and live here in his whole person visible a thousand years before the
day of judgment, appears to be contrary to several passages of
Scripture. The coming of Christ, and his appearing at the day of
judgment in his human nature, is said to be his second appearance,
answering to his first appearance, in his human nature on earth, from
his birth to his ascension into heaven, which was past. And as it is
appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ
was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them who look for
him shall he appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation,” Heb.
ix, 27, 28. The appearance here spoken of is the appearance of Christ at
the day of judgment, to complete the salvation of his church. This could
not be his appearing the second time, were he thus to appear, and to be
bodily present in his human nature on earth, in the time of the
millennium, which is to take place before the day of judgment. The
coming of Christ does not always intend his coming visibly in his human
nature; but he is said to come, when he destroyed the temple and nation
of the Jews, and appeared in favour of his church. So his destruction of
Heathen Rome, and delivering his church from that persecuting power, was
an instance of his coming. And he will, in the same way, come to destroy
antichrist, and the kingdom of Satan in the world, and introduce the
millennium; and in these instances, and others, he may be said to
appear. But his coming to judgment, and appearing to complete the final
destruction of all his enemies, and to perfect the salvation of his
church, is his last coming and appearance. But if he were here on earth,
visible in his human nature, and reigning in his glorified body, during
the millennium, he would be already here to attend the last judgment,
and he could not be properly said to come from heaven, and to be
revealed from heaven, because this was done a thousand years before.
Beside, that Christ should come from heaven, and appear and reign in his
human nature and presence before the day of judgment, seems to be
contrary to the following scriptures: For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” When the Lord
Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming
fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God,” &c. When he shall
come to be glorified in his saints,” 1 Thess. iv, 16; 2 Thess. i, 7, 8,
10. This is evidently his appearing the second time, for the salvation
of all them that look for him; but were he on earth before this, in the
human nature, during the time of the millennium, how could he be said to
be revealed, to descend and come from heaven to judge the world?
3. There is nothing expressly said of the resurrection of the body in
this passage. The Apostle John saw the souls of them which were beheaded
for the witness of Jesus, &c, and they lived and reigned with Christ.
The resurrection of the body is no where expressed in Scripture by the
soul’s living. And as there is nothing said of the body, and he only saw
their souls to live: this does not appear to be a proper expression to
denote the resurrection of the body, and their living in that. As this,
therefore, does not seem to be the natural meaning of the words, and
certainly is not the necessary meaning, we are warranted to look for
another meaning, and to acquiesce in it, if one can be found which is
more easy and natural, and more agreeable to the whole passage and to
the Scripture in general. Therefore,
4. The most easy and probable meaning is, that the souls of the martyrs,
and all the faithful followers of Christ, who have lived in the world,
and have died before the millennium shall commence, shall revive and
live again in their successors, who shall rise up in the same spirit,
and in the same character, in which they lived and died; and in the
revival and flourishing of that cause which they espoused, and spent
their lives in promoting. This is therefore a spiritual resurrection,
denoting that all Christ’s people shall appear in the spirit and power
of those martyrs and holy men, who had before lived in the world, and
who shall live again in these their successors, and in the revival of
their cause, or in the resurrection of the church, from the very low
state in which it had been before the millennium, to a state of great
prosperity and glory. This is agreeable to the way of representing
things in Scripture in other instances. John the Baptist was Elijah,
because he rose in the spirit of Elijah, and promoted the same cause in
which Elijah lived and died; and Elijah revived and lived in John the
Baptist, because he went before Christ, in the spirit and power of
Elijah, Luke i, 17. Therefore Christ says of John, This is Elijah who
was to come,” Matt. xi, 14.
With regard to the nature of the millennial state, or the blessings
which shall be more particularly enjoyed during that period, the
following things seem to be marked out in prophecy:--
1. It is expressly said of those who shall partake of this first
resurrection, that they shall be blessed and holy;” by which the
inspired writer seems to denote that it will be a time of eminent
holiness. This will constitute the peculiar glory and the source of the
happiness of the millennium state, Zech. xiv, 20, 21. And that such will
be the case, we may infer, also, from the consideration, that,
2. There is reason to expect a remarkable effusion of the Spirit, about
the commencement of this happy period, even as there was at the first
setting up of Christ’s kingdom in the world. Beside the promises of the
Spirit which were accomplished in the apostolic age, there are others
which from the connection appear to refer to the time we are now
speaking of. Thus Isaiah, after having described Christ’s kingdom which
was set up at his first coming, and then the succeeding desolate state
of the Jews, represents this as continuing until the Spirit be poured
upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the
fruitful field be counted for a forest,” Isa. xxxii, 15–19. The Apostle
Paul, speaking of the conversion of the Jews at this period, refers to a
passage in Isaiah where a promise of the Spirit is made to them: “As for
me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord: My Spirit which is
upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart
out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth
of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever,” Isa.
