The Present Truth, vol. 6
June 5, 1890
“The Dominion Restored” The Present Truth 6, 12.
E. J. Waggoner
The glories of the eternal inheritance of Israel cannot be imagined, of both the pen of inspiration has described them as well as could be done with our feeble language. We read that immediately after the desolation of the earth,- PTUK June 5, 1890, page 201.1
“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not; behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.... And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isaiah 35. “They shall obtain joy and gladness,” because “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.” Revelation 21:4. PTUK June 5, 1890, page 201.2
Again the prophet says of “Jerusalem which is above,” and is free, which is the mother of us all (compare Galatians 4:26, 27, and Isaiah 51:1): “For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called.” Isaiah 54:5. Jerusalem is represented as now mourning as a widow, desolate and bereaved of her children,-those whom she would have had if sin had not deprived her of them. But when the kingdom is given to Christ, “the everlasting Father,” the city is represented as being married to Him (Revelation 21:1, 9, 10), and all the faithful are the children. So the Lord comforts Zion, saying:- PTUK June 5, 1890, page 201.3
“O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.” Isaiah 54:11, 12. PTUK June 5, 1890, page 201.4
With the above read the following description of the New Jerusalem by a New Testament writer:- PTUK June 5, 1890, page 201.5
“And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel; on the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.... And the building of the wall of it was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” Revelation 21:10-21. PTUK June 5, 1890, page 201.6
Who cannot see that the two prophets, Isaiah and John, are describing the same thing? the place to which the Israel of God are to be gathered, and where the twelve apostles shall sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. But the prophet Isaiah continues:- PTUK June 5, 1890, page 202.1
“And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established; thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.” Isaiah 54:13, 14. PTUK June 5, 1890, page 202.2
Thus will be fulfilled the promise to David, in 2 Samuel 7:10. PTUK June 5, 1890, page 202.3
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17. PTUK June 5, 1890, page 202.4
And a glorious heritage it will be. Delightful indeed it is to read these descriptions of it; “but what must it be to be there?” PTUK June 5, 1890, page 202.5
E. J. W.