--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1841 to 1842. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 3 number: 7 published: 1842-02-01 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“The Millennium,” *Times and Seasons* 3, no. 7 (February 1, 1842): 671–677." printed_title: THE MILLENNIUM. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-02-01_3_7 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v3n07.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-02-01_3_7 start_page: 671 end_page: 677 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1842 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-02-01_3_7 publication_year: 1842 --- # The Millennium "There remaineth therefore a REST to the people of God." Heb. iv, 9. "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."-Matt. v, 6. There is no subject that abounds in the bible equal to that of the Millennium or the thousand years of rest for the people of God, and there is nothing better to arouse the mind to a lively sense of future blessings, than the promise of this rest, that God hath made to all the faithful and obedient. This rest or sabbath of creation will be, in our opinion, the seventh thousand years of the world; of which the Jewish sabbaths were a type. It is said that in six days the Lord made the earth, and on the seventh day he finished his work, and blessed and hallowed it, and called it holy. In the ten commandments, which were written upon the tables of stone by the finger of God, there is a strict injunction upon the people of God, to cease from their temporal labors and keep the seventh day or sabbath holy. This constituted an item in the code of the ceremonial law, which was rigidly enforced upon on the Israelites prior to the appearance of Christ. They keep the sabbath of days, and one of years. Every seventh year they let their servants, and their beasts of burden rest, and every fiftieth year, they had a jubilee, when their servants were set free. Paul speaking of these says: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy day or of the new moons, or of the sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come." Col. ii. 16, 17. Thus the sabbaths of both days and years were a type of shadow of something to come. And now we ask, what could they be a type of but the great rest for the saints? The sabbath of days was a day of rest, the sabbath of years was a year of rest; and surely what can be more reasonable than that these sabbaths were a type of the great sabbath of creation. Peter speaking of the Lord's mode of computing time says: but beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."-2 Pet. iii, 8. According to the above the seventh thousand years will be the seventh day with the Lord; hence, the regular day to be hallowed and kept holy. The foregoing are in short some of our reasons for concluding that the seventh thousand years will be the Millennium. But the chronology of time is so imperfectly kept that it is impossible for us to tell beforehand the exact time that the seventh thousand years will commence; but when the great rest commences we shall certainly know it. We do not believe as some do, that this rest will be ushered in by the conversion of the whole world; but as we remarked while speaking of the second coming of Christ, the wicked will be destroyed, and the earth undergo a purification by fire; and then the Lord will come with all his saints and angels, and establish the kingdom of heaven on earth. The reign of Christ, and the redeemed saints will then commence on earth.-However, we do not wish to be understood that Christ during the Millennium will be perpetually confined to this earth; but the idea is, he will subject the earth to himself, that it shall be wholly nnder [under] his control of jurisdiction, and he will go and come as will be necessary; and the patriarchs, prophets, and immortal saints, shall reign as kings and priests under him. The prophets looked forth, and with joy hailed this day of rest from far, as the reward for their service in the cause of God, and considered no hardship sufficient to counterbalance the glory and blessings to be enjoyed during it. Satan at this time will be bound, so that he cannot have any power over the saints to tempt them. In order for the earth to be made fit for the abode of the saints, it is necessary for it to be restored to its primitive or primeval purity, that is, as it was in the morning of creation. The prophets have said that this restoration should take place, and that even the beasts of the forest should become perfectly peaceable and harmless, as they were when Adam dwelt in the garden of Eden. When we speak of the restoration of the earth, or in a word the great restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, we mean to be understood that wherein the earth has been changed in the least from its primeval state, it will be restored, and the curse taken away; and in a word any derangement, or degenerated condition of the works of God, which will add to his glory and to the happiness of the saints by being restored, will be. In order to come at the object that we have in view, which is to show the precise manner that the Millennium will be brought in, and the saints made to enjoy that which is promised, it is necessary to take a retrospective view of the earth, and all things upon it in the morning of creation, and the various changes that it together with man and beast have since undergone. At the time this earth rolled from the hand of its Maker, there was no curse to inflict the tedious manuel [manual] labor, no thorns to infest the ground, no sweat of the brow was required, no pain nor death was there, no ravenous beast that sought for prey; but all was peace and quietude. Our first parents were placed in the metropolis of this lower creation, and power was given them to have dominion over the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air; they also could converse with God face to face as we converse with our friends; no intervening veil of unbelief was there. While in this state of innocency, Adam gave names to all the beasts of the forest, fowls