Review and Herald, Vol. 19, No. 13. (2/25/1862)

Review and Herald

Feb 25, 1862

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 25, 1862

HISTORY OF THE SABBATH.

By John Nevins Andrews

THE SABBATH DURING THE LAST OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS.

(Continued.) The Scriptures declare that "with God all things are possible;" yet this statement is limited by the declaration that God cannot lie. Matt. xix, 26; Titus i, 2. Does the change of the Sabbath pertain to those things that are possible with God, or is it excluded by that important limitation, God cannot lie? The Law-giver is the God of truth, and his law is the truth. Isa. lxv, 16; Ps. cxix, 142, 151. Whether it would still remain the truth if changed to something else, and whether the Law-giver would still continue to be the God of truth after he had thus changed it, remains to be seen. The fourth commandment which is affirmed to have been changed is thus expressed: > "Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. . . . The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. . . . For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it." If now we insert "first-day" in place of the seventh, we shall bring the matter to a test: > "Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. . . . The first day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. . . . For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the first day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it."

This changes the truth of God into a lie; Rom. i, 25, for it is false that God rested upon the first day of the week and blessed and hallowed it. Nor is it possible to change the rest-day of the Creator from that day on which he rested to one of the six days on which he did not rest. To change a part of the commandment and to leave the rest unchanged, will not therefore answer, as the truth which is left is still sufficient to expose the falsehood which is inserted. A more radical change is needed like the following: > "Remember the Christian Sabbath to keep it holy. The first day is the Sabbath of the Lord Jesus Christ. For on that day he arose from the dead; wherefore he blessed the first day of the week and hallowed it." After such a change no part of the original Sabbathetic institution remains; not only is the rest-day of the Lord left out, but even the reasons on which the fourth commandment is based are of necessity omitted also. But does such an edition of the fourth commandment as this exist? Not in the Bible, certainly. Is it true that such titles as these are applied to the first day? Never in the holy scriptures. Did the Law-giver bless and hallow that day? Most assuredly not. He did not even take the name of it into his lips. Such a change of the fourth commandment on the part of the God of truth is impossible; for it not merely affirms that which is false and denies that which is true, but it turns the truth of God itself into a lie. It is simply the act of setting up a rival to the Sabbath of the Lord, which having neither sacredness nor authority of its own, has contrived to absorb that of the Bible Sabbath itself. Such is the FOUNDATION of the first-day Sabbath. The texts which are employed in rearing the institution upon this foundation will be noticed in their proper order and place. Several of these texts properly pertain to this chapter. > "And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them; then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you." John xx, 26. It is not asserted that on this occasion our Lord hallowed the first day of the week; for that act is affirmed to date from the resurrection itself on the authority of the texts already quoted. But the sacredness of the first day being assumed as the foundation, this text furnishes the first stone for the superstructure; the first pillar in the first-day temple. The argument drawn from it may be thus stated: Jesus selected this day as the one in which to manifest himself to his disciples; and by this act strongly attested his regard for the day. But it is no small defect in this argument that his next meeting with them was on a fishing occasion [John xxi], and his last and most important manifestation, when he ascended into heaven, was upon Thursday. The act of the Saviour in meeting with his disciples must therefore be yielded as insufficient of itself to show that any day is sacred; for it would otherwise prove the sacredness of several of the working days.

But a still more serious defect in this argument is found in the fact that this meeting of Jesus with his disciples does not appear to have been upon the first day of the week. It was "after eight days" from the previous meeting of Jesus with the disciples, which coming at the very close of the resurrection day, could not but have extended into the second day of the week. "After eight days" from this meeting, if made to signify only one week, necessarily carries us to the second day of the week. But a different expression is used by the Spirit of inspiration when simply one week is intended. "After seven days" is the chosen term of the Holy Spirit when designating just one week "After eight days" most naturally implies the ninth or tenth day; but allowing it to mean the eighth day, it fails to prove that this appearance of the Saviour was upon the first day of the week. To sum up the argument: the first meeting of Jesus with his disciples in the evening at the close of the first day of the week was mainly if not wholly upon the second day of the week; the second meeting could not have been earlier in the week than the second or third day, and the day seems to have been selected simply because Thomas was present; the third meeting was upon a fishing occasion; and the fourth was upon Thursday when he ascended into heaven. The argument for first-day sacredness drawn from this text is eminently fitted to the foundation of that sacredness already examined; and the institution of the first-day Sabbath itself, unless formed of more substantial framework than enters into its foundation, is at best only a castle in the air. The text which next enters into the fabric of first-day sacredness is the following: > "And when the day of pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting." Acts ii, 1, 2. This text is supposed to contribute an important pillar for the first-day temple. On this wise it is furnished: The disciples were convened on this occasion to celebrate the first-day Sabbath, and the Holy Spirit was poured out at that time in honor of that day. To this deduction there are however the most serious objections. 1. That there is no evidence that a first-day Sabbath was then in existence. 2. That there is no

