This Gospel of the Kingdom
WHILE the Master was here in person, He made the prediction, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matt. 24:14. This is a marvelous prophecy and calls for a world-wide movement in order for it to be fulfilled. Of course it is clear that the gospel of the kingdom could not be preached in all the world if the Bible which tells the message were not sent on ahead. Hence the Master’s prediction, that the gospel of the kingdom was to be preached in all the world so that the end may come, is equivalent to saying that the divine Book of the gospel will also be sent into all the world. The prophet Daniel is bidden to make a statement that is very similar in import to the foregoing words of Christ. “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Dan. 12:4. On the words, “many shall run to and fro,” Doctor Adam Clarke makes the comment, “Many shall endeavor to search out the sense; and knowledge shall be increased—by these means.” Without question, the knowledge that the prophet assures us shall be increased is the knowledge of the Word of God, and particularly the knowledge of the prophecies. It would not be possible for many “to search out the sense” unless the Book that contains the prophecies was circulated widely. The prophecies of the Bible make it possible for us to recognize that the end of which the Master spoke is approaching. And the “many” who search out the sense will have to have copies of the Book in order to do the searching. With these facts before us, it is interesting to know what is being done by our great Bible societies, and particularly the British and Foreign Bible Society of London. For instance, in the last issue of their monthly publication, they tell us that they are receiving a manuscript of a new translation of the Bible or some of its portions on an average of every six weeks. This means in many instances that some faithful missionary has been laboring for years among some half savage tribe, studying its language and reducing that language to written speech. Then just as soon as the task is accomplished, the work of translating the Book of God is begun, and the first printed matter the tribe gets is the Bible. The devoted men and women of this Bible Society keep the task before them night and day of learning every language and dialect on the face of the earth and giving the Bible to the people in their own native tongue. The Master calls for just such a work as this. He has said, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations.” His word is out, and we see how marvelously it is being fulfilled. One of the greatest miracles of the ages is the determined work that is being done to give the Bible to every creature in all this world, and the success of the effort is alike truly marvelous. Think of a manuscript coming to the London Bible Society every six weeks! Think of the faithful work of the missionary during all the years9of study and toil and privation required for the production of the completed work! And yet all this work is necessary in order for the Lord’s words to be fulfilled. Who will say that the Lord did not have all this work of the Bible society’s missionaries and workers before Him when He made the prediction? And who can not see the mighty work that is in progress which is bearing the witnessing of the Word of God to all the nations? And we should not overlook the fact that the One who had the foreknowledge which enabled Him to make the marvelous prediction has also made the sublime announcement that when the witnessing is finished, “then shall the end come.” This is only one of the voices of prophecy that are speaking to the people of this time. A mighty prophetic chorus is proclaiming that the end of all things earthly and sinful is at hand, and we are exhorted to be ready to meet the issue.