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 T is said,
"There can be no age of probation after the second advent of Christ,
for he leaves the Mediatorial seat and ceases to be a Priest at that
time." This we consider an unfounded assumption, and a palpable
contradiction of the promise and oath of God to Messiah himself;
which speaks as follows: "The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent,
Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." -
Ps 110:4; Heb 5:6; 7:17; 7:21.
Such is God’s testimony concerning the Priesthood of Messiah,
David’s Lord, who is the Christ. God’s oath makes sure that his
priesthood is unchangeable and never to pass away; for God has sworn
to it "and will not repent," or, change His mind: the thing is as
fixed and eternal as it is possible to be made. "The law maketh men
high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which
was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated forever more."
- Heb 7:28. There is no limitation to the Son’s priesthood
here: "But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an
unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to
the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to
make intercession for them." - Heb 7:24,25. Here is no limit
to the priesthood of Christ, unless he shall cease to live: if He
can die, his priesthood may end; not without.
He is made a Priest, by the oath of God, after the order of
Melchizedek. This personage was, "King of righteousness, and after
that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; ... having neither
beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of
God, abideth a priest continually." - Heb 7:2,3. Here is no
countenance of the idea that the priesthood of Christ is ever to
end, but the reverse. The date of the commence of the priesthood of
the Son of God and its end (if it ever is to end) is clearly hidden
from view. In this character, He hath "neither beginning of days nor
end of life," so far as is revealed, but "abideth a Priest
continually." Whoever attempts to limit it, undertakes to "be wise
above what is written," and should be careful that his theory does
not set aside the oath of God.
Christ, during this present age or dispensation, is a priest upon
his Father’s throne: but the time will come when He will sit upon
his own throne—that to which He is heir, viz., David’s throne. "I
have sworn unto David, my servant, thy seed will I establish
forever, and build up thy throne to all generations." - Ps
89:3,4. "Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto
David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun
before me: it shall be established forever," etc.- Verses 35-37. But
this throne has been "overturned" for more than two thousand years;
yet God’s oath secures its re-establishment to Him "whose right it
is viz., David’s Son, Jesus the Messiah. Eze 21:27. This
throne is Jesus’ own throne; and, when re-established, is perpetual
and eternal. That throne is upon this earth, for David never had a
throne in heaven, nor is what some people call "the new earth"
-meaning a literal new earth, formed after this earth has been
dissolved by fire. If such an earth ever exists, David’s throne
never did exist there, and never will, unless it is removed from the
scene of David’s rule. But be that as it may, David’s throne is
secured to an heir, which all admit is Jesus the Christ.
The question then arises, Will he exercise the office of his
priesthood on his own throne? Let JEHOVAH himself answer: "Thus
speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is the
BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build
the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit
and rule upon his throne; and He shall be a priest upon his throne."
etc. - Zec 6:12,13.
We do not care whether the temple here spoken of is the literal or
spiritual temple. If it is the spiritual, then we must look beyond
this age for its completion, when all the materials are collected by
a resurrection from the dead; and His sitting and ruling upon His
throne is when the temple is completed; "and He shall be a priest
upon his throne:" hence his priesthood continues into the age
following the present, or the ‘kingdom of God’ age. The next age is
the kingdom of God, which is to follow the present "wild beast"
governments. Then will David’s throne be re-occupied by its rightful
heir, and his priesthood continues; "for the mouth of the LORD hath
spoken it."
Then, and not till then, if ever, will a mediatorial kingdom be
established. God offered to ancient Israel to make "a kingdom of
priests" (see Ex 19:5,6), if they would obey His voice. But
they did not: and that kingdom came not into their hands, but God
visited the "Gentiles, to take out of them a people," ( Ac 15:14),
which Peter characterizes as "a royal priesthood." These are being
trained, in this dispensation, to be rulers in "the kingdom of God,"
or dispensation to follow the present: for saith Jesus, "to him that
overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also
overcame and am set down with my Father on his throne." - Re
3:21. So, if a mediatorial kingdom is ever to be established it will
be when the "royal priesthood" sit down with Christ on his throne,
where he will still exercise the office of High Priest, and his
brethren, honored with a place on his throne, will exercise the
office of subordinate priests.
This order of things, like all other good things, the papists have
attempted to forestall, by their human arrangements, by calling
their mode of operations the "Mediatorial Kingdom;" (and Protestants
have borrowed their phraseology), thus "making the words of God of
none effect by their traditions;" displacing God’s arrangements of
the ages, or dispensations, to exalt themselves in this mortal
state.
We have not designed to give more than an outline of this subject in
this chapter. We trust we have said enough to set candid inquirers
after truth to thinking. By prayerful thinking we shall "grow in
grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and LIFE-GIVER, Jesus, the
Anointed." - 2Pe 3:18. Let no one suppose they have come to
know all the truth; for at present, "we know in part," said the
Apostle to the Gentiles. The ancient Jews stumbled and fell at the
doctrine, brought out by the Apostles, "that the Gentiles should be
fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in
Christ by the gospel," { Eph 3:6}; it was "the mystery, which in
other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now
revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." -
Eph 3:3,5. Let us see to it that we do not, like the Jews, stumble
and fall at the doctrine of the great blessings to come to the
Gentiles (who have never yet had the gospel) when the dispensation
of the kingdom of God is opened; which is now nigh at hand, and is
"the age to come," when "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of
the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." - Isa 11:9 Ps
72:19 Hab 2:14 .
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