CONTENTS
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Admitting, then, that all who have had the Scriptures, and are not ready when Christ comes, will be forever excluded, and their probation cease, that does not prove that it will cease with all others on the earth. But after all, that parable may have a more restricted application, and in that sense be an awful warning to those who have professed to believe that our Lord was about to make his personal advent. They have taken their lamps, the Bible, and gone forth to meet the Bridegroom; but now is the tarrying time: how many are suffering their lamps to go out, or have no oil, not having been careful to possess personal grace and piety; their sin will be more aggravated than the sin of any other class of men, and they will then understand the text, Heb 10:38, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."
It will still be urged, "The Master of the house has shut the door and none can enter." The foolish virgins cannot enter-to them the door is shut; and to all who reject mercy offered the door will be shut sooner or later, but to prove it is shut to all men at the advent is another matter.
What the apostle says, 2Th 1:6-10, is supposed to form an insurmountable difficulty to the idea that there is probation to any one after the advent. We observe in the first place, this text must not be interpreted as to make it contradict the plain and positive testimony of the Bible, in other places; but must be harmonized with the general scope of the Scriptures. We have already shown that there are those who are "left" after the great battle that is immediately to attend or follow the advent. But if it be insisted that the text teaches the destruction of sinners living at the advent, and their destruction at the time of the advent, then it is clear, to our mind, that it is a particular class of wicked men. First-They have "troubled" the saints; consequently they must have lived among the saints, or about them, else they could not have troubled them. Second-They appear to be marked as a class of sinners who are inexcusably ignorant of God, where the gospel had shone. They seem to be characterized not only as not knowing God, but as having disobeyed the gospel, and consequently persons who had the gospel, or an opportunity to have it if they had not willfully shut their eyes against it; but this cannot now be said of multitudes of the heathen; they have not yet "heard God's fame, neither have seen his glory;" but God says, it shall be declared among them that are "left" of the nations, and that some, yea, "many" of them "shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord." -See Isa 66:19,20; and Zec 8:20-33.
If it still be said that the expression, "them that know not God," includes all that are unconverted, wherever they are, why then should it have been added," and that obey not the gospel," if it was not designed to specify a particular class of the unconverted? The first expression would have included all the unconverted, had not the apostle qualified it by the expression following. The apostle teaches that Christ will not always leave his saints in their present state of "tribulation," but that he is coming again, and will then appear, not as at his first advent to be despised, but to vindicate his truth, gospel, and people; --revealed in such a manner that his enemies might as well think to escape devouring fire as to prevent his government and reign; and that under his government and reign all who will not have him to reign over them will "be punished with everlasting destruction from" his "presence, and from the glory of his power."
The parable of the "wheat and tares" is also urged against the idea that there is probation to any after the "end of this world," aoinos, age, or dispensation, for so the term signifies. But if it proves that there is probation to none after this dispensation, it proves equally that there will be none "left of the nations;" but as it cannot have that interpretation, for the reasons already given, we must understand it in the same way that we do the apostle's language just considered. Besides, the parable warrants us in giving it such an interpretation. The tares were sown "among the wheat," and "both grow together," showing that it is a class of sinners under the gospel, and possibly may refer especially to a class of professors of religion, as some commentators have said the original expression, translated tares, denotes "bastard wheat" --a spurious grain, looking like wheat and known only by its "fruit when it is grown. A plenty of such "bastard wheat" the devil has sown in these last days, and they are ready to be bound, being already fast in sectarian "bundles," nearly prepared for the burning, and if they do not speedily repent they will be "cast into a furnace of fire." At the end of this age, or dispensation, our Lord will fully separate the tares from the wheat: he will "gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, [all scandals --so the margin has it,] and them which do iniquity;" [all these hypocritical professors, represented by the tares, or bastard wheat,]" and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." "Shine forth" upon what? Upon them that are "left" of the nations;" because their "light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee;" then, " The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." -See Isa 60$. Then, also, "Ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the ministers of our God." - Isa 61:6. All the glory and efforts of the true church has been hid and paralyzed by the bastard wheat, but our Lord will thoroughly take it away when he comes, so that on earth he will have a holy priesthood and royal nation, that shall show forth his praise till the whole earth is full of his glory.
