Those who will first recognize the millennial day as begun, and its sun of righteousness as having risen, the kingdom of God as having been “set up,” or commenced its reign, will be the “great company who go through the coming time of trouble and come up (to the family condition, as partakers of the Divine nature) but not being the overcomers – the bride – they do not sit in the throne, but therefore are they before the throne.”

NOTE: this was an early assumption however after further review one which was found to be unfounded. The great company typified by the “foolish virgins” will come up out of the great tribulation having washed their robes in the blood of the lamp, but will have missed out on the opportunity of being a part of the bride and sharing in her reward, the crown of life , immortality, the divine nature, Nevertheless they will be resurrected as spirit beings on the spirit plane, having given up all their earthly life rights when first they made their consecration or covenant with the Father.)

We say that this class, the left of the church when the bride is taken, will be the first to recognize the kingdom as being established. As we see by Rev 19:5-9, “A voice came out of the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all you, His servants, and you that fear Him, both small and great.’ And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thundering’s, saying, ‘Alleluia! for the Lord God omnipotent reigns.” They realize the reign as commenced, and the bride as being taken, and that they are left out of that little flock. But the plan of God begins to open out before them, and they find Him much more loving and kinder than they had ever supposed while they were bound in and to Babylon; at whose overthrow they rejoice. They begin to praise God, saying: “We may rejoice and exult, and give glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb came, and his wife prepared herself.” [Diaglott].

Then (Verse 9,) a promise is made to this second company, viz,: that they come to the “marriage feast,” when they, the “palm-bearers,” shall be ushered into the presence and joyous and eternal fellowship of the crown-wearers, the kings and priests unto God, and thus the entire family or “first-born” and many brethren be complete, and together unite in showing forth the praises of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to the world.

The second class who will recognize the kingdom as “set up” will be fleshly Israel. When toward or at the close of “the time of trouble” they shall have been gathered in great numbers and wealth to Palestine, and when the “nations shall come up to take a spoil and prey,” etc., (Ezek 38:11). For “the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle…and half of the city shall go into captivity, &c….Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when He fought in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives,” &c. (Zech 14:1-4). This, apparently the first realization Israel will have of the kingdom’s having come (Chapter 12:2, 3, 7-10), seems to discuss the same topic and describe the effect upon them of their marked deliverance. They recognize (look upon) Him whom they have pierced. They seem to be able to establish the identity of the Deliverer as the one they had once despised, crucified.

Our understanding is, not that they will see Jesus or any one with their eyes, nor that Jesus and His church will appear in their midst and fight and kill their enemies (we war not with carnal weapons), but that after they have been badly beaten by the great multitudes of their enemies, the Lord will appear and show Himself and fight for them “as when he fought in the day of battle.”

But how was that?

Think of it! How he overthrew great kings and strong nations before them; nations so much stronger than they that it was a miracle. Thus, God was in the midst of Israel, and delivered them from all their enemies round about. As then, so again he will reveal himself as their deliverer, and they shall say: “Lo, this is our God: We have waited for him, and he will save us.” So, the work of revealing progresses until “all shall know him, from the least to the greatest,” and “all nations shall come and worship before him, and thus every eye shall see (recognize) him, while only the holy shall see him as he is (In his glories spirit form).

Thus, too, we see how “he will be revealed in flaming fire.” [Judgments.] The judgments which come upon “Babylon” and cause her overthrow open the eyes of the first mentioned class to recognize the kingdom power. The overthrow (judgments) on the attacking nations open the eyes of the Israelites similarly while the balance of mankind, living and resurrected nations, will find abundant proof of the rulings of the spiritual kingdom in the crushing and destroying of their enemies, sin and death, for “when the judgments [“flaming fire“] of the Lord are abroad in the land, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”

Thus, each class, as they become interested and awakened to “look for him,” shall see him. “To them that look for him, he shall appear,” and we “also shall appear with him,” and thus “the desire of all nations shall come.” R147