Daniel 9:24

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,
to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins. . .

The orthodox interpretation of the prophetic period 'The seventy weeks' of Daniel 9 makes the 'sixty-ninth-week' end at the time of the crucifixion, leaving but one 'week' to be accounted for. This, of necessity, rules out the entire time of the Acts of the apostles; although it is true to say that Israel was not set aside at the crucifixion, the nation of Israel was set aside about thirty-five years (or five 'weeks') after, namely at Acts 28:28.

The prophecy of Daniel 9 is read by many as follows:

The 69th week ended just before the crucifixion of Christ, and therefore the final seven years are all that remain to complete the number, and these are entirely future and are found in the Book of Revelation.

We would draw special attention to an interpretation (we believe the true one) in which a certain principle is enunciated, viz., that prophetic times do not take into account the periods when Israel are 'Lo-ammi' (not My people, Hos. 1:9). In The Companion Bible, page 70 of the Appendixes, will be found a table showing the various 'Lo-ammi' times that must be deducted from the number of anno mundi years before we can arrive at God's time periods. At the conclusion of this table, the note runs, 'By noting the Lo-ammi periods, many other important details will come to light.'

We believe the following investigation is directly in line with this suggestion. First, let us establish from the Scriptures the principle that God's prophetic times take no account of Israel's captivities or cast-off periods but only of the times of their recognition. The classic example is that which arises out of the comparison of 1 Kings 6:1 with Acts 13:20. According to 1 Kings 6:1, The Temple was commenced in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, while Paul in Acts 13:17-22 gives the period under the Judges as 450 years. When we extend Paul's time period to include that covered by 1 Kings 6:1, we find a difference of 93 years: 

	Years
Wilderness Wandering (Acts 13:18)	40
Period of Judges (Acts 13:20)	450
Saul’s Reign (Acts 13:21)	40
David’s Reign (1 Kings 2:11)	40
Solomon’s First Three Complete Years (1 Kings 6:1)	3
	+573
Deduct -- Solomon’s Computation (1 Kings 6:1)	-480
Total years to account for:	93

We find by examination and the recognition of the principle referred to above that there is no discrepancy and that both accounts are exactly right, the one in 1 Kings 6, omitting the periods when Israel was ‘Lo-ammi,' the other in Acts 13 giving the entire period of The Judges, without reference to the position occupied by Israel. The ninety-three years are made up as follows. Israel was captive under: 

Chushan	(Judges 3:8)	8 years
Eglon	(Judges 3:14)	18 years
Jabin	(Judges 4:3)	20 years
Midianites	(Judges 6:1)	7 years
Philistines	(Judges 13:1)	40 years
	Total:	93 years

We learn, therefore, that to obtain the number of years from God's standpoint, when dealing with Israel, we must subtract the periods when Israel is not recognized by the Lord as His people. (See also The Companion Bible note on 1 Kings 6:1, p. 456; and appendix 50, p. 56). Number in Scripture (by Dr. E. W. Bullinger) draws attention to another period of 70 x 7, which is obtained by the application of this same principle. 

From the dedication of the Temple to Nehemiah's return in the 20th year of Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:1)	560 years
Deduct the 70 years' servitude in Babylon (Jer. 25:11,12; Dan. 9:2)	70 years
Total:	490 years

We draw particular attention to the fact that the 70 years servitude is reckoned as a Lo-Ammi period.

We now pass to the next consideration, Daniel 9 itself:

'Seventy-sevens are severed off upon thy people and upon thy holy city

a To make an end of transgression.

b To seal up sins.

c To make atonement for iniquity.

a To bring in aionion righteousness.

b To seal up prophetic vision.

c To anoint the Holy of Holies.

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall even in troublous times. And after sixty-two sevens shall Messiah be cut off, and shall have nothing (Dan. 9:24-26 author's translation).

(1) 7 x 7 = 49

(The Angel keeps these figures distinct).

(2) 62 x 7 = 434

Daniel 9:1-2 opens with the recognition of the fact that Jerusalem was at that time 'desolate.' Dan. 9:7 speaks plainly of the people of Israel being 'driven,' and Dan. 9:11 of the 'curse' being poured upon them. Dan. 9:12 declares that the visitation upon Jerusalem was unprecedented 'under the whole heaven.' Verse 16 speaks of 'fury' upon Jerusalem and 'reproach' upon Israel, and Dan. 9:17 speaks of the sanctuary being 'desolate.' Clearly, at this period, Israel is 'Lo-ammi,' and the time of the desolation of Jerusalem must not be reckoned in the 70 x 7 period, which is 'severed off' upon Israel.

Now from what we have already learned, we shall find it impossible to commence the reckoning of this 490 years at a period when Jerusalem is still desolate and Israel 'Lo-ammi.’ Yet this is precisely what the accepted interpretation does. The 490 years are made to start from the going forth of the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem, in spite of the angel's warning that the rebuilding would not be completed until another 49 years had gone by. Instead of the angel saying to Daniel that the 70 x 7 started in the 20th year of Artaxerxes when the commandment was given, he definitely says that from that date, we may compute the coming of the Messiah, a somewhat different thing. The date of the command unto the Messiah was 7 x 7 and 62 x 7, or 483 years, which period was divided by the angel into two, according as it was 'Lo-ammi' time or otherwise. The first period of 49 years must not be reckoned at the period severed off upon Israel, or else we shall involve ourselves in confusion.

Where shall we then commence the special period of 70 x 7? When Israel is received back into favor, The Temple at Jerusalem is again blessed. In the year 405 B.C., when The Temple was dedicated at Jerusalem, the 70 x 7 began. It was to be the commencement of a period of ‘Ammi’ years, years when God recognized Israel as His people, a period of 62 x 7, or 434 years, which should reach the coming of Messiah the Prince. While the crucifixion marks the close of the 69th seven from the going forth of the proclamation, we must remember that it is the 62nd from the dedication of The Temple, and as this commenced the period of Israel's restoration, the crucifixion marks the 62nd seven of the 70 sevens that were severed off upon Israel, leaving eight sevens to run their course, instead of one as we have hitherto been taught.

We have shown, in other articles, the prominent position that Israel has in the Acts of the Apostles, yet by following the orthodox view, it appears that we are compelled to make a twofold error. First, in spite of the witness of Scripture to the contrary, a period of 49 years, wherein Israel and Jerusalem are out of favor, is introduced into a special period that necessitates Israel and Jerusalem being under favor and security, and it also compels us to blot out the whole of the Acts from this special period wherein Israel and Jerusalem manifestly are still receiving mercy. If the 69th seven ended at the crucifixion, there could be no place for Paul's solemn and formal setting aside of Israel at the end of the Acts.

Readers will remember that rectification was found necessary in the calendar and that the date of the crucifixion is AD 29. This can be seen in Chart 50.vi on page 61 of Appendixes of The Companion Bible. From AD 29 to AD 63, when God finally set aside Israel through the words of Paul, we have 34 years, where, if we include both the years that began and ended the period, we have another five sevens which ran on after the crucifixion. The crucifixion being the 62nd seven, Israel becomes lo-ammi at the end of Acts, in the 67th seven, leaving three sevens to conclude the complete series of 490 years. We must not, therefore, speak of the 'final seven years of Daniel 9' as though they were all the years that are to run. It is true that the chief interest is centered in the final seven, for therein, Antichrist and the Beast are active, but there are other things to be done before that.

There is a suggestive connection to be observed between the final three sevens and the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven vials that occupy the Book of Revelation. It will be seen that the marvelous accuracy that has been pointed out regarding the time of the coming of the Messiah is not impaired. It is simply a matter, as it were, of shifting the whole period forward until Israel is a people before God. That period is at the close of the first division, the seven sevens. Since the setting aside of Israel in Acts 28:27-28, Israel has been 'Lo-ammi.' Soon He that scattered them will gather them, and the 'final three sevens' will then run their course until the consummation foretold in Daniel 9, when prophecy shall attain its goal, sin shall be sealed and atoned for, righteousness be brought in, and God's Holy Temple again anointed.

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Matthew 28:19-20

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

Those who value dispensational truth often have a problem with the so-called Great Commission of Matt. 28:19-20, for it seems to conflict with the commission given by the Lord Jesus to the twelve apostles in Matt. 10:

"These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles (the nations), and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 10:5-6),

and this was in line with His own ministry, for to a Gentile woman He said,

"I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 15:24).

The Lord restricted His earthly ministry to Israel and also that of the Twelve Apostles. However, after His Resurrection, He appeared to contradict this to the same apostles:

"Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee. . . and Jesus came and spake to them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations (Gentiles), baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (age). Amen" (Matthew 28:16-20).

It is quite clear that now their ministry was greatly enlarged to embrace all nations, but what was the reason for this? Many interpret it as the future gathering of the church, but in the Scriptures that follow, this is shown to be wrong. The Body of Christ at this time was still a secret "hidden in God" (Eph. 3:1-11; Col. 1:24-27), and what God hides no one can find until He chooses to reveal. He did this through Paul's Prison Epistles.

In the passage quoted in Matt. 28:19-20, the Lord Jesus speaks as the One having all the resources of heaven as well as earth at His command. This can mean nothing less than sovereignty in both spheres of heaven and earth. His authority and power in His earthly life had been great (Matt. 7:29; Matt. 11:27). Now it is boundless, and it is this fact that must be proclaimed the world over so that His Kingdom and authority may, at last, be realized.

The Gospel of Matthew commences with the restriction of His ministry and that of the disciples to Israel (Matt. 10:5-8; Matt. 15:23-24). In Mark's account, to the Gentile Syro-Phoenician woman, the Word of Christ was, "let the children first be filled" (Mark 7:26-27). The children were Israel; they were to have the message first, but not first and last, that is, for The Kingdom's message to be permanently restricted to them. Its worldwide extent is implicit in God's unconditional promise to Abraham that through his seed (posterity), all families of the earth would finally be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3).

In God's earthly Kingdom, He purposes redeemed Israel to be the channel of blessing to the whole world, and it was for this purpose alone that God planned to make them the premier nation of the earth, spiritually and temporally, for they were to be a priestly nation that could mediate God's truth (Deut. 7:6; Deut. 28:1, Deut. 28:13; Psa. 135:4; Psa. 147:19-20; Acts 13:46-47 and many other Scriptures). Israel was to be the divine agent God would use to make Himself known to all nations so that, at last, His Kingdom on earth could be established.

