,,the ,,work ,,of ,,christ ,,past1 ,,present ,,and ,,future ,,by ,a4 ,c4 ,,gaebelein ,editor of ,our ,hope ,price #ej ,cents ,postpaid ,,publication ,,office ,,our ,,hope #def ,,fourth ,,avenue ,,new ,,york ,,city ,,pickering ,,inglis ,,glasgow1 ,,scotland ,,copyright1 ,a4 ,c4 ,,gaebelein1 #aiac ,printed by ,,francis ,,emory ,,fitch1 ,,inc4 #dg ,broad ,street ,new ,york ,,contents ,the ,work of ,christ444444 ,his ,past ,work44444444444 ,his ,present ,work44444444 ,his ,future ,work444444444 ,,the ,,work ,,of ,,christ ,,the ,word of ,god reveals1 that all things were created by and for the ,son of ,god4 ,all things were made by ,him and without ,him was not anything made that was made 7,john i3#c74 ,for by ,him were all things created that are in heaven1 and that are in earth1 visible and invisible1 whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers2 all things were created by ,him and for ,him 7,col4 i3#af74 ,when this perfect creation was ruined by the entrance of sin1 when man fell and all creation on account of that fall was brought into the bondage of corruption1 the work of redemption became a necessity4 ,no creature of ,god was fitted or fit to do this4 ,only the ,son of ,god1 the ,creator ,himself1 could undertake this mighty work and accomplish it to the ,praise and ,glory of ,god4 ,to do this great work1 ,he had to appear on this earth in the form of man4 ,a ,threefold ,aspect4 ,this work of the ,son of ,god has a threefold aspect4 ,it is a past work1 a present work1 and beyond the present1 there is ,his future work4 ,his work and service will terminate when ,he delivers up the kingdom1 so that ,god will be all in all 7#a ,cor4 xv3#bd-bh74 ,this threefold aspect of ,his work corresponds to ,his threefold office as ,prophet1 ,priest and ,king4 ,it has a special meaning for the church4 ,in ,ephesians v3#be-bg1 we read of this4 ,he loved the church and gave ,himself for it2 this is ,his past work4 ,since then ,he is sanctifying the church by the washing of water by the ,word1 and in the future ,he will present it to ,himself1 a glorious church4 ,in virtue of this threefold work of our ,lord1 believers are saved1 are being saved1 and will be saved4 ,this threefold work has also a significance for the people ,israel4 ,when ,he came and went to the cross1 ,he died for that nation 7,john xi3#db74 ,during the present age ,his earthly people are not cast away2 their miraculous preservation on earth1 their continued1 separate existence is due to ,himself4 ,in the future when ,he appears as their ,redeemer and claims the purchased possession1 ,he will turn away ungodliness from ,jacob4 ,and to this we might also add the relation of ,his work to creation itself1 the nations of the earth1 and to ,satan and his rule4 ,these brief remarks show the importance of distinguishing between this threefold aspect of ,his work4 ,a ,christian who is ignorant of it must be confused in his conception of the truth4 ,he is unable to understand the ,word of ,god1 and is unsettled1 and even miserable in his ,christian experience4 ,such1 alas6 is the present condition of a large number of professing ,christians4 ,many are ignorant of what the finished work of ,christ on the cross means4 ,on account of this ignorance1 they are ever trying to do what ,god has done for them4 ,how many more are at sea about their position in ,christ1 and know next to nothing of the priestly work of ,christ4 ,the confusion is the greatest in respect to ,his future work as ,king4 ,our theme is therefore an important one4 ,but even ,god's people1 who in a measure have laid hold of these truths1 need constantly to be reminded of it and need to have all this through the ,spirit's power1 as a greater reality in their lives4 ,i4 ,,his ,,past ,,work4 ,his past work was accomplished by ,him when he became incarnate4 ,it was finished when ,he died on ,calvary's cross4 ,we have therefore to consider first of all these fundamentals of our faith4 ,i4 ,the ,work of the ,son of ,god is foreshadowed and predicted in the ,old ,testament ,scriptures4 ,,ii4 ,the incarnation of the ,son of ,god4 ,,iii4 ,his ,work on the cross and what has been accomplished by it4 ,i4 ,through the ,old ,testament ,scriptures1 ,god announced beforehand the work of ,his ,son4 ,this is a great theme and one which needs to be emphasized4 ,these foreshadowings and predictions were made in different ways4 ,first we might mention the appearance from time to time on earth of a supernatural ,being4 ,this ,being was the ,son of ,god4 ,as soon as sin had entered1 ,he appeared on the scene seeking those who were lost4 ,he ,himself announced the promise1 that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head4 ,he indicated in ,genesis iii3#ae1 ,his incarnation1 ,his redemptive work on the cross and ,his final victory over the enemy of ,god4 ,then ,he covered the nakedness of ,his creatures by making them coats of skin4 ,for the first time in the ,word of ,god1 it was made known by this act what the blessed fruit of ,his atoning work would be4 ,manifestations of ,jehovah4 ,and the same ,jehovah appeared in visible form unto ,abraham4 ,he came as traveller accompanied by two angels4 ,he ate in the presence of ,abraham1 who worshipped and addressed ,him as ,lord4 ,this ,being was none other than the ,son of ,god1 the same who after ,his resurrection appeared to the two disciples on their way to ,emmaus as a traveller1 and who1 at another occasion1 ate of a honeycomb and a piece of fish4 ,in ,his presence ,abraham interceded4 ,this ,lord1 who visited ,abraham later1 made fire and brimstone fall from heaven upon ,sodom and ,gomorrah2 ,he executed judgment4 ,he appeared unto ,jacob and was the mysterious man who wrestled with him at ,peniel2 later ,jacob called ,him ,the ,angel1 the ,redeemer4 ,repeatedly we hear of ,him as ,the ,angel of the ,lord1 not a created angel1 but an uncreated ,being4 ,moses saw ,him in the burning bush1 and heard ,his voice4 ,and while ,he is spoken of as the angel of the ,lord1 ,he revealed ,himself as ,jehovah and made this ,name known to ,moses4 ,he was with ,israel in the wilderness and dwelled with them in the ,glory cloud4 ,he guided them1 supplied their need1 protected them1 judged them and overthrew their enemies4 ,to ,joshua ,he appeared and manifested ,himself as ,the captain over the ,lord's hosts4 ,manoah and his wife saw ,him1 and witnessed ,his ascension into heaven1 in the smoke and fire of the sacrifice4 ,isaiah1 ,ezekiel and ,daniel gazed upon ,his ,glory4 ,all these were but foreshadowings and glimpses of the two great manifestations of the ,son of ,god on earth1 as they are necessitated by ,his work1 ,his manifestation in humiliation and ,his manifestation in power and glory4 ,other ,foreshadowings of ,his ,work4 ,but there are other foreshadowings of ,his work4 ,all the divinely given institutions and many of the historical events recorded in the ,old ,testament foreshadow ,his work4 ,history1 as recorded in the ,old ,testament1 is the preliminary history of the incarnation4 ,the whole sacrificial system of the levitical priesthood told out beforehand1 in many ways1 what the great redemptive work of the ,lamb of ,god was to be4 ,each offering and sacrifice revealed the different phases of ,his work on the cross1 as well as ,his holy and spotless humanity4 ,the sufferings of ,christ and their meaning for lost sinners were thus made known4 ,from ,abel's lamb to the last lamb1 which died before the true ,lamb of ,god uttered the never to be forgotten words on the cross1 ,it is finished1 the thousands of lambs and bulls and goats1 the innumerable herds of animals slain1 were all types of the one great sacrifice1 brought on ,calvary's cross4 ,the tabernacle in all its appointments1 down to the minutest details1 had ,i some meaning in connection with the ,person of ,him who is ,wonderful and ,his wonderful work4 ,and what else could we say of the historical events1 such as the ,passover1 the passage through the ,red ,sea1 the brazen serpent hung up in the wilderness4 ,and to this we might add how men in their experiences1 like ,isaac1 ,joseph1 ,david and others foreshadowed the sufferings of ,christ and the glory that should follow4 ,direct ,prophecies4 ,still more numerous are the direct prophecies announcing the different phases of the work of ,christ4 ,that ,he should appear as man1 how and where ,he should be born1 ,his life1 ,his service1 ,his miracles1 all was repeatedly foretold by the ,prophets4 ,but the great mass of predictions concern ,his sufferings as the sin-bearer and ,his glories as the ,king4 ,none of the details of ,his sufferings were omitted4 ,think1 for instance1 of the predictions contained in the xxii ,psalm4 ,death by crucifixion was unknown among the ,jewish people4 ,no nation in touch with ,israel1 living at that time1 put human beings to death in that way4 ,it was reserved for cruel ,rome to invent death2 by crucifixion4 ,yet in this ,psalm there is given by divine inspiration a complete picture of that unknown mode of death by crucifixion4 ,we read of ,his hands and feet pierced1 the bones out of joint1 the excessive thirst1 the tongue cleaving to the jaws4 ,and so we find ,his resurrection1 ,his presence with ,god1 ,his coming again and ,his ,kingdom of ,righteousness and ,glory foretold in the ,prophets4 ,the ,inspiration of the ,old ,testament4 ,we emphasize these facts of divine foreshadowing and prediction1 because in these last days thousands of men have arisen throughout ,christendom who boldly deny the inspiration of the ,old ,testament4 ,they would have us believe that all these wonderful predictions are of human origin4 ,they brand nearly everything as legend1 and declare that there are no ,messianic predictions in the ,bible1 that ,god did not speak to the ,prophets concerning ,his ,son and ,his work4 ,such a denial of the revelation of ,god in the ,old ,testament ,scriptures is but the vanguard of the denial of the ,son of ,god and ,his work4 ,denying the ,master that bought them 7#b ,peter ii3#a71 is the leading phase of apostate ,christendom in the last days4 ,it is ,anti-christianity4 ,this denial is preceded by a denial of the written ,word of ,god4 ,the higher criticism1 so called1 is ,satan's leaven which leavens the theological institutions of ,christendom and is fully preparing an empty ,christian profession for the reception of the ,man of ,sin4 ,to believe that these marvelous1 harmonious predictions and fore-shadowings contained in the ,old ,testament are the productions of clever men1 legends put together by evil men1 who claimed to have received them from ,god1 is far more difficult than to believe that they are given by divine revelation4 ,,ii4 ,the ,incarnation of the ,son of ,god4 ,and now let us turn to the great truth and fact of the ,incarnation of the ,son of ,god4 ,when the fulness of time had come1 that is the appointed time1 the ,son of ,god appeared on earth in the form of man4 ,the ,word which was in the beginning1 the ,word that was with the ,father1 the ,word that was ,god1 the ,word by whom all things were made1 that ,word was made flesh and dwelt on earth4 ,he who subsisted in the form of ,god1 emptied ,himself and took upon ,himself the form of a servant1 and was made in the likeness of men4 ,the incarnation is a deep mystery1 the depths of which human reason can never fathom4 ,we must approach it in the spirit of deep reverence4 ,take off thy shoes from thy feet for the ground whereon thou standest is holy ground6 ,in the first chapter of the ,gospel of ,luke1 we have the record of the divine announcement of the incarnation as it was made to the virgin1 who had found favor in the sight of ,god4 ,as she sat in the house1 perhaps engaged in holy meditation1 the angel ,gabriel appeared unto her with the message from the throne of ,god4 ,was there ever such a message given to ,gabriel before8 ,great as the revelation was which he was commissioned to carry to praying ,daniel1 the communication to the ,virgin ,mary here is far greater4 ,the ,incarnation ,announced4 ,we read in ,luke i3#ce3 ,and the angel of the ,lord said unto her1 ,the ,holy ,spirit shall come upon thee1 and the power of the ,highest shall overshadow thee2 therefore also that ,holy ,thing1 which shall be born of thee1 shall be called the ,son of ,god4 ,let us notice the two great statements given about ,his incarnation4 ,the ,holy ,spirit shall come upon thee4 ,from the ,gospel of ,matthew we learn the full meaning of this statement4 ,that which is begotten in her is of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,therefore ,his human nature was produced in the virgin by the creative action of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,because ,his human nature was thus produced1 it was a nature without sin2 not only did ,he not sin1 but ,he could not sin4 ,he was sinless1 absolutely holy1 because ,he was conceived by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,the second statement is3 ,and the power of the ,highest shall overshadow thee4 ,this is not a repetition of the same truth as contained in the first statement4 ,if this too would mean the ,holy ,spirit1 we would have to conclude that the ,holy ,spirit is the ,father of ,him who became incarnate4 ,we read at once after this second statement1 ,therefore that ,holy ,thing1 which shall be born of thee1 shall be called the ,son of ,god4 ,the power of the ,highest does not mean the power of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,it is none other than the ,son of ,god ,himself4 ,the eternal ,son of ,god1 ,he who is ,god1 overshadowed her and this overshadowing meant the union of ,himself with the human nature created by the ,holy ,spirit in the ,virgin ,mary4 ,he is called that ,holy ,thing4 ,he is something entirely new1 a ,being which cannot be classified4 ,and then we read again1 ,that ,holy ,thing shall be called the ,son of ,god4 ,it does not say shall be the ,son of ,god2 such ,he ever was4 ,incarnation did not make ,him ,son of ,god4 ,he shall be called ,son of ,god2 ,god manifested in the flesh4 ,much time could be spent in adding to these remarks1 or in reviewing the different attempts which have been made to explain the great mystery4 ,we might also enumerate all the evil teachings and theories which are the results of attempted explanations4 ,but all this would be but waste of time4 ,no human mind can fathom the depths of the incarnation1 nor fully grasp the wonderful personality of the ,god-,man1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,far better it is to abide by these simple declarations of the ,word of ,god1 than to enter into speculations1 which can never solve this great mystery4 ,a certain ,american statesman was once asked1 ,can you comprehend how ,jesus ,christ could be both ,god and ,man8 ,the great thinker replied1 ,no1 sir2 ,i cannot4 ,and ,i would be ashamed to acknowledge ,him as my ,saviour if ,i could1 for then ,he would not be greater than myself4 ,this is very true indeed4 ,with joyful and grateful hearts we believe the great revelation given to us in ,god's holy ,word1 that ,god so loved the world that ,he gave ,his only begotten ,son and that the ,son of ,god left ,heaven's ,glory and came to this earth4 ,he emptied ,himself and appeared in the form of the creature4 ,this1 however1 does not mean what an evil theory1 by the name of ,kenosis1 teaches1 that ,he emptied ,himself of ,his ,godhead4 ,he emptied ,himself of ,his outward ,glory4 ,the child which rested on the bosom of ,mary is the ,one1 who ever was in the bosom of the ,father4 ,listen once more to the language of the xxii ,psalm4 ,i was cast upon thee from the womb2 ,thou art my ,god from my mother's belly4 ,thou didst make me hope when ,i was upon my mother's breasts4 ,what mere human child could have ever said this truthfully8 ,nor is this the language of a poet4 ,the child born in ,bethlehem alone could speak thus4 ,the ,foundation of the ,gospel4 ,the incarnation is the great foundation of the whole ,gospel4 ,no incarnation means no ,gospel1 no ,hope and no ,god4 ,the person who denies this truth has no right whatever to the name of ,christian4 ,at no time has the denial of this great foundation truth been so pronounced and widespread as in our times4 ,men believing themselves wise1 in possession of greater knowledge than former generations1 turn their backs upon revelation4 ,the miracle1 including the incarnation1 is denied4 ,and this denial is not from the side of outspoken infidels alone1 but those who profess to be teachers of ,christianity are the foremost leaders in it4 ,we mention ,reginald ,campbell and his followers in the so-called ,new ,theology4 ,and the hundreds of evangelical preachers1 who wished this man ,godspeed during his recent visit to ,america1 who passed resolutions of thanks1 after listening to his subtle infidelity1 are1 in the light of #b ,john #aj1 partakers of his sin4 ,and then there is that ,anti-christian system1 known by the name of ,christian ,science4 ,in its so-called philosophical1 in reality1 satanic utterances1 it opposes the revelation of ,god and denies that ,jesus ,christ is come into the flesh4 ,that evil book1 ,science and ,health1 to which we readily accord inspiration1 not from above1 but from below1 teaches ,the ,virgin ,mary conceived the idea of ,god and gave to her ideal the name of ,jesus2 and again ,jesus was the offspring of ,mary's self-communion with ,god4 ,it is a comfort to believers in these evil days to remember1 that such a rejection of the doctrine of ,christ1 ,his ,person and ,his work1 is predicted in the ,bible to take place immediately before the ,lord comes4 ,the end of the age is upon us4 ,these denials will not decrease1 but become more numerous4 ,the ,purpose of the ,incarnation4 ,and what was the purpose of the incarnation8 ,by incarnation the invisible ,god was made known to man4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is the image of the invisible ,god4 ,no man hath seen ,god at any time1 the only ,begotten1 who is in the bosom of the ,father1 hath declared ,him4 ,as ,one with the ,father1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ could say1 ,whosoever seeth ,me1 seeth the ,father4 ,the attributes of ,god were made known by ,him in incarnation4 ,we behold the holiness of ,god in that holy life1 which was lived on earth to glorify the ,father4 ,he manifested omniscience4 ,he knew what was in men and knew their thoughts4 ,he manifested the power of ,god in controlling the forces of nature1 commanding the wind and the waves1 turning water into wine4 ,he had power over disease1 over the demons and over death4 ,he revealed the ,love and the compassion of ,god4 ,by incarnation the ,son of ,god brought likewise the ,word of ,god to man4 ,god who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the ,fathers by the ,prophets1 hath in these last days spoken unto us by ,his ,son 7,hebrews i3#a74 ,he confirmed the ,law and the ,prophets1 therefore all criticism of the ,old ,testament attacks the authority and infallibility of the ,son of ,god4 ,he also revealed the will of ,god1 made known the ,father and the fact of eternal life1 and the eternal and conscious punishment of the wicked4 ,he predicted the great future events concerning ,himself and ,his ,kingdom1 the end of the age and ,his visible ,return4 ,the incarnation was necessary in anticipation of ,his work as the ,priest of ,his people4 ,he was to be after ,his death on the cross and after resurrection1 the merciful and faithful ,high ,priest4 ,such ,he is now4 ,he took part of flesh and blood1 we read in the second chapter of ,hebrews1 that ,he might be a merciful and faithful ,high ,priest4 ,he was tempted in all things as we are1 with the exception of sin4 ,he suffered in being tempted so that ,he might be touched with the feeling of our infirmities and succour them that are tempted4 ,and all ,he was to be and is now1 the ,second ,man1 the last ,adam1 the head of the church1 the head of the new creation1 all and much else necessitated ,his incarnation4 ,what ,incarnation could not ,accomplish4 ,however1 the great purpose of the incarnation of the ,son of ,god was ,his work of redemption4 ,for this great purpose ,he came into the world4 ,he came that1 after a life1 which completely glorified the ,father and upheld ,his holy law and vindicated ,god's rights as the lawgiver1 ,he might accomplish the great work of atonement4 ,john stated this great work the ,son of ,god came to do in a brief sentence1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 which taketh away the sin of the world4 ,sin1 that accursed thing1 had to be taken out of the way4 ,propitiation for sins had to be made4 ,a sacrifice had to be brought which would glorify a holy ,god and satisfy1 as well as exalt1 ,his righteousness4 ,peace had to be made4 ,the sins of many had to be paid and the full penalty of them to be borne4 ,incarnation in itself1 the marvelous and ever blessed humiliation of the ,son of ,god by taking on the human form1 ,his holy blessed life1 ,his loving words1 words of life and peace1 yea1 all ,he did in deeds of love and compassion could never accomplish this4 ,incarnation brought ,god to ,man1 but could never bring man back to a holy ,god4 ,incarnation could not make an end of sin1 nor make it possible for a righteous ,god to show mercy to the fallen and the lost1 in a righteous way4 ,this great work of redemption could only be accomplished by ,his death on the cross4 ,for this ,he had come4 ,he came to put away sin by the sacrifice of ,himself4 ,the ,author and ,prince of ,life came that ,he might give ,his ,life a ransom for many4 ,the good ,shepherd appeared to give ,his life for the sheep4 ,by ,his death alone1 the great work of redemption could be accomplished4 ,,iii4 ,his work on the ,cross and ,what has been ,accomplished by ,it4 ,and now let us consider ,his work on the cross and what has been accomplished by it4 ,but who is able to speak worthily of this theme of all themes8 ,who can fathom the solemn yet blessed fact1 the death of the ,son of ,god on the cross8 ,what tongue or pen can describe the sad1 yet glorious truth1 that the ,just ,one died for the unjust1 that ,christ died for the ungodly6 ,he who knew no sin was made sin for us6 ,and what human mind can estimate the wonderful results of ,his work on the cross6 ,some ,christians speak as if the death on the cross1 the work accomplished there1 is so fully known to them1 that they do not need any more instruction on it4 ,they tell us that they search for deeper things4 ,there can be nothing deeper than the death of ,god's ,son on the cross4 ,depths are here which are unfathomable4 ,we must ever turn back to the cross4 ,always we shall learn something new4 ,with unspeakable ,glory upon us and greater glory before us in eternal ages to come1 the cross of ,christ and the ,lamb of ,god which has taken away the sin of the world can never be forgotten4 ,but we shall never know what that death on the cross meant for ,him and what it meant to ,god4 ,made ,sin for ,us4 ,in ,hebrews x we read of the sacrifices which were offered by the ,jews year after year4 ,these sacrifices could not take away sin4 ,then ,he1 the ,son of ,god1 stepped forward and made ,his great declaration4 ,coming into the world ,he saith1 ,sacrifice and offering ,thou wouldest not1 but a body hast ,thou prepared me4 ,in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sins ,thou hadst no pleasure 7verses #d-e74 ,the body prepared puts before us again the fact of incarnation4 ,that body was a prepared body1 a holy body1 an undefiled body1 a body in which sin could not dwell and on which death had no claim4 ,but when ,he took on that body1 ,he likewise said3 ,lo8 come to do ,thy will1 ,o ,god4 ,in the tenth verse we read1 ,by the which will 7the will of ,god1 which dates back before the foundation of the world71 we are sanctified through the offering of the body of ,jesus ,christ once for all4 ,through the eternal ,spirit ,he offered ,himself without spot to ,god4 ,the holy ,lamb of ,god1 with no spot or blemish upon ,him1 shed ,his precious blood on the cross1 to procure redemption4 ,but what it all meant for ,him who was as truly ,man as ,he is ,god6 ,here was a ,being perfectly holy1 ,one who had always pleased ,god and did ,his will1 yea1 ,his meat and drink was to do the will of ,him that sent ,him4 ,sin was the horrible defiling thing to ,him4 ,he1 too1 like the holy ,god1 hated and hates sin4 ,and yet such a ,one was made sin for us4 ,he had to stand in the place of guilty sinners and all the waves and billowy of divine judgment and wrath had to pass over ,him4 ,he drank the cup of wrath to the last drop4 ,he suffered in a fourfold way4 #a4 ,in ,himself ,before ,he ever approached the garden of ,gethsemane1 ,he was troubled in ,his spirit4 ,we hear ,him say1 ,now my soul is troubled--,father1 save me from this hour1 but for this cause came ,i to this hour4 ,he looked on towards the cross4 ,and why that agony in the garden8 ,why was ,his sweat as it were great drops of blood8 ,why the repeated prayer1 ,father1 if it is possible1 let this cup pass from me8 ,how many dishonoring explanations have been written of the ,gethsemane suffering1 as if ,he was afraid to die or that the devil tried to kill ,him there to prevent his death on the cross1 and that ,he feared the devil4 ,but what was it8 ,he suffered in ,himself4 ,his holy soul