How Conditions of This Time Provide for It—It Becomes a Religious and Despotic Confederacy
“EXTENSIVE religious combinations to effect a political object are . . . always dangerous. . . . All religious despotism commences by combination and influence; and when that influence begins to operate on the political institutions of a country, the civil power soon bends under it; and the catastrophe of other nations furnishes an awful warning of the consequences.”—Senate Report, January 19, 1829.
The thought of a unified race, a consolidated humanity, “when the battle flags are furled in the parliament of man, the federation of the world,” has long been a very alluring ideal. Many of our greatest poets and prose writers have contributed of their genius to portray its attractiveness. And at this call of “Excelsior,” voiced by these idealists, myriads of souls of more sluggish temperament have felt their nerves thrill and their pulses quicken, together to join in this rallying cry in which all humanity seems to be taking part.
A World-Wide Neighborhood
Several material factors are contributing to bring about this result.
1. First of all may be mentioned the modern development of rapid communication. The railroad, the steamship, the automobile, have in effect abolished distance and time, bringing the distant parts of the world together, so that each man is, so to speak, the next-door neighbor to every other man. And the telephone, the telegraph, the daily paper, belting the world with their instantaneous communication, have done even more to abolish linguistic and geographical boundaries, and to convert the world into one vast community, with common interests, common aspirations, and a unified self-consciousness.
2. Modern industrial and commercial enterprises have long ago ceased to halt at national and geographical boundaries, and by their interests, have developed increasingly strong motives for internationalism. Material development and economic prosperity, whether in the individual, the nation, or the race, is fast becoming the one absorbing pursuit, the one enterprise esteemed worthy of human effort and endeavor. No belief is more widespread than the obsession that the elevation of humanity is to be effected by improved industrial and economic conditions, and by increased facilities for the acquirement of the material comforts of life on the part of the proletariat. And the concerted action of the scattered units of the proletariat throughout the world is seen to be essential in order to secure such a result in any adequate degree. But not only are the present conditions of competition a system of injustice and wasteful extravagance; one of the greatest sources of waste is seen to be the competition between the nations, resulting in the burden of militarism and the awful war that is crushing out the very life of the people of Europe, all because of the surviving feeling of nationalism, and the lack of a feeling of internationalism, the lack of a united world consciousness. Thus in many ways, a world state, a consolidated humanity, is deemed essential to make the aims of modern life most effective.
Hence the widespread movement for international arbitration and universal peace, is supplementing the demands of commerce or “business” for at least a sufficient approach to world unity to admit of the throwing down of the barriers of hatred and exclusiveness that have so long kept the peoples of the world apart.
World State—World Religion
Man is as certainly a religious animal as he is a social animal, and a world state implies a world religion. What shall it be? Under the terms of this ultimate democracy, religion also must be subject to man’s own desires; in fact, must be shaped and developed under human control. The religions of the present day, like all things human, are subject to improvement; and this improvement must be brought about by man’s own efforts.
Spiritualism Plays an Important Part
That spiritualism in a refined and dignified form, such as modern optimistic mysticism, will be one of the factors in this world religion, is not a matter of doubt. As one has remarked, “It is obviously in keeping with the doctrine of the divinity of man to believe that human beings who have ‘passed beyond’ are more enlightened touching unseen things than those who are yet in the body.” Humanism stands in need of a supernatural factor; and here is one ready to hand, with unlimited possibilities.
Nor can it afford to ignore the entrenched power of the great historic Roman Church. Romanists, who boast of miracles as a sure sign of the true church, will not object to the wonders of spiritualism when the latter gets in good working order; and the Roman Church, like this ultimate democracy, aspires to be universal. Here, then, we have a three-fold union that would appear to be eminently capable of bringing peace and harmony to our poor, distracted humanity; for all “will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world, and the ushering in of the long expected millennium.”
Ignoring the Vital Unit
But there are the gravest objections to this program. The Bible Christian, the Neo-Protestant, says at once that this concept of humanism and ultimate democracy ignores the reality of sin. “Instead of one united humanity having a common destiny, there are two great sections of humanity, one composed of those who have life through faith in the Son of God, and the other of those who have not life; one embracing the children of God, and the other the children of wrath.”
