The Booth. Now we come to the central desire of God for man. Man, especially God's elect, His firstfruits from mankind, is designed to be the resting place of God, the House of God.

It is the author's point of view that there is a firstfruits of the firstfruits, a holy, warlike remnant of saints who will become pillars in the eternal Temple of God. They will reap the indwelling of God a hundredfold.

These will be followed by the remainder of the elect, of the Church of Christ, who also will be part of God's Temple. They will reap the indwelling of God to a sixtyfold extent.

Then there are the members of the saved nations who are not part of the elect. They will dwell on the new earth and will be governed by the city of God, the new Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb. They also will serve as the House of God but to a lesser extent than is true of the Israel of God, possessing Christ to a thirtyfold extent.

The point is, everyone who is saved, who is made a part of the new world of righteousness, will have God through Christ dwelling in him or her to a greater or lesser extent. God is to be in all of mankind.

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10)

Notice how this concept is expressed in the following passage:

For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. (I Corinthians 15:27,28)

All things must be subdued under the Lord Jesus before God can find rest in mankind. The "all things" include Satan, the fallen angels, the demons, and the worldliness, lust, and self-will that fill each individual.

The Booth, then, is seen as God's ultimate intention.

The first work of grace emphasizes the Altar. In order to be a part of man the individual must worship and adore God in every aspect of life and not seek to be a god over his own heaven and earth.

The second work of grace emphasizes the Lampstand. In order to be a part of man the person must learn to find his life in the Spirit of God and not seek to go about in the wisdom and energy of the flesh in order to achieve his own goals—even when his goals are God's goals for him!

To be continued.