of the air, and creeping things upon the earth. There was no devouring of a prey; consequently the lion ate vegetable food like the ox, and nothing did hurt nor destroy in all the Lord's holy mountain. The earth yielded fruit in abundance in its time thereof. Man was the noblest work of all the creation; therefore, God created him in his own image, and likeness, and endowed him with superior intellectual powers to any of the animal creation; and while in the garden the seraphs of heaven were his companions. Thus the whole creation as it rolled from the hand of God was pure. But Oh, how changed the scene satan interposed! spoke through the serpent and disturbed the quiet; and justice demanded that the penalty of the law should be inflicted: hence, the inmates of the garden were forced out, and the seeds of death planted within the human system. The monster sin then commenced his dominion, and awful have been the consequences. The earth no longer retained its standing in the presence of Jehovah; but was hurled into the immensity of space; and there to remain till it has filled up the time of its bondage to sin and satan. It was immediately cursed, and Adam, and Eve were obliged to procure their food and raiment by the sweat of the brow. The beasts became ferocious, and went prowling about the wilderness seeking the inferior animals for a prey. But says one, wherein did the sin of man affect the whole creation? We answer; that Adam was placed in the garden or capitol of the whole earth, and power was given unto him to sway his sceptre [scepter] over all things upon earth; therefore, when he fell from the presence of the Lord, the whole of his dominions fell also. It is said, that when the Lord made the earth, he pronounced it good, or saw that it was good; but since, it has been cursed, and in many places made barren. It is also said that at the time of the creation, the waters were gathered together into one place; consequently, the land was also in one place; but now it is divided into continents, and islands. How much the flood served to change the face of nature, we are not able to say; but it must have done considerable towards it. We are told, Gen. x. 25, that in the days of Peleg the earth was divided. It is probable that in his day some mighty convulsion of nature took place, which rent the earth asunder, and divided it in into continents. Other changes have been produced by various causes: for instance, the plains of Sodom and Gomorrah that were once so beautiful, and teemed with the voice of merriment; but now stagnant water, and a barren desert only marks the place; also, the land of Palestine that once flowed with milk and honey, and yielded sufficient for the sustenance of several million inhabitants; but now is under a particular curse, and is scarcely capable to sustain a few thousand. If any should ask why all this change? the only cause we could give, is the wickedness of the human family. Indeed, ever since the fall of man the earth has been undergoing changes.- But says one, has it been changed for the worse? We answer in the affirmative. But notwithstanding the fall of man, and the curse placed upon the human family, the plan of redemption was devised, and preached to Adam and Eve, which no doubt gladened [gladdened] their hearts. God promised that in his own due time he would send his Son who should be offered as a sacrifice for sin, and should not only redeem them from the fall; but should redeem the earth, or in other words restore it to its original state and standing, The patriarchs having this redemption in view moved forward in obedience to the commands of God; but it seems that as time progressed, wickedness increased. In those early ages, the holy men of God, could by faith rend the vail [veil] and beheld God, and converse with him face to face as a man converses with his friend. The heavenly messengers often ministered unto them. Surely, the prophets and apostles had no idea of a true religion without the administration of angels, and the gifts of the Spirit; but now things have assumed a different form, and appearance; men now profess to enjoy a religion without these gifts, and blessings. Oh, how degenerated! how wretched mankind have made themselves by their wickedness! Once they were the favorites of heaven! but now, they are bound up in priestcraft and superstition. Mankind have been degenerated ever since the creation. Christ represented the world as becoming more and more wicked until the great harvest of the earth. The apostle says, that evil men shall wax worse and worse. Having thus pointed out some of the changes that man, beast, and even the earth itself, have undergone, we will now take a prophetic view of their restoration. The restoration of the earth is a thing that the prophets have mentioned with much firmness: for indeed, they well knew the advantage of such a work. Isaiah speaking of this work says: "The wilderness and solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as a rose!" "Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons where each lay shall be grass, with reeds and rushes."-Isa. xxx. 1-7. Thus the barren deserts are to become fruitful, and springs of water, sprung up in the thirsty land. David speaking of the return of Israel, and the Millennium says: "The Lord shall give that which is good: and our land shall yield her increase." Joel says: "At this time their floors shall overflow with wheat, and the fats with wine and oil." "And ye shall reap and eat in plenty and be satisfied." It is evident from the foregoing that the curse will be taken off of the earth, that it may yield its fruit in abundance. And from the following we are led to believe, not only that the curse will be taken off, but that the continents, and islands, will be brought together, or restored to their original place; as they were when they were all in one place. It is said, that when the Lord appears the mountains will flow down at his presence, and the valeys [valleys] be exalted, crooked things be made straight, rough places a plain, and that the earth shall tremble exceedingly. John speaking of this work says: "And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." "And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found."