EVERY Christian lives in the hope of one day being with Christ his Savior, of seeing the Blessed One who died for him, and of dwelling with Him in heaven forever; but the thoughts of thousands are full of confusion as to the manner in which this is to be accomplished. I desire in this paper to show simply from the word of God that the Christian hope is the coming of the Lord; also what should be the attitude and conduct of those who look for Him, and how that hope will be realized. Then in the succeeding papers to speak of varied circumstances which God has revealed, as both attending and following upon its accomplishment.
Leaving details for a moment, I think we may broadly divide the thoughts of Christians on this subject as follows; namely, those who believe Christ has come spiritually, those who believe He comes for them at death, and those who look for His personal return. In conversing with the first, you will find that they treat the Scriptures which refer to the coming of Christ in a spiritual way, saying that He has already come into their hearts. Surely no Christian could dispute the fact for a moment that Christ dwells in him; he would not be a Christian without it. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Rom. 8:9.) But the Spirit of God dwelling in the believer does not bring about any physical change as to his body; whereas, when Christ comes, there is abundant proof from Scripture that mortality at that moment will be swallowed up of life. (1 Cor. 15:50-53; 2 Cor. 5:4.)
The second class suppose, that when a believer dies, it is then that the Lord comes for him, and so apply all the Scriptures relating to this truth. Now surely, again, no Christian will deny for a moment, that should he die, or fall asleep (which is a Scriptural term for the death of a believer, 1 Cor. 15:51), that in departing this life he goes to be with Christ. The word of God is equally plain as to this: " Willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8); “To depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better." (Phil. 1:23.) But here also the same record of events that will transpire at the coming of Christ, most clearly disproves that it has reference to our death or falling asleep. For whenever this event takes place, we know that the spirit and soul are separated from the body, and the latter goes to the grave and corruption (1 Cor. 15:42-57); whereas we are expressly taught, in Phil. 3:20, 21, that " we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body," &c.
And again, says the apostle, “We know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven; if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life." (2 Cor. 5:1-4.)
Suffice that which I have said, to show the fallacy of the above interpretations of the scriptures treating of the Christian's hope of the coming of the Lord Jesus, and let us now turn to the third class, who look for this. Here too we find, in speaking with those who own this precious truth, the greatest divergence of thought as to the details of the manner of its accomplishment, though all may agree as to the fact that it will be a personal return. We rejoice that we are in Christ, and He in us (2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 1:27); we are thankful to know that if it please the Lord to put us to sleep, we should be absent from the body, and present with Himself; but we cannot let any rob us of the third glorious truth, that Christ is coming to change us into His own likeness, and thus perfect us forever. This is the immediate Christian hope. Our only resource, in the midst of the confusion of thought surrounding us, is to come with a childlike spirit to the Word itself, and in humble dependence on the guidance and teaching of the Holy Ghost, seek to gather the Lord's mind there revealed. “For," saith He,” my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55:8, 9.)
But before we trace from this unfailing source the teaching of God as to the coming of His beloved Son, the hope of the Christian, let us pause just for a moment and consider what a Christian is. For unless my reader can apply this title rightly to himself, this hope can be no source of comfort or joy to him, but must rather fill the heart with dread and fear. What then is a Christian? One who has bowed to God's testimony as to his guilty and lost condition as a sinner (Rom. 3:19-23), but who has been led through grace to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God (Rom. 3:26), who came into this world to save such. One who in believing has received the forgiveness of sins, and is justified from all things; already in the enjoyment of peace with God, a possessor of God's priceless gift, “eternal life." (John 3:36.) Not one who hopes to be saved; for God describes us in our natural state, as " without Christ... having no hope, and without God in the world " (Eph. 2:12); but one who is saved " by (in) hope " (Rom. 8:24) of the glory of God. Cleansed by the precious blood of Christ, his sins are gone; the penalty of sin-death-has been borne by his blessed Substitute; judgment passed on Him in his stead, and now, united to Him who sits at God's right hand, one spirit with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17), he looks with joy for the moment when he shall see his Savior face to face.
