The Lord's Day

'The Lord's Day' - page 3

7th and 8th Visions

7 ch. 19 and 20 The Marriage Supper and The Kingdom

There has been much confusion between

"the marriage of the Lamb" - ch.19v7, and "the marriage

supper of the Lamb" - ch.19v9. The "marriage" precedes

the "marriage supper". The marriage of Christ and His

spiritual bride has already taken place earlier at Sinai-link

to 2nd & 3rd Visions - page 1. We have now come to the

time of the marriage supper. Relative to the important dis-

tinction to be made, we again quote from 'Eureka'-

"The betrothed had made herself ready by deeds of right-

eousness; on account of which she had been married or

united to the Lamb, in being invested with the clothing of

incorruption...The Apocalyptic banquet for the fowls of the

midheaven, is the last period of judgment upon the wor-

shippers of the Beast and his Image..Babylon having fall-

en, the work of the third angel has now to be executed up-

on her sympathizing survivors, the kings of the earth and

their armies. John saw them already gathered in battle

array; and he saw the fowls gathered who were to devour

them - the ravenous birds of him who rides the goodly

horse, and his hosts of the heaven..The secular and eccle-

siastical organizations styled the Beast and the False Pro-

phet, the European Constitution of the nations in church

and state, is abrogated, and finally destroyed, in the burn-

ing fire" - John Thomas, 1868.

This "lake of fire burning with brimstone" ch.19v20 is that

referred to by Jesus as "hell fire" in Mark 9v43-47 etc.

It is symbolic of a destructive judgment, which totally des-

troys the wicked, & is based upon the perpetual fires that

burned in the valley of Hinnom outside the walls of Jeru-

salem, 2nd Chronicles 33v6 cp Isaiah 66v23,24.

Cp Malachi 4v1;2nd Thessalonians 1v5-10-link to 'judge'.

The final conflict and judgments will take place in Europe,

the habitable of the 4th beast of Daniel 7 at the time of its

demise and destruction. All who ally themselves with the

apostacy will find their end in this "lake of fire".

In ch.19v10 "the testimony of Jesus" is introduced. True

believers witness against the apostacy in all ages,even if it

results in their death. The "testimony of Jesus" is "the

spirit (power) of the prophecy", as it should be rendered.

The Roman "church" has, for obvious reasons, tried every

possible means to destroy this "testimony". Now, at the

time of this 7th Vision, this evil system will be destroyed.

Link here to 'apocalypse' for details re "the testimony".

The time of total victory has now come. Political & re-

ligious sin, & all organized opposition,are totally defeated.

The Lord Jesus Christ, with His glorified saints, now ass-

umes the rulership over all the earth. Those who have sub-

mitted to His demands become the subject-peoples of the

Kingdom Age, which lasts exactly one thousand years.This

is the antitypical fulfilment of the sabbath day under the

law of Moses-link to 'grace' - page 2. It is a time of peace,

after a time of war. Christ has previously appeared as "the

Lion of the tribe of Juda" (ch.5v5) to defeat His enemies.

It is now time to appear as"The Prince of Peace" - Isa.9v6.

This transition was prefigured by the lives of David & Sol-

omon. David was precluded by God from building the tem-

ple because he was " a man of war", 1st Chronicles 28v3.

'Solomon' has the meaning of 'peaceful'. Now " a great-

er than Solomon"Matthew 12v42will bring great blessings

to a chastened world, & "all nations shall call him blessed"

-Psalm 72v17. Read the whole psalm, one of the most

beautiful and heart-warming of them all.

The "rest" which "remaineth..to the people of God" has

now become a reality, and "all the earth sitteth still, and is

at rest" - Hebrews 4v9;Zechariah 1v11. "Blessed and holy

is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the

second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of

God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand

years" - ch.20v6.

The Kingdom Age is a transitional time between flesh and

spirit. Political and religious sin is "bound..a thousand

years" - ch.20v2. During this time the inhabitants of the

earth will be taught to walk in ways of righteousness. They

will hope for their own redemption when after the close of

the thousand years a final judgment will take place. This

will reveal those who will have heeded the admonition pro-

phesied"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee,say-

ing, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right

hand, and when ye turn to the left" - Isaiah 31v21.

This continues the present requirement to refuse the two

extremes, as shown in our 'appeal' letter - link here.

The effects of sin and death continue, though to a milder

degree than at present. The nations keep "the feast of Ta-

bernacles" at "Jerusalem" - Zechariah 14v16- link here to

'feasts' - which points to the time of perfection -'grace' p.2.

Because this is the 7th Vision it deals with the 7th period

of 1000 years since the Creation (refer to 'grace' above).

