The Harp of God Part 45

PARADISE RESTORED

[593]The restoration means the bringing back to earth of the Edenic condition for man's benefit. Some may think there will be not sufficient room upon the earth for all the restored ones. According to the best authority, there have lived and died about 20,000,000,000 people. There are now on earth approximately 1,700,000,000 persons. This is a total of 21,700,000,000. In order to be liberal, let us suppose that all the human race will total 50,000,000,000. As a suggestion that there will be ample room for all on the earth, let one take his pencil and divide the area of the state of Texas by 50,000,000,000; and he will find that that number of people could be placed in the state of Texas alone, giving each one about 146 square feet of land upon which to stand. Of course it is not to be expected that the earth will be crowded thus; but when we remember that only a small portion of the earth's surface is now inhabited, that a great portion of it is desert, and when this desert shall become productive and all parts of the earth habitable, then we may see that 50,000,000,000 of people could comfortably be taken care of in the earth and have plenty of room to spare.

[594]But will the earth produce sufficiently to feed this mult.i.tude? The Scriptures answer: "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon: they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our G.o.d.... And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water." (Isaiah 35:1,2,7) "The desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that pa.s.sed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited." (Ezekiel 36:34,35) When the whole earth's surface is brought up to a condition of high cultivation like unto the garden of Eden, then indeed the earth will be a fit habitation for man. The reclamation of desert land such as the Imperial Valley of California has now begun. Only a few years ago that valley was a desolate wilderness in which no animal or human being could live; and now it produces abundant crops because it has been watered. When all the vast deserts of Sahara, Arabia, and America are fully irrigated and blossom as the rose, they will produce abundantly for man's needs.

[595]The reign of Christ will result in the destruction of all man's enemies. The weeds, the thistles, the thorns, the pests that destroy crops, shall all be destroyed. Everything that produces sickness shall be destroyed. The Apostle plainly says; "He [Christ] must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."--1 Corinthians 15:25,26.

[596]We can well imagine great mult.i.tudes of people a.s.sembling in different parts of the earth to celebrate their deliverance from Satan and his wicked organizations; and as the people witness the pa.s.sing away of ignorance, crime, superst.i.tion; and see knowledge, goodness, loving kindness taking their place, they will fill the earth with joyful song.

The Prophet describes some of the effects of these rest.i.tution blessings thus: "In this mountain [kingdom] shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations [taking away ignorance, etc,]. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord G.o.d will wipe away all tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it."--Isaiah 25:6-8.

[597]St. John on the Isle of Patmos had a vision of the great Messianic kingdom and described it in symbolic phrase. The word "heaven"

symbolically means the invisible ruling power; while the "earth" means organized society. The old heaven has been wicked, because Satan, the wicked one, has been ruling. The old earth has been wicked, because the organizations of men have been under the dominion of Satan. St. John, observing the Messianic kingdom and the blessings that would follow, wrote: "I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were pa.s.sed away; and there was no more sea". Thus he shows the new heaven (the Messianic kingdom) and the new earth (society organized on a righteous basis in the earth). _Sea_ is symbolic of restless humanity, thus picturing the fact that there will be no more strikes, lock-outs, revolutions, or anarchy. Continuing, he describes the kingdom as a holy city, the new Jerusalem, in this beautiful phrase: "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from G.o.d out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of G.o.d is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and G.o.d himself shall be with them, and be their G.o.d"--picturing here the dwelling place of the Lord. The place of meeting between Jehovah and mankind is through the Christ. The results will be the destruction of the enemy death, and the full restoration of the obedient ones; and thus he describes it: "And G.o.d shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are pa.s.sed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."--Revelation 21:1-5.

[598]Let the reasonable person ask himself these questions:

[599]Why would G.o.d outline such a marvelous plan as this?

[600]Why would he establish a new heaven and a new earth?

[601]Why would he awaken the dead out of their graves unless he intended to give them an opportunity to be restored to the perfection enjoyed by Adam before he sinned?

