The suggestion of the prophet respecting man is one that can be taken for granted — which has occurred to every intelligent being.

Considering the riding of a vessel on the ocean and man upon it, and seeing the vast expanse of water; or being in an airplane high above the earth which, by comparison with the vastness of the universe, is but as nothing, then the mind of man is bound to consider the fact of man’s littleness! How small a speck man occupies in the UNIVERSE!

When we look up into the heavens and realize that they represent so much more of divine power, we are still more surprised. When we consider the heavens, and realize that all these stars, except the planets which belong to our own system, are really suns, and that around each of these suns revolve planets, as our earth revolves around our sun, and when we think of the number of these suns and their planets, we are amazed, and we feel our own littleness all the more.

We ask astronomers as to the number of these suns, and they will tell you that there are hundreds of millions of them in sight. And if we would average the planets around these hundreds of millions of suns at ten, we would have billions of planets. And then they tell us, further, that if we would take our stand upon the very farthermost one of these we would still see before us many more, and as many more.

As we begin to think of the heavens, the work of God’s fingers, and then consider man (How small a work in God’s sight!), we then have an appreciation of what the Scriptures say man is like in God’s sight: as “the dust in the balance” that is not worthy to be taken into account. We have all been in the grocer’s shop and notice that he pays no attention to the dust in the scoop of his scale. So man is so small in the sight of the great Creator that we wonder that God should have any interest at all in humanity. Except for the Bible we should have no knowledge of God’s interest in us, and we might think that God is so great that he would pay no heed to us.

But, when God reveals himself to us in the Bible, we begin to see that there is not only divine power exercised and manifested in the creation of all these worlds, but we see also this divine power manifested in God’s dealings with us, and also the love of God, which the Scriptures state “passeth all understanding”. What wonderful condescension on the part of the Creator that he should give heed to us!

But the above text goes on to give us further information on this subject: “What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels.” Only a little lower is the thought! Of the holy angels, the Scriptures give us to understand that there are various ranks, some higher and some lower, but all perfect. Then, in the world, we have various orders of animal life — the beast of the field, the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air — and man, as the highest of these earthly beings. Man stands related to all these lower creatures as God does to the entire universe, and this is the honour with which our great Creator endowed his human creatures!

So we are told in this Psalm, “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.” What a wonderful creature man is, then, from this standpoint! While he is a little lower than the angels as far as his nature in connection with the earth is concerned, and whereas angels are more excellent as far as their natures are concerned, this Psalm speaks of man as being superior — in that he has a dominion. The angels do not have dominion over other angels, but all are subject to the great Creator, God.

But man, in the likeness of his Creator, has been given a dominion over the lower creatures, and in this respect it is a wonderful honour with which he has been crowned: “Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, and hast set him over the works of thy hands.”

It might be asked with great propriety, If God is thus careful of humanity, and has so highly honoured his human creatures, why should he not have made a still better preparation for them in the world? Why is it that they are subject to the unfavourable conditions under which they now exist? Why are there sorrow, pain, sighing, crying, and dying? Why are these tempests, storms, cyclones and tornadoes, famine, drought, and pestilences? Why all these things if God is so careful of us as his creatures?

We would have no answer for all these questions were it not provided in the Bible. In this wonderful book of all books, we have the key to the matter, the explanation, and that is: God provided originally that man should be subject to none of these difficulties and disasters. Man was made perfect and placed in favourable and perfect surroundings, in a perfect garden, eastward in Eden, with everything necessary for his welfare — no storms, no sickness, no tempests, no difficulties — and he might have lived forever. Such was the wonderful dominion over this human son of God.

Why, then, the change? This wonderful book answers that the change came about because of sin. And so we read: “By one man’s disobedience sin entered into the world [there was no sin in the world before], and death as a result of sin.” (Rom. 5:12). There was no dying on the part of man until sin came. So all the aches, pains, sorrow, and sickness which we experience are parts of this dying process. And so the difficulty with us all is that by nature we are “children of wrath”.

