These will consist of the faithful of Hebrews 11 and form the `church of the firstborn' (Heb. 12:22,23) and let us

remember that the firstborn's position was one of privilege. They will not only live with Christ but reign with Him

during the Millennium, sharing His administration of the earthly mediatorial kingdom from the heavenly Jerusalem.

Later on, after the thousand year reign, when the creation of a new heaven and earth takes place John sees them

forming the Bride, the Lamb's wife (Rev. 21:1,2,9,10).

This higher sphere of blessing then is one of reward and privilege and while the heavenly Jerusalem must be

distinguished from the kingdom on earth during the Millennium, it is finally united with the new earth and leaves the

heavens, as we have seen (Rev. 21:9,10, 24-27).

The word kingdom, relating to God's purpose, occurs 12 times in these epistles (Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 4:20; 6:9;

15:24,50; Gal. 5:21; 1 Thess. 2:12; 2 Thess. 1:5; Heb. 1:8; 12:28; James 2:5; 2 Peter 1:11). In these references the

spiritual side of the kingdom is stressed:

`The kingdom of God in not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost' (Rom.

Also its power:

`The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power' (1 Cor. 4:20).

There is privilege in belonging to it:

`... that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer' (2 Thess. 1:5),

and inheritance in it can be forfeited by sin (Gal. 5:21). There is nothing in these occurrences that contradicts what we

have found so far. In fact the kingdom as proclaimed in the Acts and in the epistles written during this period must

be the same. There cannot be two different kingdoms being preached by the same people at the same time. Had this

occurred there would have been nothing but confusion among the people of God, specially among young converts.

Any system of interpretation that needs this must be suspect and there are interpretations which do this very thing.

CHAPTER SEVEN

We have seen that the mediatorial kingdom with Israel at its centre dominates the Acts and the evidential signs

and miracles which are linked to it, feature as much in the last chapter (28) as at the beginning.

With the laying aside of Israel in unbelief at its conclusion, one of two things must happen. Either God will

continue His earthly kingdom purposes, but find another channel to use instead of Israel, or He will suspend it until

such time as Israel is convicted of sin, saved and restored and become usable again. It is the latter course of action

which takes place. What `draws near' in the plan of God, can `withdraw' and be suspended if the conditions that He

has imposed are not fulfilled.

However, the almightiness of the Lord and His matchless wisdom can overrule the failings of men and the

enmity of Satan behind them all. What seemed on the surface to be a major victory for Satan in the failure of Israel

and the setting up of the earthly kingdom the Lord overrules to make known another phase of His great kingdom

purpose, this time relating to the heavens and not the earth.

From Genesis 12 to Acts 28, the purpose of the ages, centred in Christ, is taken up with making known and

seeking to set up the rule of God upon earth, Israel being the human channel through which the message should have

been proclaimed and the redemptive work of Christ being its basis. Many concentrate entirely on this aspect of

God's kingdom and forget that He created the heavens as well as the earth and there cannot be any part of His

creation that is without reason or purpose, and His dominion must extend to the highest heavens as well as the earth

and the whole of the kingdom cannot be realized in all its fulness and magnitude until this comes to pass.