intimation of the disciples coming together on this occasion for its celebration. 3. Nor that the Holy Spirit was then poured out in honor of the first day of the week. 4. That from the ascension of Jesus until the day of the Spirit's outpouring, the disciples had continued in prayer and supplication, so that their being convened on this day was nothing materially different from what had been the case for the past ten or more days. Luke xxiv, 49–53; Acts i. 5. That had the sacred writer designed to show that a certain day of the week was honored by the events narrated, he would doubtless have stated that fact, and named that day. 6. That Luke was so far from naming the day of the week that it is even now a disputed point; eminent first-day authors even asserting that the day of Pentecost that year came upon the seventh day. 7. That the one great event which the Holy Spirit designed to mark was the antitype of the feast of Pentecost; the day of the week on which that should occur being wholly immaterial. How widely therefore do those err who reverse this order, making the day of the week, which the Holy Spirit has not even named, but which they assume to be the first day, the thing of chief importance and passing in silence over that fact which the Holy Spirit has so carefully noted, that this event took place upon the day of Pentecost. The conclusion to which these facts lead is inevitable, viz.: that the pillar furnished from this text for the first-day temple is like the foundation of that edifice, simply a thing of the imagination, and quite worthy of a place beside the pillar furnished from the record of our Lord's second appearance to his disciples. A third pillar for the first-day edifice is the following: Redemption is greater than creation; therefore the day of Christ's resurrection should be observed instead of the day of the Creator's rest. But this proposition is open to the fatal objection that the Bible says nothing of the kind. Who then knows that it is true? When the Creator gave existence to our world, did he not foresee the fall of man? And foreseeing that fall, did he not entertain the purpose of redeeming man? And does it not follow that the purpose of redemption was entertained in that of creation? Who then can affirm that redemption is greater than creation? But as the Scriptures do not decide this point, let it be assumed that redemption is the greater. Who knows that a day should be set apart for its commemoration? The Bible says nothing on the point. But granting that a day should be set apart for this purpose, what day should have the preference? Is it said: That day on which redemption was finished? It is not true that redemption is finished; the resurrection of the saints and the redemption of our earth from the curse are included in that work. Luke xxi, 28; Rom. viii, 23; Eph. i, 13, 14; iv, 30. But granting that redemption should be commemorated before it is finished, by setting apart a day in its honor, the question again arises, What day shall it be? The Bible is silent in reply. If the most memorable day in the history of redemption should be selected, undoubtedly the day of the crucifixion on which the price of human redemption was paid must have the preference. Which is the more memorable day, that on which the infinite Lawgiver gave up his only and well-beloved Son to die an ignominious death for a race of rebels who had broken his law, or that day on which he restored that beloved Son to life? The latter event, though of thrilling interest, is the most natural thing in the world? The crucifixion of the Son of God for sinful men may be safely pronounced the most wonderful event in the annals of eternity. The crucifixion day is therefore beyond all comparison the more memorable day. And that redemption itself is asserted of the crucifixion rather than of the resurrection is an undoubted fact. Thus it is written: > "In whom we have redemption through his blood;" "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree;" "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." Eph. i, 7; Gal. iii, 13; Rev. v, 9. If therefore any day should be observed in memory of redemption, unquestionably the day of the crucifixion should have the preference. But it is needless to pursue this point further. Whether the day of the crucifixion or the day of the resurrection should be preferred is quite immaterial. The Holy Spirit has said nothing in behalf of either of these days, but it has taken care that the event in each case should have its own appropriate memorial. Would you commemorate the crucifixion of the Redeemer? You need not change the Sabbath to the crucifixion day. It would be a presumptuous sin in you to do this. Here is the divinely appointed memorial of the crucifixion: > "The Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread; and when he had given thanks he broke it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood; this do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lord's death till he come!" 1 Cor. xi, 23–26. It is the death of the Redeemer therefore and not the day of his death that the Holy Spirit has thought worthy of commemoration. Would you also commemorate the resurrection of the Redeemer? You need not change the Sabbath of the Bible for that purpose. The great Law-giver has never authorized such an act. But an appropriate memorial of that event has been ordained: > "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." Rom. vi, 3–5; Col. ii, 12. To be buried in the watery grave as our Lord was buried in the tomb, and to be raised from the water to walk in newness of life, as our Lord was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, is the divinely authorized memorial of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And let it be observed, it is not the day of the resurrection, but the resurrection itself, that was thought worthy of commemoration. The events which lie at the foundation of redemption are the death, burial and resurrection of the Redeemer. Each of these has its appropriate memorial while the days on which they severally occurred have no importance attached to them. It was the death of the Redeemer, and not the day of his death, that was worthy of commemoration; and hence the Lord's supper was appointed for that purpose. It was the resurrection of the Saviour, and not the day of the resurrection, that was worthy of commemoration; and hence burial in baptism was ordained as its memorial. It is the change of this memorial to sprinkling that has furnished so plausible a plea for first-day observance in memory of the resurrection. To celebrate the work of redemption by resting from labor on the first day of the week after six days of toil, it should be true that our Lord accomplished the work of human redemption in the six days prior to that of his resurrection, and that he rested on that day from the work, blessing it, and setting it apart for that reason. Yet not one of these particulars is true. Our Lord's whole life was devoted to this work. He rested temporarily from it indeed over the Sabbath following his crucifixion, but resumed the work on the morning of the first day of the week, which he has never since relinquished, and never will, until its perfect accomplishment in the resurrection of the saints and the redemption of the purchased possession. Redemption therefore furnishes no plea for a change of the Sabbath; its own memorials being quite sufficient, without destroying that of the great Creator. And thus the third pillar in the temple of first-day sacredness, like the other parts of that structure which have been already examined, is found to be a thing of the imagination only. A fourth pillar in this temple is taken from an ancient prophecy in which it is claimed that the Christian Sabbath was foretold: > "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Ps. cxviii, 22–24. This text is considered one of the strongest testimonies in support of the Christian Sabbath. Yet it is necessary to assume the very points that this text is supposed to prove. 1. It is assumed that the Saviour became the head of the corner by his resurrection. 2. That the day of his resurrection was made the Christian Sabbath in commemoration of that event. 3. And that this day thus ordained should be celebrated by abstinence from labor, and attendance upon divine worship. To these extraordinary assumptions it is proper to reply: 1. There is no proof that Jesus became the head of the corner on the day of his resurrection. The Scriptures do not mark the day when this event took place. His being made head of the corner has reference to his becoming the chief corner stone of that spiritual temple composed of his people; in other words, it has reference to his becoming head of that living body, the saints of the Most High. It does not appear that he assumed this position until his ascension on high, where he became the chief corner stone in Zion above, elect and precious. Eph. i, 20–23; ii, 20, 21; 1 Pet. ii, 4–7. And hence there is no evidence that the first day of the week is even referred to in this text. 2. Nor is there the slightest evidence that that day or any other day was set apart as the Christian Sabbath in memory of Christ's resurrection. 3. Nor can there well be found a more extraordinary assumption than that this text enjoins the Sabbathetic observance of the first day of the week! This scripture has manifest reference to the Saviour's act of becoming the head of the New-Testament church; and consequently it pertains to the opening of the gospel dispensation. The day in which the people of God rejoice, in view of this relation to the Redeemer, can therefore be understood to be no one day of the week, for they are commanded to rejoice EVERMORE [1 Thess. v, 16]; but of the whole period of the gospel dispensation. Our Lord uses the word day in the same manner when he says: > "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it and was glad." John viii, 56. To assert the existence of what is termed the Christian Sabbath on the ground that this text is the prediction of such an institution, is to furnish a fourth pillar for the first-day temple quite as substantial as those already tested. The seventieth week of Daniel's prophecy extends three and a half years beyond the death of the Redeemer, to the commencement of the great work for the Gentiles. This period of seven years through which we have been passing is the most eventful period in the history of the Sabbath. It embraces the whole history of the Lord of the Sabbath, as connected with that institution: his miracles and teaching, by which it is affirmed he weakened its authority; his death, at which many affirm that he abrogated it; and his resurrection, at which a still larger number declare that he changed it to the first day of the week. We have had the most ample evidence however that each of these positions is false; and that the opening of the great work for the Gentiles witnessed the Sabbath of the fourth commandment neither weakened, abrogated, nor changed.

