the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus
2:13), “whom the Heavens must retain until the Times of Restitution.”
But what does that mean-“the Times of Restitution of all things?” What does
the word “restitution” mean? It means restoring, restoration. What is it that
needs restoration? “Adventists” think it means the hills, rocks, trees, etc. But
that is not what it means! it is true they bring forward some Scriptures to sup-
port their belief. You will remember that there is one (Isa. 40:4) which says,
“Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made
low.” But this is not to be understood literally. These niountains and valleys
and hills are symbolic. in symbolic language: “mountains” represent king-
doms; “valleys” mean the lowly or depressed or oppressed classes and condi-
tions of society. Every kingdom and every exalted thing is to be brought low,
and every lowly thing is to be exalted. This means the leveling of the social
earth; and this leveling is already in progress.
The saints have nothing to do with that work. God Himself is so overruling the
affairs of men as to bring it about. The present is the lapping time of the two
Ages (point), when certain influences of this character are already being felt.
The Lord is the Supervisor of the Time of Trouble; but His consecrated people
are not to use “carnal weapons” nor to engage in worldly strife; they are to be
separate from the world and its spirit, and to do only the work which God has
given them to do, and which we will consider further along in this course.
They are to utilize all their talents in preaching the Kingdom.
But, looking all about us, we see that it is not the literal earth so much that
needs restoring. The mountains and hills and valleys are very beautiful, and for
those who desire a low country there is plenty of room in the valleys and vast
prairies. It is mankind that needs restoring-although there is a certain work of
transition now going on in the earth. But if we could only make mankind right,
we would have a vezy desirable world. If men’s hearts were right, and we had
perfect men and perfect wornen, “Times of Restitution” would not be needed.
But we have not. “By one man’s disobedience sin entered into the world, and
death by sin.” What mankind need is to be restored to Edenic perfection; and
this, it is promised, will be done. “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My
holy Mountain,” saith the Lord, when He is “Governor among the nations.”
Christ’s ruling among the nations will mean not only the subduing of mankind,
but the conquering of Satan and the controlling of all the elements of nature.
“ln that Day” there will be no storms or violent climatic changes. The climate
is not at present all that perfect beings might wish; but the One who stilled the
storm of Galilee still has power over the elements, and all must be brought into
subjection before it can be true that nothing shall hurt in all God’s holy Kingdom.
As we said before, the thing most needed is the promised “Times of Restitution