Saturday, June 11, 2022
Saturday, June 4, 2022
Daily Spiritual Battle.
We, rather, I have this belief that when I am right with God things in my life are going smoothly- but only in the sense I am handling life and its endless upsets as I imagine God would want me, as a professor of being a Christian, should. I start my day with hopes that I will be a witness for Christ in all my actions, in all I say and do. I don't want to bring disgrace to my Savior by claiming to be His and then acting like someone who is far from being Christ-like. Guess what? I fail daily. I hear snide replies, resentful tones coming from my lips and I'm appalled at myself! Even as I say bitter things I'm screaming in my own head to stop! And yet the words spill from my lips and paint me with the darkness that hides any and all love of Christ. Does it matter that I'm being goaded by the evil one- those principalities, those powers of darkness invisible to the human eye? Can I turn around and blame Satan? I'm doing that which I don't want to do! As the braying of my complaining lips drone on and my complaints are interspersed with asking God to forgive me, because even as I speak I suspect that I should be silent-- I do that which I don't want to do! What chaos inside, what agonizing. The realization of how far from Christ like I am is horrifying. Satan screams at me to give up, to just stop being Christ's I'll never be able to be like Him. I CAN'T GIVE UP! I CAN'T! This is a FIGHT, this is a WAR, this is a SPIRITUAL BATTLE! Satan isn't going to let a single opportunity to go by to lure us into lukewarmness, or try to drive us to despair. Satan will attack us on every side! If Satan can't get to you in one way, he will try another and yet another and endlessly keep trying and he's NOT going to stop trying. This is a WAR! And the anguish we feel is the anguish of the severity of the spiritual war. We must NEVER surrender to Satan, never. We must fight to the end with the HOPE of our SAVIOR to SAVE US FROM OURSELVES and ALL OUR WEAKNESSES! We must NEVER call our own individual evils good, never. We must never give into them and believe they are acceptable. If I have to lament my awfulness daily, hourly, minutely then so be it! I will keep lamenting it and NOT let Satan use it to bring me to despairing of ever being with my Savior! I will not accept any evil way in myself, I will not accept any unloving way in myself. I will continue to cry bitterly, in great heartache that my witness is not such to draw others to Christ. I will pray to die daily to my selfishness and all that entails. I will pray to be Christ's. I will HOPE, I will cling to JESUS CHRIST MY LORD AND SAVIOR, MY HOPE! ALL THROUGH HIS LOVE, HIS MERCY, HIS GRACE, HIS SACRIFICE! Now and forever! Amen!!!!!!!
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Acts of the Apostles - Page 561
'So will it be with all who behold Christ. The nearer we come to Jesus, and the more clearly we discern the purity of His character, the more clearly shall we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the less shall we feel like exalting ourselves. There will be a continual reaching out of the soul after God, a continual, earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the heart before Him. At every advance step in our Christian experience our repentance will deepen. We shall know that our sufficiency is in Christ alone and shall make the apostle's confession our own: “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.” “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Romans 7:18; Galatians 6:14.'
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Php 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
I MUST forget those things which are behind and reach for those things which are before! I must press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus! All through HIS GRACE! HIS LOVE!
Kept From The Evil.
The study we have been, and continue to undertake, brings up something that was occurring in 1890 and 132 years later what they spoke of then is never more true today! Back then they were lamenting the churches introducing practices contrary to God's word, today they are doing the same thing. We have thousands, hundreds of thousands, dare I say millions of people who claim the name of Christ, while they cling to lies propagated by Satan. Also, for some unfathomable reason people actually believe our government should be run by religious men who introduce their religion into the government. They claim to want a Christian nation here on earth and that end can be achieved by bringing God into politics. Just making this statement I know many Christians would be alarmed. They'd look at me aghast. They'd question my love of God, my love of Jesus, and they'd tell me anyone who doesn't want God in this nation, running this nation, is not a Christian.
The Bible clearly says this- Joh_18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Luk_20:25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.
Joh_14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Jesus did not come as Messiah to build up a kingdom upon earth, He was very clear about that. Jesus did not instruct the Apostles on how to set up a government based upon His teachings. Jesus wanted His truth and the worldly governments to be separate. Governments are concerned with a lot of things that have nothing at all to do with how Jesus would run our world. This is a broken world filled with chaos, and the prince that rules this world is Satan. That's the truth, straight from our Savior's lips. Jesus wanted the blessed news of the gospel to be given to all so that all could make their choice for Him and eternity, or not. Jesus wanted this wonderful news to change each individual who would then live their lives in His love. Jesus did not want men and women to choose Him and then use His name to hurt others in any way. Jesus did not want men and women to force Him on others, not in a single way!
Our world is Satan's, he is the prince of this world and it shows so clearly. His evil spirit is ignited in the hearts of so many, and he never stops attacking a single person who dares to defy his evil. Praise God that Jesus PRAYED FOR US!
Joh_17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Evil surrounds us, evil fights against us every step of the way, Jesus prayed that we be kept from the evil, and may His prayer be ours! Father in Heaven, majesty on high, please, please keep us from the evil! Please!
Deception being Satan's top evil, we need to be kept from all deception! May we, through the Holy Spirit given to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, be kept from the deceptions surrounding us. The millions of wolves in sheep clothing surround us, please, Father, keep us from the evil! Keep us in YOUR love! Have us LOVE all, even those who hurt and abuse us in any way at all! Let us live YOUR love, not let the prince of this world dictate our actions, our responses, our thoughts, any part of us. Please, Lord, we believe, help Thou our unbelief! Please we would be YOURS precious Jesus!!!!!!
Amen!!!!!!!
