Untitled article | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · March 17, 1892

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 7, No. 11

The Throne of David.

IT has heretofore been shown in THE SENTINEL that Christ is to possess, at different times, two distinct forms of kingship: one a priestly kingship after the order of Melchisedek; the other a national or civil kingship, after the order of David, or, more properly, as the successor of David on his throne. The radical defect in all the professed arguments of the professed National Reformers is, that they make no distinction between these reigns, either as to time or nature. They liberally quote those prophecies which refer to Christ's reign on the throne of David, and apply them to his present reign on the throne of his Father in Heaven, as priest after the order of Melchisedek.

In the Old Testament Christ was represented by these two kingly personages, Melchisedek and David. Melchisedek was both king and priest. Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, abundantly proves that Christ is now fulfilling the kingly priesthood in Heaven. And that is the only kingship he now has.

Let it be borne in mind that David had no priesthood. No one ever acted as priest that sat on his throne. One, Uzziah, essayed to act as priest, but was smitten with leprosy for his presumption. And Christ will not be a priest on the throne of David, for no priesthood belongs to that throne. The question then arises, Is Christ to occupy two distinct thrones at different times? Yes, that is exactly what the Scriptures teach. The proof is found in his own words, as follows: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev. 3:21.

There is no question or difference of opinion as to the present position of Christ; he is acting as priest on the throne of his Father. And if the people were not “slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken;” if they gave ready heed to “all scripture,” as they should, there would be no question about Christ yet occupying his own throne—the throne of David to which he was born heir. In regard to this throne, and its occupancy, we will listen to the Scriptures.

The angel, in foretelling to Mary the birth of Jesus, said: “The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:32, 33. Peter, speaking of the resurrection of Christ, shows that it was in the fulfillment of the promise to David. Of David he said: “Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.” Acts 2:30, 31.

To this throne Christ was born heir. When David died, the throne descended to his son; and each son, in turn, lost his right by death. Jesus also died, and would have lost his right had he remained dead. But the Father “raised up Christ” to sit on David’s throne. There is significance in the expression, “The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.” It was his by birth; it was resigned in death; and it was restored to him in the resurrection. And now, as long as Jesus lives, no other can claim that throne. It is his by heirship, and it is the one upon which the faithful overcomers will sit with him, after he resigns his position on the throne of his Father in Heaven.

In Rev. 11:15 is a declaration often quoted by the National Reformers, and always by them misapplied. We will examine its terms: “The seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.” Immediately following (verses 17, 18,) are words which the reformers never quote in this connection. They are the words of the four and twenty elders: “We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”

1. “The seventh angel sounded.” There are seven trumpets in the book of Revelation, bringing to view facts concerning the nations, covering the entire period of the Christian dispensation. The seventh is the last, and closes up the dispensation. This is an undisputed truth. It is confirmed in the following:—

2. “Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged.” Paul at Athens said that God had “appointed a day in the which he will judge the world.” The seventh trumpet opens this appointed day. The error of the National Reformers is, their misapplication of the prophecies. They press them into the service of their cause without any regard to their connection or relation. This is an error, and the source of error; it is perverting the Scriptures. So Satan quoted Scripture to the Saviour; but all who read Ps. 91 will readily see that he misapplied it. That psalm did not refer to the Saviour, but it does refer to the saints in the coming time of trouble, during the pouring out of the plagues of God’s wrath. See Rev. 16. We have no doubt that, if the Reformers were asked if they believed the appointed day of judgment has arrived, if the time of the judgment of the dead has come, they would give a negative answer. All these things come under the seventh trumpet, under which dominion over the nations will be given to Christ; but not while he is priest, not during human probation.

3. “And that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets,” etc. This can refer to nothing less than the resurrection of the prophets when they, with all the saints, will receive the full blessing of immortality. See 1 Cor. 15:50-54. Jesus said to his disciples, “Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:14. And again, “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Matt. 17:27.

“The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ.” This declaration needs a more extended examination. It will be observed that the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, as well as of his Christ. The elders praise and thank God because he has taken to himself his great power and has reigned. This our model reformers entirely overlook. They see nothing but Christ taking power over the nations, by a popular political vote! But, in the fulfillment of this prophecy,

they see no relation to the Father taking his power to himself; no relation to the sounding of the seventh trumpet, to the judgment of the dead, or the time of giving reward to the prophets. It is their reckless method of quoting Scripture that leads them into their grievous errors; and that is the source of most of the religious errors and schisms of the day.

