Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth

1. Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth: No. 1 - Where Dwellest Thou?

2. Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth: No. 2 - Lot

3. Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth: No. 3 - Abraham

4. Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth: No. 4 - Abraham

5. Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth: No. 5

Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth: No. 1 - Where Dwellest Thou?

Such was the question once put to that heavenly Stranger, who had not where to lay His head in this world. Is it not, however, a question we may ask each other? Where do you dwell?

We read in the Bible that there are two places, and two classes of people, the dwellers in these places. Heaven and earth are the two places, and we are each and all dwelling in one of thorn..

But you will perhaps say, How can any one be dwelling in heaven whilst he is still alive down here? In scripture the Christian is spoken. of as a " stranger and a pilgrim " on earth, and in Heb. 13:14 it is said, " For here have we no continuing [or abiding] city, but we seek one to come."

It has sometimes been illustrated thus. Christian is like a man in business; he has his office and his home. He goes to his office daily, but he dwells at home. So with a believer, his home is in heaven; his heart, his treasure, his all is there; but he is still on the earth at work, left here to be for Christ in this scene. I should like, however, to illustrate my subject, by taking three characters from the word of God, and drawing an analogy between them, and the two classes of people mentioned above.

CAIN.

This is the first example I take. No doubt you are familiar with his history. He was the first man ever born into this world, and he was a tiller of the ground, whilst Abel, his younger brother, was a keeper of sheep.

They each brought an offering to the Lord. Abel, acknowledging that he was a sinner and deserved only death (for " The soul that sinneth it shall die." Eze. 18:4, 20), brought a lamb as a substitute, which Jehovah accepted in anticipation of, and in virtue of, the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, the holy, spotless Lamb of God, upon the cross, nearly four thousand year after. (John 1:29; Isa. 53:7.) Cain, on contrary, did not see his need as a sinner, but brought of the fruit of the ground which Jehovah had cursed (Gem iii. 17), and thought to be accepted. We know he was not, for he tried to approach God in his own way, instead of in the only way God could be approached, which is through death.

And here let us pause for a moment, dear reader. How are you seeking to approach God? In your own way or in His—which? In John 14:6, Jesus says: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." It was " By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." (Heb. 11:4.) And it is through faith in Christ alone that we are saved, and " Without faith it is impossible to please him." (Heb. 11:6.)

Think of that impossible! What, will not good works please Him? Dear reader, by nature we have none. Isa. 64:6 says, " All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Cain, no doubt, brought of the very best and finest of the fruit of the ground. One could scarcely think he would dare offer to God what was not the very best of its kind; but it would not do, there was no acknowledgment of his state as a sinner before God, there was no faith, neither was it God's way of approach to Him, and so it was worse than useless.

Because his offering was not accepted, Cain vas angry, and God in His infinite mercy condescended to speak to him, and point out to him that the way of approach was still open; for the right reading of Gen. 4:7 is "a sin-offering lieth at the door." He could still do as Abel had done, and bring a lamb, then he, too, would have been accepted. But Cain would not thus take his true place as a sinner in the sight of God, needing the death of a substitute because he deserved to die himself.

There are, alas! many people who think as he did, for it is a difficult thing for man to confess himself to be lost, ruined, guilty, and good for nothing. He thinks there is still some good in him; but the only way to get rest and peace is to believe first what God says about him, as in Rom. 3:9-20, and then accept His way of salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for sinners on the cross, as the rest of Rom. 3 explains. It is only for sinners that Christ died; He Himself says, "I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:32.) And again, " The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.'

Then Cain becomes a murderer, and in 1 John 3:12, we read it was " Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." When God speaks to Cain a second time he requires Abel's blood at his hands (Gen. 4:9), and then follows the punishment. He might have had access to God, and been happy if he would; but now he goes forth from the presence of the Lord, and we never read that he gets back there again.

And here again, if Abel's blood cried for vengeance, what of the blood of Christ, " which speaketh better things "? (fhb. xii. 24.) Is God unmindful of the death of His Son? And will He not require His blood, too? At whose hands? Oh, you say, Pilate, the Jews, and the Roman empire did it. Dear reader, if you are an unbeliever, you, too, are guilty, for you belong to and are part of the world that put to death the Son of God. And unless you believe in Jesus and arc cleansed from sin by His blood, that precious blood, which speaks of mercy now, must be your judgment hereafter.

Having said this in explanation of the events which led up to it, I have come now to the part where Cain becomes a picture of the dwellers on earth mentioned before. Cain goes forth from the presence of the Lord, and mark! it says he dwelt in the land of Nod. Then we read, he built a city and called it after the name of his son Enoch. (Gen. 4:16, 17.) Then there are those who dwell in tents and possess cattle, who are rich; there are musicians, and artificers in brass and iron amongst his families and generations; in short, he and his do their best to be happy away from God. All their interests, their treasures are on the earth—it is their dwelling place, and they have no hopes, no desires, no expectations beyond.

Are there any now who are thus trying to be happy away from God? who think of nothing,,desire nothing, but to be rich, to enjoy life as it is tailed, and to settle down here, looking for nothing beyond? We know there are many who, like Cain and his posterity, have before them for their end and aim, to make this earth a pleasant dwelling place; but, mark, it was after Cain had, gone out from the presence of the Lord.

Cain's first wrong stop was self-will——-he would not, as we have said, approach God in God's appointed way; for " without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:22), and it is self-will all through.

In Jude 11 there is a solemn woe pronounced on some who had gone in the way of Cain; Cain's way was not God's way.

Perhaps you are thinking there is no harm in doing the best you can to get on in the world. What does scripture say? Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15.) And again, " Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God." (Jas. 4:4.) And the Lord Himself said when He was down here, " No man can servo two maters;.... ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matt. 6:24.)

So if you are a believer, though you are in the world you are 'not of 'it, and should live a blameless, godly life, " that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 5:16.) And perhaps by your consistent life they may be won from their evil course to follow Christ also.

If you are an unbeliever, alas! you are part of that world, and there is but one way of escape. It is to do as Abel did, acknowledge yourself to be a sinner before God. And "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."

And what becomes of Cain and his posterity? In Gen. 6:5, 6, we read: " And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earthy, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented. the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." Then, in verse 11, we further read that " The earth also was, corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence." Cain had been violent towards his brother, now the earth is filled with violence.

God brings in judgment, from which, again, there is but one way of escape—God's way. Noah, a just man, finds favor in God's sight, and he is told to build an ark; for there was a terrible flood coming on the earth, and there was no safety but in the ark of God's providing.

Noah preached whilst he was building the ark (2 Pet. 2:5), but when it was completed the day of grace was over. Only Noah, his wife, and family—in all, eight persons (1 Pet. 3:20)—entered it, and God shut them in. Then the flood came and all outside the ark were drowned. (Gen. 7:21-23.) They found, indeed, to their cost that the earth was not a safe dwelling-place. And, dear friends, is it any safer now?

Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth: No. 2 - Lot

We have now traced the sad history of Cain, and also of "the dwellers on earth " in Revelation. We have seen that the earth is not a safe dwelling place, and yet, alas, how many are building their hopes and desires upon it. How many even of God's dear people have never seen that it is a condemned world, and under judgment, which will most assuredly fall upon it in God's appointed time.

It is to Christians who are thus living in the world, and who see no harm in mixing to a certain extent in its pleasures that I would now give a solemn warning, taking as an example the painful history of Lot, the second of the three characters spoken of before.

Lot was the nephew of Abraham, and when Abraham obeyed the call of God to come out from his country, unto a land that God would show him, Lot went with him. (Gen. 12:1-4.)

And here let us pause for a moment. Is there any call to be obeyed now? Indeed there is. In Matt. 11:28 we find the Lord Jesus Christ in grace saying, " Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' And whom does He address? The weary and heavy-laden sinner. Have you obeyed His call? Oh, see to it, that, like Abraham who was called, and Lot who came out with him, you, too, may.a): His voice and obey it; and I may say, on the authority of God's holy word, He will never m you away. (John 6:37.)

You must do as Abel did, acknowledge yourself to be a lost and ruined sinner in God's sight; this is your only title to His grace and mercy, for Jesus died to put away sin, and bring to God.

But to return to our subject: Lot went with Abraham, and for a time remained with him. As long as he did so, he was blessed, but a change comes; through a dispute between their herdsmen, they decide to separate.

Abraham having the mind of the Lord, gives Lot the choice of land either to the right, or to the left. (Gen. 13:1-9.)

It is difficult to believe that Abraham would have given Lot the choice of Sodom, because in verse 13 we are told how wicked the men of Sodom were; it is therefore doubtful whether Lot did look to the right or to the left as his uncle told him. Verse 10 says, " And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.'

Lot seems to have looked straight before him, and because the plain of Jordan was well water and just the place he would like for his flocks and herds, he chose to dwell there.

And did he not choose wisely? In the eyes of the world he did; but oh, how sad it is, he chose, to pitch his tent toward Sodom, near the very people whom God describes here as " wicked, and sinners before the Lord, exceedingly?' (Gen. 13:13.)

Dear fellow-Christian, may I ask, are you, doing as Lot did? He thought everything or his flocks and herds, and but little of the claims of the God who gave him these riches; an though he was daily grieved at the ungodly conduct of those around him, for he was a righteous man (2 Pet. 2:6-8), yet for the sake of his Hue and herds, he stays on until God had to put for His power and in mercy bring him out by for' lest he should share the just punishment which falls on those wicked men.

If we as Christians make friends of, and quite happy in the company of unbelievers, are, as James (iv. 4) says, the enemies of God. How solemn!

We hear of people saying, " But then by our intercourse with them we may help them?' it cannot be; for in 2 Cor. 6:14-18, We are told to come out and be separate, and in other scriptures too. It is not possible to do good or to help others if we are disobedient to God's ourselves, nor can we expect His blessing. The cross of Christ is the barrier between the Christian and the world. (Gal. 6:14.) How can we who love Him take pleasure in the company of the world that put to death the Son of God?

We do not read that Lot improved the condition of those amongst whom he went to dwell, on the contrary, they appear to get worse.

And now that Lot is settled in Sodom, is he able to enjoy the peace and tranquility he expected? No; for in chapter xiv we read that four kings came up in battle against the king of Sodom, and the four neighboring cities; and Lot gets into sad trouble, for the opposing army is victorious, and carries off the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, taking Lot and his goods too.

Thus God in grace gives Lot a warning, and well would it have been for him if he had then learned his lesson, without needing further chastening at the hand of the Lord.

Abraham hearing of his nephew's adversity, goes after him, and is enabled of the Lord to deliver him and all his goods, as well as those belonging to the king of Sodom: thus does God deliver Lot out of his trouble. Even after Lot has received this great warning he goes back to live in Sodom, for in chapter xix we read of his being there again; and the two angels find him there when they come as the messengers judgment, to that city and the neighboring ones.

The angels remain in Lot's house all night, and in the morning they take Lot and his wife and two daughters by the hand, and hasten them out of Sodom, " the Lord being merciful unto him" (ver. 16), lest he should be consumed in the iniquity of the city. Lot lingers, and at last he and his have to be almost dragged out of the city.

Ah how loath he was to leave it; how much he thought of it, and of the new relationships he had formed there. So engrossing do the things of this world become if they are the object of the heart, that they draw it away from the Lord; and when He speaks" once, yea twice," how slow we are to hear and to pay heed, until the Lord has to speak louder, as it were, by taking them away; for, dear reader, Lot entered Sodom a rich man, but he left it a poor man, his life only and that of his two daughters being spared.

In Lot's wife we see also a sad lesson; her heart is in Sodom, though her feet are being unwillingly led away from it, and in direct disobedience to the divine command she looks. back and is made a monument of disobedience.

And what had Lou's intercourse with the men 4-if Sodom done for then? Just look at chapter xix. 24, Even his sons-ha-law, whom one would naturally expect to reverence what he said, When they hear Lot speak of judgment to come, do not believe him; " he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law." So now, if we believe the word of God that this world is under judgment, and yet go and make friends with it, our words of warning will seem to them as idle tales, and how can they believe us 2 And by acting thus, we shall have lost the precious opportunity, never to be ours again, of living for Christ in this scene, and of being bright and shining lights, for Him in this dark world. (Phil. 2:15.)

Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth: No. 3 - Abraham

IT is with a sense of relief that one turns from the dark picture of Cain, and the " dwellers on earth," and the sad history of Lot, to the bright one of Abraham, the last of the three characters named in a previous paper.

In Gen. 11:27 we read of his birth, and from Josh. 24:2 we learn that Terah, the father of Abram, was an idolater, dwelling in Ur of the Chaldees. God calls Abram to come out, and he does so, as we have already seen.

At Haran, however, he and those with him pause, and God has again to speak. Haran is not the promised land, and once more Abram has to go forth, until at length he comes to the land of Canaan, and here God appears to him, and says, "Unto thy seed will I give this land." 'Gen. 12:7.)

What now is the next thing told us of Abram? Why, in this same verse (7) we read: " And there bulled he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him." He becomes at once a worshipper; he is filled with the thoughts of God's wondrous dealings with him, and his heart flows out in worship. Oh! can we not learn a lesson? If we have obeyed the call, referred to before, of Matt. 11:28, what has been the effect upon us? And note this difference: Abram was called of God to come to a promised land; you and dear fellow-christian, have been called to a blessed, Person. He says, " COME to ME." He, the holy and spotless Lamb of God, died to put away the sin that was the obstacle which kept us away from God, and now, having put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, He calls us to Himself. Oh, how much, more cause have we to worship than even Abram had! We are not only brought to Him, but united to Him, are made members of His body, and, as such, are privileged to meet, every first day of the week, around the table of the Lord, Christ Himself in our midst, to praise and worship Him. Do we value this precious privilege? or do we allow the least little thing to hinder us from being present? Let us take the lesson Abram's life would teach us.

The rest of chapter xii. records failure: Abram being pressed by famine, instead of relying upon God to supply his need, goes down to Egypt and falls into sin. It is ever thus when we get off the path of faith, we fall into sin; and, but for the longsuffering and patience of our God, where should we often be? But God follows Abram, and brings him back again, to the very place where he had at first pitched his tent and where his altar was. (Chap. xiii. 3, 4.) And then Abram is in a fit state for God to reveal Himself to him again, as we shall soon see.

We have noticed in the history of Lot, how Abram gives his nephew the choice of land, being quite content to leave himself in God's hands. Is he disappointed? Or is he left without the blessing? Let us look at verses 14-18. As soon as Lot has separated from him, the Lord speaks to him, and tells him to look north, south, east, and west: " For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever;" and again Abram worships.

This is ever God's way, He gives us infinitely more than we are ever called on to give up for Him; the Lord Jesus Christ says, in answer to Peter who had said, " Lo, we have left all, and followed thee," that he shall receive manifold more; ah, dear fellow-christian, in however small a way it may have been, yet have we not proved this true, the more we cleave to Christ, turning' away from the world, the more precious we find Him and the deeper our happiness—would that we knew more of it!

Chapter xiv. gives the account of Abram's victory over the conquerors of Sodom and Gomorrah, and his rescue of Lot; on his return, Melchisedec, king of Salem, a wondrous type of Christ (see Heb. v. 6-10), meets him, and blesses him in the name of the Most High God possessor of heaven and earth; and Abram gives him tithes of all.

The king of Sodom then offers to Abram the recovered goods; but the servant of the Most High God will receive nothing at the hands of the world (of which, as we have seen, Sodom is a type), not even a shoe-latchet will he have; Abram will be rich only by the bounty of God, for he adds, " lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich." (Ver. 23.)

And now how beautiful are the opening words of chapter xv. " After these things," when Abram, entirely separate from the world, is living in faith and dependence on God, the Lord appears to him, and says, " Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."

What blessed words, how they must have rejoiced Abram's heart to hear, what rich compensation for everything else! But this is not all: God promises him a son, and confirms it by the smoking furnace and burning lamp in the sacrifice; and in verse 18 again promises to him the land, and to his seed, from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates.

