The Dispersed are Restored

The first period of restoration includes the restoration of the dispersed Judah and Israel. Both of these houses are in bondage within the world kingdom, and the restoration, clearly described by Moses and the prophets, belongs to the latter days, to the fulness or termination of the Gentile time. During this restoration period all the dispersed true believers will be gathered together, for it is written of the Lord that "Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad." (John 11:51, 52.)

This restoration of all the dispersed children of God and the houses of Judah and Israel, now in bondage, implies that there will be a great host of people around the Son of man in the work of His second coming, when He completes faith. What is He to do with such a great host? The prophet Daniel had this also revealed to him, and he explains the matter as follows:

"I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom... But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." (Dan. 7:21, 22, 26, 27.)

The gospel age on the earth will be terminated by a work of judgment. This will be carried out by the representatives of faith or God's holy people, who then live on the earth, under the leadership of the Son of man. The prophet Isaiah says:

"The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses." (Is. 3:14.)

The apostle Jude refers back to Enoch, saying:

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (Jude vv. 14, 15.)

It is under such circumstances that Christ's parable concerning the Son of man in His work to become King will be fulfilled, for He then gathers the people about Him. By means of His great judgment work He takes the power from His enemies, thus gradually ascending His own kingly throne. He Himself speaks as follows concerning this:

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Mat. 25:31-34.)

This grand judgment and restoration work terminates the time of the first restoration and leaves room for the one to follow.

2. The second restoration period consists of the thousand years, which is set apart for the establishment of the kingdom and the judgment of a certain class of the dead. Daniel, speaking of the resurrection that follows upon the restoration of the earth through the Michael-War, says:

"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." (Dan. 12:2.)

We are informed by John (Rev. 20:6) that, "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."

The priests and rulers who have developed for the new kingdom will all have part in the first resurrection, and by them will be held the judgment of their tormentors, who had opposed and worked against them during their journey of faith. Those who are called forth later in order to be judged do not have part in the first resurrection, but are forced out of their graves by the judgment seats in order that they might be confronted with a verdict in accordance with their unrighteous deeds. They are resurrected to be judged, but the priests of God and Christ are resurrected for the purpose of receiving eternal life. Through the Lifegiver they will then receive eternal life, that is, they will, like Himself, be made immortal and eternal beings — the greatest and most glorious gift anyone can conceive of.

Then faith will be completed through these and their elevated glorious King, until all the innocent and just blood shed on the earth has been restored and vindicated. Every transgression will be exposed, and those who have transgressed, whether high or low, will be brought before the court, and this in presence of those they have wronged or ill-treated. This will bring "refreshing" and satisfaction to those who have suffered innocently. Their soul will expand in gratefulness to God because of the direct justice then brought to light. No one shall be able to be freed through bribes that lead to miscarriage of justice, neither will there be given a chance for advocates of unrighteousness to explain away righteousness; and just this, that offences or transgressions are transgressions, and innocence innocence, will bring about a wonderful refreshing to those who have suffered under all sorts of violators.

The entire work of judgment is associated with the completion of faith and the restoration of that which belongs to the kingdom of God.

3. The third period of restoration is in the Bible called "ever and ever," or, more correctly, "age of the ages," and this enters in at the termination of the thousand years-period. This age is designated as the general judgment —a general investigation, through which it is to be ascertained or found out how each one who is called forth has lived his life and how he now stands in relation to life or death. The books of the ages are opened, which means that the past time and days with their deeds are recalled, and then will be decided the fate of everyone way back to Adam in Paradise.

The judgment work during the thousand years will affect those who in their lifetime have distinguished themselves as belonging either to the group designated as the beast or the false prophet, that is, the founders, proclaimers and defenders of the world-religion in opposition to the representatives of the kingdom of God. Their doom, because of having been adversaries to the Word of God, is already decided on, but they are called forth in order to receive the verdict and the punishment they have incurred. Those who are called forth in the second resurrection will be subject to trial according to the notations on the leaves of time, which we may call days. It is here where the Perfecter of faith will bring to light all deeds of faith done to be rewarded, and on the other hand all deeds done against the work of faith and its representatives. Faith reaches back to the beginning of time. For instance, it says of Abel:

"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh." (Hebr. 11:4.)

These two brothers will be called forth and their sacrifices and accompanying deeds will be scrutinized. By means of a just comparison faith will be fully vindicated, and at the same time all sin and unbelief will be justly punished. To God's people this will be a wonderful and joyful satisfaction, for they have been obliged in this world to defer their sufferings, caused by others, to the eternal judgment seat in order there to receive a righteous judgment. This judgment will then begin and faith will get its full vindication and reward. It is concerning this very thing the Scriptures admonish us as follows:

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." (Hebr. 12:2, 3.)