This also explains why there is stress on the word "world" in the Gospel of John (79 occurrences). It in no way contradicts the Lord's statement in Matt. 15:24, that His earthly ministry was to Israel. We must remember that the words of Christ recorded by John were part of this earthly ministry, and they must primarily be kept in this setting, and all of them must be studied with this in mind. Whether the dating of John's Gospel was early or late cannot alter this important fact. However late it was, it could not be revealing The Great Secret of Eph. 3 and Col. 1 concerning the Body of Christ, for that, was kept for Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, to make known under the guidance of The Holy Spirit after Israel was laid aside in unbelief (Acts 28:28). It is in the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians we find the revelation of The Body of Christ, giving its calling, constitution, and Heavenly destiny.

In the O.T. and during the Lord's earthly ministry, Israel had alas forgotten that God's choice and purpose for them had the whole world in view. They looked at the Gentiles as "dogs"; therefore, the Lord Jesus emphasizes the word "world" as a corrective in His ministry to them, recorded in the Gospel of John, showing them that He had a wider purpose. The earthly Kingdom made known in The Gospels was the great Messianic Kingdom of the Old Testament prophets, and it was this Kingdom that the forerunner, John the Baptist, proclaimed, followed by the Lord Himself. It was already known, being revealed in its wondrous details in the O.T.

Thus it was that this Kingdom was described in the model Kingdom prayer, given by the Lord, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:9-13). Even when Israel had crucified her King and Redeemer, this purpose of God was not ended, for the period covered by the Acts followed in which Israel had another opportunity of repentance and turning back to God. The Jew was still first both for judgment and blessing (Rom. 1:16-17; Rom. 2:8-11). We find both Peter and Paul putting them first in their ministry. God's tremendous long-suffering had not run out, as Peter made clear in Acts 3:19-26. If they repented and turned back, their sins and opposition would be forgiven, and their King would be sent back to them again. The Kingdom was still "the restoration of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets" (Acts 3:21). They had "foretold of these days" (Acts 3:24), and Israel was still "the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with the fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Acts 3:25).

The great implication of these most important verses has been missed by so many that we do not wonder at all the confusion of ideas about the Kingdom of God (The reader is directed to 'Kingdom And Church').

Prophecy makes it quite clear that, finally, many nations (Gentiles) are to be blessed with Israel (Zech. 2:10-13 and Isa. 19:23-25). Christ will then become King and Lord of the whole earth (Zech. 14:9). Once we keep this in mind, we shall be in a better position to understand the "great commission" of Matt. 28:18-20. We shall then be able to appreciate this ministry in its rightful God-given setting and avoid divorcing it from The Kingdom of Heaven, finally to be established on earth. It concerns discipling or teaching the Gentiles in every land and baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The water baptism of the Acts period was in The Name of Jesus Christ as the God-man, the great Mediator, and King. We find no single instance of, or reference to, baptism in which the Triune name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is employed. On the contrary, from the very first, only ten days after the injunction had been given, Peter is found (Acts 2:38) commanding all his hearers, including those of the dispersion (the diaspora), to be baptized in The Name of Jesus Christ. Acts 8:16, Acts 10:48, and Acts 19:5 are in accord, the formula being in or into the name of the Lord, or the Lord Jesus. In the last case, whether this refers to those who heard John or Paul or whether the baptism was that of John or Paul, the formula is the same. Rom. 6:3, "as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus." 1 Cor. 1:13-15; here, baptism "in the name of Paul" is clearly contrasted with baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus, or Christ Jesus, which must have been used as to Crispus, Gaius, and Stephanas.

In all the other places where the act of baptism is mentioned, directly or indirectly, the formula by implication is the same. These are: Acts 8:38, Acts 9:18, Acts 16:15, Acts 16:33, Acts 18:8, Acts 22:16. Yet on the other hand, there stands the definite command in Matt. 28:19-20, as to the discipling of THE NATIONS into the Triune name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The "difficulty" is created by the non-observance of the injunction in 2 Tim. 2:15 as to "rightly dividing the word of truth." It comes by mixing up and thus confusing The "Mystery" concerning The Church of God during the "times of the Gentiles" with the ordinances and observances of the "times" of Messiah (Isa. 33:6), with which the command in Matt. 28:19-20 has clearly to do with the discipling of the nations AS NATIONS is expressly declared. It is the commission of the Jewish ministry at the end of this age. There is nothing corresponding to this form of baptism in any of the foregoing passages, all of which are connected with individuals or families. Inasmuch as The Mystery is The Great Secret which was "kept secret since the world began" (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:26), it follows logically that it must not be read into The Gospels.

The "discipling" work of Matt. 28:19-20 is national work: its object -- to bring all nations into blessing with Israel. It has nothing to do with the present dispensation and the "one baptism" (Eph. 4:5) of this dispensation. Matt. 28:19-20 takes up the proclamation of The Kingdom, left uncompleted in Matt. 10:5-15, after The Church has been called on high. Therefore, the baptism "in" or "into" the name of the Lord Jesus in Acts was the continuation of John's baptism for a while, i.e., during the transitional period of Acts until The Mystery was openly revealed and fully proclaimed. Then, the Baptism of Eph 4:5 supervened and still maintains.

To hold, as some do, that the disciples had "forgotten," or were "ignorant of," or else ignored" the express command of the Lord, is to charge those spirit-endowed men with either incompetence or insubordination! Peter and John, and the rest, must have known well the meaning and future reference of Matt. 28:19-20; and they knew of John's baptism also: but until "led on" into more of "all the Truth" by The Holy Spirit, and until the revelation of the secret concerning The Church which is His Body was declared, they continued to baptize, as John had done, into the name of the Lord Jesus.

This great commission is essentially one of teaching, and it must be one of the greatest teaching ministries of Scripture. To understand it in any measure, we must not only keep it to the setting given in Matthew's Gospel but also to the other Scriptures which pertain to it relating to the Messianic Kingdom.

Perhaps we have wondered how the knowledge of The Glory of the Lord will one day "cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:9)? The commission given to the apostles in Matt. 28 is doubtless one of the means used by God as well as the ministry of redeemed and restored Israel during The Millennium. Even in the Acts period, the Lord Jesus commanded the eleven and said, "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8, see also Luke 24:46-47). Jerusalem, in prophecy, is the geographical pivot of The Kingdom on earth, and the light and knowledge radiate from it worldwide. This is in accord with The Gospel of The Kingdom, which is also preached to all nations of the earth (Matt. 24:14).

The final words of the Lord Jesus before His ascension were:

"I am with you always, even unto the consummation of the age (literally)" (Matt.28:20).

Note the present tense "I am," not "I have been or will be." The Lord uses the prophetic perfect here to stress His constant presence and enabling. And "if God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31). Satan and the powers of darkness have been conquered forever by the victorious risen and ascended Lord, and He will finally reign forever and ever both on earth and in all regions of the heavens.

To sum up: we have seen that the great stress on the word "world" in John's Gospel, mankind in general, was to remind Israel of their responsibility that, through them, all families of the earth should be blessed. This does not mean that this Gospel is Jewish in the sense that it was addressed solely to Israel and was entirely about Israel. This is the province of Matthew's Gospel. John's parish, so to speak, is mankind as a whole, whether Jew or Gentile, and it has a basic message for each, namely everlasting life through faith in Christ alone which gives either of them new birth and freedom from condemnation (John 3:3; John 3:24). Without this new birth a man "cannot see the Kingdom of God," but with it, he can, for he is now "born of the Spirit" (John 3:8) and has this new life which is everlasting and now is linked with Christ by faith. If anyone is troubled by the word "water" in these verses, they should consult Dr. E. W. Bullinger's 'The Giver and His Gifts' pages 63-68, where he shows that the meaning is "spiritual water" by the figure Hendiadys. In this context is the precious message of John 3:16, which has been the means of salvation for millions in this present age.

God is using more than one way of bringing Gentile sinners to Himself in order to realize His earthly Kingdom. He is using the Gospel of John with its emphasis on "he that believeth in Me hath everlasting life." He will, later on, use The Gospel of The Kingdom to all the nations of the world (Matt. 24:14). He will also use redeemed Israel after His second Advent to be His witnesses `to the uttermost parts of the earth' (Luke.24:46-48; Acts 1:8), so at last, the time will come when "the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev. 11:5). Then the Lord shall be not just the King of Israel, but "King over all the earth" (Zech. 14:9).

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There are three spheres of blessing, the earth, the heavenly city, and the position indicated in Ephesians 1, as "far above all". This aspect of truth is vital. It gathers up unto itself all that is distinctive in what is called Dispensational Truth, and we must spare no pains nor begrudge the space needed to provide the Scriptural evidence for believing that there are "three spheres of blessing" revealed in the Scriptures.

Now because the term "sphere" does not occur in the Scriptures, is it therefore unscriptural? According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word "scriptural" is anything "based upon, derived from, or depending upon Holy Scripture". Because, therefore, an English word does not appear in Holy Scriptures, such word need not be unscriptural; it could only rightly be called unscriptural if the idea contained in the term was not based upon, derived from, or depended upon Holy Scripture. Therefore, to say regarding the use of the term "sphere", "as it is not an inspired term we have no means of fixing its force", as one who opposes this teaching affirmed, seems either to manifest ignorance of the English language or to be an effort unduly to influence the unwary. In either case, the matter is no longer disputable, for the use of the term "sphere of blessing" has been proved to be both good English and Scriptural.

Our next step is to enumerate in Scriptural terms the actual "spheres of blessing" that are spoken of in the Scriptures, and then to compare and contrast them so that by trying the things that differ we may avoid confusion and keep each calling in its appointed place. Let us begin with our own calling as revealed in the epistle to the Ephesians.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3).

At the moment we are not concerned with the kind of blessings here set forth, namely, "spiritual", but with the "province", "range or domain" in which these blessings naturally find their setting, and we have but to record:

(1) The sphere of blessing found in Ephesians 1:3 is defined as "in heavenly places".

