CONTENTS
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For our own part, we accept the Psalmist's testimony as follows: "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: all the kindred's of the nations shall worship before thee: for the kingdom is the LORD'S: and He is the governor among the nations:" [plural]... "A seed shall serve Him; it shall be accounted to the LORD for a generation:" [singular]: "they" [that seed] "shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done this." - Ps 22:27-31. Generations will go on among the "left of the nations," and people will "be born," after the one generation has had its resurrection and are immortal: then, after that, "they shall declare" God's "righteousness" [His infinite mercy to the creatures He has made] "unto a people that shall be born." A blessed and glorious work, which looks like God's fulfilling His "promise and oath to Abraham." Those who do not like such work, will not be compelled to engage in it.
In connection with Ps 22., just considered, read Ps 67. "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon the earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon the earth. Selah. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the end of the earth shall fear him."
This again corresponds with Jer 23:5,6: "Behold, the days come saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous BRANCH, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell in safety," etc. Hence are promises, which the LORD is pledged to fulfill, agreeing with Ps 22:27-31, and corresponding with the promises and oath to Abraham.
At this point we may as well look at the testimony of God by Isaiah, chap. xi. On this chapter immense labor has been bestowed to harmonize it with the theory of burning the world at the second advent of Christ; but still it reads just as it always did, and shows conclusively an age in this world that has never yet been seen, and never can be, if there is not a dispensation yet future differing essentially from any that has ever gone before. Here is presented to us a BRANCH out of the root of Jesse. None will doubt but that the Son of David-the Son of God-is here intended. Under his government the animal creation will become changed so as to be harmless and docile; "the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They 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. And in that day [when the earth is thus full of the knowledge of the Lord] there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious." This is not all; "It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria," etc. Not the gathering of spiritual Jews, but his people whom he had once before gathered from Babylon, as will be seen: that gathering was not in "that day" just spoken of. "And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."
Here the language distinctly marks the two nations into which the posterity of Jacob were divided in the days of Rehoboam, son of Solomon: one nation was called Judah, and the other Israel, and sometimes Ephraim, from the principal tribe of the nation of Israel. This latter nation was not "scattered," but was "cast out" of the land of Israel into Assyria, some hundred years before Judah was carried captive into Babylon. Israel was therefore called "outcasts," as in the text before us; see also 2Ki 17:20. Nor was "Judah dispersed" to the "four corners of the earth" till their Temple was destroyed by the Romans. The promise in this text, therefore, clearly relates to their gathering subsequent to that destruction; and as no such gathering ever has taken place, it must still be future, and is not "conditional," and is as certain as "Thus saith the LORD" can make it. [ Editor: Remember! this paper was published in 1874] If any doubt remained, the next verse would dispel it: "The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim."
Before Ephraim or Israel was carried away into Assyria, there was continual strife, contention, and war between the two nations. When one shall be assembled and the other gathered, this envy and vexing each other shall be known no more. And let it never be forgotten, these things are to be done "in that day" when "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord;" of course, future, and a glorious day. In that day, Isa 11:16, "There shall be a highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came out of the land of Egypt." Here we see what the first "recovering" was, which is alluded to, Isa 11:11, where it is said, "The Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people," etc. It was their being brought up out of Egypt, and it is "the remnant" of the people of whom the prophet speaks.
The prophet then goes on to tell us what that people will say when gathered: "And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and not be afraid; for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song: he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall we say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." - Isa 12.
This subject is made so plain by the prophet that it does really seem wonderful that any should call in question the meaning of the prophecy, or attempt to spiritualize it. That it applies to any events in the past has never yet been shown. That it is not a conditional promise, is equally manifest. So surely as the BRANCH of Jesse's root ever reigns on earth, so surely, "in that day," will these things come to pass. So we believe.
The text relied upon to prove the end of the world, or mundane system, is to come when the gospel of the kingdom has been preached in all the world for a witness to all nations. { Mt 24:14}, has no such sense as is attached to it by the advocates of burning the world or earth at the second advent. Let us carefully examine the text and the context.
