Christ's Coming to Judgment (Continued)
When the Son of Jilan shall come in h’s glory, and all the holy avgels with him; then shall he sit on the throne of his glory., and before him shall be gathered all nations. — M.liTii-E.w xxv: 31, 32.
In discoursing from these words on a former occasion, I proposed to consider
I. The certainty of Christ’s coming to judgment. II. The time when he will come.
III. The manner of his coming.
Having considered the first two heads, I proceed to consider
III. The manner of Christ’s coming to judgment.
1. He will come in his human nature. He will come in the same hody in which he appeared in the days of his humiliation — the same hody that was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, that was arraigned before the bar of Pilate, scourged, spit upon, and crowned with thorns — the same body that was nailed to the cross, and pierced with a soldier’s spear; that yielded up the ghost, arose from the dead, and ascended to heaven. This same body that was treated with such indignity, will again appear with all the scars of crucifixion.
“Now resplendent shine the nail-prints,
Every eye shall see the wound.”
When our Lord ascended to heaven, two angels appeared and spake thus to his gazing” disciples. ‘’Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven 1 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.” But how immensely different will be his appearance from what it was in the days of his humiliation. Once he was arraigned before a human tribunal as a criminal; — now he is the judge of the world.
2. He will come in his glory. A bright splendor will surround the body of the Saviour. Such a glory as to mortals is now inconceivable. Something of this glory was witnessed by the apostles, Peter, James and John, on the mount of transfiguration. They were eye witnesses of his Majesty, and they testify that “his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” In something of this glory, he appeared to Saul of Tarsus. His brightness put out the noonday sun. “At mid-day, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me, and them that journeyed with me.” So bright was his appearance, that Saul could not see for the glory of that light. The vision of this glory caused the beloved disciple to fall down at his feet, as dead. This can give us but a faint idea of the glory in which Christ will come. He will appear not only in his own glory, but in the glory of his Father. The Father will judge the world by him, having committed all judgment unto the Son. He is now “the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of his person.” His coming will be like the lightning, seen from one end of heaven to the other. “He shall come with power and great glory.” It will be ‘’the glorious appearing of the great God.”
3. His coming will be in the most public manner. His first coming was unobserved. “He was in the world, and the world knew him not.” When he appeared in his glory to the disciples on the holy mount, to Saul, and to the beloved disciple, this too was not generally known. But now, “Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him.” ‘’ Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds.” ‘’ He maketh the clouds his chariot; he walketh upon the wings of the wind.” He will be attended by a glorious retinue — by all the holy angels. Holy angels take a lively interest in the plan of redemption. They announced the Saviour’s birth — strengthened him in his agony — rolled back the stone from the door of his sepulchre, and attended him back to heaven. ‘’ The chariots of God are twenty thousand — even thousands of angels.” These are all ministering spirits, waiting upon him to do his pleasure. “Bless the Lord ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his words.”
Now the sight of one angel is appalling to the stoutest heart. Of the angel who appeared at the Saviour’s sepulchre, it is said, ‘’ His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow”, and for fear of him, the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.^^ Butwlien the Son of Man shall come in his glory, all the holy angels will be with him — all of every rank, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers” — “thousand thousands ministering unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand round about him.” Thus will Christ “be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.”
He will be attended also, by all the saints in heaven. All the spirits of just men made perfect — patriarchs and prophets, apostles and martyrs, and all who have died in the Lord, will now appear. On the mount of transfiguration, two of this number appeared — “Moses and Elias talking with him.” But now they shall all come from heaven at the call of Christ. Thus the Psalmist says, “Our God shall come and shall not keep silence. He shall call to the heavens from above, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me.” And “Enoch also the seventh from Adam piophcsied, sayii-^g, behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints.” AH the souls of the redeemed will now descend with him, to be re-united to their glorified bodies. V/hat an immense multitude! What a retinue of attendants! In the njidst of this throng of attendants, he will be conspicuous; for he shall sit on the throne of his glory, and every eye shall see him.
4. The coming of Christ will be announced by the trump of God, and the acclamations of attending angels. The nations will have notice of his approach. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.”
“Hark! the archangel’s voice proclaiming,
Thou old time shalt be no more.”
Now the trump of God will sound, and with such a blast as was never before heard by mortal ears — with a blast which will shake the earth to its center, and wake the slumbers of the tomb. The sleeping millions will rise from the dead, and obey the summons, “come to judgment.” But here description fails.
When the law was given by the disposition of angels on mount Sinai, notice was given by “the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words; which voice they that heard, entreated that the word should not be spoken unto them any more; for they could not endure that which was commanded.” ‘’ And the voice of the trumpet was exceeding loud, so that all the people that were in the camp, trembled — and the whole mount quaked greatly.” ^’And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice” — ‘^ whose voice then shook the earth.” The apostle John saw in vision, “a mighty angel, who cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth; and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.” But nothing can equal that thunder which will echo round the world, when the archangel shall swell the sound of the last trumpet.
5. Christ will come suddenly. God has declared in his word that the wicked shall ‘’suddenly be destroyed,” and that ‘’ they shall be brought into desolation as in a moment.” The truth of these declarations will now be realized.