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CHAPTER XV. BABYLON IS FALLEN (1890's)
(From Eden to Eden-A Historic and Prophetic Study. By J. H. Waggoner. 1890.)
continued…
Now it is our solemn conviction that a change equally great has taken place with the religious bodies of this day, who have rejected the gospel proclamation of the judgment come, and who slight the message of the near coming of our blessed Lord. This change is plainly to be seen among the churches of both continents. In America there is a very visible decline of vital piety, and a great increase of those things which indicate an unhallowed alliance with the world--a leaning towards worldliness in all their methods.
For the support of the church an appeal is made to the passions and the love of folly of all classes. They who are not acquainted with the facts cannot imagine to what an extent these things are, not so much eating out the vitality and spirituality of the churches, as proving that vital piety does not exist. Church buildings are fitted up with kitchens, where suppers are served, where plays are enacted, and even petty gambling is resorted to, in the form of raffles and lotteries, to raise money for the cause of Christ. This state of things is often lamented by the few who realize the nature and the tendency of such practices; but they confess that the tide is so strong in the direction of folly in the churches, that it cannot be turned.
To show that we do not overestimate the evil which is afflicting the churches in that direction, we notice a few facts. A few years since the grand jury in an important city of America, notified the churches of that city that their methods of raising money for religious uses were in violation of the statutes against gambling, and that they would be presented in court if they did not desist. The jury did not make any presentment, because the evil was so general that they did not like to present one to the exclusion of the others.
In two States of the American Union, the governors called the attention of the legislatures to this subject. One of them said that, while the existing laws against gambling were quite sufficient for general purposes, special legislation would be in place to suppress certain practices prevalent in the churches, which were clearly of the nature of gambling. A minister, writing for a certain religious paper, said:--
"I hide my face in shame, when I hear of a governor of a State being compelled to call upon the law-making department of his State to pass laws to counteract the swindling carried on under the auspices of the church, under the name of church fairs, festivals, and other forms of 'pious' church gambling."
This is only one direction in which the popular tendency is manifested. The extent of the demoralization produced by these things is thus pictured by another religious paper:--
"The selling of indulgences was no more misleading, no more a perversion of the gospel, than are Protestant church fairs, where petty gambling is carried on under the wicked pretense of supporting the religion of Christ."
It must not be supposed, from this reference to "Protestant church fairs," that such things are done only in the Protestant churches, as some of the very worst that have ever been carried on in America were under the auspices of high dignitaries of the Catholic Church.
Crossing the Atlantic, what state of things is found in Europe? An important commemoration meeting was held in Manchester, England, in the latter part of the year 1888. Of the present and prospective condition of religion in England, let the speakers of that meeting inform us. The published report says that, in moving a resolution, Lord Montague made the following remarks:--
"He was afraid they saw a great deal of popery, or a great want of Protestantism, in the upper classes of this country. . . . Ritualism was the Trojan horse of popery. The pope had built up the system of ritualism, and he had put inside of it a number of Jesuits, armed to the teeth. They had dragged this great horse of ritualism inside their church, and these Jesuits, armed to the teeth with their theology, had sprung out, and now the Church and State were in the greatest danger."
Another well-known minister said that--
"The revolution of 1688 placed Protestantism on the throne of this country. It had been on the throne two hundred years, and they asked if it now was what it was two hundred years ago. They must answer that it is not. A change had come over it, and a crisis was impending. The Protestantism of England was seriously menaced and undermined. Three thousand ritualistic clergymen were now laboring night and day in the English church, to restore to this country the false doctrines and superstitions abolished by the Reformation."
The words of these speakers fail to give us a just idea of the extent of the defection from the faith that is taking place in England. We cannot realize what three thousand ritualistic ministers may accomplish in the Established Church, working without rebuke from those who are set up to guard the interests of religion in the State. The emblems of popery are erected in the first churches in England, and the protests of those who still have regard for the Protestant faith are not heeded. Had not the principles of the Reformation lost their value in the eyes and the hearts of the people, it would not be possible for the Jesuits to control the professed Protestant church as they do. And a state of things equally deplorable exists in the Independent or Nonconformist churches. Men of high standing openly deny the inspiration of the Scriptures, and declare that its histories are fables.
Others, by preaching a future probation, rob the judgment of its terrors. The following will show to what extent folly has taken hold of the churches in England, and to what professed Christians in that land will resort to unite the church and the world. The first notice is copied from the Sword and Trowel, a paper which, however, does not approve of such unseemly doings:--
"Another specimen of the doings of worldly religion is from a handbill bearing the name of Howard, Stanford: 'A dance and entertainment will be held in the school-room, Collyweston, on Friday, November 16, 1888. Dancing to commence at 7:30 p. m. A good quadrille band will be in attendance. Refreshments will be provided. Tickets may be obtained from the rectory, Miss Ridlington, and Mr. R. H. Close. Price, 6d. each. The proceeds for new church lamps."
A minister, speaking of the prevalence of such things, well says:--
"Entertainments, concerts, tableaux, and such like, are playing havoc with the work of God. In the name of religion our children are being trained for the theater, and under the shadow of the name of Christ young people are being introduced to the 'world.'"
A party of High Church clergymen at Croyden made an exhibition of their own folly in what they called an exhibition of "The Conversion of England." It is thus announced by a secular paper:--
"clergymen on the stage at croyden. 'the conversion of england.' "What, clergymen of the Church of England acting in a veritable drama on the stage, with bare feet, and painted faces, wigs, and theatrical paraphernalia? Yes, indeed, all this was to be seen at Croyden on Saturday afternoon and evening, and will be again this evening. One of our reporters went down and witnessed the play, and talked with some of the performers. The large public hall, George Street, Croyden, is within a few minutes' walk of the East and New Croyden railway stations. There is a capital stage in the hall, admirably adapted for amateur and even more ambitious performances. But it may well be doubted whether amateurs were ever more ambitious than the clerical party from Vauxhall, who on Saturday enacted the historical drama in the ten tableaux of 'The Conversion of England.'"
