May
12, 2005
Your
Kingdom Come
"Your
kingdom come." (1)
"God
is our Father, who loves and cares for us as His children;
He is also the great King of the universe. The interest of
His kingdom are our interests, and we are to work for its
upbuilding.
"The
disciples of Christ were looking for the immediate coming
of the kingdom of His glory, but in giving them this prayer
Jesus taught that the kingdom was not then to be established.
They were to pray for its coming as an event yet future.
"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.'
(2) They shall inherit the kingdom prepared for them 'from
the foundation of the world.' (3) 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.' (4) '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.' (5)
"But
before that coming, Jesus said, 'This gospel of the kingdom
shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations.' (6) His kingdom will not come until the good tidings
of His grace have been carried to all the earth. Hence, as
we give 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' (7), 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' (8)--they
along pray in sincerity, 'Your kingdom come.' " (9)
1. Matthew
6:10.
2. Daniel 7:27.
3. Matthew 25:34.
4. Zechariah 14:9.
5. Revelation 21:3.
6. Matthew 24:14.
7. Isaiah 6:8.
8. Acts 26:18.
9, Thoughts From The Mount Of Blessing, pp., 107-109.
|