It was the will of God that man should have authority over this earth. Accordingly Adam, the last of God's works in creation, was formed for and placed as supreme over this part of the universe. His place of residence was the garden of Eden, his work to dress it and keep it. For him " every green herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed," the ground brought forth for meat. To him was given dominion over all the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air, the cattle, all the earth, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. All these owned his sway. On the earth he was, under God, supreme. He had no rival. And to stamp his authority over animate creation, and to show God's will concerning it, we read that the Lord God brought to Adam every living creature to see what he would call them, and what he called them that was the name thereof. What a picture does this afford us of God's complacency in His work, and in that the last piece of His workmanship-man. Beautiful indeed must it all have appeared, as the angels surveyed this World, fresh from the hands of their and its Creator, and man, its lord, made in the likeness of God. Well might the morning stars sing together and all the sons of God shout for joy (Job 38:77When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:7),) as they gazed on such a fair scene. But how short-lived was their joy. He whose sphere of government was earth, and his dominion, coextensive with its boundaries, fell, and all was changed. The earth, which would have yielded its fruit for him, was cursed, and thorns and thistles were brought forth in response to his toil. (Gen. 3:1818Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; (Genesis 3:18).) Its fruits were no longer for his refreshment; and he, lately lord of creation, is an outcast from that garden of pleasure and delight. In the sweat of his face he must eat bread and that only the herb of the field. Sin had entered and defiled God's paradise, and through sin, death.
Adam, created spotless, pure, innocent, is so no longer. The image of God, in which be was created has been sadly marred. God's plans have, to all appearance, been wholly frustrated. Man has believed a lie, distrusted God's goodness, doubted His love, listened to the tempter, sinned against his Maker, and suggested that God was the cause of it all in the helpmeet He had graciously provided him. What would happen now? Had the Creator's plans been forever thwarted by the enmity and wiliness of a creature? Had Satan triumphed here forever? Had he, by ruining man, dethroned forever God as the Lord of all the earth? It seemed like it. But God promised one who should re-conquer what Adam had lost. Adam had failed and fallen, having listened to the suggestions of the devil through the instrumentality of Eve; but the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. Another Man, the second Man, the last Adam, shall more than retrieve the ruin entailed on all his descendants and on this earth by the first.
This is never lost sight of. Throughout the whole interval that has elapsed since the fall, God has had this in view. So the announcement of the gospel of the kingdom is called the everlasting gospel. (Rev. 14:66And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, (Revelation 14:6).) The gospel of the grace of God does not supersede it. It introduces souls into the kingdom. From first to last this object is kept before us in the Bible, and we see how everything has been working, and is working, under God's direction for the accomplishment of this end. The kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall be owned as Governor among the people. We see not yet all this brought about, but we see Him, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor. Glimpses of this coming glory are afforded us from time to time, enough to make the heart desire, and the eye watch for, the fulfillment of the creature's wants, and creation's highest aspirations, in the establishment of the kingdom of the Lord on the earth.
We get a glimpse of the future in the position of Noah after the flood. Landed in a new world, as it were, swept by the waters of the flood, man is placed again on the earth, and government entrusted into his hand. The fear and dread of him was to be on all the animal creation, and to him they were, given for meat. The fruits of the earth, withdrawn, it would seem, from him after the fall, are again permitted him for use, as well as the herb of the field. But the curse on the earth, though lightened, is not removed; and the fear of man implanted in the brute creation does not ensure him immunity from` their wrath. The child cannot lay its hand without chance of harm on the cockatrice's den, nor does the lion yet eat straw like the ox-nay, the enmity to man of the wild beasts is distinctly pointed out. (Gen. 9:55And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. (Genesis 9:5).) Imperfect, then, as man's position was compared to that which Adam had held, we see in the instance of Noah that man,-as be then existed, fallen man, though he might be a just man, and perfect in his generation, and walking with
God, and such Noah was, as God bore witness,—was not the one who could bruise the serpent's bead and overthrow the god of this world. Noah soon shows that he is not the man. He planted a vineyard, drank of the wine, and was drunken. He cannot rule himself, how then should he rule the world? The future which looked so promising after the flood is quickly obscured. The man who was seen righteous before God in his generation has failed, and any hopes of coming blessedness fade away before the spectacle of Noah lying unconscious in his tent.