Is divine wrath eternal torture? No, indeed! That teaching has been delivered to the people of Christendom: by the teachers and preachers of Christendom on the basis of several man-made doctrines.

The wrath of God, we see on every hand; as the Apostle Paul declares, “The wrath of God is revealed” — in our own bodies, our aches and pains, mental imperfections, physical imperfections, and moral imperfections; these are all parts of this great penalty for sin. We read that when man became a transgressor God sent a holy angel to drive our first parents out from the Garden of Eden, away from the trees of life that were to sustain them in perfection, out into the unfinished earth.

While the whole earth could just as easily have been made perfect, God left it unfinished, unprepared for man, and merely “prepared a garden eastward in Eden” for the trial of our first parents, because divine wisdom foresaw that man would sin; and instead of making the whole earth perfect, God left it in an imperfect condition, except the garden of Eden. So we read that when God thrust our first parents out of the Garden of Eden, he said: “Cursed is the earth [not that he would make it unfit, but that it was unfit already] for thy sake, thorns and thistles shall it bring forth, and in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread until thou return to the ground; for out of it wast thou taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen. 3:17–19).

In other words, the great penalty against our race is a death penalty — “Dying, thou shalt die.” (Gen. 2:17, see margin). This has been upon our race for over six thousand years, from the time that sin entered into the world. So all the pages of history from Adam’s day to this are marked with sin and sorrow, pain and sighing, because we are all sinners; and because we are sinners, God is treating us according to his own purpose, “Dying thou shalt die.”

But this is the sad side of the matter. Is there no other side, is there no hope for us? The same blessed book — the Bible — tells us. The Gospel message, which signifies “good tidings”, declares that God has some good message for those whom he condemned to death. What is the Gospel message — the true Gospel message?

The Scriptures answer that the good message is that he who condemned us as unfit for eternal life has provided for our redemption; that his Son became our Redeemer; that Christ died, “the just for the unjust”, that he might bring all back into harmony with God. Oh, some may say, but did not Jesus die almost two thousand years ago? Yes, indeed. And have we not the same reign of sin and death as then? Yes. Where, then, is the blessing which was to come through Jesus?

Well, the answer is that God has provided for a two-fold blessing. First of all, there is a blessing of hope, which the people of the true Church of God enjoy (and have enjoyed throughout the Gospel age), a blessing of knowledge, that in God’s “due time” he will bring in the wonderful things of which this Gospel message tells.

God having provided a Redeemer, there will be a resurrection of the dead; they shall not remain dead, but come forth. There shall be a new dispensation, a glorious morning, in which all sin and sorrow will be done away. So the Scriptures assure us of that time that there shall be: no more sighing, no more crying, no more dying, because all the former things, all the things of sin, the things of death, will have passed away. (Acts 3:21; 4:2; 24:15; Rev. 21:4; and many others).

Who is so powerful as to overthrow sin and death? and lift up humanity and bring them back from sin and weakness and imperfection and death? The Bible answers this question, that the one who will do this is the Great One who sits upon the throne of God; as we read: “He that sitteth upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new,” (Rev. 21:5), because: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matth. 28:18).

Also: “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power … according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head [the true and only head] over all things to the [true] Church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Eph. 1:19–23).

But who is this? Oh, the very same one who, by the grace of God, became our Redeemer — Jesus. He is to be the great King of kings and Lord of lords, and is to “reign from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth”. And under the blessed influence of that kingdom the full blessing of God will come to the earth again!

“The eyes of the blind [the blinded eyes of all mankind] shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf [the ears of the whole human race being deaf to the true truths of God] shall be unstopped [shall receive an understanding of God’s glorious Plan of Salvation for Adam and all his posterity] …” “The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” (Is. 35:5–10; 40:5).

All this is referring, of course, to that Kingdom for which our Lord taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is [done] in heaven”, in which, and during which: “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea”. (Matth. 6:10; Is. 11:9).

