War Inconsistent with the Religion of Jesus ChristDodge, David Low
Religion
War Inconsistent with the Religion of Jesus Christ
Dodge, David Low
Peace -- Religious aspects -- Christianity; War -- Religious aspects -- Christianity
2. If the Mediator's kingdom is not of this world, but spiritual,
heavenly, and divine, and the kingdoms of this world are opposed to it,
then we may infer that the kingdoms of this world must belong to the
kingdom of Satan. There are but two kingdoms in our world. At the head
of one is the Mediator, and at the head of the other is Satan. Satan is
the god of this world and reigns without a rival in the hearts of the
children of disobedience. He is the prince of the power of the air. All
the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them are given to him[5]
until the time that God shall write up the nations and make inquisition
for blood. Then the great battle of God Almighty will be fought, and the
beast and the false prophet will be cast into a lake of fire; and Satan
will be bound a thousand years; and the saints will take the kingdom and
possess it; and wars shall cease from under heaven. After the thousand
years Satan will again be let loose, "and shall go out to deceive the
nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to
gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the
sea." "And the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire
and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be
tormented day and night for ever and ever." Thus it appears that Satan
is the mainspring of all warlike powers, and when he is bound wars will
cease; but as soon as he is again let loose they will rage. The writer
is sensible that this will be a very unpopular doctrine with the men of
this world, and with those worldly Christians who are struggling and
teasing and panting for the profits and the honors of this world. If it
is a fact that the nature and laws of the Mediator's kingdom are
diametrically opposite to the kingdoms of this world, then the inference
is irresistible that the kingdoms of this world belong not to the
kingdom of our Lord but to the kingdom of Satan; and however unsavory
the truth may be, it ought not to be disguised. Satan is the strong man,
but the Mediator is the stronger, and he will bind him and spoil his
goods. The Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of
the devil. When he shall destroy the rage of the nations and the tumult
of the people, then Satan's goods will be spoiled. When Satan is cast
into the bottomless pit, tumult and war will retire with him back to
hell; and instead of the blast of the trumpet and the groans of the
dying will be heard the shouts of the saints and the songs of the
redeemed. Then will be "heard as it were the voice of a great multitude,
and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings,
saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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