Again, the Book of Life is defined in Revelation 21:27 as 'The

Lamb's book of life', even as it is in Revelation 13:8 in direct reference to

the worship of the Beast.  Hebrews 12:23 will help us here.  Hebrews 12:5 -7

deals with sons, the theme of Hebrews 12:18 -29 is the especial blessing of

the 'firstborn' in connection with 'Mount Sion ... the heavenly Jerusalem'.

The names of those firstborn are 'Written in Heaven' and the threat or the

exemption concerning the 'blotting out of the name from the book of life' has

reference to those who during the three years and a half of the great

tribulation, become either 'overcomers' or wait for the resurrection at the

Great White Throne.

We particularly ask every reader -- Do you, or will you Start all your

investigations of this great subject of prophecy with the key passage --

Revelation 20:1 -10?  Dr. Bullinger used to say: 'Some use the Scriptures as

a Buttress, to support their convictions.  Others go to the Scriptures as a

Bucket let down into the well of truth, and come up full of the water of

life'  Which kind are you?

We had thought to head this article 'Beyond the Millennial Reign' but

we have done little else than clear away some of the accumulated rubbish that

has prevented genuine building (Neh. 3:1 -32; 4:10).  We doubt not but that

we shall have to build not only with trowel, but as Nehemiah did with a sword

near at hand (Neh. 4:18) but it will be a well worth fight (2 Tim. 4:7).  The

ages that follow the thousand years must be the theme of future studies.

The following study may help us to recognize the place that the

overcomer plays in prophecy.

Readers overseas may be pardoned for thinking of London as one great

city, but in reality there are two Londons.  The one a square mile, with

place names still indicating the gates of the city, such as Bishop's Gate,

Aldgate, Cripplegate, etc. and odd remnants of the old city wall.  This is

'The city of London' with its ancient history, its city policy, its city

giants, and its valued citizenship.  Greater London is governed by the London

County Council and differs in many essential respects from the city.

So, it is easy for the reader to think of Jerusalem as of one undivided

city, but closer examination of the Scriptures will lead to a discrimination

between the city Jerusalem and the stronghold of Zion.  As certain aspects of

truth are especially related to Zion, this distinction must be kept in mind.

The first reference to Jerusalem is in Joshua 10:1 where we find it ruled by

the Amorite king Adoni -zedek, 'the Lord of righteousness', Satan's

substitute for Melchizedek, 'King of Righteousness' (Gen. 14:18).  Although

Jerusalem was taken by Joshua we read:

'As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of

Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the

children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day' (Josh. 15:63).

Coming to the days of David we find the first reference to Zion.  David

reigned first over Judah in Hebron, and then over all Israel in Jerusalem (2

Sam. 5:5), but we learn that there was a 'stronghold' held by the Jebusites

that defied him.  So confident were they in the impregnability of Zion that

they manned the walls with the halt and the blind in derision.  A secret