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AFTER THESE THINGS
‘The things the which shall be hereafter’ (Revelation 1:19)
SUMMARIES OF JOHN NELSON DARBY’S PAPERS ON PROPHECY
AND MORE
for
CHRISTIANS WAITING TO SEE THE LORD OF GLORY WHEN HE
COMES TO RAPTURE HIS CHURCH
Compiled by
DANIEL ROBERTS
After These Things
Copyright © 2020 Daniel John Roberts,
adayofsmallthings.com
This book may be freely quoted provided authorship is acknowledged along with the above URL. Quotations from the Bible (mainly King James and Darby versions) and direct quotations from J N Darby are in the public domain and are not subject to copyright.
ISBN 978-1-716-3
First Digital Edition (Kindle)
November 2020
Published By:
adayofsmallthings.com
Rochester, Kent, England
Hosted by
Lulu Press
Printed Edition ISBN 978-1-716-36815-8
Foreword
The following words come right at the end of the Bible:
‘And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely… . He which testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus’ (Revelation 22:17-20).
Jesus continues to say, ‘I come quickly’ . This book is for His lovers who respond to Him with the words, ‘Come Lord Jesus’ – hearts which are looking for Him to come NOW.
In the mid 1800’s John Nelson Darby reawakened thousands of Christians as to the Rapture, described clearly in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15. This gave them a burning desire to hear His call, and to be amongst ‘we the living’ when our Lord Jesus calls His saints on earth to meet Him in the air. Along with these, there will be millions of sleeping saints whose bodies will be raised and changed. What a joy it will be to be with Him, forming His Bride, the Church, married to Him in heaven.
So, for a brief summary of what is to come:
It will be an awful time of Satanic deception on earth. The world will be dominated by the Beast, the Antichrist and the False Prophet. There will be pestilence and wars – the ‘great tribulation’
There will be a faithful ‘Jewish Remnant’, persons from the twelve tribes of Israel, enduring tribulation while standing for, Christ their Messiah, during the period from the ‘Rapture’ to the ‘Appearing’. After the Antichrist breaks his covenant with the Jews, they will suffer extreme persecution.
World powers will engage in battle, but Christ will return. All alive and will be judged; Satan will be bound, introducing the 1000-year benevolent reign of Christ. After the Millennium Satan will be briefly released, gathering the world’s armies to the final war. The Devil, who was really defeated at the Cross, will be consigned eternally to the lake of fire along with his agents and those not in the ‘Book of Life’. For the saints, there’s a new heaven and new earth wherein dwells righteousness – the tabernacle of God with men.
That is the future and the theme of this book in a nutshell.
It is not a book on John Nelson Darby’s eschatology. Darby did not want to create theologians – he wanted us to love Jesus more.
This book is in six sections:
Section 1: A Prophetic Timeline – from the Rapture to the New Heaven and New Earth
Section 2: A summary of Darby’s prophetic thought, the dispensations, and the differences as to what applies to the Church, to Israel and the ‘Nations’, the distinction between the Rapture and the Appearing, the Resurrection of the Living and the Resurrection of the Dead, what proceeds in heaven and what on earth, the judgement seat of Christ and the Great White Throne and the thousand-year Millennium and the eternal state.
Section 3: John Nelson Darby – the man and his ministry
Section 4: Summaries of eleven lectures on the ‘Present Hope of the Church of God’. J N Darby, Geneva 1840.
Section 5 – Summaries of other papers on prophecy by J N Darby, including his Prophetic Map.
Section 6 – Glossary of prophetic terms, bibliography, and other references.
These summaries have been produced from the notes of lectures or addresses as we would call them now. JND would typically end these with an appeal to the conscience or heart. These are often reproduced verbatim. After all, Darby wanted us stimulated spiritually, not intellectually. Indeed, ‘the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy’ (Revelation 19:10) – it is to enhance His glory, not to satisfy our curiosity.
Most of these summaries were initially posted on my website www.adayofsmallthings.com. If you have comments on this book, or on my site, email me at daniel@adayofsmallthings.com, or use the comments form on my website.
Scripture quotations are from the 1611 King James Version of the Bible. Despite its age and often archaic language, it remains the only universally accepted version. Sometimes, for accuracy, I have used Darby’s translation, (1890 edition), shown as Darby after the reference. Very occasionally I use the English Standard Version (ESV), a modern language version. Most of my personal comments are footnotes.
