Reigning with Christ by Elder J. H. Durland

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 7, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 39.

Reigning with Christ

By Elder J. H. Durland

THE MILLENNIAL REIGN. NO. 4.

Reigning with Christ.

WHILE Satan is roaming up and down in the desolate earth, and the wicked dead are unconscious of passing events, those that have been accounted worthy to have eternal life are reigning with Christ in the city of God. They are sitting on thrones of judgment. The apostle Paul speaks of this time when he says, "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." 1 Cor. 4:5. Daniel, in speaking of the time when the Ancient of Days came, says, "Judgment was given to the saints of the Most High." Dan. 7:22. John speaks of this judgment work also: "I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them." "They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." Rev. 20:4, 6. When the books were examined in the investigative judgment, it was decided who should have eternal life, or who had been cleansed from all his sins. The cases of the wicked are yet to be examined to ascertain the degree of punishment of each. They are to be judged according to their deeds. Their deeds will be reckoned according to the light they had, or might have had. When the books are opened, there will be present not only the angels that kept the record, but those from each generation that were saved by the gospel. "The saints shall judge the world," says Paul. 1 Cor. 6:2, 3. As they sit on the thrones with Christ, they judge the wicked, comparing their acts with the Bible, deciding every case according to the deeds done in the body. "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" Yes, Satan’s case, and those of the angels who rebelled with him, will be investigated. In this work the saints and Christ are reigning over Satan and the wicked. The Greek word from whence comes our word "reign," is defined as "possessing regal authority." Satan has claimed the authority over the saints. He even contended with Christ over the body of Moses. He claimed Moses as his prisoner. When Christ came to raise him from the dead, Satan disputed with him. See Jude 9. Now his regal authority is broken, and Christ and the redeemed ones can sit in judgment on his case.

During the thousand years the records of all the wicked are examined, and judgment is passed upon each one according to his deeds. During this time the wicked "shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited." Isa. 24:22. "The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." Rev. 20:5.

THE EXECUTION.

After the cases of the ungodly and the one who deceived them are examined, they must be called before the judgment throne and receive their sentence before they are punished. "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." Jude 14, 15. This is the description of Jesus’ return to the earth after the thousand years are finished:—

As he descends in terrific majesty, he bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom. They come forth, a mighty host, numberless as the sands of the sea. What a contrast to those who were raised at the first resurrection! The righteous were clothed with immortal youth and beauty. The wicked bear the traces of disease and death. Every eye in that vast multitude is turned to behold the glory of the Son of God. With one voice the wicked hosts exclaim, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!" It is not love to Jesus that inspires this utterance. The force of truth urges the words from unwilling lips. As the wicked went into their graves, so they come forth, with the same enmity to Christ, and the same rebellion. They are to have no new probation, in which to remedy the defects of their past lives. Nothing would be gained by this. A lifetime of transgression has not softened their hearts. A second probation, were it given them, would be occupied as was the first, in evading the requirements of God and exciting rebellion against him.—Great Controversy.

The prophet says: "The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee." "And his feet shall stand in that day upon

the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof, . . . and there shall be a very great valley." Zech. 14:5, 4. John speaks of this same time when he says, "I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Rev. 21:2.

As Christ and the city with the saints descend to the earth, there is a place purified and prepared for them called "a very great valley." When we consider that the city itself is three hundred and seventy-five miles square, we can see that a valley prepared for it must be a large place. As Satan sees this vast company descending, he begins to realize his final defeat. But as he sees all the wicked brought to life again, he takes courage and prepares for the last mighty struggle for the supremacy.

"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle." Rev. 20:7, 8. Satan was bound in the beginning of the thousand years, and his followers taken away. At the close he is loosened, they are brought back, and he at once goes forth to call them to battle. He has seen the camp of the saints and the city of God, and hopes to marshal his hosts and take them captive. Even Gog and Magog, who had in past days oppressed God’s people, are now called into service that they may receive the final doom pronounced upon them through the prophet. See Ezekiel 38 and 39.

How much time elapses before Satan makes the attack we do not know, but it is sufficient for him to gather them from the whole earth, and construct implements of warfare. The countless millions are marshaled under their great leader and advanced toward the city.

"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city." Rev. 20:9. Here they see the great white throne, and hear their sentence read from the books in which the records of their lives have been kept.

As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. They see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in violation of the law of God. The seductive temptations which they encouraged by indulgence in sin, the blessings perverted, the messengers of God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of mercy beaten back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart,—all appear as if written in letters of fire.—Great Controversy.

After hearing and seeing the records of their past lives, "fire comes down from heaven and devours them." Thus the great controversy between Christ and Satan closes. The fire from above that destroys Satan and his followers cleanses the earth from every stain of sin. Christ, the Saviour of his people, has destroyed Satan and all his work. The earth is melted with the fervent heat, and the works that are therein are burned up. 2 Peter 3:10. "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." Verse 13. God’s plan will be carried out, and the original dominion will be restored to man. The saints will possess the kingdom forever. Jesus will be their king, and the city which was their home during the thousand years, now becomes the capital of the new earth. Every tear will be wiped away, and all cause of sorrow removed. Then will the saints go in and out of the city throughout the endless ages of eternity.

Reader, which side of this great controversy are you now on? Have you enlisted with Jesus, the mighty warrior, who is sure to come out victorious? Or are you serving Satan, who is sure to be defeated? Jesus will give you victory every day, that you may have a pure character, and at last stand with him triumphant. May the Lord help us all to walk with him, and reign with him at last.