Chapter 340—Why Not Now?
For they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of
them, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 31:34
.
Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world
for a witness unto all nations” (
Matthew 24:14
). His kingdom will not come
until the good tidings of His grace have been carried to all the earth. Hence,
as we give ourselves to God, and win other souls to Him, we hasten the
coming of His Kingdom. Only those who devote themselves to His service
... pray in sincerity, “Thy kingdom come”....
The petition, “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,” is a prayer
that the reign of evil on this earth may be ended, that sin may be forever
destroyed, and the kingdom of righteousness be established. Then in earth
as in heaven will be fulfilled “all the good pleasure of his goodness” (
2
Thessalonians 1:11
).
Christ will not be satisfied until the victory is complete, and “He shall
see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied” (
Isaiah 53:11
). All the
nations of the earth shall hear the gospel of His grace. Not all will receive
His grace; but “a seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a
generation” (
Psalm 22:30
). “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,” and the “earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” “So shall they fear the name of the Lord
from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun” (
Daniel 7:27
;
Isaiah
11:9
;
59:19
).
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth
good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that
publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! ... Break forth
into joy, sing together, ye waste places: ... for the Lord hath comforted
his people.... The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God”
(
Isaiah 52:7-10
).
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