This work, dear reader, is committed to God. May I be given diligence, understanding and in humility, serve His Son, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Your brother in Christ
Daniel Roberts
November 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1 – A PROPHETIC TIMELINE. 7
1.1 Introduction to the Timeline. 7
SECTION 2 – J N DARBY’s PROPHETIC TEACHING 20
2.3 The Rapture and the Appearing. 25
2.5 Israel and the Church – Christ’s Heavenly and Earthly Brides. 35
SECTION 3 – JOHN NELSON DARBY – THE MAN AND HIS MINISTRY 40
3.1 Who was Darby and why you should know more about his Ministry. 41
3.2 John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) – Biographical Note of a True Churchman 42
3.3 The Beliefs of Darby and the ‘Brethren’ 45
SECTION 4 – THE 1840 GENEVA LECTURES 50
4.1 The Christian’s Assurance as to Prophecy. 52
4.2 What the Father has done in Grace for the Church’s Glory. 55
4.3 The Second Coming of Christ 60
4.6 Ecclesiastical and Civil Apostasy. 77
4.7 The Judgment of the Nations. 84
4.8 God’s Promises to Israel 87
4.9 What God in His Goodness will yet do for Israel – and what it Means for us 91
4.11 The Importance of Prophecy. 101
SECTION 5 – OTHER PAPERS ON PROPHECY BY JN DARBY 107
5.1 The Power, Hopes, Calling, Present Position, and Occupation of the Church 108
5.2 After the Rapture, the Jewish Remnant – Particularly from Isaiah. 113
5.3 After the Rapture, the Jewish Remnant – Particularly from the Psalms. 119
5.4 After the Rapture, the Jewish Remnant – Particularly from the New Testament 123
5.5 The Lord’s Second Coming and the Church’s Witness. 130
5.6 The New Heaven and New Earth. 132
5.7 John Nelson Darby’s Prophetic Map. 133
5.8 The Truth of the Rapture is Clear from Scripture. 139
6.1 Glossary of Prophetic Terms. 147
6.2 Darby’s Spiritual Songs, bearing on the Christian’s Hope. 152
SECTION 1 – A PROPHETIC TIMELINE
1.1 Introduction to the Timeline
The present is now; the future starts at the Rapture.
All we can say is that the church is not yet complete – the last soul to be saved has not yet been saved. Other than this, no further events need to happen before the Rapture. A brother who helped us much in our area often said, ‘The prophetic clock has stopped’. He also said that we are not told about the future to satisfy our curiosity, but only things that have a present moral bearing. Please, dear reader, bear this in mind when reading this book.
Corinthians says ‘Now’: ‘For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation’ (2 Corinthians 6:2) quoting from Isaiah 49:8
Hebrews says ‘Today’: ‘To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts’ (Hebrews 3:15) quoting from Psalm 95:7
With that in mind, we begin our timeline from the Rapture.
The period from the Rapture to the Appearing
We anticipate two great events
- Christ’s coming ‘to the air’ to take the living believers on Him to be with Him, and to raise the bodies of those who have ‘fallen asleep’. This is known as ‘The Rapture’. It could happen today.
- To come with His saints to reign over the earth for 1000 years. This is known as ‘The Appearing’. It follows the Great Tribulation and precedes the Millennium.
The next chapter (1.2) contrasts the two.
1.2 Chart of the Ages
We all like charts, especially prophetic charts. So this book has two!
- A well-known, public domain chart, often seen as a display in meeting halls published by Gospel Hall Publications. This covers the period from the captivity of Israel to the new heavens and new earth.
- The Chart of the ages – a simpler one by my friend Bill Chellberg, and covering eternity to eternity.
Graphics from the latter have also been used to illustrate chapters.