Again we are not yet concerned as to whether these "heavenly places" are no higher than the firmament in which birds fly; whether they denote the starry heavens; or whether they refer to a position far above all. All that we are immediately concerned with is that a distinct "sphere" is indicated by the words "in heavenly places".

We now turn to another part of the New Testament, where we read of another sphere of blessing: "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5). Once more, we are not concerned with the character of those here referred to, nor with their inheritance, but exclusively with the "sphere" of their inheritance, and we therefore record:

(2) A sphere of blessing is found in Matthew 5:5 which is defined as "the earth".

We assume but have not yet proved, that "the earth" and "heavenly places" are two distinct spheres. Common sense says that they are distinct, but we leave the proof until later.

Here then are two spheres of blessing concerning which there is no controversy. But in addition to these two, we discover what appears to be an intermediate sphere of blessing, a sphere above "the earth", yet not "in heavenly places". For this, we turn to Galatians 3:14: "that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ". The question which now arises is, does this passage refer to a distinct sphere of blessing, or is the blessing of Abraham to be enjoyed in one or other of the two spheres already considered? A complete answer can only be given after careful examination, but for the sake of conciseness, we note that in this calling, "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28).

This unity does not sound like the constitution of a kingdom, which is what is in view in Matthew 5. Rather it so resembles the later revelation of Ephesians that some have adopted the expression "all one in Christ Jesus" with the idea that it declares the Unity of the spirit of Ephesians 4. Before seeing the proofs, most, if not all, will agree that Galatians 3:14 does not refer to an inheritance on the "earth". Yet when we read on to Galatians 3:29, we are prevented from asserting that it belongs to the sphere of the Mystery made known in Ephesians, for we find it stated: "and if ye be Christ"s, then are ye Abraham"s seed, and heirs according to the promise".

So entirely contrary is it to the Scriptural teaching concerning the Mystery to make it a fulfillment of any promise to Abraham that we must hesitate to place this company, which is Abraham"s seed, "in heavenly places". We, therefore, search further in this epistle, and in the fourth chapter we find the following statement: "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all ... now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise" (Gal. 4:26, Gal. 4:28). "Jerusalem which is above", is neither "on the earth" nor "in heavenly places far above all principality", and as this city forms the theme of Hebrews 11:9-16 and Heb. 12:18-23, where the "heavenly country" is contrasted with the "earth", we are obliged to record the third sphere of blessing.

(3) A third sphere of blessing, differing from that of Ephesians 1:3 and that of Matthew 5:5 is recorded in the epistles to the Galatians and the Hebrews and is associated with the heavenly Jerusalem, a sphere distinct on the one hand from the earth and its kingdom, and on the other hand from the heavenly places which are the sphere of the church of the Mystery.

We, therefore, set out our first conclusion.

The Three Spheres Of Blessings

(1) "The earth"                                               (Matt. 5:5)   The Kingdom

(2) "Jerusalem which is above"                        (Gal. 4:26)   The Bride

(3) "In heavenly places"                                   (Eph. 1:3)   The Body

In the near context of Matthew 5:5, which speaks of the meek who shall inherit the earth, we learn of a kingdom which is yet to be set up on the earth: "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10). In that prophecy of His Second Coming, The Revelation, one of the titles of the Lord is: "The Prince of the Kings of the earth" (Rev. 1:5). The extent of this kingdom is defined in Psalm 72:8 "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth". And again in Psalm 2:8 "Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen, Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth, Thy possession". Yet again, the prophet Zechariah says:

"He shall speak peace unto the heathen: and His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth" (Zech. 9:10).

Moreover, in The Revelation we read:

"The seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev. 11:15).

This kingdom on the earth will have an administrative center:

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord"s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isa. 2:2-3).

This is supplemented by Zechariah the prophet:

"And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain" (Zech. 14:16-17).

It will be seen by the two latter references from Isaiah and Zechariah, that not only is the city of Jerusalem represented as the capital of the kingdom, but also as the center of worship, and this is in harmony with the destiny of Israel when that nation is at length saved, for Israel is to be a kingdom of priests unto God (Rev. 1:6). They will be made so under the New Covenant and the blood of Christ in fulfillment of the original purpose of God expressed at the foot of Mount Sinai but, by reason of the weakness of the flesh, rendered impossible of accomplishment under the law (Exod. 19:6).

Inasmuch as the bulk of Scripture is taken up with the history and prophecy of this earthly people and kingdom, no attempt on our part, particularly considering the limitations of our space, can possibly do more than indicate the fact of its existence. There is, however, unanimity among most believers regarding this first, or lowest sphere of blessing, and while we shall have to return to the subject when certain of its features will be compared with those of other spheres, we now pass on to the consideration of the next sphere, having left nothing unproved or resting upon mere assumption. Therefore we feel that we can safely make this statement:

The earth will be a sphere of blessing in which there shall be set up a kingdom, over which the Lord shall be King, with Jerusalem the chosen center, and Israel a Kingdom of Priests. This we will call the First Sphere.

We now come to the second sphere; that which is associated with the heavenly Jerusalem, and it must be recorded as a fact of importance that no hint of such a sphere is to be found in the whole of the Old Testament. Yet when we study the New Testament we learn that its existence was intimately known by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For this information, we turn to the Epistle to the Hebrews.

In Hebrews 11 the apostle illustrates the statement that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen", by the examples of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Coming to the example of the patriarchs, the writer pauses to add:

"By faith he (Abraham) sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles (tents) with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God" (Heb. 11:9-10).

After speaking of Sarah"s faith, the apostle reverts to the subject of this city, saying:

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country ... that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city" (Heb. 11:13-16).

After a further and fuller expansion of the theme of Hebrews 11:1, the apostle returns to the subject of the Heavenly City in chapter 12 but approaches it from another angle. We reserve comment upon the significance of this new angle until we have established the fact of the revelation of all three spheres, and meantime passes on to verse 22:

"But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven" (Heb. 12:22-23).

Other references to this sphere of blessing are found in The Revelation:

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him My new name" (Rev. 3:12).

The significance of the fact that this is associated with the overcomer, together with the similar significance of the context of Hebrews 12, will be considered when we come to deal with the subject of the spheres themselves: at present we confine ourselves to establishing the fact that the Scriptures speak of such spheres:

"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:2).

"He carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God" (Rev. 21:10).

The testimony of Hebrews 11:16 alone is sufficient proof that this heavenly city is a separate sphere of blessing from that of the earth, and while much must yet be studied if we would appreciate its true significance, we can, without hesitation, affirm that there is full Scriptural testimony to the existence of this second sphere of blessing.

Granting that these two spheres of blessing are actual Scriptural facts, the question that now awaits an answer is: do they exhaust the teaching of Scripture on the subject? In other words, is there a third sphere of blessing distinct from both the earth and the heavenly city? We believe there is, and proceed at once to state the evidence for this belief.

The epistle to the Ephesians was written by Paul as "the prisoner of Jesus Christ" (Eph. 3:1). Israel, as a nation, had been set aside by the quoting of Isaiah 6:10, as recorded in Acts 28:26-28, and with that setting aside had of necessity gone the hope and the blessings of which they were the appointed channel. While Israel remained as a nation before God, the Gentile believer could be "blessed with faithful Abraham" (Gal. 3:9); could be associated with Israel under the New Covenant (2 Cor. 3:6); could entertain the hope of Israel (Rom. 15:12-13) and "partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree" (Rom. 11:17); but, with Israel set aside, there arose the necessity of a further revelation from God if all was not to be plunged into confusion and end in despair. This revelation is claimed by Paul in the epistle to the Ephesians:

"If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward (Gentiles): how that by revelation He made known unto me the Mystery" (Eph. 3:2-3).

This Mystery has particular reference to the new position assigned to the Gentiles:

"That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel: whereof I was made a minister" (Eph. 3:6-7).

Here we have a "dispensation" which was particularly concerned with the Gentiles; a "revelation" that makes known that which was a "mystery", and that, hitherto, this mystery had been "hid in God" (Eph. 3:9). And not only was it "hid in God", but "from the ages and from generations", but now is "made manifest to His saints" (Col. 1:26).

In order that no statement shall be accepted as true, that is not proved from the Scriptures, we pause to justify the remark that "the dispensation of the Mystery was revealed after the setting aside of Israel". Usually, it is enough to produce the missing link in a chain, but, if the play of words may be pardoned, we have a complete chain of evidence, and that none other than the one which fettered the apostle Paul in his Roman prison.

Until the all-day conference with the leaders of the Jews which concluded with their dismissal at the quoting of Isaiah 6:9-10, there was the human possibility of the national repentance of Israel and the realization of that nation"s hope. Consequently, the apostle rightly says in Acts 28:20: "For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain". When next he speaks of his bonds as his chain, the dispensation of the Mystery had been entrusted to him, and in Ephesians and Colossians, his chain is most intimately associated with the Mystery (Eph. 6:20; Col. 4:3).

While there is much more to be said concerning the unique character of this new revelation, enough has been adduced to prove beyond dispute that this dispensation of the Mystery, revealed after the setting aside of Israel, must be different from both the earthly sphere, and the new Jerusalem, and as we have seen that these latter terms represent two very distinct spheres, we are compelled to subscribe to the doctrine of three spheres of blessing, thus:

1. First Sphere            The Earth               Subject of Old Testament              Israel dominant.
                                                                     and part of New Testament.

2. Second Sphere        New Jerusalem      Subject only of part of                    Both Jew and
                                                                          the New Testament.                      Gentile as seed
                                                                                                                                     of Abraham.

3. Third Sphere           The Mystery          Subject of the "prison"                    Gentiles especially.
                                                                             epistles only.

One further and independent proof of the reality of these three spheres is provided by the teaching of the epistles concerning the "adoption".

The mainline of attack that our teaching has had to withstand has been concerned with our interpretation of the words translated "far above all" and "heavenly places". The reader should note however that we have demonstrated the presence of three distinct spheres of blessing in the Scriptures, quite apart from these disputed terms. We have considered, a little more in detail, the characteristics of that sphere of blessing which belongs to Israel and the earth. We must now turn our attention to the next sphere, the one associated with the heavenly Jerusalem.