In what sense may it be said that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ takes to himself his power? In what sense do the kingdoms become his under the seventh trumpet? To determine this question we must inquire into the origin and examine the changes of earthly dominion.

It is not a doctrine of the Bible, nor of the Church, that God is directly the Creator of every man. He created man the father of the race, and established the laws of generation, by which the race is multiplied and perpetuated. And, though men become sinners, even desperately wicked, their lives must be respected because life is the highest gift of the Creator. In like manner God established a dominion of man upon the earth in the beginning; and though the dominion has passed into the hands of the wicked, “the powers that be” must be honored, out of respect for their origin—for the ordinance of God. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth.” Gen. 1:26. Here is the origin. But where is the succession? We can not imagine that God ever resigned to anybody the right to our proprietorship of the earth. Only a certain extent of power, a limited dominion was conferred upon man. But Adam did not long retain his rule. Beguiled by Satan, he turned away from his Creator and benefactor, took another for his master and threw away his life. All other blessings, all privileges and rights are comprised in this. When Adam lost his life he had no more to lose. His dominion had passed away.

Now the question arises, Did Adam, by his sin, by his transfer of allegiance, resign his dominion to Satan? The Scriptures show that he did. God did not take it back to himself, but put it under a curse. Christ calls Satan “the prince of this world;” Paul styles him “The god of this world;” and John said, “The whole world lieth in the evil one.” (Rev. Ver.) Most decisive of all is the evidence afforded by the temptation of Christ. When Satan showed him all the kingdoms of the world, he said, “All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them, for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will, I give it. Luke 4:6. Jesus had undertaken to destroy the works of the devil; to redeem man and his inheritance from the curse. Eph. 1:13, 14; Ps. 37:11. To accomplish this object he knew he must lay down his life. But Satan tempts him to take the dominion which Adam lost, without passing through death. The honor and wealth of this world have been the bait with which he has lured the sons of Adam to destruction. When Christ took “upon him the seed of Abraham”—the nature of Adam,—Satan thought to overthrow him by the same means.

It is generally considered that Satan’s words were false; that it was not in his power to bestow the kingdoms and glory of this world. But, if not, how is he the prince and god of this world? how is it that the world lieth in the evil one? and why is it that to love the world, and the things of the world, is to be the enemy of God? But if Satan’s words were false; if he had not become possessed of the dominion given to Adam, the Saviour certainly knew it, he then knew it was a false pretense. How, then, was it a temptation? Surely there can be no temptation in a promise which we know is impossible of fulfillment. In this, and in this only, can we find a solution of Rev. 11:17. This is the rule which the Lord God Almighty takes back to himself; this is the power which he rescues from the great usurper, and confers upon “the second Adam.” Then Satan is bound, and Christ redeems the inheritance and bestows it upon his faithful ones. But what do the National Reformers propose to do? They propose to take this work into their own hands; to vote the power out of the hands of Satan, and to vote Christ into his kingdom. And anything else? Ah, yes; to vote to themselves all the honor, the power, and the glory of the kingdom, and to disfranchise all who will not acknowledge their right! Never was a greater effort made to turn sacred things into a farce. But, to the minority, the farce will end in a tragedy.

All the Scriptures show that the history of this present world will end in war and carnage. The kingdoms of this world are the enemies which the Father will give to the Son. See again Ps. 2:7-9; 110:1; Heb. 1:13; 10:12, 13. When the kingdoms are given to Christ, the nations are angry, and the wrath of God is upon them. Rev. 11:14, 15, 18. When the God of heaven sets up a kingdom—which setting up consists in conferring the dominion upon his Son, and thus restoring the throne of David—“it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Dan. 2:44. The same is shown in Jer. 25, where “all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth,” are caused to drink the wine cup of God’s fury. We know that this refers to the consummation, because it is said they shall drink, “and fall, and rise no more.” All the kingdoms of this world shall be utterly destroyed, for they are all the enemies of the pure gospel and reign of Christ. And the same is found in Rev. 15 and 16, where the plagues of God’s wrath are poured upon the kings and nations of the earth, which are gathered “to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

The conclusions of the National Reformers are based upon wrong interpretations and misapplications of the prophecies, which amount to perversion of the Scriptures. But their theories are pleasing to the ambition of bigoted professors, who find it more congenial to their spirits to forcibly compel their neighbors to conform to their opinions, than to conform themselves to the gospel of peace, and use only “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.”