Live in Harmony With the Model Prayer Part I

"LET YOUR KINGDOM COME"

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, his apostles asked:  "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel a this time?"  Jesus' answer showed that it was not the time for them to know when God's Kingdom would start ruling.  He told his disciples to focus on the important witnessing work that they needed to do.  (Read Acts 1:6-8) Nevertheless, Jesus taught his followers  to look forward to the coming of God's Kingdom. So Christians since the days of the apostles have been praying for it to come. 

When the time approached for God's Kingdom in the hands of Jesus to start ruling from heaven, Jehovah helped his people  to understand the timing of events. In 1876, an article written by Charles Taze Russell was published in the magazine Bible Examiner. That article,  "Gentile Times: When Do They End?", pointed to  1914 as a significant year.  The article linked the "seven times" of Daniel's prophecy with "the appointed times of the nations" spoken of by Jesus. -Dan 4:16; Luke 21:24. 

In 1914, war broke out between nations of Europe-a war that spread and engulfed the whole world.  By the time it ended in 1918, terrible food shortages had been experienced and there was a flu epidemic in which more people died than were killed in the war.   Thus "the sign" that Jesus had given to identify his invisible presence  as earth's new King started to be fulfilled.  (Matthew 24:3-8; Luke 21:10, 11) Ample evidence points to the year 1914 as the time when "a crown was given" to the Lord Jesus Christ.  He "went out conquering and to complete his conquest." (Revelation 6:2)  He cleansed the heavens in  a war against Satan and his demons, who were hurled down to the vicinity of the earth. Ever since, mankind has experienced the truthfulness of these inspired words:  "Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time." -Revelation 12:7-12. 

The prophecy recorded at Revelation 12:7-12 explains why the birth of God's Kingdom basically coincided with the beginning of the disastrous events that continue to plague mankind. Jesus, the King of God's Kingdom, began to rule amid his enemies.  Until his conquest is complete and he has brought an end to wickedness on earth, we will continue to pray for God's Kingdom to come. At the same time, we must live in harmony with such prayers by sharing the fulfillment of a most amazing feature of "the sign."  Jesus foretold: "This good news of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." -Matthew 24:14. 

Next time:  Live in Harmony With the Model Prayer Part I - "LET YOUR WILL TAKE PLACE . . .ON EARTH"

From the Watchtower magazine