An Address to the Public, and Especially the Clergy

SECTION I. THE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

PREVAILING OPINION ON THE MILLENNIUM

The God of heaven has made, in the sacred Scriptures, a revelation of the events of futurity. By the mouth of his servant Daniel, he has given to the world a chain of events, commencing with the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, and extending to the establishment of the everlasting kingdom of God over all the earth. APEC 19.1

In support of this position the second chapter of Daniel is adduced. God did, in that dream, under the emblem of a great image, the representative of four great monarchies, and a stone cut from the mountain without hands, for the ultimate destruction of those governments, make known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what should be in futurity. APEC 19.2

That four such governments as were there represented have existed, and filled up the whole period of time from then to the present, is not a matter of dispute. But that the fifth kingdom is not yet established, is equally evident:-For, 1, The destruction of all the former kingdoms was to precede its establishment; which has not taken place. 2. That kingdom is to fill the whole earth; which it now does not. See Daniel 2:34, 35. APEC 19.3

“Thou sawest until that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet, that were of iron and clay, and brake them in pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” This representation is interpreted in the 44th and 45th verses of the same chapter. APEC 20.1

“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. APEC 20.2

“Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.” APEC 20.3

If such a kingdom is to be established on earth, it is certainly a matter of some importance to us, who live in these last times, to understand the nature of that kingdom, and also the way in which it is to be established. APEC 20.4

The prevailing opinion in the Christian church, is, that the kingdom predicted in the above passages is no other than the church of Christ in her militant state:-that this church is ultimately to triumph over all nations, and be permanently established in all the earth. APEC 20.5

And the means by which it is thought by many this is to be effected, is the preaching of the gospel for the evangelizing of the nations. In proof of this, we are cited to Psalm 2:8: “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” APEC 21.1

The declaration of Christ is also produced as evidence on the same point. “This gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations; then shall the end come.” It is also said, “They shall know the Lord, from the least to the greatest,” etc. From these, and some other texts of similar import, it is inferred that the kingdom of Christ is to be established by the means now in operation for the evangelizing of the world. Furthermore; it is believed that when the world is thus evangelized, the state predicted in the 20th chapter of Revelation will be realized. Satan will lose his influence over mankind, and a state of perfect peace and tranquillity will be enjoyed by the world for a thousand years. This is what is termed the millennium. APEC 21.2