SUNDAY READING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8890, 28 May 1892, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

IS CHRIST'S COMING IMMINENT? [by henry varley.—Conclusion.] It is clear that we are close to the appointed time when the words concerning Jerusalem, which closed my second paper, shall be fulfilled. How this great subject was presented by the Holy Spirit to the mind of the Church of Christ in the apostolic days The distinction between the Church, which is His body, and Israel's future earthly nationality, the early disciples appear scarcely to have apprehended. The Church, which is Christ's body, partakes of His Divine nature, and awaits the "manifestation of the sons of God." This takes place when the Lord descends into the air, and certainly precedes, in order of time, Israel's national reinstatement and the Lord's occupation of David's throne (Rom. viii. 19, and 11'hes. iv., 14-17).

THE JEW, THE GENTILE, AND THE CHURCH OK GOD. It is melancholy how few believers intelligently understand the distinction which exists between the Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of God (1 Cor. x., 32). The future of the Church, dating from the time of the Lord's descent into the air, is to be with Him where Ho is, and to be like Him even in bodily glory ; to be His associates, the heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ (Rom. viii.. 17). These will not sin, neither can they die any more for ever. The future of Israel is to be Christ s national and theocratic executive upon the earth, partakers, as now, of human life, sharing the knowledge of the Lord, but not members of His body, nor partakers of the "Divine nature." The Church, in her completeness and glory, may well be called the Elect of God, the Bride, the Lamb's wife. Israel, on the contrary, is an earthly people, with a nature human,* their position being on the earth, amid great splendour of national glory. They will be "a righteous nation," and completely loyal to their Lord and King. Israel will be reigned over by the Lord, in whom, at that time, will be fulfilled the words spoken by Gabriel to Mary. "He shall he great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of his father David ; and He shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever, aud of His kingdom there shall be no end ' (Luke i., .32, 33). It is certain that the Lord Jesus never yet has occupied the throne of David. In the light of Gabriel's word He must so reign. Is it written in vain : "God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should change his mind? Hath He said and shall He not do it, or hath He spoken and shall He not make it good?" (Num. xxiii. 19). Fulfilled prophecy is a sheet-anchor to the believer in these days of the rejection of the inspiration of the Scriptures. It is written : " Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall not pass away" (Luke xxi., 33). AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION INDICATED. In this connection let it be carefully borne in mind that there must be no confounding of the Father's throne in the highest Heaven with the sovereignty of Christ, the Son of God and King of Israel (John i., 49). See, e.f/., 11. Chron. xviii., 18; Psalm xi., 4; ciii., 19; ex., 1; Matt. v. 34; Heb. i., 3; viii., 1; xii., 2; Rev. iii., 21; xx., 11. Failure to distinguish here has proved to be as mischievous in regard to Christ's coming kingdom as the confounding of Israel with the body of Christ has been. The word of God needs rightly dividing at all times, but especially in regard to this great question. lam anxious not to make this pape» one of undue length, and can but ask my reader's careful attention to the following passages:—Psalm i., lxxii. ; Isaiah ix., 6, 7 ; Dan. vii., 13, 14 ; Zech. xiv., 9 ; Matt, xix., 27, '28; xx., 20, 21; Luke xxii., 28-30 ; Rev. iii., 21; xx.,6. The sovereignty in all these passages has relation to the earth, and to the Son, and is to be distinguished from the throne of God. The spheres of Heaven and earth must not be confounded. Far from the throne of Christ on the earth being confounded with the Father's throne in Heaven, the word distinctly declares that when the Son has subdued all things unto Himself, them He will deliver up the kingdom to the Father and Himself as the Son be subject to the Father, that God may be all in all. (1 Cor. xv., 24-28). Then will the Lord's prayer of faith be answered, " Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." To this end the competent King cometh. He cometh. He cometh to judge the earth. With righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with His truth (Psalm xcvi., 13).

THE CONFERENCE AT JERUSALEM. Further, I note the fact that the Assembly in Jerusalem possessed the knowledge of, and were guided by, this important truth (see_ Acts xv. t 13-18). Paul and Barnabas having spoken of their ministry among the Gentiles and the grace of God seen by them, James leads the thought of the assembly to the prophetic Scriptures, which told of the purpose and course of the Lord in regard to the Gentiles. These are his words : " Men and brethren, hearken unto me, Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name" (referring evidently to the Gentile members of the body of Christ). And to this agree the words of the prophets, "As it is written, After this I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down ; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up that the residue of men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles (nations) upon whom My name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things " (Amos ix., 11, 12). The order of the Lord's working is thus given : The taking out of the Gentile members of His body, the Church, in view of His coming kingdom. After this is complete the Lord returns to the earth. Observe the words, " After this I will return." And one great object of His coming again is to restore the kingdom to Israel according to Divine purpose. Meanwhile, the earthly conditions areas God declared they would be. "The whole creation groaning and travailing in pain together until now, is waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body." For this stupendous crisis Heaven and earth waits (Rom. viii, 19—23). The time is at hand.

