在十九紀初，經歷法國大革命及拿破崙在歐州發動的戰役，當時的世界是動盪不安的，不少人都有世界末日的感覺，對末世預言倍感興趣。當時對預言的研究最為熱衷的是英國靈恩派的愛德華·歐文(Edward Irving)，他的教會(Catholic Apostolic Church)相信在末日神要降下春雨，使初期教會的恩賜如方言、神醫、說預言及使徒等重臨。
多年來預言的主題佔據了愛德華·歐文 (Edward Irving)的大部分思路，而他在主第二次降臨的信念在閱讀耶穌會教士曼努埃爾·迪亞茲(Manuel Lacunza*)的作品中得到很好的佐證(註1)，曼努埃爾·迪亞茲假借猶太人的名字Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra約在1790年寫下"The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and
Majesty"一書(註2)。1827年，愛德華·歐文伴隨著他長篇的序言把"The Coming
of the Messiah in Glory and Majesty"一書翻譯過來，這本書是愛德華·歐文推廣千禧年主義的最重要的典籍。
後來在1830年代在鮑爾斯考特莊園(Powerscourt House)舉行聖經預言講座(註3)，普利茅斯弟兄會(Plymouth
Brethren)亦有赴會，而其中為首的弟兄就是約翰·納爾遜·達秘(John Nelson Darby)繼續推廣千禧年主義的理論(註4)，並在以後的時間著書立說，對此種理論大力宣傳。
下文是曼努埃爾·迪亞茲(Manuel Lacunza, 1731-1801)、愛德華•歐文(Edward Irving ,1792-1834)和達秘(J. N. Darby,
1800 –1882)的著作節錄引述，從中我們可見地上千年國度思想在十八和十九世紀的承傳。
(1) 曼努埃爾·迪亞茲(Manuel Lacunza)的著作節錄
“And
now by these
alone (though proposed
with such generality),
thou dost see
the whole of our earth entirely
renewed, with the whole of the miserable lineage of Adam. Thou seest
here all the
lines drawn, and
all the foundations
solidly placed, for re-establishing solidly
upon our earth
the kingdom of
God, which we
expect and pray
for, the fifth incorruptible and eternal kingdom, which,
as is written in Daniel (ii. 44.) “shall bruise and break in
pieces all these
kingdoms, and shall
stand for ever.”
This residue of
the nations, being perfectly instructed,
sanctified, and as it were, erected anew, not less than the residue of Israel, shall compose along with it, the “one
sheepfold and one shepherd” of the gospel, (John x. 16.) shall multiply in
peace, and grace, and once more fill the whole earth, continuing from
generation to
generation, for many,
for very many
ages, (which St.
John explains by
the perfect number,
one thousand), the faith,
the simplicity, the
innocence, the fear
and the knowledge
of the Lord.”
(Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra "The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and
Majesty" 206/247)
(2) 愛德華•歐文(Edward Irving) 的著作節錄
during the whole period of the
millennial kingdom. And therefore they will need government, both civil and
ecclesiastical, a law and a religion, or rather a
law in a religion; that is, the same law of righteousness which we now possess,
administered according to
the wisdom of
Christ
(Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra, a converted Jew ; translated from the Spanish, with
a preliminary discourse, by the Rev. Edward Irving. 1827. The coming of Messiah
in glory and majesty. London [England] : L.B. Seeley 9/395)
These are they who shall meet the Lord
in the air, and reign with him on the earth,
(Ibid. 17/395)
Now take into consideration the apostolic,
and prophetical, and patriarchal, I may say
the universal object of hope during the
canonical and primitive ages of the church, viz. the coming of Christ in power
and majesty, and the resurrection from the grave of every member of his
mystical body, the casting of Satan out of the earth, and the reign of the
saints for a thousand years;
(Ibid. 49/395)
(3) 達秘(J. N. Darby) 的著作節錄
“Those that rise reign a thousand years with Christ and shall be made kings and priests; and this cannot be applied in any way to principles, but only to the persons of the risen saints……
We
see then here Satan bound, Jesus reigning over the earth, and the
faithful reigning with Jesus Himself. It is necessary to understand well that
Satan spoils all the work of God in the earth.”
(J. N. Darby Notes on the Apocalypse gleaned at lectures
in Geneva, 1842. Revelation 20:1-6)
注意三位作者都有千禧年主義的思想：
1) 在地上作王
Manuel Lacunza : re-establishing solidly upon our earth the
kingdom of God
Edward Irving : These are they who shall
meet the Lord in the air, and reign with him on the earth
J. N. Darby: Jesus reigning over the earth
2) 作王為期一千年
Manuel
Lacunza ：for very many ages,(which
St.John explains by the perfect number, one
thousand)
Edward Irving ： the reign of the saints for a thousand years
J. N. Darby ： reign a thousand years with
Christ
*Manuel Lacunza的全名是Manuel Diaz Lacunza S.J.
註：
1. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Edward Irving
2. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Manuel Lacunza
3. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Powerscourt Estate
4. Sandeen, Ernest R. The Roots of Fundamentalism: British and American
Millenarianism, 1800-1930. Chicago, IL:University of Chicago Press, 1970 p.39
