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The Great Controversy
straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”
Micah 7:8, 9
;
Psalm 139:12
;
112:4
;
Isaiah 42:16
.
The announcement which had been made by the disciples in the
name of the Lord was in every particular correct, and the events to
which it pointed were even then taking place. “The time is fulfilled, the
kingdom of God is at hand,” had been their message. At the expiration
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of “the time”—the sixty-nine weeks of
Daniel 9
, which were to extend
to the Messiah, “the Anointed One”—Christ had received the anointing
of the Spirit after His baptism by John in Jordan. And the “kingdom
of God” which they had declared to be at hand was established by the
death of Christ. This kingdom was not, as they had been taught to
believe, an earthly empire. Nor was it that future, immortal kingdom
which shall be set up when “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;” that everlasting kingdom,
in which “all dominions shall serve and obey Him.”
Daniel 7:27
. As
used in the Bible, the expression “kingdom of God” is employed
to designate both the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory.
The kingdom of grace is brought to view by Paul in the Epistle to
the Hebrews. After pointing to Christ, the compassionate intercessor
who is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” the apostle says:
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace.”
Hebrews 4:15, 16
. The throne of grace
represents the kingdom of grace; for the existence of a throne implies
the existence of a kingdom. In many of His parables Christ uses the
expression “the kingdom of heaven” to designate the work of divine
grace upon the hearts of men.
So the throne of glory represents the kingdom of glory; and this
kingdom is referred to in the Saviour’s words: “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: and before Him shall be gathered
all nations.”
Matthew 25:31, 32
. This kingdom is yet future. It is not
to be set up until the second advent of Christ.
The kingdom of grace was instituted immediately after the fall of
man, when a plan was devised for the redemption of the guilty race. It
then existed in the purpose and by the promise of God; and through
faith, men could become its subjects. Yet it was not actually established
until the death of Christ. Even after entering upon His earthly mission,
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