Question: Will the Ancient and Youthful Worthies die at the end of the Millennial Age as a step necessary for their change of nature?

Answer: It seems as if they will have to die because there does not appear to be a case of any person changing from a lower nature to a higher nature without death. Our Lord in becoming a human being did not die. From this fact we see that it is possible to change from a higher to a lower nature without death. But there is no record of a change described in the Scriptures from a lower to a higher nature apart from the death of the lower. This seems necessary, for to appreciate the things of a lower nature one need not become a partaker of that lower nature. For example, the angels can appreciate human things without becoming human beings, but a lower nature cannot appreciate the things of a higher nature. Hence there is the necessity of a change of affections from human to spiritual things (Colossians 3: 1-3), before a change to a higher nature can transpire. This implies deadness to self and the world and a spirit-begetting. His natural body must be set aside, if a human being is to receive a spirit body, which things involve death. Hence we see that both the Little Flock and the Great Company died, not only because they agreed to do so, but because it is the thing that needed to be done to gain the higher nature (John 3: 3-8) (1 Corinthians 15: 50, 52-54).