God’s Rule Will Come

KEY VERSE: “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” —Daniel 7:14

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Daniel 8:1, 15-26

IN THE explanation of our Key Verse, given in verse twenty-six of the same chapter, it is stated that the kingdom is given to the saints of the Most High. The first of these saints, and chief among them, is Jesus. Many promises of the New Testament show that his footstep followers, who suffer and die with him, are to share in his kingdom reign. (Rom. 8:17) Hence, in Daniel’s prophecy they are represented as together taking over the rulership of earth. The kingdom, or dominion, which the saints possess is the same as described in Revelation 20:4, where the Apostle John says, “I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, … and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

The New Testament teachings show that those who share the kingdom with Christ first suffer and die with him. Daniel’s prophecy also discloses that these saints of God, before their exaltation in the kingdom, are persecuted by those who dwell in darkness.

The first to come under the rule of the saints will be the living generation, but this will be only the beginning of the kingdom and judgment work. During the thousand years of the fifth universal empire all the dead are to be awakened and come into trial under the terms of the kingdom laws in which they will be instructed.

Many have erroneously supposed that when Christ’s kingdom—the fifth universal empire of earth—is inaugurated, everyone will be pleased with its rule. Eventually this will become quite generally so, but not at the beginning. In the prophecy of the second psalm, from which we have already quoted, the kingdoms of this world are shown to be superseded by Jehovah’s king, exalted upon the symbolic holy hill of Zion. In Revelation 14:1, the 144,000 saints are shown to be with Christ on Zion’s Hill They are there to rule with Jesus; but according to Psalm 2:9, it is to be a rule of the iron rod. (Rev. 2:26,27) No interference with that rule will be tolerated for the twelfth verse states, “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”

The regulations of the kingdom of Christ will be far more exacting than those of any previous government. The liberties of the people will be restricted to a degree that will be very displeasing to many now clamoring for an increase of liberty. There will be full liberty to do good, to practice righteousness, but no liberty at all to deceive, to misrepresent, nor to defraud others. Liberty or license to do wrong of any kind will not be granted. Nothing will be permitted to hurt nor to destroy in all that holy kingdom.—Isa. 11:9

Because of this, the final result of that iron rule will be most satisfying. It will be a time of judgment and of trial based upon the enlightenment of the people as symbolized by the opening of the books, mentioned in the prophecy of Daniel 7:10, and in Revelation 20:12. As a result of this work of judgment, the peoples of the earth will learn righteousness. (Isa. 26:9) They will learn by precept and experience that “righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Prov. 14:34) They will learn that God’s plans and laws are best for all concerned, hence they will love righteousness and hate iniquity.

Those who fail to obey, and thus demonstrate their incorrigibility under those most favorable conditions of the kingdom, will be destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3:19-23) Thus, under the authority of the fifth universal empire, humanity will be purged of selfishness, instructed in righteousness, and given the opportunity to develop in love. Those who accept the opportunity will be restored to human perfection and to the image of God in which they were originally created, his law being written in their hearts.—Jer. 31:33; Acts 15:14-17

Those who fully demonstrate their love for righteousness when they are instructed in its principles and advantages will be given life everlasting. Thus, unlike all the dominions which preceded, his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.—Dan. 2:44

| Home Page | Table of Contents |