shrank from that which a holy ,god must hate1 that which ,he hated--,,sin4 ,he was about to be made sin and ,he knew no sin4 ,what suffering this produced in the ,holy ,one of ,god to take all upon ,himself and to stand in the sinner's place before a holy sin-hating ,god1 our poor finite minds cannot realize4 #b4 ,he suffered from men4 ,this he had foretold4 ,when man1 guilty man1 cast ,himself upon the willing victim1 all the wickedness and vileness and cruelty man is capable of committing was brought out and spent upon the blessed ,son of ,god4 ,the scourging1 the buffeting1 the mocking1 the spitting and the shame connected with it1 the shame of the cross1 ,he despised4 ,how that sensitive body must have quivered under it all6 #c4 ,he suffered from the devil4 ,he had tempted him4 ,nothing was left undone1 what this wonderful ,being could do4 ,all ,his cunning and powers were brought into use1 with the one purpose to keep ,him from going to the cross and dying in the sinner's place4 ,and when at last he could not keep ,him from going to the cross1 then he cast himself upon the victim and heaped all his hatred and malice upon ,him4 ,he used man in all this awful work and no doubt the legions of demons4 ,and in all this the ,son of ,god was as a lamb1 which is dumb before the shearers4 ,he opened not ,his mouth4 #d4 ,but the greatest of all1 ,he suffered from ,god4 ,with hushed breath1 we must speak of this4 ,it is the ,holy of ,holies of the great work on the cross1 the impenetrable mystery of the atoning work of the ,son of ,god4 ,from the darkness which enshrouded the cross and the blessed sufferer on the accursed tree1 there came the mournful cry3 ,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken me8 ,it made known the awful suffering1 which the ,lamb of ,god1 the substitute of sinners1 endured from the hand of a holy ,god4 ,he was smitten and afflicted of ,god4 ,have you noticed that in the xxii ,psalm this cry of the sufferer on the cross stands first8 ,man would have written the sufferings of ,christ in a far different way4 ,the descriptions of the sufferings not written by inspiration would have been in this wise3 ,the physical sufferings1 how they scourged ,him1 all the sickening details of that which even cruel ,rome called the intermediate death1 would have been pictured4 ,then would have followed a description of how the nails were driven into the blessed hands who had lovingly touched so many weary1 sin-laden and disease-stricken bodies4 ,all the agony of the cross and its shame would have been described first by man4 ,then how the multitude mocked and darkness came over the entire scene--then last of all1 it would have been stated1 ,he cried1 ,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken me8 ,but the ,holy ,spirit in this great ,prophecy puts the cry of deepest agony first4 ,why8 ,because in that hour the great work of atonement1 propitiation1 sin-bearing1 judgment and wrath enduring1 was once and for all accomplished4 ,in this same ,psalm we read what men energized by ,satan's power1 did unto ,him4 ,but man could not put ,him to death4 ,it is written1 ,thou 7that is ,god7 hast brought me into the dust of death4 ,god's own hand rested upon ,him4 ,god laid upon ,him the iniquity of us all 7,isaiah liii3#f74 ,it pleased the ,lord to bruise ,him2 ,he hath put ,him to grief4 ,and elsewhere we read1 what refers to the same atoning work of our ,lord when ,he stood in the sinner's place4 ,all ,thy waves and billows go over me 7,ps4 xlii3#g74 ,thine arrows stick fast in ,me 7,ps4 xxxviii3#b74 ,thine hand presses me sore 7,ps4 xxxviii3#b74 ,thou hast laid me into the lowest pit 7,ps4 lxxxviii3#f74 ,thy wrath lieth hard upon me 7,ps4 lxxxviii3#g74 ,thy fierce wrath goeth over me 7,ps4 lxxxviii3#af74 ,i suffer ,thy terrors 7,ps4 lxxxviii3#ae74 ,but what it all meant for the ,son of ,god6 ,who can tell out ,his sorrow and deep affliction8 ,never shall we fully discover the greatness of the price which was paid4 ,the death of the cross1 it has been truly said1 stands perfectly alone4 ,it can never be repeated and because of its eternal efficacy1 will never need to be repeated4 ,it is ,finished4 ,and this great work ,he came to do1 is finished4 ,it is finished6 thus ,he spoke on the cross and the words assure us that all is done4 ,the rent veil and the open tomb tell us ,it is finished4 ,but what has been accomplished in this blessed work8 ,we cannot fully grasp it now as long as we look into a glass darkly4 ,when at last we are brought into ,his ,presence1 transformed into ,his own image1 when we shall have share with ,him in ,his glorious inheritance1 when at last sin and death are no more and a new heaven and new earth are called into existence1 then shall we more fully know what that work has accomplished4 ,all1 ,,all we have and are1 all we shall have and shall be as ,his own1 has its blessed source in the cross of ,christ4 ,he died for all4 ,he gave ,himself a ransom for all4 ,he tasted death for every man4 ,he is the propitiation for the whole world 7not for the sins of the whole world1 else the whole world would be saved74 ,it means ,his work is available to all sinners4 ,upon that fact that ,he died for all1 the ,gospel is preached to lost and guilty sinners4 ,christ died for the ungodly4 ,whosoever will--,whosoever believeth1 these are the precious conditions of the ,gospel of ,grace which sounds forth from the finished work of ,christ on the cross4 ,and all who believe on ,him and accept the ,lord ,jesus ,christ as their ,saviour1 for them ,he bore their sins on the cross4 ,each believing sinner can look back to the cross and can say1 ,he loved me1 ,he gave ,himself for me4 ,he paid my debt4 ,he bore my sins in ,his own body on the tree4 ,he stood in my place4 ,he was my substitute4 ,he tasted death for me4 ,much of the evil teachings of the present day1 such as universal salvation1 larger hope1 millennial dawnism1 etc41 emanate from the fact that propitiation and substitution are not correctly understood4 ,propitiation is the ,godward side of the sacrifice of ,christ1 with this ,god is satisfied4 ,the propitiation is for the whole world4 ,this does not mean that the whole world is therefore to be saved4 ,he bore the sins of many--not the sins of all4 ,he was the substitute on the cross only for such who believe on ,him4 ,and what do we possess who have believed on ,him1 own ,him as our ,saviour and our ,substitute8 ,many ,scriptures might be read in answer to this question4 ,we cannot do so1 but shall mention briefly a few things which all believing sinners share on account of the finished work of ,christ on the cross4 ,we have a perfect justification4 ,all our sins are forever put away1 because they were borne and paid for by ,his death on the cross4 ,the ,blood of ,jesus ,christ1 ,his ,son1 cleanses us from all sin4 ,all has been righteously and forever settled4 ,who shall bring any accusation against ,god's elect8 ,it is ,god who justifies1 who is he that condemns8 ,it is ,christ who has died4 ,there is therefore now no condemnation to those in ,christ ,jesus4 ,we have perfect ,peace with ,god4 ,peace has been made in the blood of the cross4 ,it can never be unmade4 ,we have peace with ,god through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,he is our ,peace4 ,so many ,christians think their peace with ,god depends on their walk and service4 ,if they sin1 they think they have lost their peace and their standing before ,god and unless they are restored1 they will be lost forever4 ,not our walk and service1 not anything we have done1 we do or shall do1 is the ground of peace with ,god1 but what ,god has done for us in ,christ's atoning on the cross4 ,then we have a perfect acceptance and standing before ,god2 perfect nearness and access to ,god4 ,we are made nigh by the blood4 ,with no more conscience of sins1 we can stand in ,god's own presence1 purged and cleansed1 complete in ,him1 as near to ,god as ,he is4 ,his blessed work on the cross has made an end of the old man4 ,we are dead to the world1 to self1 to sin1 to the law4 ,the old man was crucified with ,christ4 ,sin shall have no more dominion over you4 ,this is the blessed message from the cross4 ,we have deliverance from the power of darkness and a perfect title to an eternal inheritance4 ,no uncertainty is attached to all this4 ,we have salvation1 are saved1 forever secure1 ,sons of ,god1 ,heirs of ,god indwelt by the ,holy ,spirit1 and much else1 on account of the finished work of ,christ on the cross4 ,and to all this we add that on the cross ,he loved the church and gave ,himself for it4 ,there ,he died for ,israel and as a result the remnant of that people will some day be delivered from iniquity and perverse-ness1 as ,balaam1 beheld them1 no iniquity in ,jacob and no perverseness in ,israel 7,numbers xxiii3#ba74 ,groaning creation will ultimately be freed from the bondage of corruption and brought into the liberty of the sons of ,god1 because ,he shed ,his blood on the cross4 ,all things in heaven and on the earth 7not things under the earth7 will be reconciled in virtue of the death of ,christ on the cross4 ,ye are not ,your ,own4 ,let us remember as such who have been reconciled and have redemption through ,his blood that we are bought with a price4 ,ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price1 therefore glorify ,god in your body1 and in your spirit1 which are ,god's 7#a ,cor4 vi3#bj74 ,through ,his death we are positionally dead2 all who believe on ,him have died4 ,we are dead to the law1 to the world1 to sin4 ,but are we truly living1 walking and acting as such who have died1 dead to sin and alive unto ,god8 ,a child of ,god who walks after the flesh practically denies the power and value of the blessed finished work of ,christ on the cross4 ,let us exalt in our lives1 by our words and deeds1 the cross of ,christ4 ,but ,god forbid that ,i should glory1 save in the cross of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 by whom the world is crucified unto me1 and ,i unto the world 7,gal4 vi3#ad74 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,work ,,of ,,christ4 ,the great work which the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ,god's well beloved ,son1 came to do was to put away sin by the sacrifice of ,himself4 ,this finished work of the cross is the basis of ,his present work and ,his future work4 ,what mind can estimate the value and preciousness of that work in which the ,holy ,one offered ,himself through the eternal ,spirit without spot unto ,god6 ,he procured redemption by ,his death on the cross4 ,in ,his present work and much more in the future work1 ,he works out this great redemption into result4 ,there is much confusion in the minds of ,christians about the present and future work of ,christ4 ,many speak of the ,lord being now the ,king of kings and ,lord of lords1 reigning over the earth4 ,they speak of ,him as occupying the throne of ,his father ,david in heaven4 ,the church1 according to this teaching1 is ,his ,kingdom1 and that kingdom is gradually being enlarged under ,his spiritual reign until the whole world has been brought into this kingdom4 ,all this is wrong4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ will reign over the earth2 ,he will have a kingdom of glory1 of righteousness and peace on this earth2 the nations of the earth will have to submit to ,his government1 but all this is still to come4 ,it will be accomplished with ,his visible ,return to the earth1 when ,he will claim as the second ,man the dominion of the earth4 ,his kingly rule is future4 ,his present work is of another nature4 ,i4 ,the ,bodily ,presence of ,christ in ,glory4 ,our blessed ,lord gave on the cross the body1 which ,he had taken in incarnation4 ,that body died4 ,it was the only part of ,him1 which could die4 ,but that body so dishonored by man1 scourged and nailed to the cross1 could not see corruption4 ,he arose from the dead4 ,the mighty power of ,god opened that grave and raised ,him from the dead4 ,this mighty power of ,god1 which brought ,him forth is the power which is towards us who believe4 ,it is on our side 7,eph4 i3#ai74 ,and ,god not alone raised ,him from the dead1 but ,he gave ,him glory 7#a ,peter i3#ba74 ,if ,i were to teach on the resurrection of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ,i would demonstrate two things4 ,first1 that ,he actually arose2 the indisputable fact1 that ,he who had really died1 who was dead bodily1 arose bodily1 and1 in the second place1 the all important meaning of ,his resurrection4 ,the ,apostle ,paul writes in that great chapter in ,first ,corinthians1 ,if ,christ be not raised1 your faith is vain2 ye are yet in your sins4 ,then they