Were we, if I may so speak, to go in upon the field of the New Testament scriptures, and gather up fragments of the glories of coming days, we should find them, I do not say lying there profusely, but still we should find them there, and we should find at least a handful to feed upon.
There is no one writing that digests this subject, but coming glories shine out here and there in the midst of other thoughts, when different subjects of present interest to the saints are under consideration.
We know that in the coming days of the kingdom there will be both the earthly and heavenly departments, and also connection and intercourse between them. We see notices of each of these in different parts of the four gospels. Thus, the Lord entered the city of the daughter of Zion as her King. All that was needed to set Him forth in that glory for a moment waited on Him. The ass and its owner, the palm branches and hosannahs, the whole material and mind of the scene aided in giving us a sample of the days of the King of Israel. The Greeks are presented as coming up to see the King in his beauty, and in this we get another sight of His further glories.
All this, however, was simply and entirely earthly, no glimpse of heaven appears. It is Messiah in His place on earth; King in Zion, accepting the homage of the nations. On the holy mount glory shines again. But it is another glory—not earthly but heavenly. It is the light of bodies of glory that shines there; samples of the transfigured, translated saints of God in company with their Lord in heavenly places.
But, as I may say, on either side of them, another place is seen; the earth in the persons of Peter, James, and John; the higher heavens, or, as it is called, “the excellent glory,” in the voice that breaks forth upon the scene.
This is something very fine, and very comprehensive. We have coming millennial days finely and largely anticipated here. We have notices of the heavens and of the earth in their separate places, and then of the connections, and medium, and intercourse which is to be established between them. That, while there will be a higher heaven, an excellent glory, a Father’s house, unrevealed to sight, there will be also a people in flesh, and blood on the earth; a display of heavenly glory in the sight of the earthly people, and intercourse maintained between the translated saints and them. The throne and the footstool shall be but different parts of one great system.
This is a fine anticipation of corning days. The Lord again intimates “the excellent glory,” under the title of the “Father’s house” in John 14, letting us know that it is a wealthy place, a many-mansioned house, the dwelling of the family, the homestead in the realms of the highest glory.
Thus, we are gathering fragments. But further. These are distant scenes. There are nearer scenes also thrown open to our sight in these same scriptures of the New Testament.
We have the spirit of the Lord himself before resurrection taken to and by the Father, in Luke 23; and then we have the glorified body of the Lord after resurrection, translated to heaven in Luke 24.
We have instructions as to ourselves in each of these things. We are taught to know that should we die, as Jesus died, before the day of resurrection, our spirits will be received by Him, in paradise or heaven, Luke 10:3, 43; Acts 7:5959And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. (Acts 7:59); 2 Cor. 5:88We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8); Phil. 1:2323For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23), teach us this. And should we live till the day of resurrection, we are taught to know that we shall then be glorified and translated in company with those saints who have already died and gone in spirit to Jesus. 1 Cor. 15:42-5442So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Corinthians 15:42‑54) witness this; as also 1 Thess. 4:14-1714For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For 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: 17Then 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. (1 Thessalonians 4:14‑17).
But, further still. After this translation certain and divine scenes are disclosed to us. The heaven that is set for the execution of judgment on this present evil, revolted world, is opened to our sight in Rev. 4, and actions which take their course, while that heaven continues, are presented to us in the progress of the same book. But in turn judgment is all executed, and then succeeds the heavens set for the ministration of government of the “world to come,” or the millennial earth; this is apparent to our sight in Rev. 20;21,22.
But even further still. The world that is to be the scene of righteousness under the heavenly scepter of the glorified Lord and His saints will have its end. The heaven set for the ministration of government will have fulfilled its course, as well as the heaven set for the judgment; and then we get another scene of glory opened to our view. There is the Great White Throne trying everything; and then the new heavens and the new earth introduced by the judgment of this Great White Throne; as the millennial heavens and earth had been introduced by the judgment executed under the heaven from the throne of Rev. 4
Here the series of glories end. Various scenes and regions have thus unfolded themselves to us in their different characters; but we are to see them, and learn what they severally are, by taking up notions of them here and there throughout the New Testament scriptures from beginning to end; to glean in that fruitful field; to gather up fragments which lie there; left there by the hand of Him who is preparing for the feast-days of eternity.
And had we but a heart for’ the feast itself we should occupy ourselves more diligently and joyfully in this gathering up a kind of gleaning that goes before the harvest. But we fail in affection. We are wanting in desire. Present interests divert the heart and do not allow the eye, and the thought, and the hope to tarry where notices of coming glories shine!