OUR REST.

EVERY morning the red sun Rises warm and bright; But the evening cometh on, And the dark, cold night : There's a bright land far away Where 'tis never-ending day.

Every spring the sweet young flowers Open bright and gay, Till the chilly autumn hours Wither them away. There's a land we have not seen, Where the trees are always green.

Little birds sing songs of praise All the summer long; But in colder, shorter days, They forget their song. There's a place where angels sing Ceaseless praises to their King.

Christ our Lord is ever near Those who follow him; But we cannot see him here, For our eyes are dim. There's a bright and happy place, We shall always see his face.

Who shall go to that bright land ? All who love the right, Ransomed children there shall stand In their robes of white; For that heaven, so bright and blest, Is our everlasting rest.

THE RESTITUTION.

(Concluded)

Those declarations of the Old, run parallel with the teachings of our Lord and his apostles, in the New Testament. "Blessed are the meek," said the Saviour, "for they shall inherit the earth," Matt. v, 5. The common interpretation of this passage—making its fulfillment during our present condition of toil and suffering—would not be allowed for a moment in respect to the parallel promises, to the poor in spirit, to those who mourn, to those who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, to the merciful, to the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. The promises to these are admitted to point to the glorious future; and why not also to the meek?—which must as much include all the meek as do the other promises all the subjects of their several beatitudes. This blessing on the meek can belong no more to those living under the gospel than it did to those who were stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, and slain with the sword, who wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented,

and making their homes in deserts and dens and caves of mountains. Did such then inherit the earth? or did those inherit it who have since died at the stake, pined away in dungeons, served as food for wild beasts, or left their bones in the mountains or in the valleys of Piedmont? The common interpretation makes this promised inheritance to have been fulfilled to, and enjoyed by, such worthies in their direst extremity of sorrows and privations. The promise, however, was not The meek do, but, "they shall inherit." It was manifestly a promise of future good, to cheer up and encourage those who endure present sufferings. And it may be said in respect to this, as of all other future blessings: "These all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Heb. xi, 39, 40.

