The Age-to-Come Theory Examined
By S. A. Bragg
Is the One Thousand Years' Reign of Christ less Glorious than This Dispensation?—Yes, if the Age-to-Come Theory is Correct. After hearing much of the "glorious Gospel of the kingdom," as it is recently called, I was not a little surprised to learn that those of this faith generally hold to the building of the city presented by Ezekiel from chapters xl-xlviii, in the future age; and that the offerings and sacrifices are to be carried on during that time; also that this city supersedes the necessity of the "heavenly Jerusalem" which John saw "coming down from God out of heaven," and which Paul says "is above, is free, which is the mother of us all;" and that the heavenly Jerusalem is not a literal city but refers to "Polity," or government. Such a state during the reign of Christ would come as far short of meeting my expectations, as a Shaker village did a brother's, when told that he was in the "New Jerusalem." The Shakers and the Mormons have made attempts to build a city on this sin-cursed earth, to save God the trouble of sending the "New Jerusalem" down upon the "new earth;" and lastly, the Age to come believers attempt to revive ancient Jerusalem from its ruins, to take the place of that which "hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." This is to give an undeveloped class a chance in a state less glorious than the present dispensation. But I want as much testimony for returning to the ordinances of the "first covenant" as I have that we are in a more glorious one. "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the Mediator of a better covenant, or testament," &c. 2 Cor. iii, 7-14; Heb. xii, 18-24; viii; ix, 15. The offerings of the "first covenant" pointed to Christ, the great sin-offering. Now if this work is to be done again, there must, of necessity, be a second Messiah, at the end of the one thousand years, to expiate the transgressions of this undeveloped class. "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect." He is the mediator of the new testament that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. He taketh away the first that he may establish the second. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, expecting till his enemies be made his foot-stool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." Heb. x, 1; ix, 15; x, 9, 12, 13. Christ offers his body once for all and takes his seat at the right hand of his Father, in expectation of his enemies' (not a part only) being made his foot-stool; and when he leaves his Father's throne, he takes his own, or David's throne, and comes King of kings and Lord of lords. Heb. x, 10-13; 1 Cor. xv, 24; Rev. iii, 21; Luke i, 32; Luke xix, 12, 15; Rev. xi, 14-15; Rev. xix, 15. Eld. D. P. Hall has taken the position, in a public meeting, that the "new Covenant" has not been made. But who that believes that Christ has come, can doubt that he is now ministering in the heavenly Sanctuary and that the "new covenant" was "confirmed with many for one week, as was shown Daniel, ix, 26. Truly "all men have not faith." My prayer is, that the true-hearted may not be deceived by error that is being taught by some who profess to be teaching the commandments of God. In regard to the building of the city seen by Ezekiel, our Age-to-come friends say that this is prophecy and must be fulfilled. I believe God's word will be fulfilled; but I am not expecting any will have offers of pardon, for sins, in the future age; for before Christ comes the mandate goes forth "He that is filthy let him be filthy still, and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still. And behold I come quickly." Rev. xxii, 11, 12. Neither do I understand that ancient Israel accepted the great blessings offered them. Had they done so, their house would have stood to this day. This does not lay God under obligation to fulfill, in the future, what they could have received in the past, had they been obedient. Ezekiel, while in captivity, was shown blessings to show to the twelve tribes, while they were in captivity, and if they were ashamed he was to show them the fashion of a house. Eze. xi, 4; xlvii, 13, 21; xliii, 10, 11; xxxvi, 37. This house was not built; for the one afterwards built by Zerubbabel was the temple of Solomon rebuilt, though larger. Ezra v, 11. We find that it was offered to the twelve tribes and its fashion to be shown to them if they were ashamed of their iniquities. But Israel did not hearken unto God, by Ezekiel; [Chaps. ii, 5; iii, 7;] and but few, a remnant, chief of Judah and Benjamin, a few others, with some of the ten tribes, accepted of the offers under the decrees, and went up to build their city, after the seventy years' captivity. Such received as God had promised the remnant. Ezra i, 5; vii, 7; Eze. xxxvi, 37. "Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." God expostulated with them until they as a nation, were fitted for rejection. Soon after Ezekiel's offer, Daniel, while in captivity, received their closing history, as the people of God. But that the house presented, in vision, to Ezekiel, is not to be built in the future reign of Christ appears evident, from the fact, that when the blessings connected with this building were to be enjoyed there were deaths, marriages, divorces, the offerings of the first covenant, and Levitical priesthood. But when Christ reigns they "neither marry nor are given in marriage, neither can they die any more for they are equal unto the angels." The first covenant with its offerings, Levitical priesthood and divorces was done