Glory belongs to God and to the Lamb. If the Church is looking for advantages on the earth, it takes on the character of Babylon. The Lord Jesus wills that the Church, His bride, should have the glory that belongs to Him, and that she should with Him wait until He enters into His glory to enjoy it with Him. If she is looking for an earthly glory, she becomes unfaithful to her heavenly Bridegroom; and this is the greatest unfaithfulness. We ought not to have any of the things which the prince of this world gives, but receive the heavenly things from the hand of God, and expect them from Himself. The Church ought to be the manifestation on the earth of that thorough detachment from the earth. She ought to be entirely independent of everything else, and in absolute dependence on God. This is the trial and proof of faith-to refuse the possession of things before God gives them.
It was the sin of Saul to have sacrificed before Samuel had come (see 1 Sam. 13:8-13). It is infinitely better to wait for the enjoyment of everything with Christ. "All things are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's" (1 Cor. 3:22, 23). And if this link is broken, the relationship between God and the creature is broken also. The Church must wait for the epoch of her glory, until the judgment of God be executed. Satan always tries to deceive the Church in this respect. He even endeavors to unite Christians in a spirit of human association to arrive at a spiritual millennium which is not promised, and which would exalt man and the means he has in his hand.
Nothing will make the bride happy but the presence of the Bridegroom. On the other hand, God will not exercise His power in the government of the world without Christ. Those who endeavor to produce a spiritual millennium want to use the resources of men. And as they must have money, they rest on what man can give. It is similar in principle to Babel (see Gen. 11), notwithstanding the excellence of the intentions; and Christians who expect the blessing before the judgment always rest on the energy of man.