In the meanwhile, until that glorious hope is realized, he walks down here in the world as a pilgrim and a stranger (1 Peter 2:11) in the conscious love of God, to whom he is reconciled. He knows and calls Him “Father” (Rom. 8:15), Who has made him His child, and cares for him in that relationship.
He knows too, for God has told him in His Word, that he is a citizen of heaven (Phil. 3:20), that he is not of the world, even as Christ is not of the world (John 17:16); and is called to be a follower of that blessed One, by denying himself, and taking up his cross. (Luke 9:23.) He discovers that he is down here in a world which has rejected, cast out, and crucified his Lord. Therefore he can have no fellowship with the world, but must testify against it. (Eph. 5:11.) This brings out the enmity of the human heart; like master, like servant, and hence he has to suffer for His name. (1 Peter 2:21.)
How gracious then of his Lord to leave with him the sweet promise of His return, and whilst away, to give him that other Comforter, Himself also coming to him, that he might not be left comfortless, or as an orphan in this dreary scene. (John 14:16-18.)
The world has yet to answer for the rejection and murder of Christ; the day of vengeance of our God will surely overtake the ungodly. But the Christian, through faith in the rejected One, is delivered from it, can look up with joy and confidence into the opened heaven, and there behold his Savior and his Lord at God's right hand, knowing that He who raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken his mortal body by (or, on account of) His Spirit that dwelleth in him. (Rom. 8:11.)
If he looks back, he sees a condemned world, from which he has escaped; if he looks around, he sees the fearful effects of sin on all sides; if he looks forward here, nothing lies before him but a waste, barren wilderness, a dry and thirsty land, where no water is, and where he may soon miss his way if he once steps out of the path of faith (2 Peter 3:17); if he looks in, he sees that wretched self, and the workings of the flesh; for although not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, the flesh is still in him. (Rom. 8:8, 9; Gal. 5:16-18.) But if he turns away from the world and sin, the flesh and self, altogether, and looks by simple faith into the glory, there he beholds the One so precious to his heart, the chiefest among ten thousand, the altogether lovely, the fairer than the children of men (Psa. 45:2); and as he gazes, the heart is filled with
The Person of the Christ
Enfolding every grace,
and he longs for the moment when he who has said, " If I go away, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also," shall fulfill His parting promise. Then shall he meet his Lord, leaving every trace of mortality and sin behind him forever, no more to go out (Rev. 3:12), but to spend an eternity in His own blissful presence.
With Him I love, in spotless white,
In glory I shall shine;
His blissful presence my delight,
His love and glory mine.
All taint of sin shall be removed,
All evil done away;
And I shall dwell with God's Beloved,
Through God's eternal day.
My dear reader, are you one of those who know the love of Christ, and whose heart beats with love to Him in return? Is this glorious One the treasure of your soul? Have you believed on Him? Are you a Christian? Such alone can enter into these things with joy. But if you are a mere nominal professor, wake up, ere it be too late! Come as a guilty sinner to the Savior. He will in no wise cast you out (John 6:37); and all your soul needs you will find in Him. Come, oh, come to Him now! and peace with God shall be yours, and you with us will joy in God, and rejoice in hope of His glory. (Rom. 5:1-11.)
Having thus briefly sought to show what a Christian is, let us now dwell upon the hope that God has given him as a stay to his heart, as he passes along through this scene, that he may be encouraged and sustained as he copes with the difficulties of the way, and as an incentive to faithfulness and devotedness to his Lord. This hope is twofold. We are taught to look both for the personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ in the air for His saints, and also for His manifestation in power and great glory with His saints. These are two events, carefully distinguished the one from the other by the Spirit of God, and must in no way be confounded together. I shall seek to clearly show the difference between them from the Word. Many have mixed up the two, and therefore marred both, by making scriptures to clash which harmonize most perfectly, and misled thousands by causing them to look for things coming on the earth instead of waiting for the Lord from heaven. Hence they have helped greatly to lower the whole tone of the Christian's walk and character.
