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The Object Of Our Lord's Return.
DISCOURSE I.
[At the request of some of the readers, we will publish reports of six
discourses delivered by the editor in Allegheny City
in 1878, published at that time in some of the public prints. The edition of
"OUTLINES OF SERMONS" published some time ago is exhausted. To those
whom we have been obliged to refuse we suggest, that this series may meet the
approval of some of you and to some extent serve your purpose. Below is the
first one of the series.]
Why does the Lord return? We do not ask if he will return, for as every
Christian student of the Bible well knows that is one of the central themes of
the Apostles' teaching--the coming of our Lord and our gathering together unto
Him. It was repeatedly used by Jesus to comfort the disciples--"I will
come again and receive you unto myself."
But while all are agreed as to the fact --the manner and the object are
subjects upon which there is great difference of view. As we are now dealing
with the latter--the object--let us examine the various leading views on the
subject, of which there are six. Four of these views make the coming of Christ
"a coming" in name only-- devoid of a personal advent. The
other two views hold that the coming is a personal presence, but differ
regarding its object, etc.
First--Among the former, we find the chief to be, that death is the
coming of Christ. The holders of this view scarcely know why they think so. Simply,
they have that idea. This is the most unscriptural of all views, for while not
a single text supports it, there are hundreds to contradict such a thought. The
church is everywhere taught to look for and "love His appearing,"
while death is pronounced an enemy. "The last enemy which shall be
destroyed is death." "For this purpose Christ was manifested that He
might destroy death." Substitute the second coming of Christ for the word
death in this passage, and what would you have?
A second view is--That the power manifested on the day of Pentecost
evinced Christ's return as having taken place, and to be a coming in spiritual
power and energy to His people. Such forget that Jesus characterized this as
the coming of another, consequently not of himself, when he said, "I will
pray the Father, and He shall send you another comforter, even the
Spirit of Truth." There is a sense in which the Spirit represented Christ during his absence. For instance Jesus declared that he would be present
with the twos and threes gathered in His name (Matt.
18:20). This He has done by the Spirit; comforting those who
came seeking His blessing. In the same spiritual sense He has abode with His
church all the way down; as he said, "Lo, I am with you always,
even unto the end of the age." Matt. 28:20.
Yet, personally, he was to be absent until the end of the age, as he
taught.
A third view is--That Christ came at the destruction of Jerusalem,
because Jesus mentions His coming in the same conversation in which He refers
to the destruction of Jerusalem.
Overlooking the fact that three distinct questions are asked by the disciples,
(Matt. 24:3), which received separate answers.
Jesus gave them to understand that His coming was not imminent; there would be
wars, etc., but the end is not yet. He said, "Nation shall rise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom," (Matt. 24:7).
This was not fulfilled before the fall of Jerusalem,
for until that time and for long after the Romans held the nations in the quiet
and peace of servitude. Again, he says, "These good tidings of the kingdom
shall be preached in the whole inhabited earth (NEW VERSION) for a
testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come." This has
only been fulfilled during the last few years. America,
Australia
and some other large portions of the world were probably unknown to the early
church. Then He mentioned certain signs and said, "When YE see ALL these
things then know that it is nigh, even at the door." This generation (the
one seeing these signs) shall not pass away until all these things are
fulfilled. The generation then living did not see all those signs.
Further, John the Revelator, who wrote some 26 years after the
destruction of Jerusalem,
was ignorant of Christ's having come, and Jesus himself also, for while one
says, "Behold! I come quickly," the other answered, "Even so,
come Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20).
A fourth view is--That Christ comes in conversion of sinners; so
continually coming, more and more. This cannot be what Jesus referred to when
He said, "All the tribes of the earth shall mourn and wail because of him
when they see him coming." Do they mourn and wail when a sinner is
converted? The chief objection to the four views just mentioned is that the
real personal coming is ignored. Of the two classes who hold to a personal
coming of our Lord, one is called Pre-millenarian [before the
Millennium], and the other Post-millenarian [after the Millennium].