1.3 The Timeline
| Events in Heaven | Events on Earth |
| End of Church Period (now happening) | |
| Prophecy paused since AD29. Daniel 9:24-26, 12:9 | Prophecy paused since AD70 Matthew 24:2, 36, Acts 1:7 |
| Jews returning to Israel in unbelief form a state with political existence. | |
| Difficult times shall be there – list in 2 Timothy 3:1-7 | |
| The love of the many grows cold Matthew 24:12 | |
| Technology and travel -Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Daniel 12:4 | |
| The Lord’s Coming to Rapture His Saints | |
| Saints taken to where we belong. Philippians 3:20-21 | The Rapture – saints (OT and Church) caught up to meet the Lord in the air, dead raised, bodies changed – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, John 14:3, Philippians 3:30, |
| Saints of the church with Christ in heaven John 14:3 | Those left will believe a strong delusion 2 Thessalonians 2:17 |
| First 3 ½ Years (1260 days) | |
| Twelve tribes brought together – a nation born in a day Isaiah 66:7-8, Ezekiel 36:22-27 | |
| The Lamb on the Throne Revelation 4 | Saints on earth warned against being led astray Matthew 24:4-5, Mark 13:5-6. Luke 21:8, 2 Timothy 3:13 |
| The book to be opened Revelation 5 | The apostasy comes and the Man of Sin (the Antichrist) revealed
2 Thessalonians 2:3-10 1 John 4:3 (anticipatively) |
| Antichrist makes a seven-year pact with the Jews (broken after 3½ years) Daniel 9:27 | |
| The woman rides the beast. The great harlot, Babylon representing the combined apostate religious system of the West (under Rome) controls the revived federal Roman Empire – Revelation 17:1-9. | |
| Seal 1 – White horse | The revived Roman Empire dominates the western world |
| Seal 2 – Red horse | Wars, bloodshed, rumours of wars, nation against nation Matthew 24:6-7, Mark 13:7-8.Luke 21:9-10, Revelation 6:3-4, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, Haggai 2:22, Jeremiah 25:30-32 |
| Seal 3 – Black horse | Earthquake and famine – Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8, Luke 21:11, Revelation 6:5-6 |
| Seal 4 – Pale horse | Pestilence and death – Matthew 24:7, Revelation 6:7-8 |
| Seal 5 – Souls of martyrs under the altar cry Revelation 6:9-11 | Saints delivered up, persecuted and martyred in a scene of lawlessness Matthew 10:21-22, 24:10-13, Mark 13:9-13, Luke 21:16-20, John 16:2 |
| False prophets lead many astray Matthew 24:11, Mark 13:6 | |
| Seal 6 – Heaven removed as a book rolled up | World trembles – Physical changes. People hide themselves Revelation 6:12-17 |
| Glad tidings of the kingdom preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations Matthew 24:14 | |
| 144,000 sealed (12,000 from each tribe) Revelation 7:1-8 | |
| S0eal 7 – Silence in heaven – Golden censer Revelation 8:1-5 | More thunders and earthquakes |
| Trumpet 1 | Hail and fire mixed with blood Revelation 6:8:7 |
| Trumpet 2 | Burning mountain thrown into the sea Revelation 8:8-9 |
| Trumpet 3 | Star falling called wormwood turning waters bitter Revelation 8:10:11 |
| Trumpet 4 | Third or Sun, Moon, stars struck Revelation 8:10:12 |
| Trumpet 5 | Star thrown into the abyss, Plague of locusts like scorpions tormenting men Revelation 9:1-11 |
| Trumpet 6 | Release of four angels at River Euphrates, 200,000,000-strong cavalry, a plague of horses Revelation 9:13-21 |
| The angel and the little book Revelation 10 | Measurement of the temple. Two witnesses are slain and resurrected Revelation 11:1-11 |
| Earthquake – 10% of the city fell killing 7000, remnant give God glory Revelation 11:13 | |
| Trumpet 7 Worship in heaven – temple opened, and the ark of covenant seen | People are commanded to do homage to the image of the beast Revelation 13:15 |
| The ten horns shall hate the harlot – The federated Roman Empire turns against the religious system. (Revelation 17:16-17) | |
| The woman clothed with the sun in pain to bring forth Revelation 12:1-2 | She brings forth a male son – they flee to the wilderness for protection Revelation 12:5-6 |
| War in heaven – Satan (the dragon) cast out Revelation 12:7-9 | Satan comes to the earth and persecutes woman and male child Revelation 12:3-4, 12-17 |
| Second 3 ½ Years (1260 – 1335 days) | |
| Beast from the sea (The Roman Empire) Revelation 13:1-8 | |
| Beat from the earth (The Antichrist) Revelation 13:9-18 | |
| Beast breaks his covenant with the Jews Daniel 9:27 | |
| Woe on earth, son of desolation Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:20, Revelation13, 14:9-10, Daniel 8:11, 11:36-37 | |
| Flight from Jerusalem, the time of Jacob’s trouble.