If we turn to the Old Testament and trace through its pages, we find a repeated testimony to the sufferings and rejection of the Messiah, and His return in power to judge His enemies, take His throne, and set up His kingdom over all the earth. (Isa. 53:11) It is then that He will appear in glory (and, as we find in Col. 3:4, we shall appear with Him); but not a single word about His coming for His people, which is so largely treated of in the New. Distinct mention of this is made by the Lord Himself, in the familiar passage in the opening of the fourteenth chapter of John's gospel, " Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." The Lord Jesus is about to leave this scene; He is going to the cross and the glory, leaving His beloved disciples in this sinful world. He cheers and encourages their troubled and drooping hearts by telling them of His Father's house, the many mansions; and, precious thought! He Himself is going to prepare a place for them. He who was about to give Himself for them on the cross, to atone for their sins by the shedding of His own precious blood (Rev. 1:5, 6), will Himself prepare a place in virtue of His own work. And not only so, but He will come again, and receive them to Himself, that where He is, there they may be also. Nothing short of this will satisfy His heart; He delights to do everything for them Himself. Blessed Lord Jesus! He does not say He will receive them into heaven, but to Himself. It is not the place, but the Person, His own blessed, glorious Person, that He keeps before the hearts of His disciples. Hence Scripture nowhere speaks of the believer going to heaven in so many words, but always to be with Christ, unless in the case of the dying thief, and then it is, " To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43.) Perfectly true it is heaven, but what would it be without Him? He does not occupy us with a place, but with Himself.
You will remark, dear reader, in this passage, that no details are entered into by the Lord as to the accomplishing of this promise; nothing is said as to how or when He will receive them, but simply the blessed fact, "I will come again, and receive you unto myself." “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words," said Jesus, "shall never pass away." We must look further on for details, in the writings of the apostle Paul; but here is the sweet promise, unaccomplished still, though none the less sure. Christ, who has gone on high, will come again. The skeptic may laugh, the infidel may sneer, the mocker may mock on; yet, “Let God be true, but every man a liar." (Rom. 3:4.) Jesus said, “I will come again," and come He surely will; “the scripture cannot be broken." (John 10:35.)
In Mark 13:33-37 we find the Lord again addressing His disciples, and telling them what their attitude and conduct should be in view of His return: " Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch."
We get three things brought out here as to the responsibility of the Lord's servants during His absence; first, authority; secondly, every man his work; and thirdly, to watch; for we know not the hour of His return. He would not have us fear man, or look to man for authority to go forth in service to Him; but in His name alone, gifted, schooled, fitted, and sent forth by Himself. Neither would He have us to be idle, or clashing one with another in our service; but He has a work for each one to do, and it is for us to know what it is, and do it. Nor would He have us to be slumbering and sleeping at our post, but thoroughly awake to all our responsibilities, watching as we wait for the return of our Lord.
The watches are now nearly passed; even has gone, the midnight or dark ages have run out, the cock-crowing has been heard, and the morning is already here. For many a year past the cry has gone forth far and wide that the Master of the house is coming, and thousands who had forgotten their Lord's exhortation have been aroused to watchfulness, and now await His return.
