ALONE WITH GOD     

  Being a spiritual, divine, and heavenly church, denominated "the kingdom of heaven," its affinities and attractions are all heavenward. " Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth." The mind and heart of the Christian is naturally reaching out into the eternal world. Earth loses its attraction. Its rubies and diamonds, its silver and gold, lose their luster and brilliancy, as the Christian, with an eye of faith sees his riches in heaven. He beholds the sparkling jewels, the unsearchable riches of Christ that await him over there. As he presses forward toward the joy set before him, earth's attractions fade away. None but the earthly minded desire to remain here. None but those who are void of spiritual life, desire to make this their eternal home. Man is born for a higher destiny than that of earth. There is a realm where the rainbow never fades; where the stars will be spread out before us like islands that slumber upon the ocean; and where the beautiful beings which here pass before us like visions will stay in our presence forever.

  The patriarchs and saints of old "confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11:13). They understood that this was not their destiny, their final abode. David, who reigned over Israel and inherited the Promised Land, says, "I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were." Psa. 39: 12. They were strangers in the earth, even in the land which they received for an inheritance; only pilgrims sojourning here for a short time. Paul says they were seeking a country, "a better country, that is, a heavenly" (Heb. 11: 14, 16).

  Not only was this true of the Old Testament saints, but Peter denominates the New Testament church "as strangers and pilgrims," who are " sojourning here " ( 1 Pet. 2: 11; 1: 17 ) . " For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. " Heb. 13: 14. " For he hath prepared for them a city. " Heb. 11: 16. All these scriptures point us away from this earth to " another country"—yes, to a "better country," "an heavenly." We are only sojourners here. We are traveling to another clime, another sphere of existence, a brighter realm. Our short pilgrimage upon earth is compared to a hand breadth, an eagle hastening to his prey, a swift post, a dream, a shadow, a vapor. Time with gigantic footsteps is bearing us to eternity. Life is soon cut down, "and we fly away." "Because man goeth to his long home." Eccl. 12: 5. " To his eternal home. "—LXX.

  That "eternal home" is not this earth, as the worldly minded vainly hope, but is "a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor. 5: 1). Yes, in heaven, the place of God's throne and the home of the angels. There is an eternal heaven above, which Paul terms the "third heaven" (2 Cor. 12: 2-4). First, the church is now raised up on the plane of heaven's purity, and all its members are made to "sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. " Then again, the atmosphere which surrounds this earth is frequently in Scripture called "the heavens." These will pass away with this earth. But there is a third heaven, a place where God now dwells. "'The Lord he is God in heaven above. " Deut. 4: 39. " The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven." Psa. 11:4. Heaven is also the home of the angels. "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven." Matt. 22:30. "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up in heaven, and sat on the right hand of God." Mark 16:19. "Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." 1 Pet. 3:22. "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but unto heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." Heb. 9:24.

  All these texts, with many others, clearly teach that there is a place called heaven. There can be no appeal from this fact. When Stephen was dying, it is said that he "looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." We shall now prove that this place will be the eternal home of the church.

  "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for tile things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Cor. 4:18. Paul here speaks of things which are "temporal" (proskaros), for a season or time only; and then he speaks of things " eternal (aionios), without end, as the eternal Spirit (Heb. 9: 14). Those things which we see with our natural eyes are only temporal. They are things which have a short duration, must have an end. "The things which are seen are termporal"—temporary, existing for a time only. That includes this earth and all that pertains to it. All nature teaches this fact. The grass covers this earth with a beautiful and verdant carpet, but the time comes when it withers and molds away. The leaves which come forth and cheer our hearts in springtime turn to a golden hue when the autumn winds blow, fall to mother earth, and there decay. The sturdy oak, in whose branches the fowls of the air lodge, soon decays and is no more. The same lesson is taught in the animal kingdom. Our mortal bodies return to dust, to mother earth.