That will be the time of Messiah’s reign; the time of the world’s uplift; the time during which Satan will be bound; the time in which knowledge will fill the whole earth; the time in which the earth shall be brought to the Paradisaic condition which was symbolically represented in the Garden of Eden; the time when every creature in heaven and earth and under the earth shall be brought to that glorious condition where they will sing praise to God that sitteth upon the throne, and the Lamb, for ever and ever. These will be: “The times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of ALL his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21).

However, the period of “the times of restitution of all things” is only the second part of God’s glorious plan of salvation for Adam and all his posterity. The first part began with the sacrificial death and the resurrection of Christ, and it will end when God’s plans and purposes for the Gospel age shall have been accomplished. With regard to God’s plans and purposes, and God’s “times and seasons”, we are informed that they are not the same as those conceived and enacted by man. We read:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Is. 55:8–11).

What is the first part of God’s glorious Plan of Salvation for Adam and all his posterity? What is this first part of God’s plans and purposes to be established during the Gospel age? Well, the Scriptures tell us that in God’s plans and designs the period of the Gospel age will serve one major purpose, which is expressed in simple words, and in one sentence:

“God at the first did visit the Gentiles [after the Jewish people as a people proved unworthy of that special favour], to take out of them a people for his name.” (Acts 15:14).

Oh yes, God is indeed selecting “a people for his name” during the Gospel age and it is, of course, testified to in God’s holy Word in numerous ways: in direct statements, in pictures, in parables, and in types and shadows. Jesus, for instance, declares: “Many are called, but few are chosen”, viz, this “holy calling” for the purpose of selecting out of all peoples and nations “a people for his name” is being heard by many, but only a few of those who respond to it, are found to be worthy and faithful of “the call” (Matth. 20:16; 22:14). In fact, those who are found worthy and faithful, are altogether only a very small number: “a little flock” (Luke 12:32), a little flock of only 144,000:

“And they sung as it were a new song … and no man could learn that song [no other human being] but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth [redeemed before the rest of all mankind will be redeemed]. These are they which were not defiled with women [a woman is a symbol of a church; therefore: none of these 144,000 called ones is serving, or giving their efforts to other churches]; for they are virgins [gave themselves and served only the Lord, faithfully waiting for her “bridegroom”, viz, Christ at his second coming]. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth [they do not follow just anyone, but only the true shepherd — John 10: 3–5, 11, 14–15, 27–29]. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.” (Rev. 14:3–4).

These “firstfruits unto God”, this “little flock” of “144,000” are the true “people of God”, as the Apostle Peter specifically points out:

“But ye are a chosen generation [race], a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people [because this special place of favour was occupied by the Jewish people], but are now the people of God [specifically, ever since Christ’s resurrection, and throughout the Gospel age, during which this process of selecting “out of” all the people on earth takes place]: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Pet. 2: 9–10).

Before Christ’s resurrection there was no way to become “sons of God”, to be called and to become members of “the body of Christ”; only through Christ this became possible: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6; 1:12–13; 1 John 3:1).

It is also only for these to whom the words of Jesus apply: “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me” and: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John 17: 9, 16; though in the world, none has the spirit of the world). In fact, these are the true saints of God, those of whom God saith: “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice” (Ps. 50:5), and of whom the LORD God also saith: “And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day [during the Gospel age] when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” (Mal. 3:17).

Why is the LORD God selecting out of all people on the earth this kind of people to be “a people for his name”? a people which, as the Scriptures declare: “in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God”? Well, the Scriptures declare also this quite clearly. They tell us that these, whom the slain Lamb of God has redeemed to God out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation by his own blood (Rev. 5:9), are made unto God “kings and priests” and that these are to “reign on [rather, over] the earth” (Rev. 5:10). Rev. 20:6 adds to this: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection … they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

And what will this reign of Christ and the true saints of God (who are Christ’s co-inheritors and associates) establish? The answer to this question has actually already been given, but here it is again: to restore all that was lost by the disobedience and following condemnation of Adam. Christ and the true saints of God shall teach and direct all mankind (Adam and all his posterity): how to achieve and receive that perfect human life which Adam had before he was condemned and sentenced, and all that which pertains to it, including eternal life. When Jesus made the statement that: “The Son of man is come to save that which was lost” (Matth. 18:11), he is referring exactly to this.

