THE CLIMAX OF THE AGES CHAPTER 1. THE SUBLIME PURPOSE OF GOD WITH Divine Arrangement and Supervision of human affairs. THY KINGDOM Come. Who are the Subjects of the Kingdom? Difficulties and presumed hindrances considered. No limit to the Subjects. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were ended. DIVINE ARRANGEMENT AND SUPERVISION OF HUMAN AFFAIRS. That human life and history are not mere matters of chance, nor the manifestation of a meaningless struggle without any reasonable sequel, should be manifest to every intelligent thinking person. "Yet I doubt not through the Ages one increasing Purpose runs," presents a commendable attitude resulting from recognition of the evidences of Divine Wisdom, Power, and Goodness, such "evidences" also foreshadowing, "that One Divine Event to which the whole Creation moves.' Creation must have had a Creator, but, beyond the evidences supplied by its own existence and in its marvellous composition, it is unable to present any Revelation of the Moral designs and purposes of its Maker. Such a Revelation is a manifest necessity to the enlightenment of mankind. The Credentials of the Scriptures in this connection are of the highest order. The Divine Purpose in the Creation and in the destiny of Man and the Earth, finds full exposition in its pages. "Known unto God are all His Works from the beginning of the World." Acts 15: 18. "But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets, according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith." Romans 16: 26; Isai. 45: 18. The declared Truth that God is working out a revealed Plan on Earth and with Mankind, formed by Himself at the beginning, removes all causes for hopelessness and sadness from human affairs. The success of this "Purpose" is not dependent upon human nature, and is not being defeated by anything human nature does or leaves undone. The wonderful Divine foreknowledge enabled Him when arranging His Plan, to foresee the course imperfect human nature would take, and to so order His Works and operations, as to realize success to the beneficent design of Creation. In Romans 3: 3, 4, Paul asks and answers a very pertinent question. "Shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect? "God forbid; yea, let God be true, though every man be false." There is plenty of scope for the exercise of human free agency, within the compass of the Divine sovereignty; the guaranteed success of the Divine Plan with mankind does not involve the setting aside nor violation of human free will, choice, or action. Human history, as treated in the Scriptures, is the record of Divine operations on Earth; if not always of His direct appointment, at least of His permission and supervision. History, in the Bible, is not the mere natural development of human society. It is divided into distinct Epochs, Ages, Dispensations, through which His diversified "Purpose" has been operating. All changes of times, alterations of conditions, establishment or destruction of Empires, have resulted from the directing hand of Him, "Who changeth the times and seasons, who removeth Kings and setteth up Kings." Dan. 2: 21. From the first description of the Creation of a human pair in an Earthly Paradise, through all succeeding periods outlining the experiences of a human race on Earth, culminating in the Prophesied climax of a new and glorious state on Earth, and bringing the restoration of the human race to the conditions of an Earthly Paradise, the Bible is a revelation of the Divine Designs and Operations with man and the earth. There is but One Scene and One Subject of operations. All past and present history of mankind displays. the dominion of God in the Kingdoms of men. "The Most High ruleth in the Kingdom of Men and giveth it to whomsoever He will." Dan. 2: 37; Dan. 4: 32-35. Recognition of this phase of the Divine Dominion during the whole of this present order of things, assists in the appreciation of perfect success in domains that appear otherwise to manifest dismal failure. The course of events from the commencement of history, has been along lines foreseen by the Great Designer, and has thus realized all His purposes and forecasts. "According to the Purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will." Ephes. 1: 11; "So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth; it shall not return unto Me Void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isaiah 55: 11. It is the presence and operation of the Divine Plan in human history, realizing the Divinely-promised success in every department, together with the full accomplishment of the discipline of man universal, that fills the mind of every enlightened Bible Student with hope and peace, and enables all such to look forward with the greatest confidence and joy to the final phase of this wonderful Purpose of God. "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Romans 15: 4. In striking contrast with many human theories, the Scriptures are emphatic in teaching that there is but One Supreme Power, One Universal Authority without any competitor, and human kingdoms and authorities are not in conflict with this Divine Supremacy. For His present purposes, their right and authority to rule, is conferred by Him and this, apart from their recognition of the fact. The "Divine right of Kings," correctly understood, is true. In Romans 13: 1, 2, the Apostle writes, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the Powers that be are ordained of God." They are neither usurpers, nor established by any rebel to Divine dominion. Jehovah sent His Prophet to the King of Babylon -a heathen Prince-to enlighten him concerning this Divine authority for his kingdom. Dan. 2: 36, 37. "Thou, O King, art a King of Kings; for the God of Heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, strength and glory." This one illustration applies to all earthly kings. All power proceeds from God. But, this lease of power on earth given, by God to human rulers and authorities, is not unlimited in duration. It is for a Period Divinely arranged, and specified in His Word. Luke 21: 24, specifies the limit of this period. "Until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Note also Rev. 17: 17. Here is a terminus marked out, a point beyond which the kingdom of men cannot go. Whatever difficulty may exist as to the correct interpretation of Prophetic Times, there is not any as to the revealed truth of a definitely marked terminus to human kingdoms. There is no ambiguity in this connection. As clearly made manifest, the captivity of Judah in Babylon at the commencement of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, marked a definite historical Epoch, from which the "Times of the Gentiles" are counted to their completion. The "Kingdom of Men," from that starting point was to be limited to Four Gentile and Universal Empires, succeeding each other in the dominion of the Earth. The Fourth and last of these, the Roman Empire, breaking up, or subdividing its estate and authority, into a number of smaller States, and continuing in this divided condition until the climax. The Fifth Universal Kingdom on Earth, is to be the Kingdom of |