Capernaum "Cast Down to Hell"
Capernaum, the scene of the majority of Jesus' mighty
works, is now marked merely by a ruin. In it we see fulfilled Jesus'
prophecy, "Thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be
brought down to hell"-- to Hades--the tomb. Symbolically that city
was lifted to heaven in privilege as being the Master's own city during
His ministry. Its great privileges meant great responsibility, and hence
Jesus told them that if the same mighty works done in their midst had been
done in Sodom and Gomorrah, they would have repented. He said, "In
the Day of Judgment, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than
for you."
The Day of Judgment is undoubtedly the thousand-year Day
of Christ's Reign, in which judgment, or trial, will be granted to the
world, to separate "sheep" from "goats"-- to determine
those worthy and those unworthy of everlasting life. That glorious Epoch
will be a blessed Day of privilege, light and grace, in which all the
darkness of sin will vanish. It will be "more tolerable" for
those who sinned without light than for those who enjoyed great privileges
and opportunities.
Bible students are coming to see that the Day of
Judgment has been greatly misunderstood. It has been thought of as a time
of condemnation, instead of which it will be a period of testing, to see
who, under trial, will be found worthy and who unworthy of everlasting
life, which Jesus died to secure for all of Adam's race desiring it on
God's terms.
The first Judgment Day was in Eden. Father Adam because
of disobedience was sentenced to death. For six thousand years his race
has been under that sentence. Jesus died to release all from that
sentence, and to grant to all an opportunity of everlasting life. Only a
faithful few, an Elect class, have yet been blessed. Their judgment, or
trial, is in advance of the world, that they may be with Jesus judges of
the world during the world's trial, or Judgment Day--the thousand
years.--1 Corinthians 6:2; Acts 17:31.
