The patriarch Jacob said to his sons that "God Almighty appeared unto
him at Luz, which is Bethel." Gen. 48: 3; 25: 26. Here, while a Pilgrim
traveller and stranger, he had laid himself down for the night, he
"dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it
reached to Heaven; and behold, the angels of God ascending and
descending on it." Gen. xxviii: 12. Seventeen hundred and ninety years
after this, the Lord says to Nathaniel, "hereafter ye shall see HEAVEN
OPEN, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of
man." This, then, is in the future. Next in order, Ezekiel has a vision,
in the thirtieth "year of the Babylonish captivity by the river Chebar."
He says, "the Heavens were OPENED, and I saw visions of God." He
proceeds to describe his vision; please read Chap. i: 5, 10; 24, 28. He
sees as the appearance of a man--describes also the stormy cloud with
the brightness round about it; he also hears a _voice_ from the
firmament, and says that the Lord God spake to him. Now see Chap. x: 4,
5; 19, 20. Here he says "the Cherubims stood at the door of the _East_
gate (where Moses says they were placed) of the Lord's House, and the
glory of the God of Israel was over them above." "This is the living
creature that I saw _under_ the God of Israel by the river Chebar, and
_I knew that they were Cherubims_." Is it not plain that Ezekiel has
shown the same place and station of the Cherubims which Moses has, on
the East side, keeping the way of the tree of life. Jacob calls them
angels, and cries out in terror, "How dreadful is this place, this is
none other but the House of God and this is the _gate_ (or opening) of
Heaven." 17 v. Isaiah in a vision sees "the throne high and lifted up,
and hears the _voice_ of God," as did the others. Let us examine here a
few moments to see what Cherubims are, and their use. One writer says,
"they appear to be servants of God sent to do his will." Hear God
concerning them, "and there will I meet with thee and I will commune
with thee from between the two Cherubims which are upon the Ark of the
testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the
children of Israel." Exo. xxv: 16, 22. PROOF--"And Hezekiah (in his
distress) prayed before the Lord, and said O Lord God of Israel which
dwelleth between the Cherubims," 2 Kings, xix: 15. "And God sent the
prophets to tell him that his prayer was heard." v. 20.
"The Lord reigneth let the people tremble; he setteth between the
Cherubims, let the earth be moved." Psl. xcix: 1. Then here is where we
are to look for the Paradise of God, the Holy City, and where we shall
soon hear the voice of God, for he "sitteth above between the
Cherubims," as is represented in the old Tabernacle and Temple. "For
see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed
to thee in the mount." Heb. viii: 5; ix: 5. St. John also describes
them, and tells what their occupations were in heaven. Rev. v: 11, 12.
Now we will proceed with the testimony concerning the opening heavens.
John the Baptist bears record, that when he was coming up out of the
water from baptising the Saviour, he "saw the heavens OPENED (or cloven
or rent) and the spirit like a dove descending upon him, and there came
a _voice_ from heaven," &c. Mark i: 10, 11; Luke iii: 20, 22; Matt. iii:
16, 17; John i: 32.
Here is the opening heavens, and the voice of God as before. When Jesus
was transfigured on the Mount the Disciples saw the cloud and heard the
_voice_ of God.
When the Savior ascended from Mount Olivet, his disciples saw him: the
two shining ones said, "Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up _into
heaven_? (it must have been _open_ to their view, or they could not have
looked _into_ heaven) this same Jesus which is taken up from you _into
heaven_ shall come again in like manner as ye have seen him go _into
heaven_." Acts i: 11. Then of course, it will be from the same place.
Let us not be deceived about this, he has not come yet.
Again, St. Luke says of Stephen, the martyr, (while he was surrounded by
a blood-thirsty mob, gnashing on him with their teeth, because of the
burning truths which he uttered,) "Being full of the Holy Ghost, looked
up steadfastly _into heaven_, (at a certain point) and saw the glory of
God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God: and said, _behold, I
see the heavens opened_, and the son of man standing on the right hand
of God." Was Stephen mistaken? I think not--it was his dying testimony.
