XVIII. The Kingdom Restored

Chapter 199 :

The Conflict Ended

1. IN narrating the work of creation, what statement is made concerning its completion?
"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made." Gen. 2:1,2.

2. When expiring on the cross, what did Christ say?
"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost." John 19:30.

3. At the pouring out of the seventh plague, what announcement will be made?
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done." Rev. 16:17.

4. And when the new heavens and the new earth have appeared, and the holy city, New Jerusalem, has descended from God and become the metropolis of the new creation, what announcement will then be made?
"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. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." Rev. 21:5,6.

5. In the new earth, what will be no more?
"And God 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 passed away." Verse 4. "And there shall be no more curse." Rev. 22:3.

6. What will then be the condition of all the earth?
"The wolf also shall dwell with the Iamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isa.11:6-9.

7. How does the prophet again speak of this time?
"The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing." Isa. 14:7.

8. What universal chorus of praise will then be heard?
"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 5:13.

O WHAT a mighty change
Shall Jesus' followers know,
When o'er the happy plains they range,
Incapable of woe!

There all our griefs are past;
There all our sorrows end;
We gain a peaceful rest at last,
With Jesus Christ our Friend.

No slightest touch of pain,
Nor sorrow's least alloy,
Can violate our rest, or stain
Our purity of joy.

In that eternal day,
No clouds nor tempest rise;
There gushing tears are wiped away.
Forever from our eyes.
                                          CHARLES WESLEY.