“No one was able to enter into the Nave until the Seven Plagues of the Seven Angels were fulfilled” — Verse 8.
I have already remarked, that the Nave not only consists of the One Body “clothed” and “girded” with the Seven Spirits of the Deity in ‘the time of the dead” at Christ’s appearing; but, that it represents the Most Holy Kosmos, or Constitution of Things, upon earth, styled by the apostle, “oikonomia tou pleromatos ton kairon, ” the “Economy of the fulness of the times” (Eph. 1:10).
An economy, or dispensation, the former being compounded of two words signifying house and law, signifies the management of a community, whether it be a household, a kingdom, or an empire; hence, in general, administration, management, government — the public economy of the State. The State to be founded by the Eloahh of the Heavens, who clothes the Saints with fine linen pure and bright, and girds them around the breasts with golden girdles, for their co-operative performance of the work, is “the kingdom which is to come to the daughter of Jerusalem” — “the first dominion which comes to Zion;” in the setting up and establishment of which, halting, and exiled, and afflicted, Israel, in all her tribes, is being gathered, and made a strong nation, for Yahweh to reign over thenceforth even during the Olahm (Mic. 4:7,8). This kingdom, with its secondary dominion, which is coextensive with “the whole heaven” (Dan. 7:27), must first be established before it can be entered upon administratively by any one. “The end of the matter” was declared to Daniel, as consisting in all dominions, or rulers, serving and obeying the Most High. This universal submission of nations and dominions to the King of Israel, is the result of the entire exhaustion of the Seven Plagues of the Seven Angels; or the conclusion of the judgment given to the Saints to execute under the whole heaven. The Saints themselves cannot “enter into rest from their labors” (ch.
14:13) until “their labors” are finished; and as to the world of nations while those labors are in progress, “they have no rest day nor night” from the operation of the smoking plagues, whereby they are being tormented.
But when the judgment is over; when the wrath of the Deity is all filled up; when the great and marvellous sign has passed away from the heaven; when the end of the “thousand six hundred furlongs” “time of the end” hath been reached; when smoke no longer fills the Nave from the glory and power of the Deity — after the forty years of Micah are all in the past; and the kingdom hath been restored to Israel; what will then obtain, and be the economy of this fullness of the times? The Millennial Day of Christ will have come; the strong nations, recently so terribly rebuked, will be awaiting their conqueror’s law; and the Saints resting from their judicial military labors, are henceforth blessed with the peaceable and glorious possession of the kingdom, without a disturbing element within or from without, to ruffle the glassy sea, over which is extended, for a thousand years, their righteous and almighty rule. Then their wars shall have ceased to the ends of the earth (Psa. 46 and 47), and they are exalted over the subject nations; then the new law will be proclaimed from Zion and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem (Mic. 4:2). By this law, “a New Heaven and a New Earth” is created, in which Jerusalem is created a rejoicing, and her people a joy. Israel is admitted into the bond of the covenant, the truth and the mercy sworn to their fathers Abraham and Jacob from the days of old. Henceforth the voice of weeping will be heard no more in Jerusalem, nor the voice of crying. Longevity will bless her citizens, whose lives shall be enduring as a tree; and they shall long enjoy the work of their hands. Peace will be extended to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like a flowing stream. The Bride the Lamb’s wife will be there, as the Queen arrayed in the gold of Ophir, whose beauty will be greatly desired by the King, and her favor entreated by the rich among the peoples (Mic. 7:20; Isa. 65:17-24; Psa. 46).
Such will be the blessedness of the Firstborn of the nations. The brilliant and precious living stones of fair colors, the immortal constituents of the Bride, will be kings and priests in all the earth. The nations, freed from the dominion of thieves and robbers, and enlightened in the truth, which they will heartily believe, will be permitted to enter into the covenant of the Most Holy; and thus to be joined to Yahweh, and to become his people in fellowship with Israel. One economy, or administration, will rule the world in righteousness, all of whose nations, being justified by faith, will be blessed in and with faithful Abraham, as the gospel of the kingdom preached to him has long declared. There will then exist a world of enlightened nations, ruled by the One Body in perfect harmony with the truth, or word then proclaimed from Jerusalem. This is “the world to come;” the future constitution of things upon the habitable, which no one is able to enter into until the Seven Plagues of the Seven Angels are fulfilled” (Isa. 54:11-13; Zech. 2:11; Gal. 3:7-9)
Jerusalem of the Millennium will comprise a Temple-city, the House of prayer for all nations situated in the Holy Oblation (Ezek. 48:10). This will comprise the centre of Christ’s theocratic rule. However, the Temple will not be opened for service until the Millennium commences, and Ezekiel 40:1-2 implies that this will be fifty years (a Jubilee) after the Lord’s return. Until then, it would appear, the conditions outlined in Rev. 22:11 will remain (see Rev. 15:8). Further exposition relating to the House of Prayer for all nations of the Age to come, and the form of worship to be conducted therein can be obtained from consulting The Temple of Ezekiel’s Prophecy by H. Sul- ley; and Divine Worship In The Age to Come, both of which are available from Logos Publications, 9 West Beach Rd., West Beach, South Australia 5024 — Publishers.