The ultimate cause of evil is not in man’s evil environment, but in man’s evil nature; and all schemes for the world’s salvation, however much we may admire them on other grounds, tend to obscure or implicitly deny the imperative necessity of individual salvation and the new birth. They aim “to get rid of the consequences of sin in human nature without getting rid of the sin itself.” They are concerned with the symptoms rather than the causes. And even if they could accomplish anything worth while for the general welfare of the race, and would stop short of curtailing individual rights and liberties under the plea of the good of the whole, they would still be an evil and not a good in so far as they tended to step in between the individual and his personal accountability to his Creator.
But as it is one of the best established laws of biology that acquired characters are not capable of being transmitted to offspring, is it not in the highest degree unscientific to suppose that a changed environment can ever bring about a change or improvement in the type?
What would this world state be like? As nothing of the sort has ever yet been seen, we can only conjecture. Personally, I do not look for a real organic union of the scattered groups of humanity. It will be bad enough if they unite on such concepts of progress in social systems, in ethics, and in religion, as are held by them in common, and concertedly undertake to mold the development of the race in accordance with this idea. Instead of governments that are instituted to conserve men’s rights, in which all powers not delegated are reserved to the individuals and the people, the modern evolutionary concept is that the whole is greater than the parts, and that as the collective body is the real source of human improvement, a free hand must be allowed it in shaping the destiny of the race.
Despotic to the Last Degree
I desire to be clearly understood. All honor to those who are trying to secure a greater degree of “social justice” for the oppressed and downtrodden of this or of any other land; and all honor to those who are seeking to lessen or to abolish the evils of war and the hideous waste and oppressive load of militarism, which has been one of the chief ways in which the hungry generations have trodden down the poor workingman. But, in the light of history, such a world unification, involving, as it necessarily must, a concerted effort to subordinate the rights of the individual to the supposed good of the whole, must surely be despotic to the last degree. For hundreds of years, the “iron monarchy of Rome,” as Gibbon calls it, crushed out the religious if not the civil liberty of the individual for the supposed stability of the whole. But the Roman Empire in its palmiest days was a mere baby, a doll, compared with this great world despotism which is already looming up on the horizon of our time, and which millions of voices are already welcoming with glad acclaim.
Duties Above World Duties
But the Bible Christian, the Neo-Protestant, will never submit to a world despotism such as this, when it interferes with his duty toward his God. His Master, when here on earth, persistently and consistently refused to have any part in civil or political affairs, declaring, “My kingdom is not of this world.” On another occasion, He said, “If any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not. . . . The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him at the last day.” On still another occasion, the undisputed rule of all the kingdoms of the world was offered to Him; but He refused it with the most decided emphasis, and thus set an example for His church to the close of time.
But this offer of the kingdoms of the world has seemed more attractive to the apostate church of all ages; and evidently any church that avails herself of this offer which was spurned by her Master, thereby declares herself to be not the true church of Christ. A church that unites with the civil power, be it state, national, or world-wide, must be an apostate church, and hence must be intolerant. But to such a power, the true Christian will never submit. Like all the bright heroes of the past, he declares, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Here, then, is the coming conflict. With all the powers of earth arrayed against those who “keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus,” the conflict will be most5terrible. But it will be short, and the issue is not doubtful; for the prophecy pictures “those who had gotten the victory” over this world combination standing on the sea of glass before the throne of God. “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
“DISEASE is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health. In case of sickness, the cause should be ascertained. Unhealthful conditions should be changed, wrong habits corrected. Then nature is to be assisted in her effort to expel impurities and to reestablish right conditions in the system.”
The Outrage and the Object of His Love
By George W. Rine
Destroying the Mother of Death — Preparing for Immortality
By GEORGE W. RINE
SIN is the intolerable outrage against God's nature, filling His universe with lawlessness and pain. On the other hand, man is the dear object of God's love, the supreme concern of His infinite solicitude, "the apple of His eye." "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
The Mother of Death
This necessary repulsion of the divine holiness to sin is enunciated in this scripture: "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." Rom. 1: 18. Note now the complementary scripture to the foregoing: "But God commendeth His own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through Him." Rom. 5: 8, 9.
