Throughout the thousand-year period the Body of Christ will be perfected. The program of judgment, and the entering of the Father and Christ into the personality, will continue, we believe, until the entire Body of Christ has been brought to perfection and is ready for its descent to earth as the new Jerusalem. This is the new-covenant promise to the Israel of God.

And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. (Hebrews 8:11)

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: (Ephesians 4:13)

The cleansing of the royal priesthood and of the land of Israel is portrayed in the third chapter of Zechariah.

And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. (Zechariah 3:4)

For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. (Zechariah 3:9)

Several aspects are present in the third chapter of the Book of Zechariah:

Joshua, the High Priest of Israel, representing the Body of Christ, the members of the royal priesthood.

The resistance of Satan to the royal priesthood.

The Lord's rebuke of Satan. God desires that we resist Satan by choosing to walk in righteousness. God Himself will do the rebuking of Satan.

The Lord's selection of Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem is today, as it has been and always will be, the focal point of God's interest and working.

The brand plucked out of the fire, representing God saving us from the wickedness of the present world.

The filthy garments of the royal priesthood, that is, the worldliness, lusts, and self-will of those whom God has called to be His priests (I Peter 2:9-11).

The sovereign action of God in removing the sinful nature from the priesthood.

God's declaration to the priesthood that He has cleansed His Body and will clothe the members of His Body with new clothing.

The placing of the headdress, the authority of the priesthood, on those who have received the cleansing, and the putting of new clothing on them.

The exhortation to righteousness and obedience and the promise of installation as judges of Israel and exaltation to the company of God's princes who stand before Him.

The bringing forth of Christ, the Branch.

The Stone, Jesus, who has the seven eyes—the seven Spirits of God.

The engraving of God's holy law in the minds and hearts of the priesthood.

The removing of lawlessness from the land of Israel.

The end result of the cleansing of the priesthood and of the land of Israel, which is love and peace throughout the creation of God.

To be continued.