The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

God’s Purpose in Creation

The Scriptures reveal the purpose of God in creating the world; and from the word of prophecy we also learn his plan concerning the future: “Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens, God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited.” ⁹ When he had formed it, he gave it to man. The psalmist says, “The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; but the earth hath he given to the children of men.” ¹⁰ But when he gave it to man, man was upright, as expressed by the wise man, “This only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” ¹¹ GSAM 25.1

We read of the Lord’s dealing with the race, that “when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel,” ¹² that is, according to the number of the true Israel that shall at last be gathered on the earth as subjects of his future kingdom. It is expressed by Paul in these words: “God ... hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us; for in him we live, and move, and have our being.” ¹³ When this original purpose respecting the earth is carried out, “thy people also shall be all righteous.” ¹⁴ Again it is said of them in that state, “The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.” ¹⁶ That will be the time when “the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” GSAM 25.2