A New Heaven and A New Earth – Part 3 of 6

1901

The Rebellion of Man

Then, as the panorama continued to unfold itself, "seals" were broken, "trumpets" were sounded, and there were poured out "vials of the wrath of God upon the earth." Under these expressive symbols it was seen that while in heaven angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, united in adoring the grace of God, on earth it met with most bitter and determined opposition. The very ones for whom its graciousness was designed were at war with each other, and with Him who sat upon the throne, and with all who belonged to Him or desired to serve Him. They were defeated in their expectations time and again, and were brought under great trials, but neither defeat nor suffering quelled rebellion.

The leaders in this opposition were designated by the expressive names of "The Beast" and "The False Prophet" (16:13.) Their one purpose was to overthrow the authority of God and to destroy all who served Him. At last, however, they were themselves overthrown, and "both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone" (19:20.)

But even this did not give peace, for "The Beast" and "The False Prophet" were simply the tools of Satan, the arch enemy of man, and as long as he was free there could be nothing like rest for the children of God. But as the panorama again moved forward, John saw "an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon — that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan — and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled, (20:1-3.)

Then in the glorious scene which passed before John's view, all war, and tumult, and strife fled away. A millennium of righteousness and joy was ushered in, and he "saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (20:4-5.) Only the most holy, those who had been faithful witnesses for Jesus and His word even unto death, were partakers of the joy of this millennium. It was for them a grand training in righteousness.

Whether the length of this millennium is intended to be literally a thousand years, as we measure time, or whether the term is simply the expression for an indefinitely long period, or whether it is a prophetic measure, wherein every day is a year, and the whole the immense term of three hundred and sixty-five thousand years, is not clear, and it is not important. On either supposition it is long enough to test whether man, if kept by God's grace and daily schooled in ways of righteousness for a sufficient length of time, can acquire in himself strength to "stand against the wiles of the devil," and maintain his integrity before God. For the time is evidently a time of spiritual satisfaction and privilege rather than one of physical enjoyment. The time when Adam walked with God and was without sin may have been a similar millennium of gracious experiences. But at the end he fell. Now, however, the test is made with redeemed man, and the holiest among the redeemed are tested.

So again the panorama moves on, and even the millennium passed beyond John's view, and a new scene came before him. Again he saw "Satan loosed out of his prison," and going out again "to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth" (20:7-8.) At once war and tumult everywhere prevailed. Man had no strength to resist sin, and even the "saints" were deceived again, "and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them" (20:9.) — John R. Whitney.