But the real conversion of England may be considered postponed indefinitely under the ministrations of such clergymen as the church furnishes, of which these giddy theatrical imitators are too nearly a sample. How is it on the Continent, in the home of the Reformation? Are the children of the Reformers holding fast those principles of religious liberty bequeathed to them? They certainly are not. While the Catholic Church does not fail to revile the name and work of Luther in Germany, Protestant ministers are not permitted to speak in disrespectful terms of the pope and his church and its institutions. There is not a minister to-day in Germany, who, if he has regard for his own personal safety, would dare to nail to a church door such theses as Luther nailed to the church door in Wittemburg, three centuries ago. Should any minister at this time attempt to restore to Germany the Reformation as it was given to her by Luther, Melancthon, and their noble co-workers, he would not find a "Christian prince" in all the wide domain who would rise up to defend him from the general indignation that his actions would raise. It is a truth that cannot be denied, that the religion of the established churches on the Continent is a religion of worldliness and formality, destitute of that power that attended the preaching of the word of God three centuries ago.
The misfortune attending Protestantism in Europe was, that almost as soon as it was born it was nationalized. It was adopted by certain powers and converted into a State system, the heads of these governments determining what should and what should not be considered Christian faith and practice in those kingdoms. But as a national religion, it made all its conquests in the century in which it arose; it has not taken a single advance step in that direction in the three centuries that have followed. Chambers' Cyclopedia gives the following truthful view of the real object of the Reformation, and of the mistake that was made in nationalizing Protestantism:--
"The symbols or confessions of the Protestant churches were not intended as rules of faith for all time, but as expressions of what was then believed to be the sense of Scripture. When, at a later time, it was sought to erect them into unchangeable standards of true doctrine, this was a renunciation of the first principle of Protestantism, and a return to the Catholic principle; for, in making the sense put upon Scripture by the Reformers the standard of truth, all further investigation of the Scripture is arrested, the authority of the Reformers is set above that of the Bible, and a new tradition of dogmas and interpretation is erected, which differs from the Catholic only in beginning with Luther and Calvin, instead of with the apostolic Fathers." Article Reformation. When Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36), he effectually shut out his gospel from becoming the authoritative religion of the kingdoms of this world. It was never intended that the things of God should be placed in the hands and under the power of Cesar (Matt. 22:21), or that the fear of God should be taught by the precept of men. Isa. 29:13,14. The object of the Reformation was hid, and its power was neutralized by religion being made subject to human authority, and the fear of God is taught, not by what the Scriptures teach, but by what a king or parliament may decide that they teach; and too often, by what they would be pleased to have them teach. The error of setting up Protestantism as a national religion--of modeling it after the Church of Rome as organized by Constantine--has borne its fruit, as might have been expected. It has tried to live on its nationality, and has failed. In 1842, Alexander Vinet gave the following view of its condition:--
"Three centuries of external life should not deceive Protestantism. It is now living on the first and vigorous impulse which it received in the sixteenth century. It lives on its political antecedents. It lives on the elements of nationality. But this impulse is exhausted. The beams of the frame-work are disjoined. The edifice is creaking on all sides. The accessory and auxiliary forces are leaving it. Protestantism remains alone and disorganized. No institution can exist in a disorganized state; no institution can long suffer an organization foreign to its principles. Protestants there are, but Protestantism is no more."
Arresting the investigation of Scripture by making religion subject to government control, binding the consciences of Christians by civil law, could not fail to turn it into a lifeless system of formalism. When Constantine took it upon him to reorganize the Christian church, he acted simply as a politician, anxious to preserve and strengthen the unity of his empire. Accordingly he took the general supervision of the church into his own hands. The Council of Nice was called by him to unite the various parties which were growing up among the churches, created by the efforts which were made to amalgamate the discordant philosophy of the heathen with the doctrines of Christianity. The decisions of the council became of authority only by the approval of the emperor. For centuries the emperor was considered the actual head of the church. The bishop of Rome, the chief in dignity of all the bishops, was elected under his direct notice, and was not ordained without his consent. The Council of Chalcedon was called by the Emperor Maurice, and its decisions were for a time much disputed, which caused the emperor to make the following proclamation:--
"He does injury to the judgment of the holy synod, who shall discuss or dispute the articles which were there rightly judged and disposed of; since those matters appointed by the bishops assembled at Chalcedon, concerning the Christian faith, were ordained by us, or were decided by our commandment; and those who despise this law shall be punished."
Thus it appears that the will and commandment of the emperor became the law of Christian faith in all the realm. The Christian conscience became subject to the State. Nothing could be more foreign to the will of the divine Head of the church, as laid down in the Holy Scriptures. But such of necessity is the nature, and such are the results, of national religion; and Protestantism was wrecked by following this example.
The true object and foundation of the Reformation is thus stated by the cyclopedia in the article from which we quoted:--
"That the authority of the Bible is supreme, and above that of councils and bishops; that the Bible is not to be interpreted and used according to tradition, or use and wont, but to be explained by means of itself--its own language and connection; . . . the doctrine that the Bible, explained independently of all external tradition, is the sole authority in all matters of faith and discipline, is really the foundation-stone of the Reformation."
The real, the only triumph of Protestantism was in giving the Bible to the people as the inspired word of God; as the sole and supreme authority in all matters of faith and life. But it is a fact to which we cannot close our eyes, that this foundation-stone has been removed. At this time, in the schools, in the ministry, in the religious journals, the idea of inspiration of the Bible is rejected and openly opposed. The following is the testimony of Edward Stapfer, author of a new French translation of the New Testament, and Professor of Theology in the Protestant College of Paris:--
"It has been said for a long time, and is perhaps said still, that the Reformation of the sixteenth century rested on two principles: justification by faith, and the authority of the Holy Scriptures. We think that justification by faith should alone be mentioned now. . . . We must acknowledge in all frankness--the belief in a direct inspiration of Revelation, making it of authority, has passed its time, and is no more held."