This was strikingly foretold by the Lord in Matt. 25, where He likened the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins, surrounded by the circumstances of an Eastern marriage. There He presents to us those who take the place of the Lord's people during His absence, professing Christians going forth to meet Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom. Five are called wise, five foolish. All had lamps, but the wise had oil in their vessels with their lamps; the possession of oil was that which distinguished between the two. So is it in Christendom; there are those who are wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, and have the Spirit of God, so often figured by oil in Scripture, and there are those who have a lamp of profession, light but not life. Every feature of this striking picture may be easily traced in that which has occurred, or is going on, among the professors of His name. "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry (made), Behold, the bridegroom (cometh); go ye out to meet Him." (Matt. 25:5, 6.) Alas! not only the professor, but the possessor also, the wise as well as the foolish, all ceased to watch. The Lord's return was lost sight of, the coming of the Bridegroom forgotten, and they all slumbered and slept. But, blessed be His name, the cry went forth, "Behold the Bridegroom." On all sides has there been a restlessness of spirit, a waking up to the fact that the Lord is coming; a vast impetus has taken place. Thousands have heard the cry, and with oil in their vessels with their lamps await His return; thousands more, foolish virgins, are running hither and thither to buy oil where it cannot be obtained. Soon, very soon, the Bridegroom, the Lord Himself, will come; and, oh, wondrous moment! “they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut."
Now mark, dear reader, " they that were ready went in;" not those that were getting ready, neither those who were trying to be ready, nor those who hoped to be ready, but " they that were ready" went in with Him, precious, precious Jesus, and the door was shut, shut close, shut fast, and shut forever on all Christless professors. Christians, watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour
Another scripture in Luke 12:35-37 brings before us in a most precious way the attitude and conduct that should characterize those who are looking for their Lord.
“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord, when he cometh, shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth to serve them."
And again the Lord said, " Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath," (Luke 12:42-44.)
In contrast with this-the Lord's exhortation to His servants during His absence, and the sweet and precious promises of what He will do for those who are obedient to His word, and in loving subjection are found doing these things at His return—we have, on the other hand, a solemn warning to all who take the place of the Lord's servants, but whose hearts are far from Him.
“But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coining; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." (Luke 12:45-47.)
And then another class is spoken of, not mentioned under the term “servant." “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes." (Luke 12:48.)
How very solemn to hear, as is often the case, professing Christians saying, " The Lord will not come yet; He will not come in our day," and to find them feasting themselves with the world in forgetfulness of Him, with such searching words before us from His own lips! " My lord delayeth his coming;" the servant professedly owning His authority, but putting off His return; living for his own selfish ends, following his own will, and having no heart for Christ. Judgment with the unbelievers must be the awful portion of all such. Another, knowing his lord's will, but doing his own, and not preparing for his lord's return. How many of this class surround us on all sides! Open Bibles in every house, the will of the Lord distinctly expressed therein, but thousands disobedient and unprepared. Reader, how is it with you? Many stripes shall be their portion. Others throughout this vast globe who know not the Master's will, but live in their sins, few stripes shall be theirs, saith the Lord. They have never had the privileges of the one who knew his lord's will, and thus a lesser punishment will be awarded by a just Judge. Every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Rom. 14:12.)
Thus far as to the glorious fact that our Lord will come again, and what should characterize those who look for His return. Now let us turn to the epistles of Paul, and trace the revelation that God has given us as to what will take place at that glorious moment; for in his writings alone do we find it.
In 1 Thess. 1:9 we read of the effect of the preaching of the gospel to the idolaters at Thessalonica. They "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus," &c. They turned to God from idols (not from idols to God), henceforth to serve Him, and wait, not for death (this is never in Scripture presented to the Christian), but for God's Son from heaven, to wait for His coming again. Also in 1 Thess. 2:19 Paul says to them, "What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?"
Now whilst they were thus simply awaiting their Lord's return, but without intelligence as yet as to how He would come (for although they had been taught to wait for Him, they had not yet been instructed as to the manner of His coming), to their surprise some of their company fell asleep. The apostle writes them, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in [through] Jesus will God bring with Him."
Having been taught to wait for God's Son from heaven, they were sorrowing for those who had fallen asleep, as though they had lost their hope. Paul encourages them by saying that if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, God would surely bring with Him those who had fallen asleep. If Jesus had risen, He was the first-fruits of them that slept (1 Cor. 15:20), and God would surely raise them also, and bring them with His Son when He should come forth to reign at His glorious appearing, which we have already remarked upon in this paper as part of the Christian hope.
