Revelation 20:11-15 - Homiletics

The resurrection from the dead.

This paragraph is an amazingly compressed eschatology. We have already studied the Scripture teaching on "the day of the Lord" which it opens up to us. We have now to look at the dread incidents which will mark that day. One of these is indicated by the words, "I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne … And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them." We will, with these words as our center point, survey the doctrine in the light of the general tenor of Scripture.

1. AT THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THERE WILL BE A GENERAL RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD . There is nothing in Scripture to lead to the conclusion that there will be two bodily resurrections. Those which are mainly supposed to teach it do not. Others teach precisely the contrary.

1 . There are two passages which are among the principal ones that are adduced for the doctrine of two bodily resurrections, one of the saints, and afterwards of the wicked.

2 . Other passages leave distinctly on the mind the impression of one resurrection, not of two; e.g. John 5:28 ; Matthew 25:41 ; Acts 24:15 ; Daniel 12:2 . We are pointed to one day or time, whether Scripture speaks of the righteous, or of the wicked, or of both.

II. WHAT WILL THE RESURRECTION BE ? Granted that it will be of all the dead ( John 5:28 ): what is meant by it? We reply— It will be a resurrection of bodies.

1 . The bodies of the righteous will rise ( Philippians 3:21 ; 1 Corinthians 15:43 ; Romans 8:11 , Romans 8:23 ).

2 . The bodies of the wicked will rise. The dead will rise with bodies which will be according to character, and which will contain within themselves provision for joy or woe. Query: Have we any clue in Scripture as to the relation which exists between the body that is laid in the grave and that which will rise from it? We reply—Not any direct clue; but we have a very clear statement of an apostle in 1 Corinthians 15:36-38 , concerning four well-known principles and methods of God in the natural world; and if we apply these, as he would have us do, to the doctrine in hand, we shall find many difficulties cleared out of the way. The four facts are these.

"God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him." If these are borne in mind and carried out to their legitimate issue, they will leave us no difficulty in the matter save the one, that we do not know the whole of anything.

III. How WILL THE RESURRECTION BE EFFECTED ?

1 . By the power of God ( Matthew 22:29 ).

2 . By the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ ( John 5:28 , John 5:29 ; Philippians 3:21 ).

3 . By the energy of the Holy Ghost ( Romans 8:11 ).

4 . Angels will be the attendants and instruments ( Matthew 13:39-41 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ).

If we here do little more than quote Scripture, it is because that is all that we can do. We know nothing more about the resurrection than we are told by our Lord and his apostles. We cannot forget that the Redeemer, in his memorable reply to the Sadducces, in which he showed them that their blundering over the doctrine arose from ignorance of Scripture, also pointed out in what the real glory of the resurrection consists, viz. not in the reproducing of like flesh and blood, nor in the repetition of an earthly life, but in the raising of the entire man to a life of nobler energy, in which it would be possible for him to realize the full meaning of the words, "I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob." He who was their God would be to them all that a God could be, and would raise them up and present them to himself in all the perfection of a complete and glorified manhood.

IV. ON WHAT GROUND MAY OUR BELIEF IN THE RESURRECTION SECURELY REST ? There is one ground which is sufficient in itself, viz. the testimony of Jesus Christ and his apostles. Well aware are we that this is an age of revolt from authority. Or, rather, it is supposed to be so. And men think that they require clear proof from actual experiment before they believe. But a little close examination will dispose of this self laudatory theory. For first, if the proof of x be direct and personal, based on his own trial, to him the issue is knowledge, not faith. And second, unless his own proof can be repeated or actually is repeated by others, they must accept another's finding on faith in him. And so it is in the entire scientific realm. There is no man of science that does not owe to the experiments of others ninety-nine hundredths of all his knowledge. In other words, the great bulk of scientific knowledge rests on the authority of others. There are three kinds of authority which will stand as long as the race lasts.

