Reformed Chiliasm (Part 21- Conclusion)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 5)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To be continued…

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 3)

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

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

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

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

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

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

   (1 Cor. 6: 2-3) “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?  And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge in the smallest matters?  Know ye not that we shall judge angels?  How much more, things that pertain to this life?“

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

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

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

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

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

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

   In order to understand why the the resurrected saints should “marry and beget for a thousand years,” we must refer back to man’s original constitution in Eden, which was free from lust.  For although truly the saints shall be changed into the similitude of angels (Luke 20: 35-36), this shall not occur until the last and public resurrection.  This view is supported not only by Commodian, but also by Irenaeus and Lactantius.  However, lest any should entertain carnal conceptions of the Millennium, we must keep in mind that, all things having been restored at that time, the saints will be above any carnal desires.  For then we shall be conformed to man’s original state, our will free from any corruptions of the flesh.  This will qualify us to reign over all the nations, and to lead men into the ways of justice, wisdom, righteousness, and peace.  We have more to say concerning the first resurrection, but must defer the subject to a later article.

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

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

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

To be continued…

Reformed Chiliasm (Part 1)

  It is no misstatement to say that Chiliasm is the doctrine of the Bible itself.  It was probably the first system used by Christians to interpret that passage in Revelation 20 which speaks of the “thousand years.”  Although Chiliasm has had ups and downs throughout the centuries, and while it has sometimes even been branded as heresy, we must recognize that it alone properly explains and interprets the Messianic promises in language that “little children” would understand.  That such was the understanding of men such as Irenaeus, Tertullian, Lactantius, Commodian, and others, should tell us that it is compatible with the orthodox faith.  It also claims a spiritual power that it is conspicuously absent from A-Millennial and Post-Millennial systems.  This series will be aimed at promoting the doctrines of Chiliasm from a Biblical as well as historical perspective.  It is labeled ‘Reformed’ for the simple reason that my purpose will be to restore Chiliastic doctrines to their original significance– not because I follow any system claimed by the Protestant Reformers.  Most of the Reformers, as we well know, denied and rejected Chiliasm.  But that was not always the case with Christian interpreters.

   Much of the enmity against Chiliasm arises from allegorical interpretations of Scripture.  This allegorical method was highly favored by Origen, and was taken up by his disciples.  Even Methodius of Olympus, Origen’s earliest known opponent, followed his methods of spiritualizing every passage he got his hands on.  While Methodius himself leans towards a Chiliastic view, one must concede that it is very difficult to hold a Pre-Millennial position when you allow for the indiscriminate allegorizing of prophetic Scripture.  It is at least highly difficult to prove one’s point.  And that seems to be the beginning of the whole problem.

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

   Although various forms of Chiliasm survived into the Post-Nicene era, it was St. Augustine who put an effectual halt to its further growth.  In his work The City of God, he claimed that the Millennium represents the spiritual reign of Christ’s people “during the entire duration of this world” (XX. vii).  Obviously such a view could only spring from the rampant spiritualizing of the Scriptures.  For it is evident in the Word of God that the Millennial reign would occur after antichrist was thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 19: 20-21; 20: 4).  Thus it must begin at some point in human history.  Also, the reign is continually promised as a future event:

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

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

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

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

   A simple glance at the above verses will tell us that the “First Resurrection” does not occur in the celestial realms, but on earth.  There is no way one can spiritualize or allegorize the passages.  For Christ has clearly told His disciples that “The meek shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5: 5).  The prophet David places this inheritance alongside the destruction of the wicked (Psalm 37: 9, 11).  During the following weeks and months I will be showing how these passages will be fulfilled during the Millennium, and will also be confuting the false views that have sprung up within, or in opposition to, Chiliastic theology. 

   But for the present, I think an explanation is in order as to how I came to adopt such a system.  Actually, it was a movement made in “Full Circle.”  For when I was baptized  at Grace Independent Baptist Church in Moss Point, Mississippi, I had accepted the Chiliast position.  When I was called into the Gospel ministry, I retained this position.  It wasn’t until I came across the doctrines of Preterism that I began to question my first faith.  I have already elsewhere told of my gradual slide from Partial to Full Preterism.  There is no need to re-visit those scenes.  Let me only say that, in studying the Bible more and more, I’ve come to the conclusion that Preterism is entirely untenable for a number of reasons.  As this series of articles is about Chiliasm, and not Preterism, I will only be able to touch lightly on the falsehoods of the latter system.  However, all this will gradually be cleared up as I continue to delve into the Scriptures.

