HOW often do we hear the expression: “Tomorrow!” The business man confidently makes his plans for tomorrow; the farmer prepares his ground for sowing and planting tomorrow, friends part with, “See you tomorrow, “and so in all walks of life people live in expectancy of another day—aye, and of months and of years. I have no doubt that thoughts and plans for the future are natural and form part of human civilization, being based on the assumption that as things have gone on in the past, so will they in the future. Even as I write, I may have to put my pen down, trusting to pick it up again “Tomorrow.” How do we know that tomorrow, with its fulfillment of today’s plans will eventuate? How often do we find that the morrow brings changes which we had not reckoned on today!
In these days of rapid changes with the rise and fall of Governments, world-wide distress of nations and increasing crime; in fact in every phase of life we need to pause and consider. Let us make the application in the first person: “What do I know about tomorrow?” We say “Well, of course, that is if all goes well, or I hope so, etc., otherwise I do not know.” Now once this is admitted let us go further and ask: “Who does know?” There is One who knows — the Almighty One. He says, “I am God, there is NONE like Me, declaring the end from the beginning....” (Isa. 46:10; John 1:1-3.) He has not left us in darkness as to what the future holds. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” (Matt. 24:35.) “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass... but the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you!” (1 Peter 1:24-25.) This same Word says “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” (Prov. 27:1.) “Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell... whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:13); “Or as a weaver’s shuttle” (Job 7:6); “We spend our years as a tale that is told” (Psa. 90:9). These comparisons of life and time in God’s sight are summed up in Psalms 90:4: “For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”
Dear reader, it is in view of the great eternity which you have to face, and perhaps tomorrow may be your first step into eternity! For you, it will be one of two destinies, to be with Christ (Phil. 1:21-23; 2 Cor. 5:8, etc.), or with the wicked dead awaiting the last resurrection (Luke 16:19-31) to appear before the Great White Throne, and be dismissed into everlasting punishment in the lake of fire, with the Devil and his angels. (Rev. 20:10-15.)
After death the judgment (Heb. 9:27). Everyone must give an account to God (Rom. 14:12).
There are only two classes — saved and unsaved. By the former I mean those who have found in Jesus Christ their rest and peace, having the blessed assurance that the work of redemption for them was accomplished upon the Cross of Calvary when Christ Himself bore their sins in His Own Body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24). “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7), “They are assured of eternal life” ( John 3:15-16; 10:27-29;1 John 5:11-12, etc.), “Having experienced the saving power” (Rom. 1:16; Heb. 7:25) are realizing the keeping power (1 Peter 1:5; 1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Tim. 1:12) and awaiting day by day that resurrection power (1 Thess. 4:14-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; Phil. 3:20-21), when “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.” “In 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.” What a moment! when the completed Church and Bride will rise at the voice of her Head and Bridegroom. The wheat will be gathered into His garner, but the chaff will He burn up with unquenchable fire (Matt. 3:12)
A.R.C.