THE BITTER CRY ANSWERED. Thank God the hitter cry of his people Israel in Russia will soon be over, and the time of Jacob's great sorrow past. The days of dark Africa are numbered, and the times of the submerged masses ready to come to »>i end. Darkest England and the still blacker darkness of eleven hundred millions of tho heathen world await the light, the salvation, and glory of our Great King's magnificent reign. As Peter, taught of the Holy Ghost, said after Pentecost be it noted, "And God shall send Jesus, who before was preached unto you " (Acts iii. 'JO)

He conies to break oppression, To set the captive free. To take away transgression, Ami rule in equity. In conclusion, I ask my readers' attention to what with reverence I would call the common-sense of this Divine The close of the times of the Gentiles tinrl* human government and kingly authority miserable failure. The peace ot Europe and the world is not to day worth six months' purchase. Incompetency, to use no stronger term, is the condition of every earthly potentate and Government, so far as righteousness and peace are concerned. Were I asked, as a politician, the world's greatest need, I should answer, a wise and competent ruler ; as a student of Scripture, I reply, "God's anointed King, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Zech. xiv., 9). Who need fail to see that, given the supreme sovereignty of Christ as King over the whole earth, and war must cease unto the ends of the world ? Given, that which is to take place when he comes— the reversion of all property and power into His Almighty hands, and the earth must be filled speedily with the knowledge of the Lord, and of His glory also— e.g., Let one supreme will ritle the whole earth, not a ruler such as Alexander, (Jjesar, or Napoleon, but "Jehovah's fellow," the Christ of God, and at once the military and naval forces which exist might be disbanded. Supremacy can have no peer or rival.

THE BLESSED AND ONLY POTENTATE. The logic of the position of "the Great King over all the earth" is that peace must become universal, and the nations learn war no more. Then shall be fulfilled Isaiah's welcome fore view,

