Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/197

 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 : I am the Lord, and there is none else." (Isa. 45 : n, 12, 18.) None have a right t* dictate to God. If he established the earth, and if he formed it not in vain, but made it to be inhabited by re- stored, perfect men, who are we that we should reply against God, and say that it is unjust not to change their nature and make them all partakers of a spiritual nature either like unto the angels, or like unto his own divine nature? How much more becoming to come humbly to God's Word and to "Ask " concerning things to come, than to "command" or to assert that he must carry out our ideas ? Lord, keep back thy servants from presumptuous sins : let them not have dominion over us. None of God's children, we believe, would knowingly dictate to the Lord j yet how easily and almost unconsciously many fall into this error.

The human race are God's children by creation the work of his hands and his plan with reference to them is clearly revealed in his Word. Paul says that the first roan (who was a sample of what the race will be when per- fect) was of the earth, earthy j and his posterity, with the exception of the Gospel Church, will in the resurrection still be earthy, human, adapted to the earth, (i Cor. 15 : 38, 44.) David declares that man was made only a littk lower than the angels, and crowned with glory, honor, dominion, etc. (Psa, 8 : 4-8.) And Peter, our Lord, and all the prophets since the world began, declare tbat the hu- man race is to be restored to that glorious perfection, and is again to have dominion over earth, as its representative, Adam, had. Acts 3 : 19-21.

It is this portion that God has dte&ed to give to the human race. And what a glorious portion ! Close your eyes for a moment to the scenes of misery and woe, degradation and

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