  Everything around us teaches us "the end of all things'' pertaining to earth. The earth itself is one of the things which we see, and Paul positively declares that all we see is temporal, must have an end. This earth will pass away. Both the Old and New Testaments teach this fact. "Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure." Psa. 102:25, 26. "Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment." Isa. 51: 6. "The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; . . . it shall fall, and not rise again." Isa. 24:19, 20. In these texts is foretold the "end of this world." This planet called the earth shall "wax old" and "shall perish." It shall be "clean dissolved," "and shall be removed like a cottage"; "it shall fall and not rise again. " So positively teaches the Word of God. When we come over into the New Testament we have this same fact taught, if anything, more clearly than in the Old. Jesus said, "Till heaven and earth pass." Matt. 5: 18. In the very commencement of his ministry, Jesus Christ teaches the instability of all visible things. The heavens which you see and which are so glorious, and the earth which you inhabit, shall pass away; " for the things which are seen are temporal." From the lips of Jesus we hear the solemn words, " Heaven and earth shall pass away. " Matt. 24: 35. " The end of all things is at hand." 1 Pet. 4:7. From the beginning God has meted out this world's career. One long age has succeeded another, until we have reached the "last days" of its history. A small step before us is the end of "all things" pertaining to earth.

  But when will all this take place? Answer: "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Rev. 20: 11-15. This is very clear. The coming of Christ upon the great white throne (the throne of his glory, Matt. 24: 31), the coming forth of all the dead from land and sea, all people being judged, and the wicked cast into the lake of fire—this will be the time when this earth will pass away and "no place be found for it." Let all our readers prepare for the catastrophe; for as truly as God has spoken, it will come. The "heavens" in these texts refer to aerial heavens. We will next consider the manner of its passing away.

  "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.... But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" 2 Pet. 3:7-12. How clear this testimony! Not only will the works in this earth be consumed, but the earth itself " shall be burned up, " " dissolved, " and "melted with fervent heat. " That day of fire which shall consume this earth, "the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men," will be the day of the Lord's second advent (verses 4, 10). The "end of all things" does not mean a renovation of this earth; but an utter consuming, and melting of the same into the same chaotic state in which its matter existed before the six days of creation.

  " The Scriptures very clearly teach that Christ will come in the end of the world, in the last day of this last age of time. They also inform us that the same will be the day of judgment. And here Peter tells us plainly that on that very day of his coming and the judgment, the heavens and the earth will be consumed, melted, and destroyed. So it will indeed be the end of the world, the close of all time allotted to this earth. "

  Since man will have an eternal existence, and as we see, this earth shall pass away and be no more, it can not be his eternal home. "The things which are not seen are eternal." Our eternal home is something we can not now see. Where, then, is it located? The Word plainly answers: " For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." 2 Cor.: 1.

  When time has run its course; when the sun and moon have ceased to shine; when all things pertaining to earth and the earth itself have passed away and been forgotten in the dim past? then, clothed with an immortal and glorified body, we shall dwell in a building of God, a house not made with hands, " eternal in the heavens." O my soul, press forward! Pleasures forevermore await thee, an eternal weight of glory. O world to come, in exchange for the present! O ages, for a moment! A blessed eternal communion in the holy, blessed eternal life of God, in exchange for the sacrifices and sufferings of a few short years of earth. For the joy set before me I willingly endure hardness as a good soldier for Christ Jesus. Yes, gladly will I forsake home and loved ones to preach thy gospel, and in exchange receive a home "eternal in the heavens."

  Since this earth will have an end, what a consoling thought to know in ourselves " that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance" (Heb. 10: 34). "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. 1:10,11. We here enter the kingdom of grace, and thus become prepared for an abundant entrance into the future and everlasting kingdom of glory. This is not a literal something upon earth, as many blind zealots imagine, but it is "an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled,, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God" (1 Pet. 1: 4, 5). " And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." 2 Tim. 4:18. Oh blessed hope! "which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast." My soul rests upon the promises of his Word, awaiting "the hope which is laid up for you in heaven" (Col. 1: 5).

  " But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust cloth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." Matt. 6:20. "Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth." Luke 12:33. "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Matt. 19: 21. If this earth were to be our eternal portion, then our treasure should be laid up here; but since it is temporal, we are commanded to lay up our treasures in heaven. Though we may be poor in this world's goods, yet if we serve God we "shall have treasure in heaven." Instead of getting our reward in this earth as some teach, we shall be rewarded in heaven. "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. " Matt. 5:12. "Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets." Luke 6:23.

