PREMILLENNIALISM

H. Robert Williams

        Ladies and gentlemen:  With a feeling of gratitude that God has preserved us unto this moment, and humbled at the great task before us, we pursue again our study of the theory of premillennialism.  In a recent discourse we dealt particularly with that phase of the subject which has to do with the Jewish Nation, promising a fuller definition and discussion of the main points at which the theory contradicts the scriptures.  It would be quite presumptuous to hope to frame a definition that would meet the approval of all who have engaged in speculation regarding the supposed millennial reign of Christ on earth at the end of this age.  it is impossible to comprehend the many views which have been advanced in one brief paragraph.  The following statement, however, has been framed after a rather extensive study and  is believed to comprehend the salient points.

         It is freely admitted by all that Christ came to earth with the purpose to establish his kingdom in accord with the predictions of Old Testament prophets--but, we are told, the Jews refused to cooperate and rejected his plan, whereupon, the Lord changed his mind and substituted the church instead.  It is said that we are now living in the church age and that a ruling class is being developed from among the Gentiles.  At some time in the near future the Lord will return to earth, receive his living saints, raise the righteous dead and take them away with him.  This is called the first resurrection.  This is said to be "imminent", that is, likely to take place at any moment.

        Now in the meantime all the Jews are supposed to be converted and carried back to the land of Palestine, the temple will be restored and Christ shall actually occupy the literal throne of David in the city of Jerusalem.  The Gentiles who are being trained in the church age will be assigned important ruling positions in the world-wide kingdom of Christ.  Of course before these things can come to pass the Roman Empire must be restored and come back to take a place of world ruler ship and power.  The rites and rituals of the old Mosaic Law, the animal sacrifices, burning of incense and all of he things incident to the Old Testament order will again be in vogue.  All of this is to last for a period of 1000 years, at the end of which time the devil will be loosed and permitted to deceive the nations.  The rest of the dead will be raised and judged, the awards will be handed out and eternity begins.

        This doctrine we cannot receive for in every essential detail it contradicts the plainly spoken text of the scriptures, serves to nullify the gospel and otherwise defeats God's plan of saving the world through the Church of Jesus Christ.  It is a scaffolding of guesswork founded upon a misapplication of a few obscure prophetic passages.

         At this point it seems in order to review certain details recorded in the 23rd chapter of Joshua.  There Joshua declared that Israel had received all of the land which had been promised and that not one thing had failed thereof.  We have no basis at all upon which we may doubt the truth of that statement.  The final verses of that chapter explain the conditions upon which the territory might be retained.  Joshua stated that just as surely as God had given them all good things, he would also bring upon them all evil things, if and when they should turn from him and bow themselves before the idol Gods of the community.  In that even, said he, "ye shall perish quickly from off the good land."  That's exactly what happened, and there is no Bible promise that they shall ever return.

          Why then are the Jewish people scattered and why do they not possess their home land?  read it again in Jeremiah 18:15.  "Because my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up; to make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; everyone that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.  I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back and not the face, in the day of their calamity."  Israel so transgressed the laws of God and treated them so shamefully that God could not honorably and justly permit them to remain in the land.  When a man gives God up and turns to wickedness, God will eventually give him up and permit him to go the way of the world.  This does not love the fallen man or the fallen nation, they may yet obtain nation, they may yet obtain his favor and blessing if they will repent and submit to his will.

        When the Jews committed the national crime of crucifying Jesus the national penalty was imposed and the death of that nation was the result.  So the people of Israel have no more a national standing.  The Lord scattered them as with and east wind before the enemy.  They may be found in every nation under heaven, having lost their national citizenship but never their identity.  Thus the Lord showed them the back and not the face in the day of their calamity.  When they disobeyed his law they aid the penalty for it.  Their land is desolate and a perpetual hissing.  "Every one that passes thereby shall be astonished and wag his head."

        In Hebrews 8, God stated the reason why Israel fell into disfavor.  he said, "Because they continued not in my covenant and I regarded them not, saith the Lord."  Despite the plainness of the warnings and the undeniable fact that God owes them no special favor, the theorists tells us that the Jews are yet to be converted as a nation and to be transported back to the land of Palestine.  Let us state kindly and firmly that the Bible does not teach anything of the kind.  We ask your consideration of the message found in the 11th chapter of the book of Romans.  Paul said, "Thou wilt say then, the branches (that is the Jews) were broken off, that I (the Gentiles) might be grafted in.  Well because of unbelief they were unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith.  Be not high-minded, but fear;  for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee." (vs.21)  Now the argument is simply this:  God caused their failure to bear fruit.  We, the Gentiles, should be careful lest we come to the same end.  Again I read:  "behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God:  On them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness:  Otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." (vs. 22.)

      He next explains that the Gentiles were made a part of the vine by grafting process and states that the Jews might be grafted in as well if they continue not in unbelief.  How is all this to be done?  Just like the Gentiles, one individual after another, not as a nation but as individuals.  The grafting process is achieved when a person accepts the gospel of Jesus Christ and makes his life conform to the teachings of the Master.  The Gentiles are therefore grafted in one at a time.

