QUESTIONS/ANSWERS ABOUT THE
JUDGMENT, MILLENNIUM, AND
TRIBULATION
QUESTION #203 -- Will the
words and deeds of Christians be
brought before them in the
judgment?
ANSWER #203 -- Their good deeds,
yes; their wicked deeds done
before their conversion or any
wicked deeds for which
forgiveness has been sought and
found, no.
* * *
QUESTION #204 -- Will there be
more than one judgment? Will the
saints who go up in the rapture
be judged at the last general
judgment?
ANSWER #204 -- The trouble is, I
think, that we have sometimes
tried to think of the judgment
as a period comparable to one of
our twenty-four hour days:
whereas it is, according to the
Scriptures, a much longer
period; and what we call "the
general judgment" is the final
period of the more extended
epoch. The judgment begins with
the rapture of the saints at the
appearing of Christ in the glory
of His second advent and
concludes with the great white
throne assize, and so far as I
can see, there will be no
repetitions, but orderly
progress from first to last, and
the period covered will be long
-- perhaps a thousand years. If
one is troubled by this
statement and cannot think of
this as a unified judgment, let
him think of Christ's "first
coming." Here was His birth in
Bethlehem-a subject of definite
prophecy. Then there was His
appearance in the temple at the
age of forty days -- another
subject of definite prophecy.
Then there were His teaching and
healing ministries -- both
subjects of definite prophecy.
Then there were His Crucifixion,
His Resurrection, and His
Ascension. All these are
mentioned in the ancient
prophecies, sometimes as
detached from one another. And
yet there was only one "first
coming" of Christ. This does not
explain, but it may assist one
in thinking of the Second Coming
of Christ as composed of a
series of episodes beginning
with His coming for His saints,
continuing on through the great
tribulation on earth, the
Marriage Supper in the skies,
His return with His saints, the
millennial reign, the battle of
Armageddon, and the great white
throne judgment
* * *
QUESTION #205 -- There is a man
here in our town preaching that
according to Malachi, chapter 4,
the world, man and everything
will be burned up like stubble.
What is the meaning of this
chapter?
ANSWER #205 -- This chapter
should be read in connection
with Revelation 20: 7-10. By
this it will be seen that the
occurrences recorded in Malachi
4 are at the conclusion of the
battle of Gog and Magog, and
that this is to be followed by
the resurrection of the wicked
and the Great White Throne
Judgment. In other words, the
destruction described in Malachi
4 is not the end of those thus
destroyed. They are yet to be
resurrected and judged and their
estate in eternity belongs to
another chapter.
* * *
QUESTION #206 -- What peoples
will inhabit the earth during
the millennium?
ANSWER #206 -- I understand the
Scriptures to teach that during
the millennium the saints who
compose the Church, having been
called out and saved during the
present dispensation and
resurrected or translated at the
coming of Jesus Christ for His
Church, will be here in their
glorified bodies, and that the
remnant of the race which
survives the Great Tribulation
and such as are born to this
remnant during the Millennium
itself will be here in their
"flesh and blood" bodies.
* * *
QUESTION #207 -- In Micah 4:5 it
is said, "For all the people
will walk every one in the name
of his god, and we will walk in
the name of the Lord our God.
for ever and ever." Is this not
speaking of the Millennium? And
what is the difference in the
gods whom others will serve and
the Lord our God of whom the
prophet speaks?
ANSWER #207 -- The prophet is
undoubtedly speaking of the
golden future, but he is writing
in the then present, and he
cannot get away from things as
they were and are yet, even when
he would speak of the good day
ahead. I think the verse might
be paraphrased thus (as
suggested by Whedon), "Since [at
the present] all the people walk
every one in the name of his
god, therefore we will [or, let
us] walk in the name of Jehovah
our God forever and ever." "The
name of God is that side of His
nature which can be revealed to
man; and to walk in His name
means to live in mystic union
with God as He has revealed
Himself, and under His
protection."
* * *
QUESTION #208 -- Do not the
Scriptures teach (Revelation
22:12) that rewards will be
given at the coming of our Lord?
