# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Juli 1860_S216
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

216 The So-Called Millennial Kingdom.

-voked general astonishment. In the most recent period Chiliasm, especially
in Württemberg and in the Wupper Valley, has taken a new upswing.
It is now advanced with a zeal not only at conferences, as at the last one
in Elberfeld, but also in sermons, as though the salvation of the Church
depended chiefly on it.

We now wish to set forth in somewhat more detail the present state
of the doctrine and of the counter-doctrine. The defenders of the doctrine
of the millennial kingdom agree in regarding it as still belonging to the
future. They are also fairly well agreed in this, that they detach the
binding of Satan from the conversion of the nations, in connection with
which Satan was bound, turning it into what one might call a magical
process — as, for instance, Prof. Auberlen says: "Hereby the human and
also the natural world is freed from a terrible spell. So long as the devil
still rules in the darkness of this world, we all live in a poisoned air,
charged with deadly substances. Through Christ's coming a mighty
purification of the air will take place; it will be as though a nightmare
were lifted from mankind." If the binding of Satan is understood in this
way, then the question must of course arise: why did it not take place
at once in the beginnings of the Christian Church? Why was this Ahriman
given room until the onset of the thousand years? While even here the
agreement is not complete — Prof. v. Hofmann in particular understands
the binding of Satan in a less repugnant way, though one that contradicts
the analogy of faith — a decided contrast arises regarding the "first
resurrection." People agree only so far as that this resurrection must be
a bodily one. Beyond that, opinion diverges. Prof. v. Hofmann maintains
that the kingdom of Christ and the seat of the risen congregation will
be on earth, namely in Canaan, which will likewise be transfigured, so
that on earth a contrast of transfigured and untransfigured human and
natural life will obtain. The difficulties of this view are plain to see: even
a partial transfiguration of the earth encroaches upon the territory of "I
saw a new heaven and a new earth" (Apoc. 21:1) and of "behold, I make
all things new" (ch. 21:5), whereby everything preceding is placed under
Gen. 3. What physical difficulties there are in isolating a corner of the
earth need not first be spelled out. Just as little need we show how
unthinkable it is that the throne of Christ and the city of the risen and
transfigured should, after the end of the thousand years, be besieged by
mortal men. To escape these difficulties, others have moved the scene
into heaven. Prof. Auberlen, for instance, says: "After he has gathered
his congregation and brought his bride home, Christ returns with her
into heaven. The still untransfigured earth cannot indeed be the place
of the transfigured congregation." But then how does this fit with ch.
20:9, according to which the camp of the saints and the beloved city on
earth are besieged by Gog and Magog? Christ is to bring not only the
deceased believers but also the living, after a prior