   Now, however, let me draw your attention to what I call the “diurnal typology.”  For this is really the true starting point for bringing forward Pre-Millennial truths. 

   Although God created the heavens and the earth in six literal days, each day is typical of 1000 years.  I have already related in previous articles, that when Adam sinned on the sixth day, he frustrated the perfection of the Sabbath, which had to be postponed to a future time.  God told him that in the day he ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree, he would surely die (Gen. 2: 17).  Adam lived to be nine-hundred and thirty years old (Gen. 5: 5).  That is exactly one thousand minus seventy.  Seventy signifies the years of man’s life (Psalm 90:10).  But a day of the Lord is a thousand years (Psalm 90: 4; 2 Peter 3: 8).  Thus, Adam truly died during the first day; for he was deprived of the number of his years in the midst of the day he ate of the fruit.

    Now, Christ died for our sins after four thousand years had passed. Since days are reckoned from evening unto morning (Gen. 1: 5), the coming of Christ marks the evening of the fourth day and the beginning of the fifth.  But we are not at all sure where to mark the actual expiration of the four thousandth year.  In this we need help from orthodox Bible scholars. 

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

   Let us recall that the seventh day is the missing Sabbath, which was frustrated by Adam’s fall.  Now, what ever happened to this missing Sabbath?  For it is evident that if six thousand years have not already elapsed, then the Sabbath is still future.  I believe the answer may be found in Rev. 20: 1-6.  In other words, the seventh day is the Millennium! This period shall last 1000 years, during which Christ and His saints will rule all nations with a rod of iron.  This will be the fulfillment of the original Sabbath which was frustrated by sin.  It takes place on earth, for it is the completion of God’s purposes concerning the Genetic creation.  Please note that Adam lost Christ’s presence on earth, not spiritually.  For he believed in the promise of Christ, and taught his sons to sacrifice and to maintain religion.  It is also evident that he must have kept the Sabbath after his eviction from Eden.  Thus, the Sabbath looks forward to the Seventh day on earth, to the restoration of Christ’s presence among us, in which He shall be rule and reign from Jerusalem.

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

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

   Once again, these verses cannot be allegorized, nor can they be relegated to the past.  For although such verses can be applied to Christ’s mediatorial reign, it is obvious that such application does not constitute fulfillment.  Our Lord speaks in His parable of going to receive a kingdom, and then returning (Luke 19: 12 ff.).  Hence if the kingdom He received is a mediatorial kingdom, then it follows that He shall return to fulfill the prophecies of His reign on earth, and to distribute rewards unto His servants.  The start of the Millennium, however, does not represent the general resurrection.  For as Christ rose on the day after the Sabbath, the general resurrection is always placed after the close of the Millennium. It is not on the seventh day, but on the eighth.  Thus the seventh day must be spent before the general resurrection occurs.  Wherefore it is truly said that “The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished” (Rev. 20: 5).

   Of course, I realize that Preterists will take certain time statements and twist their meaning to support the theology that “all things were fulfilled in A.D. 70.”  But their view enforces allegorical interpretations, as well as frustrates the diurnal typology.  It makes God work according to our notions of time, and not His own. “Behold, I come quickly” (Rev. 22: 12). Preterists do not understand that “quickly” cannot mean “a number of years.”  No human usage allows phrases such as “in a little while” “soon,” “at hand,” etc. to be used to signify years!  If I told someone I was coming to visit them “quickly,” and I took years to arrive, the first question would be “What took you so long?”  The error comes from placing the apostles in our shoes, when we ought really to place ourselves in their shoes.  Looking back over the bridge of 2,000 years, forty years does seem to us like a very short period of time.  But the impression is purely subjective.  The timing statements Full Preterists use must break down at all points when we find similar statements occurring throughout the Old Testament repeatedly.  What does God really mean when He says “soon?”  Does he mean forty years in human time, or a few days according to His own time?

To be continued…

The Priesthood of Melchisedec

“And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him: called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec” (Hebrews 5: 9-10).

