Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/251

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

STUDY XIH. THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD.

THE FIRST DOMINION. ITS FORFEITURE. ITS REDEMPTION AND RESTORATION. THE TYPICAL KINGDOM OP GOD. THB USURPER. Two PHASES OP THE PRESENT DOMINION. THE POWERS THAT BE, OHDAINED OF GOD. NEBUCHAD- NEZZAR'S VIEW OP THEM DANIEL'S VIEW AND INTERPRETATION. THB KING- DOMS OF THIS WORLD VIEWED FROM ANOTHER STANDPOINT. THB PROPER RE- LATIONSHIP OP THB CHURCH TO PRESENT GOVERNMENTS. THE DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS BRIEFLY EXAMINED. CLAIMS OF CHRISTENDOM FALSE. A BETTER HOPE IN THE FIFTH UNIVERSAL EMPIRE.

TN the first chapter of the Divine Revelation, God declares

  • his purpose concerning his earthly creation and its

government: "And God said, Let us make man in our im- age, after our likeness, and* let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image ; in the image of God created he him : male and female created he them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it ; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

Thus the dominion of earth was placed in the hands of the human race as represented in the first man Adam, who was perfe6l, and therefore fully qualified to be the lord, ruler or king of earth. This commission to multiply, and fill, and subdue, and have dominion over the earth was not to Adam alone, but to all mankind: "Let them have domin- ion, " etc. Had the human race r rained perfect and sin* less, this dominion would nevei have passed out of its hands*

�� �