Of the latter class are most of so-called orthodox Christians. They
believe that he has been coming all the way down in the growth of the church
and the advancement of science and civilization, but that he will also come
personally to crown his triumphant church, when she shall have put down
all opposing authority and power; and that he, through her efforts, will put
all enemies under her feet. Others, who claim only a personal coming, believe,
in about the same order of events; that through the missionary labors of the
church the world will be converted and thus usher in the millennial age, at the
close of which the Lord will come, wind up earthly affairs, reward believers
and condemn sinners. They have much scripture which, if taken disconnectedly,
seems to favor this view. But even these we believe, when God's word and plan
are looked at as a whole, will be found to favor the view we are advancing,
viz: That Christ comes before the conversion of the world; that the church is
now being tried, and that the reward promised the overcomers is: that they
shall share in this reign:--"To him that overcometh will I give to sit
with me in my throne." (Rev. 3:21.)
"And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." (Rev. 20:4). "Ye which have followed
me," etc. (Matt. 19:28). [R531 : page 7] "If
we suffer with Him we shall also reign with him." (2
Tim. 2:12).
There are two texts in particular used by our Post-millennial brethren
to which we would refer. One is, "This gospel must first be preached in
all the world for a witness. Then shall the end come." They claim this to
mean that the gospel will convert the world before the end of the gospel age. We,
Pre-millennial believers, claim that witnessing to the world does not mean
converting the world, that the object of the present witnessing is principally
"To take out a people for His name," the church, who at Christ's
coming are united to Him and receive His name. (Rev.
3:12.) The other textis--"Sit thou on my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool." The thought generally gathered
from this Scripture is, that in heaven God has a throne on which He sits
continually, and then when "Christ sat down on the right hand of the
Majesty on High," He sat down also upon the same throne. This is a
misconception. The throne of God as referred to is not an ivory or golden seat,
but refers to His supreme authority and rulership, for "Heaven is my
throne and earth is my footstool," and Paul says, "God hath highly
exalted Him (Christ) and given Him a name above every name," etc. He has
given Him authority above every other, next to the Father. If Christ sits upon
a material throne until His enemies are made His footstool, (all subdued) then
of course He could not come until the Millennial reign was fully inaugurated. But
if it means the exalting to power, it [R532 : page 7] would
not interfere with His coming and subduing all things unto Himself."
"Right hand" signifies the chief place
--position of excellence or favor. And the words of Jesus to Pilate agree with
this thought: "Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right
hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (Mark
14:62). He will be on the right hand when coming and remain at the
right hand during the millennial age.
These two last named views demand a thorough examination. There are able
arguments possible on both sides; yet both are not true. We propose, therefore,
to take a glance at the plan of God for saving the world, believing that in so
doing we shall find the relation and bearing of both the first and the second
comings, and know where to locate the latter.
First, then: Has God a plan? All must agree that He has; although,
almost all are inclined to think and talk of His dealings as though He were
dealing by a rule of chance, and governed entirely by circumstances. No; He that
would condemn a man for building a tower without first counting the cost, shall
He build and people a universe without matured plans and due forethought? No,
brethren, "known unto the Lord are all His ways from the beginning." God
has a plan or purpose, and we know that "all His purposes shall be
accomplished." But how shall we find that plan? It is revealed to us in
God's Word. "Search the Scriptures," as Paul says. "Compare
Scripture with Scripture," for
"God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain."
We are too much inclined to ask What does my church say?, about any
question, instead of "What saith the Scriptures? Too much theology is
studied and the Bible not enough. With the thought, then, that "The
Scriptures are able to make us wise," that the "Testimonies of the
Lord are sure, making wise the simple" (teachable), and that "all
Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable, that the man of God may be
thoroughly furnished," let us study.
Notice first that the Scriptures divide human history into three great
successive periods, called "The world that was," (the age ending with
the flood), "The present evil world," (the age commencing at the
flood and ending with the coming of Christ a second time), and lastly,
"The world to come," (the age commencing with the second coming of
Christ) the endless age, or "World without end." This arrangement is
not mere fancy, but is strictly scriptural. A proper understanding of these
ages enables us to "rightly divide the word of truth," and it seems
impossible to understand his plan without first recognizing them.