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The priesthood of Melchisedec has vital bearings on eschatology. Hyper-Preterists are tempted to confine Christ’s priesthood to the nation of Israel, and that prior to A.D. 70. But we know better. If Christ’s priesthood has ended, then it cannot have been ‘continual’ in any true sense. I am prepared to show, in the following article, that the priesthood of Melchisedec continues today; and that because it continues, Christ’s atonement for sin is still ongoing. The conclusion is that the world awaits a future second coming of Christ.

In Hebrews 7: 3, Paul tells us that Christ “abideth a priest continually.” A more precise rendering is, “He remaineth a priest in perpetuity.” This, of course, makes His priestly office extend beyond the destruction of Jerusalem. Let us remember that Melchisedec was a priest of God before the Mosaic economy was ratified. His priesthood properly belongs to the Adamic economy. Abraham did homage to Melchisedec (Hebrews 7: 4 ff.). By this homage we may learn that the Levitical priesthood is subservient to Christ’s everlasting priesthood.

Abraham was justified under the moral law, and not the ceremonial law. So the priesthood of Melchisedec belongs to the moral law. If the moral law remained in effect after A.D. 70, then so does the priesthood of Melchisedec. That means that Christ is still in the Holy Place.

However, if (as Hyper-Preterists say) the moral law was nullified at the destruction of Jerusalem, then there is no more need for Christ’s priesthood. For a priest offers atonement for sin. And “sin is transgression of the law” (1 John 3: 4). But “where no law is, there is no transgression” (Romans 4: 15) If the moral law passed away in A.D. 70, what need is there for any priesthood? But Christ’s priesthood is called “everlasting.” Thus the moral law must have extended beyond A.D. 70.

Of course this means that sin & death are still in force. For “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6: 23). Death was defeated by Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross, but its complete abolition belongs to a future period.

Note that both death & the ceremonial law were nullfied on the cross, but the latter only passed away at the dissolution of the Mosaic economy. The former shall pass away at the dissolution of the Adamic economy. That means the “end of the world!” The subject of fulfillment/annulment sometimes becomes confusing, because the two economies converged during Christ’s three-and-a-half year ministry. Christ is the Son of David, but is also the Son of Man (Adam). Thus His ministry has a dual frame of reference. Unless we understand the distinction between Adamic & Mosaic economies, we’ll never be able to tell what truly “passed away” in A.D. 70, and what remains.

Paul says that “the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law” (Hebrews 7: 12). The priesthood was ‘changed’ when the subservient Aaronic priesthood fell before that which was ratified by an oath (Hebrews 7: 21). If the priesthood of Christ was in effect prior to the ordination of the Levitical priesthood, then it has priority over the latter. This is an important point to keep in mind. Just as the ceremonial law is subservient to the moral law, so the Levitical priesthood is subservient to that of Melchisedec. The events of A.D. 70 cannot affect Christ’s everlasting priesthood. It stands today just as it did in Paul’s time!

Another fact we must keep in mind. When Moses was instructed to make the tabernacle, he copied from a Divine original (Hebrews 8: 5). This “worldly sanctuary” (Hebrews 9: 1) was a mere shadow of that sanctuary in the heavens, over which Melchisedec presides. Christ’s presence in the heavenly sanctuary is co-extensive with His session at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 8: 1-2). This sanctuary is pictured as coming down to earth during the Millennium.

After studying this issue for some time, I believe that this sanctuary is the “temple” described in the latter chapters of the prophet Ezekiel. It is identical to the temple mentioned in the Apocalypse, which will not be opened to the saints until the vials of wrath have been poured out (Rev. 15: 8; cf. Rev. 7: 15). It will descend from God out of heaven (Rev. 3: 12), and remain above the earth, until the Millennial dispensation is complete. At Christ’s coming the saints will be “caught up in the air” to fellowship with Christ in His Kingdom. The language of Scripture tells us that the anti-typical temple is real and substantial.

Of course, the destruction or removal of the worldly tabernacle does not affect the presence and function of the eternal. Christ is called an “everlasting” priest, for He ministers in the heavenly tabernacle. The earthly tabernacle was simply “a figure for the time then present” (Hebrews 9: 9). As a Divine institution it was nullified on the Cross (Matt. 27: 51), and taken away completely in A.D. 70. This, however, did not in the least affect the heavenly tabernacle. So, what happened exactly in A.D. 70? The natural shadows of the Mosaic law fled away before that spiritual substance which we now receive by faith. We must walk by faith, because Christ is absent. But when Christ returns, faith will be turned into sight (1 Cor. 13: 12).