Violence, and idolatry, and lust of conquest now characterize the world. The sons of God are seen no longer as distinct from the children of men, till God calls Abraham to walk with Him alone on the earth. In him shall all the families of the earth be blessed. But when? When shall this blessing be enjoyed? When the royal priest shall bless Israel Victorious over their enemies. We get a passing glimpse of this in Abraham's history. He sojourns in the land promised to his descendants. An enemy from without has invaded it. He goes forth with his trained servants, and Aner, Eschol, and Mamre, and conquers. Returning victorious from the combat, Melchisedec, God's priest, meets him and blesses him. Is this the one to come? Is this the true king that is to reign? Many years must elapse ere He can appear. As yet Abraham had no direct heir, and when he is born, as the next chapter tells us, his seed must sojourn as strangers 400 years ere they can call the land on which Abraham walked their own. This scene, but a glimpse of the future, fades away into darkness before the long night of Egyptian bondage revealed in the next chapter.
Another scene depicting what happiness shall be enjoyed on the earth, is given us in Jacob's dream, when a ladder is seen set up on earth, and the top of it reached unto heaven; and, " behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it." What man (Gen. 11) had vainly attempted in the pride of his heart, and in the power of his might, to accomplish, to open a communication directly with heaven, Jacob dreams has really been done; not by fallen man indeed; for the confusion of tongues was God's answer to the attempt, but by God Himself, who was seen above it. Could this last? Jacob awoke in the morning, and, behold it was a dream. The homeless, homeless wanderer must serve in a strange land, exposed to all the vicissitudes of climate, and the injustice of his father-in-law, for twenty long years. Never again in the course of his long life did this bright vision, that we know of, return. He revisited Bethel, and met again with God, and had renewed to him the promises made to Abraham and Isaac of the land for his posterity, but nothing more of the ladder connecting earth with heaven is mentioned have run along half their appointed course, (see Gen. 12:4;21. 5; xxv. 20; xlvii. 9; Ex. 12:4040Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. (Exodus 12:40),) and a famine visits Canaan, which compels the sons of Israel to go to Egypt to buy corn. There they find Joseph the hated, persecuted, and in purpose murdered one, raised up by God to preserve the chosen seed alive. He whom they hated, when formerly recounting the dreams presaging his future greatness, is the one before whom they bow, and whom they address as Lord. But Joseph dies and all his brethren, and their children are evil entreated by another king who knew him not. Deliverance was wrought for the children of Israel by the one they had rejected, saying, " Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?" But it is only temporary; he dies, and greater afflictions than ever befall the chosen race.
If blessing is in store for Israel, is it not also in store for the Gentiles? The second Man will exercise authority over the whole earth. We have next a scene which portrays what shall be when He comes. The people are in the wilderness, redemption from Egypt having been accomplished. Thither to meet them repaired Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, the Midianite, with Zipporah his wife, and Gershom anti Eliezer, his two sons. The Lord's deliverance of Israel is the subject of their conversation; " and Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians." (Exodus 8:99And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? (Exodus 8:9).) Then they offer sacrifices, and Jethro the Gentile, Moses, Aaron, and the elders of Israel, together eat bread before God. It is not Jew and Gentile taking new and a common ground, becoming one new man as in the Church, but Jew and Gentile, preserving their distinction of families, together rejoicing over the Lord's deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Egyptians. The night succeeds this happy day, the morrow comes, but the feast is not again, that we read of, repeated. It shadows forth what shall be on the earth.
The wilderness life of the people supplies us with another and a very different glimpse of coming glory. Aaron and his sons have been consecrated priests to God. The tabernacle has been erected; the eighth day of their consecration has arrived, and Aaron arrayed in the garments of glory and beauty, lifts up his hands from the altar and blesses the people. Then with Moses he enters the tabernacle of the congregation, and the two coming out, the king and priest, bless the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation; a fire comes out from the Lord and consumed the burnt-offering and the fat. The people saw all this, they shouted and fell on their faces. How short lived is this too! Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire before the Lord. Mourning succeeds rejoicing. The garments Aaron wore that day he would never have occasion to wear again. Never again could they behold Moses and Aaron coming out from the tabernacle of the Lord to bless them.
Another period of more than four hundred years elapses. Moses and Aaron die, Joshua dies, the elders which outlived Joshua die, the judges pass away, and there is a king over Israel. Solomon occupies his father David's throne. David has conquered his enemies, reduced to submission all the kings who inhabited the territory outside Canaan, promised to Abraham, and Solomon, king of peace, is established in the kingdom. The tabernacle has been superseded, the temple takes its place, and all Israel are called to celebrate its dedication, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. Never before has there been such magnificence, such wealth in Jerusalem as under Solomon. (2 Chron. 9:23-2823And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart. 24And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 25And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 27And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance. 28And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands. (2 Chronicles 9:23‑28).) The glory of the Lord appears and fills the house, and the people keep the feast of tabernacles, type of millennial rest. Has the reign of righteousness really commenced? Has the second Man appeared to sit on David's throne? " Solomon loved many strange women, (together with the daughter of Pharoah,) women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, Hittites, of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. Solomon clave unto these in love." (1 Kings 11:1,21But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; 2Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. (1 Kings 11:1‑2).) The glory of the kingdom is dimmed, his sun sets in gloom, and the Lord announced the rending of his kingdom in twain, and the establishment of his enemy as king over the ten parts of the land. Fallen man is again proved unfit for the place of sovereignty.
