Without entering into a more minute examination of the remaining
epistles, we will proceed to consider some of the prophecies of the
Gospel dispensation.
Prominent among these prophecies are those which predict the
establishment of a new dispensation in the last days. {381} Our Savior
calls it "the regeneration," and says that in that dispensation "the
Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory," and the Twelve "shall
sit upon twelve thrones" (Matt. xix, 28).
Peter says that Christ is to be in heaven until this new dispensation,
"the times of the restitution of all things" comes (Acts iii, 21).
Jude quotes a prophecy delivered by Enoch about this dispensation:
"Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute
judgment upon all." (Jude 14, 15).
Paul (II Thess. ii.) is very clear and minute concerning the events
that had to transpire between his own time and the dispensation of the
last days. (1) A "falling away"--a general apostacy was to take place
first, and (2) "that man of sin, the son of perdition, be revealed."
It is further pointed out that the power of apostacy was already, at
the time of the writing of Paul, secretly at work, only there was
something that hindered this power from appearing openly. But as soon
as this obstacle (the Roman imperial power) had been removed, the "man
of sin," i.e., the embodiment of the spirit of apostacy, would boldly
appear, and, this "man of sin" would hold his sway over the world until
destroyed by the "brightness of the coming" of the Lord (_v_. 8). And
this apostate power is further described as one opposing and exalting
himself above every other authority, or "god," both on earth and in
heaven. He is "lawless" and "sitteth in the temple," that is, he is
a "Christian" not an infidel power; his coming is the work of Satan,
and is accompanied by "powers, signs and lying wonders," deceiving all
that would not believe the truth. Among the doctrines that should be
advanced by this apostate power is noted particularly as a departure
from the faith, "doctrines of devils," also a prohibition of marriage,
which was a revival of heathenism (see I Timothy, iv, 1-5), all of
which was fulfilled to the letter in the evolution from Christianism to
Romanism. Nothing can be clearer, from these prophecies of Paul than
this: Shortly after his own time, a period of apostacy would follow,
during which all kinds of lies were to be promulgated in the name of
God. But this period of apostacy would again be followed by a new
dispensation of truth and light, the coming of the Son of God in glory.
John was the last of the apostles. He lived to see the spirit of
apostacy still more developed than did Paul. In speaking of it he says
that "many anti-Christs" had already come (I John ii, 18, 19; iv, 3).
To him it was given to see, in {382} his apocalyptic visions, the
calamities that crushed the Roman empire, thus making way for the "man
of sin," or the "little horn" of Daniel or the anti-Christ, namely the
great church of the world with her pontifical "image" in Rome. He was
permitted to see the subjugation and flight to the wilderness of the
Church of Christ and the subsequent darkness that followed. But he
also, like the former seers and prophets of the Lord, was permitted
to behold in the future the first rays of the new dispensation, the
millennial kingdom, to be established, never to be overthrown.
Let us pause for one moment and reflect. If the word of God is sure,
this fact is surely established, that the reign of anti-Christ shall
be followed by a new, glorious dispensation, the millennial reign of
the Son of God. There is scarcely an event in the Scriptures more
frequently predicted than this. All the previous dispensations of God
are only preparations for this the last and most glorious of all, at
the commencement of which the hosts of heaven join the Saints below in
shouting, "Hosannah! Hosannah! Hosannah! The kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and he shall reign
for ever and ever" (Rev. xi, 15).
But it has before been proved that God never established a new
dispensation without renewing revelations. During the Adamic
dispensation, which continued while man was yet without sin, God
revealed himself. So also during the patriarchal dispensation. God
taught man how to offer sacrifices and to conduct worship. The
Mosaic dispensation was established through revelation continued
through centuries until four hundred years before Christ. The New
Testament dispensation or Gospel dispensation was wonderfully rich in
revelations, until the Priesthood was taken away "unto God" (Rev. vii,
5); and now, can we believe that revelation then and there ceased?
Shall the last dispensation, the most glorious of all, the millennial
reign of Christ, be established without revelation, only through the
wisdom of man, which, by the way, is foolishness to God? No! Such a
view is madness. It may be sound, worldly theology. But it is not the
word of God. All the prophecies that have been fulfilled so far, have
in that fulfillment been accompanied by divine revelation.
Those prophecies that remain to be fulfilled will as surely be
accompanied by revelations. When Christ first came, His coming was
heralded by angels, and by the Spirit of God operating on men; His
ministry was followed by revelations {383} on the mount, in Gethsemane,
and the Spirit was poured out upon His followers. And yet, at His first
coming, He appeared in humility, despised by men in general. What
will not His second coming, judging from this, bring with it? Surely
revelations _cannot_ cease as long as God has promised to send His Son
in glory to visit this earth and its inhabitants. Preparations _on_ the
earth are necessary for such an event, preparations that no man can
make without the aid of divine revelations.
During the ages past God has tried the human race in every respect. The
patriarchal dispensation ended in a corruption which even the deluge
could not check. The Mosaic dispensation ended in the rejection and the
dispersion of the covenant people. The Gospel dispensation ended in
the apostacy of the apostolic churches and the reign of anti-Christ.
But God is prepared to gain the victory yet. He promised in the end of
time to establish that kingdom which shall stand forever, never to be
overthrown, and hence the necessity of continuous revelation.