94 The Plan of the Ages,
This period between the first and second advents, be- tween the ransom of all and the blessing of all, is for the trial and selection of the Church, which is the body of Christ ; otherwise there would have been only the one ad- vent, and the work which will be done during the period of his second presence, in the Millennium, would have followed the resurrection of Jesus. Or, instead of saying that the work of the second advent would have followed at once the work of the first, let us say rather that had Jehovah not pur- posed the selefiion of the "little flock, " "the body of Christ," the first advent would not have taken place when it did, but would have occurred at the time of the second advent, and there would have been but the one. For God has evidently designed the permission of evil for six thou- sand years, as well as that the cleansing and restitution of all shall be accomplished during the seventh thousand.
Thus seen, the coming of Jesus, as the sacrifice and ran- som for sinners, was just long enough in advance of the blessing and restoring time to allow for the selection of his " little flock ' ' of "joint-heirs. " This will account to some for the apparent delay on God's part in giving the blessings promised, and provided for, in the ransom. The blessings will come in due time, as at first planned, though, for a glorious purpose, the price was paid longer beforehand than men would have expe<5led.
The Apostle informs us that Jesus has been absent from earth in the heaven during all the intervening time from his ascension to the beginning of the times of restitution, or the Millennial age " whom the heaven must retain until the times of restitution of all things/ 7 etc. (A<Ss 3 : 21.) Since the Scriptures thus teach that the obje& of our Lord's second advent is the restitution of all things, and that at the time of his appearing the nations are so far from being converted as to be angry (Rev, 1 1 ; 18) and in opposition,
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