But what power can faith have, when the inspiration of the Scriptures is denied? Dr. Felix Kuhn, Lutheran minister, author of a "Life of Luther," for many years editor of the French Lutheran organ, Le Temoignage, said:--
"During the hundred years that we have been struggling with Rationalism, trying to mould the old gospel to the fashion of the day, we have, alas! succeeded in diminishing all things, curtailing everything. The old ideas do not correspond to the claims of our science, the new ones are as soon dead as born, and we stand to-day in the painful position of a large spiritual body which has only contradictory answers to give to a world seeking salvation."
Dr. Zahn, of Germany, wrote a book (which it has not been our privilege to see) which called forth the following words from Mr. C. Appia, a Lutheran pastor, in a review:--
"If, after surveying, with the author, the realms of politics, of theology, and of Christian life among the Protestants of our time, we again ask ourselves the question, 'What is the Protestantism of to-day lacking?' the answer, distinct and cutting, like the book itself, and which seems to arise from its perusal, is, that Protestantism is lacking everything. It has particularly shaken the faith in the word of God, and abandoned the true doctrine of justification by faith, without being able to substitute anything for the two solid foundations which it has tried to demolish."
To be continued….
Thursday, June 2, 2022
It's Not Too Late.
Diary Entry - I dressed proudly in robes of the high profession of Pharisee. Desperate to know truth, yet loathed to realize the profession I love is not at all what it is supposed to be. Do I ignore the truth? Do I hold fast to the robes that took years to obtain? Years and years of sacrifice to be a man of God, wholly God's. Sacrifice of youthful fun, preferring to hold myself to a higher standard, denying myself constantly to please my God. Wanting to give my life for my God. And now, now a man shows up who does the works that can only be of God because no other explanation will do. Some claim Satan is controlling the man, but that's impossible, I heard…with my own ears I heard him rebuke demons from inside a man and those demons left, but only after screaming their fear of the man ejecting them from their human abode. Whole villages of people healed of all disease, diseases my own have claimed for time everlasting were often results of the sins of the people. How can we say Satan gives disease to punish and then say Satan give joys in taking that disease away?! Can he do that, most certainly, but this man, He only speaks God's word, never a word of evil. This man is not evil, even though the older Pharisees and most of my contemporaries and those younger believe he is. I know, I know he is not evil. What do I do? My whole life has been one dedicated to the Holy One, the Holy Word. Our history screams out how we've killed prophets in the past, not once, but many times. We look back to see our errors, why can't we seem to see our errors while they are happening? Why?! Will generations from now look back and witness our failure once again to listen to the prophets? Will they?! Where will I be in that history?
End Diary Entry.
A witness to the unfolding of prophecy. A witness to the opening of the closed book of Daniel. Witnessing the mysteries of Revelation's prophecies revealed. Today we have all the knowledge we need to have before the return of our Savior. Yet, like the majority of Pharisees of old, we don't believe. We don't believe. We will not be God's. We claim there is not a God. We do not believe. Even when we claim belief, we stop short of all the truth. How many in that last day will lament their unbelief?! How many will long to know truth in the last days only to realize their rejection throughout the years is their real testimony, their last testimony?
We can know truth right now! It's not too late! Right now we can know, but that won't always be the case. As with the Pharisees, and the Jewish nation as a corporate body, they had a fixed amount of time to seek truth, to believe. When that time was up, their time as a corporate body to wholly accept Christ and His Way, was up. Someday, all our time will be up, and those who have accepted Christ, will have, and those who won't, will never.
God help us believe, help our unbelief.
All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever. Amen!
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CHAPTER XV. BABYLON IS FALLEN
continued…
Between the years of 1832 and 1840, the minds of many Bible students, in different countries mainly in Europe and America, became deeply impressed with the prophecy of Daniel, as
furnishing the evidence that we are in the last days, and that the coming of the Lord is drawing near. Their attention was directed to the declaration of Dan. 8:14, that the sanctuary was to be cleansed after two thousand three hundred days, or years. In chapter 8 there is no explanation of this time--no starting point from which to count; but there is in chapter 9. In chapter 8:16, Gabriel was ordered to make Daniel understand the vision. This he proceeded to do, as far as the beasts and kingdoms were concerned; but of the time he said nothing, and Daniel said (verse 27) that it was not understood.
In chapter 9, Daniel makes a most earnest confession and prayer for his people, and in behalf of the city of Jerusalem, then in ruins. While he was praying Gabriel appeared unto him again, and told him to consider the vision, for he had come to give him understanding. And as he had explained all but the time in chapter 8, he spoke of nothing but the time in chapter 9. Gabriel said to him (verses 24, 25), that seventy weeks were determined (literally, cut off) upon his people, and that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince, should be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks; that is, sixty-nine of the seventy weeks should reach to Messiah the Prince. We reckon this to the time when he was made known to Israel as the Messiah, by John the Baptist, which was in a. d. 27.
It is universally agreed that these weeks are weeks of years--seven years to a week. In sixty-nine sevens are four hundred and eighty-three years; counting from the time when John announced Jesus as the Lamb of God, we find that a.d. 26 taken from 483, leaves 457 b. c., which was the year in which the commandment went forth to restore and build Jerusalem--which was the beginning of the two thousand three hundred years of Dan. 8:14. In Ezra 7:11-26, is found the decree of Artaxerxes the king of Persia for the restoration of the temple and its service, and for the complete government of Jerusalem according to the ordinances of God. This decree was given to Ezra 457 years before Christ.
Both Cyrus and Darius had given decrees of like import before this, but the work was not completed until the time of Artaxerxes. And in Ezra 6:14, it is said that the work of restoration was done under the decree (singular) of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes. Thus what these three kings did was counted but one and the same decree, which was not completed until the days of Artaxerxes. And this date, 457 b. c., is the only one that agrees with the manifestation of Messiah the Prince.