But here is a more singular case still, two miracles on two individuals
of different nations to establish and fulfil Daniel's prophecy of the
seventieth week upon his people (the Jews). The time had now come and
something out of the ordinary way was to mark this epoch of time. Now
look yonder in Cesarea, there is a Gentile in a vision, he sees an angel
which directs him to send into Judea for a certain Jew named Peter.
Where is he? At a place called Joppa. (the sea port of Jerusalem,) lying
in a trance, on the top of a house, and made to feel "very hungry,"
(that he might more readily and willingly follow the teachings of the
voice and spirit of God to proclaim salvation to the Gentiles, for he
was one of the _stubborn ones_, that held to the _present truth_; and
perhaps could not be prevailed upon to yield in any other way.) Just so
with his _stubborn_ brethren, who called him to an account for going in
to the Gentiles, but after he had rehearsed the whole matter to them,
"then they believed and glorified God, for granting repentance to the
Gentiles." But what was the miracle? Peter says he "saw _heaven opened_
and a certain vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet
knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth. This was done
thrice (or three times) and the vessel was received up again _into
Heaven_," and the voice of the Lord came to him twice, "saying what God
has cleansed call not thou common." Acts x. and xi. ch. Here ends the
confirming of the Covenant with many for one week. Danl. ix: 27, Heb.
ii: 3.
The Apostle Paul in relating his vision says that he was "caught up to
the third Heavens _into Paradise_." 2 Cor. xii: 2, 4. St. John, the
"beloved disciple," in his solitary confinement on the Isle of Patmos,
not only has the same view of the _opening Heavens_, and hears the same
voice, but was called up there in the spirit, and immediately he was
there, describing the glories of Heaven. Please read his description of
the glorious picture before and around the throne, (from whence the
Prophets and Apostles already quoted, have looked through God's _all_
magnifying Telescope, and was burdened with the cry, "This is none other
but the House of God and this is the _gate_ of Heaven!" "And lo, the
Heavens were _opened_"!! "I see Heaven _open_"!!! At the same time and
place God speaks with them). V: 6--here he sees the Lamb. Also vii: 15;
viii: 3, 5, and xii: 5. Jesus the Son was caught up there, xx: 11, and
xxi: 5. Same thing in the iv: 8 v. he has Isaiah's view of the Seraphims
and uses nearly the same language in describing them, and says with
Isaiah they rest neither day nor night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord
God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come, 8 v., and in the fifth
chapter he says "And I beheld and heard the voices of many angels round
about the throne, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was
slain to receive power," &c. &c. Ezekiel's Cherubims and John's Angels
are undoubtedly the same. John's _four_ beasts, Isaiah's Seraphims, and
Ezekiel's _four_ wheels are typical of the _four_ grand divisions of the
Camp of Israel, around the Tabernacle in the wilderness, all marshalled
and arrayed by God's direction with their _four_ different standards,
(answering to the _four_ faces or sides to Ezekiel's wheel, and the
faces of John's four beasts). Juda with the Lion in the front on the
East, (Num. ch. ii.) all ready to move at a moment's warning. Even where
the "cloudy pillar by day or of fire by night;" which rested on the
Tabernacle, should direct. The Levites, the ministers of God, all moving
in perfect harmony, with the Ark containing the Commandments of God;
close after which, in the midst of the camp, in solid columns follows
the taken down tabernacle. All moving after and watching the direction
of this "fiery pillar by night," and the moment it ceased to move the
camp halted. The Tabernacle was raised, and the Commandments of God,
(the keeping of which will secure an entrance into the Anti-type, the
real Heavenly Tabernacle, that is to be "with men," Rev. xxi: 3; xxii:
14.) restored to their proper place _beneath_, and under the guardian
care of the Cherubims between which his people were directed to pray
unto him. Exo. xxv: 22.
