tell the rolling year, even in eternity! Let the opinions of men be what they may, the "lake of fire and brimstone" is confined to this terraqueous globe; and by no genius of man can it be established as a machine of torture in the eternal world. But it is said that "the fearful, unbelieving, &c., with all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death." Very true! It is also said that "death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." Rev. 20: 14. Àlso, in 6: 8, it is said that there was a "pale horse; and his name that sat upon him was death, and hell followed with him." There was also a "beast with seven heads and ten horns," with many other things which might be named, all of which must have a like interpretation. Now, if "death and hell," the "beast and his rider," the "seven heads and ten horns," are used as figures, then, certainly, the lake of fire burning with brimstone, into which the above were cast, must also be a figure, representing the fall or end of the tragedy in which they were then acting. This lake of fire and brimstone is said to be the second death. See Rev. 20: 14, and 21: 8. Now, as we have abundantly shown that fire, the furnace of fire, and the lake of fire and brimstone, are all confined to this world, and their sufferings endured in this life, so also must the second death be here, in this state of existence, and not in eternity. The phrase second death occurs in only four passages in the Bible. Those passages are in Rev. 2: 11, 20: 6, 14, and 21: 8. We have stated, in our remarks on the judgment, that the second death is the tragical end and ruin of the Jewish people and nation. In Rev. 2: 11, it is said unto the churches, "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." Those who heard and obeyed the instruction given by our Saviour were not hurt, or involved in the ruin which overtook the heedless and unbelieving. It is the opinion of able writers that this scene was called the second death, in allusion to the destruction of the second temple, which was demolished at that time. We have no doubt but that the opinion is correct. The destruction of the first and second temples undoubtedly led John, in view of the destruction of the last, to term it the second death. This was not only the second, but the last, with them as a nation. It is not in the power of man to show, from good authority, that any death whatever is to take place, or be suffered in eternity. CHAPTER XIV. THE PHRASES STAND BEFORE THE LORD, STAND BEFORE GOD, APPEAR BEFORE GOD, THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. SECTION I. Those passages wherein the phrases STAND BEFORE THE LORD, STAND BEFORE GOD, APPEAR BEFORE GOD, and THE PRESENCE OF the Lord, &c., occur. Deut. 10 8. At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name unto this day. Deut. 19: 17. Then both the men between whom the controversy is shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days. Deut. 29 10. Ye stand this day, all of you, before the Lord your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel. 1 Sam. 6 20. And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 1 Kings 19: 11. And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind an earthquake ; but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 2 Chron. 20 9. If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence (for thy name is in this house), and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. Ezra 9 15. O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses⚫ for we cannot stand before thee because of this. Jer. 7:10. And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations. Luke 21: 36. Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. Rev. 20: 12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD. - Deut. 31: 11. When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Ps. 42: 2. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? Isa. 1: 12. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? PRESENCE OF THE LORD. - Gen. 3: 8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Gen. 4: 16. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the Land of Nod, on the east of Eden. Exod. 33: 14, 15. And he (God) said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Lev. 22: 3. Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the Lord. 2 Kings 24 20. For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he (the Lord) had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 1 Chron. 16: 26, 27. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. Verse 33. Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord, because he cometh to judge the earth. 2 Chron. 20 9. If when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence (for thy name is in this house), and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. Job 1: 12. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he (Job) hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. Job 23: 15. Therefore am I troubled at his presence; when I consider, I am afraid of him. Ps. 9: 2, 3. O thou Most High. When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. Ps. 16 11. Thou wilt show me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Ps. 17: 2. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence. Ps. 51: 11. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Ps. 68 2. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away as yax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. Verse 8. The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God; even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God. Ps. 95 2. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving. Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord. with singing. Isa. 64: 2, 3. waters to boil, to The upright shall dwell in thy presence. As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence. The mountains flowed down at thy presence. Jer. 4: 26. I beheld, and lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger. Jer. 5: 22. Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass away? Jer. 23: 39. Therefore, behold I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence. Jonah 1: 3. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. : Zeph. 17. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand; for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. Luke 13 26. Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. Acts 3: 19. Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 1 Cor. 1: 29. God). That no flesh should glory in his presence (presence of 2 Thess. 19. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. SECTION II. Remarks on the phrases STAND BEFORE GOD, APPEAR BEFORE GOD, and PRESENCE OF THE LORD. The passages which we have collected together, in Section 1 of this Chapter, from the Bible, in which these phrases occur, require but very little comment. They speak for themselves. If the reader will carefully consult them, he will see that the following facts are perfectly obvious. 1. Mankind are frequently spoken of as standing before God, appearing before God, and as being in the presence of God, when no reference is had to a future world; and, when all of this took place in the present world. 2. It was a common mode of speech among the Hebrews, when anything remarkable took place, or when any particular interposition of divine Providence was manifest, to represent those who saw it, as standing before God, and as being in God's presence. 3. It was supposed by the Jews that God's presence was in a particular manner in the temple of Jerusalem, in the city of Jerusalem, and in the land of Judea. 4. The Jews are spoken of as being in God's presence, when nothing more is meant than that they were in the enjoyment of their national rights and privileges in the land of Judea. And they are spoken of as being cast out from God's presence, when nothing more is meant than that they were banished from the land of Judea, from the temple and holy city, and carried captives to Babylon. 5. When, therefore, John saw in a vision, "the dead, small and great, stand before God," Rev. 20: 12, it by no means follows that he saw them literally stand before God; nor that this standing before God took place in another world. 6. When it is said of the Jews that they should "be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power," it does not follow that they were to be punished in another world, nor be banished from God's presence there. The following extract from Balfour's Second Inquiry will present this subject in its true light. "By the presence of God, or presence of the Lord, in scripture, is sometimes meant his being everywhere present. Thus, David says, Ps. 139: 7, 8, Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven thou art there; if I make my bed in hell (sheol), behold, thou art there,' &c. Admitting, for argument's sake, that hell is a place of endless punishment, how could the wicked even there be out of God's presence? Yet, in 2 Thess. 1: 9, the Jews are said to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the |
