Sign up for Present Distress Prelude To Blessing
By this (Kingdom) arrangement mankind will receive their first chance to gain ever-lasting life, the only exception being the church of the Gospel Age. Such constitute only a fraction of the human family who have lived since the days of Adam. The vast majority of mankind are now in the condition of death waiting for the glorious day of resurrection, and during the reign of Christ, when sin and death no longer operate, the human family will experience the benefits of righteous living and the contrast with 6,000 years of the reign of sin and death will teach them the value of obedience to God’s requirements.
That we are living in a time without parallel in the history of the world is freely acknowledged by all, but many are fearful of the outcome. To the Christian, however, instructed by the Father’s Word, present developments are strengthening to faith because they speak of the nearness of the Kingdom for which Jesus taught us to pray.
The prophet Zephaniah (3:8, 9) describes the scene thus: “Wait upon me, says the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them my indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” This is certainly as graphic a picture of the day of burning as could be asked for, but a careful reading of the prophet’s succeeding words will make clear to us that after the burning day has passed, a population will still remain on the earth, and that for a blessing. We read: “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.”
The trouble now upon the world is the direct result of the blessings of our day which selfishness does not permit all to freely enjoy, allowing the burdens of life to fall upon the masses. The groaning creation not only cries out in despair, but revolutionizes everywhere, hastening the anarchy and disarrangement foretold in the Bible. Truly, as St. Paul has said: “The whole creation groans.”
From this standpoint it will be seen that the Second Coming of Christ will mean the blessing of all the families of the earth as God promised Abraham (Gen. 12:3). The great mass of mankind have gone down into the prison house of death unblessed, ignorant of God and of the Only Name given under heaven and among men whereby they must be saved. The Millennial Kingdom of Christ is to be the resurrection day for all mankind; but it will be optional with each individual whether or not he ever attains to this grand perfection provided for all in Christ It may at first seem strange to say that the dead will be obliged to cooperate in the matter of their own restoration or else will never attain it, but such is the Scriptural presentation. The dead will not be required to cooperate in the awakening from death (Eccl. 9:10).
The work of awakening the dead from the sleep of death will be done for the world by the Redeemer, who declares: “All that are in their graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth” (John 5:28, 29). That is, be awakened. Then the Lord goes on to speak of two classes thus awakened: first, they that have done good in this life, referring to consecrated believers in this Gospel Age, and second, they that have done evil, meaning the remainder of the human family, who will be disciplined under the Kingdom rule.
Restitution Is Near
There is nothing in the word “resurrection” to limit or in any way determine the nature or organism of the one experiencing resurrection. If the human body which dies were the thing alone to which2 resurrection is promised, nothing more or less than the same body with its same atoms, same defects, and same peculiarities could be expected. This form of resurrection would be merely a renewal of present unfavorable fallen conditions.
But it is not the bodies of men that God proposes to resurrect, but the beings, the individual egos, commonly referred to in the Bible as souls. To the human being God will give a wonderful body of flesh, whose grandeur may be conjectured if we can imagine all the fine qualities and gifts which we see exceptionally manifested in poets, philosophers, musicians, mathematicians...combined in one person.
Looking forward 50 years into Christ’s Kingdom we foresee the blessings of peace and wise government by wise rulers---the people are happy, contented and industrious; the idle rich are gone, the unemployed poor and breeders of discontent are gone. Education is general, for under the new order wastes are eliminated and all have abundance. The wisdom of perfect rulers causes the earth to yield great increase in quantity as well as quality of food. Health is good to the extent that people obey the rules of the kingdom.
But the advent of this King and Kingdom means much trouble and the general overturning of the kingdoms of this world. It means the shaking of society in a manner and to a degree never before known, and so thoroughly that another shaking will never become necessary.
While many would rejoice to see society relieved of its selfish, life-sapping ulcers, they seem to realize that so just and impartial a judge as the Lord Himself might cut off certain long cherished sins to which they desire to cling; they fear to have their personal selfishness touched. Their fears are well-founded, because the hidden things of darkness will be exposed to the light of day.
Beyond the troubles now overspreading the world lie these glorious times of restitution foretold by all the holy prophets since the world began. The death of Jesus was for the redemption of Adam and his entire family from the curse of sin and death, and His return is for the purpose of binding Satan and setting free all his captives, including all that are in their graves, giving all who will an opportunity to come into the liberty of the sons of God. How glad we are to be able to declare that this glorious Kingdom is even now at the door, and soon earth’s night of weeping will be over and give place to the morning of joy and blessing through Christ’s kingdom.
“Thy Kingdom Come”
“For as the earth brings forth the bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”
Isaiah 61:11
Thy kingdom come! Give ear, O King of ages!
This earnest prayer is knocking at Thy door;
The church of God with one accord engages
In hopeful pleading till the night is o’er.
Thy kingdom come! W e wait the promised glory
That, like the sea, embraces every shore.
W e wait the time proclaimed in Psalm and story,
W hen strife shall cease and nations war no more.
Thy kingdom come! To darkened minds revealing
The blissful springs of gratitude and praise.
Come, Sun of Righteousness, with beams of healing;
Dispense Thy light in universal rays.
© CDMI – FreeBible Students