The Messiah came to establish the new covenant, and Dan. 9:27 says that he shall confirm the covenant with many of Daniel's people (see verse 24) for one week, that is, the last of the seventy.
In the midst of the week, or in the middle of the last week of years, he should cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, which he did when he was cut off, for then all the sacrifices of the Levitical law met their antitype, and were of no further use.
It is wonderful how accurately every item of this prophecy was fulfilled. The ministry of Christ was just three and a half years--half a prophetic week, or week of years. After his resurrection, he told his apostles still to begin their work at Jerusalem, for the seventy weeks in which the covenant was to be confirmed to Judah and Israel were not yet ended.
Now it is always counted great hardness of heart on the part of the Jews to deny that Jesus was the Messiah, when the very time of his crucifixion was so definitely foretold by one of their own prophets. But the prophecies were for all times and all peoples, and let us see that we do not bring of ourselves under the same censure that falls upon them.
The same period--the seventy weeks--that fixes the time of the crucifixion, fixes the date of the two thousand three hundred years, the time for the cleansing of the sanctuary, the closing work of our High Priest for the judgment of his people.
The seventy weeks point out the time when our Messiah should make his sacrifice and begin his priestly work. The two thousand three hundred years point out the time when he should enter upon the closing work of his priesthood. When Jesus began his ministry he said, "The time is fulfilled." Mark 1:14, 15. In like manner it is shown by the prophecy that it must be proclaimed to the world, "The hour of his judgment is come." Rev. 14:6, 7.
The explanation of the seventy weeks is the explanation of the vision of the time given in Daniel 8. And this time reaches to the beginning of the judgment.
Beginning the two thousand three hundred years with the decree of Artaxerxes, we can readily see where they end. This decree was b. c. 457. Subtracting 457 b. c. from 2300 leaves a. d. 1843--the very time when this message of Rev. 14:6, 7 was being so extensively preached to the nations of the earth. If this time were not made sure, how could the message of the judgment ever be given? How could men declare the hour is come unless the time were fixed by prophecy?
Every word of the Scriptures must be fulfilled. As the seventy weeks prove that Jesus was the Messiah, so do they fix the two thousand three hundred years, beginning at the same point, and clearly show us the time for the cleansing of the sanctuary above, where our great High Priest is presenting his precious blood for us.
Here it is necessary to say a few words in regard to the numbering of the year at which the two thousand three hundred years end. At the time when the prophecy was written, they did not begin the year in midwinter, as is now generally done, but in the spring. Therefore while the figures in the above computation always bring a. d. 1843 as the result, the years really ended in 1844 of our year, as theirs began and ended about three months later than ours. But that is a point of little consequence in the settlement of the main fact.
Now we see, not only the importance of the message, as being the gospel, but the certainty of the time of its fulfillment. And we cannot discover any possible reason why professed Christians, with all the light of Bible truth we have in these days, should not incur the displeasure of God if they reject or neglect this gospel proclamation, even as they did who rejected the gospel in the days of the apostles.
The Jews as a nation became a fallen people when they rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They did not fall so that they could not find salvation, for thousands of them repented and accepted the Saviour, and that is their privilege to this day. But they fell from the high position of being the special people of God.
To be continued…
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
How Can We Deny Him?
Truly with the evidence available not a single person should not believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Name another Savior whose ministry and death were predicted hundreds of years before it occurred to the letter. Seriously, tell me how we can read about the prediction of Christ's ministry and death and still deny Him?
I'll tell you HOW- people choose not to believe, and they refuse truth.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Darkness comprehends it not.
In our society you've most likely heard about the strange turn of events in recent history that call this generation- the generation of the offended. Over the last several years (this year being 2022) more and more people have grown to be offended at everything. Many call this the age of enlightenment and that enlightenment has brought out the racist, sexist, homophobic, etc, etc who are now offended, others say the uprising of evil has caused their offense. This world has inevitably changed and not for the better.
The thing is, too many people are living with the misguided belief this world CAN get better.
This world is going to be swallowed up by evil until is it all around any who are truly God's. Satan is trying to take as many people with him as he can and he's pulling out all the stops. Satan is twisting the good to make it seem evil and taking evil and making that seem good. And the light will shine in all the darkness, but the darkness won't comprehend it because the darkness wishes to remain darkness. The blind want to remain blind because to admit they are in need of a Savior, to admit that all around them is a world geared towards fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, is to admit they are guilty. To have to give up self-satisfaction is something we are LOATHED to do! Living a life that gives us all the comfort we can eke out of it is the goal the majority long for and why wouldn't we? Who purposefully wants to be deprived of any comfort? Our minds rebel at the very thought.
The truth shines a light into the darkness of this world, and darkness does not comprehend it, darkness does not want to comprehend.
The truth is found in our Lord and Savior, the reality of His existence, the reality of the reason for His existence, the reality of the salvation He offers, the reality of our need of forgiveness, the reality of eternal life found only in Him.
The hour of judgment is come… we have to decide, we have to choose, we have to live in the light of our Savior, not in the darkness that is the only other alternative.
Please Lord… please, we would be yours! Save us from the darkness, save us from self, please… please keep us from all evil!
All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!!!!!!!
AMEN!
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CHAPTER XV. BABYLON IS FALLEN Pt 1
Following the first message of Revelation 14 (verses 6, 7) is another, containing a simple brief statement. It is not framed like a warning; it declares no particular duty. It is only the statement of a fact, but important to be considered, as are all the declarations of the word of God. It is as follows:--
"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Rev. 14:8.
There are two things that are often taken for granted, both of which must be noticed, namely:
1. That Babylon is the Catholic, or Roman, Church and that only.
2. That her fall means her overthrow, or destruction.
The first of these propositions is not altogether true, as will be seen in due time; the last is altogether wrong.
