The Kingdom of God

The
Kingdom of God.

By William Miller.

Boston:
published by Joshua V. Himes,
14 Devonshire Street.
1842.

The kingdom of God..

Daniel 2:44: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”** TKOG 3.1

MUCH has been said and written on this by different commentators. Different sects and partisans have seized this text, and applied it to their sect, and proved, as they verily believe, that their sect is the true kingdom of God, which will stand forever. The Catholics say it was set up in the days of the Roman Caesars, and thus claim for the Pope St. Peter’s chair and the kingdom, and that to the Bishop of Rome were the keys of this kingdom given at the demise of St. Peter, and the popes have been the successor and earthly head of this kingdom ever since. The Baptist writers, many of them, say the same, and claim a descent from the apostles for the Baptist church, making the church what the Catholics do the Pope; and try to show a regular succession of the church, as the Catholics do their popes. They also claim believers’ baptism (immersion,) as an initiatory rite into the kingdom, and that none are citizens of this kingdom until they comply with this requisition. The Episcopalians, or some of them, claim this same kingdom to have been set up in the days of the kings of England; and therefore the kings or queens of England are the accredited head of the episcopacy, and rulers over the visible church. The Presbyterians say it was set up in the days of Luther, among the German kings; the Quakers, in the days of Fox; the Methodists, in the days of Wesley; the Shakers, in the days of Ann Lee; and the Mormons, by Joseph Smith. TKOG 3.2

All writers seem determined to have an earthly kingdom, and an earthly head to that kingdom. 1 Chronicles 3:3, 4: “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?” Or, as is properly said by James 3:14-16, “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not; and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” TKOG 4.1

And now permit me to show that this kingdom is neither “earthly, sensual, nor devilish;” but I shall show - TKOG 4.2

I. what it is;
II. whose it is;
III. when it is; and,
IV. where it is.