Meet Me at the Resurrection

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 8
 
“WIST ye not that I must be about my Father’s business,” are the first words we have on record spoken by the Lord Jesus, when twelve years of age. Luke 2:4949And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? (Luke 2:49). “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work,” was His answer to His disciples when pressing Him to eat of the meat they had brought, when He had found a poor, thirsty sinner at the well of Sychar, and had ministered to her the water of life. John 4:3434Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34).
“It is finished,” are the memorable words uttered by Him on the cross, just before He bowed His head in death, recorded by him who also wrote, “These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that, believing, ye might have life through His name.” John 19:30; 20:3130When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)
31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31). Of such an one, coming to Him, believing on Him, hearing His words, receiving Him, He says, I will in no wise cast him out. I will give unto him eternal life. I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:37-4037All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:37‑40). While of the one who believes not on Him, rejects Him, and receives not His words, He says, “The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:4848He 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. (John 12:48). Of the two classes we read in John 5:28, 2928Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28‑29), “All that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.” The first of these two classes, “sleep by Jesus,” and are “raised in glory.” 1 Thess. 4:14; 114For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14)
4But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. (1 Thessalonians 2:4) Cor. 15:43; the last of the two “classes” die in their sins, and therefore are raised for judgment. John 8:21; 5:2921Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. (John 8:21)
29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:29).
At first sight John 5:2929And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:29) might lead us to suppose that the Lord spake of a general judgment, that the saved and the unsaved would be raised together, but this is not so. We learn from Rev. 20:4-64And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first 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. (Revelation 20:4‑6) that a thousand years intervene between the two resurrections spoken of in John 5:2929And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:29). Those in Rev. 20:44And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4) we read of in 1 Thess. 4:1616For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (1 Thessalonians 4:16), and those called “the rest of the dead,” Rev. 20:55But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:5), we find again in 20:12-15.
The words at the head of this paper were uttered by a little girl just before she died, to her elder sister. She had been to the Sunday school, and the resurrection of the Lord was the subject she was expected to study for the following Sunday. I believe the Scripture pointed out to her was 1 Cor. 15:20-2220But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20‑22), and by her parting word to her sister she surely had her thoughts on verse 23, “They that are Christ’s, at His coming.” When “the dead in Christ shall rise first,” and when “we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” What a meeting will that be of dear departed ones, who are Christ’s and those who have known and loved them on earth, who are “waiting for God’s Son from heaven,” and above all to meet Him too, who died for them and rose again.
Will the one whose eyes now scans these pages be in that happy company with those who “are Christ’s”? Can you answer thankfully to this question, “Yes, for He loved me, and gave Himself for me?” Gal. 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20).
In conclusion, may I press on you the words of the dear little one gone to be with Jesus, “Meet meat the resurrection.” W. R. H.