The gifts and ministries given by the ascended Christ are for the purpose of building the members of the Body of Christ until they attain unity and maturity—maturity as measured by the full stature of Christ Himself.

This is the purpose of the two thousand years of the Church Age.

What will take place when the Body attains maturity? The Lord will call the saints up to Himself (where the Carcass, the slain Lamb is, there the eagles will be gathered). Then the whole Servant of the Lord will descend from the sky and bring justice to the meek of the earth.

Notice what follows the creating of the oaks of righteousness, the building up of the members of the Body of Christ.

And they [the members of the priesthood] shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. (Isaiah 61:4)

First the building of Zion. Then the return of Zion to the earth and the restoring of Paradise to the earth at the hands of the sons of God (actually God in the Son in the sons).

This, then, is the pattern: two thousand years to form the royal priesthood, and then one thousand years spent in reconciling man to God.

After the thousand-year Age of Reconciliation the earth and the heaven will flee from the Presence of Christ and the dead will be judged.

Those who are saved at that time will enter the eternal reign of Christ. Those who are lost at that time will be cast into the Lake of Fire with the devil and his angels.

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28,29)

The Elect Receive Eternal Life in Advance of the Saved of Mankind

Let us turn now to the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of John. In this chapter the Lord Jesus speaks especially to the royal priesthood.

As thou hast given him power [authority] over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (John 17:2)

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: (Exodus 19:5)

Notice the parallels: "Authority over all flesh." "All the earth is mine." "To as many as thou hast given him." "A peculiar treasure unto me."

All the earth belongs to the Lord Jesus. He retains authority over all people. But found among the members of mankind is a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a chosen people destined to act for eternity as priests between God and the members of the saved nations.

God has given the chosen people to Christ. Christ gives them eternal life.

To be continued.