And it shall comp tA . that the mountain of theTordM? last( lav be prepared in the top of the I s house *3 shall be exalted above the hm' atain Mnd nations aha flow unto it. Ami * ' an all shall go and say, Come ye and l " any r *°Pl» the mountain of the Lord to {, let US K ° m ' God of Jacob; and He will <- , ° Uile of the ways, and we will walk i, Hif ll , Us of His ofZion shall go forth the law ,)aths » for ut of the Lord from Jerusalem ft fr w <"' judge among the nation ™and V| | le "Ml many people, and they' shall k" rtbl *» swords into ploughshares and - at '«r into pruning-nooks, nation sfiifri: ?P ear sword against nation, neithershallTh ft u l' war any more" (Isaiah ii ■> 411 'ear,, sworn to David stands thusTh-A U , oat fruit of his loins according to th, '! f the would raise up Christ to sit on lit . , lesh Gr -«i bam. vii. 13 16, 24-29 ; Acts ii V) throne " tf THE EARTHS ANTHEM—i.V,,W Then shall the prophetic' uui Xl'Vn-forty-seventh Psalm girdle th"l 01 th^ " 0 dap your hands all ye peonle 'hi® eirtb , God with the voice of tnum,,h l " lu u «o most high is terrible, he K ,V± k- e Lf ' r <i all the earth." "Sing praises u r'c'? praises, sing praises unto our K,""' Sln S praises. " For God is King of all rh S ' Sln -' sing ye praises with understand! ' V,* r' art , h i light of these glorious words hmv-,/ 1 tile our Lords answer to Pilate* ... "• rikl 'i; , is Thou a king?" (See Matt. i, -».i 1» ,?■' " A "- was, • io this end was 1 born an,lf 8 cause came i into the world that 1 ,; '? r , tlll3 witness to the truth Eve, v~l " ttear the truth heareth My voice" (John J' iic Is « How powerfully does the \i, o <t! the truth of Israel's coming ruinsriiV, dte national pre-eminence in Romans vi uto he reminds of God's ability and »-in- Uow to "grail them in again" (•':{) - 1 also, if they abide not still in u n Mj"f be grafted in. tor if the casthw them be the reconciling of the w?,ri i ay , 01 shall the receiving of them he hut lif' i m the dead ? _ "And so all l, Url c n fr °, m saved, as it is written, here shall •' ' Je of Zion the Deliverer, and si, d'l r», me 0111 ungodliness from Jacob; for this j s ..., nant unto them when I shall take a ,Vt sins—for the gifts and callingof God ? out repentance' - (change of mm,]) , len'th--29 ; Isa. lix. 20, 21. j| Verses -«■ Israel's restoration as a theocratic in Syria, Palestine, and the Km ?dom valley is thus declared to be enntem.™®' 111 with the commencement of "the r ;, ! ,ar y the blessed and only Potentate " Tl.h "01 of the Lord for His people must he imS for the glorious appearing of the una v I and our Saviour Jesus Christ takes „i before the close of the times of the (lent I even as His coming with His people in i, S and great glory inaugurates his r-i 'ii u coming, therefore, is not only the hope n} Th! Church, but will yield after the great ,1 ■„ • His wrath the final deliverance and sal™;,? of the world. To what end or purpose the post-millennial view of our Lord's preset as King on the earth at the end of the ~.1 lam quite at a loss to know. Cert linkall earthly kingdoms the presenceand Jom nation precede the reign. His manifestation 111 power and great glory, with ten thousand of His saints, will gloriously inaugurate Hi coming and His magnificent rei-n ~ver t l » whole earth. Such manifestation in power and great glory is according to the testimony of the Word (Psalm xlv., 1-7- Rev' Y j v 11-21). ' ' xu '' . Finally, a few thoughts on two other items. It will be seen that the .Scriptures are strongly identified with the direct, and in that sense supernatural, intervention of the Most High in regard to the Government of the earth. " The world is His and the fulness thereof." To limit the Divine operation, either to morals, ethics, or the spiritual forces which pertain to the ministry of thf Holy Spirit during this dispensation, shows a lack of comprehensive discernment. The Lord distinctly stated concerning the Holy Ghost, " Whom the world cannot re ceive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you' : (John xiv., 17). The judgment of the world at the close of this age arises from the rejection of the Holy Spirit's testimony, as Heb. x., 28-30 clearly shows. How, then, does this sufficiency and adequacy to the subjection of the world to Christ appear! The truth is that the Scriptures do not declare that the Holy Spirit will convert the world. "He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment"—these are very different issues.

Am I asked, Is the Lord Jesus Christ as " the great king over all the earth," uoitig to dwell at Jerusalem after the fashion of a temporal monarch ? If by this is meant permanent residence, certainly not. On the morning of the resurrection, after comforting the heart of Mary, He ascended to the Holy Father, as John xx., 17 and 18 clearly prove, and as Levit. xxiii., 10,11 absolutely required the Great High Priest to do. (See also 1 Cor. xv., 20-23 ; compare Heb. ix., 11 to 14.) These items show that after the Lord's resurrection He was no longer subject to the limitations which pertain to the human body in the present condition. With the rapidity of the activities of the mind, so will resurrection personality pertain to and inhere in each member of his Glorious Body. The principal dwelling-place of the King and his august Bride will be the magnificent residence which his own wisdom and power during nearly two thousand years has been fashioning, and is now completing (John xiv. 2,3). Absence, either of personality or locality, is not thinkable. "Nowhere," "Nothing, 1 and " Nobody" are simply terms of common stupidity. That we will come with the august the Blessed and only Potentate, to the earth is as clearly revealed as that the Scriptures are inspired of God. The Body of Christ will not be separated from the Great Head, the Lord Jesus. The occasions of our coming will be many, the manifestations magnificent, and, if necessary, as swift aud sudden as our present mental activities. Probably, the glory on the summit of the Mount of Transfiguration was indicative of that which will pertain to the heirs of God and the oint heirs with Christ. (See Matt, xiii

The dwelling-place of the incorruptible saints with their Lord must necessarily be in the inheritance which is incorruptible aud ready to be revealed. (1 Pet. i., 4.) Accurately stated, the Church of Christ, with her King and Lord, will reign over the earth, rather than upon it. An earthly illustration is to hand. Her Majesty the Queen reigns over India and the Australias, but she usually resides either at Osborne, Balmoral, or Windsor. In conclusion, 1 have no sympathy with any statement which gives a crude localising on the earth (e.r/., at Jerusalem) of the Great King. When our Lord said to Nathaniel: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man," He probably intimated a fact which will then be common.