With regard to the resurrection. The Lord Jesus Christ, as Lord of all, has authority of the first-named order. His apostles, as taught by the Holy Ghost, have authority of the second order. Hence the question between faith and unbelief regarding the resurrection ceases to be one of the surrender of authority as a ground of faith, and becomes merely one of the transfer of authority. Are men prepared to accept as authorities on this matter men who ask them to disbelieve the resurrection, because science can give them no information respecting it? We, for our part, challenge men to produce more trustworthy testimony on any matter, than that of our Lord and his apostles concerning the resurrection. If asked, then, for the ground on which we believe it, we would reply:

1 . The Lord has assured us of it ( John 11:23 )

2 . He regards it as a part of the trust committed to him ( John 6:39 , John 6:40 ).

3 . He has led the way by his own resurrection ( 1 Corinthians 15:17 ).

4 . He has declared his will that his people shall follow him to glory ( John 17:24 ).

5 . The completion of his own mediatorial work demands it (l Corinthians 1 Corinthians 15:29 -82; 1 Thessalonians 2:19 ; Colossians 1:28 ; Jude 1:24 ).

V. WHAT WILL FOLLOW FROM THE RESURRECTION ? ( 1 Corinthians 15:14 , "Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.") The bodies of men before the resurrection were, so to speak, held in the grasp of death. The spirits of men were in Hades, i.e. in the invisible realm—those of the blessed in a state of happy rest and honour in and with Christ; those of the ungodly and unbelieving under the guard of Christ, with a view to the great, the decisive day, ushered in by the resurrection. When the mighty voice of the Son of God shall wake the dead, then Death shall resign his hold of the bodies, and the invisible world must open its gates for all its occupants to quit those mysterious realms. Thus Death will be dead. And the invisible realm will be vacant. Both will have served a purpose in the development of the Divine plans, but they will be no longer. They will be "cast into the lake of fire."

VI. WHAT USES HAVE BEEN MADE OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION ? Perhaps few doctrines have suffered so much as this from the meddling and muddling of man. And in part, at any rate, it is owing to this that it has been so misused. Yet not altogether to this cause must we attribute such abuse. For the doctrine is confessedly so mysterious, that the proud heart scorns it. It is so fraught with terrors to the ungodly that the wicked tremble at it. (See Sir Samuel Baker's conversation with an African youth on the resurrection; Dr. Moffat's with an African chief upon it.) It is very remarkable that we have in Scripture illustrations of no fewer than seven ways of treating this doctrine.

1 . Some denied it altogether ( 1 Corinthians 15:12 ).

2 . Some declared that it was past already ( 2 Timothy 2:18 ).

3 . Some made it a plea for putting forth curious questions ( Matthew 22:28 ).

4 . Some mocked ( Acts 17:32 ).

5 . Some postponed the consideration of the matter ( Acts 17:32 ).

6 . Some believed ( 1 Peter 1:3-5 ).

7 . One, at least, with a touching blending of faith, fear, and. common sense, was unable to formulate the doctrine, but reposed implicitly in the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. John 11:26 , John 11:27 , "Believest thou this?" etc.). We admire the answer of Martha, in which she seems to say, "Yea, Lord, I believe it, because I believe thee, though I scarcely understand what it means!" Happy they who, with extreme difficulty in formulating the doctrine in detail, can fall back in loving faith in him in whom it centres, and who "will make it plain." As that excellent man, Dr. Clerk Maxwell, said, shortly before death, "It is but a very little of pure truth that we can reach; but what a mercy to be able to say, 'We know whom we have believed!'"

VII. BELIEVING THE DOCTRINE , WHAT OUGHT TO BE ITS PRACTICAL POWER ?

1 . It has a gladsome side. Herein:

2 . It has, moreover, an aspect of unspeakable solemnity. ( Revelation 1:7 ; John 5:28 , John 5:29 .) To rise from the dead to confront the Judge of all, in an unprepared and unpardoned state, how terrible!

The Lord grant that we may find mercy of the Lord in that day!