Could there be any question as to the epoch of the fulfillment of this promise to the meek, it would seem that it should be all removed by the fact that these words of our Lord are the repetition of the same declaration by the Psalmist, who connects it with the cutting off of the wicked. "For," he says, "evil doers shall be cut off; but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Psa. xxxvii, 9-11. "The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever . . . . But the wicked shall perish." Verses 18-20. "For such as be blessed of Him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off." Verse 22. "Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it." Verse 34. It is thus positively affirmed by inspiration that the inheritance of the earth by the righteous, is to be at the cutting off of the wicked, and then the inheritance is eternal, as David says; for, "The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein forever." Verse 29.

In the same discourse of our Lord he taught his disciples to pray: "Thy kingdom come: thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven," (Ib. vi, 10) thus showing that perfect conformity to God's will on earth, will mark the establishment of his kingdom. But such conformity supposes the banishment of sin and sinners from our globe; and this also is in accordance with our Saviour's own doctrine: "In the end of this world, the Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth: then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." Matt. xiii, 40-43.

As the kingdom, in which the righteous will shine as the sun, is that out of which the angels will gather all things offensive, it can be none other than our fallen planet; which was prepared for man to rule over at its creation, which became corrupted with sin and defiled by sinners, and which will then have been restored to its original perfection and beauty. This is in harmony with what "the King shall 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," [Matt. xxv, 34.] of which our Saviour also said, "They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage, neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." Luke xx, 35, 36. And this inheritance of the saints must be what our Lord called "the regeneration": when he said, "Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Matt. xix, 28.

Peter evidently has in view those glorious predictions here copied from the Old Testament, with others of a like nature, when he speaks of "the restitution" and "times of refreshing:" "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." Acts iii, 19-21. Peter elsewhere speaks of Christ's having "begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Pet. i, 3-5. And when he affirms that "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up," (2 Pet. iii, 10;) he adds: "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness," (Ib. iii, 13;) showing that the earth is not to be burned up, in the sense of annihilation, but the works that are therein; when the earth also, with the elements, shall melt with fervent heat, and being purified by fire, will re-emerge from its molten mass a new and beautiful world, adapted to the eternal residence of its ransomed and resurrected sons and daughters.

Paul's teachings do not conflict with Peter's; when he speaks of our being "sealed with the holy spirit of promise," he calls it only "the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession," [Eph. i, 14]; which must refer to the redemption of this earth. And he represents our world and all its occupants as being in a waiting position for a new and better order of creation: "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." Rom. viii, 19-23.

Such a deliverance of the creature from the bondage of corruption, would restore the animal races to the condition of peace and harmlessness in which they were created; so that again, as predicted by Isaiah, "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them; and the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isa. xi, 6-9.

Paul again takes up the same subject, and denominates the restored creation "the world to come." He says that "Unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak; but one in a certain place [David in the eighth Psalm] testified saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the Son of man that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the work of thy hands; thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Heb. ii, 5-9.

It was in thus tasting death for man that our Lord purchased the possession he will shortly redeem for its future occupants—whom his blood also redeems; and this "world to come" will be put in subjection again to man,—Christ, in his glorified humanity being the head of our race. And though "the heavens and earth which are now," "are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men," [2 Pet. iii, 7,] and so perish in an ocean of molten lava,—even as "the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished," [verse 6]—it will re-emerge from its deluge of fire, as that from its deluge of water, a "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." For, "Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they shall perish; but Thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed." Heb. i, 10-12. There is not to be, however, as some poets sing, > "A wreck of matter and a crush of worlds."

They will only have laid aside their sin-soiled garments, to reappear in robes of angelic purity,—an appropriate residence for earth's redeemed inhabitants. "For, thus saith the Lord that created the heavens,—God himself that formed the earth and made it: He hath established it: He created it not in vain. He formed it to be inhabited." Isa. xlv, 18. "The heavens, even the heavens, are the Lord's; but the earth hath he given to the children of men." Ps. cxv, 16.

