The extent of this kingdom is defined in Psalm 72:8 `He shall have dominion

also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth'.  And

again in Psalm 2:8 `Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen, Thine

inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth, Thy possession'.  Yet

again, the prophet Zechariah says:

`He shall speak peace unto the heathen: and His dominion shall be from

sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth'

(Zech. 9:10).

Moreover, in The Revelation we read:

`The seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven,

saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord,

and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever' (Rev. 11:15).

This kingdom on the earth will have an administrative centre:

`And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the

Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and

shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the

mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will

teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion

shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem' (Isa.

This is supplemented by Zechariah the prophet:

`And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the

nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year

to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of

Tabernacles.  And it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the

families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of

hosts, even upon them shall be no rain' (Zech. 14:16,17).

It will be seen by the two latter references from Isaiah and Zechariah,

that not only is the city of Jerusalem represented as the capital of the

kingdom, but also as the centre of worship, and this is in harmony with the

destiny of Israel when that nation is at length saved, for Israel is to be a

kingdom of priests unto God (Rev. 1:6).  They will be made so under the New

Covenant and the blood of Christ in fulfilment of the original purpose of God

expressed at the foot of Mount Sinai but, by reason of the weakness of the

flesh, rendered impossible of accomplishment under the law (Exod. 19:6).

Inasmuch as the bulk of Scripture is taken up with the history and

prophecy of this earthly people and kingdom, no attempt on our part,

particularly considering the limitations of our space, can possibly do more

than indicate the fact of its existence.  There is, however, unanimity among

most believers regarding this first, or lowest sphere of blessing, and while

we shall have to return to the subject when certain of its features will be

compared with those of other spheres, we now pass on to the consideration of

the next sphere, having left nothing unproved or resting upon mere

assumption.  Therefore we feel that we can safely make this statement: