How clear is the fact that there is to be both a spiritual and an earthly phase to God’s Kingdom! And yet even the Master’s disciples at first could not understand this. Just as their conception of the Kingdom was limited to the idea of a selected Jewish nation under the headship of an earthly visible Messiah, so likewise the understanding of many Christians is limited to that of a select class inheriting the joys of heaven! Israel knows nothing of a spiritual phase, while many Christians deny an earthly. Isaiah tells us that the law shall go forth from Zion [the spiritual, invisible phase of the kingdom] and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem [the earthly, visible phase of the kingdom] Isa. 2:2, 3
This makes clear that "hard" saying of the Master: "Verily, I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven (the spiritual phase of the kingdom) is greater than he" (Matt. 11:11).
“While it is true, as stated by our Lord, that the Kingdom of God cometh not--does not make its first appearance—with outward show, in due time it is to be made manifest to all by outward, visible and unmistakable signs. When fully set up, the Kingdom of God will be of two parts, a spiritual or heavenly phase and an earthly or human phase. The spiritual will always be invisible to men, as those composing it will be of the divine, spiritual nature, which no man hath seen nor can see (1 Tim. 6:16; John 1:18); yet its presence and power will be mightily manifested, chiefly through its human representatives, who will constitute the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God.
Those who will constitute the spiritual phase of the kingdom are the overcoming saints of the Gospel age—the Christ, head and body--glorified. Their resurrection and exaltation to power precedes that of all others, because through this class all others are to be blessed. (Heb. 11:39, 40) Theirs is the first resurrection. (Rev. 20:5) The great work before this glorious anointed company--the Christ—necessitates their exaltation to the divine nature: no other than divine power could accomplish it. Theirs is a work pertaining not only to this world, but to all things in heaven and in earth--among spiritual as well as among human beings. Matt. 28:18; Col. 1:20; Eph. 1:10; Phil. 2:10; 1 Cor. 6:3
The work of the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God will be confined to this world and to humanity. And those so highly honored as to have a share in it will be the most exalted and honored of God among men. These are the class referred to in whose judgment day was previous to the Gospel age (i.e. the Ancient Worthies). Having been tried and found faithful, in the awakening they will not be brought forth to judgment again, but will at once receive the reward of their faithfulness--an instantaneous resurrection to perfection as men. Thus this class will be ready at once for the great work before it as the human agents of the Christ in restoring and blessing the remainder of mankind. As the spiritual nature is necessary to the accomplishment of the work of Christ, so perfect human nature is appropriate for the future accomplishment of the work to be done among men.
These will minister among and be seen of men, while the glory of their perfection will be a constant example and an incentive to other men to strive to attain the same perfection. And that these ancient worthies will be in the human phase of the kingdom and seen of mankind is fully attested by Jesus' words to the unbelieving Jews who were rejecting him. He said, "Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God." It should be noticed also (and this is the important part), that the Master does not mention that he or any of the apostles will be visible with Abraham. As a matter of fact, men will see and mingle with the earthly phase of the kingdom, but not with the spiritual; and some will, no doubt, be sorely vexed to find that they rejected so great an honor.”
That is to say they will have missed the “way”, the way into the spiritual phase of the kingdom, why? Because they had more faith in the blind guides and the teachings of orthodoxy than they had in the Word of the Lord, which clearly shows the only “way” into the spiritual phase of the kingdom is through sacrifice, but alas they would not heed the word of the Lord’s faithful servants when sent to explain this to them. No doubt the Lord will cause this to come to their remembrance in the latter days and they will feel great shame and loss, not because they felled to heed the servant, but because they will realize it was the Lord speaking to them through his faithful servants, thus they were not refusing to heed the servant, but the one who sent them, the Lord himself. Many of these will be found amongst those spoken of in Matt 7:21
It is through these two phases of the kingdom that the promise to Abraham is to be verified--"In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." "Thy seed shall be as the sand of the sea, AND as the stars of heaven"-- an earthly and a heavenly seed, both God's instruments of blessing to the world. Both phases of the promises were clearly seen and intended by God from the beginning, but only the earthly was seen by Abraham. And though God selected from the natural seed the chief of the spiritual class (the apostles and others), and proffered the chief blessing, the spiritual, to all of that nation living in the due time for that heavenly call, this was just so much beyond what Abraham ever saw in the covenant--favor upon favor.
