Enjoy your heritage D'ists. That's why it exists. The guy couldn't digest the apostles teachings. This is not opinion; it is his words, recently noted with background by Northwye.
To bolster support, the 'enemy' of RT was concocted. This buried the actual RT issue which is at Gal 3:17. Very clever.
Yeah, right.
The following dates all the way back to 1742-1744, when it's writer was then in College.
Note:
John Nelson Darby (18 November 1800 – 29 April 1882) was not even born.
And certainly, not Lewis Sperry Chafer (February 27, 1871 – August 22, 1952).
It is a bit different from later models, but an understanding very similar to that of today's Dispensationalist is obvious.
The following is an excerpt from his...
TWO ACADEMICAL EXERCISES
- by Morgan Edwards (published later, in 1788)
II. The distance between the first and second resurrection will be somewhat more than a thousand years.
I say, somewhat more, because the dead saints will be raised, and the living changed at Christ’s "appearing in the air" (1 Thes. iv, 17); and this is for about three years and a half before the Millennium, as we shall see hereafter: but will he and they abide in the air all that time?
No: they will ascend to paradise, or to some one of those many “mansions in the Father's house of God" (John xiv: 2), and to disappear during the aforesaid period of time.
The design of this retreat and disappearing will be to judge the risen and changed saints; for " now the time is come that judgment must begin," and that will be at the house of God" (1 Pet. iv. 17): to this refers that part of my text, "and I saw thrones; and judgment was given," viz. 'the saints were judged, and their rewards specified; of which, mark hereafter.'
Knowing all this, the Devil will follow to accuse the brethren to the Judge; and will continue at it day and night in hope of preventing their acquaintance: their pleas against him will be those borrowed from the " blood of the lamb, and the word of their testimony:”
By these they will prevail in judgment; and their accuser will be hurled down to the earth by the strong arm of Michael; and with him will come, that notable voice; ''Woe unto the inhabitants of the earth for the Devil is come down among you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time;" viz. three years and a half, as before (Rev. xii. 7-11).
Add to the above, that between the end of the, Millennium and the Second Resurrection the Devil is to be let loose, and Gog and Magog's army to be destroyed, which will require a considerable time, though John calls it “a little season." (Rev. xx.3.)
III. Christ's personal reign on earth will be a thousand years at least.
I call it personal, to distinguish it from that proxical dominion which he hath exercised on earth since he quitted it, and retired to heaven.
And I have added at least a thousand years because he will not quit the earth, nor resign his delegation till after The Last Judgment; and the presentation of all the saints before God, with a "Behold I, and the children which thou hast given me!" (Heb. xi. 13).
Then his Mediatorial Kingdom and reign will cease; and he and they will be subject to the Father till the new Earth be prepared for another kind of reign.
IV: Christ’s kingdom on earth will be universal.
No people or state will be left out.
And herein it will exceed the Roman, Grecian, Persian or Babylonian monarchies, which also laid claim to universality; for Christ will ''reign from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the Earth" (Zech. ix. io).
'The kingdoms of the world shall become “the kingdoms of Christ." (Rev. xi, 15).
"All kings shall fall down before him, and all nations shall serve him.” (Psalm. Xxx): surely David had in his eye that Son, who was also his Lord; for to his son Solomon the above text is by no means applicable. See Dan. viii. V.
That spot of Earth which Christ will make the seat of his governments is Mount Zion, in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem and the temple will be rebuilt, as we shall prove by and by and that Temple will be the house of Christ kingdom.
A prophet and an angel assure us that the above doctrine is true, "He will reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem before his ancients gloriously," saith the prophet (Isaiah xxiv.23); and that he means what we mean is evident from the New Testament, where the words are quoted, and applied to this very subject.
Gabriel adds his suffrage thus, God will give him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever." (Luke 1: 32,33): this throne has not yet been given to the son of David; but in the Millennium.
Many more passages may be quoted to support our other doctrines; but this would be superfluous; as one text, rightly applied is proof sufficient of any religious point....
The point being that one sees what one sees in Scripture, depending on one's approach, and neither Darby nor Ryrie, nor Chafer, nor whomever, were the first in the history of these issues to approach them in the way you and yours continue to misrepresent was some sort of a later development.
There you have it, IP, your witness on this issue, based as yours obviously is on your ever one-sided, pseudo-books based expertise, is proven a falsehood, by - of all things - a book "about."
Nevertheless, Romans 5:8.
____________
A postscript...
Spoiler
I am not asserting Edwards was Pretribulational in his beliefs; it is clear from a careful reading of the above by him, that he was not.
At the same time, it is just as clear his above writings hold a witness to some understandings on his part very similar to some held within Dispensationalism as well, and way before Darby; Chafer; et al (though obviously closer in an understanding to that of Acts 2 Dispensationalism than to that of Acts 9, or Mid-Acts Dispensationalism aka M.A.D.).
Just as the document, Pseudo-Ephraem (written around 300 to 600 AD) teaches a Rapture but one that is not only not Pre-Trib, but confuses it with Believing Israel's Promised delivery in the wilderness during the time of their persecution as described in passages like Rev. 12.).
Pseudo-Ephraem having obviously held that the Body being, per said document's view, spiritual Israel, goes through the Trib, Pseudo-Ephraem then viewed yet future, but is delivered through said Trib by the Lord in the dessert, where He has Raptured them off to, to feed and protect them there, etc.
But that is actually the Believing Remnant of Israel or man-child, etc., described in Scripture.
Last edited: