The Three Last Things: The Ressurection of the Body, The Day of Judgment, and Final Retribution

Front matter

Vivo acess

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Contents

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ADVERTISEMENT. . , ‘ , j -_ CHAPTER I.

InrropucTionN—THE Supsect STATED. . 9 CHAPTER II.

Chapter I. Introduction——the Subject Stated

Why are not all men, at least in Christian lands, earnestly engaged in preparing for the “Three Last Things,’—the Resurrection, the Judgment, and Final Retribution? Doubtless, the love of this world, and the occupation of men’s minds with worldly cares and pleasures, do much to make them forget what ' the Scriptures teach concerning futurity. The Judgment, Heaven and Hell make little impression, because men seldom think of them. ‘‘'The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”’” But could this be the case, if what the scriptures say of the Day of Judgment and the Retribution that is to

i follow it, were apprehended as realities? Itis not merely because these things are future, that they do not seize every mind with irresistible force. The affairs of tomorrow, of next week, and of next year, are future ; and yet they occupy the minds of men and influence their conduct, even more than things that are present. Nor isit because the Judgment and its consequences are at a greater distance from us than worldly things. It is not true, that, among future things, those that are nearest, necessarily affect us most strongly. ‘The young man subjects himself to study, and labor, and privation, during many of the first years of his life, that he may prepare for the years that shall follow. He deliberately consecrates the years that are nearest, to the work of preparing for those that are more remote. It is not, then, because the Judgment is future, or because it is more distant than some other events, that men neglect to prepare for it. It is rather because Judgment, Heaven and Hell are not indeed apprehended by them as realities. That their conduct will have an influence on their condition in this life, they see and feel, and act accordingly. Its influence on their condition in another life does not appear so real to them, and they disregard it.

Some have even gone a step farther, and openly assert that this life is the only state of retribution; that we suffer here, all that we shall ever suffer for our sins, and that death will introduce us all into a state of unmingled felicity. Of course, they believe all solicitude and all preparation for judgment after death and retribution after judgment to be entirely useless. From those who live and die in this belief, nothing but neglect of spiritual things and consequent perdition can reasonably be expected. And of those who have not adopted this doctrine as their own, many are encouraged in neglect by their example, and many, by the thought that perhaps it may be true.

How shall this error be met? How shall men be convinced that they cannot safely neglect the salvation of their souls? A closer inspection of their belief may show us.

YZ THE THREE LAST THINGS.

Those who hold that there will be no Retribution after death, very naturally hold that there will be no Day of Judgment after death ; for of what use is judgment, if none are to be condemned ; or condemnation, if none are to be punished? Judgment naturally precedes retribution. Of course, those who hold that this life is the only state of retribution, hold that every day is a day of judgment; or at least, that there are many days of judgment— days when God inflicts special chastisement— in this life. And if there is to be no general judgment, what need is there of a general resurrection? And when one arrives at this state of mind, it is very natural to think that the doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body cannot be literally true ; that the body, when once dead, is dead forever, and that only the soul survives.

Thus, the system that justifies the neglect of the soul, denies the Resurrection of the Body, the Day of Judgment, and Retribution after the Day of Judgment; and those who fully believe it, will tell how absurd it is, to believe that there is a local and material hell, for the punishment of immaterial spirits. But probably, those who distinctly receive the entire system are but few. A far greater number deny that there will be any retribution after death, but whether there will be a general resurrection and a general judgment, they have not considered, or have considered slightly without deciding.

Such, it is believed, is the most prevalent form of the doctrine which encourages men to neglect preparation for another world. It does not deny that God will punish sinners ; and therefore texts and arguments which merely prove that God will punish sinners, do not confute it. Its error is an error in respect to tume ; asserting that retribution is in this life, and not after a general resurrection and general judgment. It must be met, therefore, by an argument concerning the tzme of retribution. We must show that retribution will follow the Day of Judgment. But this will be insufficient ; for we shall be told that God judges us every day that we live. We must,

1* therefore, fix the date of that Day of Judgment of which the Bible speaks. We must show that there will be a General Resurrection— not merely an existence of the soul after death—but a General Resurrection of the bodies of men, such as we know has not yet taken place; and that, at the time of that Resurrection, there will be a Day of Judgment, which will be followed by Retribution, according to the deeds done in the body. A Retribution, pursuant to the sentence pronounced at the time of the General Resurrection of the bodies of men, must be beyond this life, and it evidently behooves men to prepare for it.

The immortality of the soul may be made probable on philosophic grounds, and has been held by many of the heathen. But the Resurrection of the Body is purely a matter of revelation. ‘The utmost that philosophy can do is to confute objections, and prove that, for anything that we know, the bodies of men may be raised from the dead. Positive proof that they will be raised, must come wholly

N from the word of God. Nearly all that can be done without impropriety, is to select and arrange appropriate texts, so as to show what the Bible teaches. If it can be shown that the Scriptures foretell a General Resurrection, a General Judgment, and a Retribution after that Judgment, then, the theory which justifies the neglect of the soul’s future welfare will be demolished, and all who receive the Bible as the word of God, must acknowledge that they ought now to be diligent in preparing for another life. This will be attempted in the following pages.

One of the chief obstacles to be encountered in this attempt, is the notion that the Resurrection is impossible; that when a human body is once really dead, it can never be made alive again. ‘This objection, probably, presses upon the minds of many, when contemplating the General Resurrection, who never think of it in connection with the resurrection of Christ. If they believe that he was really dead,—as dead as any other dead man,—and that he really rose from the dead, then they must admit that the resurrection of the dead is not a universal impossibility. To raise a body which has been dead three days, evidently requires a special exertion of divine power; and none who admit that such a resurrection has taken place, will deny that the power of God is equally able to raise a body that has been dead four days, or. four thousand -days or years; and that, notwithstanding all the dispersion of its parts, which the providence of God may have permitted. If, then, God has raised the body of Christ from the dead, the objections of philosophy must cease, and we have only to learn from the Bible, whether God intends to raise others also. It appears desirable, therefore, to bring distinctly before the reader’s mind, the: Scripture testimony concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This will be the subject of the next chapter.

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CHAPTER IL.

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

Tue Resurrection of Christ implies, first, that he was really dead, and secondly, that his body was afterwards made alive. On each of these points, the testimony of Scripture is unequivocal and abundant.

1. Christ really died upon the cross.

When taken down, he not merely seemed to be dead, but was really dead. It was not mere fainting. It was not a case of suspended animation. It was actual death, such as others suffer who die on the cross. ‘The evidence of this is conclusive.

Christ predicted that he should die. Mat. 16: 21. “From that time forth, began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the Elders and Chief Priests and Scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” The reality of his death, too, is implied in all those passages where he foretells his Resurrection. Mat. 17: 9. ‘ And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.” Mat. 26: 32. “But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.” ‘The predictions were—not that he should recover from a state of apparent death, but that he should rise from the dead; which certainly implies that he should really be dead. The Evangelists evidently believed that these predictions had been fulfilled.

The apostles, in their preaching and correspondence, spoke habitually and decidedly of his death, as an undoubted matter of fact. Acts 2: 23. “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.”” Acts 3: 14, 15. “ But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of Life, whom God hath raised from the dead.” Rom. 14: 9. ‘For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived ; that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.” Rom. 5: 6,8,10. ‘In due time, Christ died for the ungodly.”— ‘While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’—* We were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son.” Rom. 6: 3. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ, were baptised into his death?” Philip. 2: 8. ‘He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”” Heb. 2: 9. ‘ But we see Jesus, -who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor; that he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.” But such expressions are too numerous to quote. They are frequent throughout the New Testament ; and they teach, unequivocally, that Christ really died.

The Evangelists all testify expressly, that he died on the cross. Mat. 27: 50. “‘ Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.”” Mark 15: 37. “¢ And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.” Luke 28: 46. ‘“ And having’ said thus, he gave up the ghost.” John 19: 30. ‘‘He bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

His enemies testified that he was really dead. Mat. 27: 62, 63. “ Now the next day, that followed the day of preparation, the Chief Priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, after three days I will rise again.” This language shows that they believed him to be dead when they uttered it.

His friends also believed that he was dead. Therefore Joseph of Arimathea requested his body for burial, in which he was assisted by Nicodemus. ‘These were men of wealth and influence ; judicious, well-informed men, who would not easily be deceived. It cannot be

THE THREE LAST THINGS. oF supposed that they went through the whole process of entombment, without ascertaining the truth. ‘The Galilean women who beheld his burial, believed him to be dead, and prepared spices for more perfectly embalming him after the Sabbath. ‘The slowness of his disciples to believe that he was alive, after he had appeared to some of them on the third day, proves their strong conviction that he was really dead.

The fact of his death was officially reported to Pilate. Mark 15: 42—~45, we are informed that when Joseph of Arimathea requested the body of Jesus for burial, Pilate called the centurion, “and asked whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.” If the friends of those who are condemned to death might obtain their bodies by just asking for them and saying that they were dead, the way would be open for innumerable frauds. It behooves the magistrate, therefore, to be sure that sentence of death is really and fully executed. Of this, Pilate was evidently aware. Perhaps thinking it possible, from the shortness of the time during which Jesus had hung upon the cross, that he had only fainted, he formally investigated the matter, and ascertained that he was really dead. Whether the centurion, on being questioned, went to the cross and returned, does not certainly appear. Probably, he did not. According to John 19: 31—33, the Jews had requested that the legs of the crucified might be broken, and their bodies removed before the Sabbath. This was done with respect to the two thieves; but when the soldiers came to Jesus, they saw that he was dead already, and brake not his legs. Joseph’s application to Pilate, and the examiation of the centurion, were after this; and probably the centurion’s answer was founded upon the examination made by the soldiers at this ime. We have, then, the verdict not only of the centurion, but of the whole band of soldiers engaged in the crucifixion, and who were so confident of the reality of his death, that they ventured to omit breaking his legs, as they had been ordered to do on the supposition that he might still be alive ; and this, in the presence of a multitude of his Jewish enemies, who would by no means have consented to the omission, or been silent about it, had they not known that he was really dead.

One circumstance attending this examination by the soldiers is worthy of special notice. John 19: 34, 35. “ But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs; but one of the soldiers, with a spear, pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water.” ‘The apostle shows his sense of the importance of this fact, by the remarkable attestation which immediately follows. ‘‘ And he that saw it, bare record, and his record is true; and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.”’ On this effusion of blood and water, Bloomfield judiciously remarks: “ The earlier commentators in general regard it as miraculous; but the researches of modern surgery have established the fact, that the effusion would have taken place in any case, being the natural consequence of such a wound ; and is, under all the circumstances, decisive evidence of the actual death of Christ. Medical writers are, indeed, not quite agreed whether by blood and water be meant the small portion of water found in the pericardium, called lymph, or (which is more probable) the sanguineous and aqueous liquor found in the cavities of the pleura after a mortal wound, or that follows a stab in the pleura, when the pericardium has been pierced, which 1s always mortal; consequently, a proof that if Christ had not been already dead, this wound would certainly have extinguished the last remains of life; which was doubtless the intent of the soldier.”

The adversaries of the apostles virtually admitted the reality of his death, when they had the strongest possible inducements to deny it. When it had become notorious that his body was missing from the sepulchre, and the apostles were proclaiming his resurrection, and multitudes were daily admitting its reality and becoming his followers, nothing could have answered their purpose so well as a

. THE THREE LAST THINGS. Q5 prevalent doubt whether he had really been dead. If they could have made the story appear at all plausible, that he had only fainted on the cross, and afterwards revived, immense numbers would have been satisfied with it, and would have been kept from joining themselves to his disciples. But they never even hinted such a suspicion. Instead of it, they circulated the story that his disciples had stolen away his body ; they arrested and imprisoned the apostles, and forbade them to speak in the name of Jesus. Their whole conduct shows that they well knew the reality of his death to be too notorious to be denied.

But enough under this head; especially as additional proof will come before us, while considering the next.

2. The body of Christ was raised from the dead.

It is admitted by all parties, that on the morning of the third day after his crucifixion, the body was missing from the sepulchre where it had been placed. How shall we account for its absence? Was his body stolen

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by his disciples, or was it raised from the dead?

If the disciples stole the body, they doubtless did it for the sake of making the people believe that he had risen from the dead, according to his own prediction. If they did this, they were dishonest men ; they laid and executed a deliberate plan for deceiving the people; they knew that the story of his resurrection was a deliberate lie, of the worst kind, and for the worst of purposes,—the purpose of religious deception. If so, then doubtless God never “ confirmed” their lying “ word by signs following,” and all they tell us of miracles, wrought in the name of Jesus, and in proof of his resurrection, is false; and all their assertions that they had seen him alive after his crucifixion, are also false. Certainly no one will take this ground, and still have the impudence to call himself a Christian. - We are driven, therefore, to the only remaining supposition—that he rose from the dead. Still, let us look at the positive testimony concerning his resurrection.

THE THREE LAST THINGS. yf

We learn from Mat. 27: 62—66, that the question of the continuance of the body in the sepulchre was not treated with neglect at the time. The Chief Priests and Pharisees were afraid that it would be missing. ‘They feared, or pretended to fear, that his disciples would steal the body, and then say that he had risen. At their request, a guard of soldiers was set to watch the sepulchre, and the stone by which it was closed, was sealed, so that none could enter without: breaking the seal, and thus leaving evidence of the intru-- sion. And here it is natural to remark, that the men who were so careful to guard against any appearance of his resurrection, would not fail to make sure of the reality of his death.

On the morning .of the third day, the body was found 'to be absent. ‘I'he disciples, who visited the sepulchre ; the guard, who needed to’ produce the body as a proof of their own faithfulness, to screen themselves from punishment, and the Chief Priests, who were’ so anxious to have it as a proof that he ‘had not risen, all concur in the fact, that the dead body was not to be found. How came it to be absent? ‘The Roman soldiers, who had been placed there on purpose to watch the sepulchre and to prevent any deception, gave two different accounts of the transaction. First, as we learn from Mat. 28: 11, they “showed unto the Chief Priests all the things that were done,” as related in the beginning of that chapter; that “there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended frem heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 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;” and.that afterwards the sepulchre was found to be empty. This Matthew gives as the true account. Whoever believes this, will believe that he rose from the dead. Afterwards, being hired with money and encouraged by promises of protection, they said, ‘“ His disciples came by night, and stole him away - while we slept.’ Certainly, if they were asleep, they did not see the disciples steal the body, and could not know but that he had risen from the dead. And that Roman soldiers should sleep while on guard, the punishment for which was death; that the ,whole guard should fall asleep at once ; that they should all sleep so soundly as not to be awakened by all the unavoidable noise of opening the sepulchre, rolling away the stone and carrying off the body ; that having committed such a crime, they should all with one consent expose themselvés to capital punishment by confessing it; that, when their unfaithfulness became known, the affair should be hushed up, and no punishment inflicted upon any of them; that the Chief Priests, who were so anxious to have them watch, should not insist on their punishment on learning that they slept ; all this appears to be as much out of the ordinary course of events, as contrary to all our experience, and in short as much a miracle; as the resurrection itself. The fact that they were not punished, shows that the story of their sleep was known to be a fiction, invented to answer the purpose of - influential persons. If we had no other evidence, we should be compelled to believe the account given by the guard before they had been bribed.

