p. 1 | Untitled article by M. E. S.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 11, 1858

CONDITIONS OF SALVATION. No. 2.

By M. E. S.

In the previous number we noticed the gospel as a promise made to the fathers, and have seen that the fulfillment of that promise is yet future, and that future life is promised in order to that fulfillment. We understand, moreover, that the recipients of the promise must also, when resurrected, be made immortal, otherwise how could they receive an everlasting possession. 2 Tim. i, 10. "Who (i. e., Jesus) hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." Sceptics may query—If Christ brought life and immortality to light, a promise made in Abraham's time could not have revealed them. We have seen that all nations were to be blessed in Abraham's seed; the promises were all to come through Christ, being first made to him, conditionally however, and until he had performed the conditions, he could neither receive nor transmit the promises, which were the blessing to all nations; but when he, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, &c., he sealed the promise; hence though life and immortality were brought to light in the gospel promise to Abraham, they were not made sure till the testament was sealed by the blood of Christ. Heb. ix, 17. Had he failed on his part, we could now have no hope for the future. But glory to our Redeemer! he kept all his Father's commandments, [Jno. xv, 10,] and "was faithful to him that appointed him," [Heb. iii, 2,] thus opening the way of salvation for the fallen race of man.

We will now proceed to consider this subject still farther, noticing specifications which show that the promise includes a kingdom. Passing down from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the line of their literal descendants, we find [1 Sam. viii, 5-7,] the children of Israel would have a king, after having been governed by judges for 450 years, Jehovah himself being their Supreme Ruler. The Lord told Samuel to hearken unto the voice of the people; "for (said he) they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them." Their request was granted, and the kingdom of Israel was established under Saul, succeeded by David, of the tribe of Judah, to whom we find another promise. Ps. lxxxix, iii, 4. 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. Also verses 34-38. "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." Turn to Isa. ix, 6, 7. "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of peace: 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. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."

After him, David's descendants sat upon his throne for fourteen generations. In the reign of Zedekiah, king of Israel, the Lord speaks to him by the mouth of the prophet. Eze. xxi, 25-28. "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; 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." Turn to the record of the fulfillment of this prediction, as far as it concerns Zedekiah. 2 Kings xxv, 7. "And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him with fetters of brass and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death." Jer. lii, 11. Were the kings of Israel restored on the return from captivity? See Neh. ix, 36, 37, a confession of those of the children of Israel who had returned from Babylon. "Behold we are servants this day; and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers (not for an everlasting possession; this could not be till after the resurrection; but) to eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it; and it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us (they were still under tribute) because of our sins; also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress." Since the days of Zedekiah, the throne of David has been unoccupied, the Jews tributary in their best estate afterwards to other nations, and having no anointed kings of their own. Josephus, after giving an account of the taking of Jerusalem and Zedekiah by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, says, [b. 10, chap. 8, sec. 4,] "And after this manner have the kings of David's race ended their lives, being in number twenty-one, until the last king, who all together reigned 514 years, 6 months, and 10 days." From the prediction to Zedekiah we learn that some one had a right to David's throne, and that God promised to give it him. Let us ascertain who it was. In the annunciation to the virgin Mary, the angel says to her, [Luke i, 31, 32,] "And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord shall give unto him the throne of his father David." Also Acts ii, 30. (Where was David's throne? Ans. In Jerusalem, on the earth; and his dominion extended over all Israel and Judah [2 Sam. v, 5] as Christ's also will—remember "they are not all Israel which are of Israel.") The Jews understood that Christ was to take this literal throne, and when he appeared they expected the restoration of the kingdom of Israel; consequently we hear them exclaiming, being convinced of the Messiahship of Jesus, "Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: hosannah in the highest." Mark xi, 10. The Jews did not understand that Christ must suffer before he could be glorified. Luke xxiv, 26. Their hopes were blighted. How deeply must the disciples have felt this disappointment when they saw him in whom their hopes centered, bound, led to a mock trial and crucified: "For as yet they knew not the scripture that he must rise again from the dead." Chap. xx, 9. But by "many infallible proofs" their faith is revived, and Jesus continues with them forty days after his resurrection. Acts i, 3. (Peter in alluding to the resurrection of Christ says, [1 Pet. i, 3,] "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," &c.) The disciples being then convened together ask him, saying, "Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (showing the kingdom was not yet re-established.) "And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." Acts i, 6, 7, 9. They are again disappointed. Jesus has gone, and the kingdom of Israel is not yet restored—but again their hopes are renewed to the end. "And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts i, 10, 11. Jesus likened himself to a nobleman, who went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. (An allusion to the ancient custom of the governors of provinces repairing to head quarters to receive the right of rule, and then returning to exercise that right.) Luke xix, 12. He spake this parable "because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought the kingdom of God should immediately appear."

Now the question comes home, are we promised any share in the kingdom of God as such? See Dan. vii, 27. "And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High," &c. To man was given the first dominion of the earth. Gen. i, 26-28. This the prophet assures us shall be restored to man. See Micah iv, 8. "And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong-hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem." But in order to this fulfillment, the same earth upon which we now live (it was not another whose dominion was given to Adam) must be brought back to the beauty and bloom of its Eden state; otherwise man could not be restored to the kingdom as it was when Adam received it. The Apostle taught this restitution, the times of which would commence when the Lord should send Jesus Christ. Acts iii, 19-21. Adam was created to be a king; so the faithful are to be kings and priests. Rev. v, 10. "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth."

These are, as Peter says, "exceeding great and precious promises." Let us endeavor to study carefully, that we may ascertain the conditions upon which they are based, giving diligence to make our calling and election sure. "For so (says Peter) an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."