Speaking of that time, and directing his words to the church, St.
Paul wrote: "Ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel" .-- Hebrews 12:22-24.
[522]Thus St.Paul pictures the gathering together of those who compose the spiritual phase of Messiah's kingdom, namely, the church, Head and body.

He describes this as the heavenly Jerusalem.
[523]That the peoples of earth and the creatures of heaven might ever have in remembrance the importance of this great day in which we are now living God is manifesting his power and his justice through his dealings with the nations, and in due time the people will learn to appreciate the love of God.
[524]What a marvelously wonderful time now to be on the earth! Four thousand years ago holy men looked down to the time when God's kingdom might come, but they could not understand it.

The angels of heaven were not permitted to know.

Many of these faithful men were martyrs to the cause of righteousness.

Moved by the spirit of Jehovah, they wrote concerning the kingdom.