"Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." From time immemorial as believed, this short and comprehensive prayer of the penitent thief has been received and repeated with much approbation and delight, by Christ's humble followers in all circumstances. And yet, may it not naturally be understood in a sense much more delightful to those who truly love, and are now looking for Christ's second appearing at hand? Probably, most of the saints, in the present age of forgetting this glorious event, have understood this coming of Christ, INTO his kingdom, to be only his going by death, on that same day, into Paradise, where the converted thief was also to be with him. But if this were only the meaning of the prayer, it would have been more naturally expressed, and readily understood, as follows, Lord, remember me when thou goest into thy kingdom. But the word is comest, and apparently signifies something different from goest. And why shall we not understand the petition just as it reads; and to ask for the whole infinite and eternal blessedness for soul and body, which Christ has promised all his saints, to be given them at his real coming, and coming into his appointed kingdom, at the resurrection of the dead, and judgment of the great day? Nothing short of this can ever satisfy the vast desires of the saints; and surely, in all their prayers for a heavenly inheritance, they should ask for a blessing no less than that of their promise through faith. Then, of course, this petition should be understood as asking for all that Christ has promised his saints, to be fulfilled at his coming quickly, to bring his "reward with him, at the resurrection of the just," when they are to be recompensed. Some of the facts showing this, may now be given.
1. It will be found to be a fact, on examining, that the divine promises generally, for a heavenly possession, include that which will forever satisfy both soul and body, and that the saints are never instructed to pray for heavenly blessedness, which does not include all this.
2. It is a scripture fact, that on Christ's coming again, he will actually come into possession of the whole kingdom, or kingdoms of the world; or into the kingdom, and dominion and greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven; when his own kingdom, over all, shall be everlasting, and when, with his saints, he will forever reign in his kingdom, being then in this earth created anew and glorious, "from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth," or "from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same." Thus it would be more scriptural to pray, or speak of Christ's coming, than going into his promised inheritance or kingdom.
3. It is a fact, that the Lord's promises, made to comfort the saints, both in the Old and New Testaments, are frequently predicted on his coming again, but in no case on his going. His going from earth at his ascension, was rather considered as an event in itself so sorrowful, as to call for his repeated assurances of coming again quickly, or in a little while. Then why should not the converted thief, and all others of the saints, pray for the blessedness of Christ's soon coming into full and everlasting possession of his promised kingdom, under the whole heaven; rather than for a bare remembrance at his ascension, or going into heaven to complete the work of his mediation?
4. It is a fact, that in the last discourses of Christ, to comfort his afflicted saints at his soon expected departure, he did it by repeated assurances of his coming back again to them, to dwell with them and they with him; never again to leave, nor forsake them.—These promises, of course, were naturally uppermost in the minds of all who had just heard of such promises; so that in prayer, the thief and others wishing to inherit such promises, would naturally ask for the promised blessedness of his coming rather than for142any thing not promised, and specially at his then going to his intercessory work in heaven.—Signs of the Times, 1841.