THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S
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prepared before the foundation of the world. This kingdom is of a thousand years* du ration when Satan is bound and in th e abyss. The nations th a t du ring th e tim e of th e g rea t tribu lation showed kindness to th e Jews, hy feed ing and clothing them , etc., are p erm it ted on th is account to in h e rit th e king dom. There is reason for believing th a t many Gentiles as well as Jews will be saved during th e g reat trib u latio n as a resu lt of th e faith fu l testim ony of th e Jew ish messengers. Of course none can en ter into etern al life on account of any work or deed of ch arity or be nevolence which they may have done b u t only th rough faith in th e atoning blood of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Rev. 7:14 and 12:11. MONDAY, Aug. 25. Daniel 1:1-8. Set A part fo r Leadership. The first chapter of Daniel gives us th e preparation of th e p rophet when he was set a p a rt for fu tu re leadership. As we note hy his m anner of life we are stru ck by seven things th a t he seemed to be careful about. If we can manifest a sim ilar concern, we sh all he th e bet te r qualified to study and understand his prophecies. 1. He was careful about his diet. Ch. 1:8. G luttony is a sin again st which every Christian needs to he constantly on his guard. The m entality is clear or clouded ac cording to th e diet and th e Holy Spirit will no t use a man who is addicted to intemperance in eating. 2. He was careful about his companions. Our as sociates have g reat power in helping or hindering th e sp iritu al life. 3. He was careful about his general inform ation. Ch. 1:17. We should not despise gen eral inform ation because we happen to be in search of p articu lar tru th . The knowledge of histo ry is especially val uable in th e understanding and in te r p retation of prophecy. 4. He was careful about his worldly business. Ch. 6:3. Prov. 22:29. Rom. 12:11. 5. He was careful about his Bible. Ch. 9:2. Ps. 119:9. 1 Cor. 2:13. 6. He was careful about his closet. Ch. 9.3-4. Backsliding usually begins a t the closet door. The C hristian life is safeguarded from failu re and defeat, if tim e be ta k en every day for Bible study and secret prayer. 7. He was careful about his citizenship. He was a citizen of two cities, Jerusalem and Babylon, and was faith fu l in his obligations unto each. He prayed w ith his windows open to w ard Jeru salem and th en arose and did th e k ing ’s business. Ch. 6:10 and 8:27.
to be en tirely controlled by evil men. Conditions m ight arise where it m ight clearly be th e du ty of a Christian man to accept a public office and consider it a sacred tru st. Such a man should be pitied and prayed fo r ra th e r th an envied and if he rem ained faith fu l to God, his te n u re of office would proba bly he brief. The surroundings and associations of political life are decid edly inim ical to sp iritu ality and grow th in grace. The experience of th e late W ashington Gladden in municipal af fairs is illum inating and his testimony ought to he convincing to any one hold ing a con trary opinion. Christians are recrean t and culpable if they do not pray earnestly and constantly for all th a t are in au tho rity th a t we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godli ness and honesty. 1 Tim. 2:2. Gov ernm en t has been en tru sted by God to man as a check on th e development of sin, Rom. 13:1, h u t men have failed in th is responsibility to govern, as did Noah, to whom was first comm itted th e sword of th e m agistrate, Gen. 9:1-6, and who to begin w ith, failed in self- government. This failu re will con tinu e un til Jesu s comes and then the dom inion th a t Adams lo st shall be given unto Him. Eecle. 3:16, Ezek. 21:25-27. SUNDAY, Aug. 24. M att. 25:31-46. The Judgm ent. In stead of th e one final and general judgm ent ta u g h t by trad ition al medi aeval theology, th e believer who righ tly divides th e Word of tru th , discovers in Scripture seven distinct judgm ents, each one differing from th e o ther in subject, object, tim e and place. There is th e judgm ent of th e serpent in Eden, the judgm en t of fallen angels, the judg m ent of sin on Calvary, th e individual self-judgm ent of th e believer, the judg m ent of sain ts for th e ir works, the judgm ent of nations, and th e judgm ent of th e g reat white throne. Matt. 25: 31-46 describes th e sixth in th is list. It is sometimes called th e sheep and goat judgm ent. Its subjects are the living nations m arshaled in th e valley of Jeho saphat when Jesu s comes to in stitu te His m illennial kingdom . The* basis of judgm ent is no t evangelical, cf. T itus 3:5, b u t th e ir trea tm e n t of the faith fu l Jew ish rem nan t, called by the K ing H is'b re th ren , in th e foregoing pe riod. The church does no t appear .in th e scene and th e re is no resurrection of th e dead. The kingdom prepared “ from th e foundation of th e world” is not th e heavenly kingdom . T h at was
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