In chapter xvi. Abram and Sarah fail, and seek to make good the promise in their own way, instead of waiting for God to accomplish His own word, in His own time.

But in spite of his failure, God again promises him a son (chap. xvii.), and makes a covenant with him, changing his name from Abram to Abraham, which means a father of a great multitude; and from then on to the end of his life we see how Abraham lived in communion with God; and to him the Spirit of God in scripture twice gives the wondrous title of the " Friend of God," (2 Chron. 20:7; Jas. 2:23.)

Yet wondrous as this is, the portion of the believer now is infinitely more so. We are told in 1 John 3:1-3, that we are the sons of God, and in the first chapter of that same Epistle (ver. 3) we learn, " Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." Why do we know so little of it? Even because the things of this world come in, and we too often walk in darkness instead of the light of His presence; the Holy Spirit that dwells in each believer (1 Cor. 6:19, 20) cannot take of the things of Christ, and show them unto us (John 16:13-15) if our minds and hearts are running on the earth, and the things of this life. Oh, let us see to it that we obey the apostle Paul's injunction, " Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." It was only " after these things," when Abraham would receive nothing from, and have nothing to do with, Sodom, that God did thus commune with

In the end of chapter xviii. we find Abraham, who is, as it were, above the scene in company with the Lord, looking down on those guilty cities, and thinking of the erring Lot, when he hears of their coming doom, intercedes on their behalf. Lot at the same moment is in Sodom, the very place where judgment is to fall, and little knows of the deliverance which he is about to experience in answer to his uncle's prayers.

Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth: No. 4 - Abraham

WE have traced the history of this wondrous man up to chapter xx., and here, alas, again we read of failure; but in chapter xxi. Jehovah fulfills His promise to Abraham, and gives him a, son. Isaac is born, and the outward form of circumcision slims him to be set apart for God, in obedience to the covenant of chapter 7-14, so that we may say he was separate from his birth. Is it not very marked how the principle of separation runs through the whole of God's dealings with Abraham? and now with Isaac also?

From this child of promise—Isaac—is to spring the great nation God had promised, and more blessed still, through whom was to come the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who was to be their Savior and Messiah, thus fulfilling that wondrously blessed promise which brought in the poor Gentiles. "In these shaft all families of the earth be blessed." (17 _. xii. 3.)

Ishmael now is cast out the divine teaching on this we have in, Gal. 4:22-31.

Isaac grows, up, and almost reaches manhood, when God calls Abraham, and bids him offer up this very child of promise, even Isaac. And will he, can he do it? Can he thus give up the promises and slay his son? Yes, when bidden of God he can and does, as we see in chapter xxii. How touching scene! As they go up the mountain, laden with the wood, the fire and the knife, Isaac asks a very natural question, " But where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?" (Ver. 7.) Abraham's answer is most beautiful: " My son, God will provide himself a lamb." (Ver. 8.) What marvelous faith his was!

They reach the top of the mount, and Isaac permits himself to be bound on the altar. Abraham takes the knife to slay his son, when God again speaks: " Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me." (Ver. 12.) God commends his obedience, and renews His covenant with him in still more beautiful terms. (Vers. 16-18.)

And did God provide Himself a lamb? Indeed He did. A ram was found caught in the thicket, which was sacrificed instead of Isaac; but the Lamb of God's providing was not given till nearly two thousand years after; I refer to the Lamb of God in John 1:29.

Abraham yielding up Isaac is a striking picture of God Himself, who yielded His only Son that He might die for poor perishing sinners. Oh, think of it! for Jesus there was no escape if we must be saved. God spared Isaac, but the word of God tells us that He " spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." (Rom. 8:32.) What wondrous love! Oh, dear unsaved one, may this love win you to Himself now, and break down every barrier that keeps you away from Him.

And here we may leave the history of this wonderful man, and take up the many points of his life, which may be helpful lessons to us.

In Heb. 11:8-19 we learn that it was by faith Abraham lived and acted thus; by faith he 3, -first obeyed the call to come forth, not even knowing where he was going: it was pith and obedience all through, and so it must be with us.