Dark times follow. Near three hundred years roll by, when the nation is encouraged by a prophecy of a king who shall reign in righteousness, and of princes who shall rule in judgment. The throne of David is filled by a pious king. The temple, closed in the reign of Ahaz, has been re-opened and purified; the lamps, suffered to go out, have been again lighted; the priests and Levites have been sanctified for the service of the Lord's house; the passover in remembrance of redemption from Egypt has been once more celebrated; the enemy of God's people, the Assyrian, has been successfully and signally defeated. He never returns to invade the laud. Add to this king Hezekiah has been sick, and is recovered of his sickness; the sundial of Ahaz has marked the retrogression of the sun ten degrees; and the fame of Hezekiah's recovery has prompted the king of Babylon to send letters and a present to him, Judah had been of late more accustomed to have letters enjoining submission from that quarter of the world, and an army attempting to enforce it, than a present in token of friendship. Has the king that was to come appeared? Again we see how fallen man cannot occupy the position yet to be filled. In the pride of his heart Hezekiah shows the ambassadors all his treasures; he fails, and the captivity is announced. This, too, is but a passing glimpse of the glory of the kingdom yet to be made good.
Another period of years elapse, and the King appears on the mount of transfiguration. The three disciples behold His glory: " His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." With Him are seen two men in glory, Moses and Elias. Now, surely, the kingdom will be established; now the coming time of blessing for the weary world has dawned. There is the king, the woman's seed, Abraham's heir, and David's son. These two talk with Him. Is it of the glory of His kingdom, the grandeur and majesty of His reign? Another subject occupies them. " They spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." A cloud overshadowed them all: when it passed away the manifestation of " His majesty " had disappeared. Short, indeed, was their glimpse of His glory, It faded away from sight, not memory, as quickly as Jacob's dream. And in due time the subject of the conversation on the mount was made plain to His disciples by His death. The King had come and gone. Since He hung on the cross, and Pilate gave the word to take His body down, the world has never seen Him. Was this all that was to be enjoyed of the glory of the king and kingdom? Had He, rejected by the world, disappeared forever? The world may and does ignore the truth of His return. We look for it and the kingdom likewise. " For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet." (1 Cor. 15:2525For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. (1 Corinthians 15:25).)
Man, the son of Adam, the woman's seed, shall have the dominion Adam lost. Melchisedec, king and priest, shall yet bless Israel. The ladder of communication between earth and heaven shall one day be manifested as set up. Already the circumstances under which it can be erected have begun to be unfolded. (See John 1:5151And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (John 1:51), ἀπ' ἄρτι, " from henceforth ye shall see," etc.) Jew and Gentile shall together rejoice before the Lord. (Deut. 32:4343Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people. (Deuteronomy 32:43)) The throne shall be established in peace and judgment return to righteousness. (Psa. 94:1515But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it. (Psalm 94:15).) All these foretastes of happiness shall have their full accomplishment in the abiding presence and reign of Him who alone is worthy to receive and retain the sovereignty of the earth.
But how could a king reign in righteousness whilst sin and lawlessness abounded? How could happiness be the constant portion of the saints of God, and the earth be gladdened and rejoice with them, whilst sorrow, sickness, and death had power to cut short their enjoyment? How could a man reign without a, rival over this world whilst Satan, who had usurped its sovereignty, and declared it, by saying, " All these will I give thee," etc., retained the title of its prince? These must be conquered. He the King died, but rose again. All seemed lost when He died all was manifested to be gained when He rose. By the sacrifice of Himself He put away sin. By His death He overcame death, and him that had the power of death, that is the devil. (Heb. 9:2626For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26); 2 Tim. 1:1010But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: (2 Timothy 1:10); Heb. 2:1414Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14).)
His next appearance to the world on this earth will be to claim the kingdom for His own. Then shall be seen man in power, owned by all as Lord, acknowledged by Israel as King.
How full of interest, then, are these brief, passing glimpses of the glory of the kingdom, which, enabling the saints of old to taste for a moment something of that joy which shall yet be known on the earth, kept them looking forward as those who had desires unsatisfied, longings not yet fully met; and surely, whilst we know of, and rejoice in, a heavenly position, we too should feel an interest in all that concerns His glory on this earth, and the full recovery of creation from the grasp of the god of this world, by the establishment of power and sovereignty in the person of the second Man, the Lord from heaven.
"O what a bright and blessed world
This groaning earth of ours will be,
When from its throne the tempter hurl'cl,
Shall leave it all, O Lord, to thee!"