Part 2: Are You Going up?

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 7
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No doubt many from every nation of the earth have thought of going up to see man’s great fair, the most wonderful sight on earth, the nations may be said to have brought their glory and honor into it the works of art, and manufacture, of the whole world. “Are you going up to see it?” Thousands will answer “yes;” and thousands will answer “no;” some will go up and see it, and many will remain behind. There is a striking analogy about what is to take place in God’s great city, and what is now taking place in man’s comparatively little city—I say little, for we found that if even the whole human race were brought into the heavenly city, that there would be far more space there for each, supposing the number to be 120,000 millions, than the space of man’s great fair altogether. This building is not of this world, or on earth—it is the heavenly city whose builder and maker is God. In “the world’s fair,” is the display of all that man can do by the works of his hands. In the heavenly building shall be displayed what God hath done in the wonders of redeeming grace. “Are you going up?” Jesus has finished the work of redemption.—The Holy One of God has died for sin—He has been buried—He is risen—He is gone up on high—He will come again to receive His own to Himself—are you going up to meet Him? Thousands will go up to this world’s fair. Will you be amongst the thousands caught up to meet their Lord? You may say, “Why, not many professors of Christ even think much about going up,” too true, yea, even some scoff at the thought of His coming again. But is not this one of the signs of the last days? “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming!” (2 Peter 3:44And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (2 Peter 3:4)). But he who knows Jesus, knows His words are true, he knows that, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner,” (Acts 1:1111Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)). Did not believers in the very days of the apostles, “wait for His Son from heaven,” (1 Thess. 1:1010And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:10)). “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,” (1 Thess. 4:16, 1716For 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 4:16‑17)). I do not discuss this as a doctrine, these are God’s words; I believe them. Are you looking for Him? are you going up? It is certain to come! and come when the world least expects it. Yes, even whilst the men of this world are thronging the courts of the world’s fair buildings, even then the saints of God may be caught up in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. We know not the hour, fellow Christian, a few more setting suns at most, and we shall go up, and be forever with the Lord.