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THE
NEW LIFE by
John Marshall
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Chapter
24 • LOOKING
FORWARD IN AWE
Obviously our minds will be in a whirl of thought. Shall we
like Lot's wife, be thinking of, or anxious about, what we'
are leaving behind? Shall we be stricken with anxiety about
the welfare of our children, particularly if they are very
young? Either they will be with us, or they will be in the
care of the Father, for they are His "heritage".
Whatever we may think, above all will be the consciousness
of what Paul warned: "We must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done
in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be
good or bad."
We ought to be clear that if "we neglect so great a salvation"
we shall dread the judgment because "It is a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God". But
if we strive faithfully as much as our ability will allow
we are certain of a merciful judgment because Jesus excels
in the divine qualities of compassion, grace, mercy and truth.
The most awesome aspect of this judgment is that we shall
stand alone for his verdict. How a husband will long to defend
the weaknesses of his wife, or a wife the defects of her husband!
How each will yearn to efface, for the Lord's eyes, the blemishes
in their children! All these things must be given serious
attention now for they cannot be done then. The judgment will
be a lonely and heartsearching moment, and many of us may
long to put the clock back!
Whilst time and life remain to us we can rededicate our lives
to Christ's service: we can help one another to strengthen
those aspects of character in us that are unlovely and negative.
The alternative neglect raises a horrifying prospect of rejection
which, if we think about it, would appear almost incredible.
Is there any one of us who could face with equanimity the
possibility of Jesus saying to us, "I know you not"?
This would mean a return to mortal life, to sorrow until its
end. The very thought of this ought to stimulate us to greater
faithfulness to the will of the Father, and to a greater love
of one another.
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References
Psa 127v3, 2 Cor 5v10, Heb 2v3,
Heb 10v31, Matt 25v12
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Chapter
24 • LOOKING
FORWARD IN AWE
The Sons of God
If the gathering of the dead and the living saints will be an awesome
event, what of the glory of joining Jesus in power and judgment?
The "snatching away" of the saints will be unseen by the
world which, nevertheless, will quickly discover its loss; but the
manifestation of the "sons of God" will be seen by all
nations, particularly those gathered to battle "upon the mountains
of Israel". It is here that the "shaking in the land of
Israel" is to take place, and the judgment will be inflicted
on the nations in terrible measure by "the Lord my God (who)
shall come and all the saints with thee".
Ezekiel 38 and 39 and Zechariah 14 portray the appalling and merited
destruction of the battling powers in God's chosen land. And it
is only when He, through His chosen Son and saints has executed
this judgment that "the house of Israel shall know that I am
the Lord their God from that day forward".
There is little doubt that the first task of Jesus will be the recall
of "all the tribes of the earth", that is, the twelve
tribes scattered throughout the earth, so that the Apostles may
be appointed to their promised thrones, and who better for this
task than the saints who will administer all his royal decrees?
Then will go forward the work of reconstruction and re-building
in Palestine, so that the throne of Jesus may be established and
the law go forth from Zion "and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem".
But national pride does not yield easily and it is more than probable
that a confederation of nations will dispute the right of Jesus
to exercise power in "the Middle East". Again, with Jesus,
it will be the task of the saints "to rebuke many people"
until the blessed tune comes that the nations "shall beat their
swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks and nation
shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn
war any more". It will not be the pleasure of God, nor will
it be the joy of Jesus and the saints to have to execute such inevitable
judgments, but it will be an exultation of glory when they see the
earth at rest and at peace.
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References
Ezek 39v3, Ezek 38v19, Zech 14v5,
Ezek 39v22, Matt 24v30, Matt 19v28,
Isa 2v3, Isa 2v4,
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