Mark,
here is something for you
Triumph of God's Love
The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be
glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and
judgment are the habitation of his throne. Ps. 97:1, 2.
The law of love is the foundation of God's government, and the service
of love the only service acceptable to Heaven. God has granted freedom of
will to all, endowed men with capacity to appreciate His character, and
therefore with ability to love Him and to choose His service. So long as
created beings worshiped God they were in harmony throughout the universe.
While love to God was supreme, love to others abounded. As there was no
transgression of the law, which is the transcript of God's character, no
note of discord jarred the celestial harmonies.
But known unto God are all His works, and from eternal ages the
covenant of grace (unmerited favor) existed in the mind of God. It is called
the everlasting covenant, for the plan of salvation was not conceived after
the fall of man, but it was that which was "kept in silence through times
eternal, but now is manifested, and . . . made known unto all the nations .
. ." (Rom. 16:25, 26, R.V.). . . .
Before Him who ruleth in the heavens the mysteries of the past and
future are alike outspread, and God sees beyond the woe and darkness and
ruin that sin has wrought, the outworking of His purpose of love and
blessing. Though clouds and darkness are round about Him, yet righteousness
and judgment are the foundation of His throne. . . . Through the plan of
salvation a larger purpose is to be wrought out even than the salvation of
man and the redemption of the earth. Through the revelation of the character
of God in Christ, the beneficence of the divine government would be
manifested before the universe, the charge of Satan refuted, the nature and
result of sin made plain, and the perpetuity of the law fully demonstrated.
Then the extermination of sin will vindicate God's love and establish
His honor before a universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in
whose heart is His law.