We see, then, that sin is the one loathsome reality. God simply cannot brook it. Sin is enmity against God. "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain" because sin, the mother of death, has come into the universe. Sin leads its victim to that inevitable finish where the grave yawns. Sin spells distortion, dissolution, death. It is the one and only curse known to God's illimitable creation. Hence God must and will destroy sin; for sin, if let alone, would subvert His government, undermine His all-inclusive kingdom. "The wrath of God . . . revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men," is simply the omnipotent power of God revealed from heaven for the destruction of sin.
In rapt vision, the exiled prophet of Patmos looked down through the vista of the centuries to the time when sin shall have been destroyed, and uttered the solemn and blessed pronouncement, "And there shall be no curse any more." Rev. 22: 3. At that time, the prophet Isaiah's inspired anticipation will meet its realization — "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea." Isa. 11: 9.
Prepared for Immortality
Though God must destroy sin, He so loves the sinner that He yearns to save him. Accordingly, He commends His own love toward us by imputing all sin to Jesus, the Lamb of God, laying "on Him the iniquity of us all," and causing Him to become sin's curse for us by paying sin's penalty in death on the cross. In His death, He bore the wrath of God against sin, in the sinner's stead, as the sinner's substitute. He who knew no sin was made to be sin for us. Hence the repentant sinner is "justified by His blood." Because God cannot save us in our sins, He gave Jesus to be our sin offering, that He might "save His people from their sins." In keeping with this glorious truth, Paul averred, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
Yes, Jesus died, "the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God;" that is, to prepare us to meet our God — to meet Him in judgment, to meet Him in peace, to meet Him in glory, and so dwell with Him, our eternal Father, forever. No other "preparedness" is comparable to this one. To be saved from sin is to be prepared for immortality, prepared for glory, prepared for endless life in a sinless, deathless world — in Paradise regained. Aye, if we believe, if we confess our sins, and so repent of them, then we have God's assurance that "the blood of Jesus His Son cleanseth us from all sin." Freedom from sin by virtue of my faith in the sin-atoning power of the cross, of the blood of Christ, is my preparedness for eternal life, for heaven, for a place "in my Father's house."
The Conditions of Preparedness
First, then, we must accept God's verdict that all have sinned and come short. "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us," is the strong, stern announcement of the inspired John. Such testimony should make us exceeding thoughtful. Hence by nature every one of us is in a condition of utter unpreparedness for death, or for the final assize of the "Judge of all." How imperative, then, how urgently necessary, that we should at once avail ourselves of whatever power exists which is fitted to prepare us for the final summons — for the world to come.
Now there is only one such power. It is the gospel of the cross, the gospel of the Lord Jesus. This is the verdict of the Holy Spirit, as spoken through Paul, moving him to declare, "I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Of course it means "salvation" from sin, and accordingly, from death, which is "the wages of sin."
In the first chapter of Galatians, the apostle repeatedly and solemnly asseverates that there is only one gospel — one true, one adequate gospel, or plan of salvation — salvation from sin, and therefore from unpreparedness. Peter likewise, in Acts 4, protests, under the inspiration of the divine Spirit, that there is no other name given to men but that of Jesus through which we can be saved. Jesus Himself declares that He is "the way," "the door," and sternly asserts that if any man tries to attain eternal life — tries to get into the "fold," into heaven — by some other way, "the same is a thief and a robber."
Climbing Another Way
Men have thought out all sorts of cunningly devised ways of ridding themselves of sin by way of preparing for heaven. Some are trying to prepare to meet God by penance and good works; some by subscribing to certain doctrines or creeds; some by scrupulously observing all the rites and ceremonies of their church; some are even trying to convince themselves that sin is an illusion — that is, "a delusion of mortal mind." All such only hoodwink themselves, and give the falsehood to omniscient God. We have seen above that God's verdict as to the universality of human sin is rigorously categorical. Yes, "death passed upon all men," because all have sinned.
But we are divinely assured that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Aye, He tasted death "for every man." He "bare our sins in His own body on the tree." Jesus "condemned sin in the flesh" — our sin — "that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Now here is the crowning promise: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1: 9. To be forgiven our sins, and to have all unrighteousness purged from our lives by the blood of the cross, is to be prepared for eternity. This is God's "preparedness" for us, for sinners, and is the only preparedness which, in the final and supreme crisis, will count.