also which are fallen asleep in ,christ are perished 7#a ,cor4 xv3#ah74 ,in other words1 if the ,lord ,jesus ,christ came not forth from the tomb1 where ,his blessed body had been laid and where it rested for three days1 if ,he did not leave that grave in a bodily form1 ,his death on the cross would have no more meaning than the death of any other human being4 ,then that blood which was shed could never take away our sins and give the guilty conscience rest4 ,furthermore1 the countless beings1 who passed out of this life trusting in ,christ1 would have all perished4 ,but ,christ rose from the dead4 ,there can be no doubt about it4 ,the witnesses for it are simply unanswerable4 ,his ,physical ,resurrection4 ,his resurrection from the dead was ,god's answer to ,his prayers with strong crying and tears4 ,who in the days of his flesh1 when he had offered prayers and supplication with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death1 and was heard in that he feared 7,heb4 v3#bg74 ,this took place in ,gethsemane4 ,the answer to ,his prayers and tears came from ,god on the morning of the first day4 ,his resurrection from the dead was the ,amen of ,god to ,his triumphant shout on the cross1 ,it is finished4 ,by raising ,him from the dead1 ,god set ,his seal to the work of ,christ on the cross4 ,god gave ,his witness by it that the work1 which was demanded by ,his holiness and righteousness1 had been fully accomplished4 ,guilty man can now be righteously acquitted from ,his guilt because ,god's eternal righteousness was upheld and satisfied by ,his own ,son in that ,he paid the penalty4 before ,god rolled away the stone8 ,he had shown that the work done was pleasing to ,him4 ,it seemed as if ,god could not wait for the third day4 ,his hand took hold of the veil1 which hid the ,holy of ,holies from the eyes of man4 ,he rent that veil from top to bottom4 ,he showed thereby that ,he1 the ,holy ,god1 could now come forth in fullest blessing to man1 and man bought by such a price1 can approach into the presence of ,god and be at home with ,him1 a loving ,father4 ,sinners saved by grace can enter into the ,holiest by the blood of ,jesus1 by the new and living way4 ,and how did ,he come forth from the grave8 ,it has already been stated4 ,he arose with the body ,he had taken on in incarnation1 the body which could not see corruption4 ,he left the grave in a corporeal form4 ,it was not a phantom1 but a tangible body4 ,the nailprints were still seen in ,his hands and in ,his feet4 ,the side showed the place where the spear had entered4 ,he appeared in that body in the midst of ,his disciples and showed unto them ,his hands and ,his side4 ,and when at another time they cried out for fear1 ,he said1 ,behold1 my hands and my feet1 that it is myself2 handle me and see1 for a spirit has not flesh and bones1 as ye see me have 7,luke xxiv3#ci-dj74 ,and while they believed not for joy1 ,he proved ,his corporeality by eating a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb4 ,but while it was the same body it was also a glorified body4 ,such a body1 like unto ,his own glorious body1 we shall receive some blessed day in exchange for the body of humiliation2 for this redemption of the body we still wait as well as those who have fallen asleep in ,jesus4 ,passing through the ,heavens4 ,in this body ,he left the earth and passed through the heavens into heaven itself4 ,what a scene that must have been6 ,what must have taken place after ,he had been lifted up and disappeared out of sight from the gazing disciples6 ,they saw ,him as ,he was lifted up1 the same ,lord ,jesus1 until the glory cloud1 the ,shekinah1 took ,him up and in that cloud ,he was taken into the heavens1 where the physical eye could not follow4 ,what a triumphant entrance into the heavens it must have been6 ,perhaps the mighty ,archangel accompanied ,him1 the victor over ,sin1 ,death1 the ,grave and ,satan2 for the ,archangel will accompany ,him some day in ,his descent out of heaven4 ,the ,lord went up with a shout 7,psalm xlvii3#e74 ,he will return with the victor's shout4 ,when ,he comes back1 ,he will be attended by the mighty angels4 ,may not these heavenly hosts have been present as ,he ascended on high8 ,and as the ,man ,christ ,jesus passed upward through the territory1 which is still the domain of ,satan1 the prince of the power in the air1 the wicked tenants of the air fell back in fear and trembling4 ,the glorified ,man passed on1 upward1 higher and higher4 ,nothing could arrest ,his progress4 ,the mighty power of ,god raised ,him up4 ,through the second heaven ,he passed1 where the wonderful stars1 the creation of ,his own power1 describe their great orbits around their fiery suns4 ,he is still attended by angels1 and the angelic hosts beheld ,him1 who were also the witnesses of ,his sufferings1 ,his death and resurrection4 ,at last a place was reached where every angel had to halt4 ,even the ,archangel had to cover ,his face and cry1 ,holy6 ,holy6 ,yonder is the third heaven and there stands the glorious throne of ,god4 ,the glorified ,man advances alone2 ,he ascended on high into the immediate presence of ,his ,god and our ,god1 ,his ,father and our ,father4 ,the welcoming voice of ,god ,himself bade ,him to take ,his seat on ,his own right hand until ,his enemies are made ,his footstool4 ,what must it have been when the only begotten ,son returned to ,his eternal dwelling place as the ,first begotten1 and ,god as well as ,he himself beheld the host of redeemed sinners brought by ,him into that ,glory6 ,the highest place was given to ,him1 who died on the cross1 far above all principality and power1 and might1 and dominion1 and every name that is named4 ,there ,he is now the ,man in the ,glory4 ,once more let me state it1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is corporeally present in the highest heaven4 ,everything depends on this4 ,if ,his physical resurrection and corporeal presence in the highest heaven is denied1 ,his present work and future work are an impossibility1 and we rob ourselves of every comfort1 joy and peace4 ,then1 too1 ,his atoning work on the cross has no meaning for us4 ,a ,fundamental ,truth ,denied4 ,and too often this great truth of the bodily presence of ,christ in heaven is denied in these days of departure from the faith4 ,they teach1 ,his resurrection was a spiritual one1 that ,he lives only by ,his words4 ,the denial of the literal resurrection of our blessed ,lord and ,his presence in heaven has become very widespread4 ,three evil systems especially deny it4 #a4 ,unitarianism4 ,as a sect this denomination is small1 but the leaven of ,unitarianism is leavening ,christendom4 ,all this criticism of the ,bible1 the new theology1 a more liberal religion1 but all aiming at the essential ,deity of our blessed ,lord1 ,his incarnation and resurrection from the dead1 is the leaven of ,unitarianism4 ,at a recent annual service of the ,british and ,foreign ,unitarian ,association the chairman observed that earnest and thoughtful men1 occupying pulpits once dedicated to the propagation of doctrines strictly orthodox1 were now preaching a ,gospel1 which for liberality and broadmindedness even surpassed the ,unitarianism of three or four generations ago4 #b4 ,christian ,science4 ,this new science is not new1 but is the revival1 through satanic powers1 of ancient ,gnosticism1 a denial of every article of the faith once and for all delivered unto the saints4 ,prominent in this system is the denial of the physical resurrection1 and the bodily presence of the ,lord ,jesus in ,glory4 ,it is the masterpiece of ,satan4 ,its phenomenal growth attracts to its ranks such of the ,christian profession1 who were never saved or whose knowledge of the truth of ,god is insufficient4 ,there will be no abatement of this great delusion4 ,it will continue to grow and become more powerful as the ,gospel is denied and ,god's ,word rejected4 #c4 ,millennial ,dawnism4 ,this is another great and widespread system4 ,in it ,satan appears even more so than in ,christian ,science as an angel of light4 ,it is offered throughout this land as food for ,christians and goes by the name of ,bible ,study4 ,one meets it everywhere4 ,what is it8 ,it is an amalgamation of several of the evil theories concerning the ,person of ,christ1 denying1 like ,unitarianism and ,christian ,science1 the absolute ,deity of our ,lord4 ,pastor ,russell in his books also denies the physical resurrection of ,christ4 ,according to this system the body of our ,lord was either dissolved in its natural gases or is preserved as a memorial somewhere4 ,this1 of course1 means the denial of ,his bodily presence in heaven4 ,but think of it6 ,to say that the body of our ,lord was dissolved in its natural gases1 when the ,word so clearly states ,he could not see corruption4 ,,ii4 ,the ,present ,work of ,christ2 ,what ,it ,is4 ,as ,man in ,glory1 crowned with glory and honor1 ,he is occupied in a present work4 ,he is in the presence of ,god as the ,heir of all things4 ,he is the upholder of all and all things consist by ,him4 ,this great universe1 with its innumerable stars and suns1 is under ,his control2 it belongs to ,him4 ,how man ever since the fall attempts to penetrate the mysterious depths of the universe6 ,scientists with their glasses scan the heavens and try to regain the knowledge of creation1 which was lost by the fall of man1 ,their discoveries astonish us4 ,how marvelous the heavens are6 ,how they declare the glory of ,god and the firmament ,his handiwork6 ,often too has the search of fallen man into the depths of the universe demonstrated the truth of ,god given by revelation in ,his word4 ,and yet the great questions we ask of astronomers concerning this great universe are answered with we do not know4 ,some day in the twinkling of an eye we shall know more about this great universe than all the knowledge gained by fallen man4 ,but this universe rests in the hands of the ,man in ,glory4 ,he is the great central sun around which all revolves4 ,we do not know if there is any work to be done in connection with the great bodies which we see in the great space about us4 ,we do not know what changes go on there4 ,but we do know that all is in ,his hands4 ,all is under ,his control4 ,we must also think of the angels1 the heavenly hosts4 ,he has been made1 after ,his passion1 so much better than the angels1 as ,he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they 7,heb4 i3#d74 ,what may go on in this great world above1 the world of unseen spirits1 who can tell8 ,but they are all under ,his control4 ,how ,he sends them forth and uses them in ,his providential dealings with ,his people on earth1 and how ,he restrains through these unseen agencies the wrath of the enemy and the evil work of demons1 we do not know fully4 ,are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them1 who shall be heirs of salvation 7,heb4 i3#ad74 ,this and much else1 though not fully revealed1 and hidden from us1 belongs also to ,his present work4 ,we mention this that we might have a higher estimate of our ,lord and realize anew what a mighty and wonderful ,lord we have4 ,but there is a present work of our ,lord in ,glory1 which is fully revealed in ,his ,word4 ,in the first place1 ,he is the ,mediator between ,god and ,man1 and being preached as such to the world1 ,he exercises ,his office as the ,mediator throughout this present age 7#a ,tim4 ii3#e-f74 ,besides this ,mediatorship1 ,he has a service which concerns those for whom ,he died and who1 by personal faith1 have accepted ,him as their ,saviour4 ,the ,lord ,knoweth ,his ,own4 ,the ,lord knoweth them that are ,his4 ,what a blessed thought of comfort and cheer it is1 which should forever banish fear and unbelief6 ,the ,lord1 the ,one seated there in the ,holiest1 knows us personally4 ,he knew us before we ever were in existence4 ,he saw us before the foundation of the world4 ,he knew all our vileness and the depths of degradation4 ,he knew us as we wandered in our sins4 ,his loving eyes followed us then4 ,he sought us in ,his love and brought us to ,himself4 ,he gave us ,his life and dwells in us4 ,each believing sinner1 saved by grace1 is one ,spirit with the ,lord4 ,i know my sheep4 ,he calleth each by name1 like a ,shepherd calleth his own sheep4 ,again ,he said ,i know them4 ,what a comfort it should be to our hearts1 that ,he knows each of us by name4 ,he knows our circumstances1 trials1 difficulties and temptations4 ,he knows our conflicts and our tears4 ,he knoweth the way which ,i take4 ,it is very precious6 ,in the xxxii ,psalm we find the comforting word for one whose transgression is forgiven1 whose sin is covered1 ,i will guide thee with mine eye1 or as it