Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/294

 288 The Ptan oj Me

They taught that there can be no kingdom until the King comes. (Rev. 20: 6; 3:21; 2 Tim. 2: 12.) Consequently the kingdom of heaven must suffer violence until that time, when, it shall be set up in glory and power,

TWO PHASES OP THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

While it is true, as stated by our Lord, that the Kingdom of God cometh #<tf does not make its first appearance with outward show, in due time it is to be made manifest to all by outward, visible and unmistakable signs. Whea fully set up, the Kingdom of God will be of two parts, a spiritual or heavenly phase and an earthly or human phase. The spiritual will always be invisible to men, as those com- posing it will be of the divine, spiritual nature, which no man hath, seen nor can see (i Tim. 6: 16 j John i: 18); yet its presence and power will be mightily manifested, chiefly through its human representatives, who will consti- tute the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God.

Those who will constitute the spiritual phase of the king- dom are the overcoming saints of the Gospel age the Christ, head and body glorified. Their resurrection and exaltation to power precedes that of all others, because through this class all others are to be blessed. (Heb. 11:39, 40.) Theirs is fas jirsf resurrection. (Rev. 20; 5*.) The great work before this glorious anointed company the

until the thousand years were finished" are spurious. They are not found in the oldest and most reliable Greek MSS., the Sinaitie, Vatican Nos. 1209 and 1160, nor the Syriac MS. We must remember that many passages found in the modern copies are additions which do not prop- erly belong to the Bible. Since commanded not to add to the Word of Cod, ft is our duty to repudiate such, additions as soon as their spurious character is established. The vords indicated probably crept into the text by accident, in the fifth century; for no MS. of earlier date (either Greek or Syriac) contains this clause. It was probably at first merely a Wfgiiutiwnwent made fay a reader, expressive of his thought upon tha
 * In this verbe the words " uf the rest uj the dead liwd not again

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