From the Millennial Harbinger.
IS NOT CHRIST TO SIT UPON THE THRONE OF DAVID?
Louisville, April 24th, 1848.
Brother Campbell, Dear Sir:
It is not my intention to write on the subject of the “coming of the Lord,” nor indeed to consider that subject at all, neither as it respects the time, the preparation for it, nor the circumstances attending it. What I now write may be considered to have some bearing on that point, or the things stated may involve it; but yet, that is not my present subject. So much has been said and written, that what might now be said, could not claim any attraction on the score of novelty. A subject may be treated until the readers and hearers may complain of something like, or perhaps more than satiety. Such a thing may have taken place when Noah was building the Ark. It is highly probable that the subject was heard much in the days of Jerusalem’s overthrow. Since the days of Miller, something like a sceptical propensity seems to prevail, and a disposition to lay the matter aside, is beginning to manifest itself. The Editor of the Millennial Harbinger has not at all times kept his eye upon the same point, or, perhaps, not looked at the object from the same point; and hence, some appearance of change even in him. This appearance I do not, however, blame or find fault with, when the rage for speculation on that rich subject prevailed to so great an extent. Indeed, it begins to be among the things of the past, and like a tale often told it attracts no attention. Some of those who have been prominent in the discussion, have not evinced their faith by works corresponding; and, therefore, the people have concluded that the “affair” is but the dream of an enthusiast, and unworthy of their notice. Notwithstanding this general disposition to put the question, —“Where is the promise of his coming?” I find in the community “here and there a traveller” who lives like a pilgrim, and thinks that, as the Apostles besought the disciples to look for the coming of the Lord, and prepare for it, such teaching should exist even now. Eighteen centuries have passed since the Apostle wrote, and yet the faithful long and look for that glorious appearing.
But whither am I wandering? This is not my subject, and it seems I shall say much with respect to it. This very state of affairs of which I speak, may be a better indication of the near approach of that time, than any calculation which may be made from periods given in prophecy, or dates afforded by history. It is true that iniquity abounds and the love of many waxes cold. Novelties in the way of convert-making, and plans for uniting Christians, so called, are very abundant. The plain old way of preaching Christ and him crucified, of living a godly, quiet life seems to be forgotten; and stupendous scenes on the “one idea” system for bringing all churches into one, swallow up that “simplicity which is in Christ.”
One item in my religious creed reads as follows—
“And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”—(Luke 1: 30-34).
And another reads thus, —
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my father on his throne.”
From these I conclude that there is a throne on which Jesus will sit. This he calls his, (my) to distinguish it from his father’s. It is now evident that he now sits on a throne in the heavens. This throne is either God’s or David’s. If it is God, his heavenly father’s throne on which he now sits, then, hereafter he will sit on his father David’s throne. But, if that on which he now sits be David’s, then hereafter he will have one which is called his. That there will be a change of thrones is evident from the portion last cited. That he is not now on his father David’s throne, is evident from the fact of his being seated with his father on his (his father’s) throne. I say this is evident, unless some one can prove that David sits on his throne in heaven. I think this will not be assumed by any one. Therefore, the throne of his father David is yet to be occupied by him. To strengthen this conclusion, I will quote Isaiah, —
“Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end; upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice, from thenceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.”
Of the Jewish people and Jerusalem, Jesus thus speaks—(Luke 21: 24)—
“They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive unto all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
This language needs no comment, yet I must observe that a part of this has been, to the letter, fulfilled. The Jews are now in all nations, and Jerusalem has been trodden down by the Gentiles for nearly eighteen centuries. When the time of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled, then will the Jews cease to be scattered, and Jerusalem to be trodden down. Blindness in part, says Paul, has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. That same blindness is yet theirs. But when the fullness of the Gentiles is come in, then will that blindness cease. This seems too plain to be mistaken. I know not for what purpose this nation is kept and preserved as it is, if all the scripture relative to them has been accomplished. Verily I believe they are destined to hold the kingdom under the whole heaven, the sceptre of which will be in the hand of our Prince Messiah, and if the subject were not a common one, and if the people had not heard it before, I would go about to give a reason for the belief that is in me. Talk of missionary operations to convert the heathen, and of like societies to convert the Catholics! Strange that men should thus talk when God has pronounced sentence on a corrupt race; and when our only hope for the world lies in the resurrection of the sons of Abraham from their religious death. Not that I object to such efforts when properly directed. But when I see heathens at our own doors, and irreligion fill our streets, I rather think that expediency would say, convert your neighbours and your own sons, and then, when these are converted, go with one heart, one faith, one purpose, to the distant land. The mighty Colossus of superstition that bestrides European, African, and Asiatic nations will fall only by the visible manifestations of the Almighty’s power. Long since has the prophet said of Jerusalem, —
“The nation and the kingdom that will not serve thee, shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly destroyed.”
