Revelation 21:1.  This takes place at the end of the Great White Throne

judgment, which therefore must be included in the day of the Lord, the

Millennium being the first part of that great prophetic day, but not

exhausting it.  Further, the last words of Revelation 20 speak of the 'lake

of fire'.  This synchronizes with the 'fervent heat' of 2 Peter 3:10, wherein

and whereby 'the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned

up'.  The words 'pass away' in these two passages are the same Greek words,

which establishes yet another link.  Peter makes a connection in 2 Peter

3:6,7 between the flood of water in the days of Noah, and the dissolution of

heaven and earth by fire, saying:

'Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water,

perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same

word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment

and perdition of ungodly men'.

Just as the threat to slay Pharaoh's firstborn was postponed while a

series of lesser plagues gave him opportunity to repent, so judgment after

judgment falls upon the earth at the time of the end (see for example Rev.

9), yet it is written they 'repented not' (Rev. 9:20,21).  So the

longsuffering of the Lord reaches its limit, the heavens pass away with a

great noise, and the elements melt with 'fervent heat', 'crackling roar',

'set ablaze and melt' (Moffatt), and a new day dawns, wherein dwelleth

Much indeed could be said on this great theme.  The reader will find

some further aspects under the title The Lake of Fire on page  41.  The fact

that in Isaiah 65 and 66 as well as in Revelation 21, sin, death, carcases,

worm, fire, and exclusion from the new Jerusalem, fall within the newly -

created heavens and earth when read with Peter's definition 'wherein dwelleth

righteousness', suggests that even when this great renewal takes place, there

will be more than one stage before 'the end'.  Let us not be so absorbed in

the dreadful facts that have been brought before us, however, as to forget

Peter's inspired corollary.

'Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of

persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking

for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God ... be diligent that

ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.  And

account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our

beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath

written unto you' (2 Pet. 3:11 -15).

The only positive aspect of the 'kingdom' found in the epistles of the

Mystery is that of Colossians 1:13, where over against 'the authority of

darkness' from which the member of the One Body has been 'delivered', is

placed 'the kingdom of the Son of His love' into which he has been

'translated'.  The parallels are so perfect and so simple that there can be

no two thoughts as to the apostle's intention.

A

B

C

Out of ek.

Ye were sometimes darkness.

D

The authority.