River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-12-04

and where they could not? Any who
after all the experiences they will have
passed through would not be absolute
ly loyal to the Lord to the very core
in word. in deed and in thought would
not be ependable-would not be
worthy of eternal life. which God pur-
poses only for those who have demon
strated fully established characters in
harmony with the Creators.
All Will Be Tested.
AS to the nature of the test we are
not Informed. We are merely told that
Satan will he loosed that he may tempt
all mankind We may be sure that
the temptations will be along the lines
of full submission to the Divine will.
The Scriptures imply that when Mes
siah shall deliver up the Kingdom at
the close of the Millennium the govern
ment of the world will become a Re
public. in which each person is king.
and one of these kings chosen by vote
to be the Administrator. of the affairs
of the Government.
Let us suppose as an illustration that
mankind would be expecting such a
change of government at Il particular
time. Let us suppose that God had al
lowed them to misunderstood some fea
ture of His Plan and thus to expect the
change of government at the wrong
time Here would be an opportunity
for a test upon all. A question would
arise which would tend to cause Il di-
vision amongst all mankind. Some
might be inclined to say, The time for
the change has come. and it should be
made; and those who are retaining
the government are in error. So be-
lieving, they might make a demand
upon the earthly representatives of the
Divine Government that transfer
should be made, and that the world
should become a republic instead of re-
| naming a theocracy.
Others of mankind might say. Nay;
we are debtors to God for all that we
have. We may have misunderstood
| the time or some feature of the Divine
purpose in respect to the time of the
| change in the government of the
world, but we are very happy, very
| thankful to God very appreciative of
| the blessings we are enjoying. If God
wishes to make a change in the gov
eminent, well and good. If God wishes
that the present government shall hold
over indefinitely, all well and good.
We refuse to join with those who are
proposingGa demand for the transfer
of the government.
Something of this kind would seem
to be implied in the figurative express
sions of Revelation 900. THE camp of
the saints and the Beloved City would
seem to represent the earthly phase of
the Kingdom, and the accomplishing Of
the camp would seem to imply a pro
test. Such a division of sentiment
would show clearly how many had
fully learned to commit everything to
God and to trust absolutely in the Di-
vine supervision of their affairs, and
how many, after all the great lessons
Of seven thousand years, would still
be inclined to take matters into their
own hands Worldwide
Destruction of Satan and All Gods
Enemies.
The denouement here and elsewhere
pictured is that there came down fire
from Heaven and devoured them-Sa-
tan and all those who took the side of
self-will and who indicated a measure
Of dislOyalty and unfaithfulness
Many are the Scriptures which seem
to tell us Of the final destruction of
Satan; as, for instance, Romans 1920,
which declares that God will ultimate
ly bruise Satan under the feet of the
Church, thus associating the Church,
the Body of Christ, with the Lord, the
Head. This corresponds with the Di-
vine statement in Eden that ultimate
ly the Seed of the woman would crush
the Serpent's head-ultimately destroy
the Serpent and all that he stands for;
namely, sin and rebellion against God
Thus eventually the wages of sin and
death must be melted out to any will
full, persistent rebel against the Divine
Law, whether he be an outward rebel
or one secretly dislOyal. The lesson is
one for all of Gods people and for the
whole world. If we know the Spirit
of the Lord in respect to sin, happy are
we if we conform our lives thereto.
Let us mark well the course that will
ultimately lead to Satans destruction.
Let us mark well also the course of
Jesus, which led to the highest glory.
Which example shall we follow? Shall
we in humility walk in the footsteps of
our Redeemer. and become His joint
heirs, or shall we take the other course
of pride, and thus become disciples of
the Adversary. and reach his doom?