ANSWER #208 -- Yes, they do
indeed so teach, but by careful
reading you will find that all
do not receive their rewards at
the same time, but that the
judgment period will cover at
least a thousand years.
* * *
QUESTION #209 -- When does the
five months torment by locusts
take place (Revelation 9:1-11)?
What time do the two witnesses
(Revelation 11) appear?
ANSWER #209 -- I do not pose as
an expert on the Book of
Revelation, but I will tell you
what I think. I believe that we
are now living in the latter
part of the church age described
in the first three chapters of
Revelation-in the Laodicean
period. That we are now up to
chapter 3:1422, somewhere in
there. And that chapter 4:1
describes the rapture at the
second coming of Christ and that
all the rest of the book, so far
as prophetic history is
concerned, is future. Part of
the book follows the Church to
the Marriage Supper and part
follows the fate of the world
after the rapture has taken
place, and everything mentioned
on to the close of chapter 19
will be fulfilled during the
time the Marriage Supper is
being celebrated in heaven and
the great tribulation is in sway
upon earth. Then chapter 20
tells about the thousand years
reign, and the great white
throne judgment. And the two
remaining chapters belong, so
far as their prophetic history
is concerned, in the timeless
age that follows -- eternity.
Now I do not say I know this is
correct; but I do say I know
that is what I believe. To
reiterate: Revelation chapters
1-3 inclusive-the church age,
ourselves in the latter part of
it; chapters 4-19 inclusive: the
rapture, the marriage supper in
heaven and the great tribulation
on earth; chapter 20, the
Millennium and the great white
throne, judgment; chapters 21
and 22, eternity. And on the
basis of this outline I would
find the place of all the
occurrences mentioned, except
those instances in which it is
indicated that something aside
from prophetic history is
intended. We may have deeper
sorrows yet before the rapture,
but we are taught to pray that
we may be counted worthy to
escape the woes of the great
tribulation and stand before the
Son of man. So just as there
will be no Millennium of peace
until Jesus comes, so there will
not be the great tribulation
until after the Church is
translated at the rapture. The
next occurrence for which we are
to look and watch and pray and
keep ready is the coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ for His
Church, and I personally
positively refuse to listen to
anyone who tries to tell me, "My
Lord delays his coming" while
anything else whatsoever is
being done. I believe Jesus
Christ could come this very day
(I am writing early in the
morning) and do no violence to
the prophecies of the
Scriptures; while if He tarries
I will continue to work and
watch and hope and pray and keep
on the wedding garment of full
salvation and keep a good supply
of Holy Ghost oil for my lamp
that I may make sure to get into
the marriage whenever the
Bridegroom does come. Praise
God, hallelujah, and "Amen, even
so, come, Lord Jesus!"
* * *
QUESTION #210 -- What is meant
by: "And a little child shall
lead them" and the connected
scripture?
ANSWER #210 -- The passage in
question is found in Isaiah 11:6
and is a part of the description
given of the millennial kingdom
of Jesus. Among other things it
pictures a little child leading
ferocious beasts, or such beasts
as we have known as ferocious,
without danger or hurt. This can
happen only after that wonderful
change has taken place by means
of which the world and the
earth, as well as the spirits
and bodies of God's own people,
shall be added again to the
empire of God, and everything
that offends is taken away.
Sometimes the scripture of which
you speak is applied to a
child's leading adults to Christ
for salvation, and the
application is poetical and
beautiful, but it is not the
meaning with which the scripture
was used by the prophet.
* * *
QUESTION #211 -- Please explain
Isaiah 65:20, "There shall be no
more thence an infant of days,
nor an old man that hath not
filled his days: for the child
shall die an hundred years old;
but the sinner being a hundred
years old shall be accursed."
ANSWER #211 -- This verse with
several succeeding verses in the
same chapter is descriptive of
conditions that will prevail in
the Golden Millennium which
shall follow the second coming
of Christ. With this in mind, I
think the details are not
difficult.
