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How Readest Thou?

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 13, 1875

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 45, No. 20.

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How Readest Thou?

By James White

WHEN a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Christ with the inquiry, What shall I do to inherit eternal life? he answered, “What is written in the law? How readest thou?” Christ here refers the tempting lawyer to the letter of the law as meaning just what it says. In doing this he honors the Scriptures, and sets an example of great importance to all who would teach the word of God.
It is a matter of no small joy to those who teach unpopular truth to be able to read the reasons for their faith and practice, in plain and literal terms, right out of the Book of God. To illustrate: Christ said of his second appearing, “And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matt. 24: 30. Does this mean the conversion of sinners and the death of saints? Or does it mean what it says?
“How readest thou?” If you depart from the safe rule of interpretation, that the Scriptures mean what they say, excepting where the text and context plainly indicate that a parable or figure is employed, then you find but little difficulty in making the plainest declarations of the personal appearing of Christ to raise the righteous dead, and to destroy the wicked, mean death, conversion, the advent of the Holy Spirit, the temporal millennium, Shakerism, Spiritualism, or Mormonism. The angels said to the men of Galilee, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye see him go into heaven.” Did these angels mean what they said? If they did not mean what they said, who can tell us what they did mean?
“How readest thou?” One says that they meant death, another, conversion. No, says a third, their words were fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem. No! no! cries a fourth, they apply to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the conversion of the world, and the temporal millennium. And the Shakers come in with their claim for the second manifestation of the Son of God in the person of Ann Lee; while Mormons, and those who claim to be Christian spiritualists, are equally positive.
When Paul says in his first epistle to the church of Christ at Thessalonica, “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first,” he does not mean “the man in the moon.”
“How readest thou?” The apostle continues: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” He means just what he says.
Paul speaks in terms easy to be understood of the great event in the near future so frequently referred to in both the Old and the New Testaments, when the King of kings shall personally preside at the destruction of his enemies, and the final triumphant gathering of all his people. “And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.”
“How readest thou?” Will our friends who adopt the mystical interpretation apply the words in Paul’s second epistle to the Thessalonians, chapter 1: 7–10, to the conversion of sinners, and the death of saints? Does the apostle here represent the power of the glorious gospel of Christ and the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the conversion of sinners by the vengeance of flaming fire in their destruction? Astonishing! And when he speaks of the admiration and the glorification of the saints does he refer to the “king of terrors,” the Christian’s last enemy, death? Absurdity! The great Redeemer appeared in this world once as a teacher, and at the close of his ministry gave his life for the sins of men. He was buried, he was raised from the dead, and he ascended up on high to be a mediator for repenting sinners. Thus the Redeemer prepared the way for the redemption of those who come to God by Jesus Christ. But the scheme of redemption is to be completed at Christ’s second appearing, when the righteous dead of all past ages will be raised to immortal life, and gathered by the holy angels up to the city of God. The earth in due time will be renovated by fire, and sin and sinners will be destroyed out of it. Thus renovated and purified from the curse and its effects, will appear the new heavens and the new earth, which will be the eternal inheritance of the saints. “Blessed are the meek,” says Christ, “for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt. 5: 5. David says: “For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Ps. 37: 10, 11.
“How readest thou?” Is it not in the future inheritance of the saints that “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea”? Isa. 11: 9. “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Hab. 2: 14. Will those who apply this prophecy and others of like import, to a temporal millennium—a period of one thousand years of complete triumph of the church, when all men will be holy—please dispose of the three following facts in harmony with their theory:— 1. In the parable of the wheat and the tares both were to grow together until the harvest, which represented the end of the world. The children of the kingdom and the children of the wicked one were both to exist in this world to the end of the age. 2. The angel Gabriel instructs Daniel in his seventh chapter that the little horn, the papacy, would prevail to the end. 3. The close of the Christian age, which it is supposed will terminate with glory when the earth will be full of the glory of the Lord, is marked by the apostle Paul as a time of peril and apostasy, and the sins of the people are represented by the Son of God as in the days of Lot which called for fire from heaven, and the days of Noah, which called for the waters of the flood to wash the world from its moral pollution.
“How readest thou?” If we be allowed to understand the apostle Peter as meaning what he says, the doctrine of the renovation of the world by fire, and the destruction of wicked men instead of their conversion, and the new earth as the happy home of the saved, will appear exceedingly plain. He speaks of scoffers in the last days as being ignorant of these literal facts, and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming?” Is it possible that these are the very men who hold the mystical views in the popular churches of our time? The apostle shall testify, and the reader may judge.
“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water; whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 2 Pet. 3: 3–13.
