We believe further that the firstfruits of the Church, the overcomers of the present day, will experience the spiritual fulfillment of the Day of Atonement and of the feast of Tabernacles before the Lord returns. The remainder of the Church will experience the spiritual fulfillment of these two feasts in part now and to an increased extent during the Kingdom Age. The nations of the saved will come into the spiritual fulfillment of the two feasts during the Kingdom Age, but to an increased extent during the new heaven and earth reign of Christ.

It is our opinion that the purpose of the Kingdom Age is to perfect the Body of Christ and to make some headway with the bringing of the nations of saved peoples of the earth into obedience to the will of God.

At the end of the Kingdom Age the physical universe will be dissolved and all persons (with the exception of the firstfruits, who already have been judged and who possess their bodies) will be brought from their places in the spirit realm and clothed in their flesh and bone bodies. How this can happen after the physical universe has been dissolved we do not know; but the Scriptures are clear enough that this is what will take place. The converging of the physical and spirit realms at the coming of Christ will make many things possible that cannot be done in the present hour.

Each individual will be judged according to his works. Those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be brought forward to the new earth and will be given the opportunity to eat of the tree of life. Those whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be thrown into the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.

God would have every human being reconciled to Himself. But there is one thing God will not do: He will not work against man's will. The persons who find themselves in the Lake of Fire will be there because they have rejected God in their heart. They chose to be the master of their own fate.

God will not have two wills in the universe. Those who insist on maintaining their own will, their individuality apart from God, their own way, even if it is a righteous way by our moral standard, will be removed from the Presence of God. They have chosen to exist apart from God and their desire will be granted them.

The truly dreadful aspect of the Lake of Fire is the separation from one's Creator. Think of never being able to have the touch of mercy and blessing on one's life! It is a fate too horrible to contemplate. But some people will choose to live with Satan instead of with God, and their choice will be honored. They will spend eternity with Satan.

To be continued.