p. 6 | Christ the Eternal King by Charles Lindsay Taylor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jul 22, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 30.

Christ the Eternal King

By Charles Lindsay Taylor

FOR six thousand years earth has been a battle-ground. The supremacy of the world, the kingship originally given to Adam, is the stake for which Christ and Satan, as leaders of mighty opposing forces, have contended. Strange indeed it appears that heaven should have entered into controversy with one whose power is limited and who in justice might have been blotted from existence.

Why the controversy has been so long drawn out may be partly understood when we consider that this world is but "the lesson-book of the universe." See 1 Cor. 4:9. The influence of Lucifer's fall in heaven was wide-spread, and Infinite Wisdom saw that to overcome this influence "the whole universe must see the deceiver unmasked." "Since only the service of love can be acceptable to God, the allegiance of His creatures must rest upon a conviction of His justice and benevolence." And to convince all created intelligences of the horrors of sin and the blessedness of righteousness, Satan has been given a free hand and much time to manifest the true character of his effort. There can be but one outcome, therefore—the complete triumph of the principles of mercy and love. Jesus Christ will take the throne.

Just how thoroly our Redeemer shall put down and eradicate sin, just how fully He shall one day "reign in righteousness" (Isa. 33:1), is beautifully told by another: "The work of redemption will be complete. . . . The earth itself, the very field that Satan claims as his, is to be not only ransomed but exalted. Our little world under the curse of sin, the one dark blot in His glorious creation, will be honored above all other worlds in the universe of God. Here, where the Son of God tabernacled in humanity; where the King of Glory lived and suffered and died; here, when He shall make all things new, the tabernacle of God shall be with men, 'and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.'"

Regarding this glorious ending of the great controversy, already closing, the word of God abounds with many strong assurances. Said the angel to Mary, "The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David. And He shall reign . . . forever." Luke 1:32, 33. The prophet Isaiah wrote, "The government shall be upon His shoulder. . . . Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever." Isa. 9:6, 7. And Jeremiah adds: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." Jer. 23:5.

The extent of His glorious dominion is also pictured: "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." Ps. 72:8. This is the whole earth. Just as to the first Adam was committed the dominion over all, so to the second Adam is given universal control. This agrees with the prophetic promise of Micah, "And Thou, O Tower of the flock, the Stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto Thee shall it come, even the first dominion." To Daniel it was said, "And the kingdom and dominion . . . under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom." Dan. 7:27.

His will be an eternal reign. "His seed also will I make to endure forever, and His throne as the days of heaven." Ps. 89:29. Even "as the sun," "established forever as the moon," thus His throne shall be. Verses 36, 37. In that day the people "shall be all righteous." Isa. 60:21. And "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Hab. 2:14.

Now all this is comprehended in God's great plan of salvation thru the Christ. The Son of Man came "to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10. The lost dominion, the lost home, must be restored together with the man himself. And while to-day we see that "the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 John 5:19), and the wicked rule with iron hand, yet in the gift of the Holy Spirit we are given "the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession." Eph. 1:13, 14. By His sacrifice Christ purchased both man and inheritance, and, therefore, so surely as sin is removed from the life of the man, so surely it shall be taken away and destroyed from off the face of the earth. How shall it be done?

Until the close of this world's history, sin and righteousness will continue together. Matt. 13:30. But the end will come, and "the Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire." Verses 40 to 42. Sin and sinners shall be destroyed utterly. Mal. 4:1. And that baptism of fire which destroys sinners will by direction of Jehovah cleanse the earth from its defilement. 2 Peter 3:10.

In Edenic Beauty.

Forth from the fiery elements the world will come in its Edenic beauty made new. 2 Peter 3:13. "All things" will then have been rejuvenated and regenerated. Rev. 21:5. There will be the New Jerusalem, there, the throne of the Infinite. Rev. 21:1-3; 22:3. There the curse shall be no more; no more tears, nor death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. Rev. 21:4. The Gospel of the great Physician will have done its full healing work, and men shall be strong and glad forever.

For that day Christ, the King-Priest, is now waiting. Read carefully 1 Cor. 15:24-28. To-day He serves as mediator upon the throne of mercy, and in that work He will continue until Jehovah has put all things under Him. Then He will cease to be priest and will take His own throne, His own kingdom, and begin to reign. Then Rev. 11:15 will be fulfilled—the kingdoms of earth will become His. Then every knee shall bow, whether saint or sinner (Phil. 2:10, 11), for as "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" He will come with His rewards and punishments (Rev. 19:11-20; 1 Thess. 4:15-18).

That will be a day of exaltation for "the Son of Man." "The throne of David," the throne of eternal glory, is His. And as before Him gather His people, other sons of men, others who, like Him, have overcome, He says, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. 25:34. Then the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Matt. 13:43.

In truth, it will be the kingdom of the Father. Even the Son Himself will be "subject" unto God, that thru the eternal ages "God may be all in all." 1 Cor. 15:28. And when in that glad day men shall stand side by side with their King and Brother, they shall see with immortal vision something more of the glorious eternal purpose which was laid in Christ before the foundation of the world, and with all the redeemed they shall ascribe "blessing, and honor, and glory, and power" "unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 5:13.