The apostle has so clearly identified the three worlds, namely, the one before the flood, the one that now is, and the new earth which is to come, as to entirely preclude the figurative view. He says: “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water; whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 2 Pet. 3: 5–7, 13. No fact can be more plainly stated than that the world that perished by the flood is the same as that which now is, and is reserved unto fire. This is to be changed by fire, and then will appear the new heavens and the new earth, according to the promise of God. And it is a remarkable fact that the promise referred to by the apostle is found only in Isa. chap. 65. Thus the apostle links the three worlds together. Are the first two worlds literal? So is the third. Is the new earth mentioned in Isaiah figurative? So are all three worlds figurative. But if they are all literal, then we see a harmony in Scripture respecting them. If they be regarded as figurative, then we are left to the following conclusion:—
That in the days of figurative Noah the figurative heavens and earth, being overflowed by figurative water, perished figuratively. But the figurative heavens and earth which are now, are reserved unto figurative fire, against the figurative day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly figurative men. Nevertheless we, according to his figurative promise, look for figurative new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth figurative righteousness. True, the sacred writers use figures and parables. But we should believe that God in his word means just what he says, unless the connection shows good reasons why a figure or parable is introduced.
“How readest thou?” When the angel Gabriel states to the prophet Daniel that “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to the saints of the Most High,” will our mystical friends cast his words behind them, as those of a cold materialist, and in order to keep their fervor of immateriality, sing with the poet: “Beyond the bounds of time and space, Look forward to that heavenly place, The saints’ secure abode.”
We heartily confess to the doctrine that the Son of God, who was equal with the Father, took man’s nature; that he died; was buried; that he arose from the dead with body and parts, and—that same being ascended to Heaven, and will come to the earth the second time to raise the dead and make all things new. Just how Christ became flesh and dwelt among men—how he could lay down his life and take it again—remains a mystery as expressed by Paul in his letter to Timothy: “Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh.” But it is a thousand times easier to believe the sacred record on these points, and that immortal saints will have bodies like unto Christ’s glorious body, and that they will dwell upon the material earth as their inheritance, than to believe that the plain language of the Bible on these points means something besides what it says.
At the close of one of our first lectures upon the city of God of Rev. 21, thirty-two years since, in the State of Maine, one of those plain, neat-looking, broad-brimmed gentlemen, whom we at once recognized as a Friend Quaker, gently tapped us on the shoulder, and mildly said, “Thee will never see a great literal city coming down out of the heavens. I have that city in my heart.” Well, thought we, this is a big-hearted gentleman indeed. But let us look over the description of the golden city, as given by John with this view of the matter:—
“How readest thou?” Said the angel to the prophet, “Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, having the glory of God; and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.”
And the venerable Quaker friend really imagined that he had this city—lighted by the glory of God—with its high and massive walls—twelve gates—twelve angels—all in his heart! With all reverence for the words of the prophet of God, and also with a willingness to let the mystical view be fairly seen, we continue the words of John, representing the Friend’s view in brackets, as follows:— “On the east [side of his heart] three gates; on the north [side of his heart] three gates; on the south [side of his heart] three gates; and on the west [side of his heart] three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof and the wall thereof.”
“And the city lieth foursquare [in the Quaker’s heart], and the length is as large as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. [Enormous heart! or did John mean twelve thousand mystical furlongs, so that the Quaker could, without the least difficulty, put the city into his vest pocket.] And the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal. “And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.”
Now what was really in the good man’s heart? Our mystical friends answer, “The grace of God.” Very well. Then we inquire, Is the grace of God foursquare—as long as it is broad—twelve thousand furlongs each way? Has it three gates on each of its four sides? But, if the reader decides that the good Quaker was too local in his application of the golden city of God, and still persists in the mystical application of the city to the Christian church, or to the gospel age, then we again inquire, What shall we understand by the mystical north side of the church, or the mystical north side of the Christian age where there may be found the mystical gates? Does the Christian age or the Christian church lie foursquare? And is the length and breadth of the Christian age, or the Christian church the same? And will some one tell us how it is that the mystical city measured a hundred and forty and four mystical furlongs?
What a miserable theological muddle! And why? Simply because theological men mystify, without the least necessity, that which in itself is easy to be understood when taken as meaning what it says. Figures or parables are never introduced in the Scriptures to make the doctrines more obscure. Never! We have ever objected to young ministers using figures more intricate than the subjects which they wished to illustrate. Men may err in this way; but God never does. The language of his book possesses a dignified simplicity which no other book does. And when the Holy Spirit employs allegories it is that the subject may be made more clear and forcible thereby.
Dr. Scott gave his Pilgrim’s Progress with Notes, to a poor lady of his parish. In a few days he met her, and asked her how she liked the book, and if she could understand it. “Very much,” was the reply, “I understand what Mr. Bunyan wrote very well, and I hope soon to be able to understand the notes.” And it is the universal testimony of those who have cast off mystical interpretations and have taken the Bible as it reads on such subjects as the second advent, the conversion, the inheritance, the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and baptism, that the Bible has become to them a new book, plain, harmonious, and easy to be understood by those who search the Scriptures.
We will here give some pointed thoughts, written in stirring style, said to have been taken from an old almanac, upon the subject of