John also has described in the above mentioned texts, much of the
furniture particularized in the old Tabernacle, which Paul says are
"patterns of the true." Heb. ix: 23, 24. Conclusive evidence that he was
in the "_true_ (or real) Tabernacle which God pitched, and not man."
Heb. viii: 2. The same _City_, which Abraham "looked for, whose builder
and maker is God." The Psalmist also agrees with Paul; and says, "The
Lord has _prepared his throne_ in the Heavens." Paul says, that Jesus is
there. See Heb. viii: 1, 2; and ix: 24. Jesus says, "he that overcometh
will I grant to sit with me in my _throne_, even as I also overcame and
am set down with my Father in _his throne_." Rev. iii: 21. Now, is it
not evident that God has but one sanctuary, and that his throne is
there; and one place for that sanctuary, and that place in the third
heavens? Why then, should there be more than one way to approach it, or
for it to come from, namely, by "the Cherubims and flaming sword,
stationed there, to guard the way?"
The editor of the Day Star asks, "why we stand gazing up into heaven;
can you (meaning, I suppose, any one) tell where this same Jesus is
coming from?" 2d. "Can you prove God the Father to be in one place, in
any greater degree and power, than he is in any and every, and every
other place?"
If we have not already offered sufficient evidence, in answer to these
two most important questions to the true believer in Christ, we will try
a little further; for if we cannot understand, nor in any way
comprehend, the teachings of the divine word, in respect to the second
coming and kingdom of Jesus Christ, the location of the heavenly
_Sanctuary_, the new Jerusalem, God's dwelling place, other than is
figuratively discerned, then, I say, we that truly believe in God, "are
of all men the most miserable;" and the sooner we hoist the _Shaker's_
flag, and bring too under the lee of their _camp_, the better; for I
should despair of ever getting my anchor _down_ "within the vale." In
the first place then, we say, Jesus has not yet come the second time, in
the manner he promised us. For when speaking of his coming, he says
emphatically, "Then shall THEY SEE _the Son of man coming in the clouds
of Heaven_," &c. Now, according to this description, I'll venture the
assertion, that there is not a particle of proof in the universe, that
one solitary individual has seen him. Hence, I for one, am gazing up
into heaven looking, and unwaveringly believing, that this, his precious
promise, will soon be realized. But you say, he has come in his saints.
Well, I say there is no more proof of this, than there was that he was
in his apostle's, eighteen hundred years ago--for they certainly wrought
many wonderful miracles, and preached with as much power; and the mighty
weapons they used, was the death, resurrection and second coming of
Christ. Now did the Apostle's ever teach such a doctrine, that Jesus had
come _in them_ the second time? and further, I cannot believe that he
will be seen any sooner in Ohio, than in New-England or New-York. Again,
we answer to the first and second questions, combined--Rev. iv: 2. Here
is a throne, with one seated upon it. Is there any proof to be found
that this throne was on the Isle of Patmos, Rome, or any other city, or
place in this globe? Will it not be conceded by all Bible students, that
the Lord God Almighty, the Father, is seated upon it? Does not the
Seraphims which are continually crying, Holy, Holy, Holy, in the eighth
verse, say so? Who was found worthy to come and take the book out of the
right hand of him that sat upon this throne? Did he take it out of his
own hand? No, it does not read so. Who, then? John says, it "was the
Lamb." Others said, it "was the Lion of the tribe of Juda." We say, "the
Son of the Father." Here, then, where the door was _opened_ into heaven,
John saw the Father and the Son together, _at one time and in one
place_, transacting business; at the sight of which, ten thousand times
ten thousand, and thousands and thousands of angels cried aloud, "worthy
is the Lamb," &c.; and every creature under heaven acknowledged it!
