THE NEW JERUSALEM is a figure of the coming kingdom of God. It represents, we believe, both spiritual and earthly beings. When first seen (Rev 21:2.) it contains only the bride, it has not reached earth yet – it is “coming down from God out of heaven,” (Coming into power and control). From the commencement of the reign of Christ, the kingdom or dominion of God will commence; it will continue to overthrow evil and establish right, until in the end of the time of trouble the kingdom (“New Jerusalem“) shall have reached earth, and it shall be established (in full control) here, during the Millennial reign (of which that city is the figure).

As we have already seen, the real rulers of earth will be the Lord and His Bride, invisible to humanity because of a new and different nature – spiritual beings – the new “powers of the air:” but there will be earthly agencies, made use of in ruling and blessing and restoring mankind – just as the present “Prince of the power of the air” now makes use of human agencies (governments and men), in oppressing and degrading.

There will then be true “civil service reform,” and none but perfect beings will be allowed to hold office, or be identified with the government; and each earthly one as soon as he learns of the goodness and love of God, will seek and be assisted, to approach the kingdom (New Jerusalem). “They shall bring the honor and glory of the nations into it: And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defiles (sinful) neither whatsoever worketh abomination or makes a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (Rev 21:26.)

The whole world will be on trial for life, [life as human beings – as Adam had it] and the conditions will be their coming into full harmony with the Kingdom (the New Jerusalem) and its laws of love to God and men. None other, shall enter the kingdom or be enrolled of the Lamb as worthy of life. In the end of the age all who have not entered (the symbolic city) will be destroyed. (Rev 20:14,15.)

We see then, that the kingdom (dominion – recognized authority) of God, “cometh not with (visible or outward) observation, neither shall men say, lo, here! or lo, there!” for the kingdom when it comes, will be in their midst, a spiritual unseen power; but as it proceeds and conquers, it begins to have human representatives (who can be seen) who continue to increase until the kingdom shall be, “Under the whole heavens” and shall “Fill the whole EARTH.” (Dan 2:35).

Now, in this kingdom there will be a work for spiritual beings to do, viz: to overrule, oversee and reward with perfection of being and continuous life, all who shall prove themselves worthy of it – who will thus be delivered from the bondage of corruption [sickness and dying] into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. [Adam was thus gloriously free, before sin bound him to death]. And there will be work for humanity in the glorious restitution of all things, for they will be co-workers with the Lamb, the Spirit and the Bride.

Now we can perhaps understand why it is, that “without holiness no man shall see the Lord,” (“we [ourselves] shall see him as he is” for “we shall be like him,” – also spiritual beings) and yet, men shall see the Patriarchs, for we read:

“YE SHALL SEE ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, and you yourselves thrust out.” (Luke 13:28).

The earthly phase of the kingdom was all that ever had been revealed until Jesus came and taught concerning a kingdom higher, into which humanity (flesh and blood) could not enter.

It was this (earthly) kingdom they sought and which had been promised them – the dominion over all nations to rule and to bless all others. It was this earthly phase of the kingdom which had been established in a small way under David, and this the Jews in Jesus’ day claimed still to represent; and now notice Jesus’ words – “You yourselves (shall be) thrust out.” – They could not be thrust out of a thing which they were not in, in some sense; and they were in the earthly kingdom, in the sense that they as a nation had all been typically cleansed by typical sacrifices, and thus constituted a figure of the future earthly kingdom, into which will enter none but those absolutely cleansed from all sin by virtue of the “better sacrifices.”

If then Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets, justified by faith, shall be raised perfect men, and as such will be in perfect harmony with God, we see how they would be the first of the earthly element of the kingdom. With this thought of the spiritual and human parts of the kingdom of God, and the necessity of the spiritual, being first perfected before the human would be possible, let us remember Jesus’ words, “There are last (the Gospel church) which shall be first (or chief), and there is first (Abraham, the prophets, etc.) which shall be last” (or under). Luke 13:28-30.

But, can the promises to Abraham be thus fulfilled?

We will address this question in our next post.