The Book of Job, it is said, is the oldest of the
sacred writings. It ante-dates the writing of the Genesis account
by Moses. In 14:12 Job says that man dies, and will not be roused
until the heavens be no more. the date he assign to resurrection is the
time just before the judging at the great white throne, Rev.
20:11,12.
It is not safe to build doctrine on the very earliest
pronouncement on a subject. The development of truth is a very
interesting study. The latest word may modify what was said earlier.
The time when the heavens are no more is the normal
time for resurrection. By the same token, October is the normal
time to harvest corn. But does the farmer always do this?
And does he not need some corn earlier? And does he not go into
the field and harvest what he needs before October?
God often acts as if He had changed his mind.
This illusion is made, because of the immaturity of the human race in
its earlier stages. When we come to the latest writing, we find
such information about God that we can never believe that He intends
doing something, and later change His mind and does something
else. His real intention is not often revealed in the earlier
writings.
In the prophecies concerning Israel we find that
there is to be a kingdom to precede the time when the heavens shall be
no more. Moreover, we find that there will be resurrection of
saints to have part in the kingdom.
This resurrection will be timed as follows: A dictator
shall overpower the Jews in Palestine, and put a stop to the daily
service. After this, there will be a period called, in the King
James Version, "a time and times and the dividing of
time." This shall be a period of great
affliction.
In the Revelation this period is said to be a 1260
day. This is three-and-a-half years of 360 days each. Thus "a
time" is believed to be a year, "times," Two years, and
"a dividing of time," half a year, Dan. 7:25. This
period is mentioned again in Dan 12:7. The period, when it is
finished, brings to an end, the affliction period.
Counting again from the starting point, and going
beyond the 1260 days, to 1290 days, something else is to occur, but is
not made plain just what. Then counting a third time, from the
beginning, and adding 45 more days, we come to a period 1335 days from
the time the daily service is abolished. we are told that, at that
time, Daniel shall stand in his lot. Thus we infer that the
resurrection of the saints of Israel will take place 75 days after the
coming of Christ to Israel. Of course, the kingdom will have
already been established, composed of living saints at that time.
See Dan 12:11-13. This will be followed by a thousand years, before
the time mentioned by Job. See Rev. 20:4,5.
Thus God, like the farmer, harvests part of the crop
before the time that the resurrection of all would normally occur.
But God has use for a part of humanity even before
this resurrection, which John calls "the former
resurrection." So Paul tell us that The Lord shall descend
from heaven, and sleeping saints shall rise first, and then living ones
will be snatched away with them for meeting the Lord in the air, I
Thess. 4:13-18. This is not the resurrection of the saints of
Israel, for they shall not meet the Lord in the Air. Instead, He
will come to the earth. Zech. 14.4. In the resurrection of I
Thess 4:13-18, the Lord does not come to the earth. His saints
meet Him in the air. Thus we see that another segment of humanity
will be roused before the time set by Job.
This resurrection of which Paul speaks will take
place before that of the saints of Israel. WE are to be in this
resurrection. It must take place before the day of the Lord
begins. That day, while it comes on the earth as a thief in the
night, I Thess. 5:2, will not come on UW as a thief. This not
because we will be watching, but because we are not appointed to
indignation, but to the procuring of salvation. Whether we be
watching or drowsing, (and most of us are drowsing), we will live
together with Him, I Thess. 5:4-10. Thus OUR resurrection will
occur before the "former resurrection." John calls the
resurrection of Israel the "former," because it is the former
of the two mentioned in John 5:28. John knew nothing of OUR resurrection.
We will be roused before the day of the Lord.
There WILL be a resurrection at the time mentioned by
Job, but, before this event, there will be two, of which Job knew
nothing.
We are especially interested in vivification.
In I Cor. 15:20-22, we have three important statements. Paul is
not, as some have imagined, saying the same things in three different
ways.
In verse 20, we have "rousing." This
is a return to consciousness. This must be first in the order,
even if only by the merest fraction of a second.
In verse 21, we have resurrection. This is
"up-standing." The dead first become conscious.
Then they stand up. This need not deep them from dying again. They
might be roused and stand up a thousand times, and die a thousand
times. Something else is necessary, if they are to continue to
live.
This is mentioned in verse 22. "Shall be
made alive," as in the King James Version, does not fill the
requirement. They must be KEPT alive, and this is not assured by
the word, "rouse," nor the word,
"resurrection." So Paul says, "Thus, also, in
Christ, shall all be being made to live,." "Shall be
vivified," is the rendering given in the Concordant Version.
The spirit of man is not connected with
God. It is like an electric batterycharged, but disconnected
from the source of supply. So, at present, we are being made to
die. There is no remedy for this. SAINTS have the spirit of
Christ, and the spirit of God, Rom. 8:10,11. But this is not to
give us more vitality. It is for the purpose of giving an
understanding of the things of God, I Cor. 2:11,12. No matter now
well we understand spiritual matters, this knowledge does not lengthen
our mortal life.
But this is what God will do in Christ, for all
humanity: He will keep us connected with Himself in a way that, at all
times spirit will be flowing from Him into us, just as current is
continually flowing from a dynamo into the light bulb. A battery will
become exhausted, and the bulb that depends on it for current, will
cease to give light. But when it is connected directly with a
dynamo, it will not cease to give light so long as the dynamo gives out
current. So will mankind not cease to live for they will be made
to live.
This has been done for Christ and will be done for
those who are His in His presence. Then, at the consummation, it
shall be done for all humanity, I Cor 15:22-28. All sovereignty,
authority and power will be nullified, and death abolished. Christ
will do this. It will be done by the power of His Father, working
in Him. the Father subjects all under the feet of Christ. The
Father, Himself, is excepted. Then the Son will hive up the kingdom
to His Father, and become subject to Him.
Her we have the latest date in scripture. God will Be
All in All. This is a glimpse behind the curtain that shuts
post-eonian time off form the eons. But this glimpse is
sufficient. God's purpose will have been consummated, and no one
who has faith sufficient, has any fear for the future. We do not
tease God and demand that He tell us that we shall have "eternal
life." With death abolished, and sin repudiated, Heb. 9:26,
there can never be anything that is not in harmony with life and
holiness.
The repudiation of sin means that it will never again
be used. That God now uses it, is evident. But we need not
fear that it will ever return. Nor will death again invade the
universe. Both sin and death will have been used will in the hand
of God, and neither will ever be needed again.
The vivification of all does not keep the scripture
concerning judging from being truth. But judging evil be done in
accord wilt Paul's evangel, Rom. 2:16. It will not keep I Cor.
15:22 and 28 from being fulfilled. Yes, there is judging, there is
suffering, there is the second death; but these are God's
processes. His goal is, that, in Christ, all shall be being made
to live.
What a glorious outlook!
Thanks to each one who remembered us during the
Holiday. We had many useful gifts, and hundreds of
Greetings. They came from all over the nation. Again
thanks!
Due to the Holidays, this issue will be somewhat
late.