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THE KINGDOM OF GOD

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Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · May 9, 1854

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 5, No. 16.

Read the full edition

"THE KINGDOM OF GOD."

By George Storrs

By Geo. Storrs.

1. THE TRUE IMPORT OF THE TERM KINGDOM.

In this world the term has been uniformly used to signify a king, invested with authority—dominion, or territory, over which he rules—subjects, who yield obedience to him alone—laws, the only code of the kingdom.
The Bible gives us no other definition of kingdom. This, then, is the true idea of "the Kingdom of God." The notion of a "spiritual kingdom," or a "spiritual coming of Christ," &c., is unintelligible, and has no real meaning, or as many significations as there are spiritualizers to make them. That fact shows such notions to be fables. See 2 Pet. i, 16. "We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty." In that manifestation, I apprehend, that Peter had a clear view of his Lord as he will appear when he assumes his Kingly office. At that time, which was "in the holy mount" of transfiguration, he saw the Kingdom of God in miniature.
The Scriptures speak of a real, literal Kingdom of God. See Ps. ii. "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." Again, Isa. ix, 7. "Upon the throne of David." And, Luke i, 32, 33. "He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."
Now, if the "holy hill" and "throne of David" are simply spiritual places, then the subjects must be merely spiritual; and to correspond, the King must have no tangibility, but be merely a spiritual influence—an undefinable something, devoid of reality. Compare such notions with the following scriptures: Dan. vii, 13, 14. "I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Rev. v, 9, 10. "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth."
Thus, it appears, there will be a reality in the kingdom of God. It is not a fancy or imaginary kingdom.

2. WHERE IS THIS KINGDOM TO BE SET UP?

The last text quoted shows that; but we will look at this point still further. See Ps. ii, 8. "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." Dan. ii, 35. "And the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." Dan. vii, 27. "And the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." And, Dan. vii, 18. "But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever." Matt. v, 5. "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth." Ps. xxxvii, 11, 29. "But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. . . . The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever." Rev. xi, 15. "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever."
The earth, then, is the place where this kingdom is to be set up: and when set up, it is never to be succeeded by another, and is never to pass away.

