A Time of Peace and Unity.

ned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and 1 will be their God. 24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes.

Zep. 3: 13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

Zec. 14: 20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD's house shall be like the bowls before the altar.

Rom. 11: 25 I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, (lest ye should be wise in your own conceits) that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, [Dt. 18: 15,] There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. [See 506.]

442. Millennium a time of peace and unity.

Ps. 37: 11 The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. -72: 3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. 7 In his days shall the righteous flourish: and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

Is. 52: 8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice: with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.-60: 17 I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. 18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.-66: 12 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

Mic. 4:3 He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

[Is. 2: 4. Ps. 72: 4—6. Is. 2: 4, and 11: 6—9.]

A Time of True Knowledge and Prosperity.

443. Millennium a time of true knowledge.

:

Is. 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. [Hab. 2: 14.] — 29: 18 In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. 24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to anderstanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.33: 6 Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his

treasure.

Jer. 3; 15 I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Heb. 8:11 They shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall now me, from the least to the greatest.

444. Millennium a time of prosperity.

Ps. 72: 16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of

he earth.

Is. 60: 5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear.and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. 6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. 7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. 13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.

Joel 2: 21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23 Be glad, then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice. in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall

A Time of Enjoyment - A Contrast to other Times.

overflow with wine and oil. 25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpiller, and the palmer-worm, my great army, which I sent among you. 26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. -3: 18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. [Is. 25: 6; and 35th entire, and 41: 18.] [See 446.]

445. Millennium a time of enjoyment.

Is. 25: 8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth for the LORD hath spoken it. -35: 10 The ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.-52:9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.-65: 18 Be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.*

Zep. 3: 14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad, and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem 15 The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. 16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion. Let not thy hands be slack. 17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

446. Millennium a contrast to previous times.

Is. 11: 6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat

8

Design and Use of.

straw like the ox. And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. 40: 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken il. — 41: 18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. 19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah-tree, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree: I will set in the desert the fir-tree, and the pine, and the box-tree together: 20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.-55: 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtletree and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. 65: 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock and dust shall be the serpent's meat. [Is. 35: 6, 7 Ezk. 47: 8, 9. Ac. 3: 21.]

MINISTRY OF THE WORD.

447. Design and use of the Christian ministry.

Jer. 3: 15 I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. 15: 19 If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth.

Ezk. 3: 17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

Mat. 5: 13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

Ac. 26: 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Divinely appointed.

Rom. 10: 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! [Is. 52: 7.]

1 Cor. 1: 21 After that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

2 Cor. 1: 24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand. 5: 20 We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled

to God.

Ep. 4: 11 He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. [1 Tim. 3: 1. Heb. 13: 17.] [See 101.]

448. Ministers divinely appointed and qualified.

Is. 62: 6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD keep not silence.

Mal. 2: 7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Lk. 10: 1 After these things, the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city, and place, whither he himself would come. 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.

Ac. 20: 24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. -26: 16 Rise and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make thee a minister and a wit