the suggestion being that for one to die in that kingdom, even at the

age of a hundred years, would be to die young, and that such a death

would be the direct outcome of sin.

The millennial kingdom is not the glorious reign of Christ that ushers

in the consummation.  The millennium is rather man's most favoured

opportunity and most signal failure.  The conditions are even more favourable

than those of Eden in some respects.  For here no outside tempter can enter,

Satan being bound for the whole period, yet revolt spreads rapidly as soon as

Satan is let loose.

The millennial kingdom is Israel's sphere of blessedness wherein all

the promises related to them as a peculiar people to the Lord shall be

fulfilled.  The millennium foreshadows the perfect kingdom.  What will take

place over the breadth of the earth after the millennium takes place during

the thousand years in Israel's land only.  One nation, Israel, shall be 'born

at a stroke' (Isa. 66:8).  One people, Israel, 'shall be all righteous' (Isa.

60:21), and the days of their mourning shall be ended.  But the ends of the

earth will slowly learn the lesson.  A brighter and a better day succeeds the

thousand -year reign of Christ and His people.  The royal priesthood will

have accomplished its purpose.  Through this chosen 'seed' shall all the

families of the earth have been blessed; many will join themselves to the

Lord, and come under the promise:

'The sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord ... even

them will I bring to My holy mountain' (Isa. 56:6,7),

for the Lord's house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.  The

law at Sinai and the nation of Israel afterwards were under the delegated

authority of angels, but the 'world to come' has not been submitted to

angels, but to the saints, particularly those of 'the seed of Abraham' (Heb.

2), which embraces all those of like precious faith.  This kingdom is the

last manifestation of the failure of delegated rule.

The kingdom of the Son is marked by the subjection of all rule and

authority.  He shows Who is that blessed and only Potentate, and at the close

of that rule and that rule alone, we reach perfection and the goal of the

ages.  All down the age has been heard the murmuring challenge of the

sovereignty vested only in Christ.  Israel failed to hold that sceptre; the

Gentiles failed too.  Adam in Eden, and man in the millennial kingdom,

equally fail.  Every age and dispensation converges upon one thought, every

knee shall bow at last to one Lord, every tongue will confess but one Name,

Revelation 5 shall be repeated upon a grander scale:

'Who is worthy? ... no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the

earth ... was found worthy ...' (verses 2-4).

'And they sung a new song, saying, "Thou art worthy"' (verse 9).

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Under the heading 'Revelation -- all things new' in the 'Index of

Subjects', we find that 21:1 -5 and 21:1 to 22:5 are referred to in Vol. 15,

page 65.  We accordingly turn up this reference and find the following

'During the ages which span this section, the wondrous purposes of

grace and redemption are worked out.  The last act which pertains to