The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-10-08
EMPORIA NEWS.
FRIDAY. OCTOBER 8. 1875.
EXPLANATION OF REvEE.A-
ETRN&

EDITORS OF THE NEWS: i send ;
you for publication an exposition of
Revelation 20, A, 5-"And saw the
souls of them that were beheaded
for the witness of Jesus, and for the
word of God, and who had not wor-
shipped the beast, neither His inn
age had received, neither His mark
upon their foreheads, or in their
hands; and they lived and reigned
with Christ a thousand years; but
the rest of the dead lived not again
until the thousand years were fin
ished. This is the first resurrection"
The martyrs, as leaders in Chrisfs
army, were suitable representatives
OF the soldiers of the cross, and
therefore IL is reasonable to believe
that the souls of all who had fallen
asleep in Christ, lived and reigned
with Him thousand years. The long |
contest between the powers of light
and darkness was entirely ended. |
The powers of darkness were en-
tirely overthrown, ans their prince |
was chained in the depth of hell.
Now is the day of glorious triumph
All the souls united to Christ, rise
and reign with Him in His spiritual
dominion over the world. They sit
with Him on His throne. 1t is their
seuls that rise and reign with Christ
a thousand years, and not their bod
les. They now rise Tn complete VIC
tory. "'rhis is the first resurrec-
tion," the first rising to universal
spiritual dominion over the entire
world.
"The rest of the dead" those who
died in their sins, have no success
sors during the thousand years in
whom to live. They had lived in
successors previous to thousand
years, and at the end of that period
they will live "again;" they will
then have successors. They ''lived
not again until the thousand years
were finished" Then there was no
resurrection of their bodies; but
there was great apostacy, and q
resurrection of wicked men in whom
they who had died in their sins liv-
cd again. But it may be replied that
Paul expressly afirms that that "the
dead in Christ shall rise first" /
Thcss., 4, 1G. That is true: but the
meaning is, that they shall rise be-
fore those alive on the earth shall be
changed, and not before the wicked
shall rise. This the connection clear
ly shows to be the true meaning.
That the righteous and the wicked
will be raised from the dead at the
same hour is expressly affirmed.
John, 1920. "The hour is coming
i'll which all that are in the grave
shall hear his voice, Sn6 shall come
forth; they that have done good,
unto the resurrection of life; and
those that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of Examination" Again
il is affirmed, that "when the Son OF
man shall come in His glory, and
all the holy angels with Him, then
shall lie set up on the throne OF
Ills glory; and before Him shall be
gathered all nations and lie shall
separate them, one from another, as
sheperd divides his sheep from the
goats; and He shall set the sheep or
Ills right hand, and the goats OF
His left. Then shall the King sa!
10 them on his right hand, "come, "
blessed of my Father; inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from thu
foundation of the world" Their
shall lie say also unto them on the
left hand, "from Me depart "
cnrscd, into everlasting fire prepar
ed for the devil and his angels
And these shall go away into ever
lasting punishment, but the right
cous unto life eternal. Matthew, %
IS, -, 50, 81, 45, 46. The first o
these passages afIlrms that the res
direction of the righteous and tn,
wicked will be at the same hour
aud from the other it is evident tina
the righteous and the wicked will b
raised promiscously, and be sepa
rated after their resurrection. Thu
there is positive proof given by tn
Son of God, that there will be bu
one resurrection of the dead. "Al
that are in the graves" during tn
thousand years, will be raised at tn
same hour. The reign of Christ Wi
be spiritual and not visible. He an
Ills Father will dwell with all tina
love Him. John Ii, D." My Fathe
will love Him, and we will com
unto Him, and make our abode wit
Him." This is all the presence W
need. JOHN RANKIN.
Emporia, Kan, Sept. %, 1875.
Burning Of the RAnnssI SIt