NOTE B.

The Millennial Era not to consist of a Moral and Physical absolutely Indefectible State.

As we have more than once intimated in the preceding "Sequel," not a few prophetical expositors, though from the best of motives and a commendable zeal in their occupancy of this field, by confounding things which differ, have occasioned the greatest confusion and perplexity to inquiring minds in regard to many important subjects. Now, this may be said to hold true especially in reference to the following particulars, namely:

That of an indiscriminate amalgamation of those in the mortal and the immortal or resurrected state, as being equally, and in the same sense, the OCCUPANTS of the Millennial "New Earth."

In addition, therefore, to what has been adduced as demonstrative (if we mistake not) of the difference between the physical and moral condi-* tion of the renewed earth, etc., of Isaiah (chaps. lxv. and lxvi.), in adapting it to the Millennial Era, as contrasted with that of St. Peter (2 Epis. chap. iii. 7-13, and of St. John, Rev. xxi. 1-5), which appertains to the same earth in its eternal state subsequently to the universal conflagration, etc. (see "Sequel," pages 203-216); we now observe, that it is to the circumstance above alluded to, more than to any other, that we are indebted to the impugners of our faith, both anti and post-millenarian, for the charge preferred against millenarianism, that it is a "materializing," "gross," "sensual," "fanatical," and "heretical" interpretation of "the Messianic prophecies concerning the second personal coming of Christ." We readily concede that, if what is above alleged by these writers respecting the mortal and immortal or resurrected saints as the joint occupants of the renewed millennial earth be true, there is no escape from the above imputation. For,

1. Of the latter it is said "IN THE RESURRECTION, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven;" the reverse of which holds true of mankind in their still mortal state during the millennial age (Matt. xxii. 30). And although, from Ps. lxxvii. 25, it is evident that "angels eat food," yet, those "children of God" who are

"the children of the resurrection," not only "neither marry nor give in marriage," "neither can they die any more," but being made "equal unto the angels," that is, in their intellectual, moral, and physical powers, whatever be the "food" adapted to angelic natures-and of which they doubtless will partake-in all these respects there is no correspondence between their condition, compared with those of the saved nations in the flesh, or mortal state, during the millennium. As we have said, it arises from a neglect to properly discriminate between things which differ on this subject, that has led to the confused and contradictory statements of not a few otherwise reputable writers in regard to it.

Thus the Rev. Mr. Begg, having in one part of his work labored to make the new heavens and earth of Isaiah identical with that of St. Peter and St. John,' says, that "the 'promise' of new heavens and a new earth recorded by Isaiah, is, as we have seen, to have its fulfilment AT the millennium" (p. 215). Now, this "new heavens and new earth," as he alleges, being the same as that "to which the apostle [Peter] refers in the words, 'Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness' (2 Pet. iii. 13); it follows, of course, that the earth that "shall be inhabited by the saints" of the resurrection, will be that predicted alike by Isaiah and by Peter. And yet, we have only to pass on to pages 220, 221, of this work, and the same Rev. Mr. Begg writes as follows: "Much confusion has resulted from applying to the inhabitants of the new earth, the character of the citizens of the New Jerusalem which descends out of heaven unto it. The distinction, he adds, "is obvious. While, in the new earth, Isaiah predicts there shall be both sin and death, the apostle John declares the exclusion of both from the HOLY CITY," the Apocalyptic account of the descent of which from God out of heaven, he rightly makes to be “after that of the final resurrection and general judgment," etc., described Rev. xx. 5, and verses 12-15.

This, we now observe, is the only true ground upon which to harmonize those numerous prophecies of the Old and New Testaments, which foretell of the physical changes that await the present earth and heavens, in adapting them to the moral state of its mortal inhabitants during the Millennial Era, as predicted by Isaiah, and the relation to and connection with them, of the immortal or resurrected and translated saints, spoken of by St. Paul, 1 Thess. iv. 13-17. The former are constituted of those living nations in the flesh, both Jewish and Gentile, who, having escaped those judgments which shall result in the destruction of the last Antichrist and his confederates by the power of Christ on the battle field of Armageddon, at the commencement of the seventh millenary of the world (compare 2 Thess. ii. 3, 4, 8; Rev. xvii. 13-16; xix. 11-21, with Zech. xiv. 1-5), shall be converted to Christ (compare Zech. xii. 9, 10, with Isaiah lx. 1-7, etc.), and

1 Begg's Connected View, etc., pp. 110–117.

who make up the subjects of that millennial kingdom on earth, over whom Christ will thenceforth exercise His kingly reign. On the other hand, the latter are the risen dead in Christ of the first resurrection, together with those living saints who, having remained unto his coming, are changed and translated to "meet Him in the air" (compare 1 Thess. iv. 13-18, with Rev. xx. 5), and who, as "priests of God and of Christ, shall reign" conjointly "with him" over the saved nations in the flesh for "a thousand years (Rev. xx. 4, 6).