Verse 11, 13. I am aware that it will be said this is symbolical
language. Allow me to quote an extract from a celebrated writer. "Even
the symbolic parts of a vision have a mixed character. When real
persons, the highest in their kind are mentioned by their proper titles,
there is no room for symbols; the objects represent themselves, God and
Christ and the good angels; Satan and evil spirits, and redeemed saints
on earth or in heaven, are never emblems. Forsake this maxim, and
symbolic prophecy becomes a chaos, in which nothing is fixed, and where
fancy runs riot in its own excesses."
But you say, God is a spirit. (There is no doubt but what his spirit
pervades all space, and every thing in it that has life.) But to the
testimony. "Ye have neither heard his voice nor seen his shape." John v:
37. Did Jesus contradict the Patriarchs and Prophets? No, no! He here
told his persecutors what they had not seen nor heard; he did not say he
had no voice or shape. Who did? 1st. Moses. "And I will cover thee with
my _hand_ while I pass by; and I will take away mine _hand_ and thou
shalt see my _back parts_, but my _face_ shall not be seen." Exod.
xxxiii: 22, 23. 2d. The "_eyes_ of the Lord are upon the righteous, and
his _ears_ are open unto their cry. The _face_ of the Lord are against
them that do evil: the Lord _heareth_." Psalms xxxiv: 15, 17. Again, the
"Ancient of days did _sit_, whose _garment_ was white as snow, and the
_hair of his head_ like the pure wool." Does not this prove a shape,
features, and voice, ascribed to God, the same as to man. "And God said
let us make man in our own image, after our likeness; so God created man
in his own image, in the _image of God_ created he him: male and female
created he them." Gen. i: 26, 27. Paul says of Jesus, "Who is the _image
of God_, (this can't be spiritually so) the first born of every
creature; who being in the _form of God_, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God." Eph. ii: 5, 6. Now to the Hebrews--"Hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his son, who being the brightness of his glory,
and the EXPRESS IMAGE of his person." Now turn to the history of Rome
for a moment--read how LENTULUS describes the Savior to the Roman
Senate. Here he describes his stature, countenance, his eyes, beautiful
flowing hair, his wisdom, &c., and finally closes with the following: "A
_man_ for his singular beauty far exceeding all the sons of men." Paul
says, he is the "_express image_" _of God_. (I understand him to say
that he looks just like him.) Oh, says one, this man is a Unitarian! So
then was Paul, or I have not quoted him right.
And Daniel, the prophet, teaches the same doctrine. "I saw in the night
visions: and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of
heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, (described in the ninth verse)
and they brought him near before him; and there was given him dominion
and glory, and a kingdom, never to be destroyed." Dan. vii: 13, 14. Now
we all admit this personage was Jesus Christ; for no being on earth or
in heaven, has ever had the promise of an everlasting kingdom but him.
And does not the Ancient of days give it to him? Would it not be absurd
to say that he gave it to himself? How then can it be said (or proved)
as it is by some, that the Son is the Ancient of days;--this passage,
and the one in fifth Revelations, distinctly prove God and his Son to be
two persons in heaven. Jesus says, "I proceeded forth and came from God;
neither came I of myself, but he sent me." John viii: 42. "I come forth
from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world
and go to the Father." (Does he remain in the same place?) "We are
confident I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and
present with the Lord." Paul.
"The Scripture testimony accounts for no other spirits but those seen in
the shape of men." One of the three which came to Abraham was the Lord.
Gen. xviii. The Angel Gabriel was called the "man Gabriel." Danl. ix.
The angel which appeared to Gideon was called the Lord. I think here is
sufficient proof from the Scriptures to justify the true believer to be
still looking for a personal Saviour, and that God the Father is a
person, and looks like Jesus and we like him; and God has a habitation
where he dwells, as the Scriptures testify:
"And I John saw the _Holy City new Jerusalem_ coming down from God out
of Heaven."
Another writer in the same paper undertakes to prove that this same City
has began to appear; has been developing itself since the fall of 1844.
Who has seen this City? O, he says, it is evident, that it is the
saints. Is it possible that the Saints have been _coming down from
Heaven_ this eighteen months! Why, there is not the least particle of
proof that the righteous dead have yet been caught up? Thes. iv: 16, 17.