Such being our earth's predicted future, John, in Apocalyptic vision, saw a symbolization of its future occupants: "And they sang a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth." Rev. v, 9, 10.—"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever"—that being "the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets: and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great, and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." Rev. xi, 15, 18.

John also had a vision of the first consummation, and testifies: "I saw a new heaven, and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with man, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." Rev. xxi, 1-7. "And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God, and of the Lamb, shall be in it; and his servants shall serve Him: and they shall see His face, and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever." Rev. xxii, 3-5.

Thus, the curse being removed from the earth, it having been cleansed from sin by purgatorial fires, and the righteous being raised from the dead, incorruptible—those then living also putting on immortality—this earth will have become the kingdom of the saints. For, "The kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him."

If such be the undoubted testimony of Inspiration, in respect to the future destiny of the earth; if the prophecies indeed clearly foretell its recovery from all the disabilities and defilements of the fall, its re-investments in robes of innocence and beauty, and designate

it as the inheritance of the glorified redeemed; is it not important that those, who look for redemption through Christ Jesus, be rightly instructed, and that their hopes be in accordance with God's promises?

There are often manifested distaste and indifference toward this doctrine; but, if it be scriptural, may it be innocently undervalued? It is the duty of every Christian to carefully study God's word in respect to all that has been written by holy men of old as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. To do this, is not attempting to penetrate the mystery of "secret things" which "belong to the Lord our God:" it is endeavoring to apprehend the import of "things revealed,"—of the teachings which God has condescended to communicate to our fathers, and to us their children. To be otherwise than solicitous to have clear and consistent views of all God's revealed purposes, would be to disregard His condescension, and to question His wisdom in placing on record things for our learning. And whatsoever may have been revealed, as the final destiny of the redeemed, that, surely, we ought to love and cherish.

A material world is, in the minds of many, indissolubly allied to sin and corruption; and therefore the thought of this earth, as their final home, is to them distasteful. But our Saviour, by his resurrection, has shown us how the material may be elevated above the sinful and corruptible; and this earth, freed from the disabilities of the fall, would be as much a heaven, as any other of the worlds of God's creating.

As whatever is revealed as the saints' future abode, will be their only inheritance; as those who look for salvation through Christ Jesus will inherit that, or be among the lost; it is not unreasonable to suppose that faith in that specific promise, and clear views respecting it, should give harmony to one's religious opinions; enable him the better to apprehend God's great plan of redemption, make his efforts more in unison with God's purpose, and thus cause him to grow in grace, and to be better fitted for the ultimate possession of that inheritance. And, on the other hand, to cherish disparaging views of the locality or condition which, after all, may be the inheritance God has promised, may prove in the end to have been an unexpected hindrance to one's growth in grace and preparation for the kingdom. For God evidently requires that our desires and affections should be in the direction of his purposes. Esau lost the inheritance to which he was entitled because he "despised his birthright." Gen. xxv, 34. He thought it of so little value, that, when faint and hungry, he recklessly bartered it for a mess of pottage, and so cast it off forever. Some of the children of Jacob, also, "despised the pleasant land; believed not His word," respecting it [Ps. cvi, 24]; and, as a consequence, left their bones in the wilderness. It is perilous to undervalue any good which God has promised; and if he has indeed revealed the restoration of this earth, and its inheritance by the redeemed, we may, by despising it, be denied its possession. The loss of Canaan, by those Israelites who disbelieved, is recorded for the admonition of all who come after, and Paul dwells upon it with marked emphasis: "To whom sware He that they should not enter His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." For there remaineth "a rest to the people of God." "Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." Heb. iii. and iv.

It would be difficult to conceive that anything less than this restitution should have been anticipated as the result of the bruising of Satan's head by the woman's promised Seed. For, the defeat of the author of all our woe, surely, implies the full recovery of God's children from it.

Continue reading: PERPETUITY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS