075. Chapter 70: The Second Petition: Thy Kingdom Come
------------ CHAPTER SEVENTY ------------ The Second Petition: Thy Kingdom Come
God has conjoined both the end and the means to obtain that end with an unbreakable bond. He who does not use the means should not expect to attain the end. This is common knowledge to everyone. Sometimes the means -- such as heavy labor and perilous circumstances -- are unattractive and we would not avail ourselves of them if it were not for the fact that we would thus attain the desired end. Sometimes the means in and of themselves are attractive. We would make use of them without any further objective in view -- as is true for delectable food and drink. In the spiritual realm all is sweet -- the end and the means which we use and avail ourselves of in order to attain the end (I am not referring to suffering here). They are sweet in view of the end to be attained, and they are inherently sweet as well. How amiable and desirable the ultimate of all objectives is -- the hallowing of God‘s Name -- we have demonstrated in the preceding petition. The five subsequent petitions are the means to that end -- each individual petition being very precious and giving cause for rejoicing to the truly spiritual person. The means which most preeminently promotes the glorification of God‘s Name is the coming of God‘s kingdom. Its nature, glory, advantages, and desirability we shall now explain. In the second petition reference is made to a kingdom, relative to which the prayer is uttered that it might come. The Word “Kingdom” Defined and Expounded
Let us consider the word "kingdom." A kingdom consists of a populace united under one leader. There have always been many kingdoms in the world, and it is still divided into many. Among them there have been four empires; that is, eras when the entire world was subjected to one ruling head. These are the empires of Babylon, of the Medes and Persians, of the Greeks, and of the Romans. There is yet a fifth empire of an entirely different nature: the kingdom of the Lord Jesus, of which we are now speaking. This is otherwise referred to as the congregation of God and of Christ, and we denominate it with a word not found in Scripture: the church. [Note: This statement is only applicable to the Statenvertaling.]
Let us furthermore consider the word "Thy." In this prayer God the Father is addressed, and thus the reference here is to the kingdom of the Father, for all things are out of Him and through Him. The Father gathers, rules, and preserves this kingdom by His Son Jesus Christ. This is therefore conjoined in the following passage: "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ" (Revelation 12:10). God is King in and of Himself. He is the original cause of all things; He inherently has the preeminence, is exalted, has all majesty and glory, and all power and dominion from all eternity. This was true before there were any creatures, and now that creatures do exist, they are all subject to God in consequence of His nature. "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as head above all" (1 Chronicles 29:11). The Lord is great -- yes, He alone is King: "I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and My name is dreadful among the heathen" (Malachi 1:14). The kingdom of God is distinguished between 1) the kingdom of His power, 2) the kingdom of His glory, and 3) the kingdom of His grace. The kingdom of His power has all creatures as its subjects: good and evil angels, good and evil men, all living animals, and all inanimate objects in the heavens and upon earth. Everything is so fully in His hand that they cannot move without Him. Furthermore, they immediately stand ready at His bidding and execute His will. The Lord is therefore generally referred to in Scripture as the Lord of hosts. David speaks as follows: "They continue this day according to Thine ordinances: for all are Thy servants" (Psalms 119:91); "The Lord hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all" (Psalms 103:19). Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged this by saying, "Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou" (Daniel 4:34-35). The kingdom of His glory has as its subjects the holy angels and the glorified elect in the third heaven -- that is, paradise or the house of the Father. "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). "God, who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory" (1 Thessalonians 2:12), that is, to His glorious kingdom. The kingdom of His grace is also denominated as "the Church of God." First, the subjects of this kingdom are all true believers and converted persons. "... the Lamb shall overcome them ... and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful" (Revelation 17:14).
Secondly, God separates them from the world, all nations, all communities, and all kingdoms, and causes them to dwell alone. "Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations" (Numbers 23:9); "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (2 Corinthians 6:17).
Thirdly, there is a very intimate interrelationship among them -- a most intimate and spiritual bond -- so that together they form one whole. "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul" (Acts 4:32). This union exists:
(1) As a result of true doctrine: "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone" (Ephesians 2:20); "One Lord, one faith" (Ephesians 4:5). The apostle therefore exhorts: "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house" (2 John 1:10).
(2) Due to being united by the same Spirit who dwells in all of them and by whom they all live: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14); "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Ephesians 2:18).
(3) By love: "Their hearts ... being knit together in love" (Colossians 2:2); "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35).
(4) By that selfsame faith, by which they are united to Christ and in Christ to each other. "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us" (John 17:21).
Fourthly, this kingdom has the Lord Jesus as its King. "Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion" (Psalms 2:6). Even though only true believers are the actual subjects of this King -- they being God, knowledge the only members who truly constitute the church, being united to the Lord Jesus with a spiritual bond, and in Him to each other -- the Lord Jesus is nevertheless King of the entire church as she manifests herself in the world, which includes many unconverted members. Just as an earthly king rules over strangers, residents, hidden enemies, and traitors, likewise Christ also rules over the unconverted in His kingdom. For they acknowledge Him to be their King, subject themselves to Him, have sworn allegiance to Him, and confess Him, even though they do it but in an external sense and with an unchanged heart. Kingdom of God, church Fifthly, God designates this kingdom as the object of His goodness and all manner of blessings. In that kingdom:
(1) God dwells with His gracious presence: "God is in the midst of her" (Psalms 46:5); "In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion" (Psalms 76:2). Jesus is their King "who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks" (Revelation 2:1).
(2) There is safety: "I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day" (Isaiah 27:3); "For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her" (Zechariah 2:5). Therefore all who know the Lord take refuge there: "The Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of His people shall trust in it" (Isaiah 14:32).
(3) There is light: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee ... but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising" (Isaiah 60:1-3).
(4) There is spirituality, life, and holiness. "But ye are ... an holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9). (5) There is peace and joy: "For the kingdom of God is ... righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost"
(Romans 14:17). (6) There is comfort and refreshment for an oppressed soul: "All My springs are in Thee" (Psalms 87:7). (7) The elect are converted and are gathered in: "And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her"
(Psalms 87:5); "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47). Such glorious things are said of the city of God -- of the kingdom of Christ. The Origin and Nature of the Kingdom This kingdom has its origin in the first gospel declaration to Adam, and will continue without fail until the end of the world. From Adam to Abraham it was gathered from various nations, but the particular focus was upon the holy lineage. From Abraham to Christ it consisted in the seed of Abraham, although many other individuals joined themselves to it. "He showeth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation" (Psalms 147:19-20). After the coming of Christ, all distinction among nations has been removed, and whoever believes in and fears the Lord is pleasing to Him, regardless of what nation he belongs to. "Thou ... hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Revelation 5:9). This kingdom is the kingdom of heaven, being denominated as such in contrast to all earthly kingdoms. "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). It originates in heaven, is of a heavenly nature, functions in a heavenly manner, and culminates in heaven. It is therefore called the kingdom of heaven. Since this kingdom has always been the same, being identical in nature from Adam to Christ, it thus has been in all ages a heavenly kingdom. However, it is especially the New Testament church which is denominated as such, all the externals of the shadow ministry of the Old Testament having been removed. The church is presently not an external kingdom; that is, it is not governed by kings and princes and furnished with external weapons -- as was true in the Old Testament. Instead, she is now fully and entirely removed from all earthly externals, and is only heavenly in nature -- also in its external manifestation. Thus, the church of the New Testament is in a special sense the kingdom of heaven. John the Baptist denominates it as such: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2). The Lord Jesus generally denominates it as such in the gospels and requires His apostles to do likewise. "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 10:7).
It is a kingdom by virtue of its being ruled by a king, namely, Jesus Christ, who gathers, protects, and governs this kingdom. We refer to it as the kingdom of heaven since:
(1) It has its origin in heaven and is therefore frequently denominated the kingdom of God. By means of the gospel God reveals the Mediator and the way to salvation. God converts and adds to the church those regarding whom it pleases Him to do so. He sends forth ministers to that end, and the gospel call is therefore referred to as a heavenly calling. "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling" (Hebrews 3:1).
(2) Its subjects have heavenly natures. "Which were born ... of God" (John 1:13), are "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4), "... are led by the Spirit of God" (Romans 8:14), and "are spiritual" (Galatians 6:1).
(3) The benefits of this kingdom are heavenly: God Himself is their portion (Lamentations 3:24), and the Lord Jesus is their "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30). All the benefits of the covenant of grace are theirs. They are "the heirs of promise" (Hebrews 6:17).
(4) The activity of its subjects is of a heavenly nature: they pray, believe, love, and exercise virtue. (5) They are without carnal weapons and are defenseless, even though the entire world is at enmity with them. Their battle is of a spiritual nature, however, and their weapons are spiritual. The apostle describes this armor from head to toe in Ephesians 6:13-18. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" (2 Corinthians 10:4).
(6) It culminates in heaven: "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:9); "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away" (1 Peter 5:4). These are all the reasons why this kingdom is denominated the kingdom of heaven. This Kingdom Redounds to the Glorification of God The existence of this kingdom redounds to the glorification of God in consequence of what God works in its subjects, what God does relative to them, and by what the church does relative to God.
(1) God‘s perfections shine forth in the ingathering of the church and the conversion of souls solely by the instrumentality of the Word; in the uniting of believers to Christ, justifying them by His ransom and righteousness; and by sanctifying, leading, and comforting them. In all this God reveals His wisdom, goodness, omnipotence, and faithfulness. He is thus "glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe" (2 Thessalonians 1:10).
(2) God is also glorified by what He does relative to His church. When He chastises the church for her sins, then God‘s holiness is manifested as not being able to endure sin even in His children and thus visits them with the rod. He is glorified when He preserves His church in the midst of wolves, so that she remains standing in all the assaults of the enemy -- assaults which, humanly speaking, could easily undo her. He is glorified when He causes the church to be manifest again in a glorious fashion after having been in very humble circumstances. God thus reveals in all this His omnipotence and faithfulness, showing that they are His people and that He will avenge Himself upon the oppressors of the church (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7).
(3) God is also glorified by the church when she, with her deeds, shows "forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9). "This people have I formed for Myself; they shall show forth My praise" (Isaiah 43:21). Thus, this kingdom is the preeminent means whereby God‘s Name is hallowed. The Lord Jesus therefore teaches us to pray, "Thy kingdom come."
It is relative to this kingdom that we pray that it may come.
Question When does this kingdom come? The kingdom of heaven, as far as its New Testament manifestation is concerned, had not yet come at the time when the Lord Jesus prescribed this prayer, for the Lord Jesus had neither paid the ransom nor had yet been glorified. The Holy Spirit had not as yet been poured out in that extraordinary manner and the gospel had not yet been conveyed to the heathen, even though that moment was near. They could thus pray that it would come; it did not exist as yet, but was near. However, how can we now pray that such would come about, since all this has transpired?
Answer: Even though this great change initially took place, its progression occurs daily, and will not cease to occur until the Lord Jesus returns for judgment. When we therefore presently pray, "Thy Kingdom come," then this pertains to individuals in particular and to the condition of the church in general. This Petition as It Relates to Individuals This petition pertains to individual persons. As a house is built by adding stone to stone, and as a kingdom exists and is enlarged by uniting more and more subjects, likewise this kingdom prospers by the translation of individuals from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of Christ. This takes place when God, by means of the Word of the kingdom, illuminates their understanding. He will thereby cause them to see, while being inwardly stirred, their sinful and damnable condition, the way of salvation, and the preciousness of the state of the redeemed. This kingdom comes when God removes their heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh; when He gives them a submissive, attentive, and pliable heart; when He grants them faith whereby they accept Christ as their righteousness and ransom; when He regenerates them and grants them spiritual life, adding them as living stones to this spiritual building and incorporating them as faithful subjects into this heavenly kingdom.
And, the more they increase in light and holiness, the more God‘s kingdom is within them. This Petition as It Relates to the Church in Its Condition This kingdom comes relative to the condition of the church in general.
(1) This kingdom comes when the light emanated by the church is pure and holy; when she eliminates the foul odor of error and heresy; when she excels in holiness, and she "looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners" (Song of Solomon 6:10); when she glitters with "beauties of holiness" (Psalms 110:3), which "becometh thine house" (Psalms 93:5), and when she is thus "a praise in the earth" (Isaiah 62:7) and "a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God" (Isaiah 62:3). This kingdom comes when the church radiates such glory that others do not dare to join her and magnify her instead (Acts 5:13).
(2) This kingdom comes when the church is multiplied and when multitudes join her in those localities where the church exists. It furthermore comes when the gospel is brought to other locales, nations, and kingdoms, and when the gospel is readily received there according to the promise: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations" (Matthew 24:14).
(3) This kingdom comes when the Lord delivers the church from overwhelming oppression which had caused her to flee into the wilderness, and when He causes her to reappear more gloriously. Such was the case when the Lord, at the time of Constantine the Great, delivered the church from the persecution of the heathen emperors; and when He delivered her from the oppression of the antichrist at the time of the Reformation. It will come when God will destroy the throne of the beast, Rome, and annihilate the pope of Rome. For as the antichrist is reduced, the church will proportionally increase.
(4) This kingdom will come when the Jews will come to the Messiah, Jesus Christ; when they will acknowledge Him, believe in Him, repent toward the Lord, unite themselves with believers among the Gentiles, and together will form one church. This will be according to the promise found in Romans 11:25-26 : "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery ...that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob"; "What shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead" (Romans 11:15).
(5) This kingdom will come when that which is recorded in Revelation 20:2
It is thus also our duty to pray, "Thy kingdom come." This includes: Let Thy church radiate light and holiness; extend her to all nations; deliver her from her oppression and anguish; annihilate the antichrist and all the enemies of the church; convert the Jews; and let the promised, glorious state of the church come about.
Furthermore, bless all the means which are subservient to the growth of the church:
(1) Send forth faithful and capable servants, established in the truth, who are zealous and apt to teach: "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest" (Matthew 9:38); that is, such as the Lord has promised: "I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness" (Isaiah 60:17).
(2) Let the Word and its preaching be blessed and fruitful: "Pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you" (2 Thessalonians 3:1); "Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ" (Colossians 4:3).
(3) Let the institutions for learning -- for the children as well as for the sons of the prophets -- be blessed. Let the nurture of children be blessed so that the families become little churches. "And, ye fathers ... bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4).
(4) Grant us a good government which, according to promise, will seek the welfare of the church: "And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers" (Isaiah 49:23). The Requisites for Praying This Petition Aright In order to pray rightly for the coming of this kingdom there must be:
(1) knowledge of what constitutes the future and glory of this kingdom; how this petition relates to the first petition; or, how God‘s Name is hallowed by the coming of this kingdom -- both of which have been demonstrated above;
(2) love for the well-being of the church;
(3) an acknowledgment of the impotence of individuals to repent, to add themselves as a living member to the church, to live as members who bring glory to the church, as well as the impotence of the church in general to gather herself, remain intact, maintain purity in doctrine and sanctification, enlarge herself, and persevere during persecutions;
(4) faith that only God can do this, is willing to do it, has done so prior to this moment and still does, and has promised to hear the prayers of His children in this respect -- and will also do this in the future according to His promise that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). All this constitutes the contents of this prayer. The Vain and Sacrilegious Use of This Petition
How few are they who pray this petition in truth, and how many are they who rattle it off! They think that to neglect praying the Lord‘s Prayer every day is ungodly; however, they have no qualms as to whether this petition is prayed aright.
First, this is true for all those who neither know nor cherish this kingdom in its spiritual, glorious, and beneficial nature, and who neither honor nor fear its King. And yet they say, "Thy kingdom come."
Secondly, there are those who do not manifest themselves as true members, but as subjects of the kingdom of Satan, as ungodly, worldly-minded. They are nothing but blots upon the church and a disgrace to her. And yet they pray, "Thy kingdom come."
Thirdly, there are those who are of the opinion that the well-being of the church consists in the quantity of members and the presence of peace -- even if the church is in an ignorant and sinful condition. They -- ministers, elders, deacons, common members, or authorities -- will do nothing for the upbuilding of the church, and do not concern themselves with whether it goes well or ill with the church. They allow everything to proceed as if it did not pertain to them and nevertheless they pray, "Thy kingdom come."
Fourthly, there are those who hate, oppress, and persecute the faithful subjects of this kingdom -- those who have received light and are godly. If someone comes forward who opposes errors, ungodliness, and the oppression of the saints and desires to seek the good of Jerusalem, he will have to fear that in all things he will be opposed with a bitter hatred. Nevertheless they pray "Thy kingdom come."
First of all, this is mockery with God. By reciting this petition they are declaring that they are praying to God that He do such a thing, expressly requesting Him to do so. In the meantime, however, they do not know what they are saying, and they request what they do not desire; on the contrary, they work against it. Do you think that God will permit Himself to be mocked?
Secondly, to hate, contend with, oppose, and oppress the church is to contend with the Lord Jesus, the King of the church Himself. "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks" (Acts 9:4-5).
Thirdly, not only are you no partaker of all the heavenly benefits of the church -- and thus you will also not be glorified with her -- but all manner of dreadful judgments will come upon you: "But those Mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before Me" (Luke 19:27); "He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye" (Zechariah 2:8). Take note of the judgment which is threatened upon the oppressors of the church: "And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed" (Revelation 11:5). When those who rattle off this petition -- thus those who mock with God, are blots upon the church, cause the church to be slandered by their walk, and are the oppressors of the church -- will come to judgment and observe the church standing in glory at the right hand of Christ; when they will observe that the Lord Jesus Himself, the King of the church, is the Judge and will look upon them in wrath; oh, how will they then be terrified and tremble! If they were then permitted to render Christ a service, how readily they would do so! They will not be deemed worthy of this, however, but will be cast into the fire.
Obligations in This Petition
However, for you who have some esteem for the Lord Jesus and His kingdom, there are several obligations incumbent upon you.
First, unite yourself to this kingdom and place yourself under the banner of King Jesus. Be as a champion among champions in contending for this kingdom and against its enemies. For outside of this kingdom there is nothing but enemy territory. Do you wish to sojourn in the territory of the enemy? There are but two kingdoms -- that of the Lord Jesus and that of the devil; there is no third. To be part of the kingdom of the devil, however, so that he has dominion over you as he does over all children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2), is indeed the most despicable and abominable thing imaginable. For it is to be at enmity against the Lord Jesus and at war with His kingdom. It is the most extreme form of slavery, for it is to be under the dominion of sin, and it is a most dreadful thing, for it will end in eternal damnation. Therefore, depart from it with utmost urgency and enter into the kingdom of the omnipotent, faithful, good, and blessed King Jesus. There you will find safety, peace, reconciliation with God, light, holiness, and comfort, and it will culminate in the kingdom of eternal glory. Therefore, depart and make a transfer, and join in honoring of Christ and the hallowing of God‘s Name.
Secondly, cherish this kingdom, and continually stir up your love to that end. Declare with your entire heart: "Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to Thee"; that is, I cannot make any contribution toward Thee, but I can do so "to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight" (Psalms 16:3). Have a heart for the church as David did: "They shall prosper that love thee. For my brethren and companions‘ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good" (Psalms 122:6
Thirdly, let both the well-being and the degenerate condition of the church be a matter of concern for you. Attentively inquire how the church in general is faring throughout the entire world. If you are informed that she is oppressed in certain places, that errors are surfacing and beginning to overwhelm her, that love is growing cold, that a worldly attitude is beginning to manifest itself, and that religious weeds are beginning to obscure the appearance of the church, then grieve over this and grieve "for the affliction of Joseph" (Amos 6:6). This is what Nehemiah did in chapter 1 and in chapter 2:3: "Why should not my countenance be sad, when the city (Jerusalem, the city of God), lieth waste?" From Lamentations it can be observed how deeply Jeremiah -- and with him all the lovers of Zion -- grieved over the oppression of the church. How do both he and the church lament there! "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger" (Lamentations 1:12).
Furthermore, if you hear that the Lord here and there causes His church to lift up her head again, and visits His people with blessings, rejoice in this and thank the Lord for it. The church did this formerly: "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them" (Psalms 126:1-2); "O Lord, I will praise Thee: though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortedst me" (Isaiah 12:1); "O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of His praise to be heard ... we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place" (Psalms 66:12).
Fourthly, pray and work for this kingdom. Even though it is not in man‘s power to extend, preserve, and sanctify this kingdom, this being God‘s doing, it is nevertheless His will that man, out of love, be motivated to promote its well-being, and to call upon God to that end: "Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thine heritage to reproach" (Joel 2:17); "O send out Thy light and Thy truth" (Psalms 43:3); "Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion" (Psalms 51:18). The Duty of the Upright
He who prays in his heart, will and must actively promote the well-being of the church and strive to be a means in God‘s hand -- each in his place and according to his abilities.
(1) Ministers (the builders), in the demonstration of the Spirit and power, must preach the gospel from heart to heart, clearly and distinctly applying it individually to the ungodly, the godly, the weak, and the strong. They must convict, threaten, rebuke, comfort, and speak according to everyone‘s condition, doing so publicly as well as in the homes. "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Timothy 4:2); "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee" (1 Timothy 4:16).
(2) Elders must not only pray, "Thy kingdom come," but out of love for this cause must actively engage themselves, give heed to how the congregation functions, rebuke those who are disorderly, instruct the ignorant, and visit the sick. Furthermore, all that is a minister‘s duty in the private realm, is also their duty. Likewise the deacons must labor in their sphere.
(3) All individual members must not only continually persevere in praying for the well-being of the church, but also be active in their individual positions. It must be their objective to render the church glorious, separating themselves from all who are outside of her in order that the distinction be all the more visible. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord" (2 Corinthians 6:17). Everyone must endeavor to be an example to others. That which was Timothy‘s duty is applicable to every member of the church: "Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). Maintain mutual peace (except if the truth and godliness be at stake), and "seek peace, and pursue it" (Psalms 34:14). Manifest a loving heart toward those who are within and without -- to the one with the love of delight and toward the other with a compassionate love: "And (add) to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity" (2 Peter 1:7). Be your brother‘s keeper by instructing, exhorting, and comforting everyone -- each according to his own circumstances -- so that no one may backslide, but that all would unitedly go forward from strength to strength. "... warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men" (1 Thessalonians 5:14). How the church would radiate the beauties of holiness and render Christ honor if everyone were to behave himself in this fashion!
Even though the work inherently is sufficiently rewarding, doing something for God and His church being the most glorious and sweetest task, let the following reasons also stir you up:
(1) God is extraordinarily pleased with this. "Them that honour me I will honour" (1 Samuel 2:30).
(2) The Lord will preserve such in the day of evil: "Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble" (Psalms 41:1); "Set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof" (Ezekiel 9:4).
(3) Such will experience that they themselves will greatly increase in gifts and graces: "Every branch in Me ... beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (John 15:2); "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance" (Matthew 13:12).
(4) Such a congregation will be richly blessed, "for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore" (Psalms 133:3).
(5) The Lord will abundantly reward such faithful ones. "Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on Mine altar for nought" (Malachi 1:10); "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing" (Matthew 24:46). Oh, how sweet it will be to be able to say, "Behold, here am I and the children which the Lord has given me." To them the Lord shall say: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" (Matthew 25:21). Happy is that people that is in such a case!