presence of the Lord.' Where he believed the Lord's presence to be, we learn from chap. 2: 4, I am cast out of thy sight; but I will look again toward thy holy temple.' In short, whether the Jews were in their own land, or in captivity, when they prayed or performed acts of worship to their God, their thoughts and their faces were directed towards their temple at Jerusalem. See, in proof of this, Dan. 6: 10; 1 Kings 8; Ps. 5: 7. "But there are still some passages which deserve our particular notice, because they clearly decide what is the meaning of the phrase, presence of the Lord. The first is, 2 Kings 13: 23, 'And the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast them from his presence as yet.' This was spoken of the Jews; and just notice, that God speaks of destroying them, and casting them from his presence. What he here says, that as yet, he would not do to this people, in the following passage we find that he did do. 2 Kings 24: 20, 'For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.' The same is repeated, Jer. 52: 3. God's presence was enjoyed by the Jews in Judea, and in their temple service. To be cast out of God's presence, is to be banished from Judea into captivity, and from all the privileges which the Jews enjoyed in their land, and temple worship. This was the same as destroying them. They were thus destroyed or cast out of God's presence for seventy years in their captivity at Babylon. But they were brought back from this captivity, and again enjoyed God's presence in their own land. At the time Paul wrote the words in Thessalonians, the time was drawing near when they were to be again cast out of God's presence, and dispersed among all nations. Paul adopts the very language of the above passages, used in speaking of their former captivity, to describe the judgments of God which awaited them in their being cast out of their land, their city and temple destroyed, and they destroyed with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. The Jews now are just as certainly destroyed from the presence of the Lord, as they were during the seventy years' captivity in Babylon. How, then, can any man affirm that Paul meant, by this phrase, either annihilation or endless misery? If the Scriptures are allowed to interpret themselves, Paul only describes the temporal destruction and banishment of the Jews, and in the very language by which the prophets had described their former punishments. It is added by the apostle, and from the glory of his power;' or, as some render it, his glorious power.' Should this be understood of Jehovah, the God of Israel, it is certain his glorious power was displayed among the Jews. Should it be understood of Christ, it agrees with what is said of him; for at the destruction of Jerusalem he is said to have come in the glory of his Father; and he was then to be seen coming with power and great glory. Matt. 16: 27, and 24: 30." CHAPTER XV. ON THE PHRASES KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, KINGDOM OF GOD, A KINGDOM, THE KINGDOM, ETC. SECTION I. All the passages in the BIBLE wherein the phrase KINGDOM OF GOD occurs. Dan. 2: 44. And in the days of these kings 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 forever. Matt. 6: 33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things [food and clothing] shall be added unto you. Matt. 12: 28. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Matt. 21: 43. Therefore, say I unto you [the chief priests and elders], The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Mark 1: 14, 15. Now, after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mark 10: 14, 15. But when Jesus saw it [that his disciples rebuked them that brought little children unto him], he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. Mark 12: 34. And when Jesus saw that he [the scribe] answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. Mark 15: 43. Joseph of Arimathea, an honorable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. Luke 4: 43. And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. Luke 6 20. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blesfor yours is the kingdom of God. sed be ye poor; Luke 9: 62. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 10: 9. And heal the sick that are therein; and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Verse 11. Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding, be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Luke 13: 28, 29. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. Luke 17: 20, 21. And when he [Christ] was demanded of the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo, here! or lo, there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 18: 16, 17. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein. Verse 29. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. Luke 22: 16. For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof [the passover], until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. John 3: 3. Jesus answered and said unto him [Nicodemus], Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Rom. 14: 17, 18. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things [righteousness and peace] serveth Christ, is acceptable to God and approved of men. 1 Cor. 4: 20. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 1 Cor. 6: 9-11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God. 1 Cor. 15: 50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Eph. 5: 5. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 2 Thess. 1 5. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which yo also suffer. Rev. 12: 10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Luke 7: 28. For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the kingdom of God greater than he. Luke 8: 1. And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God; and the twelve were with him. Verses 9, 10. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Gui but to others in parables: that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Luke 9: 2. And he sent them [his disciples] to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. Verse 11. And the people, when they knew it [that Christ had gone into Bethsaida], followed him and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. Verse 60. Jesus said unto him [a certain man], Let the dead bury their but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. dead; Verse 62. And Jesus said unto him [another], No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 13: 18-21. Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustardseed, which a man took, and cast into his garden and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. Luke 14 15. And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Luke 11: 20. But if I [Christ], with the finger of God, cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. Luke 23: 50, 51. And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a councillor; and he was a good man and a just (the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them); he was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews; who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. Luke 21: 29-33. And he spake to them a parable: Behold the figtree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see, and know of your ownselves, that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away. Luke 12: 31. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things [food and raiment] shall be added unto you. Luke 16 16, 17. The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. Acts 8: 12. But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Acts 28: 23. And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the |