IMMATERIALITY

Immateriality is but another name for non-entity. It is the negative of all things and beings—of all existence. There is not one particle of proof to be advanced to establish its existence. It has no way to manifest itself to any intelligence in Heaven or on earth. Neither God, angels, nor men, could possibly conceive of such a substance, being or thing. It possesses no property or power by which to make itself manifest to any intelligent being in the universe. Reason and analogy never scan it, or even conceive of it. Revelation never reveals it, nor do any of our senses witness its existence. It cannot be seen, felt, heard, tasted, or smelled, even by the strongest organs, or the most acute sensibilities. It is neither liquid nor solid, soft nor hard—it can neither extend nor contract. In short, it can exert no influence whatever—it can neither act nor be acted upon. And even, if it does exist, it can be of no possible use. It possesses no one desirable property, faculty, or use; yet, strange to say, Immateriality is the modern Christian’s God, his anticipated Heaven, his immortal self—his all.
O sectarianism! O atheism!! O annihilation!! Who can perceive the nice shades of difference between the one and the other? They seem alike, all but in name. The atheist has no God. The sectarian has a God without body or parts. Who can define the difference? For our part we do not perceive a difference of a single hair; they both claim to be the negative of all thingswhich exist—and both are equally powerless and unknown.
The atheist has no after life, or conscious existence beyond the grave. The sectarian has one, but it is “immaterial,” like his God; and without body or parts. Here again both are negative, and both arrive at the same point. Their faith and hope amount to the same; only it is expressed by different terms.
Again, the atheist has no Heaven in eternity. The sectarian has one, but it is “immaterial” in all its properties, and it is therefore the negative of all riches and substances. Here again they are equal, and arrive at the same point.
As we do not envy them the possession of all they claim, we will now leave them in the quiet and undisturbed enjoyment of the same, and proceed to examine the portion still left for the despised “materialist” to enjoy.
What is God? He is a personal, organized intelligence, possessing both body and parts. He is in the form of man.
What is Jesus Christ? He is the Son of God, and is like his Father, being “the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person.” He is a personal intelligence, with body, parts, and passions; possessing immortal flesh and immortal bones.
What are men? They are the offspring of Adam. They are capable of receiving intelligence and exaltation to such a degree as to be raised from the dead with a body like that of Jesus Christ, and to possess immortal flesh and bones. Thus perfected, they will possess the material universe, that is, the earth, as their “everlasting inheritance.” With these hopes and prospects before us, we say to the Christian world, who hold to immateriality, that they are welcome to their God—their life—their Heaven, and their all. They claim nothing but that which we throw away; and we claim nothing but that which they throw away. Therefore, there is no ground for quarrel or contention between us.
“We choose all substance—what remains, The mystical sectarian gains; All that each claims each shall possess, Nor grudge each other’s happiness. “An immaterial God they choose, An immaterial Heaven and hell; For such a God we have no use, In such a Heaven we cannot dwell. “We claim the earth, the air, the sky, And all the starry worlds on high; Gold, silver, ore, and precious stones, And bodies made of flesh and bones. “Such is our hope, our Heaven, our all, When once redeemed from Adam’s fall; All things are ours, and we shall be The Lord’s to all eternity.” J W.