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"A throne was set in heaven . . . . . in the midst of the throne . . . . . four living
creatures . . . . . in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb . . . . . the throne of God and of
the Lamb shall be in it (i.e. the New Jerusalem)."
The fact that the Devil will only be loosed a "little season" shows how rapid will be
the deception of the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth. These nations will
have kept as far from the beloved city as possible and by their attack upon the camp of
the saints and the beloved city, they reveal their innate, though covered animosity. This
time there will be no further respite, "fire came down from God out of heaven, and
devoured them". The fact that such a trial should be necessary after the thousand years,
declares plainly that the Millennium was no more sinless and perfect and secure than was
the garden of Eden in the beginning. Man, tried in the most advantageous conditions,
yielded, and man after a thousand years when the Devil shall be under restraint, manifests
that no delegated authority, or advantageous environment is enough to bring in that
perfect kingdom which the Son will deliver up to God even the Father. That kingdom
follows the Millennium, but it is not the purpose of the Apocalypse to do more than lead
up to it, which it does in its two closing chapters.
No.2.
The Rest of the Dead.
pp. 26 - 32
We have seen from the testimony of Scripture itself that the only company of the
redeemed for whom the Millennial reign is introduced into the pages of Holy Writ, is the
overcomer. Rev. 20: 1-10 is the only portion of Scripture that gives positive teaching
concerning the Millennium; other Scriptures contain passages that may and do belong to
that period, but all other companies of either saved or lost can only be introduced into this
kingdom by inference.
The companies mentioned in Rev. 20: 1-10 are the following:
1.
The martyrs who withstood the Beast and refused his image. They not only
"live" but "reign" with Christ a thousand years.
2.
The "rest of the dead" is another company, only mentioned in order to make it
clear that they do not live again until the thousand years are finished.
3.
The overcomers or martyrs are called "Priests of God and of Christ".
4.
After the thousand years, "nations" are revealed to have been living during that
reign, and some of these nations lived "in the four quarters of the earth".
5.
Inasmuch as the "camp of the saints" and the "Beloved City" could be
compassed by these rebellious nations, they too must have been on the earth
during the Millennium.
We have considered the meaning and bearing of the martyred saints in the article
entitled "The Overcomers". We now round off the study by considering the remaining
four items listed above, "the rest of the dead". The Greek word translated "rest" is