Paul (Rom. 11:17) speaks of the Abrahamic covenant as a root out of which fleshly Israel grew naturally, but into which the Gentile believers were grafted when the natural branches were cut off because of unbelief. This proves the double fulfilment of the promise in the development of the two seeds, earthly (human) and heavenly (spiritual), which will constitute the two phases of the kingdom. This root-covenant bears these two distinct kinds of branches, each of which in the resurrection will bear its own distinct kind of perfect fruitage--the human and spiritual classes in kingdom power. In order of development it was first the natural (earthly), afterward the heavenly rulers; but in order of grandeur of position and time of installment, it will be first the spiritual, afterward the natural; and so there are last which shall be first, and first which shall be last (Matt. 19:30; Luke 16:16).” A288-293
“As Jerusalem was the seat of empire under the typical Kingdom of God, it will again occupy the same position, and be “the city of the Great King.” (Psa. 48:2; Matt. 5:35). A city is a symbol of a kingdom or dominion, and so God’s Kingdom is symbolized by the New Jerusalem, the new dominion coming from heaven to earth. At first it will consist of only the spiritual class, the Bride of Christ, which, as seen by John, will gradually come down to earth; that is, it will gradually come into power as the present empires break in pieces, during the Day of the Lord (the great time of trouble). In due time, however, the earthly phase of this city of government will be established, parts or members of which will be the Ancient Worthies. There will not be two cities (governments), but one city, one heavenly government, the one for which Abraham looked, “a city which hath foundations”--a government established in righteousness, being founded upon the sure rock foundation of the righteousness of Christ the Redeemer, the value of man’s ransom which He gave, and the firmness of divine justice, which can no more condemn the redeemed than it could previously excuse the guilty.--Rom 8:31-34; 1 Cor. 3:11.
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This makes clear that "hard" saying of the Master: "Verily, I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven (the spiritual phase of the kingdom) is greater than he" (Matt. 11:11).
“While it is true, as stated by our Lord, that the Kingdom of God cometh not--does not make its first appearance—with outward show, in due time it is to be made manifest to all by outward, visible and unmistakable signs. When fully set up, the Kingdom of God will be of two parts, a spiritual or heavenly phase and an earthly or human phase. The spiritual will always be invisible to men, as those composing it will be of the divine, spiritual nature, which no man hath seen nor can see (1 Tim. 6:16; John 1:18); yet its presence and power will be mightily manifested, chiefly through its human representatives, who will constitute the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God.
Those who will constitute the spiritual phase of the kingdom are the overcoming saints of the Gospel age—the Christ, head and body--glorified. Their resurrection and exaltation to power precedes that of all others, because through this class all others are to be blessed. (Heb. 11:39, 40) Theirs is the first resurrection. (Rev. 20:5) The great work before this glorious anointed company--the Christ—necessitates their exaltation to the divine nature: no other than divine power could accomplish it. Theirs is a work pertaining not only to this world, but to all things in heaven and in earth--among spiritual as well as among human beings. Matt. 28:18; Col. 1:20; Eph. 1:10; Phil. 2:10; 1 Cor. 6:3
The work of the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God will be confined to this world and to humanity. And those so highly honored as to have a share in it will be the most exalted and honored of God among men. These are the class referred to in whose judgment day was previous to the Gospel age (i.e. the Ancient Worthies). Having been tried and found faithful, in the awakening they will not be brought forth to judgment again, but will at once receive the reward of their faithfulness--an instantaneous resurrection to perfection as men. Thus this class will be ready at once for the great work before it as the human agents of the Christ in restoring and blessing the remainder of mankind. As the spiritual nature is necessary to the accomplishment of the work of Christ, so perfect human nature is appropriate for the future accomplishment of the work to be done among men.