      The 26th verse of Romans 11, says, "And so all Israel shall be saved."  This is not a conclusion that all the nation of Israel will be saved, but the word "so" is an adverb of manner teaching that the Jews will be saved, if at all, just like the Gentiles.  There is no promise whatsoever that any group is to be favored for the gospel of Jesus Christ is to be preached to every creature.  It is to be received on an individual basis and the faithfulness required is a personal matter.  Please keep in mind that the principle purpose for which God called Abraham was to prepare an ancestry for the Lord Jesus Christ.  Now that Christ has come there is no longer the need for a chose family, and Jews and Gentiles stand on an equal basis before God.

      Now with this much before us we turn again to the communication which we read on an earlier broadcast.  In part our correspondent said, "I like your sermons, but I can hardly justify your contentions against premillennial doctrine."  A more recent word from the brother explains that he did not mean to imply that he believed that there will be a millennial reign of Christ on earth after this age, but that, to him, the matter is not of sufficient importance to justify religious division; that inasmuch as one's salvation does not depend upon it, it makes little difference whether one believes it or not.

        Let me say that we appreciate this friendly explanation and the sincerity of its author, but we cannot agree that the theory is as innocent as it is made to appear.  That this false teaching may not subtly corrupt the minds of those who would follow in the footsteps of the Master we point out some of the dangers incurred in it.

        There are many reasons why this matter should be given most serious consideration.  We may little more than state them here, but it is our earnest intention to plant in your minds some conception of the dangers that arise when we leave the simple pattern of things revealed to speculate and to guess about the secret things which belong to God.

        In the first place the essential features of the doctrine are based upon unfounded conjecture and are without Bible support.  Notice for example the explanation regarding the establishment of the kingdom as represented by Nebuchadnezzar's vision.  The Roman Empire, admittedly the fourth great kingdom, and the one in whose day the kingdom of God was to come, arose, served its time and fell apart about the year 476.  The Bible teaches that that kingdom of God actually came in those days, and that all men were translated into it.  (Col. 1:13)  But the modern prophets (?) say, "No, Daniel 2:44 will not be fulfilled until the end of this age."  But what about the fact that it was to come in the days of the Roman Emperors?  "Oh", they tell us, "the Roman Empire shall arise again, shall take its place as world ruler, and then the Lord shall set up his kingdom."  Friends, I submit that such is entirely without scriptural basis or sound reasoning.  It simply demonstrates the fact that false teachers will stop at nothing to sustain their speculative guesses.

        In the second place, the theory of premillennialism nullifies plain passages of scripture and causes the Bible to be arrayed against itself.  No less a personage than Jesus announced to his followers that the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of heave is at hand, repent ye and believe the gospel.  But we are told that the rebellious Jews in effect said, "No Lord, you are mistaken because we are not going to receive your ideas of establishing a kingdom now and you must wait until we are ready."  Would you suppose that Jesus was really deceived in thinking that he was about to do something which he couldn't do?  Such an attitude would seem little short of blasphemy.  Again in the 18th chapter of Matthew, Jesus said, "Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom."  That indicated that it wasn't there at that time but that they were making preparations for it.  Just a little later he said, concerning the memorial of his own death and suffering, "I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine until I drink it new with you in the kingdom of heaven."  What he was actually saying was that the next time they should participate in that memorial service the kingdom should have appeared.

        But still folks argue that the kingdom was ready to appear only in one small phase.  Which interpretation shall we accept?  The Apostle Paul said in Col. 1:13, "God hath made us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, and hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."  Modern teachers say, "no, Paul, you were not translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, you just thought you were:  You are only in a phase of it and the real thing isn't here yet."

        Now in the third place it is necessary for us to oppose the premillennial idea because it belittles the church, making it an afterthought and of small consequence.  We are told, very sagely, that the church was introduced as a substitute when the Jews refused the kingdom.  But in the third chapter of the Ephesian letter beginning at verse 8, Paul said, "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unreachable riches of Christ; and to make all me see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:  to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God."  Now listen:  "According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Now Paul says this was according to the eternal purpose of God.  Well, what was? That unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.  So it was planned before the beginning of time that the church should be launched for the express purpose of manifesting the wisdom of God.  And then somebody is ready to say, "That doesn't amount to anything."  It seems to me, dear friends, that to the earnest thinker it amounts to a great deal for it seeks to destroy our faith in the church of the Lord Jesus wherein is salvation and the hope of eternal glory for which we so fondly wait.

        Finally, I would remind you that even thought it is admitted that one can be saved without believing the doctrine of premillennialism, it is nevertheless taught and advocated to the point of dividing Christian people.  If there were no other reason why it should be opposed this would within itself be sufficient.  You will recall the words of the Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthian church.  He said, Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment. I Cor. 1:10.  Please bear in mind, brethren, that this peace and harmony cannot be enjoyed so long as anyone goes beyond hat which is written to surmise and to guess, and then to insist that others allow him to advocate such divisive doctrine.

        Having prayed for His Apostles in the 17th chapter of John, Jesus said, "Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their words, that they all may be one."  What did you say, Lord?  "That they all may be one--as thou Father art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." (verse 20-21)

        Brethren, one has no right to insist upon a doctrine which is admittedly not essential to salvation and press it to the point of the distress and division of the Lord's people.  A faithful preacher of the gospel once said, "I had rather be the Roman soldier who thrust the spear into the quivering  flesh of the Savior's side than the man who would cause division in the family of God, the church."  May God help us to be faithful in his service and satisfied with his revelation.