As Jesus went out of the temple his disciples called attention to the "buildings of the temple." "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." The subject then was the destruction of Jerusalem and her temple. The disciples inquired of him, "privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of aionos--age," not of the "world," as our translation has it: for the end of the world, proper, had no connection with the Saviour's language in relation to the destruction of the temple. This destruction of the buildings of the temple, involving, as it necessarily would, the end of services there, the disciples construed into an end of that age, as it truly was.
In his reply, Jesus tells them, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the ( oikoumenee) world for a witness unto all ( ethnesi, heathen) nations; and then shall the end come." The end of what? The end of the age spoken of, when the temple should be thrown down. This, to our mind, is clearly the sense.
Now as to the oikoumenee, translated world, Mt 24:14, it is the same word found in Lu 2:1, "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the ( oikoumenee) world should be taxed." All the world, here, was the Roman empire, and no more. Jesus uses the same word in his statement of how extensive the gospel should be preached before the temple at Jerusalem would be destroyed, and the Jewish age would come to an end.
Some persons take the ground, from Paul's language 1Co 15:24-28, that "the end" of probation to all the families of the earth will come at the second advent of Christ and the resurrection of the dead in Him. The correctness of such assumption depends upon whether such persons give a true interpretation to the language employed by the apostle.
We ask, What is "the end" spoken of? What is "the kingdom" referred to, and when is it "delivered up?" What is meant by death as "the last enemy," and to whom does Paul state it to be the last enemy? This chapter is devoted to the proof of the resurrection of the believers in Christ. Their last enemy, who shall ever have dominion over them, is death: to them therefore death is destroyed by resurrection. That Christ does not deliver up the kingdom at that time is evident from many prophecies. First: Ps 72., "In His days shall the righteous flourish." (Surely not till raised from the dead). "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth... The Kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve him... His name shall endure forever; His name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him blessed." This entire prophecy relates to what transpires after Messiah reigns on David's throne, which reign is after the resurrection spoken of in 1Co 15.
Still another prophecy-Dan. vii. After the fourth "beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame," one like the Son of man appears before the Ancient of Days, "And there was given him dominion," [not 1800 years ago], "that all people, nations, and languages, should serve and obey him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." The angel explains this to Daniel as the reign of the saints, made immortal, of course, thus: "But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever." The horn of the fourth beast prevailed against the saints "Until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment [rule] was given to the saints of the Most High: and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom."... "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominion shall serve and obey Him."
Thus prophecy makes "people, nations, and languages" to exist, after the saints are made immortal; and they are all put in subjection to the saints in a kingdom that has no end.
In connection with Ps 22., just considered, read Ps 67. "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon the earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon the earth. Selah. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the end of the earth shall fear him."
This again corresponds with Jer 23:5,6: "Behold, the days come saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous BRANCH, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell in safety," etc. Hence are promises, which the LORD is pledged to fulfill, agreeing with Ps 22:27-31, and corresponding with the promises and oath to Abraham.
At this point we may as well look at the testimony of God by Isaiah, chap. xi. On this chapter immense labor has been bestowed to harmonize it with the theory of burning the world at the second advent of Christ; but still it reads just as it always did, and shows conclusively an age in this world that has never yet been seen, and never can be, if there is not a dispensation yet future differing essentially from any that has ever gone before. Here is presented to us a BRANCH out of the root of Jesse. None will doubt but that the Son of David-the Son of God-is here intended. Under his government the animal creation will become changed so as to be harmless and docile; "the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They 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. And in that day [when the earth is thus full of the knowledge of the Lord] there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious." This is not all; "It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria," etc. Not the gathering of spiritual Jews, but his people whom he had once before gathered from Babylon, as will be seen: that gathering was not in "that day" just spoken of. "And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."
Here the language distinctly marks the two nations into which the posterity of Jacob were divided in the days of Rehoboam, son of Solomon: one nation was called Judah, and the other Israel, and sometimes Ephraim, from the principal tribe of the nation of Israel. This latter nation was not "scattered," but was "cast out" of the land of Israel into Assyria, some hundred years before Judah was carried captive into Babylon. Israel was therefore called "outcasts," as in the text before us; see also 2Ki 17:20. Nor was "Judah dispersed" to the "four corners of the earth" till their Temple was destroyed by the Romans. The promise in this text, therefore, clearly relates to their gathering subsequent to that destruction; and as no such gathering ever has taken place, it must still be future, and is not "conditional," and is as certain as "Thus saith the LORD" can make it. [ Editor: Remember! this paper was published in 1874] If any doubt remained, the next verse would dispel it: "The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim."
