The professing Church having failed, and been judged and rejected as God’s house, must now be superseded by the Coming and Kingdom of the Lord Himself. So we enter upon what our Lord calls “the things that shall come to pass after the present (or Church) things.” (See Chapter 1:19.)

We must, however, be transferred to heaven to view the great scene of our Lord’s receiving the Kingdom at the hands of His Father and by the energy of the Spirit.

Daniel, the prophet, saw the same glorious sight (Daniel 7): the Ancient of Days enthroned, and “One like unto a son of man brought near before him” and given “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, and languages should serve him.” Daniel was not invited to heaven, but saw all in “night-visions.” There was no “Come up hither.” Daniel was not of the Church, but of God’s earthly people, Israel; and while he saw heavenly visions, was not taken to heaven to see them. John, when church things ended with Laodicea, hears (as will all the true Church), the Lord’s words, “Come up hither, and I will show thee”—the next things, those that come after these (Church) things. Thus we come now to Revelation 4 and 5, the Second Section of the book, and the first directly prophetic part.