Volume 1 	            Lawrence, Kansas    		July 1961	  	       Number 7

Religion deals with man and God. Regardless of age, civilization or nationality, there has been and is religion. Not superstition, but the act of acknowledging a higher being.

This is not a series, however to discuss the fine points of religion, but to discuss the religion of the one true God, as he has revealed Himself through His people and the Bible.

I have chosen as a subject "the church" for it covers man's relationship with God from the beginning of our record. No, I do not believe that the church existed in the garden of Eden, nor yet with Abraham nor even with Moses and prophets. I do believe that it was in the plan of God, from the garden of Eden, with Abraham and the law and the prophets.

Our record of man and God begins in the book of Genesis. (Genesis 1:26-27). God placed the first family in the idyllic garden of Eden. Their chores were light and pleasant, and their rewards were ample. They had pleasant living conditions, with responsibilities well rewarded. Yet Satan, who had not been satisfied with his living conditions nor the rewards of his responsibilities, was able to lead the woman and man into sin, or disobedience against God. God had not accepted the rebellion of Satan (Jude 6) nor was he willing to accept the rebellion of man. Man was separated from the presence of God. He was driven from the garden and deprived of his privilege of the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-23). Death came to man (Romans 5:12).

In reality though, God was not desirous that man should be eternally separated from Him (John 3:16). Genesis 3:15, gives us the first indication that God would enable man to reach the tree of life again. A promise was made of the ultimate overthrow and destruction of the power of the devil, that was symbolized in the head of the serpent.

Genesis 12:1-3 (please read) shows the first concrete evidence of a system of salvation. God separated one man and his family, to thus establish a chain that would bind men to God and God to men again. He promised Abraham material things for his faithfulness, but greater yet, that he was to be the father of a blessing for all people. There were no Jews or Gentiles at the time of this pronouncement, and Abraham could readily accept it. Only later, when men had made the distinction so pronounced, did they find it hard to understand. This promise was reaffirmed through the descendants of Abraham and was fulfilled in the person of Jesus the Christ and his established church.

Let us examine a few passages of prophecies concerning the kingdom, the church. First of all, let us examine a time prophecy. Daniel 2. We do not have space to repeat the chapter, but strongly urge you to read it. It concerns a dream of a Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. This dream centered about a great image of five different materials. Our particular concern is with the "stone cut without hands" and the 44th verse, "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed." If we can analyze the various parts of the image and locate a time when God did establish a kingdom (church), we would have the time of his kingdom or churches' beginning.

The five materials of the image, represent four great world kingdoms. One, the last, was represented by two materials, iron and clay. Daniel, or indeed God, explains for us that the material gold represented the kingdom of Babylon. History reveals the world kingdoms following as: Medo-Persia (silver); Grecian (brass) and Roman (iron and clay). Reading Luke 2:1-7 determines for us (and secular history agrees) that Jesus was born during the days of the Roman Empire. Thus in a general statement, any church or spiritual kingdom established before or since the days of the Roman empire, would not fit this prophecy of God.

Let us now examine Isaiah 2:2-3, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths, for out of Zion go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." It is understood by Bible scholars that "mountains and hills" represent kingdoms. This being true, the prophet speaks of God establishing a kingdom. I believe that we can see many of the points of this prophecy brought out in the Bible. Jesus said words similar in Luke 24:47: "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem."

Acts 2 is the chapter to find both the time element of Daniel 2 and individual points of Isaiah 2:2-3 and Luke 24:46-47. A study of connecting passages reveals that the events recorded are in fact harmonious to the time of Daniel 2. Verse five indicates the place was Jerusalem and that all nations were dwelling there. Acts 2 also shows the Law of the Lord regarding "repentance and remission of sins" going forth, in the name of Jesus. It further indicates that by faith the people repented and were baptized. Those that were in obedience were added to the church (v. 47).

Since you cannot be added to something that does not exist, we accept the fact that the church was established. The time was about A. D. 33. This is a direct fulfillment of the prophesies of God.

My next article will deal with the prophecies of Jesus concerning his church—kingdom.