Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 391
“AndIsaw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and/saw the souls of them who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and who had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark on their foreheads, or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousandyears were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection; on such the second death has nopower, but they shall be priests of God, and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousandyears.” Revelation 20:4,5, 6.
“AndIsaw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Revelation 20:12.
You will bear me witness, my Friends, that it is exceedingly seldom I ever intrude into the mysteries of the future with regard either to the Second Advent, the millennial reign, or the First and Second Resurrection. As often as we come across it in our expositions, we do not turn aside from the point, but if guilty at all on this point, it is rather in being too silent than saying too much. And now, in bringing forward this question this morning, I would say I do not do it to amuse your curiosity by novelty, or that I may pretend to have the true key of the prophecies which are as yet unfulfilled. I scarcely think it would be justifiable for me to spend my time upon prophetic studies for which I have not the necessary talent, nor is it the vocation to which my Master has ordained me. I think some ministers would do far more for the profit of God’s people if they would preach more about the First Advent and less about the Second. But I have chosen this topic because I believe it has practical bearings, and may be made useful, instructive, and awakening to us all. I find that the most earnest of the Puritan preachers did not forbear to dwell upon this mysterious subject. I turn to Charnock; and in his disquisition upon the Immutability of God, he does not hesitate to speak of the conflagration of the world, of the millennial reign, and the new heavens and new earth. I turn to Richard Baxter, a man who above all other men loved the souls of men; who more, perhaps, than any man with the exception of the Apostle Paul, travailed in birth for souls; and I find him making a barbed arrow out of the Doctrine of the coming of the Lord, and thrusting this great Truth into the very heart and conscience of unbelievers, as though it were Heaven’s own sword! And John Bunyan too—plain, honest John—he who preached so simply that a child could comprehend him, and was certainly never guilty of having written upon his forehead the word, “Mystery”—he, too, speaks of the Advent of Christ, and of the glories which shall follow; and uses this Doctrine as a stimulus to the saints, and as a warning to the ungodly. I do not think therefore I need tremble very much if the charge should be brought against me of bringing before you an unprofitable subject. It shall profit if God shall bless the word; and if it is God’s Word, we may expect His blessing if we preach it all, but He will withdraw it if we refrain from teaching any part of His Word because in our pretended wisdom we fancy that it would not have practical effect!
Now, my dear Friends, in introducing again these texts to you, I shall just remark that in the first text which relates to the people of God, we have three great privileges. And in the second text, which relates to the ungodly who are not in covenant with Christ, we have three great and terrible things which may soon be perceived.
I. First of all, we will take the first text with its THREE PRIVILEGES. “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection; on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God, and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
Before I proceed to enter into these privileges, I must remark that two modes of understanding this verse have been proposed, both of which I think are untenable. I have been reading carefully through Albert Barnes. In his opinion, the First Resurrection here spoken of is a resurrection of principles—a resurrection of the patience, the undaunted courage, the holy boldness, and constancy of the ancient martyrs. He says these great principles have been forgotten, and, as it were, buried; and that during the spiritual reign of Christ which is to come, these great principles will have a resurrection. Now, I appeal to you, would you, in reading that passage, think this to be the meaning? Would any man believe that to be its meaning, if he had not some thesis to defend? The fact is, we sometimes read Scripture thinking of what it oughtto say, rather than what it does say. I do not hesitate to affirm that any simple-minded person who was intent upon discovering the mind of the Spirit, and not upon finding a method by which the words could be compelled to express his own mind, would say that the resurrection of principles, or the resurrection of doctrines, does not give the fair meaning of the words here stated! Brothers and Sisters, cannot you perceive at a glance that this is the resurrection of men? And is it not a literal resurrection, too? Does it not say, “I saw the souls of them who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus”? Is it not written, “The rest of the dead lived not?” Does this mean the rest of the dead principles The rest of the dead doctrines You cannot so translate it! It is—we have no doubt whatever—a literal resurrection of the saints of God, and not of principles nor of doctrines.