No Millennium Till Jesus Comes by E. P. Marvin

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 12, 1882

No Millennium Till Jesus Comes.

By E. P. Marvin

BY REV. E. P. MARVIN (PRESBYTERIAN).

ALL honest and intelligent Christians believe that the two following events lie before us—the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth, and the universal prevalence of gospel truth and righteousness in what is called a millennium. But Christians differ as to the chronological order of these two important events. One class holds that the Lord's coming occurs first, and the other that the millennium comes first. In order to discover the truth—

1. We should dismiss all preconceived theories and undertake original investigation.

2. Remember that it cannot be settled by unaided reason.

3. We must expect to find difficulties on both sides.

4. We must not be shaken from known truths by objections founded in ignorance.

5. When truth is once established all objections must of course fall.

6. Waiving the discussion of the comparative influence of the two theories, let us simply endeavor to ascertain which is true, and be assured that truth must be more beneficial than error.

7. Then let us bow absolutely to the testimony of the written word of God as the only source of certain information.

*"This is the judge that ends the strife; Where wit and reason fail."

Dr. Hodge truly says: "The only legitimate method of controverting a doctrine which purports to be founded on Scripture is the exegetical."

I will present some reasons from the New Testament, why, as it seems clear to many of us, there can be no millennium till Jesus comes. They can only be fully appreciated by those who carefully study the texts adduced.

If the church was to make the triumphant conquest of the world, and usher in the millennium before the coming of Christ, we should confidently expect it to be clearly, prominently, and frequently revealed in the New Testament. Those who now expect this, are constantly holding it up before the church. Indeed they regard it almost as the essential and supreme stimulus of the missionary effort. They declare that Christian work and missionary zeal are absolutely and hopelessly paralyzed without it, and Christianity is a failure. Now where in the discourses of Christ or the writings of the apostles is this doctrine made so clearly prominent—nay, where is it taught at all? Nay, more, bring us one solitary proof-text, upon a fair exegesis. I have never heard one adduced. Further, there were special reasons and occasions for presenting and magnifying this doctrine if it was true.

When Christ issued the great commission, (Mark 16:15, 16) why did he not encourage and stimulate his followers, as some do now, by promising them the conquest of the world?

When Peter wrote to the dispersed and suffering saints, why did he not cheer and encourage them with the promise, so current, of "taking the world for Christ."

When Paul corrected the mistake of the Thessalonian Christians, that the day of the Lord was "present," why did he not tell them that a millennium must intervene? 2 Thess. 2:1-12.

But let us come now closely, reverently, and candidly to the word.

1. There can be no millennium till Jesus comes, because his coming and the establishment of the kingdom occur together. The kingdom comes with the King. It is to be ushered in by his coming, and by catastrophe. Study 2 Tim. 4:1; Acts 3:20, 21; Luke 19:12-15. We are "heirs" "preserved unto this kingdom," exhorted to "walk worthy of it."

2. The antichrist, whose career all believe to be premillennial, will be alive at his coming and destroyed by its brightness—2 Thess. 2:8.

3. God's purpose through this dispensation, in the gospel mission to the gentiles, is plainly declared to be witness-bearing and out-calling, and not the ingathering of the nations.—Matt. 24:14; Acts 1:8; 15:14-17; Col. 1:6, 23. How does the history of Christianity comport with the purpose of its converting the world?

4. The spiritual exaltation and universal extension of the church does not conform to the Messianic kingdom. Elders and deacons are not the officers of a kingdom. It is to be realistic, like the four preceding universal Gentile kingdoms. A king must sit on a throne (Luke 1:32, 33; Heb. 2:5-9; Phil. 2:10, 11); saints are associated as vice-regents (1 Cor. 6:2; Col. 3:4; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 3:21; 20:4); and there must be subjects of authority (Rev. 2:26; Luke 22:29, 30).

5. The predicted imperfect and humiliating condition of the church until the end of this dispensation, forbids any millennium until Jesus comes. The professing church will be a mixed multitude.—Matt. 13:3-50; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1-8, 13; 2 Pet. 2:1; Matt. 7:22, 23; Luke 18:1-8. God's true people will be a despised, persecuted, and suffering people till the end.—Mark 10:30; John 15:18-20; 16:33; Rom. 8:17-19; 2 Cor. 4:8; 1 Thess. 3:3; 2 Thess. 1:4-10; 2 Tim. 2:12; 1 Pet. 4:12.

7. The repeated injunctions of Christ and the apostles to watch for the Lord's coming, as for an event to our knowledge always imminent, forbids an intervening millennium.—Matt. 24:42-48; 25:13; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 12:35-46; Rev. 16:15. It seems evident that no one can, nor does watch for the Lord's coming intelligently, (as for example men watch for death) if he believes that at least a thousand years must intervene.

It seems to me that dear Brother Inglis scarcely exceeded the truth when he said, that "the conversion of the world in this dispensation would be the positive refutation of the New Testament."