The Kingdom of God
Joseph Irons. Daniel 4:3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom… I. A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS KINGDOM — the antecedent is in the verse immediately preceding our text, in which the monarch talks of "showing the signs and wonders that the high God had wrought towards him." He had not yet got quite into our school, and into the use of the phraseology of the servants of the living God, who call Him the "Most High God." But by-and-bye you will find this same man learning that phrase also, and putting it forth. However, he calls Him here "the High God," higher than his own god, higher than all the idols and gods of the heathen, higher even than himself, and he would fain have been a god. Glory to our covenant God, that this is a suitable and proper appellation, for the kingdom is His. The point I wish to establish is, that Jehovah's kingdom of grace is perfectly distinct from all the kingdoms of the world. We might say much concerning the kingdom of nature, and show how He rules that, as He did in the instance of those three persons, so that even fire should lose its power, and they walk about in it unhurt. And if He were not the God of the kingdom of nature, He could not control and govern it. And, first of all, my Lord says, His kingdom is "not of this world"; it is not carnal, it is not in the might and power of human potentates, it is not submitted to the authority" of carnal minds, it is not that which the enemies of Jesus Christ are to lay their hands upon as if they had authority and offices appointed unto them in it. And this will in which the kingdom is founded is of ancient date. Look back to the earliest history we possess, and the account given of what real godliness was in Adam's days, in Abel's days, and in Abraham's days, and we shall find that the kingdom then, and for ages before, was founded in the settled purpose of eternity., in the council of peace, between the persons of Deity. Moreover, it is absolute in the Divine mind — "With whom took He counsel?" or whom did He consult on the matter? Where is the being that gave advice, or communicated understanding to Him? No, His will is absolute law. Probably it would be found a rather dangerous experiment to make the will of a created being absolute law; but there is no such danger with God. We are nowhere so safe, so happy and secure, as under the guidance, control, and management of Jehovah's absolute will. Moreover, it is a kingdom that has always been advancing, according to the absolute sovereignty of His own will. I know that the powers of darkness have done, and are now doing, all in their power to stop its progress. The more His people were afflicted the more they multiplied and grew. This kingdom, founded in the Divine will, is organised with infinite wisdom. There are privileges, advantages, comforts, pleasures, and usefulness pertaining to the organisation of a Christian church. Believers should not be like a scattered flock of sheep, not knowing one another; but should be knit together as one in heart, in love, and in bearing one another's burdens. The organisation I mean is that which consists of the people, the principles, and the privileges, all of which are in accordance with, nay, organised by, infinite wisdom. Upon what principles has Jehovah organised His Church, His kingdom upon earth? One word would serve as a title page, a running title, to the whole statute book of the kingdom; and that word is "grace." It is a grace kingdom. All its principles, doctrines, laws, and statutes emanate from the fulness of grace in the Father's heart, in the Person of the Son, according to the register of the Holy Ghost, Grace makes the characteristics. Moreover, as regards privileges. Here a vast amount of illustration opens to my view; but I must limit myself to only one or two remarks. This blessed kingdom of our God has privileges for all its subjects, who are declared to be made "kings and priests unto God." Moreover, if we speak of the privileges under which the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is organised, we find a vast revenue of promises, all of which are "yea and amen" in Jesus Christ, and are to the glory of God in the experience of every subject of His grace. Let us pass on to mark one thing more respecting this kingdom; I mean its unchangeable character; for my text says expressly that "His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom." It shall know no variation. II. THE INTERESTS OF THIS KINGDOM, which are great and rare, and concern the monarch and the subject both. I shall only mention two or. three of those interests; and if one of them fall, the monarch is injured as well as the subject. The interests, then, are mutual, But whilst we speak of the interests of the kingdom, we must not lose sight of its dignity. All its subjects are dignified characters; and yet all their dignity is concentrated in their glorious sovereign. All His subjects are brought out from the world, washed and made clean, forgiven freely, justified perfectly, accepted cordially, "received graciously, and loved freely." III. DESCRIBE THE NATIVES OF THIS KINGDOM. There is a peculiar description of them given by Haman, when he sought the destruction of God's Church in the time of king Ahasuerus, and the subtle Jesuit cried, "O king, live for ever,. there is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws, therefore it is not for the king's profit to, suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed." And what was the reason? Why, that "their laws were diverse from all people." Now this I think a fine testimony to come from the mouth of so inveterate a foe of God's people, with regard to their peculiar character as natives of His kingdom. "Their laws are diverse from all other peoples'." Now, if grace has not made you to differ from the world, if it has not distinguished you as a new creature in another character I fear it has done very little for you. But, though our laws are diverse from all others, we mean to abide by them, God helping us, and to rejoice in them. When the Jews were apprised of this wicked conspiracy, what course did they take? Did they attempt to alter, modify, or change their laws? Did they attempt to amalgamate their laws with those of the people around them? Did they say, "Well, instead of having a sacrifice once a-morning, let us have one once a-week." No, they would not think of the least alteration. And there stood the people of God adhering constantly to the laws of God. IV. THE GENERATION SPECIFIED IN SUCCESSION — "His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion from generation to generation." Here, be it observed, that we are very fond of a line of succession; but it must not be carnal and fleshly; it must not be secular; it is a spiritual line of succession. This one line of succession has been specified in the Scripture in a text which I have already cited — "instead of the fathers shall come up the children." Whether they were born in antediluvian times, or in the Mosaic times, or under the prophets' ministry, or under the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, or during the apostles' days, or down to the present hour, their family likeness has always exhibited, and always will exhibit, spirituality, separation, and subordination. But they are not only spiritual and separate, but subordinate to the monarch. They have touched His sceptre; they have obtained life Divine from Him. Now mark the subordination — "and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" "Thy will be done" is the favourite motto inscribed upon their banners; "not as I will, but as thou wilt," shouted their glorious Captain, and they reiterate the cry. The will of Jehovah is the law of their life. (Joseph Irons.) Parallel Verses KJV: How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. WEB: How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.