* * *
QUESTION #212 -- Regarding the
Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16,
do you understand that the
redeemed are conversation with
the lost? And would their coming
face to face with the lost mar
their own happiness in heaven?
ANSWER #212 -- This Story of the
Rich Man and Lazarus gives us
the best look into the future of
any passage in the Bible, but I
do not think it is intended to
show how it will be forever, and
in the great eternity beyond the
Judgment of the Great White
Throne I think there will be no
communication between the saved
and the lost, and there will be
nothing whatsoever to mar the
happiness of the redeemed world
without end.
* * *
QUESTION #213 -- Some are saying
there will be no rapture of the
saints before the tribulation,
and that the church will go
through the Great Tribulation. I
expect to be true in either
case, but do you think this is a
proper view of the calendar of
the future?
ANSWER #213 -- No, I do not
agree with this idea. Wily then
should we be told, "Watch ye
therefore, and pray always, that
ye may be accounted worthy to
escape these things that shall
come to pass, and to stand
before the Son of man"? (Luke
21:36). Plainly, I believe this
means that we are to pray that
we may keep saved and sanctified
that we may be glorified at the
coming of Jesus in the clouds,
and that coming is before the
Great Tribulation. But, as you
say, we must keep our hearts set
to go through with God in any
case. For there are good people
in the warring nations of the
earth who are suffering all they
could suffer if they did go
through the Great Tribulation.
Let us also pray for them.
* * *
QUESTION #214 -- At what period
in the Book of Revelation, and
at what stage of the Great
Tribulation does the Rapture of
the Bride occur?
ANSWER #214 -- The Rapture takes
place at the opening of the
fourth chapter of Revelation,
and this is prior to the
beginning of the Great
Tribulation proper.
* * *
QUESTION #215 -- Please explain
Luke 21:19, "In your patience
possess ye your souls."
ANSWER #215 -- The general theme
is that of tribulation.
Especially those tribulations
with which, on the fringe of the
Great Tribulation, our gospel
age shall close. There are so
many things which need remedy
and which we are powerless to
change that virtue and strength
are expressed principally in the
ability to bear. And so the
Master says ye shall win or save
your soul by being patient
* * *
QUESTION #216 -- Who is "the man
of sin" that is to "be
revealed," mentioned in 2
Thessalonians 2:3?
ANSWER #216 -- This is the
"antichrist" who is to be
revealed in a time yet future.
From many considerations, it
appears that this person who
offers himself in direct
competition with Christ is to
come somewhat into sight before
the Second Coming of Christ, but
is to be fully discovered during
the Great Tribulation which
reaches its climax after the
coming of Christ and the Rapture
of the Church.
* * *
QUESTION #217 -- What about the
wound of the first beast
mentioned in Revelation 13? Does
it mean that he is a man wounded
by a sword? Also the second
beast: what is the mark which
people are to receive from him?
Do you think we might ignorantly
receive this mark?
ANSWER #217 -- I believe that
the opening of the fourth
chapter of Revelation marks the
Second Coming of Christ, and
that all that follows that,
excepting the symbols and
timeless doctrines and
exhortations which are indicated
as such, as yet future. For this
reason it is not possible for us
to be sure and clear in the
interpretation, and we should
not be so. We will understand it
better when the time comes, and
for the most part the record is
fairly literal and clear, except
that the time has not yet come.
As to ourselves: we must make
sure all the time that we are
saved and sanctified and ever
ready and watching for the
Lord's coming, and in this state
we have nothing to fear. Nothing
outside of us can get inside us
and do us harm or affect our
standing with God without our
consent And by being always
"blessed and holy" we are
guaranteed a part in the first
resurrection, and will not be
here when the worst of the Great
Tribulation comes.
* * *
QUESTION #218 -- When will the
events described in Ezekiel,
chapters 38 and 39 take place?
Before, during or after the
Great Tribulation?
ANSWER #218 -- The chapters
mentioned are a prophetic
parable. The same thing is said
in more literal form in the
twentieth chapter of Revelation.
