Looking Forward to Real Living
IT IS amazing what a beautiful day will do for one. And we have so many of them, too, in a year. It is a pity, however, that we cannot enjoy them more. Perhaps we could if conditions in the world and life itself were as peaceful and beautiful as some of our days. Do you realize that soon now people will enjoy just such a life right here upon the earth? Note what the Bible says at Psalm 72:1-8:
“Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.”
It will be a glorious occasion to live during that time; then living, no doubt, will be more beautiful than the best of days. And what will make them beautiful is the fact that God himself will be with his people, representatively, that is, and he will do things for them. We learn this at Revelation 21:3-5, according to the New World Translation: “‘Look! the tent of God is with humankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away.’ And the one seated on the throne said: ‘Look! I am making all things new.’ Also he says: ‘Write, because these words are trustworthy and true.’”
Today it is difficult for us to imagine a world without tears, death, mourning or pain. But under the kingdom of God these evils will be done away with and God’s mighty acts will cause people to want to praise him and extol him to the ends of the earth. That is what David said at Psalm 145:1, 3, 4, 10-13, 15, 16, (AS):
“I will extol thee, my God, O King; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. All thy works shall give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glory of the majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The eyes of all wait for thee; and thou givest them their food in due season. Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.”
We need such a God that can satisfy our every desire. We need such a government that can bless humankind with enduring peace. That is why Jesus urged his followers to pray for the coming of the Kingdom and that Jehovah’s will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.
But what we are primarily interested in is, When will all these good things come? Shall we be able to see them? Will they come in our time? The prophet Daniel answered those questions for us, saying, at Daniel 2:44: “And in the days of these kings [the kings and rulers of our day] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” So in this verse God shows us that he purposes to remove all kingdoms of this world and replace these kingdoms with his kingdom under the direction of his Son Jesus Christ. Following the removal of these earthly kingdoms by God humankind will enjoy peace, for the ruler of God’s kingdom is the Prince of Peace. As Isaiah stated: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.”—Isa. 9:6, 7.
Today we can see that we are living at the portals of that New World government—a government by the Most High God Jehovah which will be administered through his reigning King Christ Jesus. It is imperative that all mankind hear of that kingdom, learn of its mighty acts and what it will do for humankind, that they may live in hope during these trying times to the honor of God and to the fulfillment of his Word.
Men have failed to bring peace and to teach humankind how really to live. God will not fail. Make these Kingdom promises yours by believing them and by trusting in God to bring them to pass. In that kingdom all those exercising faith in Him will enjoy life to the full and taste of life that is life indeed!