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THE KINGDOM OF GOD

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 12, 1857

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 9, No. 19.

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THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

By James White

I TRUST that all who have followed us through the investigation of the kingdom of God and the Age to Come, and desire to bow to the authority of God's word, will admit the following facts:
1. The principles of God's universal law forbid the idea of probation after the advent.
2. The facts and conditions of the gospel of Jesus Christ contradict it.
3. The plain declarations of the prophets show that none will be left of the plagues of God's wrath, and the great battle.
4. The kingdom is set up before the advent.
5. Christ does not subdue the nations during the 1000 years, but the Father does it before that time.
6. The image is smitten and broken to pieces at Christ's coming, and not 1000 years subsequent to it.
7. The saints are taken to Abraham's city, the Capital of Christ's kingdom, the inheritance "reserved in heaven," and not left on the earth between the two resurrections.
8. The saints judge the wicked dead, and not the nations in "this life." 1 Cor. vi, 2. 3.
9. When the dominion under the whole heaven is given to the saints it is not again possessed by other people.
10. The inheritance of the saints is the new, and not the old, earth.
11. There have been no special promises to the Jews since the abolition of the old, and the establishment of the new, covenant.
Did not other duties press upon me, I would offer some further proofs on some of the above points, but inasmuch as there has been sufficient evidence presented to show the fallacy of the Age to Come, I shall pass on to the consideration of the length of "the day of the Lord."
An effort has been made to sustain that theory by first affirming that the day of the Lord is identical with the 1000 years of Rev. xx, and then quoting Zech. xiv, 4, to show that Christ will be on the earth "in that day," or during the 1000 years; but the Scriptures clearly show that the day of the Lord is longer than 1000 years, commencing before, and terminating after the 1000 years of Rev. xx. Peter does not tell the length of that day, as has been asserted. 2 Pet. iii. In verses 8, 9, he refers solely to the faithfulness of God, and that his long-suffering withholds the execution of his judgments on the scoffers; yet this is no evidence of slackness, as his promise is as sure, though fulfilled one thousand years hence, as if fulfilled to-day. With man haste is necessary to the performance of his promises, as his life is but a handbreadth; but not so with God who is from everlasting to everlasting.
The day of the Lord commences before the advent. It has been shown that the voice of God shakes heaven and earth before the Saviour comes; and Isa. xiii, 13, shows that they are shaken in that day; see vers. 6, 9. The great battle is in that day. Eze. xiii, 6; Rev. xvi, 14. It is called the day of the Lord's anger, the day of his wrath, &c., and as in the seven last plagues is filled up the wrath of God, (Rev. xv, 1.) and the battle of that day occurs under the seventh plague, and the heavens and earth are shaken in that day previous to the advent, it appears that that day commences with the pouring out of the plagues, at the termination of "the day of salvation." And if we should admit that the saints reign on the earth during the 1000 years of Rev. xx, 4-6, the earth could not pass away or be melted till the close of that time, for the wicked are raised out of the present earth, and it is not melted till the judgment is executed upon the resurrected wicked. But the wicked are not raised till the thousand years are expired; and Peter says that the heavens and earth which are now, are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men; and that in the day of the Lord the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Thus we find that the resurrection of the wicked, the execution of the judgment, and the passing away of the heavens and earth, all take place in the day of the Lord, and after the termination of the 1000 years. Therefore the day of the Lord and the 1000 years cannot be identical. We have no more right to infer that that day is just 1000 years long, from 2 Pet. iii, than we have to infer that "the day of salvation" is of that length; and we see that that "day" has already extended nearly two thousand years.
To those who have claimed that the REVIEW is sectarian, I would add a few words. It has already been stated that the subject of the Age to Come was excluded from the REVIEW, not only by the consent of, but in accordance with an agreement made with its associates. Since the opposing parties broke their covenant, we have been willing to have this subject thoroughly investigated in the paper. No article on the Age to Come, written by any of its advocates, has been excluded from its columns. Though some of them have forfeited our confidence, and proved themselves unworthy of the favor and esteem bestowed upon them, we have endeavored to examine their arguments without any reference to their standing personally. And if any of our brethren are still tried with us on this account, we would say that we have no idea of entering into an endless war of words on this or any other subject where it is possible to settle the whole question by an appeal to plain scriptures, and by applying the test of principles either acknowledged or so evident that they cannot be evaded. The most honest and learned may err in their application of certain prophecies, unless they test their applications by such plain facts and principles as are furnished in the word of God, that must have a controlling influence over all doctrines, and are the basis of all correct theology. Such principles we have endeavored to call attention to, and to show the relation this subject sustains to them. And if any wish to convince us of our error, if they think we are in error, they can have an opportunity by meeting these principles first, and if we are proved to be wrong in these we shall concede the whole ground, or go on to the further investigation of the particular texts claimed in support of the Age to Come. And here I would call particular attention to the article on 1 Cor. xv, 23-28, in REVIEW, No. 1, Vol. VIII, and those on the Law and the Gospel, in Nos. 5 and 6, Vol. VIII. There have been other points presented at different times by different writers in the REVIEW, fully disproving the Age to Come, yet I will only refer to these at present, as I consider that they cover the whole ground, and are of themselves sufficient to show the fallacy of that theory. On the subject of the promises to Israel we should of course expect to have them meet us on the foundation or ground-work of the whole subject, to wit., the two covenants, as we should be forced to deny any conclusion, however plausible in appearance, that contradicted the facts of scripture concerning the covenants.