-Rev. xvi. 18-20.-See also Rev. vi. 14. Thus the islands are to be moved out of their places; and as it is the time of restoration, they will in all probability return and join themselves to the main continent from whence they came. Isaiah speaking of the lands of Zion, and Jerusalem, that is, the Eastern, and Western continent, says: "Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken: neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married."-Isa. Ixii, 4. Now according to the above, the islands and continents will be brought together, the mountains thrown down, and the great waters rolled back to the place where they were at the beginning; and in a word, the earth will be restored to its primeval state, be purified by fire, the curse taken off, and it made fit for the abode of saints. The brute beasts will then become perfectly peaceable, and harmless, or the enmity be taken away. To prove this we insert the following: "And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf, and the young loin, and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the loin shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isa. xi 5-9. The enmity between beast and beast shall be taken away, and they will eat vegetable food, and no more devour the inferior beast to satisfy their appetite. This surely will be a glorious work, which can be brought about in no other way, but by the power of God. Having shown the restoration of the earth, &c. we will now show the precise restoration or resurrection of the saints. Paul while reasoning upon this subject says: "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now: and not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit; even we ourselves, groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body."-Ro. viii, 22, 23. It is evident from the above, that the saints were waiting or looking forth for the resurrection of the body. We have before stated our views with regard to the literality [literally] of the resurrection; therefore, we shall not particularize upon the subject; but only to show some of the ideas of the prophets with regard to the manner that they shall be brought to enjoy the great rest, which they have the promise of enjoying. The reader will remember that the Lord promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that they should have the land of Canaan for themselves, and their posterity for an everlasting possession; yet Stephen said, that Abraham never possessed so much of that land, as to set his foot upon. The apostle Paul says: "Abraham sojourned in a land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise." We are informed in the scriptures that the Lord is not slack concerning his promises therefore, we must look for this promise concerning them to be fulfilled, and they made to enjoy their inheritance in the land of Canaan. Ezekiel is very precise in telling how they shall be made to possess their inheritance. "The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were not very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were dry. And he said unto me, son of man can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest." "Again he said unto me prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, behold I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live: and I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied there was a noise, and, behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, prophesy unto the wind, and say to the wind, thus saith the Lord God, come from the four winds O breath, and breathe upon these slain that they may live. So I prophesied, as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army."-Ezek. xxxvii.1-10. The above is a full and precise description of the resurrection of the body. But we have often heard it applied to a revival in religion, and also to the conversion of the heathen; but if we take the Lord's interpretation in preference to that of the learned divines of the present age, we are bound to believe that it is a minute description of the resurrection. The following is the Lord's interpretation: "Then he said unto me, son of man, these bones are the whole House of Israel: behold they say, our bones are dried, and our hope is lost; we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy, and say unto them, thus saith the Lord God, behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you unto the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, and bring you unto the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live; and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it saith the Lord."-Ezek. xxxvii, 11-14. Thus the Lord will raise the children of Israel out of their graves, and not as some have supposed, or as the poet says, escort them beyond the bounds of time and space; but put his Spirit in them, and bring them into the land of Israel. This at once explains the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets, that they should inherit the land of Canaan. Surely, the Lord will fulfil [fulfill] his promises unto them, and make them possess their land in peace. Isaiah in view of the resurrection says: "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise; awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself also as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."-Isa. xxvi, 19-21. Job, after his property was confiscated his family destroyed, and he left to languish in consequence of affliction; and as he lamented his loss, answered those who mocked him, and was groaning under his affliction, he breaks out with the following: "Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! that they were graven with an iron pen and laid in the rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter-day upon the earth: and though, after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me."