should read1 ,i will guide thee with mine eye upon thee4 ,that eye up yonder1 that eye which measures the depths of the universe1 which follows every planet1 that eye which neither sleeps nor slumbers1 that all-seeing eye rests upon us4 ,he is occupied with each4 ,the millions of ,his people who have lived and died1 who passed through life and are now at home with ,him1 were each individually the objects of ,his care4 ,his loving eye was upon the multitudes of martyrs4 ,he knew and watched that poor tortured saint1 who was cast with broken bones into a dungeon to starve to death4 ,his power and love rested upon those who were burned or cast before the wild animals4 ,for each ,he served and worked4 ,and so ,he does still4 ,oh1 the preciousness that each believer is under the loving care of the ,man in ,glory1 the object of ,his love4 ,let us turn to a few ,scriptures which reveal this fact4 ,living for ,us4 ,in ,romans v3#aj we read3 ,for if1 when we were enemies1 we were reconciled to ,god by the death of ,his ,son1 much more1 being reconciled1 we shall be saved by ,his life4 ,what life is meant by which we are saved8 ,some have applied it to the life of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ before ,his death on the cross1 as if that righteous life1 that perfect life1 had any saving power in it for us4 ,hence the teaching that the righteousness of ,his life is imputed unto us4 ,this is wrong4 ,the life1 of which this verse speaks1 is the life which ,he lives now in the ,presence of ,god4 ,when we were enemies we were reconciled to ,god by the death of ,his ,son4 ,and now being reconciled1 much more are we saved by ,his life4 ,by ,his life there1 because ,he is there1 we are saved and kept down here4 ,another passage in ,romans may be linked with this4 ,romans viii3#cd3 ,who is he that condemneth8 ,it is ,christ that died1 yea rather1 that is risen again1 who is even at the right hand of ,god1 who also maketh intercession for us4 ,the risen ,christ is at the right hand of ,god and maketh intercession for us4 ,however1 not in the ,epistle to the ,romans is this present work of ,christ as the intercessor of ,his redeemed people revealed1 but in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews4 ,there we read in the ninth chapter1 ,for ,christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands1 which are the figures of the true3 but into heaven itself1 now to appear in the presence of ,god for us4 7,heb4 ix3#bd74 ,and again in chapter vii3#bd1 #be3 ,but this man1 because he continueth forever1 hath an unchangeable priesthood4 ,wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto ,god by him1 seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them4 ,but notice all this is not spoken of those who are unsaved and live in sin4 ,the unsaved who are not yet ,christ's have no share in all this4 ,for the unsaved world the ,lord is not the intercessor4 ,he declared this truth first of all in ,his high-priestly prayer1 when ,he said1 ,i pray for them1 ,i pray not for the world 7,john xvii3#i74 ,this was also foreshadowed in the ,old ,testament4 ,the ,high ,priest in ,his garments of ,beauty and ,glory had upon his shoulders two onyx stones1 and upon his breast a breastplate with twelve stones4 ,upon both the onyx stones1 upon the shoulder and the twelve stones on the breastplate there were names engraven4 ,but these were not the names of the ,egyptians1 the ,jebusites1 the ,amorites or the ,hittites1 but the names of the twelve tribes of ,israel4 ,our high priest in the highest heaven carries ,his own upon ,his shoulders1 which typify ,his power1 and upon ,his bosom ,he carrieth them2 the bosom tells of ,his love4 ,we are the objects of the power and the love of ,him who appears in the presence of ,god for us4 ,the fact that the names of the ,israelites were engraven upon these precious stones also has a meaning4 ,if they had been written there1 they might be blotted out4 ,they were engraven and could never be erased4 ,it tells out the blessed truth of our security4 ,his ,priesthood4 ,two other passages in ,hebrews reveal some of the blessed details of the present priestly work of the ,lord in our behalf4 ,wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren1 that he might be a merciful and faithful ,high ,priest in things pertaining to ,god1 to make reconciliation for the sins of the people4 ,for in that he himself hath suffered1 being tempted1 he is able to succour them that are tempted 7,hebrews ii3#ag1 #ah74 ,seeing then that we have a great ,high ,priest1 that is passed through the heavens1 ,jesus the ,son of ,god1 let us hold fast our confession4 ,for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities2 but was in all points tempted like we are1 apart from sin4 ,let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace1 that we may obtain mercy1 and find grace to help in time of need 7,hebrews iv3#ad-af74 ,the first passage tells of the propitiation ,he made for the sins of the people4 ,he suffered1 being tempted1 and this is the basis of ,his intercessory service4 ,the passage from the fourth chapter tells us how ,he was fitted while on earth for this great office work4 ,while down here ,he was tempted in all points as we are1 apart from sin4 ,from sin within ,he could never be tempted1 for no sin was in ,him4 ,he has gone through the trials1 the difficulties and sufferings a man who depends on ,god is subject to while in this world1 with the exception of sin4 ,he has known while on earth every possible difficulty4 ,now ,he can be a merciful and faithful high priest and as such enter into all our sorrows and trials4 ,he sympathizes with us in all our conflicts and difficulties down here4 ,however1 ,he does not intercede for the flesh--,he has no sympathy with sin4 ,by ,his gracious and unbroken intercession in the sanctuary1 ,he upholds us individually in the path down here4 ,he gives strength to endure4 ,if it were not for that intercession1 we all would fall by the way4 ,how often ,god's people fear troubles and difficulties1 losses and bereavements1 which might possibly come4 ,what1 if this favored child should be taken from me1 how could ,i stand it8 ,or1 if ,i should lose her whom ,i love8 ,or my health should fail8 ,perhaps my business and income stops1 how could ,i ever stand it8 ,often that which we fear comes upon us4 ,that loved one is taken and is put into a grave4 ,health fails and the income stops2 instead of plenty there is want4 ,but with the trial1 with the loss1 there comes such a strength to bear it all1 and more than that1 real joy and songs of praise4 ,it is because the great ,high ,priest lives and intercedes4 ,he knows all about it and in the tenderness of ,his love and the might of ,his power1 ,he takes us in ,his loving arms whenever trials and troubles come upon us4 ,at all times under all circumstances ,he is our representative before ,god and thinks of us4 ,and so it is with our temptations and our warfare with the wicked spirits4 ,the enemy we have is most powerful and intelligent4 ,he knows how to spread his nets4 ,his wiles are most subtle4 ,if ,satan had his way he would overthrow and destroy completely the people of ,god on earth4 ,if it depended on our strength1 we would soon fall4 ,but ,he knows4 ,his eyes watch the enemy as they watch us4 ,peter's case illustrates this perfectly4 ,he saw the old serpent as he moved on his way towards ,peter4 ,he knew the cunning plan ,satan had conceived to ensnare ,peter4 ,in ,judas he had entered and taken complete possession of the disciple1 who was never born again4 ,he planned to fell ,peter completely and rush him afterwards into despair4 ,but ,satan did not reckon with ,peter's ,lord4 ,before the plan could ever be carried out1 the ,lord had prayed for ,peter that ,his faith may not fail4 ,and though ,peter denied the ,lord and fell1 the ,lord's gracious intercession kept him through it all4 ,and this is still the case with us4 ,he prays for us before that foe can ever approach us and thus we can be victorious in the conflict and should we stumble and fall1 as it is so often the case1 then ,he is the great shepherd who restoreth my soul4 ,how much we owe to this blessed1 precious present work of our ,lord in ,glory no one knows4 ,what blessed revelation there will come to us when we shall know as we are known1 when we look back over our lives and behold what the intercession of the ,lord ,jesus accomplished for us and all the ,saints of ,god6 ,we have a great high priest who is passed through the heavens1 ,jesus the ,son of ,god4 ,another phase of ,his priestly present work is recorded in ,heb4 xiii3#ae4 ,by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to ,god continually1 that is1 the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name4 ,he presents our spiritual sacrifices to ,god4 ,our worship1 our praise and our prayers we address to ,god1 the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 are all imperfect1 but as they are presented to ,god by ,him1 they are acceptable unto ,god and delight the heart of ,god for that reason4 ,his ,advocacy4 ,but there is a second aspect of ,his work in ,glory in the presence of ,god for ,his people4 ,he is our advocate with the ,father4 ,some ,christians think that the ,priesthood and ,advocacy of ,christ are one and the same4 ,they are not4 ,his advocacy is that which restores us4 ,in the first ,epistle of ,john we read of this phase of ,his present work4 ,my little children1 these things write ,i unto you1 that ye sin not4 ,and if any man sin1 we have an advocate with the ,father1 ,jesus ,christ the righteous 7,john ii3#a74 ,in the preceding chapter our wonderful privilege as the children of ,god is made known4 ,we are to be in fellowship with the ,father and with ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ4 ,what does that mean8 ,fellowship with the ,father is when we delight ourselves in ,his basket ,son1 who is ,his delight1 when we share the ,father's own thoughts about ,him4 ,the ,son knoweth the ,father and ,he has revealed ,him and brought us into ,his own relationship with the ,father4 ,fellowship with ,his ,son is to enjoy this relationship with the ,father4 ,the condition for the enjoyment of this privilege in reality1 fellowship with the ,father and with ,his ,son is1 that we walk in the light as ,he is in the light4 ,these blessed things were written that we sin not4 ,sin cannot rob us of our salvation1 but it mars the enjoyment of that fellowship4 ,the standard is that we sin not1 and if we live in constant enjoyment of that blessed fellowship into which grace has brought us1 we do not sin4 ,but how often this is not the case4 ,we fall into sin4 ,then the blessed revelation is given3 ,if any man sin we have an advocate with the ,father1 ,jesus ,christ the ,righteous4 ,how grateful we ought to be that it does not say3 ,if any man repent4 ,the ,lord's intercession as advocate is independent of our repentance or of our asking ,him to do this for us4 ,it is the exercise of grace in ,his own loving heart toward us to restore our souls1 to put us back into the place where we can enjoy ,his fellowship4 ,the moment the believer sins on earth1 ,he acts as the ,advocate above4 ,the ,holy ,spirit then likewise acts in that ,he applies the ,word to convict and cleanse4 ,the cleansing is by the water1 the ,word1 and not a second time by the blood4 ,then follows confession from our side and the restoration is effected4 ,also notice that it does not say we have an ,advocate with ,god1 but with the ,father4 ,it is a family matter1 and the ,father is a ,father who can do nothing but love those whom ,he has brought to himself through ,his ,son4 ,the conception that the ,father is angry with ,his sinning child on earth1 and that the ,son of ,god by ,his pleadings inclines the heart of ,god to be merciful1 is an unscriptural one4 ,another reason why ,he acts thus as ,advocate is ,satan1 the accuser of the brethren4 ,he still has access into the presence of ,god4 ,the day will come when ,he is cast out of heaven1 but that day will not come until the church has been caught up to meet the ,lord in the air4 ,and the great dragon was cast out1 that serpent1 called the ,devil1 and ,satan1 which deceiveth the whole world3 he was cast out into the earth1 and his angels were cast out with him4 ,and ,i heard a loud voice saying in heaven1 ,now is come salvation1 and strength1 and the kingdom of our ,god1 and the power of ,his ,christ2 for the accuser of our brethren is cast down1 which accused them before our ,god day and night 7,rev4 xii3#i-aj74 ,because ,satan accuses ,god's people before ,god day and night1 the ,advocate is there to rebuke him4 ,every attack by accusation of the