The two epistles that speak of the heavenly Jerusalem are Galatians and Hebrews, and we must now acquaint ourselves with their teaching.

We believe a good case can be made for the epistle to the Galatians being a "covering letter", and that the epistle to the Hebrews was an "enclosure" written, in the first case, for the Hebrews in the Churches of Galatia.

"What in reality do we find? Just this -- two epistles, or writings, in close succession, in a professedly Pauline section of the New Testament, are merely separated or divided off, the one from the other, by the words pros Hebraious "to Hebrews".

Both epistles quote Habakkuk 2:4, "The just shall live by faith" (Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38), both develop the "allegory" of Sinai and Sion (Gal. 4:24-31; Heb. 12:18-24), both deal with "perfection" (Gal. 3:3, Hebrews throughout), both speak of Jerusalem which is above, both speak of the Mediator".

Another very cogent argument that supports this connection is the fact that, although circumcision is at the very heart of the Jewish problem, the apostle never speaks of it in the epistle to the Hebrews. This would be difficult to explain or to understand if Hebrews stood alone, but if "Galatians" and "Hebrews" go together, then circumcision would have been effectively dealt with in the "covering letter", leaving the way clear in Hebrews for the exhortation that it gives to go on to perfection.

The first definite indication of the "sphere of blessing" that is in view in the epistle to the Hebrews is found in Heb. 3:1, where those to whom the apostle wrote are called: "holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling". This is the first of six occurrences of epouranios in Hebrews, which we give below:

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus" (Heb. 3:1).

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost ... to renew them again unto repentance" (Heb. 6:4-6).

"Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount" (Heb. 8:5).

"It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these" (Heb. 9:23).

"But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city" (Heb. 11:16).

"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem" (Heb. 12:22).

We must now examine these passages, so that our conception of what is "heavenly" shall be moulded, not by our own views, but by what is actually written.

In the first passage, we read that these Hebrews were "partakers of the heavenly calling", but whether or not this means that they were going to enjoy their inheritance in the heavenly places "where Christ sitteth" is not here stated. In the first place, however, let us note that there is the most positive testimony that the position occupied by Christ in Hebrews is identical to that of Ephesians. In Ephesians, Christ is said to have ascended "far above all heavens" (Eph. 4:10), while in Hebrews He is said to have "passed through the heavens" (Heb. 4:14) and "made higher than the heavens" (hupseloteros Heb. 7:26). What is never taught in Hebrews, however, is that any of the redeemed could entertain the hope of being there, "where Christ sitteth". The teaching is all in the other direction. We are reminded, for instance, that when the High Priest entered the holiest place (a type of heaven itself) he entered "alone" (Heb. 9:7). These Hebrews had certainly "tasted the heavenly gift", but they did not ascend to heaven to do so; they tasted this heavenly gift while here on earth.

It is therefore folly to point to the fact that the word epouranios occurs both in Hebrews and in Ephesians and to deduce from this that there is nothing distinctive about the Ephesian sphere. In Hebrews it is Christ, and Christ alone, Who sits in the heavenly place. In Ephesians, the essence of the Mystery is that an elect company of the redeemed sit there potentially with Him. It is this fact that makes this new sphere of blessing unique; a fact which an indiscriminate list of the occurrences of epouranios can neither establish nor overthrow.

While Hebrews speaks of a "heavenly calling" and a "heavenly gift", we are not left in doubt as to "where" this calling is to be enjoyed. The sphere of blessing connected with the "heavenly calling" is the "heavenly country" or the "heavenly Jerusalem" which filled the vision of Abraham, and for which those who walked by faith in the Old Testament days suffered the loss of all things.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen ... These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth ... wherefore God ... hath prepared for them a city" (Heb. 11:1, Heb. 11:13, Heb. 11:16).

This calling differs from the one that is associated with Mount Sinai. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all "before the law" (see Gal. 3:17-18), and the inclusion of Abel, Noah, and Enoch show that it is not essentially connected with the Abrahamic covenant. Moreover the inclusion of Rahab, after the law, reveals that it is of wider scope than the covenant of Sinai, and the presence of such names as Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel (Heb. 11:32) shows that after the law of Moses had been given, there were still those who reached out for this higher and heavenly sphere.

In contrast with Sinai and its terrors, we have Sion with its blessings.

"Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly, and to a church of firstborn ones, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of perfected righteous ones, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than Abel" (Heb. 12:22-24).

The reader will notice a slight departure from the A.V. here. The "general assembly" should be linked, not with the "church of the firstborn", but with the "innumerable company". The church of the firstborn is made up of "the spirits of perfected righteous ones" (Heb. 12:23), or "the spirits of righteous ones having been perfected". This "perfecting" is the key to Hebrews and is the basis of its exhortation. Either those to whom the apostle wrote would leave the things that were connected with the beginning and go on unto perfection (Heb. 6:1), or, failing to endure, would draw back unto "loss" and "waste" (Heb. 10:32-39). The word "perdition" is translated as "destruction" in Philippians 3:19, and is put in contrast there, as in Hebrews, with "attaining" and a "better resurrection" (Phil. 3:11; Heb. 11:35). The word is also seen in Matthew 26:8, where it is translated as "waste".

We would mention here, in passing, the important principle that what constitutes the initial calling of one company (e.g. the Galatian converts), may also be the added "prize" of another company (e.g. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who had already received the "land" and the "nation" in their initial calling). A further example of the same principle is provided by the fact that "eternal life" which is a "gift" in Romans, is spoken of as an "award" in Matthew 25. We will not, however, pursue this matter further, as it is not essential to our present purpose.

It is clear from Hebrews 11 and 12 that the sphere of blessing there in view is that of the city which will at the last come down from God out of heaven. This reference takes us to the Book of the Revelation, where we discover two things. First, that those whose blessings are found in the New Jerusalem are spoken of as the "Bride", a company that differs from the divorced Wife who will be restored at the end; and secondly, that this company are "overcomers" who have a "crown" (Rev. 3:11-12), a further parallel with the believers of Philippians 3, who attain the "prize".

We discover, therefore, that the second sphere of blessing is in the nature of a reward. It is the "heavenly" phase of the kingdom. Abraham could not have forfeited the land of promise, for it was his as an unconditional gift; but in addition to this, he received the "heavenly country", which was associated with his "perfecting". This "perfecting" of his faith is the theme of the epistle of James, which regards the offering of Isaac as the "fulfilling" of the initial act of faith whereby Abraham was justified (Jas. 2:23). James also has much to say in the first chapter about patient endurance and its perfecting work in view of the crown (Jas. 1:3-4, Jas. 1:12). The heavenly country and city are not for "righteous ones", simply, but for "perfected righteous ones", just as the "prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus" and "the out-resurrection" of Philippians 3 are for those who go on unto perfection.

If the heavenly country, for which Abraham gave up so much, differs from the land of promise in which he lived as a pilgrim, then we must obviously recognize this heavenly calling as a separate sphere. Moreover, it is clear that one of the chief characteristics of this sphere is that it represents a reward for faithful obedience, as distinct from the land of promise which was quite unconditional. We have not attempted to differentiate between the covenant made with Abraham regarding the land and the covenant made at Sinai. As both operate on the earth, they are both included in the one sphere.

The distinctive place, "where", and the time "when" the Church of the Mystery shall enjoy its blessings and was chosen in Christ by the Father, are given in Ephesians 1:3-4. We are not now concerned with the true translation of the words, "before the foundation of the world" in verse 4, but with the latter clause of verse 3:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3).

As the phrase, en tois epouraniois is exclusive to Ephesians, and like every other occurrence of epouranios has reference to the character of the "heavenly" thing concerned, but not the place "where" it will be enjoyed, a mere list of the occurrences of epouranios would have only the appearance of an argument while lacking validity.

"In heavenly places" is the translation of the Greek words en tois epouraniois. We have seen that the word epouranios occurs six times in the epistle to the Hebrews, but there it speaks of a heavenly calling, a heavenly gift, heavenly realities, and a heavenly country or city. There can be no comparison between a "heavenly gift" that was enjoyed on earth with "the heavenly places" of Ephesians 1:3: the one refers to the character, the other to a place. The occurrences of epouranios in Ephesians must be segregated, for they form a group by themselves. The phrase en tois epouraniois occurs only in Ephesians and nowhere else either in the New Testament or in the Septuagint, a note which some readers may question if they accept teaching given them without verification.

The second occurrence of the phrase is found in Ephesians 1:20-21, where we learn that this sphere is "where Christ sitteth" at the right hand of God. Whether we continue the use of the phrase "far above all" or whether we exchange it for a more limited rendering, nothing is more certain than that there can be no conceivably higher position in the whole universe than the right hand of God. Such is the height of this exaltation of Christ that the passage continues:

"Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come" (Eph. 1:21).

Quite apart from the words "far above", there can be no denial of the fact that there is here indicated a sphere without compare in the whole range of Scripture. To conclude the first part of our examination, we turn to Ephesians 2:6 where we have a categorical statement that there, where Christ sits, is the sphere of blessing for every member of the Church which is His Body. In these three passages (Eph. 1:3, Eph. 1:20-21; and Eph. 2:6) we have indubitable evidence of a sphere of blessing that differs entirely from anything that had hitherto been revealed.

But our task will not have been completed if we fail to take note of the attempts that have been made to discredit the teaching of the three spheres by concentrating attention upon the A.V. rendering of huperano. The words translated "far above all" in Ephesians 1:21 and Eph. 4:10 are adjuncts of the teaching we have already proved by other means, and no alteration or re-translation can make the slightest difference to the threefold distinctions we have already seen. As the word in question only occurs three times in the New Testament, it is a matter of importance to ascertain whether it occurs in the Septuagint, and if so, in what connection. Some who have gone out of their way to denounce this teaching say:

"As the adverb huperano, Over-up appears so seldom in the later Greek Scriptures, we have given all of the occurrences in the Septuagint also".

But when we consult the Septuagint, we discover that our critics will omit the first occurrence and upon examination, we further find that this first occurrence is antagonistic to their contention that huperano means position but never distance. The omitted reference is Genesis 7:20, "fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail, and the mountains were covered".