Peter mentions all of them. (2 Pet. 3:6,7,12.)
Paul speaks of "the present evil world, and of the world to come." Jesus
also distinguished between them, and calls the devil the prince of this world,
(John 14:30), and promised reward to His
faithful followers "in the world [or order of things] to come, etc.
While Christ has all power in heaven and earth, for wise purposes, He
has not heretofore made use of it, permitting evil to reign and measurably
control the world, and the devil to be "prince of this world," or
order of things. But the time is promised when "He shall take to Himself
His great power and reign," exalting His church and giving her "power
over the nations," so that instead of as now, being "subject to the
powers that be," she shall "rule the nations."
But when will He thus assume control? When the Gospel church, "His
body"--Ecclesia--is complete, evil now being permitted, for the trial of
faith, and the perfecting of the saints. This time is synchronous with the
sounding of the "seventh trumpet." (Rev.
11:15.) Here the mystery (church) of God is finished--and "the
kingdoms of this world" become the kingdoms of our Lord and His anointed
(church). Now, we inquire, is this transfer of authority from Satan to Christ
caused by the conversion of the nations to Christ through preaching the Gospel?
We answer, no; at this time the nations are not converted. See the eighteenth
verse: "And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come." If
converted, they would not thus be hostile, neither would God's wrath come upon
them. On the contrary, God teaches in many Scriptures that a great time of
trouble will come upon the nations. "Come, behold the desolations which
the Lord hath made in the earth; He maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the
earth." (Psa. 46:8-10). This is
the way God tells us He will make wars to cease. The next clause informs us
that then He "Will be exalted among the heathen and in all the
earth." This chastisement of nations is designed for their good, and is as
necessary to them as chastisement to the children of God now, and it will have
this effect; for "When the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth
the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. (Isa.
26:9). It is in this new dispensation that, with Evil or Satan bound,
the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth as the waters do the
sea." The conversion of the world, instead of being due now, while the
devil is "prince of this world," will, David says, be "When the
kingdom is the Lord's and He is the Governor among the nations, (then) all the
ends of the world shall remember, and turn to the Lord, and the kingdoms of the
nations shall come and worship before Him." (Ps.
22:27-28).
"The present evil world" contains three separate ages; the
Patriarchal age, lasting from the flood to the death of Jacob; the Jewish age,
lasting from the death of Jacob until the death of Christ --when He gave them
up, wept over them, and said: "Your house is left unto you desolate."
(Matt. 23:38.) The Gospel age, lasting from
Christ's baptism and anointing until the full company of "the church of
the first born" is complete, and He comes--the "sounding of the
seventh trumpet, the resurrection and reward of saints and prophets." (Rev. 11:16.)
We know not how many ages may be in "The World to Come," but
that there is more than one we are assured, for Paul speaks of "The ages
to come." (Eph. 2:7.) The first of these
alone is dealt with in Scripture--the millennial age, during which the saints
shall live and reign with Christ a thousand years. (Rev.
20:4).
Having gotten an outline, let us look more particularly at God's doings
and sayings; and now, I will astonish you, doubtless, until you reflect, when I
say that, according to His word, God is not now trying to convert the world,
nor has He been during past ages. What has He been doing? "Taking out a
people --Church--for His name." Don't think this wonderful, as it is only
putting in a striking form what all Calvinists believe, among whom are
Baptists, Presbyterians and others, viz: That God is now electing--or choosing
His Church out of the world. Yes, and all our brethren who believe in free
grace must admit that if "all His purposes shall be
accomplished," and "God's word shall prosper in the thing whereto it
was sent"; if these Scriptures are true God did not purpose the conversion
of the world during the past 6,000 years, else it would be accomplished. Neither
did He send His Word to convert the world up to the present time, else it did not prosper in the thing whereto He sent it. These two views have been
dividing points in the churches for centuries, viz: Election and Free Grace.
