History of the Work of Redemption Vol I of the Works - Edwards - XVII - Period III continued

Required readingHistory of the Work of Redemption Vol I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Part VII of Period III.

My summary.

Today Edwards shows how the success of Christ's redemption will be carried on from the present time, till Antichrist is fallen and Satan's visible kingdom on earth is destroyed.

Firstly Edwards observes some things in general concerning the destruction of Satan's kingdom:

(i) it will be a very dark time;

(ii) it will be wrought gradually.

Secondly he proceeds to show how this glorious work will be accomplished:

(i) the Spirit of God shall be gloriously poured out for the wonderful revival and propagation of religion;

(ii) this pouring out of the Spirit of God will not affect the overthrow of Satan's visible kingdom, till there has first been a violent and mighty opposition made;

(iii) Christ and his church shall in this battle obtain a complete and entire victory over their enemies.

Thirdly, Edwards explains that Satan's visible kingdom will be overthrown on earth and demonstrates the overthrow's:

(i) extent;

(ii) universality.

What grabbed me

I enjoyed this description of Christ's final victory over his enemies: 

'Christ and his church shall in this battle obtain a complete and entire victory over their enemies. They shall be totally routed and overthrown in this their last effort. When the powers of hell and earth are thus gathered together against Christ, and his armies shall come forth against them by his word and Spirit, in how august and glorious a manner is this advance of Christ with his church described, Rev. xix. 11. &c. And to represent how great the victory they should obtain, and how mighty the overthrow of their enemies, it is said, (Rev. xix. 17, 18.) that " all the fowls of heaven are called together, to eat the great supper given them, of the flesh of kings, and captains, and mighty men," &c. and then, in the following verses, we have a distinct account of the victory and overthrow.

In this victory, the seventh vial shall be poured out. It is said, Rev. xvi. 16 of the great army that should be gathered together against Christ: "And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon ," then it is said, "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. " Now the business is done for Satan and his adherents. When this victory is obtained, all is in effect done. Satan's last and greatest opposition is conquered; all his measures are defeated; the pillars of his kingdom broken asunder, and will fall of course. The devil is utterly baffled and confounded, and knows not what else to do. He now sees his antichristian, Mahometan, and heathenish kingdoms through the world, all tumbling down. He and his most powerful instruments are taken captive. Now that is in effect done, for which the church of God had been so long waiting and hoping, and so earnestly crying to God, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true? 

"The angel who set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the earth, lift up his hand to heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever and ever, &c. that when the seventh angel should come to sound, the time should be no longer.—And now the time is come; now the seventh trumpet sounds, and the seventh vial is poured out, both together; intimating, that now all is finished as to the overthrow of Satan's visible kingdom on earth. This victory shall be by far the greatest that ever was obtained over Satan and his adherents. By this blow, with which the stone cut out of the mountain without hands shall strike the image of gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and clay, it shall all be broken to pieces. This will be a finishing blow to the image, so that it shall become as the chaff of the summer threshing-floor.

In this victory will be a most glorious display of divine power. Christ shall therein appear in the character of King of kings, and Lord of lords, as in Rev. xix. 16. Now Christ shall dash his enemies, even the strongest and proudest of them, in pieces; as a potter's vessel shall they be broken to shivers.—Then shall strength be shown out of weakness, and Christ shall cause his church to thresh the mountains, as in Isa. xli. 15. "Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing-instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff." And then shall be fulfilled Isa. xlii. 13-15.'

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.

Next week's reading

Read Part VIII of Period III.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.