Eschatology: The Millennium

Ellen White's eschatology was most definitely pre-millennial. She believed in a millennium composed of a literal 1000 years, immediately preceded by a literal second coming of Christ.

However, her view of what takes place during the millennium was somewhat different from that of many evangelicals. She did not believe that the lost would get a second chance during a millennium of peace on earth. Rather, she believed that the earth would be completely desolate, entirely devoid of human and animal life, following Christ's glorious return and the rapture of the saints.

Indeed, a number of Bible passages suggest just such a scenario:

I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. (Jer. 4:23-26)

Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down . . . . The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. (Is. 24:1-3)

Thus, the earth during the millennium will be in a desolate condition similar to what it was at the beginning of Creation week. (Interestingly, the Greek word in Revelation 20 translated "bottomless pit," abussos, is the same Greek word used in the Septuagint for "deep" in Genesis 1:2, which suggests that the earth itself is the bottomless pit.)

Revelation connects just such desolation with the second coming:

And there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. . . . and the cities of the nations fell: . . . . And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. (Rev. 20:18-21)

Since the earth's crust is thus described as disintegrating, the earth would have to be recreated in order to be inhabitable the day after Christ returns. But most Christians agree that the earth is not recreated until after the millennium. That leaves us with the conclusion that the earth will not be able to support life the day after Christ returns.

In Ellen White's view, the redeemed spend the millennium in heaven while all the wicked remain in their graves. This idea might explain why none of those slain at the second coming get buried, since there isn't anyone around to conduct their funerals:

And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground. (Jer. 25:33)

That all the wicked do remain in their graves is certain:

I 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. This is the first resurrection. (Rev. 20:4, 5)

So the righteous dead, some of whom had lost their heads, come to life in the first resurrection, but the rest of the dead, the wicked dead, rest in their graves until the 1000 years are finished.

And down here on planet earth Satan will be confined to earth, left here to contemplate the fruit of his rebellion. As Ellen White put it:

Here is to be the home of Satan with his evil angels for a thousand years. Here he will be confined, to wander up and down over the broken surface of the earth and see the effects of his rebellion against God's law. For a thousand years he can enjoy the fruit of the curse which he has caused. Limited alone to the earth, he will not have the privilege of ranging to other planets, to tempt and annoy those who have not fallen. During this time, Satan suffers extremely. . . . [H]e is then to be deprived of his power, and left to reflect upon the part which he has acted since his fall, and to look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful future, when he must suffer for all the evil that he has done and be punished for all the sins that he has caused to be committed.—Early Writings, p. 290.

So what will the redeemed be doing during the 1000 years?

After the saints are changed to immortality and caught up together with Jesus, . . . Jesus and the saints sit in judgment. The books are opened—the book of life and the book of death. The book of life contains the good deeds of the saints; and the book of death contains the evil deeds of the wicked. These books are compared with the statute book, the Bible, and according to that men are judged. The saints, in unison with Jesus, pass their judgment upon the wicked dead. "Behold ye," said the angel, "the saints, in unison with Jesus, sit in judgment, and mete out to the wicked according to the deeds done in the body, and that which they must receive at the execution of the judgment is set off against their names." This, I saw, was the work of the saints with Jesus through the one thousand years in the Holy City before it descends to the earth.—Early Writings, pp. 52, 53.

This judgment, committed into the hands of the redeemed (Rev. 20:4-6; 1 Cor. 6:3), does not decide who is saved and who is lost. That verdict has obviously already been rendered. Rather, this is the "sentencing hearing" to determine who will receive many stripes and who will receive few (Luke 12:47, 48).

Then at the close of the one thousand years, Jesus, with the angels and all the saints, leaves the Holy City, and while He is descending to the earth with them, the wicked dead are raised, and then the very men that "pierced Him," being raised, will see Him afar off in all His glory, the angels and saints with Him, and will wail because of Him. . . . It is at the close of the one thousand years that Jesus stands upon the Mount of Olives, and the mount parts asunder and becomes a mighty plain. Those who flee at that time are the wicked, who have just been raised. Then the Holy City comes down and settles on the plain. Satan then imbues the wicked with his spirit. He flatters them that the army in the city is small, and that his army is large, and that they can overcome the saints and take the city. . . .

Then the wicked saw what they had lost; and fire was breathed from God upon them and consumed them. This was the execution of the judgment. The wicked then received according as the saints, in unison with Jesus, had meted out to them during the one thousand years. The same fire from God that consumed the wicked purified the whole earth.—Early Writings, pp. 53, 54.

Thus, the redeemed return to earth after the millennium and the unsaved are destroyed, Then the earth is recreated, and Jesus reigns forever in the New Jerusalem upon earth, the new capital of God's universe.

FOR LOVE & LIFE

MY FRIEND had a big bed of lilies of the valley along the northwest side of her house. One balmy afternoon, as she went out to work among her plants, she noted joyfully that nearly every leaf in the bed had a spire of white bells beside it.

Soon a summer shower began to approach. Over the hills beyond the Douro River marched cloud chariots, preceded by wind scouts and a phalanx of rain bowmen, whose first heavy drops stung almost like arrows. Absorbed in watching the majesty of the storm, my friend did not leave her plants till the downpour began.

As she hurried past the lily bed, she was startled. The flowers had vanished. Only leaves re­mained. A closer look revealed that each leaf stood curled around its flower companion, sheltering it from the storm, preserving its precious pollen till the God-ordained cycle of life could be completed.

Who taught those father leaves to protect their families? How, without ears or eyes, did they know a beating storm was coming? Ah, the love of God is written on every spire of grass, on every leaf and bud and flower. Look in a  garden in early summer, when the universal rhubarb plants are sprouting. Every sturdy stalk comes up wrapped about a smaller stalk, like an older brother protecting a younger. Stand beside a roadside weed and look directly down on its tip. Note how its leaves fan out around the stem with a minimum of overlappage and a maximum of sunlight and air to each leaf.

Trace down the stem, then, and see how this unselfish regard for the rights of each leaf is achieved. No leaf grows exactly above another. The placement of leaves on stems is no blind chance. Indeed, complicated systems of spirals involving intricate mathematical principles of progression are to be found. This is the work of the “Wonderful Numberer." (Daniel 8:13, margin.). "This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." Isaiah 28:29.

This same principle of loving protection is found in every glade and meadow or garden path. In spring the showy tulip lifts an open cup to the sky, and every shower sweeps the pollen from its anthers. But no life is lost, for the stem is busily growing new bulbs below ground. By contrast, the jack-in-the-pulpit prolongs one side of its cup into a pointed canopy and arches it over the flower spathe, to preserve the pollen and so secure the seeds that perpetuate its kind. Solomon's-seals and the trout lilies hang downward their seeding bells, as do the Indian pipes of late summer. Meadow clovers hide their precious life-perpetuating parts under the butterfly wings of their pea-flower-like blossoms. Hepatica's last year's leaves-tough, woolly, and browned by exposure-blanket this spring's buds. Some tree leaves hang on all winter in order that their enlarged and hollowed stem­bases can shelter their budding successors.

When summer's heat silences the birds and browns the meadows, practically all trees and the delicate flowers have passed their blooming time, and their seeds either have already ripened and been shed, or are growing inside protective fruits. Thus, life is sheltered from destructive heat. The flowering plants of midsummer, except ones like the delicate jewelweed of damp spring banks and bogs, are of woody fiber with tough-textured flowers, able to endure heat and drought.

Through everything with which God deals runs the same law of love and life, and His love will encompass us if we but open our eyes and let our hearts expand.

THE FAITH COME BY HEARING

"Faith cometh by Hearing, and Hearing by the Word of God!"

Did you know that all who hope to ever enter the Heavenly Gates, must sit at the feet of Jesus in the SCHOOL OF CHRIST here on this earth? Many do not realize it but this is one of the MAIN THEMES of Ellen White's messages from the Throne of God, and one of the most essential to understand!

Everywhere God's true servants, be they men or angels are offering entrance applications for this School in the form of Present Truth for this time. Those who are aroused by this Mighty Message are, like the Bereans of old, to begin to study to LEARN FOR THEMSELVES whether these things are so. This is the Entrance Exam for the SCHOOL OF CHRIST, The Mighty Cleaver of Truth!

"The mighty cleaver of truth has taken them out of the world. Then there is the work to be done for them to fit them for God's temple. They are hewed and squared and chiseled and fitted for the mansions in heaven." Sermons and Talks Volume One -PG- 33

By accepting this truth, they enter the SCHOOL OF CHRIST where under the direct instruction of Jesus, the Holy Spirit and guidance of the angels, they begin the course of study that will prepare them for the Higher School above. Notice what they need to learn and how it is taught:

"Learn of Me," says Jesus; "for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest." We are to enter the school of Christ, to learn from Him meekness and lowliness. Redemption is that process by which the soul is trained for heaven. This training means a knowledge of Christ. It means emancipation from ideas, habits, and practices that have been gained in the school of the prince of darkness. The soul must be delivered from all that is opposed to loyalty to God." The Desire of Ages -PG- 330 "All have lessons to learn in the school of Christ, in order to perfect Christian characters, and have a oneness with Christ." Advent Review and Sabbath Herald -DT- 06-22-86 "In the lower school of earth we are to learn the lessons that will prepare us to enter the higher school, where our education will continue under the personal instruction of Christ." UL -PG- 197 "Here is the admonition, "Come. . .and learn of me." How difficult to enter the school of Christ by giving up our wills, and submitting to the will of our heavenly Father! Christ knows our weakness. He has given us promises to encourage us by the way, and is ever ready to bear our burdens for us if we will bring them to Him." Manuscript Releases Volume Three -PG- 72 "The religion of Jesus Christ has a refining influence upon men and women. When the truth of God finds access to the heart, it commences its refining process upon the character. Men who are coarse and rough become humble, teachable, learning, ever learning, in the school of Christ." Talks Volume One -PG- 33

