The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-12-01

Inappropriate it would be to pray for
[something to come that has already
lsarrived. Christ certainly would not
lteach us after such manner to pray.
If the kingdom has come, we should
thank God for 1t, and not ask him to
Hsend that which he has already given.
/ It may be that we have been using
lShis petition without realizing its sig
Eaificance. If so, hereafter, when we
Epray the Lords prayer, let us remem-
Sber that in voicing this petition we
Fare asking God that the kingdom may
Scome. 1t has been promised by God
Eand 1t is coming, but like other prom
Uses Of his, it waits upon the prayers
of his people.
Exact Time Not Known.
But someone asks, IF we earnestly
and believingly pray, thy kingdom
come when will it appearT" Christ's
answer to his disciples, when they
asked him after his resurrection if he
would at this time restore the kingdom
Ito Israel, is the answer to this ques-
Etion: SIT Is not for you to know the
times or the seasons, which the Father
hath put in his own power" (Acts
1919 This makes it very clear that
we cannot know the exact time when
the kingdom will come. But while
this is so, there is one thing of which
we can be quite sure. for it is so self
wild To
kingdom without the King. The COM
| Ing of the kingdom then, must be
linked up closely with the second
coming of Christ. In the parable of
1.-The ten pounds, spoken when they
Thought the kingdom should imme-
7diateIy appear, Christ links up III
/ coming with his return when ne tells
Of the nobleman who went into far
country to receive for himself king
dom and to return. Christ, of course,
Is that nobleman. He has gone into
a far country (heaven) to receive
tfrom the Father) kingdom and to
return.
This Is quite contrary to the popular
teaching which has been in vogue since
Daniel Whltby voiced what he himself
styled his new hypothesis, two hun.
dred years ago, that the kingdom is
to come through the church conquer
ing the world. How pessImistic we
should be, If we believed this notion,
sor the facts show that the world is
far from being conquered, notwith.
standing the splendid work done by
the church In witnessing for Christ,
and being to the world its light and
salt. Credit the church with all she
has accomplished in evangelizing the
world and 1t is still true that "the
whole world lieth in the lap of the
wicked one;" Il John $40 that "the
god of this age" is Satan himself, "the
prince of the power Of the air." "the
spirit that now worketh in the chill.
dren of disobedience." III Cor "A;
Eph. 2:2.)
Until Jesus Comes.
1t takes very little argument to
prove this to people In these awful
days Of this great world war. They
are beginning to see, as never before,
that the Word of God is true in its
statements concerning the downward
trend Of this age, and as they study
1t afresh, they discover that it holds
out no prospect of kingdom glory I'm.
til Jesus Genes. To believe this does
not make Christian a pessimist, as
some would have us believe; on the
contrary, he becomes the brightest OF
optimists, for his vision is no longer
horizoned by the things seen, but by
the promises of God, which are yea
and amen in Christ Jesus.
The fact that the manifestation Of
the kingdom and the advent of Christ
are simultaneous, assures us that
there will be no universal reign of
righteousness upon this earth such as
men dream of and poets sing of, and
prophets tell of, until Christ comes.
Even should this war usher in, as
some think 1t will, day
When the war drums throb no longer.
And the battle flags are furled.
( In the parliament of man,
The federation Of the world.
That day, however, will not last, for
Jesus says nation shall rise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom,
and there shall be earthquakes in
divers places, and there shall be fa-
mines and troubles: These are the be-
ginnings Of sorrow" mark 1879
Hope for the world lies not in its
democratization, but In the return of
the Lord Jesus Christ. When he
comes the golden age will have
dawned, and the kingdom, for the com
ing of which we pray when we say.
"thy kingdom come" will be In visible
glory upon the earth.