p. 203 | The Elements of the Kingdom

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 13, 1871

The Elements of the Kingdom.

WHEN we think of a kingdom, we usually associate in our minds a territory, a capital, a king, subjects, and laws. These elements or component parts appertain also to the kingdom of God. The territory is the renewed earth. (Dan. 2 : 34, 35.) The capital is the New Jerusalem. (Rev. 21.) The king is Jesus Christ, the son of God. (Luke 1 : 31, 32.) The subjects are the saints of the Most High, or the true Israel. (Luke 1 : 33.) The great law is the word of God. (Matt. 6 : 10, and Ps. 103 : 19, 20.) The elements of the kingdom are in existence, but in a disordered condition. The territory exists, but it is in the hands of the usurping power. (Luke 4 : 5, 6, and Rom. 8 : 22.) The capital exists, but it is above. (Gal. 4 : 26.) The king exists, but is gone into a far country to receive authority to reign. (Luke 19 : 12.) The subjects exist, but are locked up in the prison house of mortality and death. (Rom. 8 : 23; Isa. 14 : 17.) The laws exist, but are trampled under foot. (Isa. 24 : 5, and 58 : 13, 14.) When the earth is cleansed, the holy city is come down from God out of Heaven, Jesus is ascended the throne of David, the saints are raised, changed, glorified, and the will of God is done by man on earth as it is now by angels in Heaven; in short, when all the above elements are brought together, the kingdom of God will have come, the fifth universal monarchy will have been established. And this takes place, according to the obvious teachings of the Bible, in intimate connection with the . . . . day of the Lord.—Advent Herald, Feb. 11, 1846.