The climax of the judgment
mentioned is, historically
speaking, the last battle
between the forces of God and
the armies of Satan, after the
Great Tribulation, after the
Millennium, and after Satan's
loosing-just before the
beginning of "the ages of the
ages."
* * *
QUESTION #219 -- Please give
plain scriptural proof that
there is to be a Millennium of
Christian triumph in the future.
ANSWER #219 -- The most direct
reference, of course, is the
twentieth chapter of Revelation,
But it has been observed that
without exception, scriptures
mentioning the resurrection,
when there are specifications,
place the resurrection of the
just first and of the
unrighteous second. I suggest
that a study of the Scriptures
be made with this suggestion as
a clue. The logical basis for
the teaching of a golden period
in which mercy and judgment
shall be mingled is the fact
that the alternative of this is
the breaking off of mercy
abruptly and the inauguration of
full justice as a crisis. In the
natural world there is twilight
between day and night, and in
the moral world it seems there
should be the same, and it seems
to me the Scriptures teach it
will be so. I am not expecting
to wake up some night and find
the world on fire, judgment set
and mercy gone forever. I do not
believe the Scriptures teach it
will be that way. I expect that
some time soon Jesus will come
back to the world the second
time and those who are ready
will go up to meet Him in the
clouds and accompany Him to the
Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
With the influence of the Church
withdrawn, the Great Tribulation
will come on the earth and sin
and wickedness will have their
day. Then Christ will come back
with His Church and will reign
on the earth for a thousand
years. This reign will be a
period of mercy and judgment
mixed, but just as sin had its
day during the Great
Tribulation, righteousness will
have the advantage in this
Lord's Day. After this period of
mixed mercy and judgment will
come the period of judgment and
justice unmixed with mercy, and
then, "the ages of the ages."
This is not citing specific
scriptures, as you request, but
I suggest that you make a
thorough study of the Scriptures
with this general thought in
mind and see for yourself what
the Writings say.
* * *
QUESTION #220 -- What is the
meaning of Matthew 24:20, "Pray
ye that your flight be not in
the winter, neither on the
sabbath day"?
ANSWER #220 -- The subject
discussed in Matthew 24 is dual,
relating partly to the
destruction of Jerusalem and the
Jewish tribulation, and partly
to the second coming of Christ
and the Gentile tribulation. The
passage you select refers to the
former, and the Christians are
exhorted to pray that their
flight from the city of
Jerusalem shall not be in the
winter when their sufferings
would be greatly increased by
the inclemency of the weather,
nor on the Sabbath day when the
gates of the city would be
closed and their escape would be
exceedingly difficult, if not
impossible. It is a matter of
history that the Christians did
heed the warnings of Christ and
take note of the signs which He
mentioned and that not a single
Christian, so far as known,
perished in the destruction of
Jerusalem by the Romans. Let us
pray that we may be as wise with
reference to the coming Gentile
tribulation and that we may be
accounted worthy to escape these
things and to stand before the
Son of Man.
* * *
QUESTION #221 -- Please
harmonize 2 Timothy 3:1-5,
Daniel, chapter 12, and Habakkuk
2:14. All these seem to be
describing "the last days," but
how can the last days be both
dark and fair? These scriptures
do not describe the last days
alike.
ANSWER #221 -- The writers are
not describing exactly the same
period of "the last days." Just
now the world is full of sin and
violence, and it is going to get
worse before it gets better.
Before us, and perhaps
immediately before us, are the
days of the Great Tribulation.
But beyond the tribulation is
the golden Millennium, and
beyond that a new heaven and a
new earth wherein dwelleth
righteousness, and in which
there will be no sin or sorrow.
When the prophets of old looked
ahead, some of them described
Jesus as the "suffering Saviour,"
others described Him as "the
reigning King." Both these were
in the vision, but some
overlooked the first and spoke
only of the latter. And it was
thus also when they described
the state and condition of our
world. But it is encouraging to
us to know that the world will
be better after it is worse, and
that then it will never be bad
any more. This is the doctrine
of "Christian triumph," and it
keeps us strong in the darkest
hours, for we know that whatever
the road, we shall finally come
out right.
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