away by Christ, at the cross. Luke xx, 35; Col. ii, 14; Matt. v, 31, 32. Let us examine a prophecy said to be fulfilled in the future gathering of Judah and Israel, in the Age to Come. "In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed." Micah vii, 11. By the chronology of this prophecy, we see that Micah stood back of the gathering from Babylonish captivity, and of the decrees for the building of the city Jerusalem, after that captivity. Ezra gives the account of the first decree for the building of the house of God, under Cyrus. Ezra i. Before it was completed, and after Cyrus' death, the adversaries of the Jews prevailed upon the king to make a decree to put a stop to the building at Jerusalem. Ezra iv. It was nearly one hundred years before this that God showed Micah that this decree "should be far removed," and that the walls should be built. This was accomplished by Darius, king of Persia. He passed a decree that search should be made for the decree made by Cyrus; and when found, he passed one agreeing with that of Cyrus, and for the removing of that which hindered the work. Thus the house was completed. Ezra iv, 24; v, 17; vi, 7, 8, 11, 15. "In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain." Micah vii, 12. History shows that Assyria and Babylon were the nations God took to punish his people. Assyria overturned the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes, and carried them into Assyria and planted other nations in the land of Samaria. 2 Kings xvii, 23, 24. This was more than one hundred years before Judah was carried into Babylon at which time the Babylonian kingdom was universal. Afterward they were conquered by the Medes and Persians; and Cyrus, their king, sent forth a decree throughout all his realm, for the building of the house of God in Jerusalem. Ezra i. This decree reached the ten tribes in Assyria as "the decree of Cyrus is to all the people of the God of Israel."—Prideaux's Connection, Vol. I, p. 320. Ezra i. D. P. Hall stated "that the going to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel did not effect the ten tribes." Although Cyrus says, and it is penned by inspiration, "The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth," it is claimed that "there were powers that were not subject to him, and the ten tribes were held by these powers;" also that "there was no prophecy fulfilled after the captivity, that refers to the gathering of Israel and Judah; for none but the chief of Judah and Benjamin went to Jerusalem." But scripture testimony and history show that the decree Ezra received from Artaxerxes "extended to all the people of Israel," and Ezra sent a copy of the king's decree, whereby that favor was granted him, through all Media, where the ten tribes were in captivity, as well as through all Chaldea and Assyria, where the Jews were in captivity; which implies, that both of them were included in that decree, and that being a renewal of the decree of Cyrus, both must be understood of the same extent."—Prideaux's Connection, Vol. I, p. 230. Ezra vii, 11. Before the captivity, some of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh dwelt with Judah at Jerusalem, and with them continued the worship of the true God, it is very probable that some of these out of the ten tribes, went to Jerusalem after the captivity. 1 Chron. ix, 3; 2 Chron. xi, 16, 17. Josephus says, "Many of the Jews took their effects and came to Babylon, very desirous of going down to Jerusalem." Book II, chap. v, p. 225. "In the day that thy walls are built, in that day he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain." Verse 12. In Jeremiah we have a synchronizing prophecy and its location given at the overthrow of the kingdom of Babylon by the Medes. "Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away; first the king of Assyria hath devoured him, and last, this Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, hath broken his bones. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I have punished the king of Assyria, and I will bring Israel again to his habitation, he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and at that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found; for I will pardon them whom I reserve." Chap. i, 17-20; Ezra vii, 14, 15, 18-20. We have an account of God's favor to the remnant that were saved, and that they represented the twelve tribes, as believers in Christ represent them in the present dispensation. Ezra vi, 17-22; James i, 1. "The nations shall see, &c., they shall lick the dust, they shall move like worms." Micah vii, 16, 18. These are figures of speech, as in Jeremiah, to express their weakness, the inability of the nations to oppose the Medes. "The redeemer of Israel is strong," &c. "A sword is upon the Chaldeans, and upon Babylon," &c. Jer. xlix, 43, 33-35, &c. I have given this as a fair specimen of the prophecies I have heard applied to the Age to Come. The theory rests upon fulfilled and misapplied scripture. I agree with D. P. Hall to "cease from man;" therefore I take scripture testimony rather than man's assertions.143 I have observed that when the mind is diverted from the Third Angel's Message, the present truth, that a worldly spirit has followed; and I have found nothing so fully calculated to lead the mind from the present truth as the Age to Come theory. There are probably those who honestly hold to the theory of both, in some measure, without realizing that these two positions are at antipodes with each other. I hope such will become settled in the truths of the Third Angel's Message.