lix, 20, 21; Rom. xi, 26, 27. The Lord having mentioned the forlorn
dispersed state of Israel throughout the nations, among whom they had
profaned his name, promises to gather them, cleanse them, and give them
a new heart and spirit, and adds, And I will put my Spirit within you,
and cause you to walk in my statutes; and ye shall keep my judgments and
do them,” Ezek. xxxvi, 27; xxxix, 28, 29. The promise of pouring upon
them the spirit of grace and supplication has also a view to this
period, Zech. xii, 10. Though we are not to expect the miraculous gifts
of the apostolic age, yet the work of the Spirit will abundantly appear
in qualifying men for propagating the Gospel throughout the world,
filling them with light, zeal, courage, and activity, in that work; in
giving success and effect to the Gospel by converting multitudes to the
faith, quickening the dead in trespasses and sins, and translating them
into the kingdom of Christ; and in enlightening, quickening, purifying,
and comforting the children of God, stirring them up to greater
liveliness, love, zeal, activity, and fruitfulness in his service.
3. A universal spread of the Gospel, diffusing the knowledge of the Lord
throughout the world in a more extensive and effectual manner than ever
it was before. This is repeatedly promised: The earth shall be full of
the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea;” and this shall
take place in that day when the Gentiles shall seek to the branch of the
root of Jesse, whose rest shall be glorious, and when the Lord shall set
his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, and
shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts
of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four
corners of the earth,” Isaiah xi, 9–12. The same promise of the
universal knowledge of the glory of the Lord is repeated in the prophecy
of Habakkuk, ii, 14. This will be attended with corresponding effects:
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord; and all
the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him,” Psalm xxii, 27;
yea, all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him,”
Psalm lxxii, 11. And though we may not imagine that all the inhabitants
of the globe will have the true and saving knowledge of the Lord; yet we
may expect such a universal spread of light and religious knowledge as
shall root up Pagan, Mohammedan, and antichristian delusions, and
produce many good effects upon those who are not really regenerated, by
awing their minds, taming their ferocity, improving their morals, and
making them peaceable and humane.
4. The Jews will then be converted to the faith of the Messiah, and
partake with the Gentiles of the blessings of his kingdom. The Apostle
Paul, in the eleventh chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, treats of
this at large, and confirms it from the prophecies of the Old Testament.
He is speaking of Israel in a literal sense, the natural posterity of
Abraham; for he distinguishes them both from the believing Gentiles and
the Jewish converts of his time, and describes them as the rest who were
blinded, had stumbled and fallen, and so had not obtained, but were
broken off and cast away, Rom. xi, 7, 11, 12, 15, 17. Yet he denies that
they have stumbled that they should fall, that is, irrecoverably, so as
in no future period to be restored; but shows that God’s design in
permitting this was, that through their fall salvation might come unto
the Gentiles, and that this again might provoke them to jealousy or
emulation, verse 11. He argues that if their fall and diminishing was
the riches of the Gentiles, and the casting away of them was the
reconciling of the world, their fulness will be much more so, and the
receiving of them be life from the dead, verses 12, 15. He farther
argues, that if the Gentiles were grafted contrary to nature into a good
olive tree, how much more shall these which be the natural branches be
grafted into their own olive tree?” verse 24. Nor did he consider this
event as merely probable, but as absolutely certain; for he shows that
the present blindness and future conversion of that people is the
mystery or hidden sense of prophecies concerning them; and he cites two
of these prophecies where the context foretels both their rejection and
recovery, Isaiah lix, 20, 21; xxvii, 9.
5. The purity of visible church communion, worship, and discipline, will
then be restored according to the primitive apostolic pattern. During
the reign of antichrist a corrupted form of Christianity was drawn over
the nations, and established in the political constitutions of the
kingdoms which were subject to that monstrous power. By this means the
children of God were either mixed in visible religious communion with
the profane world, in direct opposition to the word of God, or
persecuted for their nonconformity. In reference to this state of
things, the angel commands St. John to leave out the court which is
without the temple, and not to measure it, for this reason, because it
is given to the Gentiles; and the holy city shall they tread under foot
forty and two months,” Rev. xi, 2; that is, they shall pollute and
profane the worship and communion of the church during the one thousand
two hundred and sixty years of antichrist’s reign, so that it cannot be
measured by the rule of God’s word. But when the period we are speaking
of shall arrive, the sanctuary shall be cleansed, Dan. viii, 14; the
visible communion, worship, order, and discipline of the house of God
will then be restored to their primitive purity, and accord with the
rule of the New Testament. So it is promised to Zion, Henceforth there
shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean,” Isaiah
lii, 1. Thy people shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land
for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be
glorified,” Isaiah lx, 21. And in that day there shall be no more the
Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts,” Zech. xiv, 21.