Matthew 24:16-22, Mark 13:14-20, Luke 21:21-24, Revelation 8:13, 11:16, Jeremiah 30:7 |
|
| People saying ‘Lo here, Lo there’ Matthew 24:23-26, Mark 13:21-28 | |
| Angel with everlasting gospel Revelation 14:6-7 | Proclamation of the everlasting glad tidings – testimony to Christ’s power
Revelation 7:1-12,14:6-7 Romans 10:14-18, Psalm 96:1-13, 98:2, Isaiah 40:9-10 |
| A voice from heaven, harpers and a new song Revelation 14:1-5 | The Lamb and the 144,000 (Jews and Gentiles) on Mt Sion Revelation 14:1-5 |
| Angel announces that Babylon (idolatrous system) had fallen Revelation 14:8 | |
| Angel announces judgment on those with the mark of the beast Revelation 14:9-12 | |
| Angel with the sharp sickle Revelation 14:14-16 | 1600 stadia (185/296km miles) of bloodshed Revelation 14:17-20 |
| The song of Moses and the tabernacle of witness opened Revelation 15:1-8 | |
| Vial 1 | Ugly and painful sores on those with the mark of the beast Revelation 16:2 |
| Vial 2 | The sea turns to blood – everything in the sea dies Revelation 16:3 |
| Vial 3 | Fountains of waters become blood, which people drink Revelation 16:4-7 |
| Vial 4 | Sun scorches people with fire Revelation 16:8-9 |
| Vial 5
(See also Trumpet 4) |
Sun fails to give light: darkness Matthew 24:29, Mark 13:24-25, Revelation 6:12, 8:12-13, 16:10-11, Joel 2:10-11, 30-31, Isaiah 24:23, Amos 8:9 |
| Vial 6 | The Euphrates dried up –Spirits of devils gather men gathered for battle at Armageddon Revelation 16:12-16 |
| Vial 7 | Earthquake flattens mountains and islands disappear (sea level rises?) – the city divided – hail of one talent (75lb/34kg – 16 ins/40cm in diameter) Revelation 16:17-19 |
| Rejoicing over judgment on the world Revelation 18:20 | |
| Acclamation of glory to the Lord God omnipotent Revelation 19:1-6 | People ready to die due to expectations Luke 21:25-36 |
| Marriage supper of the Lamb. Revelation 19:6-10 | |
| Call to the great supper of God Revelation 19:17-18 | End of the false religion of Babylon Revelation 17:16 -18:3 |
| The collapse of the world market Revelation 18:4-19 | |
| Battle of Armageddon (More a campaign of battles from Megiddo to Bozrah – also about 1600 stadia – see above ) Revelation 16:16, 19:19-21 | |
| Satan bound for 1000 years Revelation 19:20, 20:1-3 | |
| The Approach of the King of Kings | |
| Jesus comes with the church Matthew 24:27, Jude 1:14, Zechariah 14:4, Colossians 3:4, 1 Timothy 6:14, Titus 2:13 | His feet touch the Mount of Olives – ‘coming with great glory’.
Matthew 24:27-30, Mark 13:26. Luke 17:24, 21:27, Acts 1:11, Psalm 50:3, Daniel 7:13-14, Zechariah 14:4,, Colossians 3:4, Revelation 19:11-16 |
| Gathering of the elect from the four winds – Judah and Israel/ Ephraim joined Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:27
Deuteronomy 30:3, Isaiah 11:36, Ezekiel 34:11-16, 37:14-28 39:25-29 |
|
| Christ judges nations (or the judgment of the living) Matthew 25:31-46, Acts 17:31, Psalm 50:4, 96:13, Joel 3:14, Zephaniah 3:8, | |
| Jews look on ‘Him who they have pierced’ Zechariah 12:10, John 19:37, Revelation 1:7 | |
| The new covenant with Israel Jeremiah 31:28-40 | |
| The Millennium Revelation 20:5-6, 21:9-27, 22:22:1-5, Isaiah 2:4, , 11:6-9, 32:1, Micah 4:7,Habakkuk 2:14, Zechariah 14:9, Psalm 45:3-9, Jeremiah 23:5-8, Romans 11:26 | |
| The Prince and the Temple Ezekiel 40-48 Zechariah 6:11-13, | |
| Satan loosed for a short time Revelation 20:3 | |
| Satan defeated
Revelation 20:8-10 |
|
| The End | |
| Great White Throne Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8 | |
| New heaven and new earth Revelation 21:1-8, 2 Peter 3:13 – The Day of God | |
| Christ delivers up the kingdom that God may be all in all 1 Corinthians 15:23-28 |
SECTION 2 – J N DARBY’s PROPHETIC TEACHING
2.1 Introduction
This part, entirely written by the author, is consistent with the teaching of J N Darby as to the events to come, but are designed to give
- An overview of prophetic events
- An explanation of happenings of similar character (comings, judgments etc) which Christians often confuse.