These will minister among and be seen of men, while the glory of their perfection will be a constant example and an incentive to other men to strive to attain the same perfection. And that these ancient worthies will be in the human phase of the kingdom and seen of mankind is fully attested by Jesus' words to the unbelieving Jews who were rejecting him. He said, "Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God." It should be noticed also (and this is the important part), that the Master does not mention that he or any of the apostles will be visible with Abraham. As a matter of fact, men will see and mingle with the earthly phase of the kingdom, but not with the spiritual; and some will, no doubt, be sorely vexed to find that they rejected so great an honor.”
That is to say they will have missed the “way”, the way into the spiritual phase of the kingdom, why? Because they had more faith in the blind guides and the teachings of orthodoxy than they had in the Word of the Lord, which clearly shows the only “way” into the spiritual phase of the kingdom is through sacrifice, but alas they would not heed the word of the Lord’s faithful servants when sent to explain this to them. No doubt the Lord will cause this to come to their remembrance in the latter days and they will feel great shame and loss, not because they felled to heed the servant, but because they will realize it was the Lord speaking to them through his faithful servants, thus they were not refusing to heed the servant, but the one who sent them, the Lord himself. Many of these will be found amongst those spoken of in Matt 7:21
It is through these two phases of the kingdom that the promise to Abraham is to be verified--"In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." "Thy seed shall be as the sand of the sea, AND as the stars of heaven"-- an earthly and a heavenly seed, both God's instruments of blessing to the world. Both phases of the promises were clearly seen and intended by God from the beginning, but only the earthly was seen by Abraham. And though God selected from the natural seed the chief of the spiritual class (the apostles and others), and proffered the chief blessing, the spiritual, to all of that nation living in the due time for that heavenly call, this was just so much beyond what Abraham ever saw in the covenant--favor upon favor.
Paul (Rom. 11:17) speaks of the Abrahamic covenant as a root out of which fleshly Israel grew naturally, but into which the Gentile believers were grafted when the natural branches were cut off because of unbelief. This proves the double fulfilment of the promise in the development of the two seeds, earthly (human) and heavenly (spiritual), which will constitute the two phases of the kingdom. This root-covenant bears these two distinct kinds of branches, each of which in the resurrection will bear its own distinct kind of perfect fruitage--the human and spiritual classes in kingdom power. In order of development it was first the natural (earthly), afterward the heavenly rulers; but in order of grandeur of position and time of installment, it will be first the spiritual, afterward the natural; and so there are last which shall be first, and first which shall be last (Matt. 19:30; Luke 16:16).” A288-293
“As Jerusalem was the seat of empire under the typical Kingdom of God, it will again occupy the same position, and be “the city of the Great King.” (Psa. 48:2; Matt. 5:35). A city is a symbol of a kingdom or dominion, and so God’s Kingdom is symbolized by the New Jerusalem, the new dominion coming from heaven to earth. At first it will consist of only the spiritual class, the Bride of Christ, which, as seen by John, will gradually come down to earth; that is, it will gradually come into power as the present empires break in pieces, during the Day of the Lord (the great time of trouble). In due time, however, the earthly phase of this city of government will be established, parts or members of which will be the Ancient Worthies. There will not be two cities (governments), but one city, one heavenly government, the one for which Abraham looked, “a city which hath foundations”--a government established in righteousness, being founded upon the sure rock foundation of the righteousness of Christ the Redeemer, the value of man’s ransom which He gave, and the firmness of divine justice, which can no more condemn the redeemed than it could previously excuse the guilty.--Rom 8:31-34; 1 Cor. 3:11.
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