The Kingdom of God

FALSE THEORIES REFUTED

This Chapter Taken From The Author's Book, Pioneer Evangelism

shall the end come" (Matt. 24 :14). Not a hint that after I it has reached all nations in all the world, then it will I return and be limited to the confines of a spot of earth from 20 to 40 miles in width, and about 150 miles in length. Just take a world map and note the size of Palestine compared with all the earth. It is hardly a dot in comparison.  Then imagine the great kingdom of God limited to that small area, and confined to one nation—the Jews. No, indeed; such a doctrine is refuted by the whole spirit and message of the New Testament. Christ said, "Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea,  and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The kingdom of grace began in Palestine as a small stone "cut out without hands," but it is destined to become "a great mountain and fill the WHOLE EARTH" (Dan. 2 :34, 35). Where do we read that after all this, it will be reduced to a little mole hill covering the barren wastes of Palestine? And why this tiny country anyway? It does not compare in beauty and wealth with most other  countries. It became the land of promise to Israel only  in order to fill up the types of the Old Testament. It has served its purpose, and is no longer sacred, no more than are the Jewish Sabbath and offerings. Under the law we read of the holy land, holy temple, holy altars, holy priests, holy days, holy Sabbath, holy garments, and a hundred other holy things. But with the passing of that dispensation all these have lost their holiness. Under the gospel, no one spot of earth is better than another. The domain of Christ, instead of being limited, and confined to one little country, is destined to spread out "under the WHOLE HEAVEN" (Dan. 7:27); and not the Jews only, but "ALL NATIONS shall flow unto it" (Isa. 2:2). 

  7. The. "times of the Gentiles" and "fullness of the Gentiles" does not imply a rejection of the Jews now, nor an age of salvation for them in the future.

  The judgments of the Almighty that came upon the Jewish nation in the destruction of their city, the desolation of their land, their scattering among all nations, and the "blindness in part" that happened to them, they brought upon themselves. Jesus wept over Jerusalem and said, [133]

  "How often would I have gathered" you, but "ye would not" (Luke 13:34). When they condemned him to death, "then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children" (Matt. 27 :25). They were so enraged against the truth that when Paul preached to them "they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air" (Acts 22:23). "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13 :46). "The Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost" (1 Thess. 2 :14 16). As many as accepted Christ were saved, and these constituted the "remnant" (Rom. 11:5), the "election" (v. 7), and "the rest were blinded," and "broken off," "because of unbelief." The whole blame lies at their own door.

  It was in this way the kingdom was taken from them and given to the Gentiles (Matt. 21:33 45); not by a sovereign decree unconditionally, but because they as a nation rendered themselves "unworthy of everlasting life." History proves that God deals with nations as well as with individuals. Now, since the Jews as a whole (with few exceptions) have continued in unbelief throughout the Christian era, the great majority of those who have accepted the gospel are from among the Gentile nations. This, then, is why the gospel age is termed "the times of the Gentiles." The Jew has an equal privilege with the Gentile, but because of his own stubborn unbelief the "veil remains on his heart," and "blindness in part" will rest upon him until the end of this age, which will mark "the fullness of the Gentiles," or the time when the great harvest of the Christian era shall have been gathered. (Rom. 11 :25).

OUR FUTURE HOME

  "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."—1 Cor. 15:19. The language of the apostle Paul implies that our present enjoyment is based largely on our future prospects, which hope we have both sure and steadfast. This was true in the life of Christ: "who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." Amidst the trials, temptations, difficulties, disappointments and adversities of life, the bright prospect the Christian has in the future, is what encourages him to cleave unto God with a purpose of heart. Yea, it enables him to mount up on the wings of faith above the billows of life, and outside its raging storms. It puts new courage in him, so that he is enabled to run and not be weary, to walk and never faint.

  On the subject of our future abode there are many different opinions. Notwithstanding the many plain scriptures which teach the utter consuming and passing away of this literal earth, there are many earthly minded people who believe that this earth will be the place of their eternal abode. Among others, the Adventists generally believe that in the literal kingdom of Christ upon earth (?) they will plant vineyards, build houses, and live here forever. All such ridiculous notions are outside the Word of truth.

  We shall now take a positive proposition and prove that heaven will be the place of our future abode. I have met with some who deny that there is such a place as heaven. They say that all the heaven there is, is the heaven element we possess in perfect holiness. True, we are now raised up in heavenly places, spiritually, but this only prepares us to go and dwell "with Christ, which is far better." We shall first give a few scriptures to prove that there is such a place. "And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."—2 Kings 2:11. Paul speaks of the "third heaven."—2 Cor. 12 :2 4. "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, [135] and sat on the right hand of God."—Mark 16:19. "Jesus Christ, who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God."—1 Pet. 3:22. "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands; but into heaven ITSELF, now to appear in the presence of God for us."—Heb. 9:24. When Stephen was dying, it is said that he "looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see heaven opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."." Then he cried, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."—Acts 7:55 60. These texts, with many others, so clearly prove that there is a place called heaven, that there is no appeal from the fact. We shall now prove that the same will be our future home.

  "Knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance."—Heb. 10:34. Thank God for this plain text. Everything in this world has an end. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth away. The sturdy oak, in whose branches the fowls of the air lodge, soon decays and is no more. All natures teaches the "end of all things" pertaining to earth. Even the monuments, the pyramids, in time crumble to dust. This mortal body will soon return to mother earth. This earth will pass away. But when time has run its course, when the sun and moon no longer shine, when all things pertaining to earth, and the earth itself is no more, and is forgotten, "ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." Yes, dear pilgrim, "in heaven," the place of God's throne, and the home of the angels. "To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God." —1 Pet. 1:4, 5. "For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven." Col. 1:5. "The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom."— 2 Tim. 4:18. "For we know . . . we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."—2 Cor. 5:1. "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust cloth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal." —Matt. 6:20. "A treasure in the heavens that faileth not." —Luke 12:33 "Thou shalt have treasure in heaven." [136]—Matt. 19:21. "Great is your reward in heaven."—Luke 6:23. Surely the foregoing is sufficient to establish the fact that heaven will be our future home.

  So then after this earth has passed away we look for new heaven and a new earth."—2 Pet. 3:13. The new earth is the "heavenly country," the "better country."  Heb. 11:16. The new heaven is the "heavenly city"; "for he hath prepared for them a city."—Heb. 11:16. "For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come."  Heb. 13:14. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."—Rev. 22 :14. 

There is a land where everlasting suns shed everlasting brightness;
Where the soul drinks from the living streams which roll by God's high throne.
Myriads of glorious ones bring their accepted offerings.
Oh, how blessed to look from this dark prison to that shrine,
To inhale one breath of Paradise divine,
And enter into the eternal home of rest, which awaits the sons of God.

Brighter than the glorious sunsets, which delight this earthly clime,
an the splendor of the dawnings, breaking o'er the hills of time,
the richness of the radiance of that land beyond the sun,
Where the noble have their country, where the work of life is done." [137]

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