THE ONE THOUSAND YEARS' REIGN.
By James White
WHERE will it be? in heaven or on the earth? is a question not fully settled in some minds. Some conclude that the testimony is plain that Christ and the saints will be on the earth during the 1000 years. A sister in Wisconsin has recently written to a sister in this Village on the subject, and presents the following texts as proof. Let us see if they prove what they are quoted to prove. She says— "The word says, 'for the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.' Prov. ii. 21. The righteous shall never be removed, but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. Prov. x. 30. 'But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein forever.' Ps. xxxvii, 11, 22, 29. 'And I saw thrones and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them, and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither the image neither had received his mark upon their forehead, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.' Rev. xx, 4. Rev. v, 10, tells where they will reign during the thousand years. 'And hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.' Now what can we do with such positive testimony as this? "One text says, The perfect shall remain in the land, another, The righteous shall never be removed. Again, the same class who had not worshiped the beast, neither his image are to reign with him 1000 years and reign on the earth. "Dear sister, this testimony troubles me. I don't see how we can expect to live in heaven during this period. And what do these scriptures mean, if not precisely what they say?" We most solemnly and fully believe just what Prov. ii. 21; x, 30; Ps. xxxvii, 11, 22, 29, declare, that "the meek shall inherit the earth," that the "righteous shall inherit the land." They "shall never be removed," but "remain," and "possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever." But these texts say not a word respecting the 1000 years, or where the saints will be during that period; whether immortal saints will come down on the earth at the commencement or the close of the 1000 years. It may however be said that the expressions, "The perfect shall remain in it," and, "The righteous shall never be removed," prove that the saints will not go to heaven at the second coming of Christ, but remain on the earth. But with this view the texts prove too much. They prove that St. Paul was mistaken when he declared that they would be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. If they are never moved off from the earth, they never will be caught up from it to meet Jesus in the air. The expressions relative to the saints' never being moved, their remaining, &c., evidently teach the same as Dan. ii. 44; vii, 18. "But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever." Rev. xx, 4, declares that the saints live and reign with Christ 1000 years, but says not a word in regard to their location during that period. Neither does Rev. v, 10, teach where the saints will be during the 1000 years. Here is where some err, in putting Rev. xx, 4, and v, 10, together, and making them declare that the saints reign with Christ 1000 years on the earth. And so confident is our sister on this point that she asserts as follows:— "Rev. v, 10, tells where they will reign during the thousand years. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth." The text teaches that the saints will reign on the earth, but does it tell when? and how long? No. Not a word. But, really, does not Rev. v, 9, 10, teach that the saints are redeemed from mortality and corruption, that they are kings and priests unto God, yet are not on the earth? but are looking forward to the time when they shall reign on the earth? We inquire. Where are they when they sing the new song of verse 9? They are redeemed, they are kings and priests unto God, consequently reigning, yet they look forward to the time when they will reign on the earth. It must be admitted that Rev. v, 9, 10, strongly favors the position that the saints reign with Christ 1000 years before they inherit the earth. We hope the testimony quoted by our esteemed sister will no longer trouble her. The texts do mean just what they say, but do not furnish the least proof that the saints and Christ reign on the old earth during the 1000 years, while a large portion of it at least bears all the marks of the curse, and is inhabited by wicked men. J. W.