The dead nations when again brought into existence will need food, and raiment, and shelter. However great may have been their possessions in this life, death will have brought all to a common level; the infant and the old man, the millionaire and the pauper, the learned and the unlearned, the cultured and the ignorant and degraded, and all will have an abundant opportunity for the exercise of benevolence, and thus they will be privileged to be co-workers with God lifting each other up out of the mire of sin and degradation. We are here reminded of the illustration given in the case of Lazarus: Jesus only awakened him from death, and then permitted the rejoicing friends to lose him from his grave clothes and clothe him and feed him.
Further, these are said to be "sick and in prison," (more properly, under ward or watch.) The grave is the great prison where the millions of humanity have been held in unconscious captivity; but when released from the grave, the restoration to perfection is not an instantaneous work. Being not yet perfect, they may properly be termed sick and under ward. They are not dead, neither are they yet perfect; and any condition between those two is properly called sick. And they will continue to be under watch or ward until made well --physically, mentally, and morally perfect. During that time there will be abundant opportunity for mutual helpfulness, sympathy, instruction and encouragement.
Since mankind will not all be raised at once, but in separate ranks or orders (1 Cor 15:23) during the thousand years, each new rank will find an army of helpers in those who will have preceded them. The love and benevolence which men will then show to each other (the brethren of Christ) the King will count as shown to him. No great deeds are assigned as the ground for the honors and favors conferred upon the righteous; they have simply come into harmony with God's law--love--and proved it by their works. "Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom 13:10), and "God is love," so, when man is restored again to the image of God--"very good" --man also will be love.
In the kingdom everyday will present new opportunities for service to ones fellow man. Imagine if you will the hearts of those so overflowing with love and compassion for their neighbors, that when they arise in the morning it is not with the expectation of what they might accomplish this day for themselves, but rather in what way or manner they might assist their neighbors.
In harmony with the scripture it is logical to assume that each generation will be in the reverse order in which they died, thus the first will be last and last will be first. This seems to be the best course of action, as each succeeding generation is more in tune with the one before it, and therefore better able to help them adjust to their new surroundings. Imagine if you will if someone was brought back from the dead from say the early 1600’s to our day what a shock that would be to them, or even worse someone from the time of Moses.
Think about it this way who better than those from the 20th century to help those raised from the 19th century to adjust, and who better than the 19th century to help those of the 18th century adjust, the 18th helps the 17th, the 17th helps the 16th, and so on and so forth all the way back through time.
As each generation is resurrected in reverse order it affords all who possess a sheep like character the opportunity to exercise all of the commendable traits for which the Lord is pleased.
“…for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” (Verses 35 and 36)
“These verses reveal some of the criteria by which judgment will be made to determine who the sheep are and who the goats. In other words, some of the ordinary courtesies of life, in one department or another will be the determining factors for getting life.
Verses 35 and 36: The “prison” is not literal but refers to the figurative “prison house” of death. Thus Verses 34–36 are figurative as well as literal depending on the verse. Those coming back from the grave will literally need food, liquid to drink, clothes, and various types of service and assistance. But there is, in addition, a figurative or spiritual application. Comfort, encouragement, explanations of God’s plan with Jesus as the Mediator, and so forth, will have to be provided to those who are resuscitated. With the Kingdom being a “reconstruction” era (remember we just came through the great time of trouble), good “neighborliness” will be required. Those who are more established will help those who are less established.
“I was in prison and you came to me”
“In regard to the prison house of death, the Pastor has suggested that those who are living will pray for those not yet resuscitated from the grave.
As each order is resuscitated it would be but natural for family members to pray for the release of their own loved ones. Children praying for their parents release, parents for their parents and so on and so forth, but what of those who died without siblings, brothers, sisters or children of their own, who will pray for their release?
That’s right, those with the Lord’s spirit, those with a sheep like demeanor who recall old Mr. Tillman who lived down the street whose wife died years prior having never bore them any children. They will pray for his release and for that of his wife’s, because they possess the right spirit. Not only will they simply pray for their release, but knowing that they will come back into this world with nothing they will prepare food and drink, clothing and a place for them to live.
How much consideration a person has for others—how much earnest interest—will help to measure his worthiness or unworthiness for life. An attitude of “hospitality” will be required, an attitude of wanting to help others. In the Kingdom one’s heart condition will be revealed to a certain extent by the deeds rendered to others.
Notice the emphasis on “I” (referring to Jesus) “I was in prison…” The point is that service rendered to others will be like serving Jesus himself. We have this same principle in the Christian Age. When Jesus appeared to Saul on his way to Damascus, our Lord said, “Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me?” In other words, a persecution of Jesus’ followers is equivalent to persecuting Jesus himself (Something many on this forum should remember when they go a bit too far in their words to others on the forum). “Inasmuch as you are doing it unto them, you are doing it unto me” is the thought. The spirit of togetherness in Christ will be a characteristic of the Kingdom Age as well as of the Gospel Age. Jesus’ words in Matt 10:40 illustrate this principle: “He that receives you receives me.” Recognition of Jesus’ followers is like recognizing or receiving Jesus himself.
As the deeds listed in Verses 35 and 36 are performed, their merit will accumulate. In the Gospel Age we are told to lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven. Those “treasures” are all the things we do down here of good intent and in harmony with God’s Word. The same concept of “accumulation,” therefore, applies to both ages. The parable indicates that in the Kingdom the accumulation of good deeds will occur in a casual way. The sheep class will simply be rendering assistance and kind deeds—not because of the reward but because doing so is a genuine expression of their thinking.” The Gospel of Matthew, Page 80
Continued with next post.