"SOLEMN will be the day of final decision. . . . Sad will be the retrospect in that day when men stand face to face with eternity. The whole life will present itself just as it has been. The world's pleasures, riches, and honors will not then seem so important. Men will then see that the righteousness they despised is alone of value. They will see that they have fashioned their characters under the deceptive allurements of Satan. . . . Then they will see the results of their choice. They will have a knowledge of what it means to transgress the commandments of God. There will be no future probation in which to prepare for eternity. It is in this life that we are to put on the robe of Christ's righteousness. This is our only opportunity to form characters for the home which Christ has made ready for those who obey His commandments. The days of our probation are fast closing. The end is near. . . . Beware lest it find you unready."
BLUE LAW REPEAL
By Hampton W. Cottrell
Oregon's Whirlwind Campaign a Success
By HAMPTON W. COTTRELL
The Oregon compulsory rest Sunday blue law was repealed at the general election November 7, by a majority vote of 32,163. This vote demonstrates that a large majority of those voting still stand and contend for true Americanism — the right of individual choice to be or not to be religious.
The proposed initiative bill was prepared by a committee of the Independent Retailers' Association, of Portland, was circulated throughout the state, and the required number of signatures was obtained to meet the demands of the law. The bill was filed in due time with the secretary of state, placed upon the ballot, and known as the Bill Repealing and Abolishing the Sunday Closing Law.
In the meantime, the Rev. Mr. Tufts, recently from Berkeley, California, undertook to initiate a bill for a new Sunday forced rest law; but for lack of a sufficient number of signatures, the proposed measure was not placed on the ballot.
Campaign Literature Circulated
The North Pacific Union Conference Committee requested the writer to prepare a four-page leaflet setting forth the fundamental principles of the natural, constitutional, and divine right of choice of the individual, in as clear and concise a manner as possible. This was done. The national emblem in colors was placed upon the front page, and two hundred and sixteen thousand copies were ordered. A special Religious Liberty Number of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES was issued by the Pacific Press; and we circulated, in connection with the tract, one hundred and one thousand six hundred copies throughout the state.
Automobiles were loaded with this literature, which had been carefully folded, and bound with rubber bands, so that it could be readily handled; and it was distributed to almost every home and place of business in the state. This was truly the greatest sowing of literature that has ever occurred in any one state since the launching of the world-wide message.
The Southern Idaho Conference, directed by Pastor T. G. Bunch, handled the work in those Oregon counties within its domain. So also did Upper Columbia. Pastor Dart, from Upper Columbia, joined us for a few weeks, laboring in the Southern Oregon Conference. The brethren in southern Oregon did faithful work in distributing literature throughout their territory.
Pastors Hayward and Thurston and the writer spent all their time circulating literature and campaigning in lecture tours throughout the state, securing the use of large opera houses, theaters, and city halls, and closing only the night before election day. Prof. G. E. Johnson and Pastor L. K. Dickson devoted the last few weeks of the campaign to the work of distributing literature by use of automobiles.
The Active Retailers' Association
The Independent Retailers' Association, of Portland, organized themselves for definite campaign work, which was also pushed vigorously. Their executive committee ordered of us sixty thousand copies of the anti-blue law tract, and circulated them by mail all over the state.
All our churches and individuals took hold nobly, each acting his part; and in answer to our prayers and our untiring efforts, the Lord, by way of the people, gave us the victory. Oregon's citizens are once again freed from the religious tyranny that has haled them before the courts in violation of their rights.
The opposition labored arduously to retain the forced rest religious law — the fourth century heathen relic — but without avail. That they desired to enforce Sunday as a religious institution there can be no candid question; for, said the Rev. Mr. G. L. Tufts, superintendent of the Oregon Sunday forced rest league: "The church can prosper in the midst of saloons, as is evidenced by Norway, Sweden, Scotland, and Canada. But the church will perish when the Lord's day is converted into a holiday devoted to Sunday business, common labor, and worldly sports and amusements."—(Signed) G. L. Tufts, superintendent Weekly Rest Day League, Pacific Christian Advocate, October 11, 1916. Referring to the repeal bill, he says, "Will not each church appoint a committee to work at the polls on election day to defeat this vicious bill?"
