[Biblemat] S) THE SCHEME OF REDEMPTION IN PROPHECY (8)

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a continuation of
the studies on this subject that I posted in the latter part of 2007.
These and former studies are from the pen of Bryan Vinson and
are found in the first Volume of The Preceptor dated l952.  Use to
the glory of God.

THE SCHEME OF REDEMPTION IN PROPHECY  (8)

     It is well to observe that the value attaching to any prophe-
tic statement is largely determined by the significance of the
event and the character of the thing prophesied.  Old Testa-
ment prophecies and types predominantly challenge our
thoughts by reason of their pointing to the Christ and His
kingdom.  If they are to be variously interpreted to suit and
apply to every speculative indulgence spawned by overwrou-
ght imaginations, then they lose their value because of their
indeterminate significance.  Also if they are clear in their inten-ded import 
and their fulfillment was announced by inspired
men there is no basis for the wild theoretic vagaries of a fut-
ure kingdom which have been imposed on the church of the
Lord to the distraction of many.  The pious pretensions of the
advocates of premillennialism go for nought in the face of the
disturbance wrought, dissension fomented and injury done.

     We have formerly given attention to some prophecies relat-
ive to Christ and noted some of their salient features.  At this
time we wish to proceed to the study of some statements fam-
iliarly regarded as prophetic of the church or kingdom of Christ.  No labored 
effort is either required or justified in this
connection to sustain the proposition of the identity of the 
church and kingdom.  The fact that our Savior told His discip-
les "I appoint unto you a kingdom, even as My Father appoint-
ed unto Me, that ye may eat and drink at My table in My king-
dom; and ye shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of
Israel" (Lk. 22:29,30) coupled with the fact that the Lord's
table was placed in the church (1 Cor. 10:21; 11:20-34) proves
beyond all shadow of doubt that the kingdom and the church
are one and the same.  What is herein said, therefore, with
respect to the one is regarded as being true of the other by
virtue of the indisputable identity of the two -- not that the
terms kingdom and church are synonomous but that each is
descriptive of distinctive characteristics of the same institut-
ion.

The Kingdom Of Christ Prophesied: -- In the recording of his
visions, the prophet Daniel treats us with a highly interesting
and vividly descriptive symbolism of that which he saw.  In
succession there arose before him four beasts, the fourth one being diverse 
from those preceding it.  These kingdoms,
represented by these beasts, did not exist simultaneously but
successively and the last one is described as being dreadful,
fearful adn exceedingly strong.  Out of it were ten horns ex-
isting contemporaneously and among them there was seen the emergence of a 
little horn which grew until it uprooted 
three of the other horns thus suggesting an accretion of power which gave it 
control over these.  This little horn is
described as having eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth
speaking great swelling words.  Intelligence, sagacity and
arrogance are hereby suggested.  Without elaborating on the
significance of this vision and thereby departing from the 
theme before us, it will be worthy to note that it is understood
the little horn is to be identified as the Papal power emerging
out of pagan Rome.  Alexander Campbell so affirmed, with the
added affirmation that the Papacy was also the man of sin of
Paul (2 Thes. 2:1-10) and the Babylon of John.  It was report-
ed that the presentation of this affirmation, with the strong
argumentation made to establish it, so upset Bishop Purcell
with whom he was debating that the learned prelate never
during the remainder of the discussion recovered his compos-
ure and confidence.  (It would seem that any doctrine or prac-
tice of any man or group of men that would be in opposition
to the truth of the gospel and the kingdom of Christ would fit
the bill of the little horn, JWS).

     Climaxing this unfolding drama of human history, in vision
presented to Daniel, he had his attention deverted to the 
ascension and coronation of the Son of Man.  He came with
the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days adn was brought
before Him.  "And there was given to Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, 
that all people, nations, and languages
should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall
not be destroyed" (Dan. 7:14).  It should be noted that a very 
distinguishing mark of contrast between the possessing of
this kingdom by the Son and that which was true in the instan-
ce of these world powers or kingdom is found in the assured
announcement that dominion was to be given to Him.  By rev-
olution and conquest, cruelly sought and ambitiously pursued
were these kingdoms produced.  The Almighty gave to His
Son rightful sovereignty over all nations, peoples and langua-
ges; and in His infinite benignity He reigns with truth and righteousness as 
the habitations of His throne.  There is no
arbitrary assertion and imposition of His will, and exercise of
authority by force, either in the establishing or maintaining of
His sovereignty over the hearts and lives of His subjects.  Submission to Him 
must always be voluntary on their part; and by  faith, and in love, is this 
voluntary subjection to be
wrought, as it is effectualy accomplished by obedience to His
revealed Will.  Directed by faith and impelled by love theirs is
a happy and fortunate lot in life, with an ever-deepening and
enriching hope of an eternal citizenship therein.

     Universal in dominion and eternal in duration are elevated
aspects of this kingdom as depicted in this and other passag-
es of Scripture.  While the former was substantially true of these kingdoms 
represented in the vision by the beasts, yet
the latter characteristic was totally absent.  The fact of their
passing away defies all claim of perpetual existence.  From the fall of the 
Roman Empire there has been no world-wide
or universal power of a political character holding sway over
the lives and fortunes of mankind.  It has been attempted sev-
eral times, but such attempts have always failed and I am per-
suaded that such shall ever be the case.  In recalling to Nebu-
chadnezzar that which he had dreamed, and in giving the 
interpretation thereof, Daniel says, "In the days of these kings shall the 
God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall
never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it 
shall break in pieces and consume all 
these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever," that is, before
the expiration of these universal dynasties there was to be set up this 
kingdom by the God of heaven.  While the Roman
Empire yet stood the kingdom of Christ was established.

     In the image this last empire is represented by the legs and feet made 
of iron and iron mixed with clay -- the iron de-
noting the surpassing strength and the clay the lack of cohes-
iveness which existed in consequence of the heterogeneous
material or peoples constituting this kingdom.  Gibbons, in his Decline and 
Fall of the Roman Empire, says, "The arms
of the Republic, sometimes vanquished in battle, always vict-
orious in war, advanced with rapid steps to the Euphrates, 
the Danube, the Rhine, and the ocean; and the images of gold
or silver, or brass, that  might serve to represent the nations
and their kings were successively broken by the iron monarc-
hy of Rome."   (More will be posted on this subject tomorrow,
the Lord willing, JWS).   </HTML>
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