We believe the Scripture to teach both, but that it requires the
observance of "Heaven's first law," order, to rightly divide
the Word of truth on this subject.
There is no scriptural account of God's giving mankind any law, nor but
very little light of revelation during the age preceding the deluge. One
promise shines out: "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's
head"; but even this required future revelation to be comprehended.
God had, however, a few faithful servants, some of the patriarchs, who had
light above the masses; these shone as lamps in a dark way.
The Patriarchal age had increase of light. It was now revealed that this
seed was not only to crush evil (the serpent) but to "bless all the
families of earth." Still God's church was represented by but one man at a
time--Noah, Abraham, Isaac, etc.
These Patriarchs were elected or chosen. "God called Abraham, and
said," etc. Abraham and his kin was called. His parents were idolaters. He
had many sons and daughters, but only one son was chosen. "In Isaac shall
thy seed be called." "Of Isaac's two sons, only one was chosen,
"as it is written (says Paul, Rom. 8:11 and 12),
Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated" (loved less). God chose before
they were born, "That the purpose of God according to election might
stand." Now, remember, I do not say that God elected one to go to heaven
and the other to hell. Far from it. We will talk of Esau's portion and the
non-elect on a future occasion.
At Jacob's death another advance step in God's plan is taken, and
typical or fleshly Israel
is formed. From this time one man no longer represents God in the world; but a
nation; all the sons of Jacob and their posterity. And now we
have an elect nation or church, and God gives all His special blessings
to it. Other and larger nations--Egypt,
Chaldea, &c.--are passed by; left without light and without knowledge,
while these are given to Israel.
"What advantage then hath a Jew? Much every way, chiefly because to them
was committed the oracles (laws and testimonies) of God." This is Paul's
statement. (Rom. 3:2). God speaking to them
says: "You only have I known of all the families of the earth." (Amos 3:2). This people alone was recognized, and
this continued until Christ came, [R533 : page 7] and
after that--until for lack of faith they were given up and their house left
desolate.
During Christ's ministry he preached to them and would not suffer His
disciples to go to any others, saying as he sent them out, "Go not into
the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye
not." Why so, Lord? "I am not sent save to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel."
All His time was devoted to them until death, and here was his first and
grandest gift, not for Israel
only, but for all; for Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every
man. (Heb. 2:9). And now, also, in the
Gospel age, a certain sort of election obtains. Some parts of the world are
more favored than others with the Gospel (which is free to all who hear). Contrast
yourself with your privileges and knowledge with yonder heathen man who never
yet heard the call.
When this called-out company (called to be the "sons of God,"
"heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord"--"our
high calling") is complete, then the plan of God for the world's salvation
is only beginning. Not until then can THE SEED "bruise the serpent's
head" and bless all the families of the earth. For the seed is not Jesus,
the head alone, but the church also, which is His body, as Paul informs us (Gal. 3:29), "Which seed is Christ; and if ye
be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the
promise." The same company are to bruise the serpent. (Rom.
16:20.) "The very God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."
The Gospel age makes ready the chaste virgin (church) for the coming
bridegroom. In due time the bridegroom comes and they that are ready are
united. The second Adam and the second Eve become one, the new creation and the
glorious work of elevating mankind in the world begins. The river of
living waters will flow from the New Jerusalem--the symbol of the glorified
church (Rev. 22:1-3). Then the conversion of
the world will be due. The church, now the "espoused virgin," will then be "the Bride, the Lamb's wife," and, with her Lord,
she shall share in ruling, teaching and restoring mankind from the curse. Then
shall the Spirit and the Bride say, come! and whosoever will, let him take of
the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:17).
What is now a "well of water in you," will then be a bountiful
river--enough for all. Thus seen, the object of the Lord's return is to
exalt and glorify his Bride--the elect church--and with and through her to
"bless all the families of the earth."
W.T. R-0531a : page 6 - 1883r