3. HAS THIS KINGDOM BEEN SET UP?

Some tell us it has. If so, when? Not in the days of Abel; for then the Devil's subject prevailed to murder Abel. It is equally clear it was not set up before the flood; for the Devil had the whole territory, and the men who occupied it, with the exception of one family, in subjection to himself. If it has been set up at any period gone by, how does it happen that the wicked powers of earth have always ruled over and oppressed the real children of God? Why are Christ's subjects under such rulers? Why does not their king protect them? Why leave them in the hands of their enemies to be tortured, often, unto death? If Christ now acts as supreme ruler on earth, why are his laws put at defiance? Surely, no man in his senses, can maintain that those things will exist when Christ's kingdom is set up on the earth. See Luke xix, 27. "But those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me." That is what will take place with our Lord's enemies when he has "returned, having received the kingdom."
This kingdom had not come at certain periods spoken of in the New Testament. See the following texts: Matt. vi, 10. "Thy kingdom come." Surely it had not come at that time. Many who use that prayer still, seem to be almost angry if we tell them that kingdom will come. Luke xxii, 18. "For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." These words were spoken by our Lord just before his death, and show, up to that time, the kingdom had not come. Again, Luke xxiii, 42. "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." If the thief prayed understandingly, our Lord died without having possession of his kingdom. That he did pray aright appears from the fact that our Lord assured him his prayer should be answered. Let us now see if that kingdom was set up before our Lord's ascension. Acts i, 6. "When they therefore were come together, they asked of him saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" Not yet set up, then. But some will say; That question does not touch the point in debate. Very well, let it pass. Look at 1 Cor. xv, 50. "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood (or mortal man) cannot inherit the kingdom of God." Here it appears plain, to my mind, that Paul settles the question, that no man can be in the kingdom of God until he is changed to immortality. And this for a very obvious reason—it is an eternal kingdom; and there can, therefore, be no death in it. But let us hear the same Apostle further. 2 Tim. iv, 1. "I charge thee therefore, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom," &c. Here it is clearly stated that it had not come in Paul's day, and that he did not expect it till Christ came to judgment. Our Lord and his apostles preached the kingdom of God "at hand," but not come. See Acts xiv, 22. "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." They were not in it, or the apostle would have used language to correspond with such a state. See also Rom. viii, 17, 19, 22, 23. "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. . . . For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."
He did not expect, then, to be in the inheritance, or, which is the same thing, the kingdom, till "the redemption of our bodies:" agreeing with what he said to the Corinthians, "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." James also teaches the same doctrine: chapter ii, 5. "Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" It was still a matter of "promise;" of course not in possession even of those that "love him."
The fourth kingdom, [Dan. vii,] in its various divisions, has not yet passed away—the kingdom of God is to succeed that, and is not given to Christ till the "Ancient of days" comes, the judgment sits, and "the fourth beast" is "slain, and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame;" which leads us to inquire— ## 4. WHEN WILL THIS KINGDOM COME, OR BE SET UP? Let us look first at Rev. xi, 15. "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever." Not, then, till the seventh angel sounds. What trumpet is that? "The last:" and Paul tells us at that time, "we shall not all" be "asleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." See 1 Cor. xv, 52. Let us now look at Matt. xxv, 31, 34. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory." "Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
The kingdom of God will not be set up—will not be established till the second personal appearing of our Lord; for he is to "return." See Luke xix, 15. "And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading." Here we see he returns to call his servants to an account, and to reward them; of course, it is at the judgment, as I have previously shown, that the kingdom is to be set up, or, established. Till that time, our Lord does not collect his subjects. See Matt. xxiv, 30, 31. "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory." "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Compare this with 1 Thess. iv, 14, 16, 17. "For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him." "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Till that time his territory is not cleansed. Then it will be done. See 2 Pet. iii, 7, 10, 13. "But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth also; and the works that are therein, shall be burned up." "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." Compare this with Matt. xiii, 40-43. "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world. 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; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear let him hear."
Thus the territory is cleansed—the wicked are cut off—the earth is brought back in the "restitution." Now then we are presented with THE TERRITORY—"The new earth." THE SUBJECTS.—The Saints Immortal. THE KING.—The Lord Jesus Christ. THE LAWS.—To which alone his subjects submit. Then the kingdom is set up—organized—established—and will be eternal.

5. WHO WILL ENTER THIS KINGDOM? OR INHERIT IT?

It is certain some will not inherit it. See the following texts: 1 Cor. vi, 9, 10. "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." Rev. xxi, 27. "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb's book of Life."
To enter into it, or to inherit it, we must be holy. 2 Pet. iii, 14. "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless." John iii, 3, 5. "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." 1 John ii, 2, 3. "And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments."
Christian, see to it, that you are found with your lamp trimmed and burning. "Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." Rev. xvi, 16. Yes, see that you have on the true "ascension robe;" that "holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."
Backslider, awake quickly, or you are lost. Be deluded no longer with the stupefying cry of "Peace and Safety."
O Sinner! arouse, arouse thyself before the blast of the seventh angel's trumpt shall announce thy doom, and you perish; perish past hope—past recovery. Is there nothing in the glories of "eternal life," to wake up thy soul to fly to Christ for that invaluable blessing, while still it may be obtained? Haste thee—haste, I beseech you—O, lay hold on eternal life. I most solemnly believe, this is your last call. O, let it not pass you unheeded. If you will not heed my voice, hear, I beseech you, the voice of the God of compassion, while he calls you, saying—"As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die." O, hear this voice of mercy, lest you have to mourn at last, and say, how have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof. Remember, the time will shortly come, spoken of in Amos viii, 11, 12. "Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." What an awful day will that be to thee, poor sinner, when you will seek with undescribable desire and anguish, to find some word of mercy from the Lord, and thou shalt not find it!—Mist. Cry, 1844.