If the subject before us was the comparative value of the various manuscripts which we have to consult in seeking the original text of the Scriptures, it would be right and proper to assess the respective merits of the Vatican, the Sinaiticus, the Alexandrian, and other MSS., and at the close of the investigation, we should be within our rights if we were to express a preference for one manuscript above another. But if we are investigating the usage of a particular word, and we profess to have given "all of the occurrences", then the omission of one reference, especially one that militates against our own conclusions, is serious. This first reference to huperano in the Septuagint most emphatically uses the word to express distance in cubits, whereas our critics seem almost hysterical by our retention of the A.V. rendering, "far above", calling it, among other things, a blot on the A.V. translation, and implying that so long as it remains it is impossible for the English reader to get the truth.

These words would have sounded rather empty if Genesis 7:20 had been cited, and our critic"s dictum that huperano denotes "position, never distance" looks absurd in the presence of these 15 cubits! We have more to bring forward from Genesis 7:20 in a moment, but it will be better appreciated after we have allowed our critics a little more space.

The third and last occurrence of huperano in the New Testament is found in Hebrews 9:5, which reads: "and over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy seat". The critic"s comment is:

"In the ark of the covenant, we have the best possible illustration of the force of this word. Surely the Cherubim were not "far above" the ark".

They further suggest that probably the lower parts of the Cherubim were "below" the crown of the ark, and some get so enamored of this idea that they even go so far as to imply huperano, in this case, may denote near rather than far, but we recall that some have already prefaced this investigation by saying:

"As few of us are sufficiently adept in either Greek or English to pass judgment upon such grammatical and idiomatic problems, we will base nothing on expert evidence", so that we need not be greatly concerned. The Scriptures themselves are the only and final appeal.

The apostle is not concerned in Hebrews 9:5 with the fact that the Cherubim and the mercy seat were made out of one piece of metal. His statement is confined to one feature, and one feature only, namely, that the Cherubim "overshadowed" (kataskiazo) the mercy seat and in so doing he is referring to Exodus 25:18-20 where we read:

"And the Cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings".

Here we have inspired usage of words and need not be experts either in Hebrew, Greek, or English, to understand the meaning of the Hebrew word here translated "on high". Maal is translated in the LXX by huperano, and so provides an infallible authority for the usage and meaning of the word. Maal occurs in such passages as "in heaven above" (Exod. 20:4); "from his shoulders and upward" (1 Sam. 9:2); "the clouds above" (Prov. 8:28). Whoever used the word huperano in Genesis 7:20 and elsewhere, had no hesitation in using it for a measurable distance, whether for the height of the water above the mountains, or the height of the wings of the overshadowing Cherubim.

We teach that "the heavens" that are in view since the six days" creation are the only heavens associated with the redeemed until the revelation of the Mystery, and that no redeemed child of God has any prospect of association with the heaven of Genesis 1:1 except the church of the Mystery chosen in Christ before the period referred to in Genesis 1:2. (See the article entitled HEAVEN). We have nothing in common with any teaching that puts the church of the One Body outside the realm of Genesis 1:1 and believe that in the original of the New Testament, two words are employed, both translated "heavenly" (ouranios and epouranios). The added word epi signifies upon or over and refers to the heavens that are above the firmament, and beyond the limitations of the present creation (compare Gen. 1:1 with Psa. 148.4; 1 Kings 8:27; Heb. 7:26)".

As two words are used, both translated "heavenly", we are justified in attempting to discriminate, and as epi is added to ouranios, and huperano supplies the idea, we adopted the Latin equivalent of huper and have added super thus coining the word "super-heavens" for the special usage found in Ephesians 1:3, Eph. 1:20 and Eph. 2:6.

On many occasions the Scriptures speak of God "stretching out the heavens" (Psa. 104:2); "Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain"; also Isaiah 40:22; Isa. 42:5; Isa. 45:12; Isa. 51:13; Jeremiah 10:12; Jer. 51:15; Zechariah 12:1 ... When we grasp the significance of the firmament, and the purpose that is carried out within its expanse, we may then see the perfect fitness of the statements of Ephesians, wherein the words "the heavenly places" (epouranios a word which literally means "upon the heavens"), we are taken beyond the firmament ... Ephesians always speaks of the blessings of the One Body as being in the epouranios, the sphere above the heavens. Peter, however, does not pierce the firmament, the inheritance he speaks of is reserved "in the heavens", not in the sphere above the heavens".

In such translations as "super-heavens", "far above all heavens", "made higher than the heavens", it is evident that a sphere beyond the limitations of the heavens of Genesis 1:8 is intended. That this is our meaning let us say that to the period of the New Heavens and the New Earth belong the blessings of the Mystery. The only calling or revelation that has pierced the present temporary heaven and touched that which can be spoken of as eternal is that dispensation of the grace of God which has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the super-heavenlies far above all. This shows the unique character of the church of the One Body. It is connected both by time and place with that which begins before the present heavens were made and goes on when the present heavens are no more.

The church of the Mystery is the only link during this age between the time before sin entered and the time when sin shall be no more. All other purposes are "under the heavens", this link alone places those who are blessed under its terms "above the heavens". If these things are so, it would be very surprising if the doctrine and practice of this peculiar people were not different from all others".

Of no other company of believers is it said that their sphere of blessing is "In the super-heavenlies". The special sphere of blessing which belongs alone to the Church of the One Body is mentioned five times in this epistle, and a study of these occurrences will supply us with valuable information. First of all, we translate the word "super-heavenlies" in recognition of the presence of the little particle epi with which the word begins. It is not simply ouranios, which is the usual word, but epi-ouranios. Secondly, because the word is found in Ephesians 4:10, where "far above all heavens" is huperano panton ton ouranon, and thirdly because the information supplied by the five references demands some such translation. Passing, therefore, to the second reference, we find, in Eph. 1:20-21, that this sphere of blessing is:

(a) At the Father"s right hand.

(b) Far above all principality and power.

That this tremendous height is the destined sphere of the Church of the Mystery, Ephesians 2:6 declares. There, the believer is associated with the risen Christ, "made to sit together in the super-heavenlies in Christ Jesus". Christ the Head and the Church His Body are blessed together There.

The next two references (Eph. 3:10 and Eph. 6:12), show the super-heavenlies as the abode of principalities, powers, and rulers. Be it noted that angels are not mentioned. Angels are heaven"s messengers. The Church of the One Body is blessed even above heaven"s nobility. Dominions and thrones are beneath it in its super-heavenly sphere. While epouranios is used outside Ephesians, no other company of believers is blessed In these exalted regions as their sphere. The blessings of the Church of the One Body are not only "heavenly", but "up in heaven".

Having established from the Scriptures, quite independently of the occurrences or the meaning of either epouranios or huperano, the fact that there are three distinct companies of believers who are destined to inherit blessings in three distinct spheres, we can dismiss the question as to how "far" this exalted sphere is above all others, the answer to the question makes no difference to the fact that the Scriptures speak of three different spheres. For the sake of clarity, we summarize our findings.

There are blessings that are to be enjoyed on earth. Those who will occupy the central position in this sphere are Israel, and this calling is expressed in the terms of a Kingdom. Gentile nations, while blessed in this same sphere, will be subservient, for to Israel, and Israel alone, is the Kingdom, and to Israel on the earth pertains the "adoption".  Israel is the firstborn among the nations.

There are other blessings that are to be enjoyed in the heavenly country and the heavenly city. These are the blessings of Abraham, and the calling is that of "The Bride" (a calling that must be kept distinct from that of the restoration of Israel, "The Wife"). Gentiles, as well as Israel, go to form this company called "The Bride", where there is neither Jew nor Greek, but where both alike are reckoned as Abraham"s seed and heirs according to the promise. Instead of nations being subservient to this company of the redeemed, it is angels who are associated with them in a subordinate position. To this company, in this sphere, pertains this particular "adoption"; they are the church of the Firstborn whose names are written in heaven.

There are, however, blessings that are neither those of Israel as a kingdom, nor of the heavenly calling of the Bride, and these are enjoyed in heavenly places where Christ sits, far above all principality and power and far above all heavens. They who enjoy them constitute neither a Kingdom nor the Bride but are the Body of Christ and a perfect Man. While individuals of Israel who believe are not precluded, this calling is mainly Gentile, for it operates during the period of Israel"s blindness. This company also has a citizenship, but it is one that has nothing to do with the New Jerusalem; neither nations nor angels are subservient to it, but principalities and powers. To this company pertains the "adoption" associated with this sphere, and Christ, as the Firstborn from the dead, is its Head, each believer of the company forming a member of the Church which is His Body.

As this highest of all callings is the subject of a Secret that goes back before the overthrow of the world (Gen. 1:2), so it goes up beyond the "firmament that was called heaven" which spans the ages and finds its sphere in the super-heavens; those heavens of Genesis 1:1 which remain unmoved by the ebb and flow of time, sin, death, or dispensational change.

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Three Spheres Of Blessing

The Earth, The Heavenly City, Far above all

Where we read of "hope" in the New Testament, we often find in the context a reference either to a "promise" or to a "calling." For example, Paul before Agrippa says:

"And now I stand and am judged for The Hope Of The Promise made of God unto our fathers; unto which promise Our Twelve Tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come" (Acts 26:6-7).

Here there is no possibility of making a mistake. Not only is the hope that is in view the fulfillment of a promise, but it is the fulfillment of a specific promise "made of God unto our fathers." Further, there is no ambiguity as to those who entertain this hope; the words "our twelve tribes" are too explicit to permit spiritualizing. For the moment, it is sufficient that the principle should be clear that Hope Looks To The Fulfillment Of A Promise. It is, therefore, necessary to discover what promise has been made to any particular company before we can speak with understanding of their hope. Another prerequisite is knowledge of the "calling" concerned.

"That ye may know what is THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING" (Eph. 1:18).

"Even as ye are called in ONE HOPE OF YOUR CALLING" (Eph. 4:4).

The realization of our hope in the future will be in agreement with our calling now by faith.

"Now faith is the substance of things HOPED for" (Heb. 11:1).

