Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 288, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1912 — Christ Comes to Reign. [ARTICLE]

Christ Comes to Reign.

As the redemption was necessary for man’s salvation so Messiah’s Kingdom is necessary to accomplish restitution. The delay of more than eighteen centuries is Scripturally explained: (1) God designed Six Great One Thousand Year Days to teach maukind the exceeding sinfulness of sin. He purposed that on the Seventh Day the blessing of Messiah should come. (2) An important work has been since Calvary. An Elect Church has been gathered out of all nations—saints made perfect through suffering, a Little Flock, the “Churcli of the First-borns.’’ These are to become the Bride of Christ at His Second Advent The Second Coming of Jesus Is to claim His Bride class, and to exalt them. As regards the world, He comes to bind Satan, to overthrow sin. and 4 to uplift fallen humanity. St. Peter tells that Restitution work, not a literal burning of the world, awaits the Second Coming of Jesus: “Times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”—Acts iii. 19-21. Christ’s Kingdom to Be Spiritual. One great mistake we have all made is in not noticing thnt Jesus was human for only thirty-three and a half years. He was a glorious spirit being before He was made flesh; and He was resurrected to a spirit conditionhigher than His original one. How foolish we were to think of Jesus as a man (a little lower than nngelsi lu tbt* midst of the Heavenly host. He is now partaker of the Divine nature; His Church is to be “changed” and made "like Him.” As His descent was from a higher to a lower, so His ascent was from a lower nature to a higher, “far above angels.” His Is the exceeding glory which "uo man bath seen nor can see” —“which no man can approach unto.” It is this glorious Being whose Kingdom is about to be established. He and His Church will be as invisible to men as are Satan and the fallen angels. The appearances of Jesus in the flesh after His resurrection were materializations, to prove: (1) that Jesus was no longer dead: (2) that He was changed, born of the Spirit, able to go and come like the wind. Parousia, Epiphania, Apokalupsis. Messiah’s Kingdom will have earthly representatives—the faithful saints of previous ages, raised to human perfection instantly. Through these the invisible Messianic Kingdom will operate. Jesus said, “Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and ail the prophets In the The parousia of Jesus wilt .come first —present but lu visible. The Worldwill continue with the ordinary affairs of life (while He t»gntberlng the Church), as in the days of Noah. After the gntheriug of the Church, tfiere will be an epiphania and an apokalupsis of Jesus. He will shine forth. He will be revealed—not in flesh, bat "in flaming fire.” the trouble of that Day. in which the present order will be consumed in anarchy, giving place to the Kingdom Dispensation.