"The Lord shall judge His People"

“Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel” (2 Tim. i. 10). Life and immortality being “brought to light through the Gospel,” the conclusion is inevitable, that “The human race is essentially mortal, and under the law of sin and death.” Christ “being made perfect” (through suffering, death, and resurrection), “became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him” (Heb. v. 9). “The Gospel” of Christ “is the power of God for salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom. i. 16). To believe the Gospel, is first requisite before obedience can be rendered. Faith and obedience, therefore, are essential to salvation. The Gospel comprehends “The things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts viii. 12); which when understood and believed, lead the believer to obey the commandment of the Lord, and be baptized,—immersed in water. “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Rom. vi. 5). Believing the word of the Lord through his apostles, saying: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature: He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; he that believes not, shall be condemned” (Mark xvi.). Baptism is the rite which inducts the believer into the sin-covering Name: for the remission of sins; and for a union with that Name. As conveyed in the command Christ gave to His apostles, “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The Union thus initiated is to be perfected through a course of faithfulness to the doctrine and commandments of Christ and His apostles. Enjoined in His following words, as He saith: “Teaching them” “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the end of the Age” (Matt. xxviii. 19, 20).

The teachings of Christ to His disciples, He purposed, through them, should be extended among all the nations. The apostle Paul was “a chosen vessel unto him, to bear his name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts ix. 15). Paul, writing to the Romans, tells of the fulfilling of his purpose in the following testimony: “Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ,—according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began: but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations, for obedience to the faith” (Rom. xvi.). The object of this ministry is still further unfolded in these words: “Simeon hath declared, how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name” (Acts xv. 14). “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,” … “Received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name” (Rom. i.). Therefore the purpose is shown not to be the conversion of all the nations—but the “taking out from among them, a people for his name.”

Paul, addressing the Athenians for the first time, testified, saying: “The times of ignorance God overlooked: but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained,—whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts xvii.). “Times of ignorance,” in the Scripture sense, we learn to be times wherein God has withheld the light of His word from men. But when He sends them His commandment, He sends them light. For “the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light,” saith the Scripture. And where the light is given, there the basis for accountability is laid. According to the teaching of Christ, as He said: “This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light” (John iii. 19). “If any man hear my word and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak” (John xii. 47-49).

The apostle Paul bears testimony concerning the day to which Jesus refers in that passage, when he saith: “The Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom” (2 Tim. iv. 1). “There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust” (Acts xxiv. 15). Addressing the believers, he saith: “For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ: that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. v. 10). There, the faithful of the household will be divided from the unfaithful, the just from the unjust, “with reference to the question of life or death.” According to the teaching of Christ; as He likened the kingdom of heaven “unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,—And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. xiii. 47-50). The unjust will be consigned to the second death: sent away to perish among those nations described as on the King’s left hand. “These shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matt. xxv.). “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the standing up of life: and they that have done evil, unto the standing up of condemnation” (John v. 29). (Anastasis p. 20.) The word of the Lord, through Daniel the prophet, testifies to the same truth. “Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,—some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. xii. 2).

Certain promises are on record for those that “overcome”: consequently for those who come forth “to everlasting life.” “He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” … “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white ‘Pebble,’ and in the pebble a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it” (Rev. ii. 11-17). “The hidden manna,” that life-sustaining principle, concealed within the Ark of the Covenant now in the Most Holy place, will then confer incorruptibility of body: And the “white Pebble,” the verdict of approval from the “judicial throne” (Eur., Vol. I., p. 316). It will readily be perceived that in mortal bodies we must first appear. That the Scripture may be fulfilled which Paul hath spoken, saying: “There is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” … “For this corruptible must be clothed with incorruption; and this mortal must be clothed with immortality: So when this corruptible shall be clothed with incorruption, and this mortal shall be clothed with immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. xv. 44, 53, 54). “Clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.” … “Not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life” (2 Cor. v. 2, 4). Those who may be accounted worthy to receive the gift of eternal life at His coming, are designated as “first-fruits unto God, and to the Lamb.” According to the testimony of the Revelator, as the vision was given unto him: “I saw,” he says, “and behold the Lamb, standing on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written in their foreheads.” … “These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, to be the first-fruits unto God and unto the lamb” (Rev. xiv.).

