Its Enemies to be destroyed.

is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. 17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

Zep. 1:2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD. 3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD. [17, 18.]-3: 8 Wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. 9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent. 12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. 13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth:. for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

Mal. 4: 1 Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

Rev. 16: 17 The seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Occasions joy-Christ warns the wicked.

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. 19: 19 [Contains a description of a general destruction of the kings of the earth, and their armies, by one who sat on a white horse, which concludes thus.] 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. 20: 1 I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. 1 S. 2: 10, Pr.

2: 21, Is. 11: 1-6, and 29: 7, 8, Dan. 12: 1. [See 381, 486, 513, 566, 630, 733.]

88. Joy in view of the overthrow of Christ's enemies

-

Is. 24: 13 When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olivetree, and as the gleaning-grapes when the vintage is done. 14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea. 15 Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea. 16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.

Zep. 3: 14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15 The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

[See 237, 571.]

89. Christ and his friends warn the wicked before their overthrow.

Mat. 24: 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Rev. 11: 3 I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and three-score days, clothed in sackcloth.-14: 6 I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment

Its Final Triumph.

is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

90. Progress and final triumph of Christ's kingdom upon earth.

Ps. 72: 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

Is. 9: 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment, and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD

of hosts will perform this.

Dan. 2: 35 The stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 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 for ever. 45 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.-7: 13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him.

Zec. 14: 9 The LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

Mat. 13: 31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. 33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Rev. 11: 15 The seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world

Design of-Foundation of.

are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever. -20: 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. [See 440.]

91. Duration of Christ's kingdom.

Ps. 45: 6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.

Dan. 7: 14 His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Lk. 1: 33 He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

CHURCH OF GOD.

92. Design of the church of God.

Mat. 5: 13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick: and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Ep. 3: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Tim. 3: 15 The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

93. Foundation of the church.

Mat. 16: 16 Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 18 Thou art Peter, and upon this rock [Christ] I will build my church: and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 21: 42 Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. [Ps. 118: 22. Is. 28: 16. 1 Pet. 2: 7.]

1 Cor. 3: 9 Ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

Greatly beloved-safe.

11 Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Ep. 2: 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.

94. The church an object of love and of prayer.

Ps. 51: 18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.-87: 2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 122: 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. 7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. 8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. 9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good. 137: 5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. 6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

Song 7: 10 I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. Is. 62: 6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence. 7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Ep. 5: 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. 29 No man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church. [See 111, 504, 585, 672.]

95. The church safe.

Ps. 46: 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. 4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the Tabernacles of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. 6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. 7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. 125: 2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.