THE KINGDOM OF GOD by W. W. Prescott

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 25, 1897

THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

By W. W. Prescott

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

The Climax of the Controversy.

When Christ came, it was the climax of the controversy between him and Satan. If Satan shall be in any way able to turn Christ, the second Adam, the representative of the human race starting out again, aside, if he can by any means overcome him, he will triumph and establish his kingdom here. So upon Christ was brought to bear every possible temptation, and all the power of malignity that had been working in Satan for thousands of years. And to effect his purpose he followed Christ every step of the way from the manger to the cross. He was determined that Christ should not remain loyal to God while in his dominion. When it came to the cross of Christ’s experience, Satan instigated on the part of men everything that malignity could devise. He urged them on to overcome his human nature, that he might make him swerve from the path of loyalty. He tried to bribe him. “Acknowledge my right to the kingdom of the earth,” he said, “and I will give you all these kingdoms.” But this Christ could not do; for it was the very point of the controversy.

We come to the climax of the struggle in the death of Christ. Satan’s charge had been that God’s government was arbitrary and hard, and that he would give his subjects a better government. The universe looked on to see it worked out. The curse of disobedience rested on the earth, but Christ came to redeem it, “being made a curse for us.” Satan had urged on the Jews till they took his life, and thus Satan became the murderer of the Son of God. By his gift to the world God showed that he did desire his will—the law of love and filial obedience—to be done on earth as it is done in heaven, and in order to make it possible he was willing to give his only-begotten Son to die. Satan showed that he wanted his own way badly enough to be willing to become the murderer of the Son of God. All this was enacted before the universe, and how did it affect it?

God’s Government Vindicated before the Universe.

“And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast; the same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew; and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.” “Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me.” John 12: 20-32. And Jesus Christ, lifted up between heaven and earth on the cross, did draw both heaven and earth to him. Through death he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. It is not often a king gains with his kingdom by dying, but Jesus Christ won both his kingdom and his subjects by dying, and he destroyed his enemy by death.

“Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me.” When he was lifted up on the cross, and when he said, “It is finished,” and gave up the ghost, all heaven heard; and wherever throughout the universe there had still been in minds thoughts of rebellion and lingering sympathy for Satan, that scene on the cross showed them that Satan’s government meant that nothing should stand in his way, and that to effect his purpose he was even ready to murder the Son of God. Thus they were drawn to God by his great love. Then the fate of Satan was sealed; he was cast out, and it was demonstrated that God is love, that he was governing by the power of love.

A Personal Question.

And think you that if Satan would not hesitate to take the life of the Son of God he will hesitate to take your life? Think you that his plan of government is any better now? Do you not see that it is loyalty to God or to Satan? Do you not see that we have either to put ourselves under Satan’s leadership and fight against Christ, or to put ourselves under the leadership of Christ to fight against Satan? Which side are you on? “Ye are a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.” Are you enrolled as fighting under the blood-stained banner of the Lamb, as a loyal subject of God; or as fighting under the black banner of Satan, against the government of God?

This question of the two kingdoms is going on till Christ shall come the second time to take his kingdom. We are very near that time now. All one has to do is to read the Scripture and the signs of the times to know that it is near. Little argument is needed to show any one who will read the Scripture and the signs of the times that the day of the Lord’s coming is near and hasteth greatly. The controversy is in its height. Tremendous power is being brought to bear to hold subjects in the kingdom of Satan. He is bringing upon people every device to hold them in the bonds of sin, to take their minds away from the realization of the near coming of Christ, and fill them with pleasure and self-seeking. But Christ is at work in the earth, and is to-day selecting those who will be loyal to him. And what does it mean to be loyal to him?—It means to

Obey the Laws of the Realm.

Christ has proclaimed the conditions of membership into his kingdom. He has sent his servants throughout the world, saying, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Matt. 28: 19, 20. To-day they are preaching that the coming of his kingdom is near; and they are gathering out those who will be loyal to God.

It costs something to be loyal to God now. It cost Job something; but there is a power in the love of Jesus Christ to hold; there is something in his love that will satisfy every longing soul, and fill with fatness all who will come to him. The call is now, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate.”

The two kingdoms can not be joined together. And yet there has seemed to be a tendency to try to make them run together. You can not do it. They are perfectly opposed to each other; light and darkness will not mix. Love and hate are opposite characteristics, and will not co-mingle. At the crucifixion the cross of Jesus Christ made a separation between the repentant and the unrepentant, and to-day it makes the same division. And God is now sending forth

A Special Message.

urging loyalty to his law. He calls upon every one now who will, to yield himself to obey the laws of his realm; and more than that, he has set up in this last generation a wonderful sign of loyalty. There is a special call to that portion of his law which has been set aside. “Hallow my Sabbaths.” “They shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.” Eze. 20: 20. In this generation the Lord has set up his Sabbath as a special sign that he created the heavens and the earth through Jesus Christ. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1: 1-3.

“The Sabbath is set up as a special sign of loyalty to God, of obedience to his laws, and of our belief in the creating power and the divinity of Jesus Christ our Lord. Shall we choose him as our Lord, and step from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light? He is coming soon, and when he comes, he whose right it is to reign will reign. He has redeemed the earth, and he will save when he comes every one who has been obedient to his laws and has identified himself with Christ as leader.

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.” Rev. 19: 11-16. Is he our King and our Lord? Those who recognize him now as King of kings and Lord of lords, will be prepared, when he is revealed, to say, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa. 25: 9.

W. W. PRESCOTT.