We look at the dispensations, how God has dealt with men at various times. Darby’s dispensational teaching had a profound effect, especially in evangelical circles
Next we have the difference between the Rapture – the event immediately before us, which I trust every reader of this book eagerly awaits, and the appearing when He comes with His saints to reign in His millennial kingdom.
We now look at three judgments – a frequent cause of difficulty:
- The judgment seat of Christ – when we get the Lord’s view of our lives (I hope we can all include ourselves in this)
- The judgment of the nations (or the judgment of the living) – those people on the earth. When He comes to reign,
- The final judgment of evil – and all who have rejected Jesus – the Great White Throne
Finally, we look at what applies to Israel and what applies to the Church.
2.2 The Dispensations
Biblical history is divided by God into dispensations, defined periods or ages to which God has allotted distinctive administrative principles.
J N Darby is sometimes referred to as the ‘father of dispensational theology’. Although the thought was not new, and it is clear from scripture, there was in his time (and still is) a lot on muddled thinking amongst believers. Many teach that we are part of a steady continuum, with, for example, the church replacing Israel, that Christ’s kingdom is present and that the interpretation of periods is purely spiritual or figurative – sometimes called ‘covenant theology’.
J N Darby’s teaching, and also that of many servants of the Lord, has been based on the understanding that Biblical history is divided by God into dispensations, defined periods or ages to which God has allotted distinctive administrative principles. Dispensationalists’ view of history has the glory of God at its centre, whereas traditional teaching focuses on humanity and man’s physical and spiritual needs[1].
The Word ‘Dispensation’
The word, οἰκονομία /oikonomia /Strong 3622 — (Ephesians 1:10), translated ‘dispensation’ there — is a compound word ‘house’ and ‘law – the rules or administration, of a household, as in our word ’economy’. In the phrase, ‘dispensational truth,’ it looks at the world as a great household, in which God is dispensing, or administering, according to the rule of His own establishing, and in whose order, He has from time to time introduced changes, the understanding of which is consequently needful, both
List of Dispensations – Schofield
There are several lists of dispensations, and to my knowledge, Darby did not produce a formal list, but the classic view lists the following, each associated with a covenant between God and man.
Generally, the list of dispensations is taken from the explanatory notes in the New Schofield Reference Bible. Dr Cyrus I Schofield defined a dispensation as ‘a period of time during which man is tested in respect to his obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God[2]’
Schofield listed the dispensations as follows:
- Innocence– Adam is under probation before the Fall. This dispensation ends with his expulsion from the Garden of Eden. This is designated by the Edenic Covenant (Genesis 1:28)
- Conscience– From the Fall to the Great Flood. It ended with the worldwide deluge when only eight were saved. (Genesis 3:7) – The Adamic covenant – conditions in the life of fallen man.
- Human Government– After the Great Flood, men were to execute the death penalty for murder. This dispensation ends with the dispersion at the Tower of Babel. Some use the term Noahide law about this period. (Genesis 8:15)
- Promise – From Abraham to Moses. Ends with the refusal to enter Canaan and the 40 years of unbelief in the wilderness. Some use the terms Abrahamic law or Abrahamic covenant about this period. (Genesis 12:1)
- Law– From Moses to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Ends with the scattering of Israel in AD70. Some use the term Mosaic law about this period. (Exodus 19:1)
- Grace– lasts from the cross to the Rapture of the church. The Rapture is followed by the wrath of God comprising the Great Tribulation. Some use the term Age of Grace or the Church Age for this dispensation. (Acts 2:1)
- Millennial Kingdom (or Fullness of Times) – The 1000-year reign of Christ on earth centred in Jerusalem. It ends with God’s judgment on the final rebellion, Satan having been released ‘for a short time’. (Revelation 20:4)
[1] See ‘Elements of Dispensational Truth Volume 1 by R. A. Huebner, page 3’
[2] Note 3 to Genesis 1:28. New Schofield Reference Bible Bible published by Oxford University Press 1970 edition.