IV.
(Continued from Vol. xxxviii. p. 490.)
WE have already stated in general terms the pre-millennarian doctrine of the Second Coming of our Lord and it remains now to say something about what is termed the Post-millennarian doctrine. It is so called because it asserts that the Second Coming is after the thousand years or millennium is at an end. This is the view that was generally held by the Church. In the words of Dr. Charles Hodge: “The common doctrine of the Church . . . is that the conversion of the world, the restoration of the Jews, and the destruction of Anti-Christ are to precede the Second Coming of Christ, which event will be attended by the general resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, the end of the world, and the consummation of the Church” (Systematic Theology, iii., 862). But it may be said this view fails to do justice to the statement in the 20th chapter of the book of Revelation already quoted.* We do not think so: for a correct interpretation of the statement in this chapter will rather support than subvert the post-millennarian doctrine. Let us now examine this statement in the light of its contextual setting and its wording.
In the book of Revelation there are certain things stated which are to take place before the Millennium. The first is the downfall of Babylon, the Romanist counterfeit Church, symbolized first by the woman in purple and scarlet and second by the mystic Babylon. The downfall is to be brought about by two agencies: (1) The governments of the earth “shall hate the harlot and make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire” (chap. xvii. 16). (2) The saints, by preaching, teaching and publishing the pure gospel, shall expose all her heresies and idolatries (xii. 11), and by their prayers
* Magazine xxxviii., 444.
shall bring on her the judgment of God (vi. 10, and viii. 3-5) and she shall be finally overthrown (xix. 2).
The second thing that is to take place before the Millennium is the ingathering of the Jews. The days of the Gentiles being fulfilled the Jews shall come under the power of the gospel. The very thought of this day fills the heart of the Apostle with heavenly ecstasy. It will be one of the most extraordinary events in the Church’s history since the Spirit was poured forth at Pentecost. Following the conversion of the Jews God shall smite the nations that had gathered to destroy them and in this judgment “the beast” and the “false prophet” perish and with them all governments contrary to God (xix. 20-21).
The third thing that is to take place before the Millennium is the chaining and shutting up of Satan (xx. 1-3). In what sense is Satan chained? Is it not when all his agencies are swept away? A check will be put upon him and his work; this is significantly spoken of as binding him with “a great chain” (xx. 1).
After all these events comes the Millennium. Why is it so called? It is the Latin word meaning a thousand years, i.e., the period during which Satan is to be bound with the “great chain.” During this period according to the post-millennarian doctrine the gospel is to have unparalleled prosperity. Satan’s agencies in false religions, philosophy contrary to the truth, science falsely so called and all the other devices by which he deceived men and nations will receive a mighty check. When we speak about the gospel having an extraordinary sway in that blessed time we do not mean to assert that children will be born into the world saints. No. They will come into the world as sinners and will require the mighty power of the Holy Ghost to regenerate them. Neither do we mean that there will be no unregenerate people in those days. It is meant, however, that the saints will be in the ascendancy as the unregenerate are
to-day. People marry and are given in marriage and they die during the thousand years but the conditions of life will be very different owing to the sway of the gospel. John saw “thrones and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them” (xx. 4). Who sat upon the thrones? Is it not those who were arrayed in fine linen pure and white who followed the Lamb in His great campaign. They are now sitting on thrones — places of honour and trust are no longer at the disposal of worldly wire-pulling and political schemers.
We come now to an important part of our discussion, viz., the second part of verse 4: “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 worshipped the beast neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” It is important to notice that it was not the bodies but the souls of those who had been beheaded that John sees and who lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. This manifestly refers to the righteous dead and their state is called the first resurrection. It is in connection with these terms first and second resurrection that considerable confusion has arisen and that confusion to a large extent is due to the fact that “resurrection” is taken to refer to the body. But surely with the New Testament before us we know that “resurrection” is sometimes used in a spiritual sense — the regenerated have had a spiritual resurrection. But it is not to regeneration that the term “first resurrection” refers. While spiritual, it is of another kind. For clearing up the matter and getting at the right interpretation, let us go back to the words in chap. vi. verse 9: “And when he opened the fifth seal I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held, and they cried with a loud voice saying: “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? and white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet
for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” These words indicate that, in a figurative sense, the righteous dead are yet not living. Their death seems to say that they were defeated and that their testimony is not recognised. God’s justice seems to allow their enemies and the enemies of His truth to triumph. But is it really so? Is that cry unanswered? — “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” Let us see what follows. In chap. xiv. 8-13, mystic Babylon which put them to death is judged. She drinks the cup of God’s wrath, the martyrs are avenged and vindicated. The reproach of their cruel and shameful death is lifted off them. They are now given the place that belongs to them instead of being branded as felons not worthy to live. Hence the 13th verse: “And I heard a voice from heaven saying: Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” It was a wrong view to take of their death that their testimony failed and that their works were at an end. It was not so; for the dead that die in the Lord are really blessed. “That is,” as one has well put it, “when God has avenged them and their enemies are fallen, there is a great change in public opinion in the historic judgment, as to their place in the house of fame. To die in the Lord now is not to pass under a cloud — it is a triumphant ascension into glory and light. The change is so great that it is called a resurrection—They live and reign with Christ a thousand years. The principles for which they died are now triumphant. Judgment upon those who put them to death is to them as life from the dead; it is represented as a resurrection, and this is the only place in the Bible where the term ‘first resurrection’ is used, and it is expressly declared to be a resurrection of souls and not of the body. The principles that they advocated are triumphant — they have swept over the world” (Carroll’s Book of Revelation, p. 279).
But who are “the rest of the dead” (verse 5). They are the wicked dead who “lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” They do not live in that time. Their views and customs during the thousand years are not triumphant. They are to live again as we shall see for a short season when the thousand years are past. Their principles, etc., are to have a resurrection — this is the second resurrection but there is no blessing pronounced upon those who have a part in this resurrection such as is pronounced upon those who have a part in the first resurrection. When then is there to be a resurrection of the rest of the dead, i.e., the wicked. Is it not when the thousand years are expired and when “Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea” (xx. 7-8). The wicked dead now live and reign with Satan. During this short season they appear to come from under the cloud of adverse judgment. Here again the resurrection is figurative. Neither the first nor second resurrection is of the body — they are both of souls. No doubt it may be easy to find objections to the interpretation we have given and some may not accept it but we feel convinced at any rate that there is not a word in these three verses (xx. 4-6) which says anything about the Coming of Christ nor about a bodily resurrection. When the devil is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone then shall the Lord come sitting on His great white throne — the small and great stand before Him — the books are opened and the Great Day of Judgment is come. Then to quote the sublime and awesome words of Dugald Buchanan:
“A ruddy blush along the sky,
Like dawn of morning rising red,
Now shows that Christ Himself is nigh,
Bringing the day of doom and dread.
Then like the Great King’s chamber door,
The parting clouds before Him yield,
And clothed with glory evermore,
The mighty Judge shall be revealed.
A rainbow round His head on high,
His voice like mountain torrents loud,
And keen as lightning flash His eye,
That pierces thickest thunder cloud.
* * *
While all things thus dissolve and die
Amid creation’s final throes,
The Judge Himself is drawing nigh
To bring each case to fitting close.
He shall descend from Heaven’s height,
His Majesty with power displayed,
Upon His throne of glory bright,
In all His Deity arrayed.
A thousand thunders in His hand,
To blast His foes before his face,
Wait quivering for His least command,
Like hounds in leash in time of chase.”
(The Day of Judgment—MacBean’s Translation.)