I can readily believe that both of these brethren have been fearless
advocates for the truth, and I do not doubt their sincerity. They have
clearly proved that they are not seeking the applause of the world. I
sincerely hope that they will not get so far into the fire on one side
of the "highway" as some are in the "slough of despond" on the other.
The main business of the Devil is now to make God's people change their
course, and it is matter of no moment to him on which side of the
"highway" they fall. In either case he will make sure of his prey. God
help us to be on our watch. The great error here has arisen in
consequence of taking the symbolical meaning and rejecting the true. The
author of the Apocalyptic Dictionary, R. C. SHEMEALL, says, "_Holy City,
Jerusalem._ Used symbolically of the present visible Church; Literally,
that CITY which comes down from God." Let us examine a few texts: "Go
and cry in the ears of Jerusalem." Jer. ii: 2. "And he carried away all
Jerusalem." Kings xxiv: 14. "The cry of Jerusalem is gone up." Jer. xiv:
2. "Jerusalem has sinned they have seen her nakedness, yea she sigheth."
Lam. i: 8. "Jerusalem is a menstrous woman." 17 v. "Awake, awake, stand
up O Jerusalem." Isa. li: 17. "Arise and set down O Jerusalem." lii: 2.
"O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness." Jer. iv: 14. "Cut off
thine hair O Jerusalem and cast it away." Jer. vi: 8. Here we see that
old Jerusalem is personified. The prophets exhort her to "stand up" and
"set down," and "awake from sleep," and "wash her heart," and "be
instructed," to "cut off her hair and cast it away." She is also called
a "menstrous woman," and said to "cry and sigh," and be "carried away."
A "tumultuous city;" a "joyous city;" a "glad city." "Thou art comely, O
my love, as Jerusalem." Songs vi: 4. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that
killest," &c. Now this language never could be understood, unless there
was 1st: a Jerusalem, people and government; neither could we understand
what is said of the new Jerusalem in many places, without associating
organization, as the "Zion of God," "the Zion of the Holy One of
Israel." Isa. lx: 14. "Like the kingdom of God among the Pharisees."
Luke xvii: 21. This old Jerusalem at his second coming would be the
place for the capital of his kingdom; his disciples the subjects; he
their king. As also in Daniel viii: 13--connecting the "Host (God's
people) and sanctuary." Paul to the Galatians says, "Agar is Mount Sinai
in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage
with _her children_. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the
_mother_ of us all." Can this testimony be credited? Did not "Abraham
look for a city which had foundations?" Paul also says of the pilgrims
and strangers on the earth, that they "were seeking an heavenly country
for God _hath_ prepared for them a _City_"! Heb. xi. in the past tense;
then it cannot be developing now in his Saints, but they are preparing
to enter the CITY.
When John was describing the _City_ in xxi. Rev. he said he saw no
temple there "for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of
it." Now Peter and Paul distinctly describe the Saints (not the city)
coming to this Mount Zion, and Temple, which makes it perfect and
complete. Peter says of his "spiritual house," "Ye also as lively
stones, [be ye built--_margin_.] up a spiritual house." 1 Pet. ii: 5. To
whom coming as unto a living stone. 4 v. For, says sixth verse, behold I
lay in Zion a chief corner stone. (Jesus.) Peter says of this Temple,
_be ye built_. Paul says it is _growing_. Read how admirably he
describes it to the Ephesians. "Fellow citizens with the Saints, and of
the household of God. And are built upon the _foundation_ of the
Apostles and _Prophets_," (see John's twelve gates representing the
twelve tribes in Rev. xxi: 12; and the twelve Apostles of the Lamb
representing the twelve foundations of the wall, 14th verse, which
encloses the whole,) Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone,
_In whom all the building fitly framed_ GROWETH INTO _an holy Temple in
the Lord_; In whom ye also are builded _together_ for an habitation of
God. Eph. ii: 19, 22. His Epistle to the Hebrews shows how they are
brought together and where. "But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto
the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
innumerable company of angels; To the general assembly and church of the
first born, which are (enrolled--_margin_) in heaven; And to God the
Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus
the Mediator of the new Covenant." Now has not Paul distinctly described
_what_ the Saints _shall come to_. O but, say you, we have already come.
