Untitled article by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 13, 1856

LETTER TO H. V. REED. NO. 2.

By James White

Dear Brother:—With pleasure we address you again upon the subject of your letter of Feb. 16th. It is a pleasing task, because we are confident we have the truth on the subject to set before you, and others also; and because of our confidence that the truth will be received joyfully by those who are honestly and humbly seeking for truth.

You say—"But this is not all the testimony we have on this point. We think that the parable of the tares of the field proves the point. Now mark: The harvest is the end of the world, the reapers are the angels, &c. The angels are sent forth to gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, &c. THEN the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. All this takes place at the time of the harvest which is at the end of the world, or age."

We reply—The parable of the tares of the field evidently applies to the close of this age. "The harvest is the end of the world," and not the beginning of another age. "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." What will be in the end of THIS WORLD, or age? Our Lord's answer is as follows:—"The Son of man shall send forth his angels, [the reapers,] and they shall gather out of his kingdom ALL THINGS that offend, and THEM WHICH DO INIQUITY." When will the reapers, or angels, do this? Answer. "In the end of this world," or age. It will be seen at once that this parable proves beyond all doubt that at the end of this age, "ALL them which do iniquity" will be destroyed.

The phrase, "they shall gather out of his kingdom," &c., may have led you to conclude that the kingdom will be located in Palestine before the reapers do their work. To this we reply—

1. That this view carries the work of the reapers over

into another age, which Christ places in the end of this age. Does Bro. Reed say, So shall it be at the commencement of the next age? Jesus says, "So shall it be in the END OF THIS WORLD." Amen!

2. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption" 1 Cor. xv, 50. If the reapers do not do their work till the kingdom be set up in Palestine, who are those in that kingdom which "offend," and "do iniquity" and are gathered out of that kingdom? Do you say they are mortal sinners? "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God?" "Corruption cannot inherit incorruption." And you will not say that they are apostates from the immortal state!

3. If it be clearly understood that Christ prior to his second coming, receives the kingdom of this world as the territory of the everlasting kingdom, [Ps. ii, 7-9; Dan. vii, 13, 14; Rev. xi, 15.] there will be no difficulty in applying the phrase, "gather out of his kingdom," &c., to the territory of the kingdom, to be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ.

You say—"Again, Matt. xxv, 31-32. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall he gathered all nations, &c. We find that no other throne is promised to Christ but the throne of David. Hence when Christ comes, he will commence his reign on David's throne. The coming of Christ here referred to is his second coming. For he comes with great glory at that time. See Matt. xxiv, 30. If it could be shown that the foregoing testimony had no bearing upon the subject, and that God had promised the saints any reward away from the earth, then there might be some plausibility in the position. Only two thrones are recognizable in the Scriptures. The throne of God and the throne of Christ, or David's throne. God has nowhere promised Christ any throne, but David's, and note, the kingdom of Israel was to be overturned until he COME, whose right it is, and God says that he will give it him. Eze. xxi, 27. Now Christ says to his apostles that in the regeneration, (or reproduction at the resurrection,) when the Son of man sits in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes, &c. Matt. xix, 28. Now it must be evident to every unbiased mind that this is on the earth. This position looks plain to me, and I do not see how it can be got round."

We reply—The following plainly revealed facts are indispensably necessary to a correct understanding of Matt. xxv, 31, and onward—

1. The Jerusalem above is to be the Capital of the immortal kingdom.

2. Christ will reign on a throne in the Metropolis of his kingdom, in fulfillment of all those promises of his reigning on the Throne of David.

3. Christ receives the Throne and Capital, which is the marriage of the Lamb, before his second appearing.

We will now take up the events mentioned in Matt. xxv, 31-41, in their order.

1. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him." This, all agree, is his second appearing.

2. "Then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory." This is the next great event following the second advent, and has especial reference to the 1000 years reign of Rev. xx.

That Christ's reign is eternal, will not be denied; yet 1000 years of his reign are measured off, because of the especial work of that period. Christ reigns with the saints in judgment 1000 years.

Read Campbell's translation of Matt. xix, 28 "Jesus answered, Verily I say unto you, that at the renovation, when the Son of man shall be SEATED ON HIS GLORIOUS THRONE, ye my followers, sitting also upon twelve thrones, shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel." This shows when Christ will sit upon the throne of his glory. It will be after his followers are raised from the dead. How long will they sit in judgment? Rev. xx, gives the length of time.

Rev. xx, 4. "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, [What thrones?] and judgment was given unto them."—Thrones of judgment—"And they lived and reigned [in judgment] with Christ 1000 years."

As we have before said, No text in so many words declares where the 1000 years reign of Christ with his saints will be; but from the facts, that at the resurrection, the saints follow their Lord up to the "Father's house," [John vii, 33; xiii, 33; xiv, 1-3.] and that the earth remains desolate during the 1000 years, we are driven to the conclusion that the judgment reign of Christ with the saints is in the New Jerusalem before it descends to this earth.

Says Paul, "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?" "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" 1 Cor. vi, 2, 3. When? and what angels? "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." Jude 6. Then all wicked men and fallen angels, not excepting the Devil, will be judged by the saints, in connection with Christ. This is the work of the 1000 years.

3. The third great event in order is expressed thus—"And before him shall he gather all nations," &c. This must be at the close of the 1000 years, as all nations cannot be gathered before him till all are raised from the dead. Then they will be separated "as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats." The saints, represented by the sheep, will be in the Holy City, while those who come up at the second resurrection, who are represented by the goats, will be outside of the City.

4. "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Then, at the close of the 1000 years, will the earth be restored. And then will the saints inherit it in its Eden glory, as it was when first given to Adam.

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels." This text evidently applies to the second death. Then, all the "cursed," with the "Devil and his angels," will be cast into "the lake of fire, which is the second death." And, mark: It is in close connection with this event, that the King says, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Dear Brother, for want of room we must close this letter by calling your attention to the sad fruits of the Future Age heresy. It has led many from the truth of God, and present duty. Where is Eld. D. P. Hall, who but a few years since received with joy the Third Angel's Message? Bro Bates' letter on another page will tell you. O, beware! beware! of the deceptive snares which Satan has set for the remnant.

Yours for the Whole Truth. J. W.