The Federation of the World

The Federation of the World A Thousand Years of Peace By James E. Talmage of the Council of the Twelve

We believe * * * that Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and receive — its paradisiacal glory. Articles of Faith, No. 10.

Through the lurid gloom of smoke and fire in which the nations are today enshrouded, amidst the awful stench of blood that is sickening the world, come the enlightening beams of comforting assurance that an era of peace is to be established. And this shall be a peace that cannot be broken, for righteous- ness shall rule, and man's birthright to liberty shall be invio- late. Of necessity this blessed state shall be attained only after due preparation; for in the economy of God it would be as in- congruous to force upon mankind an unappreciated and unde- sired boon as to arbitrarily afflict with an undeserved curse. The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign personally upon the earth is near at hand, for the Scriptures so attest. Prophecies relating to this impending event specify a period of a thousand years, distinctively known as the Millennium, which in certain conditions shall differ from both preceding and suc- ceeding time. While this period is nowise indicative of a limita- tion to the Lord's dominion, it specifies the duration of a par- ticular part of His ministry, even as the epoch of His admin- istration in the flesh is measurable in terms of years and days. Unto righteous Enoch, who walked with God and was bodily taken from the earth (Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5), the cer- tainty of the millennial reign was revealed over thirty centuries before the Lord's birth in mortality, as is thus recorded: "And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteous- ness for the space of a thousand years." (Pearl of Great Price, Moses 7:65.) In glorious vision John, the apostle and revelator, foresaw Christ's personal reign, during which Satan is to.be bound:

"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given the witness unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, foreheads, or neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their

1098 IMPROVEMENT ERA 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." (Rev. 20:4,5; see also verse 2.)

The Millennium is to be a Sabbatical era, when the earth shall rest; and men, relieved from the tyranny of Satan, shall, in righteousness and peace. Man, to whom was if they will, live given dominion over the earth and its creatures, shall rule by love, for enmity between him and the brute creation shall cease, and the ferocity and venom of the beasts shall be done away. So hath the Lord avowed through the prophet Isaiah. (See Isa. ch. 65.) We are definitely assured that the Millennium is to be inaug- urated by the advent of Christ, and that Satan's power over men shall be suspended, and further, that after the thousand blessed years are finished, Satan shall be loosed for a season, and such as elect to follow him shall eventually go with him to eternal condemnation. See Rev. 20:7, and consider these words of the Lord Christ spoken in the current dispensation:

"For in my own due time will I come upon the earth in judgment, and my people shall be redeemed and shall reign with me on earth. For the great Millennium, of which I have spoken by the mouth of my servants, shall come; For Satan shall be bound, and when he is loosed again, he shall only reign for a little season, and then cometh the end of the earth. * * * * Hearken ye to these words: Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the ivorld. Treasure these things up in your hearts, and let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds.".. (Doctrine and Covenants 43:29-34.)

The following revelation is equally specific: "For I will reveal myself from heaven with power and great glory, with all the hosts thereof, and dwell in righteousness with men on earth a thou- sand years, and the wicked shall not stand * * * And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, that when the thousand years are ended, and men again begin to deny their God, then will I spare the earth but for a little season; And the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be con- sumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth" (Doctrine and Covenants 29:11,22,23.)

It is evident from citations given and from all Scripture bearing upon the subject, that the Millennium is to precede the consummation spoken of as "the end of the world." In the era of peace both mortal and immortalized beings will tenant the earth; and though sin will not be wholly abolished nor death banished, the powers of righteousness shall be dominant. Though Satan shall afterward regain a measure of power over mankind, his time will be short and the earth shall eventually be restored to its paradisiacal glory, and become a fit abode for the glorified children of our God and His Christ.