No, no, friend, you are too fast. Paul will explain: "_Mount Zion_ the
_City the Heavenly Jerusalem_ to the innumerable company of Angels (or
Cherubims) to the Church of the first born and to God, and to Jesus."
xii: 22, 24. Now where? See 25, 28, when he speaketh from heaven. His
voice once shook the earth, but now he is about to speak and shake
heaven also, wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved,
(this is after every thing else is moved,) therefore wait until God
shall speak in the language of Joel, and "Roar out of Zion and utter his
voice from Jerusalem." Paul shows the Corinthians how it is finished.
Hear him: "What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for _ye_
are the _Temple_ of the living God, as God hath said I will dwell in
them, and walk in them, and I will be their God and they shall be my
people." Then God and Christ and immortal Saints, constitute the Temple
in this glorious City of Zion.
I have been thus particular in quoting the Scriptures, in answer to the
questions proposed, to endeavor if possible to dispel some of the thick
darkness and mist of Shakerism, Quakerism, Swedenborgianism, and all the
Spiritualisms that now seem to be settling down all over the moral
world, and shutting out even the very light from the horizon. To my mind
this spiritualizing system, when God's word admits of a literal
interpretation, and--according to rule--the literal first; is, to use a
sailor phrase, like a ship groping her way into Boston Bay in the night,
in a thick snow with the moon at full. Nothing could be more deceptive
to the mariner; the flying clouds at one moment light up the firmament
by the thinness of its vapor, (encouraging the mariner to believe that
he shall now see the light house) the next moment it grows darker, and
so it continues to deceive them, until of a sudden the breakers are
roaring all around them--the ship is dashed upon the rocks--one general
cry goes aloft for mercy! and all hope is forever gone--ship and
mariners strewed all over the beach! Good God! help us to steer clear of
these spiritual interpretations of Thy word, where it is made so clear
that the second coming and kingdom of Christ will be as literal and
real, as the events that transpired at the first Advent, now recorded in
history.
When the Saviour comes the second time, it will be with the City, (the
Capital of his kingdom) seated upon his throne. Hear him: "When the son
of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then
shall he be _seated_ upon the throne of his _glory_." Matt. xxv. 31.
"And the city had no need of the sun--for the glory of God did lighten
it, and the lamb is the light thereof." "But the _throne_ of God and the
Lamb shall _be in it_." Rev. xxi: 23, and xxii: 3. This _glory_ is none
other than the golden City. When "one like the son of man came before
the Ancient of days," in Daniel, he received "_Dominion_, and _Glory_,
and a _Kingdom_." Glory, signifies worldly splendor, and magnificence.
What, I ask, will be more splendid and glorious than this City of Gold
poised fifteen hundred miles into the Heavens. The Psalmist cries out in
view of it, in this sublime language, "Let thy Glory be above all the
earth!" and so it will be; and as his dominion is from sea to sea, and
from the rivers unto the ends of the earth, so I believe his _glory_
will be seen from the uttermost border. Other views of the glory of God
and Christ do not destroy this. Saint John has connected in one, the
"_Holy City_, _New Jerusalem_, _Tabernacle of God_, _Bride the Lambs
Wife_, coming down from God, _out of Heaven_ to dwell with his
_people_." PROOF--"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither
shall there be any more pain." "And he that sit upon the throne said,
behold I make all things new, and he said unto me write, for these words
are true and faithful." Rev. xxi: 4, 5. Is it not clear that the _City_,
and the _King_, and _Saints_, are here distinctly described. Why, then,
all this shouting about a figurative fulfillment, while yourselves and
the world are groping through the "_snow storm_."