THE REIGN OF GOD PERPETUAL.
By Albert Stone
The attributes of God, as revealed in nature and in the Bible, are a guarantee of the stability and perpetuity of his throne and kingdom. The principles of the moral law constitute the basis of the divine government, and the power of God is pledged for their perpetual support. The end of sin, and the cessation of pain, sickness, and death, are coming events that may comfort the hearts of the good. When the last and mightiest effort of the enemies of God to usurp the throne of universal government shall be in the past, it will be triumphantly said to Zion, “Thy God reigneth.” The heathen may rage, and the people, instigated by the prince of darkness, may imagine vain things; but their work shall not stand, their counsel will come to naught. The wheels of God’s irresistible providence will in due time crush rebellion, and it shall be as though it had not been; and the sinners will perish out of the land. If men will have eternal life, they must receive it as the gift of God through Christ. Unbelief must yield to faith, through reasonable evidence. The heart must be changed; it must become gentle, meek, and trusting. Those who have an evil heart of unbelief will doubt, and think it adds to nobleness of character to doubt the word of God. God does not compel any to believe. They can believe and be saved, or they can choose to doubt and cavil, and perish. Satan is not an unbeliever. He knows that the word of God and the plan of salvation is the truth. Yet he is the instigator of unbelief in man, who thus becomes the dupe of Satan to his eternal ruin. Why will men thus foolishly become co-workers with Satan to accomplish their ruin? Is everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power, worth so great a price? Will God’s eternal throne topple and fall before the power of Satan in the day of Judgment? Will rocks and mountains hear the prayer of rebels, in the day of their calamity, and hide them from the presence of Him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb? Verily the throne of God is established in righteousness and peace forever. “Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.”