Lord’s Prayer
81
the kingdom in their day, the fact that Jesus bade them pray for it is
evidence that in God’s own time it will surely come.
The kingdom of God’s grace is now being established, as day
by day hearts that have been full of sin and rebellion yield to the
sovereignty of His love. But the full establishment of the kingdom of
His glory will not take place until the second coming of Christ to this
world. “The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heaven,” is to be given to “the people of the saints of
the Most High.”
Daniel 7:27
. They shall inherit the kingdom prepared
for them “from the foundation of the world.”
Matthew 25:34
. And
Christ will take to Himself His great power and will reign.
The heavenly gates are again to be lifted up, and with ten thousand
times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy ones, our
Saviour will come forth as King of kings and Lord of lords. Jehovah
Immanuel “shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be
one Lord, and His name one.” “The tabernacle of God” shall be with
men, “and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and
God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
Zechariah 14:9
;
Revelation 21:3
.
But before that coming, 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
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ourselves to God, and win other souls to Him, we hasten the coming
of His kingdom. Only those who devote themselves to His service,
saying, “Here am I; send me” (
Isaiah 6:8
), to open blind eyes, to turn
men “from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God,
that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them
which are sanctified” (
Acts 26:18
)—they alone pray in sincerity, “Thy
kingdom come.”
“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”—Matthew 6:10.
The will of God is expressed in the precepts of His holy law, and
the principles of this law are the principles of heaven. The angels of
heaven attain unto no higher knowledge than to know the will of God,
and to do His will is the highest service that can engage their powers.