BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW OF THE KINGDOM
By Joseph H. Waggoner
The Kingdom of God.—No. 1.
The most essential difference of opinion which exists in regard to the kingdom of God is concerning the time of its being set up—whether it is in the past or in the future. Of course there are many other points of difference, but they are mainly contained in, or greatly modified by, this. In examining this question it is necessary to understand just what we are speaking of. When we speak of the setting up of God’s everlasting kingdom in the future, we do not refer to that which has been called the “kingdom of grace,” which has certainly existed for a long time. We believe there was a “reign of grace” in the days of Abel, and of the patriarchs and prophets; and this grace was more fully manifested in the death of Jesus Christ. But James says there is a kingdom of which the saints are heirs, and which is yet a matter of promise. Now as a man cannot hope for that which he seeth, Rom. 8:24, so he cannot have as a promise that which he has in fact, nor can he be an inheritor of a kingdom of which he is yet heir. But Jesus says they shall “inherit the kingdom” when the Son of man comes in his glory, and sits upon the throne of his glory—when the separation is made between the just and the unjust, which, according to Matt. 13, the explanation of the parable of the tares of the field, will be at the end of the world, when the angels gather the Israel of God. Peter also tells his brethren how they may obtain an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, which proves that they had not entered therein when Peter wrote to them. And thus it is clearly shown that there is a kingdom which is to be set up and into which the saints shall have an entrance at some future time. A query may arise with some to this effect: If we admit that there is now existing a reign of grace, where is the ground of controversy? Are not our opponents satisfied with that admission? Did we stop at that admission, they, no doubt, would be satisfied. But we prove that a kingdom is yet future, and further, we quote the Scriptures to prove that it will be set up soon, or is near to come. It is this which incites opposition at the present time; for there is a strong and growing dislike, both in the world and in the churches, to the doctrine of the Lord’s coming and to the idea of his doing any special work in this age. Their position is virtually that of those spoken of by the prophet, who say, “The Lord hath forsaken the earth.” BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW OF THE KINGDOM.
When man was created, he was appointed to have “dominion” over the earth, and everything upon it. But this, and his life also, he soon lost by disobedience; and for a long time thereafter the Lord, in his communications with men, said nothing about a dominion. A bare intimation of125a future reign was given to Abraham when it was said to him, “I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.” Gen. 17:6. After the sojourning of the children of Israel in Egypt, the Lord brought them out and made a covenant with them to be their God, and that they should be his people and obey his voice. Ex. 19:3–8; Jer. 11:2–4. But they not only broke his covenant, but rejected him as their ruler, and asked for a king to rule over them, that they might be like all the nations. 1 Sam. 8:5, 19, 20. In this the Lord said that they had rejected him, that he should not reign over them. Verse 7. He pointed out Saul to be their king, who reigned over them forty years. But Saul displeased the Lord, and he took the kingdom from him and gave it to David. By this it will be seen that the Lord did not forget his covenant with Israel and forsake them, though they rejected him, and departed far from his ways. He reserved to himself the right to choose who should be their king, and he promised that the crown should remain with David and his house. This promise is recorded in Psalm 89. “I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations.” Verses 3, 4. “Also I will make him my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for him forevermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of Heaven.” Verses 27–29. Nothing could be more positive and sure than this. There is a condition introduced in regard to the conduct of his people, Israel, but this effects them alone. It is as follows:— “If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.” Verses 30–32. That this cannot invalidate the promise is shown in the succeeding verses, 33–37. “Nevertheless, my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in Heaven.” The descendants of David reigned something over 400 years; but they were not steadfast in the ways of God. They suffered many things of their enemies, and many things by reason of dissensions and rebellions. Truly were they visited “with the rod.” And Zedekiah added to the iniquities of his predecessors, and in his day the chief of Israel followed the ways of the heathen; the house of God in Jerusalem was polluted; the prophets of God were despised and misused “until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.” 2 Chron. 36:11–16. Accordingly, Ezekiel the prophet was sent with a message, foretelling, not only his overthrow, but the subversion of the kingdom. “And thou, profane, wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God: Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it him.” Eze. 21:25–27. Three years after this prophecy was uttered, viz., in 590 B. C., the king of Assyria was exalted over him; the king of Israel was abased; the crown was removed; the temple of Jerusalem was burnt, and its vessels and all its treasures carried away; the sons of King Zedekiah were slain before his eyes, his own eyes were put out, and he, in fetters of brass, was carried captive into Babylon. This is, in brief, a history of the kingdom of Israel from its establishment under Saul to its overthrow under Zedekiah, since which time the throne of David has not been restored nor occupied by any of his sons. By permission of the kings of Persia, into whose hands they had fallen on the overthrow of Babylon, the Jews returned to Jerusalem, and, amid many perils, built again the house of the Lord. When the Romans became strong, so that it was an object to secure their favor, the Jews made a league with them, and were under their control at the birth of the Saviour. J. H. WAGGONER.