Recent discoveries among the papyri of Egypt have brought to light the fact that the word "substance" was used in New Testament times to signify the "Title Deeds" of a property. Every believer holds the title deeds now, by faith, the earnest and first fruits of the inheritance that will be entered when his hope is realized. As every believer does not necessarily belong to the same calling, and most believers grant a distinction between Kingdom and Church, while some realize the further distinction between Bride and Body, it follows that the character of the calling must be settled before the hope can be defined.

Three Spheres Of Blessing

There are at least three distinct spheres of blessing indicated in the New Testament:

The Earth. - "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5).

The Heavenly City. - "The city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem . . . and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven" (Heb. 12:22-23).

Far above all. - "He ascended up, far above all heavens" (Eph.4:10). "And made us sit together in heavenly places" (Eph. 2:6).

These three spheres of blessing correspond to three distinct callings:

The Kingdom. - "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth" (Matt. 6:10).

The Bride. - "The Bride, the Lamb's wife . . . the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God" (Rev. 21:9-10).

The Body. - "His body. . . the church: whereof I (Paul) am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you . . . the mystery which hath been hidden from ages and from generations" (Col. 1:24-26).

These three spheres of blessing, each with its special calling, have associated with them three groups of people in the N.T. The first sphere of blessing is exclusive to Israel according to the flesh, the second to believers from among both "Jew and Greek," while in the third sphere, the calling is addressed to "You Gentiles."

Israel according to the flesh. - "My kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, Who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen" (Rom. 9:3-5).

Abraham's seed (includes believing Gentiles). - "Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?. . . they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. . . . For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek . . . for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:3, Gal. 3:7, Gal. 3:9, Gal. 3:27-29).

If, at the end of Gal. 27:28, we "shut the book," we may "prove" that the blessed unity indicated by the words "neither Jew nor Greek" refers to the "Church which is His Body." If, however, we keep the book open, we see that such is not the sequel but that this new company is "Abraham's seed" and the hope before them, "the promise" made to Abraham. The reader may readily assent to this, but we would urge him to remember that 1 Thessalonians and Galatians were both written before Acts 28:27-28 and, therefore, before the revelation of The Mystery. The hope then of 1 Thessalonians four belongs to the same calling as that of Galatians and cannot constitute The Hope of The Mystery.

The One New Man. - "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew . . . but Christ is all and in all" (Col. 3:11).

"That He might create in Himself of the twain one new man, so making peace" (Eph. 2:15 R.V.).

"That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs" (Eph. 3:6).

Space will not permit extensive proofs of the suggestions made in the foregoing paragraphs or of a detailed exposition of the passages concerned, but we believe that the matter is sufficiently clear for us to go forward with our inquiry. Seeing then that there are Three Spheres of Blessing, with their three associated callings, we should expect to find three phases of The Coming of The Lord. These three phases are presented in the following Scriptures:

Kingdom on earth. - HOPE. Matt. 24-25.

Abraham's seed (heavenly calling). - HOPE. 1 Thess. 4.

Far above all. - HOPE. Col. 3:4.

Let us look at each phase of the Second Advent as presented by these three passages.

The Hope Of The First Sphere
The Sign of the Coming of the Son of Man

The earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ was limited to the people of Israel and had special regard to the promise made to David concerning Israel's King. It also had in view the promise made to Abraham concerning the blessing of all the families of the earth, but did not, at that time, extend to them, being concentrated rather upon Israel from whom, as the appointed channel, the blessing should flow to all nations. We shall now bring Scriptural proof of these statements and then proceed to show that Matthew 24 and 25 speak of the hope of Israel and that this phase of the second advent has nothing to do with the Hope of The "church."

Proof that the earthly ministry was limited in the first instance to Israel.

"Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the CIRCUMCISION for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the FATHERS" (Rom. 15:8).

"Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of ISRAEL" (Matt. 10:5-6).

"I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of ISRAEL" (Matt. 15:24).

Proof that the promise made to David concerning a King was in view.

"Where is He that is born KING of the Jews?. . . in Bethlehem" (Matt. 2:2-5).

"Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy KING cometh unto thee" (Matt. 21:5).

"What think ye of Christ, whose Son is He? They say unto Him, The Son of DAVID" (Matt. 22:42).

"David. . . being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, HE WOULD RAISE UP CHRIST TO SIT ON HIS THRONE; He seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ" (Acts 2:30-31).

Proof that the promise to Abraham concerning Israel as the chosen channel of blessing to the Gentiles was in view.

"Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. UNTO YOU FIRST God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless YOU, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities" (Acts 3:25-26).

The consideration of these Scriptures in their setting provides sufficient proof for the statements made concerning the character of the Saviour's earthly ministry.

We are now in a position to consider Matthew twenty-four and twenty-five, which is a prophecy of the second coming of Christ, and concerns the hope of Israel as distinct from the hope of the church.

The threefold prophecy of the coming of the Lord, as revealed in Matthew 24 was given in answer to the threefold question of the disciples-

"When shall these things be?"

"What shall be the sign of Thy coming?"

"And the end of the world (age)?"

The evidence which follows sufficiently shows that in this passage, the Hope of Israel and not the Hope of "The Church which is His Body" is the subject.

Three proofs that Matthew twenty-four speaks of the Hope of Israel

First, the word translated "end" is sunteleia, a word at that time well known to every Jew, for it was the name of the third great feast, namely "the feast of ingathering, which is at the end of the year" (Exod. 23:16). This is evidence that Israel's hope is in view.

Secondly, we find that this coming of the Lord is to be preceded by "wars and rumors of wars." Because of the fact that there have been, and yet will be, many wars and rumors of wars since the setting aside of Israel, these words, as they stand, cannot be construed as evidence that Israel's hope is in view. If, however, we turn to the O.T. origin of the reference: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" (Matt. 24:7), we shall see that it comes from Isaiah's prophetic "Burden of Egypt" (Isa. 19:1-2), the passage ending with the words "Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance" (Isa. 19:25). This reference, therefore, when seen in the light of its O.T. setting, gives further evidence for the fact that Israel is in view in Matthew 24.

Thirdly, this coming of the Lord takes place after the prophetic statements of Daniel 9:27 and Dan. 12:11 have been fulfilled.

"When ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place . . . then shall be great tribulation . . . IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days . . . shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven . . . and they shall see the Son of man COMING IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN" (Matt. 24:15-30).

These three items provide proof beyond dispute that the second coming of Christ, as here made known, cannot be the hope of the church.

The Hope Of The Second Sphere
The Acts and Epistles of the Period

We must now turn our attention to the evidence of Scripture as to the character of the Hope during the period covered by the Acts of the Apostles. Some commentators on this Book appear to forget that it is the record of the "Acts" of the Apostles and had no existence until those "Acts" were accomplished. If the founding of the church at Corinth chronicled in Acts 18 is an act of the apostle Paul, both Crispus (Acts 18:8) and Sosthenes (Acts 18:17) being mentioned by name, then the Epistle written by the same apostle to the same church, again mentioning Crispus and Sosthenes by name, must be included as the Divine complement of the record of Acts 18. The aspect of the Hope in view in the Acts and in The Epistles written during that period to the churches founded by the Apostles must, of necessity, be the same. Any attempt to make the ministry of Paul during the Acts differ from The Epistles of the same period is false and must be rejected. There can be no doubt that the Hope entertained by the churches during the period covered by the Acts of the Apostles was a phase of the Hope of Israel. This will, we trust, be made clear by the quotations and comments given hereafter.

"When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6).

This question arose after the forty days' instruction given by the risen Christ to His disciples, during which time He not only opened the Scriptures but "their understanding" also (Luke 24:45).

"Repent . . . and He shall send Jesus Christ, Which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. . . . Ye are the children of the prophets. . . . Unto you first. . ." (Acts 3:19-26).

These words of Peter, spoken after Pentecost, cannot be separated from the hope of Israel without violence to the inspired words. It may be that some readers will interpose the thought: "These are from the testimony of Peter; what we want is the testimony of Paul." We, therefore, give two more extracts from the Acts, quoting this time from the ministry of Paul.

"And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come" (Acts 26:6-7).

"Paul called the chief of the Jews together . . . because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain" (Acts 28:17-20).

Not until the Jewish people were set aside in Acts 28:25-29 does Paul become "the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles." Until it was a settled fact that Israel would not repent and that the promise of Acts 3:19-26 would be postponed, the Hope of Israel persisted, and all the churches that had been brought into being up to that time were of necessity associated with that Hope. See the testimony of Romans, which is set out in much fuller detail after the reference to the heavenly calling is completed.

The Heavenly Calling

We have already drawn attention to the intimate association that exists between "hope," "promise," and "calling." We must pause for a moment here to remind the reader that Abraham stands at the head of two companies: an earthly people, the great nation of Israel, and a heavenly people, associated with the heavenly phase of God's promise to Abraham, and made up of the believing remnant of Israel and believing Gentiles. The Apostle in Hebrews and Galatians refers to this heavenly side of the Abrahamic promise:

"He looked for a city. . . . They seek a country. . . . They desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city" (Heb. 11:10, Heb. 11:14, Heb. 11:16).

"If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. . . . Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother' of us all" (Gal. 3:29, (Gal. 4:26).

This heavenly calling of the Abrahamic promise constitutes the Bride of the Lamb, as distinct from the restored Wife, which refers to Israel as a nation. We leave the reader to verify these statements for himself by referring to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea, where Israel's restoration is spoken of under the figure of the restored Wife, and to the Book of Revelation, where the Heavenly City is described as the Bride. During the time of the Acts of the Apostles, the churches founded by Paul were "Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:29). The Apostle speaks of "espousing them to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:2).

This heavenly phase of the hope of Israel was the hope of all the churches established during the Acts until Israel was set aside, as recorded in Acts 28.

The Testimony of Romans

The Epistles written by Paul before his imprisonment were Galatians, Hebrews, Romans, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and 1 and 2 Corinthians. We are sure that any well-instructed reader who was asked to choose from this set of Epistles, the one giving the most recent as well as the most fundamental teaching of the apostle for this period, would unhesitatingly choose the Epistle to the Romans. In this Epistle, we have the solid rock foundation of justification by faith, where "no difference" can be tolerated between Jew and Gentile. When, however, we leave the sphere of doctrine (Rom. 1-8) and enter the sphere of dispensational privileges, we discover that differences between Jewish and Gentile believers remain. The Gentile, who was justified by faith, was nevertheless reminded that he was at that time in the position of a wild olive, graft into the true olive tree, from which some of the branches had been broken off through unbelief. The grafting of the Gentile into Israel's olive tree was intended (speaking after the manner of men) to provoke Israel into jealousy. When, in the days to come, these broken branches shall be restored, "All Israel shall be saved."