Hitherto the Thessalonians were ignorant of this; he would have them so no longer. But mark, dear Christian reader (for this is a most important point to apprehend in order to get a clear understanding with regard to the Lord's coining), up to this point the Thessalonians were still in darkness as to how they would arrive in the glory. They waited for Christ; but how He would come as yet they knew not. The next verses, 1 Thess. 4:15-18, give us light upon the subject. Other scriptures speak of the saints being changed (1 Cor. 15:51), mortality swallowed up of life (2 Cor. 5:4); but this alone gives us the details of what will transpire when the Lord comes for His people. Without it we should still have been in the dark on this point, and hence the importance of giving special heed to this remarkable communication. It comes in parenthetically, and is a direct revelation as to what will transpire at that wondrous moment-a perfectly distinct thing from the glorious appearing or manifestation of the Lord Jesus with all His saints.
“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord." Mark, it is not a communication through a prophet of the Old Testament, but a revelation through Paul of the secret translation of the saints to meet the Lord. “We which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thess. 4:15-18.)
Blessed, comforting hope! The coming of the Lord Himself, who has all power in heaven and in earth. The rejected Jesus, who was crucified through weakness (2 Cor. 13:4), but conquered every foe, spoiled the grave, and sat down as Lord and Christ at the right hand of God, is soon coming to claim the trophies of His victory on Calvary, by taking His redeemed ones home to Himself in glory. See how this glorious event will come to pass. "We which are alive and remain," says the apostle, including himself, thus showing that it was his hope, as that of all Christians, " shall not prevent (or go before) them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself " (not simply the Lord, but the word " Himself " is added, as though to enforce the identity and personality of Him who comes, and to guard against its being spiritualized away); "this same Jesus"—", with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." The shout is an assembling shout, a shout which is also an authoritative command. Every saint will hear it, alive or asleep. The dead in Christ will rise first. All who have fallen asleep in Him shall hear His voice, and come forth. The graveyard shall yield up of its dead; the mighty ocean also. The Lord knows where the dust of all His loved ones lies.
The fool says, "How are the dead raised up?" (1 Cor. 15:35, 36.) The Christian replies, “With God all things are possible." (Matt. 19:26.) Not one shall be left behind; no, not a sheep nor a lamb of the flock of God. Not one of the vast host redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, but shall hear the well-known voice of Jesus at that wondrous moment. “The dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." Again the apostle repeats the words "We which are alive and remain," including himself. Truly the Lord has not yet come, but "He that shall come will come" (Heb. 10:37); each moment brings us nearer to this glorious consummation of our hope. “All the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." (2 Cor. 1:20.)
If Paul, when he wrote this, had not been waiting for the Lord, thinking that at any moment he might be caught up to meet Him, would he have used such language? Might he not have said, “We the dead, and they which are alive and remain," if he had not expected his Master's return at any moments But this he did not say. And so throughout this wondrous hour of the administration of the grace of God, every Christian ought to have been waiting, and ought now still to be, for the coming of the Lord Himself.
Christian, your Lord may come, as you read these words; if so, in a moment you would leave this world; the dead in Christ shall rise first, and then we-mark we-which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them; not in a whirlwind, with a chariot of fire and horses of fire like Elijah, but caught up by the invisible power of God. Enoch walked with God, and was not, for God took him; he " was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." (Heb. 11:5.) So will it be with the Christian when our Lord comes, so may it be with us this very day; we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (translated without seeing death) together with them (that is, those who are asleep, " the dead in Christ ") in the clouds. They rise first, but the period of time is almost imperceptible, and all together, caught up in the clouds, meet the Lord in the air. Wondrous, glorious meeting! we shall see Him as He is, and be like Him. (1 John 3:2.) Marvelous meeting-place, the air. And, precious thought, "so shall we ever be with the Lord." Blessed prospect, His own presence, His own company, His own likeness forever and forever. “Wherefore," concludes the apostle,” comfort (encourage) one another with these words." We are not to look for death, though we may fall asleep, but this is not our hope; comfort one another with these words, the Lord is coming!
