Trading for a Kingdom by Isadore Green

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 17, 1871

Trading for a Kingdom.

By Isadore Green

I lately saw this heading to an article in a political paper. I thought what a vast difference exists between their exchange and the one soon to be made by the saints, who now are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth,” but who, when the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads, will obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Their captivity will then be turned. Deliverance will then come. They will be no longer the objects of contumely and scorn. They have sowed in tears, now they reap with joy the reward of the righteous in the kingdom of God.

In this kingdom there will not be found any rebels; for all the subjects have had the sad experience of living in a world whose happiness was destroyed through disobedience. Their probationary days of trial will have taught them the blessings to be derived from obedience. Will Jesus fear for the future safety of his kingdom, as do earthly monarchs? Ah, no. The kingdom which is to succeed all earthly kingdoms, is to be an everlasting kingdom. Isaiah says that they “shall build houses and inhabit them; and plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat.” Here is the contrast drawn between the people of this world, and the immortal saints. Man clings with all the tenacity of life to his temporal power, even in this world, where sickness, death, and the ravaging wastes of war and famine desolate the land; where both sovereign and subject suffer alike. And when the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof, when it shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage, and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall and not rise again, where will be the haughty kings and rulers that have ruled with a rod of iron; and princes that have oppressed?

Is it not wisdom in us to seek to become the loyal subjects of Christ’s kingdom, rather than to gain transitory honors upon this earth that is now kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men?

“Over Jordan a home bright and fair, Our Saviour has gone to prepare; We shall rest by-and-by from our care In that home, bright and fair.”

ISADORE GREEN.

Jeff Co., N. Y.