These statements from Romans 11 are sufficient to prevent us from assuming that, because there is evidently DOCTRINAL equality in the Acts period, there is also DISPENSATIONAL equality. This is not so, for Romans declare that the Jew is still "first," and the middle wall still stands, making membership of The One Body as revealed in Ephesians impossible.

In Romans 15, we have a definite statement concerning the Hope entertained by the church at Rome. Before quoting the passage, Romans 15:12-13, we would advise the reader that the word "trust" in Rom. 15:12 is elpizo, and the word "hope" in Rom. 15:13 elpis. There is also the emphatic article "the" before the word "hope" in Rom. 15:12. Bearing these points in mind, we can now examine The Hope entertained by the church in Rome, as ministered to by Paul before his imprisonment.

"There shall be a Root of Jesse, and He that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in Him shall the Gentiles hope. Now the God of that hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 15:12-13).

Here we are on firm ground. Paul himself teaches the church to look for The Millennial Kingdom and for The Saviour as the "Root of Jesse," Who shall "reign over the Gentiles." How can this hope be severed from "the hope of Israel"? How can it be associated with the "Mystery," which knows nothing of Abraham or of Israel but goes back before the "foundation of the world" and reaches up to Heavenly Places? In case the reader should be uncertain of Paul's references to The Millennial Kingdom, we quote from Isaiah eleven:

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse. . . . He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked. . . . The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb. . . . And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to It shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest shall be glorious" (Isa. 11:1, Isa. 11:4, Isa. 11:6, Isa. 11:10).

The reader should consult the note on Isaiah 11:4 given in The Companion Bible, where the reading, "He shall smite the oppressor" (ariz) is preferred to the A.V. "He shall smite the earth" (erez). This reading establishes a link with 2 Thessalonians 2:8:

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming."

Before referring to 1 Thessalonians 4, which presents the Hope of the church at that time very clearly, we must say something about the strange avoidance of the second Epistle that so many manifest when dealing with this subject.

The Importance of a Second Epistle

If a businessman were to treat his correspondence in the way that some believers treat The Epistles of Paul, the results would be disastrous. A second letter, purporting to rectify a misunderstanding arising out of a previous letter, would, if anything, be more important and more decisive than the first; yet there are those whose system of interpretation demands that they shall claim 1 Thessalonians 4 as the revelation of their hope, who nevertheless either neglect the testimony of 2 Thessalonians or explain it away as of some future mystical company unknown to the Apostle. Let us first verify that these two Epistles form a definite pair, written by the same writer, at the same period, to the same people, about the same subject.

Identity of Address

FIRST EPISTLE "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 1:1).

SECOND EPISTLE "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 1:1).

Identity of Theme

FIRST EPISTLE "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father" (1 Thess. 1:3).

SECOND EPISTLE "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet; because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth; so that we . . . glory . . . in your patience" (2 Thess. 1:3).

FIRST EPISTLE "The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" (1 Thess. 3:13). (A reference to Deut. 33:2, Psa. 68:17 and Zech. 14:5 will show that the "saints" here are the "holy angels" and not the church).

SECOND EPISTLE "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire" (2 Thess. 1:7-8).

The Special Purpose of Second Thessalonians

The Thessalonian Church had been disturbed by the circulation of a letter purporting to have come from the Apostle and by certain messages given by those who claimed to have "the spirit." These messages distorted the Apostle's teaching concerning the coming of the Lord, as taught in the church while he was with them and mentioned in the fourth chapter of his letter.

"We beseech you, brethren . . . that ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ (or the Lord) is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first" (2 Thess. 2:1-3).

Before the Hope of the church at Thessalonica could be realized, certain important prophecies awaited fulfillment. As we have seen, the Hope during the period of the Acts (and therefore that of 1 Thessalonians 4) was essentially the Hope of Israel. When 1 Thessalonians 4 was written, Israel was still God's people. The Temple still stood, and the possibility (speaking humanly) of Israel's repentance had still to be reckoned with. If the Hope of Israel was about to be fulfilled, then Daniel 9-12 must also be fulfilled, together with many other prophecies of the time of the end. This we have seen to have been the testimony of the Lord Himself in Matthew 24, and so far, Israel had not been set aside (i.e., when the epistles to the Thessalonians were written).

The following predicted events must precede the coming of the Lord as revealed in 1 and 2 Thessalonians:

The apostasy must come first ("falling away," Greek apostasia).

The Man of Sin must be revealed in the Temple (the word "Temple" is the same as in Matthew 23:16).

The coming of this Wicked One will be preceded by a Satanic travesty of Pentecostal gifts. (The same words are used as of Pentecost, with the addition of the word "lying".)

This Wicked One shall be "consumed" and "destroyed" with the brightness of the Lord's coming (see Isaiah 11:4, revised reading).

All this the Apostle had told the Thessalonian church when he was with them before he wrote 1 Thessalonians 4 (see 2 Thess. 2:5).

The Thessalonians had already been taught by the Apostle himself concerning the events of prophecy and would doubtless have read 1 Thessalonians four in harmony with his teaching had they not been deceived by false interpretations. The reference to the Archangel would have taken them back to Daniel 10-12. The Epistle of Jude uses exactly the same word as is used here and tells us that the Archangel's name is Michael (Jude 9). Immediately following the great prophecy of the seventy weeks, with its climax in the "Abomination of desolation," we have the revelation of Daniel ten. There the veil is partially withdrawn, and a glimpse is given of the Satanic forces behind the "powers that be." Michael is said to be "your Prince," and in Daniel 12 we read:

"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation . . . and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake" (Dan. 12:1-2).

Here we have Michael identified with the people of Israel, and when he stands up, the great tribulation and the resurrection take place. This FOLLOWS THE EVENTS OF DANIEL ELEVEN, which are briefly summarized in 2 Thessalonians two. Compare, for example, the following passages:

"He shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods" (Dan. 11:36).

"Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped" (2 Thess. 2:4).

1 and 2 Thessalonians and Revelation 13

If the reader would read consecutively Daniel 9, 10, 11, and 12, 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5, 2 Thessalonians 1 and 3, and Revelation 13, the testimony of the truth itself would be so strong as to need no human advocate. Our space is limited, and we therefore earnestly ask all who value the teaching of the Scriptures regarding "That Blessed Hope" to read and compare these portions most carefully and prayerfully. When this is done, let the question be answered: "What have all these Scriptures to do with The Church of The Dispensation of The Mystery, a Church called into being consequent upon Israel's removal and the suspension of Israel's hope?" The answer can only be that, while the close association of the Hope of the Thessalonians with the Hope of Israel was consistent with the character of the dispensation then in force, the attempt to link the "One Hope of our Calling" with prophetic times is a dispensational anachronism and a failure to distinguish things that differ.

"Till He Come"

The coming of the Lord referred to in 1 Corinthians 11:26 must be the same Hope as was entertained by the Thessalonians and by the church at Rome (Rom. 15:12-13). The Apostle himself summarizes this Hope in Acts 28:20 as the "Hope of Israel." The Corinthian Epistle deals with a variety of subjects and is addressed to different sections of the church. Some called themselves by the name of Paul, others by the name of Cephas. Some were troubled with regard to the question of marriage, and others with regard to moral questions. The section in which the words "till He come" occur is addressed to those whose "fathers" were "baptized unto Moses" (1 Cor. 10:1), whereas the section that immediately follows is addressed to Gentiles (1 Cor. 12:2). Concerning the question of marriage, the Apostle writes:

"I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress. . . . The time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not. . . and they that buy, as though they possessed not" (1 Cor. 7:26-30).

Shall we fall into the error of teaching, as some have taught, that marriage is wrong because of what Paul says in this chapter? If we do, what shall we say of his wonderful words concerning husband and wife in Ephesians 5? Or of his advice that the younger women should not only marry but marry again if left as widows? (1 Tim. 5:9-14). The right interpretation is clearly that Paul's advice in 1 Corinthians 7 was true AT THE TIME because the Second Coming of Christ was expected to take place during the lifetime of some of his hearers. He speaks as he does "because of the present necessity" and because "the time is short." When writing to the Thessalonians, he rightly identifies himself with the imminent Hope of the Lord's Coming by saying: "We which are alive" (1 Thess. 4).

The "present necessity" of 1 Corinthians 7 is no longer applicable on account of the failure of Israel and the suspension of their Hope. So in 1 Corinthians 11, the teaching of the chapter was only true while the Hope of that calling was still imminent. When the people of Israel passed into their present condition of blindness, as they did in Acts 28, their Hope passed with them, not to be revived until the end of the days, when the Apocalypse is fulfilled. Meanwhile, a new dispensation has come in, a dispensation associated with a "Mystery" and unconnected with Israel. In the very nature of things, a change of dispensation means a change of calling. It introduces a new sphere and a fresh set of promises and demands a re-statement of its own peculiar hope.

Hope Of The Third Sphere
The Manifestation in Glory

Before considering the special characteristics of The Hope of The Church of The One Body, it may be of service to set out some of the distinctive features of the Dispensation of The Mystery so that, perceiving the unique character of its calling, we shall be compelled to believe the unique character of its Hope.

Special features of the present dispensation:

First of all, let us observe two features that marked the previous dispensation but are now absent.

The presence and prominence of Israel.

The testimony of the Gospels (Matt. 10:6, Matt. 15:24), the witness of Peter (Acts 3:25-26), and the testimony of Paul (Rom. 1:16, Rom. 3:29, Rom. 9:1-5, Rom. 11:24-25 and Rom. 15:8), all combine to show that the nation of Israel was an important factor in the outworking of the purpose of the ages and that during the period covered by the Gospels and the Acts, no blessing could be enjoyed by a Gentile in the independence of Israel. It is evident that with the setting aside of these favored people, a change in dispensation was necessitated.

