[579]A highway is a means of travel. For instance, we have built across the United States what is known as the Lincoln Highway. A highway is used to illustrate the way that the Lord will provide for the return of the people to him through the terms of the new covenant. The prophet Isaiah thus wrote: "A highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called, The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for those; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein". (Isaiah 35:8) It will be noticed that there is a way to go over this highway, and it shall be called "The way of holiness". In other words, those who pass over it will be made holy. The highway pictures the whole journey from the beginning to the end of the Millennial reign of Christ. The unclean shall not pass over it, because unless a man will be cleaned up before he progresses a great way, he will be permitted to go no further. But as he strives to cleanse himself and be obedient to the Lord, he will be helped. There shall be nothing there to hinder him, because Satan's influence will be restrained. (Revelation 20:1-4) The way shall be so plain and clear that any and all may see it. The Lord, therefore, has graciously provided a way for the oppressed and sin-sick to be led back over the highway of holiness into a condition of perfection and happiness. [580]Because Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the other faithful prophets described by the apostle Paul in Hebrews 11 are promised a better resurrection; because of the statement of the Prophet that they shall be princes or rulers in all the earth (Psalm 45:16), it is to be expected that they will be the first ones raised under the terms of the new covenant. Therefore it is reasonable to expect them to be back on earth at the beginning of the restoration blessings. Hence these faithful men may be expected on earth within the next few years. They will constitute the legal representatives of the Christ in the earth. They will be the visible representatives of the kingdom of heaven. These are the ones who shall administer the affairs of earth under the direction of the Lord. [581]We therefore see that there are two phases of God's kingdom: the heavenly, which is invisible; and the earthly, which is visible, the faithful prophets of old, namely, the ancient worthies, representing the Lord in this regard.