But we have other evidence. ‘“ He show-, ed himself alive” to his disciples, “after his passion, by many infallible proofs ; being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” During this period of forty days, he was seen at eleven different times. He was first seen by Mary Magdalene, Mark 16: 9, John 20: 1—18; then by several women, who had_ been at the sepulchre, Matt. 28: 9, 10; afterwards by two disciples on their way to Emmaus, and by Simon Peter, Luke 24: 13—31, 34; then again by all the apostles except Thomas, and a week after that by all the apostles, Thomas being present, John 20: 19—29. On both these last occasions, he showed the apostles his hands and his side, and on one of them, as we learn from Luke 24: 39, he said, *‘ Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” He appeared, as recorded John 21: 1—23, to some of his disciples at the sea of Tiberias, where he ate with them. He was seen also by the eleven apostles on a mountain in Galilee, where he had appointed to meet them, Matt. 28: 16—20. Paul records, also, 1 Cor. 15: 6,7, his appearance to above five hundred brethren at once, and again to James. Lastly, all the apostles, (1 Cor. 15: 7,) saw him on Mount Olivet, where, (Acts 1: 9,) ‘ while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.”’ Of the fact of his resurrection they proceeded to bear witness. They appointed Matthias, (Acts 1; 22,) ‘to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”’ Peter said to the Jews, on the day of Pentecost, (Acts 2: 23 and onward,) ‘Jesus of Nazareth, ye have taken,—crucified and slain; whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death.” And he proceeded to show that David had foretold the resurrection of Christ. And he added, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” ‘To the multitude who came together when the lame man _ was healed, Peter said, (Acts 3: 14, 15,) “But ye —killed the Prince of Life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses.” And to the rulers, on the next day, he declared that that miracle had been wrought “by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whem ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead.” And habitually, (Acts 4: 33,) * with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” ‘The recorded instances are altogether too numerous to be quoted in a work like this. Nor is there any need of it. Every reader of the New ‘Testament knows, that it was the burden of their preaching.

And let us keep in mind, what they meant by the Resurrection of Christ. It was not merely the immortality of his soul; not merely that his soul existed and acted after the death of his body. ‘They preached that the body of Jesus itself was raised from the dead, so that when the sepulchre was searched, the body was found to be absent. They preached that, after his death and burial, they had seen his body alive, having flesh and bones, walking, conversing and eating with his disciples. ‘They preached that they had seen this risen body ascend up from Mount Olivet, till a cloud received it out of their sight.

And they rested the claim of Christianity to be received as true, upon this fact; that the body of Christ, after it had been dead and buried, was made alive -again. On _ this point, one remarkable passage shall suffice. 1 Cor. 15: 1—20. In this passage, Paul repeats the substance of the gospel which he had preached to the Corimthians, and by which, if at all, he tells them, ‘“‘ye are. saved.”’ It was, “that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures ; and that he was buried; and that he rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures ; and that he was seen of Cephas; then of the twelve,” and afterwards by other witnesses. ‘* Now,” he says, “if Christ be preached, that he rose from the dead, how say some among you, that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is

Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God, that he raised up Christ; whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised; and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished.” Language could not declare more plainly, that if Christ had not really risen from the dead, then the gospel which the apostles preached was false ; that believing it was vain; that those who believe it are not saved from sin; and that those who die expecting the salvation of which the gospel speaks, perish like other men; in short, that if the body of Christ was not raised, then the gospel is a fable, and its promises and hopes unworthy of confidence. Let no one, then, presume to call himself a Christian, who does not believe “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day.”

Chapter III. | The General Resurrection And General Judgment

Tue four following propositions may most conveniently be discussed simultaneously ; as the proof of their truth rests mainly on the same texts.

1. There will be a second coming of Christ.

2. At the second coming of Christ, the bodies, both of the just and of the unjust, will be raised from the dead.

3. The dead, when raised, will be judged according to the deeds done in the body.

4. At the judgment, some will be approved, and admitted to a state of happiness ; and others will be condemned, and sentenced to a state of misery.

If these propositions are true, then this life is not the only scene of punishment for those who persevere in sin; but there is a state of retribution after death, for which it behooves us to prepare.

The great difficulty to be overcome, in establishing the truth of these propositions, is the notion that the resurrection of the dead is impossible. ‘That the soul is immortal, and that it will exist, and be happy or miserable after death, most men find little difficulty in believing. But the Resurrection of the Body appears to many impossible, and the belief of it absurd. Hence they conclude, if they receive the Scriptures as true, that those passages which seem to speak of it, really mean something else. Such views were entertained by some members of the church at Corinth, and Paul occupies the whole of the fifteenth chapter of his first epistle to that church, in confuting them. Let us consider his arguments in their order.