[602]G.o.d has invited us to use our reasoning faculties (Isaiah 1:18); and if we believe these great truths taught in the Bible, we can reach no other reasonable conclusion than that rest.i.tution is the great objective of G.o.d's plan relative to the human race, and that rest.i.tution blessings are near because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, even at the door. Let those who are cast down look up now; let the sorrowful be glad; let the sad hearts be comforted, and the broken hearts be bound up. Lift up your heads and rejoice in the fact that the day of deliverance for mankind is at the door!

[603]Call to mind for a moment the great amount of suffering in the densely populated cities. Old men and old women, young men and young women, children, infants in arms, all crowded into foul tenements, with not sufficient food, impure air, and improper clothing; and everything tending to degrade their morals. Call to mind the countries devastated by the war, the homes destroyed, families broken up, the crippled, blind, deaf, dumb, and insane. Imagine for a moment the intense suffering of the millions of people throughout the earth; and then know that this dark vail of suffering and death will shortly be lifted and the sunlight of G.o.d's love will shine in upon all. Like the sun, the great Messianic kingdom, shining forth with healing beams, shall dispel the darkness, drive away the sickness, clean up the bodies and clean up the minds and morals, point the people to proper food--what to eat and how to eat it, what to think upon and how to conduct themselves; and above all, to give them a full knowledge of the loving kindness of our great G.o.d and of the Lord Jesus Christ, the dearest Friend of all. And know, then, that these blessings will bring eternal happiness in the earth. Men and women will not only grow strong, but they will reach that state in which they will not even fear, think, or expect, to be sick.

[604]With the establishment of the new order under the Messiah wars and revolutions shall cease, because he has promised that then "they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more"; and thus there shall be no more restless humanity, symbolically called _sea_.--Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3; Revelation 21:1.

[605]The profiteers will no longer be permitted to prey upon the people, because G.o.d's promise is that under the righteous reign none shall be permitted to injure another nor defraud his neighbor.--Isaiah 11:9; 65:25.

[606]Then shall famines vanish away and no more shall be hungering for food nor vainly striving for sustenance of life, because then the earth shall yield her increase and there shall be plenty for all.--Psalm 67:6.

[607]Then shall disease and sickness be destroyed, because G.o.d has promised under this new order to bring in health and strength and to bless the people with all favors incident thereto. "The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick."--Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 21:4.

[608]Funerals now are the order of the day, and the family and loved ones left behind a.s.semble in sorrow to pay the last tribute to their beloved dead. But under the new order of things funerals will cease, undertakers will seek a more pleasing employment, and the hea.r.s.es will be changed from vehicles of sorrow to equipages of pleasure. "There shall be no more death."--Rev. 21:4.

[609]Families have been torn asunder and each member has borne his or her sorrow until claimed by the grave; but under the new order families will be reunited, parents will be brought back to the children, and children to the parents, and they shall dwell together in happiness.--1 Corinthians 15:22,23.

[610]No more will the poor be vainly hunting for a habitation or fleeing from greedy landlords, because then, as G.o.d has promised, the people shall 'build houses and live in them; they shall not build for another to live in but then every man shall have his own habitation and every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall make them afraid'.--Isaiah 65:21-23; Micah 4:4.

[611]At that time there will be full liberty to do right, because right will always be encouraged. Every one will have the liberty to do all the good he can. There will be no secret service men nor espionage laws under the reign of Messiah. This will result in the development and exhibition of the beauty of character. Justice will prevail amongst men; they will become wise concerning the things pertaining to their welfare and happiness. Love will be the motive directing their actions and their every power shall be exercised for good.--Revelation 21:24-27.

[612]Life, that which has been the desire of men in all ages, will be completely realized--life in fullness, when men and women will be strong and vigorous, and there shall be no more pain, no suffering, no sorrow, no death; when all obedient ones shall return to the days of their youth and enjoy life as perfect human beings through endless ages.--Job 33:25; Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:4.

[613]Praise then shall take the place of sorrow. No longer will the people a.s.semble in cemeteries on Decoration Day to pay tribute to their hero dead, because then their dead will be restored to them; and the one who shall be the greatest hero in their minds and hearts will be the great Messiah, who has brought the people the unspeakable blessings.

Then will the people a.s.semble, not to discuss politics, nor to wrangle over who shall hold the offices, but to improve their minds and to study the beauties and wonders of G.o.d's creation and to sing songs of gladness to his praise.--Isaiah 35:10; 51:11; Philippians 2:10,11.

