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The Coming Kingdom

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Aug 10, 1905

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 82, No. 32.

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The Coming Kingdom

By C. A. BURMAN

C. A. BURMAN
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” The subject “The Coming Kingdom” is one of great interest to every believer in this message. Jesus often spoke of it; it was the principal theme of John the revelator. The establishment of Christ’s kingdom on this earth is the hope of God’s people to-day. The preparation necessary for the realization of this hope is the question for our consideration.
By the first angel’s message we are called upon to “fear God, and give glory to him.” We were created for this purpose. Isa. 43:7. It now is, and always has been, a question of loyalty. Shall we serve God, or some other being?
It is evident to all that God’s people to-day can not regain the kingdom while violating the same principle that caused our first parents to lose the kingdom. The standard is the same. Loyalty was the great question. Would they recognize God as the owner? or would they step over the bounds, and use for their own purposes that which belonged to God alone? In attempting to get possession of all, they lost all.
God’s people are now passing through the same test of loyalty. The tithe is to us what the tree of knowledge was to them. It can readily be seen that they appropriated for their own use that which did not belong to them. In so doing, they transgressed the commandment which says, “Thou shalt not steal.” The act of appropriating the tithe to one’s own use is also called robbing God—stealing. Mal. 3:8. But will robbery be found among the people of God when Jesus comes? It is twice stated in the prophecies of Revelation that the last church will keep the commandments.
It was not because they were in need that they partook of the forbidden fruit, for they had been given dominion over all. They ventured to risk the consequences of disobedience, that they might be like God. Self-exaltation was the motive that led to the sin. Many are now risking the loss of eternal life for the sake of a few dollars. Satan is, to-day, presenting the riches of this world before the people of God, as, in the wilderness, he presented the glory and honor of the world to Christ, saying, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Christ overcame the tempter by a close adherence to the Word of God; so, “if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.”
  • Aberdeen, S. D.