sinning children of ,god1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ meets with the fact that ,he made propitiation2 ,he died for their sins4 ,he ,shall not ,fail nor be ,discouraged4 ,and this work of ,himself as our ,priest1 the merciful and faithful ,high ,priest and our ,advocate goes on up yonder uninterruptedly4 ,in ,isaiah we find a word which speaks of ,him1 ,he shall not fail nor be discouraged4 ,well may we apply this to ,his present work as ,priest and ,advocate of ,his own4 ,as ,priest ,he will never fail4 ,he will never fail in being about ,his own1 in keeping them and sustaining them1 in sending them help from the sanctuary in time of need4 ,as ,advocate ,he will not be discouraged4 ,the same old failures in our lives1 which humble us and break us down1 but ,he continues in this service in behalf of ,his poor sinning people4 ,some ,christians do not believe in the fundamental doctrine of the ,gospel1 that a child of ,god in possession of eternal life can never be lost4 ,they think it depends on their walk and service4 ,if one of ,his own could ever be lost again1 if even the weakest1 the most imperfect could be snatched out of ,his hands1 ,his present work would be a failure as well as ,his finished work on the cross4 ,but read the great high-priestly prayer ,he left for us in ,john xvii4 ,there ,he prays the ,father1 who heareth ,him always1 that ,his own may be kept4 ,his ,work for the ,church4 ,another aspect of ,his present work is what ,he does for ,his church4 ,we can but briefly indicate what this means4 ,he is in glory the ,head of the church4 ,the church is ,his body1 the fullness of ,him1 that filleth all in all4 ,every believing sinner is a member in that body4 ,the risen ,lord ,himself adds new members to that body4 ,he puts each member into the body as it pleases ,him4 ,each member is guided and directed by ,himself4 ,he supplies this body with gifts4 ,and ,he gave some1 apostles2 and some1 prophets2 and some1 evangelists2 and some1 pastors and teachers2 ,for the perfecting of the saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the edifying of the body of ,christ4 ,till we all come in the unity of the faith1 and of the knowledge of the ,son of ,god1 unto a perfect man1 unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of ,christ 7,eph4 iv3#aa-ac74 ,thus ,he builds up from the ,glory ,his own body4 ,some day that body will be complete4 ,then we all come unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of ,christ4 ,that will be when we see ,him as ,he is4 ,then ,his present work in behalf of ,his own1 ,his coheirs1 will be finished4 ,brought home from this wilderness to the ,father's house--safe home--there will be no need any longer for ,his power and love to sustain us4 ,no more tears will then be shed1 no more wounds of pain and sorrow to be soothed1 no more help is needed for the time of need2 all that is passed4 ,nor does ,he then need to exercise ,his office as ,advocate1 for we are delivered forever from the presence of sin and sanctified wholly body1 soul and spirit4 ,sinning is then an impossibility4 ,what a happy1 glorious day that will be6 ,,iii4 ,the ,practical ,results of ,his ,present ,work in the ,christian's ,life4 ,the fact that the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is in ,glory occupied with us should lead us into a holy life which glorifies ,him4 ,that loving eye is never withdrawn from us4 ,if we were to remember this constantly1 what a power this would be in our lives6 ,how many things would remain undone1 how many words unspoken1 and how many other things done1 if we were constantly conscious of that eye which is upon us individually4 ,he represents us before ,god1 and we are to represent ,him before men4 ,a ,christian is called to manifest ,christ to be ,his representative4 ,and such a life1 which is unto ,his praise and ,glory1 is made possible through ,his blessed intercessory work and ,his presence in heaven4 ,a true ,christian life depends much on this heart occupation with the ,person and work of ,christ4 ,as ,his presence up yonder and ,his service for us is a reality to our hearts through the power of the ,holy ,spirit1 we shall walk worthy of the ,lord1 and ,his blessed work for us will constantly be felt in our lives here on earth4 ,what a joy it is then1 as we reckon only with ,him1 who knows us1 to serve ,him1 to depend on ,him4 ,and how we should shun anything which grieves ,him4 ,encouragement for ,prayer4 ,these blessed facts of the ,lord's loving interest in us and our life in this present evil age1 surrounded by dangers and evils of all kinds1 will be a great encouragement to us in our prayer life4 ,we can go and tell ,him all about that which troubles us4 ,if ,he is interested in everything which happens to us1 down to the smallest matter1 then we can go to him in prayer and tell ,him about it4 ,some ,christians teach that we should not do this1 but leave it all in ,his hands without praying for it1 satisfied that ,his will be done4 ,but this is contrary to ,scripture1 for it says that in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we are to make our requests known 7,phil4 iv3#f74 ,he delights to have us tell ,him1 and like ,john's disciples we can go to ,him and tell ,him4 ,his ear is always open4 ,if in ,his service we become tired and weary1 we can tell ,him1 for ,he was tired on account of the way4 ,if hungry or without a resting place1 ,he knows what that means1 for ,he passed through this4 ,if lonely and our best services are misunderstood1 or the fiery darts of the enemy are aimed against us1 we can speak to ,him about it4 ,all this can be so very real to us if we but go on led by ,his spirit4 ,deliverance from ,worry4 ,it should make an end of all worry and anxiety4 ,we may possess a divine carelessness4 ,be careful for nothing4 ,have no anxiety4 ,why should we worry or be anxious8 ,worry is the child of unbelief4 ,anxiety can never stay if the eyes of the heart behold the man in ,glory and faith realizes that all is in the hands of ,one who doeth all things well4 ,worry and anxiety accuse ,him4 ,martha did that when she was encumbered with much service and then said to ,him1 ,dost ,thou not care8 ,each time we give way to anxiety1 we act as if ,he did not care4 ,but ,he does2 and ,he would have us rest in faith and commit all to ,himself4 ,sharing ,his ,work4 ,in conclusion we must not forget that ,he permits us to have some share in this blessed work of ,his4 ,while ,he prays for us1 we can pray one for another1 and for all the saints4 ,he intercedes2 we can intercede4 ,he washes our feet1 typical of the cleansing by the ,word4 ,we are to wash one another's feet4 ,he carries our burdens1 but the exhortation also is that we carry one another's burden4 ,he forgives and restores4 ,we are to forbear one another1 and forgive one another1 even as ,christ forgave us 7,col4 iii3#ac74 ,,iii4 ,,his ,,future ,,work ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who finished the work on earth the ,father gave ,him to do1 who is now bodily present in the highest heaven1 occupying the ,father's throne and exercising ,his priesthood in behalf of ,his people1 is also ,king4 ,to ,him belongeth a ,kingdom and a kingly ,glory4 ,he has therefore a kingly work to do4 ,while ,his past work was foretold by the ,spirit of ,god and ,his priestly work foreshadowed in the ,old ,testament1 ,his work as ,king and ,his glorious ,kingdom to come are likewise the subjects of the ,word of ,god4 ,predicted by the ,prophets4 ,his kingly work was announced by ,gabriel to the ,virgin4 ,the ,lord ,god shall give unto ,him the throne of ,his father ,david and ,he shall reign over the house of ,david forever2 and of ,his ,kingdom there shall be no end 7,luke i3#cb1 #cc74 ,according to this message ,he must occupy the throne of ,his father ,david1 ,he must reign and possess a ,kingdom4 ,this is but heaven's confirmation of what ,god's prophets for many centuries had uttered in announcing the coming of the ,messiah4 ,the entire prophetic ,word has its climax in the visions of the ,king and the ,kingdom1 ,he will receive on this earth4 ,these visions of glory to come1 for ,him who was despised and rejected of men1 are the glittering stars shining throughout the dark night of the past and present age4 ,they dazzle the eyes of faith4 ,they inspire hope and courage4 ,we quote a few ,scriptures which relate to the ,christ as ,king4 ,yet ,i have set my ,king upon my holy hill of ,zion4 ,i will declare the decree3 the ,lord has said unto ,me1 ,thou art my ,son1 this day have ,i begotten ,thee4 ,ask of ,me1 and ,i shall give ,thee the nations for ,thine inheritance1 and the uttermost parts of the earth for ,thy possession 7,ps4 ii3#f-h74 ,it is ,he that will judge the world in righteousness 7,ps4 xi3#g74 ,all the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the ,lord1 and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before ,thee4 ,for the ,kingdom is the ,lord's and ,he is the governor among the nations 7,ps4 xxii3#bg-bh74 ,lift up your heads1 ,o ye gates2 even lift them up1 ye everlasting doors2 and the ,king of ,glory shall come in4 ,who is this ,king of ,glory8 ,the ,lord of hosts1 ,he is the ,king of ,glory 7,ps4 xxiv3#i-aj74 ,all ye peoples clap your hands1 shout unto ,god with the voice of triumph6 ,for ,jehovah1 the ,most ,high1 is terrible1 a great ,king over all the earth 7,ps4 xlvii3#b74 ,he shall judge thy people with righteousness1 and the poor with judgment4 ,yea1 all ,kings shall fall down before ,him2 all nations shall serve ,him4 ,his name shall endure forever--all nations shall call ,him blessed 7,ps4 lxxii3#a1 #aa1 #ag74 ,also1 ,i will make ,him my ,firstborn1 higher than the ,kings of the earth 7,ps4 lxxxix3#bg74 ,behold1 a ,king shall reign in righteousness 7,is4 xxxii3#a74 ,behold the days come1 that ,i will raise unto ,david a righteous ,branch1 and a ,king shall reign and prosper1 and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth 7,jer4 xxiii3#e74 ,i saw in the night visions1 and behold there came with the clouds of heaven one like a ,son of ,man--and there was given ,him dominion and glory1 and a ,kingdom1 that all peoples1 nations and languages should serve ,him2 ,his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away1 and ,his ,kingdom which shall not be destroyed 7,dan4 vii3#ac-ad74 ,behold the man1 whose name is the ,branch1 and he shall grow up out of his place1 and he shall build the temple of the ,lord4 ,even he shall build the temple of the ,lord2 and he shall bear the glory1 and shall sit and rule upon his throne2 and he shall be a priest upon his throne1 and the counsel of peace shall be between them both 7,zech4 vi3#ab1 #ac74 ,and ,jehovah shall be ,king over all the earth 7,zech4 xiii3#i74 ,all these prophecies and many more speak of the ,lord ,jesus as ,king and bear witness of ,his ,kingdom4 ,the glories of ,his ,kingdom are likewise described by the holy men of ,god1 the mouthpieces of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,not ,yet ,fulfilled4 ,were these predictions fulfilled since the ,lord ,jesus ,christ suffered on the ,cross8 ,have they been fulfilled since ,he entered the ,father's presence in ,glory8 ,is ,he now exercising ,his kingly rule and authority8 ,is the promised ,kingdom of righteousness1 of peace1 of power and glory now on this earth8 ,these questions arise at once in reading these divine predictions4 ,they must be answered in the negative4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ has not even begun ,his work as ,king4 ,the ,kingdom promised unto ,him1 ,he has not yet received4 ,there is now no such ,kingdom of glory and power on earth4 ,the ,new ,testament ,evidence4 ,the ,new ,testament furnishes the completest evidence that our ,lord is not ,king over all the earth1 and that ,his kingly rule is still in the future4 ,the notion that the church is the ,kingdom in which the ,lord ,jesus ,christ rules as ,king1 and that the ,old ,testament predictions of ,kingdom glories are realized spiritually in the church1 is a pure invention4 ,nowhere is the church called the ,kingdom1 nor do we find the ,lord ,jesus ever called the ,king of the ,church4 ,he is the ,head of the church1 which is ,his body4 ,the ,new ,testament still looks forward to the ,kingdom to come4 ,the ,lord has left the earth to receive a ,kingdom and to return 7,luke xix3#aa-bh74 ,he occupies the ,father's throne1 which is not ,his permanent place1 for ,he is to have ,his own throne4 ,when the ,son of ,man shall come in ,his glory1 and all the holy angels with ,him1 then shall ,he sit upon the throne of ,his glory 7,matt4 xxv3#ca74 ,he waits in heaven for the time when all enemies will be