Christ Reclaims This Earth — Promises It as the Location of His Eternal Kingdom of Glory — The Redeemed to Enjoy Forever the Bliss of That Realm
By ALLEN MOON
AFTER His resurrection, the Saviour came to His disciples in Galilee, and said, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” By His sacrifice, the Son of God had redeemed to Himself the dominion of earth. As the prophet had said, “And Thou, O Tower of the flock, the Stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto Thee shall it come, even the first dominion.” Micah 4: 8. And now, having redeemed the dominion of earth, and, by the Father’s decree, it having been given to Him when He ascended up on high after His resurrection, He is at liberty to enter upon and exercise the “all power” in earth at will.
WILLING FOR NONE TO PERISH
The Son, like the Father, is long-suffering, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” So He sent forth the children of the kingdom to preach the glad tidings of redemption and salvation as long as men would hear and believe.
But the time will come when, because many turn away the ear from hearing the law, and will not honor the Son, the word of the Father will come to pass: “Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Ps. 2: 8, 9.
The prophet is still more explicit in his statements relating to the last-day kingdoms that have corrupted the earth. He says: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Dan. 2: 44. This cannot mean the conversion of the world, nor the federation of the nations into one great world power; but in the days of the existence of nations, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom.
First He will break the nations until they become as the chaff of the summer threshing floor; and the wind carries them away, that no place is found for them. Verse 35. Then will apply the Saviour’s words: “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom [dominion] all things that offend, and them which do iniquity. . . . Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Matt. 13: 40-43.
THE EARTH FOR THE CHILDREN OF MEN
The earth is the Lord’s, and now He is come into His own. But He does not alter His purpose concerning man, whom He created to inhabit it; for it is written that “the earth hath He given to the children of men.” “Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matt. 25: 34.
From these scriptures, there is no mistaking the location of the kingdom of which the children of God are subjects. But the earth in its present condition is not fit to be the eternal dwelling place of the Redeemer and the redeemed. John tells us: “He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.” “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Rev. 21: 5, 3. The prophet, foreseeing this time, and being informed as to what should follow, was inspired to write, saying, “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the679saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” Dan. 7: 27.
KING OF GLORY PROMISED
The kingdom promised here is the kingdom of glory; for in the same vision, the prophet saw One like the Son of man come with the clouds of heaven. “And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Verse 14. Again the Lord said by the mouth of the prophet: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.” Isa. 65: 17, 18. In this language is set forth the earth renewed and free from the curse, and the capital city—a new creation; and the redeemed people—the joy of the whole earth.
THE CAPITAL OF THE KINGDOM
Once more, we draw from the prophetic Word reference to the capital city of the eternal kingdom. John says: “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Rev. 21: 1, 2. Isaiah spoke of this city as a new creation. Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.”
John says this new creation prepared for God’s people comes down from God out of heaven.
Zechariah says: “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one.” “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” “All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited. . . . And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.” Zech. 14: 9, 4, 10, 11.
GOD PRESENT IN PERSON
John says: “I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. . . . And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” Rev. 21: 3, 5.
Of the city whose walls were of stones most precious, with gates of pearl and streets of gold, John says: “Having the glory of God, and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” Verse 11. “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever.” Rev. 22: 5.
How grand and inspiring the story contained in the word of God! And as God promised to Abraham and his seed an inheritance, and fulfilled His promise to the literal children of Abraham, so surely will He fulfill His promise of an eternal inheritance to Abraham’s seed through Christ. It is the promise of the earth redeemed by the Son of God. He sends forth His angels, and gathers out of His kingdom all things that are evil and offensive, and renews the face of the earth. The New Jerusalem—the heavenly mansions that He has gone to prepare—comes down from heaven to earth, and rests upon the Mount of Olives—the place made sacred by His footsteps when He came to offer Himself a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The city and the earth made new are given to the saints of the Most High. God Himself shall dwell among them, and be their God. Christ shall sit upon the throne of His glory, and the place of His throne shall be most glorious, and He shall reign forever and ever.
THE MYSTERIES OF HEATHEN WORSHIP ARE REPLACED IN SECRET ORDERS BY BEAUTIFUL RITUAL.
Such is the story of redemption—the hope of the Christian. “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the Lord.” Isa. 66: 23.