This SCHOOL is a personal course of study; each student is to receive one on one tutoring from the Three Heavenly Dignitaries Themselves, and the assistant Heavenly angels. Although interacting with other believers, and taking part in a church worship group, this NEVER takes the place of your need to sit in the SCHOOL OF CHRIST. As I said before, only individuals enter this SCHOOL, we cannot be given any 'honorary certificates' because we have our name on church books or even are working for the 'church'.

Although a Pastor or Minister may be one of the reference sources you find in your studies; always remember that they, too, are STUDENTS, who must sit beside you and learn or they won't ever enter the Higher School either! Human Pastors and Teachers are not ever to usurp the place of the Heavenly teachers. Never take a human being as an 'Ultimate Authority'!

As long as life on this earth shall last, we are never, never to cease from studying and learning, ever seeking to bring as much of Heaven into our hearts and lives as we possibly can. Never will we graduate if we merely try to learn only from Pastors and ministers; fellow students themselves; and do not have the one on one tutoring of the Heavenly Powers!

What are the text books in the SCHOOL OF CHRIST? The number one is the Holy Bible, and part of the course is to learn to recognise the TRUE textbook from modern per-versions! Then we have the wonderful resource given to us in the Spirit of Prophecy writings, the special Gift of the Master of the School to His last day people. We are taught also lessons from the books of experience, including crash courses in suffering and trials.

We learn from the books of History and Nature; which must always be studied by the Light of Inspiration in order to be rightly translated and understood. The Master of the School has hidden countless lessons for us in these books.

Part of the Course is learning the Lessons woven into our own wonderfully made Bodies; by learning and living under the discipline of the Laws of Health designed by the Creator, we are helped in all our other studies.

Remember, we are never to graduate from the SCHOOL OF CHRIST as long as life continues here on earth. Never are we to sit back and feel; I have heard it all before, I know all the Bible Lessons, I can just relax and be entertained week after week by the Pastor. If we stop learning for ourselves as individuals under the DIRECT instruction of Jesus and the Holy Spirit —we are DROPOUTS!! We will never reach the HIGHER SCHOOL in Heaven!

Remember too, that reading papers or books from other students must NEVER take the place of reading and studying the Inspired Writings with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Other books and papers are only helpful to the degree in which they draw upon and utilize the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy; man's own ideas and opinions are WORTHLESS! Indeed a student feeding on these will soon flunk out of the SCHOOL OF CHRIST and never graduate to the Heavenly School! Instead, he will transfer to the School of Antichrist, a branch of the School of Satan, and often will not notice the change until too late!

We are pleased to be able to present to you a compilation of 122 of the over 500 references to this ESSENTIAL SUBJECT, through the labors of Elder William O. Berry. We urge you to study these and also go to the context and study more deeply. Your Eternal Life depends on the awareness given in these references!

Mt 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

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A MESSAGE OF HOPE

The Infallible Word of God

Ellen White had a high view of the authority and inspiration of Scripture. Though she apparently never used the words "inerrant" or "inerrancy," she repeatedly referred to the Bible as being infallible: The Bible, and the Bible alone, is to be our creed, the sole bond of union; all who bow to this Holy Word will be in harmony. Our own views and ideas must not control our efforts. Man is fallible, but God's Word is infallible.—Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 416.

The word of God is infallible; accept it as it reads; look with confidence to God; trust him to qualify you for his service.—Advent Review, Feb. 11, 1896.

Man's word fails; and he who takes the assertions of man as his dependence may well tremble; for he will one day be a shipwrecked vessel. But God's word is infallible, and endures forever. Christ declares, "Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." God's word will endure through the ceaseless ages of eternity. God lives and reigns.—Advent Review, Feb. 6, 1900.

Praise God, we have a divine road to heaven. We need not depend upon the conjectures and opinions of men, but upon the infallible decision of the word of God. The word of the infinite God is true, and cannot be distorted to suit men's pleasure, or be turned aside to suit the inclinations of the unsanctified soul. No man can safely judge the word of the Supreme Ruler of the universe.—Signs of the Times, Aug. 21, 1893.

God's Word is full of precious promises and helpful counsel. It is infallible; for God can not err. It has help for every circumstance and condition of life, and God looks on with sadness when His children turn from it to human aid.—Signs of the Times, June 26, 1901.

Then let every man read, study, and search the Scriptures for himself and take nothing as infallible but the Word that you can see for yourself, after much prayer and searching in an humble, teachable spirit.—The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 835.