The above passage describes the victorious saints. They, through Christ, are Jacob's Ladder—the holy highway from earth to Heaven. Their role is to bring God's blessing to the prisoners of the earth.

At one time the Paradise of God was on the earth but there was no wall around it to protect it from evil. There was no protection, no righteous, holy army to keep the wicked lords of the heavens from entering and spreading the poison of self-will. The members of the Lamb's Wife are "terrible as an army with banners." They are wise and strong enough, through Christ, to maintain God's Paradise on the earth.

The governing priesthood will have been established when the new Jerusalem descends to the earth. These are priests after the order of Melchizedek serving by the power of an endless life, an indestructible life. Now the saved peoples of the earth have priests who can bring them to Christ so every need may be met. The fruit of the royal priests brings eternal life to people and their leaves bring healing. They are trees of life because Christ, the Tree of Life, is dwelling in them.

The eternal witness of God will be on the earth. No longer will any of God's creatures, human or angelic, need to speculate on the Person of God. His Person, His ways, His will, and His eternal purpose in Christ will forever be made clear through the new Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb.

A father takes great delight in sons who follow in his steps. The sons of God will follow in His steps. Those who, through Christ, overcome the world, Satan, and their own lusts and self-will, will be God's sons and He will be their God. They will inherit all the things of God.

God is forming brothers for Christ. At the beginning of the first creation the Logos was the only begotten of the Father. Since His triumphant resurrection from the dead Christ has acquired many brothers. He is the great elder Brother, the Leader of our salvation. We indeed are tiny by comparison with our elder Brother. But we are true brothers of Christ, nevertheless, and genuine sons of God.

Through Christ, God has created victorious saints who have overcome the rebels of the spirit world. They have overcome the accuser by the blood of the Lamb, by their Spirit-directed and empowered testimony, and by loving not their lives to the point of death. They have writhed on their crosses and endured patiently and cheerfully their prisons. They have stayed true to Christ. As a result, the accuser has been cast down from his place in the heaven and never will be permitted to return.

Never again will there be a voice accusing God's sons before the Lord's Presence. The saints have overcome their accuser through the Virtue of Christ. The rebellion is finished.

To be continued.