Then again, as Abraham who dwelt in tents, and the Jews, his descendants, who are spoken of as "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (lob. xi. 13), so the Christian is a stranger and a pilgrim here; he is born of God, and as the Lord Himself says," They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world " (John 17:16) and being thus called out of it, he is sent back into the world, to testify by his life that he belongs to Christ, and to speak of Christ to those around him; and as to his own path to walk by faith, looking up to God for guidance for every step. Abram knew not where he was going, neither does the Christian know the path God is leading him in; but he knows that " All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Rom. 8:28.) And is not this enough? "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9.) We have too His blessed assurance, "My God shall supply all your need." (Phil. 4:19.)

Are we content to have all our sources and supplies from above?

But not only is our home in heaven, our Savior is there too, and it is from thence that e look for Him to return, and take His saints to Himself, to be with Him and like Him forever.

And now in closing, I should like to ask the same question I began with, Where do you dwell? Are you engrossed with this world, with pleasure, riches and the things of this life? If so, again I must remind you that this earth is not a safe dwelling-place. Cain did not find it so; Lot did not either; and in the Revelation we see that the dwellers on earth will not find it safe, for there is a time of judgment coming.

Or, Are you a stranger and a pilgrim here? living here for the time only, and having all your springs and sources from above? Then look up, and behold what will be your portion in the coming time of judgment on the earth? You will be with the Lord Himself, the One who is the judge; and to be with the One who has loved us so much, and to be like Him too. Never more to grieve Him, nor bring dishonor on His name, will far more than make up for any trials or difficulties we have had to pass through in the path of faith and obedience down here.

The apostle Paul, who passed through more trials than any one ever did experience except the Lord Himself (see 2 Cor. 11), says, " For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Rom. 8:18.)

Is not all this blessing worth anything and everything that this poor world can give? Can you find anything to equal it?

Let us then be as Christ would have us, walking in the path of faith and obedience, that when He comes we may not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

Plain Papers to Dwellers on Earth: No. 5

We will now trace the history of these people through the Book of Revelation, and see what their end is. Oh may the unconverted, who read this, take the solemn warning pointed out in these scriptures. I rejoice for your sakes to think that it is yet the clay of grace, and that the way of salvation is still open for all; but we know not how long it will be open, it may close at any moment, though it is not yet too late. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Pet. 3:9.)

In Rev. 3:10 we have this class of people mentioned for the first time. The Lord is there addressing the church in Philadelphia, and He tells them, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." There is a time of trial coming on the earth, and on those who dwell there; but it will not touch those who are faithful to Christ. They will be kept out of it, altogether out of it, because the Christian is not of the world. (John 17:16.) So he is not (or ought not to be) mixed up with its pleasures or interests, and will not then share in its judgments. Here we get mentioned the two classes we began with, but what a marked contrast! This time of trial will be bitter indeed; it will come after the Lord has taken His own people out of this world to be with Himself.

In Rev. 11 we see two witnesses " stand-ins” before the God of the earth," and they go forth and preach and testify against those who dwell on the earth; for their testimony is that the Lord is the rightful Owner of the earth; and it " torments " these people (ver. 10) because they are dwelling on it, and taking possession of it for themselves.

Satan is spoken of as " the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4), though it is really the Lord's. (Psalm 24:1.) Satan is a usurper, and so are these dwellers; for they think not of Him to whom it rightly belongs, but possess it for themselves; and thus work Satan's will, though they think they are only pleasing themselves.

These witnesses then testify that He is the “God of the earth," and that He will take possession, too. They continue 1260 days, clothed In sackcloth; thus showing their sorrow at the state of things, and bringing down instant judgment on any who dare molest them.

When their allotted time of 1260 days has expired, the beast—an agent of Satan—makes war against them and kills them, and heaps upon their dead bodies great indignities; they are left lying in the streets three days and a half.

Now is the time of rejoicing for those against whom these prophets preached, and verse 10 tells us they send gifts to one another as a token of their joy, and they think themselves secure, when lo! " the spirit of life from God entered into them [the dead bodies of the prophets], and they, stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them." (Vers. 11, 12.)