  Surely these multiplied texts are sufficient to establish the fact that heaven will be the future and eternal home of the church. Jesus, speaking of that future state, said, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. " John 14: 2, 3. In the Scriptures we have " Christ's house " and " the Father's house "

  Christ's kingdom of grace here, and the Father's kingdom of glory above. The one applies to the earth, the other to heaven. In the above passage Christ speaks of our future hope. By the "Father's house" he means heaven, for that is the Father 's dwelling place. Christ's house is the church here upon earth. By entering the latter we have access to the former. By "mansions" he desired the disciples to know that heaven, the Father's domain, was large and spacious. He did not wish, as sectarians believe, to convey the idea that everybody would have a separate house up there; but he resorted to language that his hearers could understand. He spoke from the standpoint of a literal building so they could comprehend his meaning. Since the Father's house is so spacious, contains many mansions, "I go to prepare a place for you." Christ went into heaven (Luke 24: 51). So in heaven he is preparing our eternal home.

  It may be objected that it has been prepared from the foundation of the world (Matt. 25: 34). Yes, the kingdom of heaven, or heaven itself, was prepared from the foundation of the world; but in that kingdom, Christ went to prepare a place for us. Again, Christ was a Lamb " slain from the foundation of the world. " Yet, in reality, it was fulfilled when he came. So with the place prepared for us. Christ, in reality, went to prepare it for us; and the promise is that he will come again, not to remain here upon earth with us, but to receive us to himself, that where he is there we may be also; that is, he will come back and take his church home to glory, to the world he went to prepare.

  When will all this be fulfilled ? " For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. " 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17. Oh, the beauty of heavenly truth! The church came out of heaven, and at last it will all be caught up to heaven and be ever with the Lord.

  "But," says one, "did not Jesus teach that the meek 'shall inherit the earth' (Matt. 5: 5)? The Psalmist adds, 'But the meek shall inherit the earth.' Psa. 37: 11. How harmonize these scriptures?" Peter fully explains them. He first shows that in the day of judgment this terrestrial globe, this earth, will pass away by being burned up. He foretells its utter destruction: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." 2 Pet. 3:10. "What, then, about the promise of Jesus, that the meek shall inherit the earth ? " The apostle answers, "We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth." Verse 13. How clear! "We, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth" after the heavens and the earth that compose this globe are "burned up" and "pass away" (2 Pet. 3: 7-13). Peter is speaking of that land of light and bliss which Jesus went to prepare.

  Also, the Revelator, after describing the judgment scene, when this earth and its heavens deaf away, "and there was found no place for them" (Rev. 20:11-15), says, "I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. " Rev. 21: 1. Mark you ! He saw the new heaven and the new earth after " the first heaven and the first earth were passed away." When did they pass away? Answer: "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Rev. 20:11, 12. How did they pass away t Answer: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. " 2 Pet. 3: 10.

  So, then, after this earth has passed away, we look for new heavens and a new earth (verse 13). The new earth is the "heavenly country," the "better country" (Heb. 11:16). The new heaven is the " heavenly city, " the one " to come" (Heb. 11:16,13,14). "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22:14.

" There is a land where everlasting suns shed everlasting brightness,
Where the soul drinks from the living streams which roll by God's high throne.
Myriads of glorious ones bring their accepted offerings..
Oh, how blest to look from this dark prison to that shrine,
To inhale one breath of paradise divine,
And enter into the eternal home of rest' which awaits the sons of God! "

  The new heavens and the new earth will be so much grander than this that the present heavens and earth "shall not be remembered, nor come into mind" (Isa. 65: 17); and, unlike the present heavens and earth, which shall pass away, the new heavens and new earth "shall remain" (Isa. 66: 22). The golden city brought to view in Revelation 21 and 22 will be the capital of the new earth, and in it the King of heaven will have his throne and reign forever and ever. In that world the righteous will " shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father," yea, "as the stars forever and ever."