Of course, no one will deny that it was Christ’s purpose to wrap up the Mosaic economy first, and give the nation of Israel time to embrace the Gospel. Perhaps Paul implies this when he says, “That by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9: 15). The Gospel was offered to the Jews first. Then it was extended to the Gentiles. But it is the same Gospel.

Note that Hebrews 9: 15 carries more than Mosaic significance. Because Paul mentions death (a distinctly Adamic doctrine), we are to interpret the term “First Testament” as embracing the whole Covenant of Works. It extends all the way back to Adam. Christ’s sacrificial death alone enabled men to pass into the New Covenant. Christ’s function as High Priest is a distincly New Covenant office. There is no way that the priestly functions can be limited to strictly Mosaic fulfillment, without making the New Covenant end in A.D. 70. The same atonement is still in effect today. Men still repent & accept Jesus Christ by faith, are still baptized, are still called into the New Covenant. Confession & absolution are still ongoing (1 John 1:9).

And here’s the main point. The fact of an ongoing atonement implies a future return! A return for what? Well, a return to vindicate God’s righteous government, and to reign over all the nations of the earth (Revelation 11: 15; Zechariah 14: 9)–something that never happened in A.D. 70. There must a final defeat of sin and evil, a vanquishing of death, and a resurrection of the just & of the unjust. Take a careful look at Hebrews 9: 24-28, and you’ll find that Christ’s presence in the Holy place implies and demands an approaching season when He shall come back to bring eternal life to all those who wait upon Him.

When Paul says, “He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second,” (Hebrews 10: 9), the “first” must be perceived as the Covenant of Works. The transition is effected in Jesus Christ alone, and through faith in His blood. Howbeit, as the Mosaic economy was ‘passing away’ from A.D. 30-70, and completely removed at the destruction of Jerusalem, so the Adamic economy is passing away even now. The heavens and earth are ‘waxing old, as doth a garment‘ (Hebrews 1: 11). The moral law will remain in effect until “heaven and earth pass away” (Matt. 5: 18). It is important that we remember this. When Christ says, “until heaven and earth pass away,” He is speaking of the Genetic economy.

Those who deny a future Second Coming must (by implication) deny Christ’s perpetual priesthood. In that case, there is no more intercession for sin! Is such a theory Scriptural? Of course not. Friends, It is impossible that 2,000 years of Spirit-anointed teachers were wrong in regard to the return of Christ. The world still awaits “times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3: 19). The creation still groans, awaiting its redemption from the bondage of corruption (Romans 8: 19 ff.). The Second Coming of Christ is still future!

Paul, speaking of Christ’s impending parousia (Hebrews 10: 37), says that “The just shall live by faith” (Hebrews 10: 38). Once again, he is referring to the perpeteuity of the moral law, for he reminds us of the faith of Abraham. Again, Abraham was justified under the moral law, before circumcision was given (Romans 4: 10). Thus, the parousia to which Paul refers has nothing to do with the Mosaic economy. Faith was required of the nation of Israel, but it is not a Mosaic concept. It is an Adamic concept. The mechanics of faith (including justification, final rewards, resurrection, etc.) are bound up in the Adamic economy. Our High Priest will leave the Holy Place only when the age has come to an end.

But still men look out their windows and ask, will Christ rend the heavens and come down to earth? Will the heavens and earth really be shaken? Paul speaks of the shaking of heaven and earth in Hebrews 12: 26-29. This will result in the manifestation of Christ’s glorious kingdom. The kingdom we are to receive (Hebrews 12: 28) is the “city which hath foundations,” the spiritual Jerusalem, which descendeth out of heaven, and cometh down to us. It is Salem, the kingdom over which Melchisedec rules and reigns (Hebrews 7: 2). It is a kingdom of righteousness and peace. It is the Kingdom which shall be manifested in glory when the wheat & tares of everlastingly separated at the “end of the age” (Matt. 13: 40-43). The coming of Christ’s kingdom is an event to which all the saints may glady look forward.