How wonderfully all Scripture hangs together! Had not our blessed Lord this glorious event before Him, although the moment had not yet come for it all to be fully told out, when He uttered those memorable words to Martha, " I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die"?
Not only will He who is the resurrection raise, by His mighty power, that one who died in the faith, but at the same moment shall mortality be swallowed up of life. For He who is also the life shall change the living believer. He who liveth then, when Christ comes, and believeth in Him, shall never die. (John 11:25, 26.) The Lord did not say, "he that believeth and liveth," but "he that liveth and believeth," shall never die, never pass through death at all.
Some have had the thought that those who are not looking for the coming of Christ may be left behind to pass through the great tribulation, which shall come upon the earth after that event. But God accredits all Christians as looking for Christ, though many sadly lack spiritual intelligence as to the accomplishment of their hope in Him. When God says,” We which are alive and remain shall be caught up," and” We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed," His word is a sufficient answer to such unscriptural thoughts.
The 144,000 sealed of the tribes of Israel, and the great multitude of Gentiles in Rev. 7, of whom we shall speak more later on in another paper, are a fresh company preserved. of God (after the translation of the heavenly saints), for millennial blessing on the earth.
How often, too, have we heard the saying: "Oh, there's one thing certain, we shall all die," although the word of God most distinctly asserts the contrary. Enoch and Elijah were both taken away from this scene without passing through death; two others are likewise spoken of, the beast and the false prophet (Rev. 19:20) who shall also go to hell without dying. And, as we have seen, when our Lord comes, the living believers will be changed. Scripture is often erroneously quoted to favor this wrong thought; many say, “It is appointed unto all men once to die," whereas God never said “all," but simply “it is appointed unto men." (Heb. 9:27.) It is the lot of men, death having come in as the wages of sin, but there have been exceptions, and Christ having died and risen, believers are in Him a new creation, on new ground altogether, and there will be a further exception for all saints who are alive when He comes. Death has no claim upon them; they have died with Him.
Another passage, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22), might at first sight present some difficulty; but when understood in its true import, it perfectly accords with what we have seen. All who remain in their old Adam-standing, natural men, will surely die; but Christians are in Christ, who is risen from among the dead, and are not viewed by God here, where the two headships are contrasted, as in Adam at all. All such shall be made alive.
In 1 Cor. 15:51 we read the very opposite: " We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." How beautiful the harmony of God's word, when we forsake our own thoughts, and bow to His. The apostle, by 'the Spirit of God, speaks of it as a mystery which he shows to the saints, " We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed;" what could be plainer?
The Lord will take the very smallest possible space of time to accomplish this mighty act, “a moment," “the twinkling of an eye." Beloved reader, if that marvelous moment were to come now, that moment only known to the Father, that moment for which the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, and all heaven wait; that moment for which every saint on earth should be waiting; would you be amongst the number caught up to meet Him, and so to be " forever with the Lord "? The last trump will very shortly sound, and “the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." The term “the last trump" does not mean the last that ever will sound; Scripture distinctly speaks of others in the Revelation after this. It is a military allusion; a particular call or sound, the last of a series, well-known in military circles in that day, the signal for the departure of the men. So will this trumpet-call be responded to by every saint of God; this corruptible shall put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:51-56); so beautifully agreeing with what we have seen in 1 Thess. 4 The grave shall not hold back one single saint of God; He who is alive for evermore, and has the keys of hades and of death (Rev. 1:18) will exercise His omnipotence, and all His own in earth or sea shall rise to meet Him. He was the first-fruits, “afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." (1 Cor. 15:23.)
The same precious truth is taught in many other scriptures; Christ is coming for His own. In Phil. 3:20-21, speaking of the Christian, we read, " For our conversation (or our commonwealth) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself."