The Pastors Were Indifferent
The league's superintendent proceeds to recite a little modern history that will be of special interest to the public: "The bill which was drafted and advocated by the Weekly Rest Day League is not on the ballot, because only one ninth of the four hundred fifty pastors to whom the initiative petition was sent for signatures returned them to our office."—(Signed) G. L. Tufts, superintendent Weekly Rest Day League, Pacific Christian Advocate, October 11, 1916.
But in the Oregonian, July 4, 1916, he assigns an altogether different reason for failing to initiate his bill for a new Sunday compulsory rest law: "The executive committee of the league concluded it would be better to have but one Sunday bill before the voters, so as not to confuse the issue, and to hold our measure in abeyance. So we will try out the question in November whether the people want a Sunday law by taking the field against the Kellaher repeal measure. We expect to snow his measure under by a heavy vote. In this way, we will demonstrate to the legislature that the people of Oregon want a Sunday rest law. Then we will ask the next legislature to amend the existing law so as to make it an up-to-date, effective statute, free from any unjust discriminations."
Confessed to Be Unjust
Be it observed that the superintendent of the blue law league herein acknowledges the statute to be "unjust," but nevertheless desired to retain it.
Once again: "Should it be repealed, it will be more difficult to get a new law enacted. Will not every pastor urge his congregation to vote 313 No, and thus cast their ballots against the repeal of the law? Also appoint a committee to work at the polls."—(Signed) G. Louis Tufts, superintendent Weekly Rest Day League, Pacific Christian Advocate, November 1, 1916.
We thank the Lord, and give due credit to the intelligence of the people of Oregon, that the blue law is dead and buried; and we agree with Mr. Tufts that it will be more difficult, now that it is repealed, to get a new one.
A Fatal Delusion
SOME people advocate that it matters little what one believes, so long as he is sincere in living up to his belief.
But can sincere belief in an untruth save us? If so, Jesus need not have come to earth to make known the truth. He lived the truth. He taught the truth. He was and is the truth. He sanctified Himself through the truth, that by it we also might be sanctified. His divine, living truth is still in the world. He left His word for us, and it is truth. Through it, and it alone, may we know what is error, what is not truth.
Listen to what this Word of truth says upon this very question of the importance of finding and believing the truth:
"Whose coming [Jesus'] is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish [And why do they perish?]; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause [that they would not love the truth, showing that it was within their reach, yea, that they knew of it] God shall send them [permit to come to them] strong delusion, that they should believe a lie [to be true, instead of believing the truth to be truth, as it is]: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2:9-12.
This is strong language, but it expresses God's hatred for that theory by which people are lulled to sleep when they assure themselves and others that it matters little what one believes, so long as he is sincere in his belief. Thousands upon thousands will go to perdition entrenched within this fatal delusion.
One may be ever so sincere in the belief that he is in the way that will lead him out of the forest where he is hopelessly lost. He thinks he is going straight home, when in actual fact he is circling around and around, making no headway whatever toward home. What does he need — more sincerity? — The rather, a compass. God's book — the truth — is the compass placed within the reach of every lost man. It will safely guide each soul home. But, like the compass, it must be obeyed, even though to the lost one the needle seems to point in exactly the wrong direction.
Reader, search God's book for truth; find it, love it, live it, and be saved by it. It is our only hope of life. "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." These are Jesus' own words.
No Repentance in the World to Come
By Rufus A. Underwood
The Millennium, or One Thousand Years, a Period of This World's Desolation, with Only Satan and His Fallen Angels as Inhabitants
By RUFUS A. UNDERWOOD
An unscriptural conception of the conditions of this world, and of those who will be active inhabitants of this earth, during the one thousand years, is the mother of many errors taught concerning the millennium. The only description of the beginning and the end of the thousand years, or millennial age, is found in the twentieth chapter of Revelation, as follows:
"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 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 his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." Rev. 20: 1-6.
Resurrection Before and After
To understand the millennium, or what will take place on this earth during the one thousand years, we must understand who occupies the earth during this time, and where the saints as well as sinners are then, and also what their occupation is. Notice a few things this scripture in Revelation clearly shows.
First, the millennium, which means one thousand years, is bounded at its beginning and its ending by a general resurrection of the dead. The Bible very clearly teaches that there are two general resurrections,—one of the just, and one of the unjust. "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5: 28, 29.