It includes prophecies of the time to follow the Kingdom

Age - see ch.20v7-15. Although sinful flesh will have been

restrained under the righteous rule of Christ, it will, for a

short period, be allowed to re-assert itself. This results in

a short-lived rebellion, which is crushed outside Jerusalem

"the beloved city". The mortal inhabitants will thus choose

life or death. The next recorded event is a resurrection of

those who have died during the 1000 years. When their

judgment has been completed, the accepted are added to

the number earlier redeemed at the coming of Christ. The

rejected are destroyed. A perfected earth has now brought

forth her harvest (link to 'feasts'). Sinful flesh is no more.

Because sin has been eradicated, "death and the grave"

are also removed. "Christ..must reign, till he has put all

enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be des-

troyed is death" - 1st Corinthians 15v23,25,26.

Also see v24-28 - "Then cometh the end, when he shall

have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father;

when he shall have put down all authority and power….

then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that

put all things under him, that God may be all in all".

The Creation, which had been marred by sin, has now been

restored to harmony with the Creator, and the perfection

foretold for so long has become a reality.

The 8th Vision deals with that blessed time.

8 ch.21 and 22 The New Jerusalem

Whereas the 7th Vision dealt with the

completion of a sinful creation, the 8th Vision deals with

the principles of perfection and immortality - the final

fulfilment of the 8th day of the Abrahamic covenant

and the 8th day sabbath of the Feast of Tabernacles -

link to 'grace'-page 2 items 8 to 10 and 'feasts'.

There is"no more sea" - the raging and the chastened na-

tions gone - ch.15v2; Isaiah 57v20,21 - link to 'signs'- the

5th - 'the calming of the storm'. The blessings of this 8th

period will never end for those selected to participate

therein - link to 'grace'-page 1.

We see the composition of "the holy city, new Jerusalem",

ch.21v2 - the constituents of which, as "lively (i.e. "living")

stones (in a) spiritual house"1st Peter 2v5 have during the

preceding 7000 years, been prepared for glory in the com-

pleted edifice. This "new Jerusalem" is the spiritual fulfil-

ment of all of the representations which(in our current age)

point forward to that blessed time. These are composite fig-

ures with individual components, such as is shown in Psalm

45v13,14 - "the king's daughter" and "her companions",

and in Song of Solomon - the "spouse" and the "virgins".

Or "Jerusalem which is above..the mother of us all" as de-

picted in Paul's allegory in Galatians 4v22-31.

Here we see "new Jerusalem, coming down..out of heaven,

prepared as a bride adorned for her husband". To be there

we must now be "the temple of the living God" 2nd Corin-

thians 6v16"cp"Christ as a son over his own house; whose

house are we,if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of

the hope firm unto the end" Hebrews 3v6.

Sadly, however, some do not appreciate their high calling -

instead of being "living stones", they have been found at

the inspection by the "high priest for ever after the order

of Melchisedec" to be "leprous" – link to 'leprous'.

In such a state they have been found to be unfitted and un-

worthy to form part of this spiritual temple.

This purified assembly is built upon the "chief corner

stone, elect, precious" - 1st Peter 2v6, "disallowed indeed

by men, but chosen of God, and precious",v4. This "stone"

has (at this time) destroyed all human opposition prior to

the establishment of the Kingdom of God - link to page 1 -

4th Vision…& has since crushed the post-millennial revolt.

"The stone which the builders rejected,the same is become

the head of the corner:this is the Lord's doing, and itis mar-

vellous in our eyes"-Matt. 21v42..Jesus Christ himself be-

being the chief corner stone - Ephesians 2v20.

In ch. 21 we read of the glory of this spiritual city, called

"new Jerusalem" in v.2. We also read that "the wall(is)the

measure of a man, that is, of the (lit. Grk. "an") angel".

The redeemed will at this time have become "a perfect

(composite)man..the measure of the fulness of Christ"Eph.

4v13…"equal unto the angels" Luke 20v36...the glorified

(composite) angel-man joined with Christ ch.1v13-18.

Those who now are now "measure(d)"for affliction, ch.11v1,2

will, in this future time be "measure(d)" with gold, ch.21v15 -

cp 1st Peter 1v3-9. Let us, therefore, fully realize that

"the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be com-

pared with the glory which shall be revealed in us"Rom.8v18.

Further concerning the "stones" link to2nd Timothy 2 -cpv19.

Future constituents of this glorious spiritual house & temple

must now be "built upon the foundation of the apostles and

prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

in whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto an

holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together

for an habitation of God through the Spirit" - Ephes. 2v20-22.

We have come to the end of this brief study. It is our prayer

that it will encourage the truth-seeker to press on in the quest

for salvation. Let us conclude with the words of Jesus Christ:

"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to

give every man according as his work shall be...And the spirit

and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.

And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him

take the water of life freely...Even so, come, Lord Jesus" -

Revelation 22v12,17,20.

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