Nobody supposes that Babylon, whatever it means, will be entirely destroyed and the world move on as it did before. That will be a grand catastrophe which will affect the whole world, as may be seen in Revelation 18.
In that chapter is another announcement of the fall of Babylon, showing its connection with other facts and events, as follows:
1. An angel announces that Babylon is fallen, the same as Rev. 14:8.
2. He announces also that she has become the habitation of demons, and the hold of foul spirits, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. This is additional to the statement of Rev. 14:8.
3. Another voice says: "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
4. It is said that in one day shall her plagues come--death, and mourning, and famine--and she shall be utterly burned with fire.
Reversing these events, we find that when this announcement is made Babylon is yet to be destroyed. And before her destruction, God's people are called out of her. And before they are called out of her, she becomes the habitation of demons. And before she becomes the habitation of demons, her fall takes place. Thus it is positively shown that her fall is before her destruction; doubtless it leads to her destruction finally. We are therefore forced to the conclusion that the fall referred to in Rev. 14:8, is a moral fall; it has reference to a change of condition in the sight of Heaven.
For the immediate cause of her fall we are left to draw our conclusion from the context. Her connection with the world is stated; also that, instead of being the light of the world, she has been guilty of misleading the world. Through her the world has been led to lightly regard its responsibility to God, and to indulge a false hope.
But, doubtless, that which has led to this fatal state was the rejection of the proclamation of the everlasting gospel, as made known in the preaching of the hour of judgment come.
This message being the gospel, to reject it must bring the frown of God, as certainly as did the rejection of the gospel in the days of Christ. Or if not, why not? Is not that always of importance which the word of God calls the everlasting gospel? But the question may be raised, This message being founded on time could the people surely know that the time had arrived when it should be given? To answer this we must return to the prophecy of Daniel, where the time is revealed.
To be continued…
(From Eden to Eden-A Historic and Prophetic Study. By J. H. Waggoner. 1890.)
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
The Hour of Judgment cont.
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CHAPTER XIV. THE HOUR OF JUDGMENT
continued…
2. The nature of the judgment shows that it is a part of the work of the gospel. In approaching this subject, we shall have to examine the question of the time on which the proclamation rests.
This is a matter of prophecy in Daniel 8. It has been shown that chapters 2 and 3 of this prophecy are specially given to the outlines of the world, as presented under four great kingdoms, Babylon, MedoPersia, Greece, and Rome. Of the fourth or Roman Kingdom chapter 2:40 says:--
"And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron; forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise."
In chapter 7:7 the same power is thus described:--
"Behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it."
As before remarked, the first, Babylon, was the most glorious, and the fourth, Rome, was the strongest, even strong exceedingly. In chapter 8 is another vision of the kingdoms, beginning with the Medes and Persians. This kingdom has the symbol of a ram, while the Grecian is represented by a goat, which had a notable horn between his eyes, which was the first king--Alexander. The prophecy says:--
"When he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great." Verses 8, 9.
In the interpretation it is said:--
"The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia; and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power." Verses 20-22.
Out of that kingdom stood up these four kingdoms: Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, and Greece or Macedon. The prophecy says that out of one of them came forth a little horn that waxed exceeding great. Out of the last-named of the above four, the Macedonian division, arose the Roman Kingdom, small in its beginning, not counted among the divisions of the empire, but it became exceeding great, just as was said of it in chapters 2 and 7. No other kingdom but the Roman could possibly fulfill this prophecy. But there is this difference between the little horn of chapter 7 and the little horn of chapter 8. The former represented papal Rome, while the latter was Rome in its entire history, in both the pagan and papal forms. This power magnified itself, not only against the host of Heaven, but against the Prince of the host. It cast down the truth to the ground, and practised, and prospered. Verses 10-12. The prophet heard a holy one ask another how long should be the vision, to give the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot. The answer was returned to Daniel, thus:--
"And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Dan. 8:14.
The truth concerning the cleansing of the sanctuary is the solution of this whole matter.
This we find fully explained in the books of Exodus and Leviticus. To make this clear to the reader, we shall have to refer again to the work of the sanctuary. In Exodus 25 the Lord commanded Moses to take an offering of the children of Israel: "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." Verse 8. It is not necessary that a full description of the sanctuary be here given. It was a tabernacle of two rooms; the first had in it the seven golden candlesticks, the table of show-bread, and the golden altar of incense. In this room called the holy, the priests ministered daily. In the inner apartment, called the most holy, was the ark containing the two tables of stone, on which were written the ten commandments. The covering of the ark was called the mercy seat, upon which were the golden cherubim. The Lord commanded Moses, saying:--
"And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." Ex. 25:21, 22.
Of the priestly work in the most holy, we have full description in Leviticus 16. After making an offering for himself, the high priest was required to take a goat for a sin-offering for the people. The order was then as follows:--
"Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat; and he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins; and so
shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness." Verses 15, 16.
Why was an atonement to be made for the holy place? It could commit no wrong. The answer is in the order; it was because of the uncleanness of the people; because of their transgressions. But how came the sanctuary to be defiled with the sins of the people, seeing that the people were forbidden under the penalty of death to approach unto it? See Num. 3:10. Answer--The high priest represented the people; the Lord said that the high priest should bear their judgment. Ex. 28:30. The wages of sin is death, and the law demands the life of the transgressor; therefore the Lord said that the blood was given to make an atonement, because the life is in the blood. Lev. 17:11. The blood that was sprinkled on the mercy-seat, in the immediate presence of God, represented the life of the transgressors; in it was borne the sins of the people. Thus the entering of the high priest with the blood of the sin offering, caused him to bear their judgment, and the most holy was defiled. As he did in the most holy, so was he required to do in the holy; he was to anoint the altar of incense, "and he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel." Lev. 16:18, 19.
