DO THE SCRIPTURES TEACH THE WORLD'S CONVERSION?
By William Buckland
This is a subject of much interest, seemingly to nearly all the religious world, and they are looking forward with great anxiety to the time when they shall see the gospel shine forth with such power, force, and clearness, that none of the sons of men will be able to resist its mighty power; when it will spread itself all over the whole earth, till all the inhabitants of the islands of the seas, and they of the farthest climes, yea, all of the heathen shall be made new creatures in God, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, shed upon them, and they are made to rejoice in the sure mercies of God, unto salvation. For, say they, “The Bible tells us that the truths of the gospel will pervade every corner of this earth, and the rays of its light will find out every benighted soul; for the knowledge of the Lord is to fill the earth as the waters fill the sea, and ‘they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.’” I do remember the language of our Saviour in speaking of the last days. He said that this “gospel of the kingdom should be preached in all the world [What for? to convert them? No.] for a witness unto all nations” that his kingdom is nigh at hand. Then there is that scripture of the prophet which says that men shall learn war no more, and that they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; and another scripture of that prophet says, that the influence of the Spirit of the Lord should pervade the animal kingdom; that the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the lion shall eat straw like the ox; also, that there should be a highway of holiness raised up, the mountain of the Lord, and all should walk therein. But who is it that is saying these things? Is it the Lord? or, is it man? Isa. ii, 3. “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.” It is many people that are saying, Nations shall learn war no more, that they shall beat their swords into plowshares, &c. They, also, are saying there shall be a highway of holiness so broad that all the world will walk on it. We would ask, Do the nations show that they are nearing such a time? Have they forgotten the arts of war? the marshaling of armies? the casting of cannon? the making of implements of destruction? Is the war-horse unharnessed? Are the trained hordes disbanded? Are their weapons of death lying idle, unused, and rusting in their armories, being cast into implements for the breaking of the soil? No! but, like the pent-up thunders of a mighty volcanoe, whose deep notes roll through the earth days before it sends forth from its mouth the fiery stream which engulfs all before it; so the nations of this world are trembling and tottering, which we understand as precursors of great political agitations which are soon to shake violently the kingdoms of this world, and bring swift destruction upon its inhabitants. But what do the scriptures say on the subject? “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” We conclude that they contain the key to all Bible subjects, that we may unlock them, and draw out the pith of the matter even in this. Paul, in writing to Timothy, says “that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” In another place, in speaking of the last days, Paul enumerates eighteen prominent sins, of which he says the people shall be guilty, and “as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” Peter says, “There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth171shall be evil spoken of;” these have eyes full of adultery, and cannot cease from sin, and have forsaken the right way, and gone astray, and love the wages of unrighteousness. Jude says, “There should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts;” being sensual, having not the Spirit. In 2 Peter we have a like testimony, that “there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?” In Timothy we read that “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” Also, the time will be when the truths of the Bible will not be as a pleasant song, or a goodly garment to men, but they shall desire something pleasing to the ear, though it be a fable. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” Some shall wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction. In the book of the prophecy of Daniel, we learn that the wicked man will not forsake his wicked ways, and turn into the paths of truth; nor will he forget them, but continue to walk in them, neither shall he have understanding. In chapter xii we read, “Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand.” Then there is the parable of the sower, found in Matt. xiii. The kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. Then when the tender blades of wheat sprung up, the tares appeared also. So the servants of the household came and said unto him, Wilt thou, then, that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; let them grow together until the harvest. In explaining this parable, the Saviour says, “The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one: the enemy that sowed them is the Devil: the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. As, therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.” Query. As the tares are the wicked, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom, and as the wheat and tares are to grow together until the harvest, the end of the world; also when the four great kingdoms of Daniel are dashed to pieces, and the fifth and everlasting kingdom is then set up, as the judgment comes in between them, Where is there a place for the millennium to come in? In the third chapter of the book of Joel, there is a command from on high which all nations hear and obey, notwithstanding many false teachers shall be crying, “Peace and safety” throughout the land. This command is given in the time of the harvest, the end of the world. “Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles: Prepare war, wake up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near; let them come up; beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning-hooks into spears; let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about; thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get you down; for the press is full; the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” Those that are crying peace and safety, upon whom the day of the Lord will come as a thief, are the many men that are saying, “Men shall learn war no more,” being deceived, walking after their own lusts. We should not overlook the idea brought to light in the following scriptures. They are often quoted as evidences of the world’s conversion. We should consider when they have their application; to whom they are applied, and what is to fill up the space between this and their fulfilment. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion, and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” Also, “A highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called, The way of holiness.” Also such scriptures as Jer. xxxi, 34, Hab. ii, 14, which we believe will be fulfilled on the new earth after sin and sinners are destroyed, and all things are renewed (or made new), for we read in Isa. lxv, 17, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” And that people shall be a righteous nation. “Thy people, also, shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.” And that company shall be a worshiping assembly. “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” WILLIAM BUCKLAND.
Battle Creek, Mich.