A main pillar, however, that probation ceases to all men at the advent, is Re 10:7: "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." This text is supposed to prove conclusively that there are to be no more offers of mercy. It is claimed that "the mystery of God," that is then to be "finished," is the gospel of salvation. Suppose that should be admitted, it would not prove that there were to be no further offers of mercy to any one; for, mark, it "should be finished as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." The question then, arises, has God anywhere, in "the prophets," declared that there is to be no more offers of mercy to any one after the advent? Nowhere, but just the reverse, as will appear in the further examination of the subject. The term mystery signifies secret, or hidden. In this 10th chap., appears the same angel that Daniel saw in the 12th chapter, and nearly in the same attitude; and while the direction to Daniel was to "seal the book; "the angel in 10th appears with "a little book open." And, why, open? Because the covering is not taken off-the mystery is finished -- the time has come for it to be understood, " as God declared to his servant" Daniel it should be at "the time of the end." We might also say further -- There are many things in the Bible which are a mystery, more or less hidden, which will not be fully understood when he shall begin to sound," when that "mystery" shall be "finished" --made an end of-- or taken away. That there are many things in the Bible not fully understood, yet, is evident from the fact that good men, men of God differ in their interpretation of the Scriptures.. Paul says, 1Co 13:9,10,12: For we know in part, and we prophecy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away... For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." But his darkness, and knowing in part 'the mystery' is to be finished, and knowing in part the mystery is to be finished -- to be ended "as he hath declared unto his servant," { Isa 52:8} "Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion." Then the mystery is "finished as he hath declared to his servant," { Isa 25:7} "And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations."
But once more, "the mystery of God" may relate to another subject, viz., God's determination to have a "kingdom of priests," which was first offered to the descendents of Jacob; which, if the rejected, was to be filled up, "finished," or completed from among the Gentiles was a mystery, or hidden.
The Lord determined the kingdom of priests should be filled up, and the "mystery of God," that was kept hid till the apostle's days, was, that it should be filled up from among the Gentiles, and should be done on the principle of all believers in Christ being united to that kingdom as priests and kings. So Peter understood it. See 1Pe 2:9: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Also 5th verse: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer of a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." They are spoken of in Re 1:6: "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father." Again, Re 5:9, 10: "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hath 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."
Now, in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, that mystery of God will be finished, and it will be fully and clearly seen who this kingdom of priests are; and John is told in the 10th chapter of Revelation, 11th verse ( Re 10:11), " Thou must prophecy again before, many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings;" which we think, will literally take place. The mystery of God will then be finished; or his whole purpose concerning this kingdom of priests will then be unfolded, and their number completed, and we shall be brought to the "third day," when Christ, in his mystical body, "the church of the first born," will "be perfected." This, we conceive, is the mystery of God finished; and Paul says, Eph 5:32, "This is the great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." See the connection.
It will still be urged, "The Master of the house has shut the door and none can enter." The foolish virgins cannot enter-to them the door is shut; and to all who reject mercy offered the door will be shut sooner or later, but to prove it is shut to all men at the advent is another matter.
What the apostle says, 2Th 1:6-10, is supposed to form an insurmountable difficulty to the idea that there is probation to any one after the advent. We observe in the first place, this text must not be interpreted as to make it contradict the plain and positive testimony of the Bible, in other places; but must be harmonized with the general scope of the Scriptures. We have already shown that there are those who are "left" after the great battle that is immediately to attend or follow the advent. But if it be insisted that the text teaches the destruction of sinners living at the advent, and their destruction at the time of the advent, then it is clear, to our mind, that it is a particular class of wicked men. First-They have "troubled" the saints; consequently they must have lived among the saints, or about them, else they could not have troubled them. Second-They appear to be marked as a class of sinners who are inexcusably ignorant of God, where the gospel had shone. They seem to be characterized not only as not knowing God, but as having disobeyed the gospel, and consequently persons who had the gospel, or an opportunity to have it if they had not willfully shut their eyes against it; but this cannot now be said of multitudes of the heathen; they have not yet "heard God's fame, neither have seen his glory;" but God says, it shall be declared among them that are "left" of the nations, and that some, yea, "many" of them "shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord." -See Isa 66:19,20; and Zec 8:20-33.
If it still be said that the expression, "them that know not God," includes all that are unconverted, wherever they are, why then should it have been added," and that obey not the gospel," if it was not designed to specify a particular class of the unconverted? The first expression would have included all the unconverted, had not the apostle qualified it by the expression following. The apostle teaches that Christ will not always leave his saints in their present state of "tribulation," but that he is coming again, and will then appear, not as at his first advent to be despised, but to vindicate his truth, gospel, and people; --revealed in such a manner that his enemies might as well think to escape devouring fire as to prevent his government and reign; and that under his government and reign all who will not have him to reign over them will "be punished with everlasting destruction from" his "presence, and from the glory of his power."
