The Fulness of the Purpose

Notes

1. "Replenish."—That is, not necessarily to fill again, as our English implies, but to completely fill. God's infinitely wise purpose must have included a certain number to inhabit this earth, not one too many, not one too few. His perfect plan demanded the exact number, and as in redemption this plan is to be completely fulfilled, we may well believe that the number of the saved will be the exact number He at the beginning planned should inherit the earth.

2. "Greatly Multiply Thy Conception."—God saw that many would listen to Satan, and yield to sin and death; and therefore a greater number must be born into the world in order that there might be gathered out of them the elect number.

3. Characters Chosen.—In the sight of God that which is most precious is character. It is character that God chose in the beginning, a complete number of complete, harmonious characters to people that perfect world. These characters comprehended in names, were written, before sin entered, in the Book of Life.

4. Names, not one, but different names, implying different characters, one as to righteousness, but differing as to individuality. To one of these characters, one of these names with the trial and testing necessary, every soul is called. If he conquer, he will have bestowed upon him absolutely that new name, wrought in him and known only to him.

5. "In the Book of Life."—When we yield up the world, when we receive Christ, then we are accepted as sons and daughters of God, and our names are written among the candidates for eternal life.

6. The family name is of the Father, not the Son. "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named."

7. "His Lot."—Anciently, the land of Israel was divided by lot. Does not this text clearly indicate that that glorious, eternal land will be divided among the children? Name, crown, inheritance, are all held out before the soul called of God.