6. The Lord’s special presence and residence will then be in the midst
of his people. Christ hath promised to be with his people in every
period of the church, even unto the end of the world, Matt. xxviii, 20,
and that he will be in the midst even of two or three of them when
gathered together in his name, Matt. xviii, 20. He also calls them to
purity of communion and personal holiness, and promiseth to dwell in
them and walk in them, 2 Cor. vi, 16, 17; but this will be fulfilled in
an eminent and remarkable manner during the millennial period. The Lord,
having promised to raise Israel out of their graves, to gather them from
among the Heathen, and bring them into the church and kingdom of Christ,
as one fold having one shepherd, adds, And I will set my sanctuary in
the midst of them for evermore; my tabernacle also shall be with them;
yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people,” Ezek. xxxvii,
11–27. This alludes to his dwelling among Israel in the tabernacle and
sanctuary of old, Lev. xxvi, 11, 12; and imports his manifesting himself
unto them, admitting them into the most intimate correspondence and
communion with himself in his ordinances, communicating light, life, and
consolation to them by his Spirit; and also his protection and care of
them as his peculiar people. It is intimated that there will be such
visible tokens of the divine presence and residence among them as will
fall under the notice of the world, and produce conviction and awe, as
was in some measure the case in the first churches, Acts ii, 47; v, 11,
13; 1 Cor. xiv, 24, 25; for it is added, And the Heathen shall know that
I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst
of them for evermore,” Ezek. xxxvii, 28. Indeed, this is that very
promise which is represented to St. John as accomplished: And I heard a
great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with
men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God
himself shall be with them, and be their God,” Rev. xxi, 3.
7. This will be a time of universal peace, tranquillity and safety.
Persons naturally of the most savage, ferocious, and cruel disposition,
will then be tame and harmless; so it is promised, Isaiah xi, 6–10.
Whether we consider the persons represented by these hurtful animals to
be converted or not, it is certain they will then be effectually
restrained from doing harm, or persecuting the saints. There shall be no
war nor bloodshed among the nations during this happy period; for we are
told, that, in the last days, when the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted
above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it; the Lord shall
judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall
beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning
hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they
learn war any more,” Isaiah ii, 4. The same promise is repeated word for
word in the prophecies of Micah, iv, 3. Much to the same purpose is that
promise in Hosea ii, 18. Though war has hitherto deluged the world with
human blood, and been a source of complicated calamities to mankind,
yet, when Satan is bound, his influence upon wicked men restrained, and
the saints bear rule, it must necessarily cease.
8. The civil rulers and judges shall then be all maintainers of peace
and righteousness. Though Christ will put down all that rule, power, and
authority which opposeth the peace and prosperity of his kingdom; yet as
rulers are the ordinance of God, and his ministers for good; as some
form of government seems absolutely necessary to the order and happiness
of society in this world; it is thought that when the kingdoms of this
world are become our Lord’s and his Christ’s, the promise will be
accomplished, I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors
righteousness;” and in consequence of this, violence shall no more be
heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou
shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise,” Isaiah lx, 17,
18. Peace and righteousness are the two great ends of government: Christ
himself is king of righteousness, and king of peace, and the civil
rulers during that happy period will resemble him in their character and
administration; for then shall that promise be fulfilled: In
righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from
oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not
come near thee,” Isaiah liv, 14.
9. The saints shall then have the dominion, and the wicked shall be in
subjection. This is clear from the united voice of prophecy: The kingdom
and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,
shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High,” Dan. vii,
27. The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the
kingdom for ever,” Dan. vii, 18. The meek shall inherit the earth,”
Matt. v, 5; shall reign on the earth,” Rev. v, 10; shall reign with
Christ a thousand years,” Rev. xx, 4; they shall be priests of God, and
of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years,” Rev. xx, 6. The
saints are at present made kings and priests unto God, a kingly
priesthood, 1 Peter ii, 9; but then they shall be more eminently so,
when, by the holiness of their lives, the purity of their faith and
worship, and their diligence in promoting pure and undefiled religion,
the earth shall he filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Then shall
that promise be fully accomplished, Ye shall be named the priests of the
Lord; men shall call you the ministers of our God,” Isaiah lxi, 6. With
regard to the nature of their reign, it will undoubtedly correspond in
all respects with the spiritual and heavenly nature of Christ’s kingdom,
to the promotion of which all their power will be subservient. Those who
cannot conceive of any reign upon earth, but such as consists in lordly
and oppressive dominion, maintained by policy and force, and made
subservient to the purposes of pride, ambition, avarice, and other
worldly lusts, can have no idea at all of this reign of the saints with
Christ, which is a reign of peace on earth and good will to men; a reign
of truth and righteousness, of true godliness and universal humanity. In
short, it is the prevalence and triumph of the cause of Christ in this
world over that of Satan and all his instruments. How delightful then
the prospects which open upon the eye of faith in the prophetic vision!