"And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." Acts 24: 15.
Rev. 20: 1-6 places these resurrections one thousand years apart. The first resurrection is of the blessed and holy, or the justified souls of men. We have seen, in previous articles, that Christ raises the righteous dead at His second coming; also that the righteous living are "changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump" of God. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." 1 Cor. 15: 51, 52, 22, 23. "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:
for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." Verses 51, 52.
These — both the living who are changed, and the righteous who are raised — are caught up together "to meet the Lord in the air." 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17. See also the promise of Christ: "In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14: 2, 3.
Here the saints reign with Christ during this one thousand years; and at the same time, Satan is bound in the bottomless pit for a like period. The reader will bear in mind that in our article last week, we found that the earth was desolated, with no living man left upon it, after the coming of Christ, or at the opening of the millennium.
The Bottomless Pit
Let us study for a few moments this place called the bottomless pit, where Satan is bound. The word rendered "bottomless pit" is the same that is used in the Septuagint in Gen. 1: 2, and is there translated "deep." It describes the earth when the Lord first spoke the world into existence, and while it was still in chaos. "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep [or bottomless pit]." Gen. 1: 2.
The record of the condition of the earth before it was inhabited by man or beast, or brought forth vegetation, shows that it was in a state of abyss, or chaos, enshrouded with darkness — literally, "the deep," or "the bottomless pit." How aptly this condition in Gen. 1: 2 represents the earth when made desolate and utterly emptied at the second coming of Christ! The righteous are then all taken to heaven, and the wicked are all held in death upon the earth.
This earth reduced to such a condition will be a fitting place to bind Satan for a thousand years with his fallen angels. Here they will be left to reflect upon the desolation that rebellion and sin have brought upon this world.
An Object Lesson to Other Worlds
Enshrouded in total darkness, all who have fallen and followed Satan are then either scattered upon the face of the earth without burial or are still locked in the tomb. One thousand years of this desolate picture gives Satan time to sense the ruin he has caused to come into the life and home of man during six thousand years of the reign of sin on the earth under his leadership.
While Satan and his angels spend the millennium on this old earth in this manner, viewing the fruits of rebellion, those whom the Master has taken to heaven at His second coming reign with Christ a thousand years. In Revelation 20; 1 Cor. 6: 2, 3; and Ps. 149: 9, we have the suggestion that during the thousand years of reign in heaven with Christ, the righteous will take some part in the final judgment of the wicked. At least, it suggests that God will give the righteous the privilege of looking over the records which He has kept of the secret sins that never came to light in this life, and thus His people will know that God has dealt justly in depriving the condemned of future life.
Visiting Other Worlds
Again, while Satan and his angels, in "the bottomless pit," where the silence of death reigns, spend the thousand years brooding over the ruin they have wrought, Christ and those who have accepted His salvation are occupied in visiting other worlds, whose inhabitants have never experienced the curse of sin, or the marring of the works of God. The ancient prophet says that the great "host," or army, of God's intelligences in the heavens, worship God. Neh. 9: 6. This wandering planet is the only world that has gone astray from the fold.
Christ says of the redeemed men of earth: "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men [the earth], being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb." Rev. 14: 4.
Great glory and honor is given to Christ as He goes from one untarnished world to another, presenting the redeemed — those from Adam down to the end of time who once staggered under the curse of sin, but are now all bearing the image of God, and saved from the curse. The unfallen worlds recognize the sacrifice made by Christ; and the whole universe will give supreme glory, honor, and adoration to the Man of Calvary for His matchless love and sacrifice in the redemption of man.
In our next article, we will study what is to take place at the end of the millennium.
No Unfriendly Fates
By Ellen G. White
REMEMBER that you will never reach a higher standard than you yourself set. Then set your mark high, and step by step, even though it be by painful effort, by self-denial and sacrifice, ascend the whole length of the ladder of progress. Let nothing hinder you. Fate has not woven its meshes about any human being so firmly that he need remain helpless and in uncertainty. Opposing circumstances should create a firm determination to overcome them. The breaking down of one barrier will give greater ability and courage to go forward. Press with determination in the right direction, and circumstances will be your helpers, not your hindrances. E. G. W.
