The Golden Future

Part 5 A New Social Order

There is much in the Bible to guide enquirers into the outstanding features of that still future—although imminent—day when God will "speak peace to the nations." (Zech.9:10 ESV) It is possible to build up a tolerably clear picture from its foundation principles, illuminated by the prophetic vision and inspired revelations of Hebrew seers and Christian apostles. Both the Old and the New Testaments contribute their quota to this preview of the coming social order which is now the happy lot of Christians to perceive.

That the sin and selfishness of man is to culminate in the utter and final breakdown of all human forms of self‑government is certain and definite; and this catastrophic ending to the "kingdoms of this world" is predicted by our Lord and by many of the sacred writers, purely because of their knowledge that no other ending was at all possible. Those same men also declared that in this time of human extremity the alternative system of government—a Divine theocracy based on righteousness—would immediately come into operation.

"It shall come to pass" says Isaiah (2:2‑3) "that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains…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…and He will teach us of His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." "For then," declares the Infinite Himself, "will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent." (Zeph.3:9) Again He declares, "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts…for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them…and I will remember their sin no more." (Jer.31:33‑34)

These declarations imply a paternal administration dealing with fallen humanity along educational lines; and just as with children in school, so will it be true that whilst liberty to do right will be the prerogative of all, liberty to hurt, destroy, or injure will not be permitted to any. The Book of Revelation (chapter 20) speaks of a mighty angel descending from heaven with a great chain in his hand; binding the Devil, and casting him into the abyss "that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years…be fulfilled." (v.3) Thus is pictured in metaphorical language the forcible restraint of evil during the time of Messiah’s kingdom, until such a time as all men are sufficiently restored in mind and body to face the issue for themselves.

There will then dawn a day when despairing mankind realises that a new power has taken control of earth’s affairs. The politicians and statesmen, weary and dispirited at the failure of all their efforts, may at first pay little heed to the new voice which is raised. Certain allusions scattered throughout the Bible seem to indicate that the men to take control will be certain stalwart heroes of old, returned from the grave; men who walked with God and understood those principles of Divine Government which are so much discounted today. The experiences of a number of such are recapitulated in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. In any case the histories of Moses the founder of a nation, Daniel the Babylonian statesmen, Nehemiah the patriot, and others too numerous to mention, are sufficient to carry assurance that if men like these were alive today to administer affairs of state, then peace upon an honourable basis would speedily come to this war‑wracked world.

And these are the men who will rise from the grave to do this very thing.

Is it too fantastic to believe? "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you," cries Paul before Agrippa, "that God should raise the dead?" (Acts 26:8) The whole foundation of Christian expectation is built upon the belief that Christ died, was raised from the dead and became the first fruits of "them that slept." (1 Cor.15:20) Why then should it be thought a fantastic thing that in the fulness of time and in man’s extremity God will restore to earthly life men who have already demonstrated their fitness for the stupendous task of administering affairs of state in the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God? (Isa.1:26)

The shattering impact of this clarion call to righteousness and equity resounding through the civilised world will awaken all to a realization that some strange new power has taken control of earth’s affairs. Many there will be, men and women of goodwill, who will at once hail this proclamation with eagerness and range themselves upon the side of these new "princes in all the earth." (Psa.45:16) Some there will be who will stand aloof, suspicious, sullen, not willing that the searching light of Truth shall reveal the darkness of their own lives. Those who are by nature degraded and brutalised, and have lost the finer instincts of humanity, will cry out that they want none of this new life; whilst without any doubt at all some whose lives have been spent in preying upon their fellows and in gratifying their own pleasures and desires at the expense of others will fiercely oppose this threatened invasion of vested interests. Yet this first reaction in favour of the new administration, even if confined to a relative few, will produce an immediate effect throughout the world such as no revolution or reformation in all past history has ever approached.

The next development will be even more startling for people will begin to discover that vice and abuse of right principles no longer escape retribution; moreover that the very attempt to injure or destroy another will be frustrated at the outset. The psychological atmosphere created by the strangeness of such events, the missionary zeal of teachers who will already be at work amongst the people, but above all the evident operation of Divine power in a totally inexplicable manner will begin to render it literally true that "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain." (Isa.65:25) The maliciously‑minded and the evil‑doer may injure themselves, others they cannot injure, and when this realisation sinks into the minds of men that dread the enemy, fear which holds all men in thrall, and shadows almost every life, will be swept away. "My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places." (Isa.32:18) In such an atmosphere of confidence there will be possibilities of rapid development in the knowledge of the Eternal laws, and the writing of those laws in the hearts of each person.

In proportion as men and women sympathise with and desire the accomplishment of God’s ultimate purpose, so will they come into harmony with His precepts. Every individual in turn will become a teacher, assisting less fortunate ones along the pathway on which they themselves are progressing. Opportunities for every form of Christian endeavour and social service will abound, and the sincerity of every man’s heart will be demonstrated by the eagerness with which he throws himself into the work of helping others. Under such conditions it is easy to comprehend that humankind will become one great family, men consulting with each other for the wise and effective utilisation of the common blessings, and for the undertaking of those enterprises which will be necessary for the continued welfare of the human race. The present evils of competitive enterprise and international antagonism will cease to be, and so will the word be fulfilled which declares, "He maketh wars to cease unto the end(s) of the earth." "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Psa.46:9; Isa.2:4) Social service will be the keynote, and the "Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of man" will become a reality in a sense more stupendous by far than has ever been dreamed by the most ardent of political reformers. The order of the day will be reconstruction. No longer shall the brevity of human life discourage and dissuade men from setting their hands to enterprises which may require centuries for their full accomplishment. The pulling down of all that is drab and ugly in the dwelling‑places of men and the painstaking erection of edifices beautiful to the eye and sumptuous in the amenities will provide occupations of the most pleasant kind. Agriculture will come into its own, for the earth itself is to be restored and made beautiful and to bring forth in abundance. "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose...for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert." (Isa.35:1‑7) Stupendous irrigation schemes will transform the world’s deserts into fertile plains; hitherto inaccessible regions will become a playground; and in every possible sense of the word it shall be true that "then shall the earth yield her increase." (Psa.67:6)

Nor is the new social order to content itself with the external aids to human happiness. The arts and sciences, the pursuit of which is so often restricted to the leisured classes among humanity, will then be open to all. Knowledge will be pursued for its own sake, and the fruits of scientific research applied to worthy objects for the increase of human comfort and happiness. The music festivals and philosophical debates of that day will surpass by far the loftiest attainments of man in the present or the past.

Thus will be the inspired words of John Addington Symonds be literally fulfilled:

   "New arts shall bloom of loftier mould,

      And mightier music fill the skies,

   And every life shall be a song,

      When all the earth is paradise."

There is a crowning glory to this sublime picture. These glories are not for the living nations only. Not just for those who chance to be alive when the day of Christ’s Kingdom bursts upon an unbelieving world. For the Word of God lays down a teaching as definite as it is certain of fulfilment—that all who are in their graves shall come forth to re‑creation of physical form to share in the glories of that Messianic kingdom.

"I believe in the resurrection of the dead!" The creeds of Christendom have re‑echoed the solemnity of those pregnant words for centuries. A day will dawn when the returning millions, gazing upon a fairer earth than ever they have seen before, will with one accord break into that expression of rapture born of the eloquence of the statesman‑prophet of Israel:

"And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Isa.35:10)