The Apostle Paul expresses it this way: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned [because all of Adam’s children were born after he became imperfect because of disobedience to his Creator; but then the Apostle continues]: Therefore as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the crucified Jesus] the free gift [by the grace of God] came upon all men unto justification of life.” (Rom. 5:12, 18).

Therefore also the Apostle Paul declares (in 1 Cor. 15:21–22): “For since by man [Adam] came death, by man [“the man Christ Jesus”] came also the resurrection of the dead [by having given his life,“a ransom for all”]. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Yes, indeed, all the instructions and directions the people of mankind will receive during “the times of restitution of all things” — also referred to as “the Kingdom of God” in which God’s will will “be done in earth as it is in heaven” (Matth. 6:10) — will lead them up, and up, and up, on the “highway of holiness” (Is. 35:8) until, at the end of “the times of restitution of all things”: all will have reached the standard of perfection necessary to be approved worthy for that eternal life in perfection which Adam had before his fall from perfection by his act of disobedience to his Creator.

The foundation for the glorious end-result at the end of “the times of restitution of all things” is expressed in the words we find recorded in Is. 28: 16–17: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone [Zion is the spiritual aspect of God’s true Kingdom], a tried stone, a precious corner stone [Christ Jesus], a sure foundation: he that believeth [then, during “the times of restitution of all things”; then, in the true Kingdom of God] shall not make haste [but in patience look forward to the end of God’s glorious Plan of Salvation, which then can be visualized]. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet.”

Oh yes: “When thy [God’s] judgments are in the earth [upon mankind], the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Is. 26:9). Toward that end, the people on the earth will receive the utmost of help along their way, as it is written: “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Is.11:9). As water will fill every hole, cut, or crevice: so God’s truth will reach every individual of the human race; because it is God’s express will to “have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth [God’s truth]” (1 Tim. 2:4).

WHAT A GLORIOUS PROSPECT; WHAT A GLORIOUS HOPE; WHAT A WISE AND GRACIOUS AND LOVING GOD! THIS IS THE TRUE GOD OF THE BIBLE!

This is what Adam and all his posterity can look forward to, during “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21):

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes [not literally, of course, but will cause it to be so]; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain [physically or mentally]: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:4).

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. … They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain [kingdom].” (Is. 11: 6-9).

In chapter 35 the prophet adds:

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped [both, physically and mentally]. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness [this highway is the new direction with entirely new instructions and informations in which all mankind will walk, given by an entirely new kind of Government, namely, the spiritual Government of the King of kings and Lord of lords]; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there [viz, people with lion-like, or beastly, characters and appetites]; but the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the LORD shall return [Adam and all his posterity], and come to Zion [the spiritual phase of that Kingdom of God: Christ and all his associates, the Elect of God, the true saints of God] with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Is. 35: 5–10).

O yes, God’s justice had to condemn our first parents, but God did not abandon them. That is clearly indicated right from the beginning when God declared his judgments. His judgment upon the serpent is (in the episode of beguiling and deceiving Eve, the devil appears to Eve in the form of a serpent):

“Because thou hast done this [to deceive Eve cunningly with a lie — Gen. 2:17 and 3:4], thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head [in due time, the devil will be destroyed by one who is brought forth by a woman], and thou shalt bruise his heel [the devil will be permitted to cause great discomfort, mentally and physically, to the whole human race in the meantime].” (Gen. 3:14–15).

Jesus in his own words is referring to this, when he said (in John 8:44): “When he [the devil] speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” But of Christ it is also said — declared — by the Apostle Paul (in 1 Cor. 15: 25–26): “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death”; which means, since the devil is an enemy of God, his destruction is included in all that which will be destroyed by Christ, the Executor of all of God’s plans and purposes.