All this was to take place on the tenth day of the seventh month, which was the day of atonement. Lev. 16:20-31; 23:27. Making the atonement, blotting out the sins from the presence of the Lawgiver, was called cleansing the sanctuary. See Eze. 43:20-22.
This completed the yearly service of the sanctuary; and the service of each year represented the complete priestly work of the Saviour.
The nature of the sanctuary service in the law of Moses, is shown in Hebrews 8 and 9. After discoursing of the priesthood of Christ, after the order of Melchizedek, a kingly priest, the writer says:--
"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the Heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law; who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle; for, See saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount." Heb. 8:1-5.
Here we learn:
1. That the sanctuary, and the priestly work of the earthly priests, were examples and shadows of things in Heaven.
2. That Christ could not be a priest on earth, for the earthly priests were types of him.
3. That his is a kingly priesthood on the throne of his Father.
4. That there is a true sanctuary or tabernacle in Heaven, of which that on earth was a figure. In this book we learn also that Christ is a Mediator, not only for sinners under the new covenant, but also for those under the first covenant. Chapter 9:15. This proves that Jesus is a Mediator before the same law that God spoke to Israel on Mount Sinai, and wrote on the tables of stone. That law stands against their transgressions, until Jesus blots them out with his own precious blood.
But a question of great interest and importance will here arise: Does the heavenly sanctuary need to be cleansed from the sins of the people, even as the pattern and example did?
To this we have a clear and decided answer in Heb. 9:23, 24. After speaking of the efficacy of the blood of Christ, in contrast with the blood of bulls and goats, which was offered under the old covenant, and of the necessity of shedding blood in order to remission, the writer says:--
"It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us."
And why should not this be so? Is not our High Priest in the sanctuary in Heaven? Does he not bear our judgment? Does he not present our sins in the presence of God? Does he not present his own blood, the better sacrifice, in that sanctuary? It is for this reason that the heavenly things need to be purified. If they did not, there would have been no necessity for the patterns--the shadow and example; they would have been without meaning. That there are indeed two holy places in the sanctuary above, we learn not only in Heb. 9:23, 24, but also in the book of Revelation.
In chapter 4:1-5, John had a vision of the open temple in Heaven, and of the throne, and he said "there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne." The seven lamps were in the holy place. But in a vision of the heavenly things very near to the close of the dispensation, under the seventh trumpet, when the time to judge the dead had come (Rev. 11:15-19), the prophet said: "And the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament." The ark of the testament was in the most holy place, which was opened only on the day of atonement, when the sanctuary was to be cleansed from the sins of the people. This is the last part of the priestly service. It is the judgment.
At the time when this part of the sanctuary is opened it is declared that the time of the dead, when they should be judged, has come. Verse 18. This coincides with the time of the first message of Revelation 14, verses 6, 7: "The hour of his judgment is come."
Then the time is come when the sanctuary in Heaven shall be cleansed.
And this clearly shows that the proclamation of the judgment is gospel preaching; for the beginning of the judgment is the work of the priest in the most holy place in the sanctuary in Heaven,--the blotting out of the sins of the saints. To the people of God it is a most important part of the gospel work.
To the impenitent it is the time of deciding that they shall never see eternal life; the time to determine when he that is unrighteous shall remain unrighteous still. But time does not close with that announcement.
Another message of warning is going forth to the world, while our High Priest is engaged in judging the dead.
Still there is opportunity to make our calling and election sure. But we must not presume on the mercies of the Lord. Remember his own warning: "Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Matt. 24:42.
To all those who do not watch, that day will come as a thief. But to the waiting ones, the Scripture says, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thess. 5:4.
(From Eden to Eden-A Historic and Prophetic Study. By J. H. Waggoner. 1890.)
Monday, May 30, 2022
Your Heavenly Trial.
I hope you are not waiting for our Savior to return to be judged by Him. I hope you don't believe you will come face to face with God, with Jesus there as your advocate as if standing in a court of law, God the judge, Jesus your lawyer, you the accused. This isn't going to be how it happens and if you think it is you need to study the word of God right now so you're not caught unaware having been waiting for your court date which will never occur.
Is Jesus our Advocate? Yes. Are we going to be judged by God? Yes. Will you be in a court setting able to plead your case? No.
We are accused. We need a lawyer/advocate. We will be tried. We will be judged.
We are not only accused, we are guilty. Our advocate pleads on our behalf, but not pleading our worthiness in the slightest. In fact, our advocate admits outright that we are guilty, and then He asks the judge to let Him stand in our place. Our advocate points to the sacrifice of His own sinless life on our behalf. Our advocate shows where He paid for our personal sins, each and every one. The judge accepts the sacrifice and allows that our advocate took our sins upon Himself and paid their price for us.
We do not know when our trial is because it takes place as we live. When we die, our probation period is over- we've no more opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as our Advocate. We accepted Him before our death, or we did not. While we live we must accept Jesus as our Savior, our Advocate, only then will we be sure when our trial takes place we are covered by His sacrifice, guilty, yet forgiven!
When will your trial happen? When will mine? For all we know in the blink of an eye right before Jesus stands up and His work as our advocate is over, before He takes on the crown of King, our trial will occur. We don't know. Just as we don't know if we will die before then. We live our lives without this knowledge for a reason.
Just imagine if you knew when you would be judged for your eternal life. How many people would live their lives very differently. How many would live dangerously until their trial date drew close? How many would live dangerously after their trial? Do you see the preposterous nature of us knowing? There would be no genuine truth, no life lived for love, but constantly for self first. We don't know. We must choose to live in love, to live in Christ and His love4reytg. Our lives now are being molded for heaven. How we live now, how we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit now, is how we will be later. Our spirit with the Holy Spirit, this is our hope.
All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever, AMEN!!!!!!!