made the footstool of ,his feet 7,heb4 x3#ac74 ,but now we see not yet all things put under ,him 7,heb4 ii3#h74 ,no nation serves ,him and the ,kingdoms of this world are not ,his ,kingdoms during this age4 ,they will become ,his and heaven will resound with many voices saying3 ,the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our ,lord and of ,his ,christ and ,he shall reign forever and ever 7,rev4 xi3#ae74 ,but that is future4 ,when the seventh angel sounds ,his trumpet1 when heaven opens and ,he appears as ,king of kings1 crowned with many crowns 7,rev4 xix3#aa-af71 then ,he will receive the nations for ,his inheritance4 ,how ,christ ,begins ,his ,future ,work4 ,the beginning of ,christ's future work is revealed in #a ,thessalonians iv3#ae-ah4 ,this ,scripture contains a great and unique revelation1 unknown in the ,old ,testament4 ,the ,lord had made the promise to ,his disciples1 ,i will come again and receive you unto ,myself1 that where ,i am ye may be also 7,john xiv3#c74 ,he did not tell them in what manner ,he would keep this most precious promise4 ,in the first ,epistle to the ,thessalonians the ,lord gives the details of ,his coming for ,his own1 and how ,he will fulfill the promise given to ,his disciples4 ,he promises that ,he will descend from heaven with a shout4 ,when ,he accomplished ,his work on the cross1 ,he gave a shout1 for he cried with a loud voice ,tetelestei--,it is finished6 ,as the risen ,one1 ,he met ,his beloved ones and said ,all ,hail6 ,the ,greek gives only one word1 ,chairete--,oh6 the ,joy6 ,this is ,his resurrection shout1 the shout of joy and victory4 ,and when ,he ascended ,he went up with a shout 7,ps4 xlvii3#e74 ,first ,thessalonians iv3#af tells us ,he is going to descend with a shout4 ,he passed through the heavens in ,his glorious ascension and entered into the presence of ,god1 ,his ,father4 ,some day ,he will arise from the place ,he occupies on the ,throne of ,god4 ,he will leave the place on the right hand of the ,majesty on high and pass out of the third heaven4 ,once more ,he passeth through the heavens1 not upward but downward4 ,he comes to call ,his ,saints to meet ,him4 ,the meeting-place is not the ,mount of ,olives1 ,jerusalem or any earthly place2 the meeting-place will be in the air4 ,we repeat1 this is a revelation1 which is not found in the ,old ,testament prophetic ,word1 nor did the ,lord announce it fully in ,his earthly ministry4 ,according to the passage containing this revelation1 the shout of the ,lord as ,he descends into the air will be followed by the resurrection of the dead in ,christ4 ,all the ,saints of ,god will be raised physically from the graves4 ,this includes the ,old ,testament and ,new ,testament believers4 ,when this shout is heard and the righteous dead are raised1 all belonging to ,christ and living in that day1 will be caught up together with them in clouds to meet the ,lord in the air4 ,for the sake of some1 we add1 that all who have accepted the ,lord ,jesus ,christ as ,saviour1 who received eternal life and the ,spirit of ,god1 belong to ,him and their blessed ,hope and destiny is to be caught up in clouds to meet the ,lord in the air4 ,some teach that in order to share this rapture certain attainments are needed4 ,such1 however1 is not the case4 ,no service1 suffering1 separation or any works we do1 could ever fit us for such a marvelous event4 ,grace has accomplished it for us4 ,in #a ,cor4 xv3#ea we read3 ,behold ,i show you a mystery1 we shall not all sleep1 but we shall all be changed in a moment1 etc4 ,the all means all that are ,christ's at ,his coming1 independent of their knowledge about dispensational truths1 independent of their waiting for ,him1 or any other thing4 ,that they belong to ,him and are redeemed by ,his precious blood is a sufficient title to be caught up and to meet ,him in the air4 ,of this double company1 saints who died and who will be raised from the dead1 and saints who live and will be changed in a moment and caught up to meet ,him1 we find a hint in ,his words in ,john xi3#be-bf4 ,i am the resurrection and the life2 he that believeth in ,me1 though he were dead1 yet shall he live 7,resurrection74 ,and whosoever liveth 7when ,he comes7 and believeth in ,me shall never die 7,the changing of living believers74 ,believest thou this8 ,may we answer ,him1 ,yea1 ,lord1 ,i believe4 ,we may not understand all the details of this wonderful event1 an event which will come suddenly1 but we can believe ,his promise and wait daily for its glorious fulfillment4 ,this is the blessed ,hope of the ,church4 ,for this we are told to wait4 ,ere ,he begins ,his judgment work1 before the last scenes of tribulation and wrath can be enacted upon this earth and ,he returns as the ,king of ,glory to claim ,his blood-bought inheritance1 ,he will come into the air to meet ,his redeemed host and co-heirs4 ,this is the first event in connection with ,his future work4 ,the ,judgment ,seat of ,christ4 ,all judgment is to be executed by the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,for the ,father judgeth no man1 but hath committed all judgment unto the ,son 7,john v3#bb74 ,up to the present time no judgment work has been done by ,him4 ,nor have ,his people received their crowns and rewards for service and faithfulness4 ,the meeting of the ,saints in the presence of the ,lord will be immediately followed by the judgment seat of ,christ4 ,for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of ,christ 7,rom4 xiv3#aj74 ,for we must all appear before the judgment seat of ,christ2 that everyone may receive the things done in his body1 according to that he hath done1 whether it be good or bad 7#b ,cor4 v3#aj74 ,no unsaved person appears before this judgment for they were not raised from the dead1 nor changed in the twinkling of an eye4 ,this judgment concerns only believers4 ,this judgment1 however1 does not decide their eternal salvation4 ,that was settled when they believed on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,the words of our ,lord in ,john v3#bd make this clear4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,he that heareth ,my word1 and believeth on ,him that sent ,me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into condemnation2 but is passed from death unto life4 ,there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in ,christ 7,rom4 viii3#a74 ,the works and the service of ,his people will be dealt with by the ,lord in this first judgment act in ,his future work4 ,of this we read in #a ,cor4 iv3#e--,therefore judge nothing before the time1 until the ,lord come1 who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness1 and will make manifest the hidden counsels of the hearts2 and then shall have every man praise of ,god4 ,everything will be made manifest before that judgment seat4 ,the unconfessed sins in the believer's life will be brought to light and all hidden things will be uncovered4 ,then the works of the believer will be made manifest4 ,every man's work shall be made manifest2 for the day shall declare it1 because it shall be revealed by fire2 and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is4 ,if any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon1 he shall receive a reward4 ,if any man's work shall be burned1 he shall suffer loss2 but he himself shall be saved1 yet so as by fire 7#a ,cor4 iii3#ac-ae74 ,it will be the time when ,god's people will receive their rewards and crowns4 ,then the ,apostles1 the faithful martyrs1 the self-sacrificing missionaries and servants of ,god will receive praise and reward for their labors4 ,the judgment seat is the reward seat of ,christ4 ,in view of this the ,apostle wrote to the faithful ,thessalonians3 ,for what is our hope1 or joy1 or crown of rejoicing8 ,are not even ye in the presence of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ at ,his coming8 ,for ye are our glory and joy 7#a ,thess4 ii3#ai-bj74 ,and the ,apostle ,john exhorts3 ,and now little children1 abide in ,him2 that when ,he shall appear1 we 7the apostles and teachers7 may have confidence1 and not be ashamed before ,him at ,his ,coming 7#a ,john ii3#bh74 ,all believers in ,christ are saved and have eternal life2 but not all receive a reward4 ,their works will be consumed by the fire of that judgment1 for they were nothing but wood1 hay and stubble4 ,they will go rewardless1 while the faithful saints1 who toiled and served1 who spent and were spent1 following closely in ,his steps1 will receive rewards4 ,what these will be no ,saint does know at this time4 ,when all is accomplished in connection with this judgment seat of ,christ1 ,he will lead ,his ,saints into the ,father's house1 that they may behold ,his glory 7,john xvii3#bd74 ,he will present the church to ,himself1 a glorious church1 not having spot1 or wrinkle1 or any such thing2 but that it should be holy and without blemish 7,eph4 v3#bg74 ,he presents ,his church faultless before the presence of ,his glory with exceeding joy 7,jude #bd74 ,,ii4 ,his ,future ,work in ,connection with the ,earth4 ,when the ,saints of ,god have left the earth and met the ,lord in the air1 when the events took place we have briefly outlined1 then the ,lord ,jesus ,christ will begin from heaven a work which will be severely felt on the earth4 ,he begins to deal with the world in a series of judgments4 ,from the ,book of ,revelation we learn that the ,lion of the tribe of ,judah the ,root of ,david1 hath prevailed to open the book1 and loose the seven seals thereof4 7,rev4 v3#e74 ,the book ,he receives contains the judgments decreed for this earth with its apostate masses4 ,the ,lamb is seen opening the seals of the book1 and as ,he breaks the seals the events described under each seal happen4 ,it is ,his work in judgment4 ,in the eighth chapter of ,revelation an ,angel is seen before an altar with a golden censer4 ,and the angel took the censer1 and filled it with fire of the altar1 and cast it into the earth1 and there were voices1 and thunderings1 and lightnings and an earthquake4 ,and the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound 7,rev4 viii3#e1 #f74 ,this ,angel is the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,he casts down the fire of divine displeasure and judgment upon the earth4 ,the seven trumpeting angels with their judgments for the earth are sent forth by ,him4 ,then come seven other angels1 who pour out the bowls filled with the wrath of ,god4 ,we cannot examine all those judgments separately4 ,there is no human being who can realize what they all mean and what it will be when the ,lord deals with this earth in righteousness4 ,israel and the ,nations4 ,israel and the nations will pass through those judgments executed from above4 ,christendom apostate1 ,god defying and ,christ rejecting ,christendom1 will like ,pharaoh1 be hardened by them4 ,they do not repent1 but rather believe the strong delusion and accept the man of sin with his lying wonders4 ,the ,jewish people will in part be restored to their land4 ,the great tribulation centers in their land and will be felt there in its severest form4 ,the apostate portion of the ,jews will worship the false ,christ and will therefore be visited by these righteous judgments4 ,but there is also a remnant of ,god-fearing ,jews1 who believe the ,word of ,god1 who expect the ,kingdom and the ,king4 ,while these believing ,jews suffer1 they also serve4 ,they are the last messengers of the ,king4 ,they herald once more the ,gospel of the ,kingdom and will bear witness of it to all the nations of the earth1 before the end comes 7,matt4 xxiv3#ad7499 99 ,we refer the reader to our larger works1 which deal more fully with these coming events4 ,daniel1 ,joel1 ,commentary on ,matthew1 ,harmony of the ,prophetic ,word1 ,things to ,come1 etc41 deal more fully with these truths4 ,for catalogue1 address ,our ,hope1 #def ,fourth ,ave41 ,new ,york ,city4 ,nations ,learning ,righteousness4 ,when ,thy judgments are in the earth1 the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness 7,isaiah xxvi3#i74 ,a work of salvation will go on during those seven years of judgment1 tribulation and wrath4 ,a great multitude1 which no man can number1 of all nations1 and kindreds1 and people1 and tongues1 come out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the ,lamb 7,rev4 vii3#i-ag74 ,they heard and believed the final testimony as preached by the ,jewish remnant4 ,heathen nations will accept the ,gospel of the ,kingdom1 while apostate ,christendom is excluded1 for they received not the love of the truth1 but had pleasure in unrighteousness 7#b ,thess4 ii74 ,his ,glorious ,appearing4 ,immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened1 and the moon shall