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Evidence as to the Futurity of the Kingdom of God.

Scrifture Testimony.

The Kingdom of God is not yet in Existente.

1. Because it is yet a matter of promise, and its future possessors are styled "heirs," whereas if they actually possessed it now they would cease to be heirs,

"Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?"—Jaa. ii 6.

2. Because it must be entered. Oven by believers "through much tribuation," and Paul says that the early christians suffered persecutions that they might obtain it.

"And when they (Paul and Barnabas) had preached the gospel to that city (Derbe.) and had taught matty, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch. Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God"—Acts xiv. 21,22.

"We ourselves glory in you in, the churches of God for your pasience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure; which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for Which ye also suffer."—2 Thess. i. 4, 5.

3. Because it is not to be established until the second coming of the Christ.

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the; quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom."—2 Tim. iv. 1.

"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."—Matt xxv. 31.

I saw in the night visions, arid, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him, And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, and nations, and languages, page 24 should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."—Dauiel vii 13 14.

"A certain nobleman (the Christ) went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return."—Luke xix, 12.

4. Because Daniel prophesied that it was to be established in the days of the ten toe kingdoms which were not in existence during the Christ's life on the earth, for they were to spring from the ruins of the Roman Empire. This has since occurred, and the ten kingdoms are now in existence, though they hare not yet become "the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ."

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shrill not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever."—Daniel ii. 44.

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever."—Rev. xi. 15.

5. Because the entering into the kingdom is spoken of by the Christ as taking place at the resurrection.

"Then shall the king say unto them on his tight hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared, for you from the foundation of the world."—Matt. xxv. 34.

6. Because mortal men cannot inherit it.

"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither does corruption inherit incorruption."—1 Cor. xv. 50.

7. Because when it is established, Satan or the adversary, as embodied in the governments of the world., is to be cast out and bound for a thousand years.

"And he (the angel) laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. . . . and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."—Rev. xx. 2, 3, 4.

8. Because when established its throne will be at Jerusalem, the seat of the throne of David, who was the type and predecessor of the Christ.

"At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the page 25 name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart."—Jeremiah iii. 17.

"And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever, [or the hidden period.] And thou, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem."—Micah iv. 7, 8.

"And the Lord shall inherit Judah, his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again."—Zech. ii. 12.

"And it shall come to pass that everyone that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the: King the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be that whosoever will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain."—Zech. xiv. 16, 17.

"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain (kingdom) of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the Jaw and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."'—Isaiah ii. 3.

"Swear not by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king."—Matt. v. 35.

"Jerusalem shall he trodden down of the Gentiles until the tames of the Gentiles be fulfilled."—Luke xxi. 24.

9. Because when constituted, the throne of David will be occupied by "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews," "whose right it is," that he may "execute judgment and justice in the land," and "rule the earth in righteousness;" for to Him will he given "the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession."

"The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for the ages; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."—Luke i. 32, 33.

"Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even for ever [or the hidden period]."—Isaiah ix. 7.

"He shall build the temple of the Lord, and he shall hear the glory; and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne."—Zech. vi. 13.

God "hath appointed a day in the which he will judge [or page 26 rule] the earth in righteousness by that man whom be he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead."—Acts xvii. 31.

10. Because an governing the kingdom, Jesus its Anointed King will be assisted by the twelve Apostles, and the glorified righteous ones, who will then have received the gift of immortality (not yet possessed by any man), as the reward for faith, obedience, and continuance in well-doing.

"Jesus said unto them, verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."—Mat. xix. 28.

"And 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, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall seive and obey him."—Daniel vii 27.

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne"—Rev. iii. 21.

"And he that overcometh and koepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father."—Rev. ii. 25, 27.

"Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."—Rev. v. 10.

"Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand. To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written; this honour have all his saints—? Psalm cxlix 5–9.

"Behold a King shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgments"—Isaiah xxxii. 1.

"And if children then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."—Rom- viii. 17.

11. Because when fully established the twelve tribes 4f Israel after being sifted in the wilderness as in the days of Moses, will be: restored to their own land, there to dwell in righteousness and peace as its immediate subjects. At that time the Jews will be the most exalted nation on the face of the globe, and as "the first dominion" they will form the latter-day kingdom of Israel under its restored consitution.

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"Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own land; and 1 will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all; neither shall they defile themselves anymore with their idols nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I wall be their God: And David my servant [Jesus the Christ] shall be king over them, and they all shall have one shepherd; they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt, and they shall dwell therein, even they and their children, and their children's children for ever [or the hidden period."]—Ezek. xxxvii. 21–28.

"And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people and there will plead with you face to face. Like, as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. And I will cause yon to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: and I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel, and ye shall know that I am the Lord."—Exek. xx. 34–38.

"I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord."—zeph. iii. 20.

"Though I make a full end of all other nations whither I have seatterd thee, yet will I not make full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished."—Jerem. xxx. II.

"For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted."——Isaiah lx. 12.

"In those days it shall come to pass that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you."—Zeeh. viii. 23.

"The Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely Our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit."—Jer. xvi. 19.