God has ever chosen to come on the wicked, when they felt most secure. It was thus when he ‘’ brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.” He had given them sufficient warning; but they would not believe; — and he waited till they had become so hardened, that they “knew not until the flood came and took them all awav.” So when he “turned the cities of Sodom into ashes,” the destruction came suddenly. It is true, God gave them sufficient warnings; but they were utterly disregarded. “They did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man shall be revealed.” The destruction of the old world, of Sodom, and of Jerusalem, are only images and shadows of the day of judgment. In these events God has taught us what to expect at the end of the world.
It has never been Gods manner to come out in judgment against the wicked, when they were expecting it, and preparing for it. Wh(^n he comes to punish men, he waits till their measure of iniquity is full, and then takes them by surprize.
If the good man of the house were expecting that his house would be broken open by a thief or an incendiary, he would choose to surprize and seize him in the very act. His crime would then be manifest, and his mouth would be stopped. So when sinners are talking and laughing, and scoffing and sporting in sin, all over the earth, — when they are in the midst of their wickedness, and when they least expect it, Christ will come. As the lightning, his glory will suddenly break forth. “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.” The voice of laughter and singing; the sound of the timbrel, the harp, and the organ, sballbe interrupted by the shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God. The mirthful, haughty countenance — the sneering, contemptuous look of those who can blush only at the name of Christ, will at once be changed. ^’ All faces will gather blackness.” In an instant, the wicked all over the world, will begin to “weep and gnash their teeth.” The sight of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven will compel them to cry to the rocks and mountains for shelter. 0, the sight of his face!
But now the righteous will rejoice. ^’ They shall lift up their heads, for behold, their redemption draweth nigh.” They “love his appearing.” And the sight of their Saviour will banish the fear of their enemies.
At the same time, the dead will be raised. “All that are in their graves shall hear his voice and come forth.” The bones of unnumbered millions, scattered over the face of the earth, shall come together, bone to his bone. The dust and ashes of the martyrs, and of all who once perished in the flames, shall come forth. The elements shall be made to deliver up every particle of human dust. The earth, the air, and sea shall all deliver up their dead.
And now the whole race of Adam, appears upon the earth at once — a multitude which no man can number, of all ages and nations and languages. But their bodies will be widely different. The bodies of the righteous will be glorious. “We look for the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto Christ’s glorious body.” In respect to the bodies of the wicked very little is revealed. But they shall be incorruptible immortal and inglorious. They shall “awake to shame and everlasting contempt.” Their bodies will correspond with their character and condition.
Now the souls of the righteous — the spirits of just men made perfect, will return each to his former habitation. And what will be the reflection of a glorified spirit, about to take possession of its glorified body. “This is the body which I once inhabited, and from which I have long been separated. This is the body in which I sinned, and in which I enjoyed a day of salvation. This is that body in which I once heard the sound of the gospel, and felt such a weight of guilt as made me cry out, ‘’ what must I do to be saved *?” This is that body in which 1 repented of my sins, and cried, ^’ God be merciful to me a sinner.” This is that body in which I first became acquainted with the Saviour, when old things passed away, and all things beconre new. This is that body which I presented to God, a living sacrifice, to be his forever. This is that body in which I endured such temptations, and felt such struggles in my Christian warfare — in which I so often knelt in prayer, and found sweet communion with Christ. This is that body in which I sufifered shame and reproach for the sake of Christ; — and now it is raised in his image to go and dwell in his presence forever.” Happy union!
Now the spirits in prison will come forth and take possession of their bodies; and with what bitter reflections, may we suppose each will take possession of his former habitation. ‘’This is the body in which I sinned, and in which I heard the sound of the gospel — the body which I fed and clothed with so much care, to the neglect of my soul — the body in which I was ashamed of Christ — the body which would not bend the knee in prayer to God. O that I had never seen it, or could never see it again. Must I again enter a dwelling so loathsome, fitted only to be tormented forever.” Miserable union!
And now the dead being raised, the living will be changed. This will be necessary to prepare them to endure the trial of the judgment. The sight of the judge, and the scenes of the last day, would be more than our present nature could endure. Sinners now under conviction of sin, sometimes lose all their strength, and their rational faculties. And this too, while they see but a part of their guilt and danger; and while they hear the sound of pardon, and the offers of salvation. How, then, could they endure the sight of all their sins, in the presence of their judge 1 Sometimes the criminal before an earthly judge, faints and falls on hearing sentence pronounced upon him. How then, could human nature sustain the scenes of the judgment? If sinners are overcome with the fear of those who have power only to kill the body, how could they endure the fear of him who has power to cast into helH The living, therefore, must be changed to prepare them for the trial.
This change of the living wU not be gradual. They will not die, and their souls depart for a season, and then return. The bodies of the Christians then living will become like the bodies of those who are raised from the dead. This mortal will put on immortality. It will be a mysterious — a wonderful change. It will take place suddenly, at the sound of the last trumpet, when the dead shall be raised. “Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised, and we shall be changed.”
The bodies of sinners too will now be changed and fitted for their destiny
The dead being raised, and the living changed, the whole multitude will be assembled before Christ. “Before him shall be gathered all nations.”
And now also the fallen angels shall be assembled. The prince, and the ruler of the darkness of this world, who has headed the grand rebellion, shall now be present with all his followers. These, though they now suffer in hell as do others, have yet had no public, formal trial. They are criminals in chains, reserved to the day of final account. “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.”
Unfinished.