The parable of the "wheat and tares" is also urged against the idea that there is probation to any after the "end of this world," aoinos, age, or dispensation, for so the term signifies. But if it proves that there is probation to none after this dispensation, it proves equally that there will be none "left of the nations;" but as it cannot have that interpretation, for the reasons already given, we must understand it in the same way that we do the apostle's language just considered. Besides, the parable warrants us in giving it such an interpretation. The tares were sown "among the wheat," and "both grow together," showing that it is a class of sinners under the gospel, and possibly may refer especially to a class of professors of religion, as some commentators have said the original expression, translated tares, denotes "bastard wheat" --a spurious grain, looking like wheat and known only by its "fruit when it is grown. A plenty of such "bastard wheat" the devil has sown in these last days, and they are ready to be bound, being already fast in sectarian "bundles," nearly prepared for the burning, and if they do not speedily repent they will be "cast into a furnace of fire." At the end of this age, or dispensation, our Lord will fully separate the tares from the wheat: he will "gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, [all scandals --so the margin has it,] and them which do iniquity;" [all these hypocritical professors, represented by the tares, or bastard wheat,]" and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." "Shine forth" upon what? Upon them that are "left" of the nations;" because their "light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee;" then, " The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." -See Isa 60$. Then, also, "Ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the ministers of our God." - Isa 61:6. All the glory and efforts of the true church has been hid and paralyzed by the bastard wheat, but our Lord will thoroughly take it away when he comes, so that on earth he will have a holy priesthood and royal nation, that shall show forth his praise till the whole earth is full of his glory.
A main pillar, however, that probation ceases to all men at the advent, is Re 10:7: "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." This text is supposed to prove conclusively that there are to be no more offers of mercy. It is claimed that "the mystery of God," that is then to be "finished," is the gospel of salvation. Suppose that should be admitted, it would not prove that there were to be no further offers of mercy to any one; for, mark, it "should be finished as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." The question then, arises, has God anywhere, in "the prophets," declared that there is to be no more offers of mercy to any one after the advent? Nowhere, but just the reverse, as will appear in the further examination of the subject. The term mystery signifies secret, or hidden. In this 10th chap., appears the same angel that Daniel saw in the 12th chapter, and nearly in the same attitude; and while the direction to Daniel was to "seal the book; "the angel in 10th appears with "a little book open." And, why, open? Because the covering is not taken off-the mystery is finished -- the time has come for it to be understood, " as God declared to his servant" Daniel it should be at "the time of the end." We might also say further -- There are many things in the Bible which are a mystery, more or less hidden, which will not be fully understood when he shall begin to sound," when that "mystery" shall be "finished" --made an end of-- or taken away. That there are many things in the Bible not fully understood, yet, is evident from the fact that good men, men of God differ in their interpretation of the Scriptures.. Paul says, 1Co 13:9,10,12: For we know in part, and we prophecy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away... For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." But his darkness, and knowing in part 'the mystery' is to be finished, and knowing in part the mystery is to be finished -- to be ended "as he hath declared unto his servant," { Isa 52:8} "Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion." Then the mystery is "finished as he hath declared to his servant," { Isa 25:7} "And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations."
But once more, "the mystery of God" may relate to another subject, viz., God's determination to have a "kingdom of priests," which was first offered to the descendents of Jacob; which, if the rejected, was to be filled up, "finished," or completed from among the Gentiles was a mystery, or hidden.
The Lord determined the kingdom of priests should be filled up, and the "mystery of God," that was kept hid till the apostle's days, was, that it should be filled up from among the Gentiles, and should be done on the principle of all believers in Christ being united to that kingdom as priests and kings. So Peter understood it. See 1Pe 2:9: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Also 5th verse: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer of a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." They are spoken of in Re 1:6: "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father." Again, Re 5:9, 10: "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hath 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."
Now, in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, that mystery of God will be finished, and it will be fully and clearly seen who this kingdom of priests are; and John is told in the 10th chapter of Revelation, 11th verse ( Re 10:11), " Thou must prophecy again before, many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings;" which we think, will literally take place. The mystery of God will then be finished; or his whole purpose concerning this kingdom of priests will then be unfolded, and their number completed, and we shall be brought to the "third day," when Christ, in his mystical body, "the church of the first born," will "be perfected." This, we conceive, is the mystery of God finished; and Paul says, Eph 5:32, "This is the great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." See the connection.
