The Glory of God in the Earth

CONCLUSION

It is a matter of absolute certainty that those who preach a temporal millennium, are only spreading the cry, “My Lord delayeth his coming.” I know there are many dear brethren who, in uttering this cry, “verily think that they are doing God service.” I once uttered the same cry, thinking it according to the will of God. But I hope to obtain forgiveness, because I did it ignorantly and in unbelief. There was a time, after the truth had been placed before my mind, and I was unable to overthrow it, that I still preached a temporal millennium; but I had not at that time so given myself to prayer, and so received the light of the Holy Spirit, as to have the glorious truth written on my heart, from the abundant testimony of the Scriptures, that the glorious coming of my Savior is indeed at the door. But God has given me a spirit of prayer on this subject, and in answer thereto has made me “in his light to see light;” and everlasting thanks be to his name. I can now lift up my head and rejoice, knowing that the full, glorious, and eternal redemption of all God’s people, from all their enemies, is near, even at the doors. GGE 33.1

Far be it from me to say that all who now hold to a temporal millennium before Christ appears, are purposely saying, My Lord delayeth his coming. They have been deceived, as I was, by this delusive, false-prophet cry, and verily think that they do God service. But I do believe that this monstrous error was got up by the great deceiver, for the very purpose of deceiving the world, and lulling them into that fatal security, in which Christ, coming suddenly, will find them sleeping; and that the result of preaching a temporal millennium will be the everlasting destruction of vast multitudes of souls. GGE 34.1

I beseech every minister of Jesus Christ, whose eye may rest on this page, to set his face, as did Daniel, to seek the Lord God by prayer and supplication, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes, until the Holy Ghost shall be sent to give him skill and understanding in the word of God; so that he no longer flatter the world with the cry of “peace and safety,” while sudden destruction is just upon them, “as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” GGE 34.2

The effort is now made to show, that our Savior’s words, in the twenty-fourth of Matthew, were fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem, and that he did then come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; or at least what was intended by that declaration was then and there fulfilled. Thus again, the same effort is made to get rid of the doctrine of Christ’s coming at hand, that Universalists have been accustomed to make, to get rid of the doctrine of endless punishment. It is truly painful to see the professed servants of Christ taking up the very weapons which the devil has forged, and using them, as though to smite their Lord and Master in the face, and drive him back, as he is coming in glory to claim his own, and reign with them in righteousness and peace forever. Blessed Lord, open their eyes! GGE 34.3

But it is insisted that Christ said, “Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled.” True; but what did he mean by “this generation?” He had just been instructing them not to believe that Christ has come here or there, because his coming should be as lightning from heaven; an event that all must behold. “Behold, he cometh in clouds, and every eye shall see him.” Did the men of that generation see Christ coming as lightning in the clouds? No man believes it? Every man knows that Christ was not thus seen in that generation. Every eye is to see him at his coming; the righteous dead that sleep in Jesus are then to be raised, and the righteous living changed, in the twinkling of an eye, to immortality, and caught up to meet him. Who does not know, that these events did not transpire at the destruction of Jerusalem? Then Christ could not have meant the race then alive, by the phrase, “this generation.” What then? “A seed shall serve him; it shall be counted to the Lord for a generation.” The generation of Christ’s seed, then, shall not pass away from this world, until the things which Christ spake of are fulfilled. Then they shall pass away into the heavens at his coming, being caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And when the day that burneth as an oven shall have consumed the wicked as stubble, and the earth and the works that are in it are burned up; and the new earth, of which Peter had heard the promise, and which John in vision saw, is completed; then will the righteous descend with the glorious new Jerusalem, and “inherit” that “good land,” and “dwell therein forever.” Thanks be to God, forever and ever! Then shall his oath be fully redeemed, and his glory fill all the earth. O let saint and sinner, pastor and people, be ready for the coming of this great and notable day of the Lord! O may we be saved from the doom of him who shall be found saying, “My Lord delayeth his coming!” Lord, “gather not my soul with (such) sinners;” but let me be found watching, and giving each their portion in due season. GGE 35.1