Then there was a great earthquake; the rest of those who were not slain by it, were affrighted; and well they might be, for in chapter viii. 13, an angel proclaims with a loud voice, " "Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth"—three solemn woes; and in chapter vi. 10 the voices of those who were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held, cry to God to avenge their blood on " them that dwell on the earth;" now their prayer is heard. Ah! well may they tremble, it is too late for them to escape; they refused Christ, and the way of salvation through Him; then they refused to hear the two prophets; now the third woe of chapter viii. 10 is about to come upon them, the coming of Christ, chapter xi. 15—not the coming of Christ for His own (see 1 Thess. 4:13-18)—that will have taken place before the events of this chapter occur at all—but the coming of Christ with His saints in judgment (see 1 Thess. 5:1-4; 2 Thess. 1:7-10), yet mark, even in their fear, to whom do they give glory? It is to the " God of heaven," not to the " God of the earth." They acknowledge Him, but as afar off, not as the, possessor of the earth.

We have seen how this class of people refused the testimony of God's two witnesses; what else befalls them? Turn to chapter xiii. 8, there we find them worshipping the beast, and, through the beast, doing homage to Satan himself, the usurper of the earth; the one, too, who in verse 6 blasphemes God, and His name, His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

In Rev. 13:14 we read that Antichrist—the second beast spoken of in this chapter—-deceives " them that dwell on the earth." They would not believe the truth in the day of grace, therefore now they are given over to believe a lie. As it was in the history of Cain, so here: it is self-will that is their ruin. In 2 Thess. 2:8-12 we have a history of this same time, "that wicked " being the Antichrist of Rev. 12:11-17.

Chapter xviii. 2, 9 explains how those who were the inhabiters of the earth were mixed up in the wickedness of Babylon.

And now we have come to the end of their history, to their final judgment; and yet, before that judgment falls, God deals again in mercy towards them, for in chapter xiv. 6, 7, Tie sends-forth an angel to preach the " everlasting gospel " to those who dwell on the earth: its message is this, " fear God. and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

This will be a very different gospel from that which is now being proclaimed. At present it is the day of grace, but when the events of Rev. 14 take place this day of grace will be over, and the everlasting gospel will go forth, which proclaims God as the Creator; the gospel that is now preached proclaims Him as a Savior. After this gospel has gone forth, the Lord, the Possessor of heaven and earth, will come and take to Himself His great power and reign on the earth for 1000 years. His kingdom will be set up; the · Jews will acknowledge Him as their King; Antichrist will be cast down, destroyed " with the brightness of his coming " (2 Thess. 2:8); and the true Christ will reign. Satan will be bound for the thousand years (Rev. 20:3), and all wickedness will be kept under, for instant punishment will fall on all unrighteousness. Then " the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." (Isa. 11:9.) All will be peace and harmony (Isa, xi. 6-9), evil will not be allowed; righteousness will prevail; cruelty, injustice, or oppression will not be permitted.

When the millennium or thousand years are over, Satan will be loosed again, but only for a little season; then he will be cast into the lake of lire. (Rev. 20:7-10.)

We have seen how the dwellers on earth worshipped the beast; in chapter xiv. 9-11 there is a fearful description given of the judgment of those who did so. And what of the earth, their dwelling-place? Cain's posterity perished in the flood; now we find by comparing Rev. 13:8 with chapter xiv. 9-11 that those who dwell on the earth, and worship the beast, have their portion in the lake of fire. The earth itself is burnt up (see 2 Pet. 3:12). In Rev. 20:11 the heaven and the earth flee away from the presence of Him who sits upon the great white throne. From Job 15:15 we learn that “the heavens are not clean in his sight," and we know from 1 John 5:19 that “the whole world lieth in wickedness," or, as it should read, " in the wicked one," that is, Satan. Here in Rev. 20:11 both heaven and earth flee away at His presence.

Then we read of a " new heaven and a new earth" (Rev. 21:1), and 2 Pet. 3:13 says, " wherein dwelleth righteousness;" no longer keeping down evil, as it was in the millennium, for here there is no sin, so righteousness no longer reigns over but dwells on the earth.