Refutation of the Doctrine Called The Age to Come

§ 1. THE LAND

The promise of the land cannot be fulfilled under the old covenant; for, 1. They forfeited all claims under that covenant. 2. That has passed away and been superseded by the new. 3. It is an offense against the new covenant, or the gospel, to revive or “build again” the old. Galatians 2:18. 4. The priests, or mediators of that covenant, could not take away their sins, Hebrews 10:1-4, and, therefore, they could not recover under it, what they lost by transgression. These points are sufficient to settle the question. RDAC 81.3

And this is confirmed by the word of the Lord who gave as a reason for making a new covenant with them, that they had broken the other. Although he had promised to be their God, and that they should be to him a peculiar treasure above all people, yet by reason of their rebellion, he could not consistently perform his promise, and so he “regarded them not.” As transgressors of his law, they were not peculiar; they were not holy; but were like other sinful nations. And if they had any claim under that covenant, it could not have been abolished without infringing on their rights. Surely, it is plain enough that, to secure the land, they must comply with the conditions of the new covenant, the only one that can possibly convey a good title to the inheritance. RDAC 82.1

And what is the inheritance, or land, promised under the new covenant? As the original promise was made to Abraham and confirmed in Christ, we must look to both for an answer to this question; for Christ is mediator and first heir, and it can only be received through him, and, of course, under the covenant of which he is the mediator. RDAC 82.2

To Abraham was promised a land for an everlasting possession; and circumcision was instituted as a token of this covenant. Now, our opponents assume that a certain part of the earth in its present form and condition must be conferred on his descendants to meet the promise; as the promise, they say, embraced only the land that he saw; but he did not see all of the present earth, nor any of the new earth. What he saw will doubtless be given to him, but not that only, nor in the condition in which he saw it. Of this promise, Paul says, “For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” Romans 4:13. Then Abraham is heir of the world. “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country,” as other faithful ones, who, with him, “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth,” Hebrews 11:9, 13. RDAC 82.3

Again, Christ is the seed to whom the promises were made. Galatians 3:16; he is the heir of the world, and the Father has promised to give to him “the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession.” Psalm 2:8. As he is the heir, so his people are “joint-heirs” with him; and by reason of this joint-heirship with Christ, “the meek shall inherit the earth.” To inherit is to receive by heirship; but there is no promise or heirship by which we can receive the earth, except that to Abraham; and Christ is heir as Abraham’s seed. Hence, the Abrahamic promise embraced “the earth,” even to its “uttermost parts.” The land which the children of Israel possessed under Joshua, is shown in Hebrews 3 and 4, to be typical of the true rest which remains to the people of God. RDAC 83.1

If we look at the terms seed and token, as used in the covenant with Abraham, we shall find that there is a change from their outward and apparent to their real and more extended signification. The seed of Abraham was supposed to be only his literal posterity; but now we learn that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:28, 29. And so also of the token: that is no more circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter. But if these terms are thus enlarged, and all admit that they are, there is no incongruity in having the land itself enlarged in like manner. RDAC 83.2

In Romans 4:11, the token, circumcision, is entitled a sign and seal. Ephesians 1:13, 14, says, “Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.” We here learn that the inheritance, already purchased, is yet to be redeemed, and we receive the token, earnest, or assurance, thereof until its redemption. The sign reaches no further than to the thing signified; and we have the earnest or assurance reaching to the point of realization, but it would be no assurance beyond that point. But as the earnest reaches to the redemption, it is clear that our inheritance cannot be fully realized till the purchased possession is redeemed. This proves conclusively that the earth renewed, or new earth, is the subject of the promise of the Abrahamic covenant. And Jesus, the heir and mediator, is now ministering for individuals of both dispensations, or for transgressions under both covenants, that “they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” Hebrews 9:15. All who lived under the first covenant were transgressors; of course, they forfeited the promised blessings of that covenant. But Jesus secures to the faithful among them an eternal inheritance-not a mere temporal possession; and not under the curse as it is at this time, but redeemed. So that the hope of all is now made to rest on the promise of “an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.” 1 Peter 1:4. As before said, to inherit is to possess through heirship; and if we receive an inheritance redeemed, incorruptible, and undefiled, these conditions must necessarily be attached to the possession named in the will. This will is the Abrahamic covenant; Jesus is its “testator” and mediator; the earth redeemed from the curse is the promised possession; and the faithful in Christ, of every tongue and nation, are the heirs. RDAC 84.1