus, when He shall be King over all the earth. Yet we must admit there is nothing in the Old Testament that implies that the supreme place of the throne of Jesus, Lord of all, will be on this earth, or that it will be the dwelling place of Himself and the church His bride. While it is as clearly revealed that Israel will have a place of wondrous dominion and glory in their land, when we come to the New Testament’s fuller revelation of the purposes of God, we shall then see the perfect harmony of all Scripture as to the coming reign of Christ. Before we do that, the reader would do well to turn and compare the whole scope of promise and prophecy in the Old Testament. Study carefully the context of the scriptures referred to in this short paper. Do not forget that the Holy Spirit means what He says. When He speaks of Israel or Jerusalem, He means Israel and Jerusalem, and not the church.

This world’s cup of iniquity and apostasy is fast filling up. How rapid the increase of worldly pleasures and amusements, infidelity and superstition, and the nations preparing for mutual slaughter. Soon He will come. He says, “I come quickly.” All this makes our inquiry, the millennial reign of Christ, deeply interesting. Let us then look in the next place at the teaching of the New Testament.

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