PRESENCE GRADUALLY REVEALED.

Foregoing we drew the line of distinction between the parousia and the epiphania or apokalupsis of our Lord, quite sharply, to assist the reader in noting their difference of signification. As a matter of fact, however, the bright shining of the present One is due to begin shortly after the parousia begins; and again, as at the first advent it will be true that “the Light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not.” The revealing of the Lord’s presence begins with the faithful of the Church speedily, and gradually extends to the world in general.

Up to the time when the strength of the trouble breaks forth, only the faithful Watchers discern the parousia, and only by them can the bright-shining of the Lord’s presence be appreciated. To these the bright-shining of the Lord’s presence, the increased brilliancy of the light of truth respecting the Word and character and plan of God, is an ever-increasing joy and pleasure: thus, it is that “ye, brethren, are not in darkness,” respecting the events of the day of the Lord, but know in advance that its tribulation will come upon the world as travail upon a woman. –1 Thess 5:3,4.

While the revealment of our Lord’s presence thus illuminates the hearts of his faithful ones as the Day-star (2 Pet 1:19) and causes them to understand, and not be in darkness with the world in respect to his plans, present and future, the bright-shining of the Lord’s presence shall affect nominal Christians, and the civilized world in general, also, but in a totally different manner; for the character of Christ’s “harvest” work, during this period of his presence, is such as to cause a general opening of eyes along the lines of justice and injustice, righteousness and sin, the rights of mankind and the wrongs of mankind. The light which has been shining out for the past hundred and fifty years is awakening the world to a realization of its rights and its wrongs; to a realization that the earth belongs to mankind in general and not exclusively to a few who have seized it and fenced it. This same light is exposing the corruption and falsity of many long-venerated theories and institutions, religious, political, social and financial. It was in reference to this light of his presence at the second advent that our Lord declared that this day of his presence would bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the secret counsels of the heart, – for there is nothing hidden that shall not be uncovered. (Luke 8 :17) And in this connection let it not be overlooked that the Apostle declares that Satan’s power to deceive the world through Antichrist (the church nominal) is to be consumed by “the bright-shining [epiphania] of his presence [parousia].” – 2 Thess 2:8.

Thus seen, the bright-shining of the present One is causing great joy to the hearts of the faithful, who wait patiently for him and for the deliverance which he has promised; but the bright-shining, as it affects the worldly, has the effect of quickening their selfish propensities, producing discontent, and is thus preparing the world for the great climax of catastrophe, predicted in the Word of the Lord, as the consummation of this age; – the overthrow of all the governments and institutions of this present order of things, in anarchy, – “a time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation.”

We noticed that it was predicted 2500 years ago through the Prophet Daniel, that “in the days of these kings” the representatives of the fourth universal empire, Rome (ecclesiastically conglomerated, shown in the feet and toes of the image), the God of heaven would cause the Kingdom of God to smite the image upon its feet, – to utterly crush it; and that it would be after smiting the image that God’s Kingdom, represented by the stone, would wax great and fill the whole earth. As we have just shown, we are now in this time in which the Kingdom of God is exerting its force against the kingdoms of this world: the King himself is present, must be present before he could destroy present kingdoms and take their power; he is already exerting the influences which will eventuate in their destruction; and he is prepared, backed by all the power of God, quickly to establish upon their ruins his own glorious Kingdom, consisting of himself the King, and his faithful ones of the Gospel Church as his Bride and joint-heir.

The influence exerted by our present Lord, the Light, the Truth, is already breaking the power of ignorance and superstition, which for long centuries has held the masses of mankind in subserviency to Papacy; and the same bright-shining is likewise dissolving the lighter shackles of ignorance and error forged for their faithful by the various sects of Protestantism. Ultimately, all superstition and false reverence will be dissolved, and false institutions will fall; then will be manifest the fact that error and falsehood and fear never truly sanctify the heart, – and the world of mankind being released from its servility to fear will speedily manifest its true character of selfishness and ungodliness, and will speedily precipitate the great trouble predicted.

But it would be a mistake to suppose that the parousia of our Lord is merely or chiefly in connection with the world and its preparation for the chaos of the present order of things. On the contrary, the chief work of the Lord during this period of his parousia is for and in connection with his Church. As we saw above, he foretold that on his return he will reckon with his servants, to whom he entrusted the pounds and talents, before manifesting his wrath against evil-doers in the trouble of this “day of vengeance,” – in the slaughter of all who would not have him to reign over them. That slaughter time, in which all who will not accept the reign of righteousness will be destroyed from among the people (Acts 3:23), begins with the burning of the “tares” in the end of this age, when there shall be great trouble, “weeping and gnashing of teeth;” and to some extent it will continue throughout the Millennial age, for all the way to the very last (Isa 65:20;Acts 3:23;Rev 20: 8,9) all who willfully oppose the Lord will perish.

The Kingdom which we are expecting, and which we believe is now in process of establishment, and is soon to smite the kingdoms of this world and to supplant them, is not an earthly kingdom, but a heavenly one; not a fleshly kingdom, but a spiritual one; not a kingdom which will be visible to the natural eye, but an invisible yet powerful kingdom.

We find nothing in the Scriptures to corroborate the thought entertained by some that this Gospel age having begun in the spirit, is to culminate in a reign of Christ and his Church in the flesh with an earthly throne, etc. Quite to the contrary, the King and his joint-heirs, the Church, as spirit beings, will have a spiritual empire, though their subjects, to whom they will offer the blessings of the restitution purchased at Calvary, will be men in the flesh, whose highest hope and ambition will be restitution to the grand perfection of the human nature lost in Eden, redeemed at Calvary, – an earthly image of the Heavenly Father.

We hold that Christ and his saints during the Millennial age will be no more visible to mankind than is the prince of this world, Satan, whose associates in the misrule of the present evil world, the fallen angels, are likewise invisible.

“THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN COMETH NOT WITH OBSERVATION.”

The Pharisees at the first advent made the mistake of supposing that the Kingdom which Christ proclaimed would be a visible kingdom, composed of himself and his followers in the flesh; and seeing no army or other evidences of temporal power for the establishment of an earthly kingdom, they thought to expose the hollowness of our Lord’s claims before his followers, by asking him the question; – When will your Kingdom of God appear? – when will we see it?

Mark well our Lord’s reply, which, if the Pharisees had understood it, might have been a great revelation to them. He answered: “The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation.” How strange they must have thought this answer! The Kingdom of God, then, would be a Kingdom which could not be observed or seen; – an invisible kingdom. But our Lord continued the explanation and increased their perplexity by adding, “Neither shall ye say, Lo here! or, Lo there!” (Luke 17:21)

Then our Lord gave the key to the matter by adding, “Because the Kingdom of Heaven is [to be] in the midst of you.” That is to say, when the Kingdom of Heaven shall come it will be amongst mankind, everywhere present, but wholly invisible; so that they cannot observe it with the natural eye, nor can they point it out or locate it, although it will be everywhere present amongst men; an omnipresent and omnipotent rule, or reign of righteousness.

In our Common Version the true thought is obscured by the words “within you,” which would better be “among you.”

Anyone, however, can see that it could not have been our Lord’s intention to say that the Kingdom of God was then or ever would be WITHIN the hearts of the class addressed, which elsewhere he styled “hypocrites, whited walls and sepulchers, full of all manner of corruption.”

Continued with next post.