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STUDIES
IN THE
SCRIPTURES
"The Path of the Just is as the Shining Light,
Which Shineth More and More
Unto the Perfect Day."
SERIES III
Thy Kingdom Come
"And the Kingdom and Dominion, and the Greatness
of the Kingdom Under the Whole Heaven,
Shall be Given to the People of the Saints of the
Most High, Whose Kingdom is an Everlasting
Kingdom, and All Dominions Shall Serve and
Obey Him." Dan.7:27; Rev. 5:10
To the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
IN THE INTEREST OF
HIS CONSECRATED SAINTS,
WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION,
--AND OF--
"ALL THAT IN EVERY PLACE CALL UPON THE LORD,"
"THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH,"
--AND OF--
THE GROANING CREATION, TRAVAILING AND WAITING FOR THE
MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD,
THIS WORK IS DEDICATED.
"To make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the
beginning
of the world hath been hid in God." "Wherein He hath abounded
toward
us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the
mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which
He hath purposed in Himself; that in the dispensation
of the fulness of the times He
might gather together in one all
things, under Christ."
Eph. 3:4,5,9;1:8-10
Written in 1890 by Pastor Russell
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"Thy Kingdom Come"
THE AUTHOR'S FOREWORD
THIS volume was written in 1890 and has since passed through
many editions in many languages, and still more editions are in
prospect. We have testimonials from thousands of God's consecrated
people to the effect that they have, through this Volume,
drunk deeply of the Fountain of Living Waters--the Word of God.
We trust that the blessing will continue to flow, until finally
through the Kingdom, the knowledge of the glory of God will fill
the whole earth as the waters cover the depths of the seas.
Although we disclaim anything akin to inspiration in connection
with these STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, nevertheless we are
glad that because we are in the dawning of the New Dispensation,
the light of Truth is shining so clearly and the Divine Plan is so
manifest that scarcely a word of the Volume would need to be
changed if it were written today--26 years later.
The Time of the End has emphasized this more and more as
the years have gone by, especially since we entered chronologically
the great Seventh Day. The work of Harvest has progressed
and is still progressing--even though at one time we supposed
that the Harvest work would have been fully accomplished with
the ending of the Times of the Gentiles. That was merely a supposition,
which proved to be without warrant, for the thrusting in of
the sickle of Truth and the gathering in of the ripe grain has been
progressing since October, 1914, as never before. Indeed, the great
World War has awakened humanity in a remarkable degree, and
more independent thinking is being done than ever before. All
this contributes to the breaking of the shackles of ignorance,
superstition, and prejudice, and the freeing of those who desire
to know and to do the Lord's will and to walk in the footsteps
of Jesus.
We are glad for further opportunities of service to our great
King in the gathering of the Elect to Himself, to the Truth. We
are glad to see others coming into the Truth and preparing for the
"Wedding." Evidently the "door" is not yet shut, although
we anticipate
that before a very long time--perhaps a year or two or
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three--the full number of the Elect will be completed, and all will
have gone beyond the Veil and the door will be shut.
We are free to say that the restoration of Israel has not been
accomplished as rapidly as we had anticipated. Nevertheless, the
Jews in Palestine seem to be thus far wonderfully sheltered; and
doubtless many of their co-religionists in the war districts, especially
in Poland, would be glad if they had gone to Palestine when
they had opportunity. It is difficult to say how the conclusion of
the war may affect the interests of Israel. We should be in a waiting,
expectant attitude. It looks as though the trying experiences
of the Jews would arouse considerable numbers of them eventually
to go to their home land. We have never expected, however,
that all the Jews would return thither, but rather a representative
company of them, just as in the case of the return from Babylonish
captivity--only about 52,000 returned, notwithstanding
the great hosts that went to Babylon in the captivity.
The returning ones represent those fullest of faith in the Lord
and His promises, and doubtless will be dealt with as representative
of the whole. We remind our readers that when this Volume
was written, the Jews themselves had little thought of going
to Palestine. Now Zionism has sprung up, and has taken a deep
hold upon the hearts of the Israelites. Although it was a secular
Zionism at first, it has gradually turned to religious sentiment
and hope.
The Great Pyramid of Egypt discussed in this Volume has not
lost any of its interest to the author. Its Descending Passage still
represents figuratively the downward course of mankind under
the reign of sin and death. The First Ascending Passage still represents
the Law Dispensation--God's Covenant with Israel made
at Sinai and the course of that people under the domination of
that Law. The Grand Gallery still represents the lofty heights of
the teachings of Christ and His followers during this Gospel Age.
The step in the upper end of the Grand Gallery still represents a
marked change in the affairs of the world, lifting man to a higher
plane. The connection between the top of the Grand Gallery
and the spaces above the King's Chamber still represents the
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spiritual presence of our Lord in the Harvest of this Age, beginning
with 1874.
We have never attempted to place the Great Pyramid, sometimes
called the Bible in Stone, on a parallel or equality with the
Word of God as represented by the Old and New Testament
Scriptures--the latter stand pre-eminent always as the authority.
We do, however, still believe that the structure of this Pyramid, so
different from that of all other pyramids, was designed of the
Lord and intended to be a Pyramid and a witness in the midst
and on the border of the land of Egypt. (Isaiah 19:19) It
certainly
tells a very different story from any other art or relic handed down
from its remote times.
Its wonderful corroboration of the Divine Plan of the Ages is
astounding to everybody who really grasps it. It should be read
with just as fresh interest as in the first edition, because its lessons
have not altered or changed. We trust that new readers will get
the same rich blessings from this Volume that old readers have
received, and that thus we may glorify God together and rejoice
in His provision of light and comfort on the way to the full ushering
in of the glorious Kingdom of God's dear Son.
Messiah's Kingdom is sometimes styled the Kingdom of God,
because, although it is strictly under the management of Messiah,
all of its laws, regulations, judgments, etc., are in strict conformity
to the Divine arrangement, which is unchangeable.
Hence when we pray, "Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on
earth even as in Heaven," our thought should be that the grand
perfection of the Heavenly Father's Rule and Government is our
desire and that we are hoping and waiting for the thousand-year
Reign of Christ to conquer the rebellion of earth and to bring humanity
back into as full accord with God as are all the angels of
Heaven in their perfection.
Messiah's Kingdom has various stages of inauguration. First,
in His Parousia the glorified Jesus quickens, or resurrects, the
sleeping members of the Body of Christ. This is the first executive
act of the Great One whom God has so highly exalted--the Heir of
the great Abrahamic promise. His members must be completed
before He will officially take His position as the King of the
world. Assurance of this fact is given by the inspired Word:
"When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear, then shall we also
appear with Him in glory." (Col. 3:4) Next in order the
Master
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deals with the living members of His Body, the Church. As shown
in the parables of the pounds and the talents, the Master's judgment
concerning worthiness or unworthiness in the Kingdom
must pass upon all of His consecrated ones and the full number of
the Elect must be found and be glorified by the resurrection
"change"--because "flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom
of God." (1 Cor. 15:50) Then the dominion of the world will
be
assumed. The glorified One will ask of the Father, and He will
give Him the heathen for His inheritance and the uttermost parts
of the earth for His possession. "He will rule them with a rod of
iron. As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken into shivers."
Psa. 2; Rev. 2:27
This revealing of the Son of Man to the world by His assumption
of power and His permission of the world to pass into the
great ordeal of anarchy is evidently nearing. For a little while
there will be a great triumph of Churchianity, after the war. Both
Catholics and Protestants will share in this triumph and both political
and financial princes will encourage it, hoping for the prolongation
of their own power. At that time we may expect strong
opposition from Churchianity upon the true, faithful followers of
Jesus, resulting in serious persecutions--perhaps even unto death.
But the triumph of Babylon will be short. Soon the sentence already
pronounced will be executed and she shall fall like a great
millstone into the sea--into anarchy--into destruction, never to
rise again.
Not long after, according to the Bible picture, we may expect
the total collapse of our present civilization. But the darkest moment
of man's extremity will be God's opportunity. The Messiah,
the Elect of God, will take the control and speak peace to the
tumultuous peoples and bring order out of confusion, joy out of
tears, praise out of despair. Thus the Kingdom of Messiah will be
born in a terrible travail; but the glorious results will more than
compensate for the "Time of Trouble such as never was since
there was a nation." Thus we are told, "The desire of all nations
shall come." Haggai 2:7
May these pages continue to be a blessing to the Lord's people
and an honor to His name, is the prayer of the author,
Charles T. Russell
Brooklyn, N.Y.,
October 1, 1916
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