Fuller testimony concerning these first-fruits is revealed, as the apostle saith: “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus, and on account of the word of the Deity: and who had not worshipped the beast, nor his image, and had not received the sign upon their forehead, nor in their hand: and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” “This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the ‘first-fruits’ resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Rev. xx. 4-6).

Judgment is to be given to the saints, after that they themselves have been judged. A certain order is indicated in these words of the apostle, “For, the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Pet. iv. 17, 18). The Lord Jesus prophesied concerning two special epochs of judgment. First, that which should come upon Jerusalem, in “the last days of Judah’s commonwealth,” described in Luke xxi., and that which is to be manifested, when He shall come in power and great glory: described in Matt. xxv. A twofold significance appears contained in the words of Peter, quoted above: and the divine order pointed out; first, the judgment of the household, afterward the judgment of the nations. Those who have been favored with the highest privileges, are first called to an account. According to the testimony of Paul concerning “the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God: Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honor, and immortality: eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness: indignation, and wrath. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil; of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile: But glory, honor, and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God” (Rom. ii. 5—11).

The judgment, which the saints are to receive power to execute upon the nations, is thus foretold by the prophet Daniel: “I beheld, and the same horn (of the fourth beast dominion) made war with the saints, and prevailed against them: until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High: and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” … “The judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end” (Dan. vii.). In the days of the ten kingdoms, represented by the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s image, the prophet saith: “And in the days of these kings, shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. ii. 44). The power of God in Christ, through whom all these things are to be accomplished, is symbolized by the “little stone cut out of the mountain without hands.” The complete execution of the judgment upon the nations, through the instrumentality of the little Stone power (Christ and the saints), is thus described by the prophet: “Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors: and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (v. 35).

The Spirit, through the Psalmist, prophesies of the same hour of judgment, saying: “Let the saints be joyful in glory.” “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand: to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people: To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron: To execute upon them the judgment written; this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord” (Psalm cxlix.).

The warlike attitude of the Sin Powers of the world against Yahweh and His Anointed King, as predicted in the 2d Psalm, is destined to culminate in that coalition which is to be headed up in the Gog power, as described in the prophecies of Ezekiel, and Daniel. The head of that power is styled, “The king of the North,” of whom the prophet says: “He shall plant the tabernacle of his palace between the seas, toward the mountain, the glory of the Holy.” “Yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him” (Dan. xi. 45). “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people” (Daniel, ch. xii. 1). The result of the conflict between “Michael, the great prince, and his hosts,” and the embattled hosts of Satan, under the leadership of Gog, is described by John, the Revelator, in the following symbolic language: “And I saw an angel descending from the heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain upon his hand. And he laid hold on the Dragon, the old Serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years” (Rev. xx.).

The evil principle of antagonism to God, which emanated from the Serpent, in the garden of Eden, came to be a fixed principle in a large portion of the human race; consequently came to be embodied in the institutions of the world, civil and ecclesiastical, and will finally develop into that organized hostility to the Almighty, eventuating in the “gathering of all nations against Jerusalem to battle.” “Then,” saith the prophet, “the Lord shall go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle” (Zech. xiv.). In symbolic speech the revelator describes the subject of the prophet’s testimony, thus: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse: and he that sat upon him was called, Faithful and true: and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” … “He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called, the Word of God. And the armies in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written—King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Rev. xix.). In the complete triumph of the King over His enemies, which is to be accomplished, “the seed of the woman” will have bruised “the serpent’s head.” And the sin of the world, in every form of manifestation—individual, social, political, and ecclesiastical—will be cast into the abyss, and chained in complete subjection during the thousand years. “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison: And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to battle—the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.” Yet, once more, the antagonism of Satan (the adversary) will work in a conspiracy against the dominion of Christ: but through the outpouring of His overwhelming judgments, the deceived and deceiver will be finally and forever destroyed from off the face of the earth. The resurrection of the “rest of the dead,” will occur at this epoch. The ingathering of the harvest—of which the resurrection of the first-fruits at the beginning of the Millennial Aion, is as the earnest. The thousand years being ended, the kingdom of God will then have passed through its Mediatorial phase. “Then cometh the end when Christ shall deliver up the kingdom to God even the Father: when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed, is death” (1 Cor. xv. 24-26).