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What did Sarah picture with respect to the covenants? and what did her death represent? ¶ 457.

What is pictured by Isaac receiving Rebekah and making her his wife after the death of his mother Sarah? ¶ 457.

During what period of time has the Lord been preparing the bride of Christ? ¶ 458.

What did Jesus say about preparing a special place for these, and his return to receive his bride? Quote his words. ¶ 458.

What do his words show with reference to one of the principal reasons for his second coming? ¶ 459.

Explain the parable of the virgins.-Matthew 25:1-13. ¶ 460. Explain the meaning of the lamp and the oil in the lamp. ¶460. Define virgin; and what does a virgin picture here? ¶ 460. What is meant by keeping their lamps trimmed and burning? ¶ 460.

How has knowledge of the Lord's presence affected the wise virgin class? ¶ 460.

What proof is this that his presence is one of the strings of the harp of God? ¶ 460.

Do the Scriptures indicate how many will be in the bride class? If so, give the proof. ¶ 460.

What do the Scriptures show the Lord does for the faithful saints who died long ago when he first returns? Give the Scriptural proof. 461.

What is meant in the Scriptures by a great shout? ¶ 462.

State how this has been fulfilled. ¶ 462.

What is meant by the voice of the archangel? ¶ 462.

Should we expect the resurrection of the saints during this time? 1463.

How is he gathering unto himself the saints who are still on earth during his presence? ¶ 463.

Give some Scriptural promises concerning the church being forever with the Lord. ¶ 463.

What is meant by the kingdom of God? ¶ 464.

Who constitute the royal family of heaven? Quote the apostle Peter's words relating to this. I 464.

What promise did Jesus make to this class concerning a kingdom? 465.

Where will these be associated with the Lord Jesus in his kingdom? 465.

For what kingdom did the Lord teach his disciples to pray? and is it the same spoken of by the prophets of old? ¶ 465.

Who have enjoyed and are enjoying the blessedness spoken of by Daniel the Prophet in Daniel 12:12? ¶ 466.

As these appreciate this string of the harp, what song is appropriate to them? ¶ 466.

While the saints thus rejoice. for what do they patiently wait? and to what do they look forward? ¶ 467.

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CHAPTER X

String 9: Glorification of the Church

THE

HE church means a called out class, separate and distinct from all others. The church of Christ consists of Jesus Christ the head and the 144,000 members of his body. (Colossians 1:18; Revelation 7:4) Those composing this special class are otherwise designated saints. A saint is one who is pure, holy, blameless. The followers of Christ Jesus are not holy or blameless within themselves, but their holiness is by virtue of his imputed merit. This same class of Christians is otherwise designated in the Bible as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a purpose". (1 Peter 2:9) They are also designated new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17); therefore they constitute the new creation. This new creation when completed will be of the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4) Nature is determined by organism. The nature of the church, then, will be like unto Jehovah God. It pleased God that Jesus Christ, his beloved Son, should have preeminence in his great plan; hence he is made the head of the new creation. Colossians 1:18.

469 This new creation had its beginning with Jesus Christ at the time of his baptism in Jordan when he was begotten to the divine nature and anointed with the holy spirit without limitation. As a man, he was pure, blameless, holy. At the age of thirty years, he was qualified under the law to be a priest, and there he consecrated himself and at that time was baptized and begotten to the divine nature; hence became a new

creature there from the divine standpoint. As a new creature he was made perfect by the things which he suffered.-Hebrews 5:8.

470 From the time of his baptism he was opposed by Satan the devil, who sought to destroy him. The reason for this opposition lay in the fact that when God sentenced Adam to death he had said unto Satan: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel". (Genesis 3: 15) The woman here symbolized or typified the Abrahamic-Sarah covenant, from which the seed of promise springs. As Isaac was the son of promise, so the church was typified by Isaac. (Galatians 4:25-29) The seed of promise is therefore the new creation. The seed of the serpent consists of those agencies visible and invisible which are his offspring, and which are used by him for his wicked work. In Jesus' day the scribes and Pharisees and doctors of the law were classed as the offspring of Satan, his seed (John 8:44); and it has been true at all times that many who have pretended to be Christians are really the seed of Satan and engage in persecuting others who love the Lord.

471Immediately after the baptism of Jesus he went up into a mountain in the wilderness to study God's plan and to meditate upon it, that he might be instructed in the way that Jehovah would have him go; and when this season of forty days was ended and he came forth, he was subjected to a great temptation by the devil. Jesus resisted all of these efforts of Satan. (Luke 4:1-13) Jesus, the head of the seed of promise, was the target of Satan's instruments. For three and a half years he suffered daily at the hands of Satan and those who represented him, namely, those human beings who possessed the devilish spirit. During that

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