VERSE 13-14 continued “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, [but] their works follow [with] them.” Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.”
Present Work of the Risen Saints
What would be the present lot of the risen saints now occupying earth’s atmosphere?
Might it not be in principle a time period similar to those days of the resurrected Master, prior to his ascension, when he administered to the needs of his disciples?
“Though all power and authority under God had been secured to Jesus by reason of his fulfilling the supreme and faithful sacrifice of his human nature (Matt. 28:18), he had not yet ascended to the Father (John 20:17) but remained invisibly present with them the greater part of forty days, only occasionally and judiciously manifesting himself to them in different forms and in various ways as would best strengthen them with a new and living hope (1 Pet. 1:3)—by establishing their faith in the reality of his resurrection.
To this end Jesus suppressed his own longing feelings for and joyous anticipation of meeting with the Father. What condescending grace! The honor, emoluments, and praise due the beloved Son must needs await the completion of this important work on behalf of his disciples. Forty days later Jesus ascended on high, and the full resplendent glory of his triumphal entry into the courts of heaven commenced. Who can imagine the ecstasy, the grandeur, the joyous tumult and acclamation attendant so significant an event? Worthy the Lamb! Nor would this excitement subside in a few hours or a day. Evidently a ten-day period was decreed by divine foresight, and prophetically so fixed, to allow sufficient time for this jubilation prior to the formal surety of his blood imputation on behalf of his Church, which took place at Pentecost.
This ten-day period seems reasonable for from the time the true Passover lamb, “the lamb of God” was first sacrificed (John 1:36;1 Cor 5:7) until Pentecost, 50 days would have elapsed. The first 40 days as stated helping to establish his disciple’s faith in his resurrection and the last 10 in celebration as he entered the heavenly courts triumphant. On the last of which, the 50th day he would present the first part of the sin-offering pictured in the Tabernacle by the presentation of the bullock’s blood before the mercy seat, Lev 16:6, 14, i.e., before God, before justice. This sin-offering was for himself (that is his body, the Church), and for his house, (the “household of faith,” the Levites, the “great company”). Indeed, a great celebration day, Jubilee Day.
The present condition of the risen saints, it is logical to believe, is analogous to that of Jesus during those forty days (Acts 1:3) before his ascension to heaven. The fact that this supposition necessitates a close proximity between the forces of good and evil, as they would occupy the same media or similar environs about the earth (the earths atmosphere), should not be a real obstacle to either faith or reason, for this condition already existed prior to A.D. 1878, ever since the days of Noah. The Devil and his angels have been confined to earth’s atmosphere for more than four thousand years. To such an extent has Satan usurped this realm that he is alluded to as the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2). Yet this occupation has not prohibited God’s holy messengers from having access to and from His people; nor have the demoniac powers been able to interfere with the host of guardian angels and their ministrations on behalf of the consecrated to protect the true interests of the Lord’s flock. (Of course, divine Wisdom and Power may occasionally permit temporary delays and obstructions to teach humility, appreciation, and obedience to those laws which would keep the consecrated in the protective circle of His love—Dan. 10:12,13.)
This same strange anomaly exists here below on the earthly plane. Various nations with opposing ideologies and hostile intentions habitat the same globe. The same principle holds true with respect to humanity at large: criminals, murderers, adulterers, racketeers, juvenile delinquents—that is, the baser elements of society—dwell together in the same sphere or realm with the decent, upright, law-abiding citizens or more respectable members of society. This teeming mass of mixed humanity, scattered over the face of the earth, numbers over seven billion souls, and yet there is considerable room for more expansion. The thought as to whether such a paradoxical condition as this could exist—whether an incongruous mixed multitude could live together on earth in close proximity to each other—does not even enter one’s mind because this strange state of affairs is seen daily.
The question is not if such a condition could ever exist but why?
The only satisfactory answer lies in understanding the philosophy of the permission of evil; namely, that the condition is temporary and is designed to ultimately teach all of God’s intelligent creatures (a) the exceeding sinfulness of sin, (b) sin’s contagious powers, (c) the necessity of evil to test and develop the faith and obedience of the Church, (d) the desirability of the Kingdom, and (e) the magnification of God’s Justice, Love, Power, and Wisdom through the future eradication of sin by the divine program.”
Continued with next post.