The Christian's portion is not on earth, but on high, from whence He looks for “the Lord Jesus Christ, as Savior," for such is the real force of the passage. Having received the salvation of his soul (1 Peter 1:9) he waits for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of his body, not for death and corruption. (Rom. 8:23.) He waits for the Lord Jesus Christ to come forth as the Savior, to accomplish the salvation of his body; to change it, this vile body, or body of humiliation, that it may be fashioned like to the Lord's own glorious body. Mark, not a new body, but this very same one, in which we now tabernacle, changed.
The bodies of believers are already the members of Christ (1 Cor. 6:15), even now the temple of the Holy Ghost. (1 Cor. 6:19.) At that moment He that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal body by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Rom. 8:11.) And take note again here, it is not the quickening of a corruptible body, as of those dead when Christ comes, but our mortal body, those who are alive and remain, who are indwelt by the Spirit of God. And this wondrous change is wrought according to the working whereby our Lord “is able even to subdue all things unto Himself."
The same precious truth is connected with the remembrance of Christ in the Lord's supper; for the apostle says, "As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come;" not until we go into death, but " till He come." (1 Cor. 11:26.)
The question will probably arise in the minds of some who may read this paper, "But are we not to look for signs and events happening on the earth, as indicating the approaching coming of the Lord? Do not many scriptures teach that many things will transpire beforehand?" This mistake arises from the confusion that I have already spoken of, in the minds of many, respecting two actions quite distinct as to the times of their accomplishment. There is unquestionably much to take place before Christ, the Son of man, comes in power and great glory to judge and reign, but nothing of necessity before He descends into the air for His people. Much before the glorious appearing, but at any moment, even whilst you read these words, this latter marvelous event may happen, and all the redeemed be caught away. After this, and before the manifestation of Christ with His saints in glory, will be an interval of terrible judgments, and the hour of tribulation. (Matt. 24:21, 22.)
In Rev. 3:10, 11, the Lord, in addressing the angel of the Church of Philadelphia (which, taken in its historical order, corresponds with the present time) says, " Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from (or out of) the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."
Here we have a distinct and express scripture speaking of God's people being kept, not in or through the hour of temptation, but from or out of it. The manner of its accomplishment is brought out in the next verse, “Behold, I come quickly;" the word “quickly” being added for the first time. What more forcible language could be employed to show that the Lord Himself is on the very eve of coming, that we should be expecting Him every moment? And thus will the saints be removed from this scene in a moment, delivered from the awful judgments that shall come upon all the world.
The Christian, who is not of the world, will be saved out of it, being translated before the judgment, like Enoch before the flood. (Gen. 5:22-24.) Noah passes through it in the ark, and comes out of it on to the earth again, a type of other saints saved after.(to whom we have already briefly referred), who pass through the judgments, and are brought into blessing on the earth, when Christ comes as King to reign. These are quite a distinct class from Christians, who wait for God's Son from heaven; they are preserved Israelites and Gentiles blessed under a fresh dealing of God, which will go on during the short interval of judgment between the rapture or catching up of the heavenly saints, and His descent with His saints to reign.
We find then, in Rev. 7, Israelites and Gentiles distinct, which clearly shows that they are not the saints of this present interval; for Christians compose the Church of God, and in the Church there is neither Jew nor Gentile. (1 Cor. 12:13; Col. 3:11.) Whenever you find these distinguished in blessing, you may rest assured the Church is not in question. But we shall speak more of this period further on.
I must next call your attention to another very interesting and precious distinction, made by the Spirit of God in relation to the coming of Christ. In the end of the Old Testament (Mal. 4:2) the prophet says, "Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings," &c., when rays of light and blessing shall go out to all quarters of the earth, and He shall bring in all the glories of His millennial kingdom and everlasting righteousness. This will be at His glorious appearing; the day of Christ. Whereas in the end of the book of the Revelation, the prophecy for the Church, we find Him saying, “I am the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come." The Church, the Bride, during the darkness of the night of this world (and “the night is far spent, the day is at hand” —Rom. 13:12), should be watching, and waiting for Jesus in this blessed character, before the day breaks. Blessed, blessed hope!
