"Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed You; what shall we have, therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That you which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:27-28)
Where will the apostles and the Israelites be when the former judge the latter? and will the judged be dead or alive?
The text answers the question. It is "in the regeneration when the Son of man sits on the throne of His glory." It is the time when all things are regenerated, made new. (See Revelation 21:1,5) And the people judged will of course be alive; for in that new earth state, "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." (Revelation 21:4)
You evidently have a mistaken idea of the word "judging" in this place. To judge does not necessarily always mean to condemn, or to execute penalties. God is Judge to all eternity, but: "He will not always chide." (Chide: to express disapproval of; scold; reproach) (Psalm 103:9)
To judge a people means to be ruler, to guide their affairs, to assist them with the superior wisdom which one must have in order to occupy the place. There will be Government in the new earth, with God as supreme Judge or Ruler, and kings reigning under Him, not placed arbitrarily over others, but occupying the position which their nature entitles them to.
We are too apt to get our ideas of Government from what exists on this earth. On the contrary, we should get it from the Lord. He is our Shepherd; but in the Bible a shepherd is a ruler. Thus in Matthew 2:6, we read that God says to Bethlehem, "Out of you shall come a Governor that shall rule my people Israel," (Matthew 2:6) and the margin has "feed." He who can render the people the greatest service will occupy the highest place in the kingdom of God, and all will see that it is just as it ought to be, and the only thing that could be.
2. Where and when will Isaiah 65:17-25 be fulfilled?
Here again the text answers the question. "Behold, I create new heavens and the new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy," (Isaiah 65:17-18) says the Lord. The verses referred to describe the state of things beginning with the destruction of sinners and the renewing of the earth, and reaching on indefinitely through eternity. "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that has not filled his days: for the child shall die a hundred years old; but the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed." (Isaiah 65:20)
If a sinner be a hundred years old at the time of execution of judgment upon the ungodly, he will be but a child in comparison with the saints who will then have spent a thousand years in the New Jerusalem; and he "shall be accursed;" for: "If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he." (Ecclesiastes 6:8)
The wicked have been destroyed, the saints "shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat; for as the days of the tree are the days of my people, and my elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." (Isaiah 65:21-22)
3. Was Daniel an Israelite or a Christian?
Both; for there is no difference; the two terms describe the same people. This question is answered by considering the meaning of the word "Israel." It signifies a Prince of God, or one who prevails or overcomes. (Read Genesis 32:24-28) Christ says: "To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father in His throne." (Revelation 3:21)
All Israelites, therefore, will sit with Christ in His throne; and none others will, for none but overcomers can share His kingdom.
Christ has overcome. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and has prevailed over all foes. (Revelation 5:5) He has power as a prince with God and with men, (Genesis 32:28)--even all power in heaven and earth. (Matthew 28:18) Therefore His name is Israel, and by that name He is addressed in Isaiah 49:3. There can be no doubt but that this Scripture primarily refers to Christ, as we can see by reading it. "Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, you people, from far; The Lord has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has He made mention of my name. And He has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand has He hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in His quiver has He hid me; And said unto me, You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified." (Isaiah 49:1-3)
Since Christ himself is Israel, it is self-evident that every Christian is an Israelite, and every Israelite a Christian. All who are "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building, fitly framed together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ... are no more strangers and foreigners, ... aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, ... but [are] fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." (Ephesians 2:20-21,19,12,19)
The children of God by faith in Christ Jesus are Israelites, members of the commonwealth of Israel. Daniel was "an Israelite indeed," (John 1:47) a Christian, and his "people" (Daniel 10:14; 12:1) are all who are Christ's.
4. Has reconciliation been made for iniquity?
Yes, verily; "For Christ also has one suffered, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:18) "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by himto reconcile all things unto himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled. In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight." (Colossians 1:19-22) "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ... For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation." (Romans 5:1-2,10-11,margin)
Still more than this. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19)
5. Has everlasting righteousness been brought in?
Most assuredly; for Christ is our righteousness, and "His righteousness is everlasting." (Psalm 119:142; 112:3,9) "The righteousness of God, which is by the faith of Jesus Christ, [is] unto all and upon all them that believe." (Romans 3:22)
His righteousness is as enduring as He himself. Do you believe that God forgives sins? He says so. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanses from all of righteousness." (1 John 1:9)
This He does by importing His own righteousness to take the place of our sins, which He remits, sends away, as far from us as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:12) Then just as we believe this, may we know that "it will last."
The fear is often expressed that some new convert "will not hold out," and many people are afraid to testify to the salvation which they have from God, lest it should not last, and they be put to shame for their boasting. Know, then, that: "in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength," (Isaiah 26:4) and none that boast of His power will ever be put to shame. (Joel 2:27) "The Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. And He is near that justifies me [makes me righteous]." (Isaiah 50:7-8)
By bringing in everlasting righteousness Christ has made an end of sins. He condemned, put to death, sin in the flesh, so that "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)
Both sin and death have been overcome, so that "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Romans 8:37) "This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4,RV)
God has done everything that possibly can be done for mankind. His work is finished, so that when we believe, and thus receive His work, we enter into rest--rest from sin, even while the battle continues to rage. Therefore, "Trust in the Lord for ever." (Isaiah 26:4)--Present Truth, October 17, 1901.