In view of these facts, therefore, to wit, first, the difference as to the nature and extent of the physical changes of the new heavens and earth of Isaiah, compared with those of St. Peter and St. John, as to the order of time; and second, the distinction between the local habitation and moral condition and relations of the saved nations in the flesh during the millennium, when contrasted with those of the risen and glorified saints; I repeat, in view of these facts, it is perfectly clear, that, as stated at the head of this Note, the Millennial Era will not consist of a moral and physical absolutely indefectible state. So far from it, although it will be a period of unprecedented holiness and happiness, still, from the express declaration of the prophet Isaiah, neither sin nor death will be wholly excluded from it. For although, when speaking of "Jerusalem " in millennial times, he declares that "the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying," and that "there shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days," etc. ; yet in immediate connection he adds-" the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner, being an hundred years old, shall be accursed" (Isa. lxv. 19, 20).

Allusion is here made to the restoration of the antediluvian patriarchal longevity to the occupants of the millennial earth, as in verse 22-" for as the days of a tree, are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." The age of a "child" at one hundred years, will hence be in proportion with that of an "old man " at one thousand. The following reading will perhaps more clearly express the sense of the last clause of verse 20. "The child of an hundred years old, who is a sinner, being accursed, shall die." And thus, by a wise arrangement of providential retribution, sin, during the Millennial Era, will not be permitted to propagate.

On the other hand, the moral and physical condition of the new heavens and earth of St. Peter and St. John that are to follow the final conflagration at the close of the millennium, or the eternal state of the redeemed, will be characterized by a total removal of the last and the least vestiges of the curse. For, the post-millennial Gog and Magog apostasy having run its course and met its fate (Rev. xx. 7-9); and the general resurrection of "the rest of the dead" (chap. xx. 5) from the sea and death, or the grave, and hell (adns), together with their trial and condemnation and consignment, with the devil and the false prophet, into the gehenna (yeévva) “perdition"

of final torments, called "the lake of fire," being ended (compare Rev. xx. 5, with 2 Pet. iii. 7; Rev. xx. 10, 12-15); and the last renascency or purification of the heavens and the earth by fire being consummated (compare 2 Pet. iii. 10-13, with Rev. xxi. 1, 5); then it is, that St. John sees in vision "the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband: and hears a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, 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 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,' i. e., sin and death, etc., which prevailed, though to a limited extent, even during the Millennial Era, "ARE PASSED AWAY.".. "And the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day; for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: BUT THEY WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE.”

NOTE C.

Adjustment of the Chronological Discrepancy between 1 Kings vi. 1, and Acts xiii. 17-22.

HAVING had occasion, in the progress of the preceding "Sequel to Our Bible Chronology," etc., and now again in this "Reply," to advert to the important discrepancy of the Old Testament date in reference to the period intervening between the Exode and the fourth year of Solomon, as given in 1 Kings vi. 1, and Acts xiii. 17-22, the following adjustment of it is herewith inserted, as explanatory of the grounds of our adoption of a. M. 4132 (instead of the Usherian Chronology of A. M. 4004 in the margin of our English version), as the true date of the NATIVITY of Christ. We must here premise,

I. That the correction of what we deem to be an error in the chronology of Archbishop Usher in reference to this period, is based upon the

authority of the Hebrew text, as the foundation of the chronology of human history.

II. As to the origin of the above discrepancy, the date in 1 Kings vi. 1 being set down at four hundred and eighty years, when, as we maintain, it is more than one hundred years too short, must have been occasioned either by the carelessness of an early transcriber, in substituting the Hebrew numeral ▾ dauleth, 4, instead of hay, 5 (and which, from the similarity in the formation of the two letters might readily have been done), or by design.

III. We observe, in the next place, that the above discrepancy in this part of the Old Testament chronology, compared with St. Paul's account of the same period, has constituted THE GREAT CHRONOLOGICAL GORDIAN KNOT, which, until within a few years last past, has baffled the skill of many a master in Israel, who, failing to untie it-like the knot in the harness of the Phrygian King Gordius at the hand of Alexander-have attempted to cut it asunder. This summary process, however, in view of the important issue involved-that of a difference of more than one hundred years in the current chronology of our English version in settling the true date of the NATIVITY-Will not do. This discrepancy, we repeat, taken in connection with the conjectural dates appertaining to the times of the anarchy after Joshua, and of Eli, Samson, and Samuel, must be satisfactorily adjusted, and the true period determined from reliable data. In order to this, we shall first place the two above-named passages in opposite columns:

1 Kings vi. 1.

"And it came to pass, in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord."

Acts xiii. 17-22.

"The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm brought he them out of it. And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their land to them by lot. And after that, he gave to them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. And afterward they desired a king; and God gave to them Saul, the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David unto them to be their king," etc.

We shall now proceed to verify what we claim to be the true chronology