n finished_ in the full revelation of his
will to the doubting christians, whom Paul addresses in the context.
This is evident from Rev. x:7--"But in the days of the voice of the
_seventh angel_ when he _shall begin to sound_, the _mystery_ of God
_should be finished_, as he hath declared to his servants the
prophets." And that he began his reign when the mystery was finished
is certain from Rev. xi. 15--And the seventh angel sounded; and there
were great voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, "and he shall reign
forever and ever." Here we perceive that this _mystery of God's will_
was to be finished at the sound of the _seventh or last_ trump, which
will is, to gather or make alive all things in Christ. And at this
time he was to receive his kingdom and reign forever and ever. _"We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,"_ has reference to
those persecuted christians, who were not to "taste of death till they
saw the Son of man coming in his kingdom."

Phil. iii:20, 2l--"For our conversation is in heaven, from whence we
look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile
body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according
to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto
himself." That this passage has reference to changing our _natural
into immortal bodies_ at the resurrection, I see not a shadow of
evidence to prove, either in established in their final and blissful
condition the passage itself, nor in the context. The context we have
already noticed by pointing out the resurrection to which Paul desired
to attain. Chap. i:6--"He, that hath begun a good work in you, will
perform it until _the day of Jesus Christ."_ Chap. iv:5--"Let your
moderation be known unto all men. _The Lord is at hand_." "The day of
Jesus Christ" and "the Lord is at hand" refer to his coming at the end
of the Jewish age, and not to a resurrection at the end of time. Paul
gave the Philippians notice of no other coming of Christ. The passage
has reference to the change the living were to experience, at this
coming of our Lord in his kingdom, by being delivered from their
persecutions, doubts and fears, perfected in faith, and "established
unblamable in holiness before God," so as to resemble in a moral and
exalted sense those immortal beings in heaven who are here called the
"glorious body" of Christ. The body to be changed