Our friends need not think that we shall shrink from any controversy that it is needful to enter into for the defense of the truth. We are willing to have our writings reviewed, and if they be shown to be fallacious, we will gladly assist in spreading before our readers the light that makes manifest any errors in our faith. But again I would say, we court no controversy; we would not throw forth to the world a challenge in such terms as it has been extended to us at different times. We would remind all that the issue has been pressed upon us, and we have been held up to ridicule and scorn as though we feared to defend our faith. All such scoffs we were willing to bear, and would have continued to bear them in silence, but the precious cause of present truth was also reproached, and in some places was being crushed to the earth under the feet of those who dared to neglect present duty to engage in a work of strife and contention concerning things unprofitable, and that had a tendency to distract the church and divert their minds from the responsibilities of our present position. It has been admitted by them, as we have shown by their own words, that it is not present truth, and contains no test of character. And it has been seen that by their attention to it their minds have been diverted from the present truth, thus proving its tendency to be exactly what we have stated. And I would seriously ask, would it not be better to strive to escape the plagues that close up this age than to lose sight of present duty to inquire into the condition of the world in any future age? We would not by any means speak lightly of any thing which may be proved by the word of God; but even if the Age to Come was not liable to the serious objections we have presented against it, it would have a relative importance far beneath that of the present truth.
The warning to be given to the world at this time is found in Rev. xiv, 9-12; it is the Third Angel's Message, threatening with the seven last plagues, in which "is filled up the wrath of God," those who do not keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. The Scriptures clearly show that these plagues are poured out when the intercession of the "one mediator between God and man" has ceased. This message has been nominally embraced by quite a number within the last few years; and, although the position occupied by them may well be considered far in advance of the great mass of professors of Christianity, it is so far behind the true Bible standard of holiness, that the Lord even now threatens to spue them out of his mouth. The "Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus," present the true elements of Christian character; hence, it is not in keeping these that they will be spued out of his mouth, but it for professing to keep them while they do not; for saying they are rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, not knowing that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. And as the Third Angel's Message has been acknowledged without the faith being kept, even so the admonition of Rev. iii, 14-19, has been confessed as applying to us without producing, to any great extent, a zeal, which manifests itself in good works. So blinding is sin; so prone are we to accept a shadow for the substance, where it will gratify our selfish propensities. Knowing the time in which we live, is it not very dangerous to tamper with any thing calculated to divert our minds from the solemn responsibilities of the present? Do we not presume on our own strength to stand against the power of evil influences when we for a moment lose sight of present duty? Can we at any time shut our eyes against present truth, and court the influence of that which is not present truth, and consistently pray, "Lead us not into temptation?" It is mocking God to ask him to deliver us from evil, and then run, with open eyes, into the danger. If Satan will deceive if possible the very elect, how necessary that we are guarded on every point.
By information recently obtained directly from the West we learn that those who have laid aside the present truth for the Age to Come, have lost the spirit of prayer, and of course have neglected to exercise that watchfulness inculcated by our Saviour as necessary for the time in which we live. "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke xxi, 36. See Matt. xxiv, 42-51; Luke xviii, 1-8.
The great harvest is fast ripening under the influence of the last test-truth—the Third Angel's Message. See Rev. xiv, 9-20; Joel iii, 9-16. Satan is working with power, and signs, and lying wonders. His instruments are boasting of their power to work miracles, [Matt. xxiv, 24; Rev. xiii, 13, 14; xvi, 13, 14.] and calling upon professed Christians to prove that the gospel has the power ascribed to it in the Scriptures, thus virtually saying, "Where is their God?" Thousands and tens of thousands have the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. Where is the church—holy, blameless, zealous, overcoming, meek, contrite, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, poor in spirit, watching and praying, denying self, seeking only to do the Father's will—that Jesus can accept in the day of his coming? To whom can he say, "Well done, good and faithful servant?" O that the Lord would truly anoint our eyes that we might see. Surely, the church has been blind! Professing to be rich, with such poverty; such an utter destitution of the Christian graces. O that they would now heed the admonition to "be zealous and repent."
"Wake up, brother; wake up, sister; Seek, O seek this holy state; None but holy ones can enter Through the pure celestial gate." J. H. W.