Christianity prevails universally, and the consequences are most
blissful. Our race assumes the appearance of one vast virtuous and
peaceful family. Our world becomes the seat of one grand triumphant
adoring assembly. At length the scene mingles with the heavens, and,
rising in brightness, is blended with the glories on high. The mysteries
of God on earth are finished, the times of the regeneration are
fulfilled. The Son of God descends. The scene closes with divine
grandeur: And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as
the voice of many waters, and as the voice of many thunderings, saying,
Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The kingdoms of this
world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ. And I saw a
new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth
were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I saw the holy city,
New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. And I heard a great
voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God
himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
MILLET, דחן, Ezek. iv, 9, a kind of plant so called from its thrusting
forth such a quantity of grains. Thus in Latin it is called _millium_,
as if one stalk bore a thousand seeds. It has been supposed that the
_dochan_ means what is now called in the east _durra_; which, according
to Niebuhr, is a sort of millet, and when made into bad bread with
camel’s milk, oil, butter, or grease, is almost the only food which is
eaten by the common people in Arabia Felix. I found it so disagreeable,”
says he, that I should willingly have preferred plain barley bread to
it.” This illustrates the appointment of it to the Prophet Ezekiel as a
part of his hard fare. _Durra_ is also used in Palestine and Syria, and
it is generally agreed that it yields much more than any other kind of
grain. Hiller and Celsius insist that the _dochan_ is the _panic_; but
Forskal has expressly mentioned the _dokn_, _holcus dochna_, as a kind
of maize, of considerable use in food; and Brown, in his Travels,
describes the mode of cultivating it.
MILLO, a part or suburb of Jerusalem. David built round about from Millo
and inward,” 2 Sam. v, 9; that is, he built round about from the place
where Millo was afterward erected by Solomon, or where more probably the
senate house, or Millo of the Jebusites, had stood, which was pulled
down to make room for the more sumptuous edifice of Solomon, to his own
house; so that David built from Mount Zion, quite round to the opposite
point. Hence, the residence of David, even in the reign of that renowned
monarch, began to assume the size and splendour of a city.
MINISTER, one who attends or waits on another; so we find Elisha was the
minister of Elijah, and did him services of various kinds, 2 Kings iii,
11. So Joshua was the servant of Moses, Exod. xxiv, 13; xxxiii, 11. And
these persons did not by any means feel themselves degraded by their
stations, but in due time they succeeded to the offices of their
masters. In like manner John Mark was minister to Paul and Barnabas,
Acts xiii, 5. Christ is called a minister of the true, that is, the
heavenly, sanctuary. The minister of the synagogue was appointed to keep
the book of the law, to observe that those who read it, read it
correctly, &c, Luke iv, 20. The rabbins say he was the same as the angel
of the church, or overseer. Lightfoot says, Baal Aruch expounds the
_chazan_, or minister of the congregation, by _sheliach hatzibbor_, or
angel of the congregation; and from this common platform and
constitution of the synagogue, we may observe the Apostle’s expression
of some elders ruling and labouring in word and doctrine, others in the
general affairs of the synagogue. Ministers were servants, yet servants
not menial, but honourable; those who explain the word, and conduct the
service of God; those who dispense the laws and promote the welfare of
the community; the holy angels who in obedience to the divine commands
protect, preserve, succour, and benefit the godly, are all ministers,
beneficial ministers, to those who are under their charge, Heb. viii, 2;
Exod. xxx, 10; Lev. xvi, 15; 1 Cor. iv, 1; Romans xiii, 6; Psalm civ, 4.
MINT, Matt. xxiii, 23; Luke xi, 42; a garden herb well known. The law
did not oblige the Jews to give the tithe of this sort of herbs; it only
required it of those things which could be comprehended under the name
of income or revenue. But the Pharisees, desirous of distinguishing
themselves by a more scrupulous and literal observance of the law than
others, gave the tithes of mint, anise, and cummin,” Matt. xxiii, 23.
Christ reproved them because that, while they were so precise in these
lesser matters, they neglected the more essential commandments of the
law, and substituted observances, frivolous and insignificant, in the
place of justice, mercy, and truth.