CSEC LIBRARY -- The Kingdom Established

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The Kingdom Established
ANNIE M. KNOTT, CSD

   At the beginning of another year many are asking what further changes are to come as crowns fall and thrones totter in the mighty shaking of all things by the fiat of omnipotent Truth. In the twelfth chapter of Hebrews reference is made to the giving of the Ten Commandments from Mt. Sinai, when everything on the human plane was stirred to the depths because of this far-reaching demand for righteousness. Then the apostle quotes these words from the prophecy of Haggai: "Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." Then we read, "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."

   As we think upon the experiences of the past four years we rejoice in knowing that there are things which "cannot be shaken," and it matters not in what land or age we live, the assurance is for all time that God reigns and that the world created by Him "cannot be moved," as we read in the ninety-third psalm. In this psalm we are told of the floods which have lifted up their voice, and this is indeed descriptive of present world conditions; but at the same time we have this sure word: "Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting." This declaration of the divine supremacy has been true in all the ages, but its significance has not been grasped by blinded mortals who have believed in mortal kings and kingdoms whose thrones have not rested upon "justice and judgment."

   Anything which is not established by divine Principle and does not exist because of obedience thereto, must be shaken, and the sooner it vanishes the better for the human race. The sad thing is that when humanity in time of tribulation sees the destruction of mortal concepts and fails to reach out for divine aid, it sometimes seems as if it would have been better had the confessedly imperfect conditions continued. This, however, would be impossible if we are to rely upon the words of Christ Jesus, of whom Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 313): "Jesus of Nazareth was the most scientific man that ever trod the globe. He plunged beneath the material surface of things, and found the spiritual cause." Toward the close of his earthly ministry he foretold the present world conditions, which he characterized as more terrible than any which had existed since the beginning of the world, so terrible indeed that if they continued "there should no flesh be saved." He, however, gave the assurance that for the elect's sake the struggle would be shortened and the reign of infinite Mind with its absolute justice be established on earth. In the light of Christian Science we rejoice in knowing that all the things which are not of God are shaken until their nothingness appears, for thus alone would we ever realize the coming of God's kingdom on earth, which implies the overthrowing of every claim to power that does not represent divine justice and mercy.

   As we turn to the old prophets we are much less concerned with the outward signs than with the spiritual demand which makes its appeal to each one of us. Malachi, whose prophecy closes the Old Testament canon, tells of the coming of God to His temple, and he asks, "But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap." Then follows this strong pronouncement of Truth: "And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling, in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts." In this prophecy we are also told that wickedness shall be consumed as stubble, but linked with this very statement is the glorious promise, "Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings."

   As we turn with thankfulness to the experiences of the allied nations that have proved the power of right to overthrow might, we cannot afford to lose sight for a moment of the strong demands made upon them to maintain the right until no evil thing remains to turn thought backward toward "Chaos and old Night." As we read in the first book of Kings of the splendor of the realm in Solomon's reign, the limitless wealth and abounding prosperity, and above all the wisdom which pointed to things spiritual and supersensible, we may well ask why this should not have continued until the whole earth came to bow down before Israel's God. In the ninth chapter we find this decree of Truth to Solomon: "If thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever." This promise is, however, followed by the most solemn warnings of the ills which would befall the people if they in any wise disobeyed the divine statutes and worshiped other gods, until as the record reads, "Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people."

   Alas that it should be told, before Solomon's reign had come to a close, sorcery and idolatry had found their way into the royal palace and thence out among the people, so that their downfall had already begun. Well does a modern poet say of another of the nations of iniquity: —

'T were long to tell and sad to trace
Each step from splendour to disgrace;
Enough — no foreign foe could quell
Thy soul, till from itself it fell;
Yes! Self-abasement paved the way
To villain-bonds and despot sway.

The kingdom of God is the eternal fact, and its recognition by all peoples and their rulers, also obedience to its laws, should be the chief concern of all nations. It cannot be questioned that many in the olden time sincerely desired to be right toward God and man, and that people today sincerely desire this same thing, but the failure of mortals to live up to their own ideals has come to be accepted as a sort of necessity until this belief was crystallized into the doctrines of an orthodox church in these words: "No mere man, since the fall is able, in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God; but doth daily break them, in thought, word, and deed." This being admitted as a necessity, the decadence of men and nations is certain; but Christian Science comes to declare that man as God knows him is able to keep the commandments of God and has no desire to break them. As the psalmist said in a moment of spiritual illumination, "I delight to do thy will O my God."

   Because the kingdom of God is established, and because it is "coming down" to men, we are meeting with many surprises. Nations are being born in a day, as Isaiah prophesied, born of the Spirit; whether all of them are yet awake to this fact or not, it is none the less true. John tells us in Revelation that the nations which "are saved" shall walk in God's own light, and that kings, or the kingly men of earth, the redeemed, shall bring their glory and honor into the kingdom of God. Then comes the "healing of the nations," and even now as we see these things coming to pass, we join in the grand chorus, "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

"The Kingdom Established" by Annie M. Knott, CSD
The Christian Science Journal, January, 1919

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