not give her light1 and the stars shall fall from heaven1 and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken4 ,and then shall appear the sign of the ,son of ,man in heaven2 and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the ,son of ,man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory 7,matthew xxiv3#bi-cj74 ,behold1 ,he cometh with clouds2 and every eye shall see ,him1 and they also which pierced ,him1 and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of ,him4 ,even so1 ,amen 7,rev4 i3#g74 ,and ,i saw heaven opened and behold a white horse1 and he that sat upon him was called ,faithful and ,true1 and in righteousness ,he doth judge and make war4 ,his eyes were as a flame of fire1 and on ,his head were many crowns2 and ,he had a name written1 that no man knew1 but ,he ,himself4 ,and ,he was clothed in a vesture dipped with blood2 and ,his name is called the ,word of ,god4 ,and the armies which were in heaven followed ,him upon white horses1 clothed in fine linen1 white and clean4 ,and out of ,his mouth goeth a sharp sword1 that with it ,he should smite the nations2 and ,he shall rule them with a rod of iron and ,he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of ,almighty ,god4 ,and ,he hath on ,his vesture and on ,his thigh a name written1 ,king of ,kings and ,lord of ,lords 7,rev4 xix3#aa-af74 ,the ,king in ,his ,glory4 ,every eye shall see ,him1 when ,he appears in glorious majesty as the ,king of ,kings4 ,his glory will cover the heavens 7,hab4 iii3#c74 ,every tongue which denied ,him will be forever hushed4 ,his second1 personal1 visible and glorious coming will be the crowning and unanswerable proof of ,his ,deity4 ,his incarnation and all the work ,he accomplished on earth and in glory1 can then no longer be denied4 ,his glorious appearing will silence all ,his enemies4 ,his rejection ends and ,his glory as ,god's appointed ,king and ruler over this earth1 ,he purchased with ,his blood1 begins4 ,every knee must then bow before ,him and every tongue confess that ,he is ,lord4 ,and when ,he appears in all ,his glory1 ,he does not come alone4 ,his ,saints come with ,him4 ,when ,he appears1 then shall we also appear with ,him in glory 7,col4 iii3#d74 ,in that day of triumph and glory1 ,he will be glorified in ,his ,saints and admired in all them that believed 7#b ,thess4 i3#aj74 ,wonderful spectacle it will be1 when ,he brings ,his many sons with ,him unto glory6 ,all will be conformed into the same image4 ,his ,judgment-,work4 ,his feet will stand once more upon the ,mount of ,olives 7,zech4 xiv3#d74 ,before ,him is ,jerusalem and all nations are gathered against it to battle 7,zech4 xiv3#b74 ,the ,beast will be their leader1 while the ,man of ,sin1 the ,anti-christ1 will do his dreadful work in the city itself4 ,the remnant of ,israel in great distress will then pray and look for deliverance4 ,the coming of the ,king will bring that deliverance4 ,they will shout then for joy and say in that day1 ,lo1 this is our ,god1 we have waited for ,him1 and ,he will save us2 this is the ,lord2 we have waited for ,him2 we will be glad and rejoice in ,his salvation 7,isaiah xxv3#i74 ,they will welcome the once rejected ,one4 ,blessed is ,he that cometh in the name of the ,lord 7,matt4 xxiii3#ci74 ,and ,he will fight against those nations4 ,the great battle of ,armageddon will then take place4 ,the beasts and the ,kings of the earth1 and their armies1 gathered together to make war against ,him that sat on the horse1 and against his army 7,rev4 xix3#ai74 ,but their opposition will suddenly be broken to pieces4 ,and the beast was taken1 and with him the false prophet 7the ,anti-christ7 that wrought miracles before him1 with which he deceived them that received the mark of the beast1 and them that worshipped the image4 ,these both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone 7,rev4 xix3#bj74 ,on ,his ,throne4 ,when the ,son of ,man shall come in ,his glory1 and all the holy angels with ,him1 then shall ,he sit upon the throne of ,his glory 7,matt4 xxv3#ca74 ,the judgment which will then be executed by ,him is not a universal judgment 7the dead are not mentioned71 but it will be a judgment of the living nations in the day when ,he appears the second time4 ,some nations are put on ,his right side and ,he calls them the blessed of my ,father2 they inherit the ,kingdom which will then be established on the earth4 ,that these righteous nations are not church saints is obvious1 for the church1 as we have seen1 was caught up in the beginning of ,his future work to meet ,him in the air and is associated with ,him when ,he comes in power and glory4 ,then there are other nations which are put on ,his left hand and they shall go away from that judgment throne into everlasting punishment 7,matt4 xxv3#df74 ,but what is the standard of this judgment8 ,what they did to the ,lord's brethren or what they did not unto them4 ,the ,lord's brethren1 according to the flesh are the ,jews4 ,during the tribulation period believing ,jews will preach the ,gospel of the ,kingdom to all nations 7,matt4 xxiv3#ad74 ,the nations who believed this last offer of mercy treated the messengers in kindness2 those who did not believe the message did not treat them in that way4 ,and when this great judgment is passed1 ,his ,kingdom of righteousness and peace will be established on this earth4 ,righteousness will begin to reign as grace reigns now through righteousness4 ,,iii4 ,the ,glories of ,his ,kingdom4 ,and in the days of those ,kings shall the ,god of heaven set up a ,kingdom1 which shall never be destroyed1 and the ,kingdom shall not be left to other people1 but it shall break in pieces and consume all these ,kingdoms1 and it shall stand forever 7,dan4 ii3#dd74 ,i saw in the night visions1 and1 behold1 one like the ,son of ,man came with the clouds of heaven1 and came to the ,ancients of days1 and they brought ,him near before ,him4 ,and there was given ,him dominion1 and glory1 and a kingdom1 that all people1 nations and languages should serve ,him2 ,his dominion is an everlasting dominion1 which shall not pass away1 and ,his ,kingdom that which shall not be destroyed 7,dan4 vii3#ac-ad74 ,a closer study of these two fundamental passages from ,daniel's great prophecies will establish the fact that this promised ,kingdom comes with the second coming of ,christ4 ,it will be preceded by a judgment blow at the earth ,kingdoms2 ,nebuchadnezzar beheld this in his prophetic dream4 ,this ,kingdom is an earthly ,kingdom and all the nations will be gathered into that ,kingdom4 ,jerusalem and a converted ,israel will be the center of it4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and ,his ,saints will reign with ,him over the earth and over this ,kingdom4 ,and what will be ,his work then8 ,but a few of the many things can be mentioned4 ,he shall speak peace to the nations 7,zech4 ix3#aj74 ,with righteousness shall ,he judge the poor1 and reprove with equity the meek of the earth4 7,isaiah xi3#d74 ,he shall bring forth judgment to the ,gentiles 7,is4 xlii3#a74 ,and ,he shall judge among the nations1 and shall rebuke many people1 and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares1 and their spears into pruninghooks2 nation shall not lift up sword against nation1 neither shall they learn war any more 7,isaiah ii3#d74 ,he shall also set up an ensign for the nations1 and shall assemble the outcasts of ,israel1 and gather together the dispersed of ,judah from the four corners of the earth 7,isaiah xi3#ab74 ,and many nations shall be joined to the ,lord in that day1 and shall be my people 7,zech4 ii3#aa74 ,and the ,lord shall be ,king over all the earth 7,zech4 xiv3#i74 ,behold a ,king shall reign in righteousness 7,isaiah xxxii3#a74 ,a ,king shall reign and prosper1 and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth 7,jere4 xxiii3#e74 ,many more passages predicting and describing the ,kingdom and its glories might be added4 ,all these blessed words mean exactly what they say4 ,righteousness and peace will characterize that world-wide ,kingdom of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,his glory will cover the earth as the waters cover the deep4 ,nations will worship ,him4 ,yea1 all ,kings shall fall down before ,him2 all nations shall serve ,him4 ,he shall have dominion also from sea to sea1 and from the river unto the ends of the earth 7,ps4 lxxii3#h1 #aa74 ,every wrong will be righted on earth and present-day evils and oppression1 crime and vice1 poverty and sickness will be abolished4 ,only ,he has the power to do this4 ,oh6 the glories of the ,kingdom6 ,may we pray1 ,even so1 come1 ,lord ,jesus4 ,thy ,kingdom come4 ,creation ,delivered4 ,for the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the ,sons of ,god4 ,for the creature was made subject to vanity1 not willingly1 but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope1 because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of ,god4 ,for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now 7,rom4 viii3#ai-bb74 ,sin has brought a curse upon creation4 ,the thorns and thistles are the result of the fall of man as well as the blight and misery which rests upon a creation1 which was pronounced good by the ,creator4 ,but this condition into which creation has been plunged will not continue forever4 ,a better day is coming4 ,groaning creation is to be delivered4 ,the curse will be removed4 ,this cannot be the work of man4 ,scientists attempt to set things in order in this ruined creation2 but they fail4 ,the things which destroy1 the heat and the drought1 the storms and earthquakes1 cannot be arrested by the arm of man4 ,the ,son of ,god wore the crown of thorns4 ,the curse was put upon ,him4 ,and ,he who created all things and paid for redemption by ,his precious blood will1 with omnipotent power1 deliver groaning creation4 ,it will take place when the sons of ,god are manifested4 ,the sons of ,god 7the redeemed7 will be manifested with ,him1 as we have seen1 in the day of ,his visible appearing4 ,then the great vision of ,isaiah will find its fulfillment4 ,the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb1 and the leopard shall lie down with the kid2 and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together2 and a little child shall lead them4 ,and the cow and the bear shall feed2 their young ones shall lie down together2 and the lion shall eat straw like the ox4 ,and the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp1 and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den 7,isaiah xi3#f-h74 ,all ,under ,his ,feet4 ,the dispensation of the fulness of times has come 7,eph4 i3#aj74 ,all things are put under ,him4 ,all ,his enemies are made ,his footstool4 ,he is ,lord of all4 ,the glorious reign of ,christ1 in kingly glory1 in fulfillment of the ,prophet's visions1 will be followed by another judgment4 ,the ,great ,white ,throne4 ,the second resurrection1 that of the wicked dead1 takes place at the end of the ,kingdom reign of ,christ4 ,this great judgment and the final destiny of the wicked is revealed in ,rev4 xx3#aa-ae4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ will be the judge in that awful scene1 for it is written that all judgment is committed unto the ,son 7,john v3#bb74 ,then ,cometh the ,end4 ,then cometh the end1 when ,he shall have delivered up the ,kingdom to ,god1 even the ,father2 when ,he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power4 ,for ,he must reign1 till ,he hath put all enemies under ,his feet4 ,the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death4 4 4 4 ,and when all things shall be subdued unto ,him1 then shall the ,son also ,himself be subject unto ,him1 who put all things under ,him1 that ,god may be all in all 7#a ,cor4 xv3#bd-bh74 ,then ,he will create a new heaven and a new earth1 the eternal dwelling place of redeemed and glorified mankind4 ,and ,i saw a new heaven and a new earth 7,rev4 xxi3#a74 ,and ,he that sat upon the throne said1 ,behold1 ,i make all things new4 ,and ,he said unto me1 ,write3 for these words are true and faithful 7,rev4 xxi3#e74 ,and there shall be no more curse2 but the throne of ,god and of the ,lamb shall be in it2 and ,his servants shall serve ,him4 ,and they shall see ,his face2 and ,his ,name shall be in their foreheads4 ,and there shall be no night there2 and they need no candle1 neither light of the sun2 for the ,lord ,god giveth them light2 and they shall reign forever and ever 7,rev4 xxii3#c-e74 ,this will be the ultimate result of the blessed ,work of ,christ4 ,his past work is finished4 ,soon ,his present ,work may end and then ,his future1 kingly work begins1 when ,he comes the second time4 ,amen4 ,even so1 come1 ,lord ,jesus4