Prepared to Receive the Kingdom.

(((The judgment occurs before the end, before Christ returns. The reward is bestowed when Christ returns))))

'The work of the “little horn” was one of persecution. “And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

This wearing out the saints of the Most High—the most terrible persecution which the church of God ever suffered—was under the Roman power, but principally under its ecclesiastical form. The angel continued: “But the Judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.”

These words contain a confirmation of the view we have advanced, that the Judgment sits before the end; before the coming of the Son of man; and before the dominion is taken from this persecuting power. And how noteworthy it is that within the last score of years the civil power has been entirely taken away from the church of Rome. “United Italy” has literally dethroned the head of the church, who now pays taxes to the Government as any other citizen!

And the next event in the angel’s interpretation of the vision is this: “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, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

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and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” Dan. 7:25-27.

This closes the interpretation. The last event in every line of prophecy is the giving of the kingdom and dominion to Christ and to his people. And, as has been shown, and will be further noticed, this gift is speedily followed by the overthrow and entire destruction of all the kingdoms and dominions of the world.

It may not be objected that these prophecies refer to the introduction of the gospel and to the establishing of the church of Christ, in the present age. The scope of the prophecies forbids it. The events given in the vision of Dan. 7 cover the entire gospel dispensation, and even reach beyond it. If this be denied, we might as well deny the Judgment and future rewards at once.

And—which ought to be decisive with all—the New Testament presents the possession of the kingdom as a matter of promise and of hope to the saints.

Thus James says: “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?” Jas. 2:5.

In the same manner Peter speaks “to them that have obtained like precious faith with us,” and informs them what they must do in perfecting their characters, “for so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:1-11.

2Pe 1:1  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 

2Pe 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 

2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 

2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 

2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 

2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 

2Pe 1:11  For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

And Paul also shows to his brethren the mystery of the possession of the kingdom. He says “that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” 1 Cor. 15:50.

In the scriptures already quoted it is said the kingdom is to be everlasting—to stand forever. “Flesh and blood” is an expression indicating a mortal, perishable, corruptible condition. A mortal, corruptible man could not inherit an everlasting, incorruptible kingdom; for he would die and leave it to successors. But that would destroy the scripture which says “it shall not be left to other people.” In this present mortal state the saints are heirs of the kingdom; when they inherit it their heirship will cease. The Lord himself said his people will inherit the kingdom when the Son of man comes in his glory, sitting upon the throne of his glory. Matt. 25:31-34.

Mat 25:31  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: 

Mat 25:32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 

Mat 25:33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 

Mat 25:34  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

But when the Son of man comes, the voice of

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the archangel and the trump of God will be heard, and the saints will be raised from the dead. 1 Thess. 4:15-17.

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

1Th 4:16  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: 

1Th 4:17  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. 

 And Paul further says that when that last trump shall sound, “this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality.” Then death will be swallowed up in victory. 1Cor.15:51-54.

1Co 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 

1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 

1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 

Then will the saints be prepared to inherit an incorruptible kingdom, as they will never die and leave their inheritance to others.

Thus beautifully do the Scriptures harmonize on this subject. Now we are prepared understandingly to examine the error of those who apply the prophecies we have here noticed to the reign of Christ as a priest on his Father’s throne….

(To be continued)

(Excerpt from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:

THE ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE

 (1884)

BY   ELDER J. H. WAGGONER