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CHAPTER XIV. THE HOUR OF JUDGMENT
In his sermon at Athens, the apostle Paul said that God "hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained." Acts 17:31.
According to this, there was a time appointed for the judgment,--a definite day when it would come.
In Rev. 14:6, 7, the hour of judgment is announced by an angel, of whom the prophet thus speaks:--
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
In regard to this, we notice:--
1. The importance of the message. It is called the everlasting gospel. Being a part of the gospel, whenever it is given it must be heeded. But it has been asked, How can a proclamation of the judgment be any part of the gospel?
To this we offer two answers:
1. Every dispensation of God is gracious toward his people. But that which is gracious to the righteous may be everlasting ruin to the wicked. The Scripture says that when Noah and his family went into the ark, "the Lord shut him in." Gen. 7:16. This assured the perfect safety of Noah; but when the Lord shut him in, by the same act he shut all the others out. The psalmist praised him who "overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea; for his mercy endureth forever." Ps. 136:15. It was no mercy to Pharaoh and his host; they had forfeited the mercy of God. But it was mercy to the Lord's people; it was necessary to rescue them, if their enemies were destroyed. And so, without the judgment, God's people would never receive their reward.
2. The question is more fully answered by showing the order and nature of the judgment. It is in truth a part of the gospel--necessary to the perfect fulfillment of the purposes and promises of God. The gospel is revealed in Isa. 61:1, 2. These verses read as follows:-- The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn." In Luke 4:16-21, we read that Jesus came to Nazareth, "and as his custom
was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and stood up for to read." Opening the book of Isaiah, he began to read chapter 61, as quoted above, and read as far as to this sentence, "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," and there abruptly stopped. Had he read the next sentence,--"and the day of vengeance of our God,"--he could not have said, as he did in verse 21, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears," because the time had not yet come to proclaim the judgment. But by this we learn that the proclamation of the judgment is a part of the gospel--but a part that was not yet fulfilled in the time of our Saviour's preaching. The apostles of the Lord took up the proclamation just as he gave it at Nazareth. Paul said, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor. 6:2. But to Felix he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come--not is come. Acts 24:25. The preaching of the hour of judgment is come, was necessarily reserved to the last days, when the coming of Christ is near. It has been seen, by the prophecy of the beast with two horns (Rev. 13:11-18), that we are in the last days, and that the last message, given just before Christ comes to reap the harvest of the earth, is based on the facts that are now transpiring.
The question then naturally arises, Has the first message, of Rev. 14:6, 7, been given? Has a proclamation been made to the world of the nature of this judgment-hour cry. It surely has; a message in this very language was proclaimed to all the world between the years 1836 and 1844. It was very extensively preached in Europe and America, and also in Asia. Publications were sent to every missionary station on the globe. Those who preached it fully believed that it was a precursor of the coming of the Lord, as it really was. Yet they did not understand the nature of the messages connected with it, and immediately following it. This message of Rev. 14:6, 7 is a message of time. It was preached as a message of time by those who proclaimed it. It is true, they overlooked the
connection, and were therefore mistaken in the events that should succeed their work. But that mistake was altogether owing to the fact that they had wrong views of the nature of the judgment itself--the very same views that are even now held by the great majority of Bible readers. It is generally believed that the judgment does not take place until the Lord comes. But a reading of this chapter must convince everyone that that idea is not correct.
Four events are presented in this chapter, which stand in this order:
1. The declaration that the judgment is come.
2. The cry that Babylon is fallen.
3. The warning against the worship of the beast and his image, called the Third Angel's Message.
4. The coming of the Lord to reap the harvest of the earth.
This shows that the judgment comes while men are yet here on probation, and that the proclamation of its coming must be made before time closes, that men may prepare for the time when Jesus shall close his priestly work of intercession. The common view that the judgment cannot begin until after Christ comes is certainly incorrect.
In 1 Cor. 15:42-54, it is shown that the righteous are immortalized in the resurrection. They are raised incorruptible, glorified. In the very event of the resurrection, at the sounding of the trump of God, the change from mortal to immortal takes place, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. This refers to the righteous, for they alone have part in the first resurrection. Rev. 20:4-6 says the blessed and holy have part in the first resurrection; but the rest of the dead will not live again for the space of a thousand years. Now, inasmuch as the gift of God through Christ is eternal life, and Jesus brought immortality to light through the gospel, it is absurd to suppose that these blessings will be conferred before the judgment. It is surely absurd to suppose that the great boon of immortality and eternal life would be conferred on the saints of God, and that afterward they should stand to be judged. Again, Christ is specially the advocate of his people, and it is unreasonable to suppose that he would cease his work as an advocate, an intercessor, a priest, before the decision of the judgment was rendered, and leave them to pass through the ordeal of that awful event without a priest, without an advocate. Revelation 14 proves clearly that the judgment precedes the coming of Christ and the resurrection; and the resurrection of the righteous to glory and immortality is proof that the judgment has been fully decided in their favor, while the fact that the rest of the dead remain in their graves during the one thousand years, the fact that they are not raised when the righteous are, is sufficient proof that their cases have been decided against them. They have already been counted unworthy of eternal life, and will be raised to the resurrection of damnation to suffer the second death.
This again is strongly confirmed by Rev. 22:11, 12. At a certain time the Saviour will proclaim:--
"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."
This gives the same order; every case is decided and fixed before the Lord Jesus comes to reward everyone according to his work. As far as the righteous are concerned, the judgment is fully completed before the Lord comes. But not so with the wicked; they are rejected as being unworthy of eternal life; but what shall be the measure of the punishment of each individual--whether with few or many stripes--will be decided by Christ and the saints, during the thousand years in which the unrighteous remain in the graves. Compare Rev. 20:2-6; 1 Cor. 4:5; 6:1-3.
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
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.
1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
1Co 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
1Co 6:2 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 the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
To be continued…
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