The presence and prominence of miraculous gifts.

Throughout the public ministry of the Lord Jesus, and from Pentecost in Acts 2 until the shipwreck on the island of Melita in Acts 28, supernatural signs, wonders, and miracles accompanied and confirmed the preached word. Not only did the Lord Himself and also His apostles work miracles, but during the time of the Acts, ordinary members of the church were in possession of spiritual gifts in such abundance that they had to seek the Apostle's advice as to their regulation in the assembly (1 Cor. 14:26-40). The miracles of Mark 16, Acts 2, and 1 Corinthians 12 to 14 are not the normal experience of the church of today. Their absence, together with the setting aside of the people of Israel, constitute two pieces of negative evidence in favor of a new dispensation. We are not, however, limited to negative evidence. Scripture also provides definite evidence of a positive kind, which we must now consider.

The prison ministry of the Apostle Paul.

When Paul spoke to the elders of the church at Ephesus, he made it quite plain that one ministry was coming to an end and another, closely associated with prison, was about to begin. He reviewed his past services among them and told them, among other things, that they should see his face no more (Acts 20:17-38). Later, before King Agrippa, he reveals the important fact that when he was converted and commissioned by The Lord, in Acts nine, he had been told that at some subsequent time, the Lord would appear to him again and give him a second commission (Acts 26:15-18).

The dispensational boundary of Acts 28.

Right up to the last Chapter of the Acts, Israel, and miraculous gifts continued to occupy their pre-eminent place (Acts 28:1-10, Acts 28:17, Acts 28:20). Upon arrival at Rome, Paul, although desirous of visiting the church (Rom. 1:11-13), sent first for the "chief of the Jews", telling them that "for the hope of Israel" he was bound with a chain. After spending a whole day with these men of Israel, seeking unsuccessfully to persuade them "concerning Jesus" out of the law and the prophets, he pronounces finally their present doom of blindness, adding:

"Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it" (Acts 28:28).

During the two years of imprisonment that followed, the Apostle ministered to all that came to him, teaching those things which "concern the Lord Jesus Christ" with no reference this time either to the law or to the prophets (Acts 28:30-31).

The present dispensation is a new revelation.

The omission of "the law and the prophets" from Acts 28:31, as compared with Acts 28:23, is an important point. Throughout the early ministry of the Apostle, he makes continual and repeated appeals to the O.T. Scriptures. But when one examines the "Prison Epistles," one is struck by the absence of quotation. The reason for this change is that Paul, as the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles, received The Mystery "by revelation" (Eph. 3:1-3). This mystery had been hidden for ages and generations until the time came for Paul to be made its minister (Col. 1:24-27). It could not, therefore, be found in the O.T. Scriptures.

Some special features of this new calling.

This Church was chosen "before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4) and "before age-times" (2 Tim. 1:9).

This Church finds its sphere of blessing "in Heavenly P1aces, far above all principality and power. . . seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 1:3, Eph. 1:20-21, Eph. 2:6).

This Church is not an "evolution" but a new "creation," the peculiar advantage of being a Jew, even though a member of The Church, having disappeared with the middle wall of partition (Eph. 2:14-19).

This Church is The One Body of which Christ is The Head, and in which all members are equal (Eph. 1:22-23, Eph. 3:6), a relationship never before known.

The Prison Epistles.

While the very nature of things demands a new dispensation consequent upon Israel's removal, we are not left to mere inference. There is a definite section of the N.T. with special teaching relating to The Church of the present dispensation. This is found in the epistles written by Paul as the prisoner of the Lord for us Gentiles. These epistles are five in number, but we generally refer to the "four Prison Epistles" as that to Philemon is practical and personal and makes no contribution to the new teaching.

The four Prison Epistles are:

A EPHESIANS. The Dispensation of the Mystery. Basic Truth

B PHILIPPIANS. The Prize. Outworking.

A COLOSSIANS. The Dispensation of the Mystery. Basic Truth

B 2 TIMOTHY. The Crown. Outworking.

The reader will find in each of these Epistles evidence that they were written from prison and that they form part of the ministry referred to in Acts 28:31.

The above notes on these seven features are necessarily brief and are not intended to do anything more than provide the merest outline of the subject. Any reader who is not convinced as to the peculiar and unique character of these Prison Epistles and The Dispensation they reveal should give them a personal study, noting all their claims and their distinctive features. This article has not been written to prove to the satisfaction of all that a new dispensation commenced at the time of Acts 28 but has been prepared rather as a help to those who, having realized that a change most certainly did take place in the dispensational dealings of God with men at that time, desire to understand what effect this change had upon The Hope of The Church.

The new phase of Hope necessitates Prayer

While prayer should accompany the Word at all times, there is no need to pray for "revelation" concerning one's hope if it is already revealed. Words can scarcely be clearer than those employed in 1 Thessalonians 4, and if this chapter still represented the hope of the Church of the One Body, there would be no need for the Apostle to speak as he does in Ephesians 1. In Eph 1:17, he prays that the saints might receive "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him . . . that ye may know what is the hope of His calling" (Eph. 1:17-18).

It might be well if the reader pondered the marginal reading of Ephesians 1:17 where, instead of "in the knowledge of Him," we read, "for the acknowledging of Him." This raises a most important point. Many fail to go forward with the truth, not because of an inability to understand the meaning of plain terms, but because of failure to "acknowledge Him." The Apostle pauses in his teaching to tell his hearers that before another step can be taken, acknowledgment of what has already been revealed must be made. To acknowledge The Truth of The Mystery is to put oneself out of favor with denominationalism, and many a child of God who says, "I do not see it," is really making a confession of failure to acknowledge the revelation of Truth connected with the ascended Lord.

This new phase of Hope is associated with a Promise

We have already seen that hope and promise are necessarily linked together. We discovered that the promises that were the basis of expectation during the Acts were the promises "made unto the fathers." Now the fathers had no promises made to them concerning heavenly places "where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God." They knew nothing of a church where Gentile believers would be in perfect equality with Jewish believers. The promises made to the fathers never extended beyond "the Bride" or "the Heavenly Jerusalem," but in Ephesians, we have "The Body" and a sphere "Far Above All."

In Ephesians 1:12, where the A.V. reads "first trusted," the margin reads "Hoped,"; and as we cannot speak of "the blessed trust" or "the trust of the second coming" it is best to keep to the translation, "hope." The actual word used is proelpizo, to "fore-hope." Of this prior Hope, the Holy Spirit is the seal and, as such, is "the Holy Spirit of promise."

What promise is in view? There is but one promise in the Prison Epistles. The Gentiles who formed The Church of the One Body were by nature

"aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise" (Eph. 2:12),

but through grace, they became

"fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel; whereof I (Paul) was made a minister" (Eph. 3:6-7).

This promise takes us back to the period of Ephesians 1:4, "before the foundation of the world":

"According to the promise of life, which is in Christ Jesus . . . according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began" (before age-times) (2 Tim. 1:1, 2 Tim. 1:9).

It is this one unique promise that will be realized when the blessed hope before the church of the One Body is fulfilled. Its realization is described by the Apostle in Colossians three:

"When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Rim in glory" (Col. 3:4).

It is impossible to defer this "appearing" until after the Millennium, for the church is waiting for "Christ their fife" and so awaiting "the promise of life," which is their hope. The word "appearing" might be translated as "manifestation" and will be familiar to most readers in the term "epiphany."

Parousia and Epiphany

Believing as we do that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, we must be careful to distinguish between the different words used by God when speaking of the hope of His people. We observe that the word parousia, usually translated as "coming," is found in such passages as the following:

"What shall be the sign of Thy COMING and of the end of the age?" (Matt. 24:3).

"The COMING of the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:15).

"The COMING of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 2:1).

"They that are Christ's at His COMING" (1 Cor. 15:23).

"The COMING of the Lord draweth nigh" (Jas. 5:8).

"The promise of His COMING" (2 Pet. 3:4).

"Not ashamed before Him at His COMING" (1 John 2:28).

This word is used to describe the Hope of the church during the period when "the hope of Israel" was still in view. Consequently, we find it used in the Gospel of Matthew, by Peter, James, and John, ministers of 'the circumcision', and by Paul in those epistles written before the dispensational change of Acts 28.

A different word is used in the Prison Epistles. There, the word parousia is never used for the Lord's coming or of The Hope of The church, but the word epiphany. In 1 Thessalonians 4, the Lord descends from heaven; in 2 Thessalonians 1, He is to be revealed from heaven. This is very different from being Manifested "in glory," i.e., where Christ now sits "on the right hand of God." While, therefore, the Hope before all other companies of the redeemed is "the Lord's coming," the "prior hope" of The Church of The Mystery is rather "their going" to be "manifested with Him in Glory."

While the epistle to Titus is not a "Prison Epistle," it belongs to the same group as 1 and 2 Timothy. There, too, we read that we should live

"looking for that blessed hope, and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).

The Marriage of the King's Son

We may perhaps illustrate these different aspects of the Second Advent by using the occasion of the marriage of the King of England at Westminster Abbey. The marriage is one, whether witnessed in the Abbey itself, from a grandstand, or from the public footway. So, whatever our calling, The Hope is one in this respect, that it is Christ Himself. Nevertheless, we cannot conceive of anyone denying that to be permitted to be present in the Abbey itself is something different from sitting in a grandstand until the King's son, accompanied by "shout" and "trumpet," descends from the Abbey to be met by the waiting people. These waiting people outside the Abbey form one great company, although differentiated as to point of view. So the early church, together with the Kingdom saints, form one great company, although some, like Abraham, belong to "the heavenly calling" connected with Jerusalem that is above, while others belong to the Kingdom, which is to be "on earth." We can hardly believe that any subject of the King would "prefer" the grandstand or the curb to the closer association of the Abbey itself, and we can hardly believe that any redeemed child of God would "prefer" to wait on earth for the descent of the Lord from heaven if the "Manifestation with Him in Glory" were a possible Hope before him. We cannot, however, force these things upon the heart and conscience. We can only respond to the exhortation to be "ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of The Hope that is in you with meekness and reverence" (1 Pet. 3:15).

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