Before Ephraim or Israel was carried away into Assyria, there was continual strife, contention, and war between the two nations. When one shall be assembled and the other gathered, this envy and vexing each other shall be known no more. And let it never be forgotten, these things are to be done "in that day" when "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord;" of course, future, and a glorious day. In that day, Isa 11:16, "There shall be a highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came out of the land of Egypt." Here we see what the first "recovering" was, which is alluded to, Isa 11:11, where it is said, "The Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people," etc. It was their being brought up out of Egypt, and it is "the remnant" of the people of whom the prophet speaks.
The prophet then goes on to tell us what that people will say when gathered: "And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and not be afraid; for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song: he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall we say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." - Isa 12.
This subject is made so plain by the prophet that it does really seem wonderful that any should call in question the meaning of the prophecy, or attempt to spiritualize it. That it applies to any events in the past has never yet been shown. That it is not a conditional promise, is equally manifest. So surely as the BRANCH of Jesse's root ever reigns on earth, so surely, "in that day," will these things come to pass. So we believe.
The text relied upon to prove the end of the world, or mundane system, is to come when the gospel of the kingdom has been preached in all the world for a witness to all nations. { Mt 24:14}, has no such sense as is attached to it by the advocates of burning the world or earth at the second advent. Let us carefully examine the text and the context.
As Jesus went out of the temple his disciples called attention to the "buildings of the temple." "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." The subject then was the destruction of Jerusalem and her temple. The disciples inquired of him, "privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of aionos--age," not of the "world," as our translation has it: for the end of the world, proper, had no connection with the Saviour's language in relation to the destruction of the temple. This destruction of the buildings of the temple, involving, as it necessarily would, the end of services there, the disciples construed into an end of that age, as it truly was.
In his reply, Jesus tells them, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the ( oikoumenee) world for a witness unto all ( ethnesi, heathen) nations; and then shall the end come." The end of what? The end of the age spoken of, when the temple should be thrown down. This, to our mind, is clearly the sense.
Now as to the oikoumenee, translated world, Mt 24:14, it is the same word found in Lu 2:1, "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the ( oikoumenee) world should be taxed." All the world, here, was the Roman empire, and no more. Jesus uses the same word in his statement of how extensive the gospel should be preached before the temple at Jerusalem would be destroyed, and the Jewish age would come to an end.
Some persons take the ground, from Paul's language 1Co 15:24-28, that "the end" of probation to all the families of the earth will come at the second advent of Christ and the resurrection of the dead in Him. The correctness of such assumption depends upon whether such persons give a true interpretation to the language employed by the apostle.
We ask, What is "the end" spoken of? What is "the kingdom" referred to, and when is it "delivered up?" What is meant by death as "the last enemy," and to whom does Paul state it to be the last enemy? This chapter is devoted to the proof of the resurrection of the believers in Christ. Their last enemy, who shall ever have dominion over them, is death: to them therefore death is destroyed by resurrection. That Christ does not deliver up the kingdom at that time is evident from many prophecies. First: Ps 72., "In His days shall the righteous flourish." (Surely not till raised from the dead). "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth... The Kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve him... His name shall endure forever; His name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him blessed." This entire prophecy relates to what transpires after Messiah reigns on David's throne, which reign is after the resurrection spoken of in 1Co 15.
Still another prophecy-Dan. vii. After the fourth "beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame," one like the Son of man appears before the Ancient of Days, "And there was given him dominion," [not 1800 years ago], "that all people, nations, and languages, should serve and obey him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." The angel explains this to Daniel as the reign of the saints, made immortal, of course, thus: "But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever." The horn of the fourth beast prevailed against the saints "Until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment [rule] was given to the saints of the Most High: and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom."... "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominion shall serve and obey Him."
Thus prophecy makes "people, nations, and languages" to exist, after the saints are made immortal; and they are all put in subjection to the saints in a kingdom that has no end.
