IT is a common but erroneous saying, “We must all die.” Scripture says, “We shall not all sleep,” that is, not all die (1 Cor. 15:5151Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (1 Corinthians 15:51)). Death may come to any of us; yea, this very night, my reader, thy soul may be required of thee. But death is not one of the four things which must happen to all, believers and unbelievers alike.
What, then, are they? I pray my reader’s earnest and serious attention to them. God grant that this simple paper may be made the means of eternal blessing to him, by leading him to turn to Christ for salvation.
First certainty. “EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM” (Rev. 1. 7).
Second. EVERY EAR SHALL HEAR HIM (Rev. 22:1717And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17); John 5:24,25,2824Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:24‑25)
28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, (John 5:28); Matt. 25:34,4134Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew 25:34)
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:41); Luke 13:2727But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (Luke 13:27); etc.).
Dear friend, as you value your immortal soul, mark well, I pray you, each of these things. God has said,
“EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM.”
You cannot escape meeting the Lord Jesus Christ face to face, eye to eye. Say, How are you prepared for it? Will it be with gladness of heart that you greet Him? Will you hail Him as the One who loved you, and washed you from your sins in His own blood? or will that sight fill you with unutterable anguish and despair? Are you happy at the thought of His appearing? Do I hear you say, “I would like to be? I wish I were”? I will tell you how you may be. Look to Him now. Do not wait to meet Him then for the first time, but let that meeting take place now. He is a Saviour now. His blood cleanseth from all sin. His word is, “Look unto Me, and be ye saved.” Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, and whosoever looked to it lived, even so Christ has been lifted up on the cross, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have eternal life. He is able to save, mighty to save, willing to save. Then trust Him only. “Look and live.” But further,
EVERY EAR SHALL HEAR HIM.
“For the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth.” Do not wait to hear till you can turn away no longer. If you do, the first words you hear Him utter will be, “Depart from Me.” But hearken to His voice now; for He is saying, “Come unto Me.” “Let him that is athirst come. Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” He tells you, “All things are ready; come.” He proclaims a full and free forgiveness through faith in His blood. Having done all the work, borne the sins, endured the judgment, gone down into death, all He asks of you is—to believe. He says, “He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)). Oh, then, hear Him now! God says, “Hear Him.” Christ says, “They that hear (hear His voice in the present hour of grace) shall live.” But, thirdly,
EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW AT HIS NAME.
The name of Jesus—the once despised, rejected Jesus—has been exalted above every name. He is called “Jesus” because He saves “His people from their sins.” Have you bowed to that name? Have you owned Him as your Saviour?
Perhaps you say, “I bow at the mention of His name every Sunday.”
Yes, the Roman soldiers too, “bowing their knees,” worshipped Him while they smote Him, and spat upon Him (Mark 15:1919And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. (Mark 15:19)). Is it merely in an outward way you reverence Him, while your heart is far from Him? It will not do for God. You must bow in earnest. Down, then, this moment on your knees, and confess yourself to God as a lost and ruined sinner, owning that you have no hope, no refuge, no Saviour but Jesus.
If you refuse to bow, refuse to own Jesus as Saviour now, by and by you must bow and own Jesus as judge. Own Him as Saviour now, and He will save you; own Him as Judge then, and He will judge you. Lastly,
EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS THAT HE IS LORD.
Oh, that I could by any means bring you to know that as surely as God has spoken all these words, they shall every one be accomplished! Oh, that I could persuade you to confess Jesus as your Lord now! “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus (Jesus as Lord), and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:9,10,139That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9‑10)
13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)).
But once more. If you will not confess Him mow, you shall confess Him at the judgment throne. He is Lord of all, and all shall yet acknowledge His Lordship to the glory of God the Father. Confess Him now, and receive His salvation; or then, and receive your damnation. And even as you depart into the unquenchable fire you will be forced to confess that yours is a righteous doom, and that He has the right to pronounce it, because when He offered you salvation freely you deliberately refused it.
One word more. There are neither infields, skeptics, nor rationalists in hell. All there are thoroughly convinced of the truth. But, alas! they believed when it was too late. It is easy to believe when one sees. No thanks to you then. But the Lord Jesus says, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:2929Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:29)).
Oh, my reader, by faith see Him now, hear Him now, bow to Him now, confess Him now; and yield your members as instruments of righteousness unto God until the day of glory comes. Then shall your eye see Him as He is, your ear shall hear that well-known voice of ineffable sweetness, your knee shall bow as you cast your crown at His feet, and your tongue shall join in the wondrous worship of heaven.
H. P. A. G.