CONSOLATION TO CHRISTIANS

[614]Death is a cruel enemy of the human race. Its sting has been felt for ages. It takes away beloved ones and leaves a burning dagger in the heart of the surviving friend. It has filled the earth with sadness, and the people with grief. But the sweet music from the harp of G.o.d has cheered some sad hearts who have learned of the divine arrangement to restore their dear ones whom they have loved and lost awhile. By faith the Christian sees that in his own good time and way G.o.d will bring back their beloved dead and give them an opportunity for endless life and happiness, because he has promised thus to do. The Christian knows that G.o.d's promises are certain of fulfillment and that his power to perform is unlimited. Such faith, based upon the precious promises, helps now in a measure to allay the sting of death.

[615]Beside the tossing billows of the mighty ocean one walks in silent meditation. Her mind turns to a beloved one who during the World War was taken away to serve in the navy. For a time he sailed the seas and returned, only to sicken and die, leaving behind a bleeding heart, which only time and the Lord can heal. As her feet silently tread the soft sands recently caressed by the waves, her mind is filled with thoughts of happy days spent with her beloved brother, whose laughter is now hushed in death and who sleeps in Jesus, waiting for the time of resurrection. The former joyful days were turned into sorrow because of Death's wicked hand. But the great Burden-Bearer lightens her load and helps her to bear her sorrow as there come to her mind the words spoken through his messenger: "Sorrow not as others, who have no hope; for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will G.o.d bring by him.... Comfort one another with these words."--1 Thessalonians 4:13,14,18.

[616]Gazing far out to sea, she observes a mighty ship being tossed by the power of the waves as though it were an empty sh.e.l.l. What marvelous power is thus displayed by those waves! Yet it is but a semblance of the power of G.o.d. He who made the great ocean and caused the moon to kiss its bosom at nightfall; he who hung the stars in the heavens, which serve to guide the weary and wave-tossed mariner in his stormy course, and who holds back the winds until he has reached his desired haven--he it is who is clothed with all power and authority in heaven and in earth, and has promised to bring back the beloved dead from the grave.

His promise he will faithfully keep.

[617]Her meditations for a time sad, are now turned into silent joy because of the hope planted in that once troubled bosom by the precious promises of G.o.d. By faith she sees the blessed day, not far distant, when back to life shall come that beloved brother. By faith she sees him hurrying over the highway of holiness, until he is made strong, vigorous, and returns to the days of his youth, and shall dwell in peace and happiness for ever.

[618]Oh! what sweet and consoling music the restoration string of G.o.d's harp brings to the heart of the Christian now! What great joy will fill that heart when, as a member of the glorified body of Christ, the blessed privilege will be had of awakening out of death that beloved one and marking his gradual restoration to perfect manhood! Then both the blesser and the blessed will praise G.o.d for his boundless love. Until that happy day, blessed is the one who claims the promise: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind [meditation] is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee".--Isaiah 26:3.

[619]For centuries Christians lost sight of the beautiful doctrine of the restoration pictured by the tenth string of the harp of G.o.d. This was due to the fact that the consecrated were in captivity to the religious systems formed by man and into which Satan injected false doctrines, thereby blinding the understanding of even the honest-hearted.

But with the second presence of the Lord his people have been released from such Babylonian captivity. The eyes of their understanding opening because of the brightness of his presence, they have learned of the restoration string of the harp of G.o.d; and its sweet melody has cheered their hearts so much that they could not keep back the singing. G.o.d foreknew this, of course; and for the further encouragement of such caused his Prophet to write these appropriate words relative to the restoration blessings coming to the nations and peoples and kindreds of earth: "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them."--Psalm 126:1,2.

[620]Truly, as G.o.d's Prophet said: "I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp". (Psalm 49:4) All of G.o.d's plan has been stated in parabolic language, and is appreciated only by the consecrated follower of Jesus; but when understood, it is indeed a harp that yields the most entrancing music that ever fell upon human ears. Strike now the chord of rest.i.tution and hear how beautifully it responds and harmonises with all the other strings upon the divine harp! Know, then, that as the people come to learn of G.o.d's wonderful arrangement, all whose hearts are right will praise him. The Psalmist thus appropriately says:

"O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: Fear before him, all the earth.

Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth; The world also shall he established that it shall not be moved; He shall judge the people righteously.

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof.

Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein; Then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord; For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the people with his truth."--Psalm 96:9-13.

[621]Finally, at the end of the Millennial reign of the Messianic kingdom, all the obedient ones of the human race will have been restored to perfect conditions. The harp of G.o.d, the great doctrinal truths, will be magnified in the hearts of all the people. But even now the fully consecrated Christian is pictured as standing above the kingdoms of this world, having the harp of G.o.d, and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord G.o.d Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?" And with the close of the thousand years "all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest". (Revelation 15:3,4) These are looking to the finished work of Christ.

HALLELUJAH CHORUS

[622]By faith looking up through the corridor of the Millennial age now opening, we see standing at the further end thereof a perfect race of human beings. Every vestige of wickedness, selfishness, and wrong has been eliminated. During the thousand-year reign of Christ that old serpent, the devil and Satan, has been restrained, that he might not deceive the nations and peoples during the Messianic reign. (Revelation 20:1-3) Being released for a little season at the end of that period, he has put forth his efforts again to deceive; but now these have ended and Satan is destroyed, because G.o.d has decreed it thus. (Revelation 20:7-10; Hebrews 2:14) Abraham, the father of the faithful, and his colleagues of like faithfulness, who have, under the supervision of the Christ, directed the people through their Millennial trial, have finished their earthly career and have been raised to a higher plane as spirit beings. Having during that reign turned many to righteousness, they shine forth as the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:3) The earth has been brought to a condition of Edenic Paradise. In it there are no weeds, thistles, or wicked thorns. It is a fit habitation for perfect man, pleasing to the eye. All men and women have been perfected in organism, mind, and character; and gracious words are upon their lips.

Each one, granted a perfect voice, possesses the ability to sing perfectly; and a song of joy is upon all lips. All the creation of earth is now subjected to man; and the chief joy of every one is and will be to contribute to the happiness of his fellow men and to glorify G.o.d and Christ.

[623]By faith behold this happy picture for a moment, and then turn your vision to the things heavenly. There angels, who for ages have faithfully performed service as messengers to the Lord, are a.s.sembled; line upon line, tier upon tier of these glorious beings. In their respective positions of honor stand forth the cherubim and seraphim; and in the midst of all stands the Christ. Jesus Christ the blessed and faithful one, as the great victor now looks back over his work and 'sees the travail of his soul and is satisfied' with the happy results.

Standing by his side is his glorious bride, who for a thousand years has been the recipient of the exceeding riches of the grace of G.o.d through her beloved Head, and who will now enjoy these favors to endless ages.

Her bridesmaids, 'the virgins her companions who follow' and serve her, are there, performing their divinely a.s.signed functions. Above all stands the great Jehovah G.o.d, whose wisdom planned it all and whose loving kindness has been showered upon the mult.i.tude of his creatures.

Joy fills his blessed heart. His plan, as he foreknew it would be, is a grand success.

[624]It is an entrancing scene! It is the appropriate time for the Hallelujah chorus. The stage is set. The trumpeters with their trumpets take their places, and the psaltery and the harp are brought forth. The timbrel, the stringed instruments, the organ, the cymbals, and every conceivable instrument of praise is in the hands of the heavenly host.

There is a breathless silence. Then the trumpeters peal forth their paeans of praise, and all the other players and singers of the heavenly hosts join in. This entrancing music is caught up by the mult.i.tudes of earth and wafted back to heaven again (because communication has been established between the perfect men and the perfect heavenly creatures), until every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, are praising G.o.d, saying: "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever". (Revelation 5:13) Every knee is bowing and every tongue is confessing that Jesus is the Christ, to the glory of G.o.d the Father.

Every creature that has breath is now joining in the song. It is the Hallelujah chorus, and this is what they sing:

"Praise ye the Lord!

Praise G.o.d in his sanctuary; praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise him with the psaltery and harp.

Praise him with the timbrel and dance; Praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals; praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

Praise ye the Lord!"--Psalm 150.