Knowing that many are much perplexed as to whether the heavenly saints will be removed before the hour of tribulation, I will add further Scripture testimony to prove it, trusting it may be helpful to souls.
In Rev. 2, 3 we have seven addresses to the angels of the seven churches in Asia, which not only treat of their state at that time, but give us a succession of features which would characterize the professing Church " on earth till the close of its existence. In each address we have the words, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
This is the last mention of the Church on earth. Rev. 4 opens with a new scene altogether—" a door opened in heaven," a throne, the throne of God, surrounded by twenty-four seats or thrones, and on them twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white, and with crowns of gold. Who could these elders possibly represent, if not the heavenly saints? They are distinguished from angels in Rev. 5:11; their crowns and robes denote their kingly and priestly character, beautifully according with the burst of praise in Rev. 1:5, 6; " Unto Him that loved (or loves) us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings (or a kingdom) and priests unto God," &c. The term “elder," too, would denote wisdom, and "we have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor. 2:16.) Their posture, seated in the presence of Him who sitteth on the throne, could only be that of saints, who have perfect rest and holy boldness before Him. In Eph. 2:6 we are viewed, even whilst still on the earth in the body, as made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; whereas angels, with one or two exceptions, throughout Scripture, are viewed standing; they are servants, we are sons.
And then, too, the language used by the elders, both in celebrating God's glory in creation, and also in singing the new song of redemption, clearly shows that they are the redeemed of God. So wondrous and so blessed is the relationship we are brought into, that it is our privilege in addressing the Lord to sing," Thou art worthy," &c. Angels say, " Worthy is the Lamb."
Now mark, here are four-and-twenty elders—a perfect, complete company, seated, clothed, crowned, and worshipping in glory, before a single seal of the seven-sealed book or roll of God's counsels, mysteries, and judgments is broken by the Lamb, who is viewed in the midst of the throne, and who comes and takes the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne. Surely every saint of God that has lived on earth up till that wondrous moment will have been raised or changed to be with the Lord, before one of the judgments of the seven-sealed book falls upon the ungodly.
Another scripture helpful to a clear apprehension of this precious truth is 2 Thess. 2:1, where the apostle, addressing the Thessalonian saints, says, " Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand " (Greek—the day of the Lord is present). "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed," &c.
You will remark here that he clearly distinguishes between the coming of our Lord, when the saints shall be gathered together unto Him (caught up to meet Him in the air), and the day of the Lord; that is, His manifestation in judgment, before which latter event the man of sin, the antichrist, will be revealed. The apostle uses the Lord's personal coming for His people as a reason why they should not be shaken in mind or troubled by fixing their thoughts on this event. He warns them against deceivers, who in various ways, even by an anonymous letter purporting to come from the apostle and his companions, were seeking to mislead them, and make out that the day of the Lord had already set in, and that their hope had not been realized. In unmistakable language he tells them of their translation to meet the Lord; then the falling away or apostasy, and the revelation of the son of perdition; closing with his downfall and judgment, introductory to the setting in of the glorious day of the Lord!
Beloved reader, take heed to this important scripture, and remember the warning of the apostle, "Let no man deceive you by any means."
Again, in the last chapter of the Revelation, before closing this wonderful prophecy of things coming on the earth, and the dreadful crisis which is at hand, ushering in the kingdom; to encourage the hearts of His people in Himself, and to keep them waiting for His return, no less than three times the Lord repeats His precious promise; twice He says, " Behold, I come quickly," and the third time, in more emphatic language still, " Surely I come quickly. Amen."
The blessed response of the prophet, which ought to be echoed by every Christian heart, is, " Even so; come, Lord Jesus." Reader, is it yours?
Soon shall we hear Him say,
"Ye ransomed pilgrims come;"
Soon will He call us hence away,
And take us to His home.
Then shall each raptured tongue
His fullest praise proclaim;
And sweeter voices wake the song
Of " Glory to the Lamb!"