-Job, xix, 23-27. Thus Job looked down through the ages of unborn time, and saw the day when Christ shall stand on the earth, and thus he also anticipated a glorious resurrection. He did not say that he was going to some unknown region; but that his Redeemer is to stand on the earth; and he is to see him with his eyes, and in his flesh for himself, and not for another.-Surely, the idea of the redemption of the body, consoled Job in the time of his affliction and grief. The apostle says, that when Christ appears he will change our vile bodies, and they shall be fashioned like his most glorious body. Indeed, when he appears the immortal saints will be glorified; and then will be fulfilled the promise that is so often repeated in the scriptures: "They shall reign with him." John while wrapped in a vision, and was caught up to the third heaven, and heard the heavenly hosts sing a new song, says: "And they sung a new song, saying, thou are worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."-Rev. v, 9-10. Thus the heavenly hosts sung anthems of praise to God for the promised redemption, and because he had made them kings and priests, and promised that they should reign on earth, this song was sung in heaven with much joy; but it is seldom that such a thing is even taught in the various churches on earth, to say nothing about singing it. Indeed, all the prophets, and saints of ancient times, rejoiced at the idea of the redemption of their bodies; and notwithstanding, they knew their bodies would be consigned to the tomb, and their spirits flit away to the paradise of God, and there remain for a season; yet they knew that in the latter-days the Lord would come, and that their bodies should be be called forth from the tombs, and become immortal; and they made to reign on earth. John in the xx chapter of his Book of Revelation gives an outline of the Millennium from the beginning to the end: "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless (or the lowest) pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped [worshipped] the beast, neither his image, neither had received 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 until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." We learn from the above, first, that satan will be bound that he cannot deceive the nations for a thousand years; second, that judgment shall be given to the saints, or as Daniel words it: "Judgment shall be given to the saints, of the Most High" Third, that the saints who died in the faith, and have not worshiped [worshipped] the beast nor his image, will be raised from the dead; fourth, they will be made kings and priests unto God, and shall reign with him a thousand years; fifth, the rest of the dead, that is, those that through disobedience have rendered themselves unworthy of a part in the first resurrection, will not live again until the expiration of the thousand years. To be deprived of a part in the first resurrection, and also of this rest for the people of God, is surely a severe punishment to the wicked. This explains what Paul says, which we have before mentioned; "But every man in his own order, Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." While the bodies of the wicked remain in their tombs, the saints will be shining forth in the kingdom of God. It is evident that the saints will receive a glory as the reward for their faithfulness in the cause of God, which is past description. Indeed, then will be fulfilled the saying of Christ, in the explanation of his parable of the talents: "Well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the Lord."-Matt. xxv, 21. Also the following: "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom."-Luke, xxii, 29-30. From the above it is evident that the saints will not only be made kings and priests, but that they will have authority, and dominion. It would be folly to talk about reigning, without both authority, and dominion. But says one, what will they rule over? This is not for us to say, but for God to appoint. Christ has already answered this question: "I will make thee ruler over ten cities." They are to reign as kings under Christ, and be appointed by him. Whether each will have a separate and distinct appointment, or all form a grand quorum and reign collectively, is not for us to say; but it sufficeth to say that they will reign on earth. The following shows what will be the exalted station of the saints when redeemed: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God: for ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs: heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ: if so be we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory of which shall be revealed in us."-I Cor. viii, 14-18.-Christ while praying to the Father for his disciples said: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am: that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."-John, xvii, 20-24. It is evident from the foregoing that the saints will not only be made kings and priests to God; but they will share in the glory with Christ, and this is what we said at the beginning. They shall reign with Christ-and their song ended thus: "We shall reign on the earth." We do not suppose they will be perpetually confined to the earth; but the whole kingdom under the jurisdiction of Christ and the saints, and they shall posses the kingdom; or in other words it shall be under their control, whether they will be at all times present or not. Having in a brief manner shown that the earth is to be restored to its primeval beauty, and also the way that the saints shall be made to enjoy their promised inheritance on earth, we will now take a general view of the blessings and prosperity of those that will be in a state of mortality in the Millennium. We have before proved that the House of Israel will be gathered back upon their own lands, and that Jerusalem will be rebuilt, and eventually become a holy city; also that the Lord will cause the city of Zion to be built, and prepared for his reception; and then he will appear in his glory and kingdom, and do away the flagitious works of the adversary, and establish on peace earth; therefore, we shall comment but little upon passages of scripture that refer to the gathering of Israel, and the building of these cities. [Concluded on first page of next No.]