To the sons of Abraham, engrafted on their good olive, do I look as the only means of a world’s conversion. Who will persuade the Archbishop of Canterbury to descend into the Thames, or the Pope of Rome and his cardinals into the Tiber, that they may imitate him, who in his humility, was buried in the waters of Jordan? Who or what can reconcile the jarring and discordant elements of the present Protestant associations? Will any one say the Gospel will do this? I answer, have they not heard? And, again, who hath believed our report? The apostolic (there is no other,) Gospel has been sounded in the length and breadth of the land, and though many, comparatively, have heard, what multitudes neither hear nor will hear? Who will convert the more than one hundred millions of Romanists now bound, body and soul, to their miserable superstition? How can the gentle voice of peace be heard amid the clash of swords that is now preparing in western Europe? There is a spirit abroad that will rouse to fierce conflict the nations of the earth, —but it is not the spirit of faith, —no, but the spirit of infidelity. God says to the nations, since you will not hearken nor believe, make experiment of your unbelief. That experiment will be made, and the consequence will be, the present associations, political and religious, of the Old World, will be like chaff before the wind. The extremities, feet of Nebuchadnezzar’s metallic image, seen in his dreams, will now be smitten; and, as Daniel says, become as the chaff of the summer threshing floors. This will terminate the dreams of Protestants about a world’s conversion. But I wander. Vain, however, are our hopes from the existing state of affairs for the salvation of the world. Our effort is a noble one. It will prepare a people for the Lord; it will save multitudes from sin, and lift them up from the condition of slaves of sin to that of sons of God. We will labor with perseverance and fidelity, that we may be found without spot and blameless. But my faith is in what God has promised to his Son. He has promised him the throne of his father David. Paul says we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; and in his letter to the Galatians,
“If ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s, and heirs according to the promise.”
God has promised to Abraham the world for an inheritance, a heavenly city for a habitation; to Christ, the throne of David and his kingdom, and to all who are faithful a joint possession.
“Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”
If it be alleged that Abraham looked for a heavenly country, I answer, that the ideas of such persons are not consistent with the ideas of those souls whom John heard sing, the last words of which song, are, —
“Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.”
But Peter says our inheritance is reserved in heaven. Let this be the answer to all objectors of that sort, —that the earth is our inheritance, and our city and its king are in heaven. The inheritance is compound, or twofold. God will remove his tabernacle and dwell among men. Jerusalem, therefore, says Paul, is the mother of us all. That the new heavens and earth will be the habitation of the saints, and that the Messiah will be king is nothing new. But that he will sit upon the throne of his father David and reign over the house of Jacob forever, is a subject to which I have not known the attention of this people directed. This is the point to be decided. You may think that in my own mind, at least, this is decided. True, it is so. But not so firmly and immutably fixed as not to be changed by a good reason to the contrary. I am ready to admit, that I can, at present see no consistency in the bible promises unless this is so. Nor can I see why the nation of Israel should be preserved a distinct nation, unless they are designed for some grand purpose, such as that already named. Now, sir, if you can spare time to say a few words on that point, the occupation of the throne of David by the Messiah, you will confer a favor on, not myself only, but others, your constant readers. I have said much more than I intended at first; but perhaps not more than the nature of the case demands. The present movements in Europe are events of importance to the student of the good book; and make up the hope that the end is not far off, —I mean the end of the great apostacy. Should you think those remarks worth of a place in your Harbinger, give them publicity; if not, lay them aside, but a few lines relative to the point above named, will be gratifying to me.
Yours with much esteem and love,
H.T. ANDERSON.
Remarks on the above hereafter. —A. C.
