Under the circumstances—the extreme sufferings and agonies the Saviour was enduring at the time—some have cavilled at this exhibition of grace and pardoning mercy to the dying thief. Let it be remembered, His mission was to save sinners. And that it is written, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."
Here is a plain exhibition of the possibility, and plan of salvation to all. This thief had sinned; and had also violated the laws of his country, and in rebuking his fellow culprit in crime—who had reviled the Saviour—he acknowledged his own guilt by saying, "this man suffereth innocently; yet we are guilty, and justly deserve our punishment." Indeed, he seemed to be the first to comprehend Christ's kingdom, and the plan of salvation through faith in Him. By faith, he grasped the hope, then springing from the Cross whereon the Saviour hung, and penitently cried unto the Redeemer of the world, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." See this flash of light in the midst of spiritual darkness, dismay, and surrounding gloom—even the light of immortality and eternal life! All the followers had forsaken the dying Redeemer, and those who had been his acknowledged disciples were fleeing in dismay, and even Peter denied his Lord and Master with an oath. The hope of the world's deliverance; through the Messiah, seemed lost. Yet here was one—even a poor dying thief—whose faith penetrated the veil, and he saw that Christ's kingdom was not of this world. He believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and the promise made to all who believe in Him; with a heart unto righteousness, was vouchsafed to him. We look upon this as the strongest exhibition of faith the world had ever yet known. And we think the evidence conclusive, that as soon as the soul leaves the body—this tenement of clay—it enters at once upon its future condition of happiness, or of misery.
Of the certainty of the final resurrection of our bodies—changed and transformed into spiritual bodies—and of a general judgment, the Scripture revelations are plain and conclusive. May we not therefore, for a few moments, contemplate the eventful, and, to some, the pleasant, yet to others the startling scene?
That the bodies of some who lived on this earth have already undergone this great, and to us mysterious change of "corruption putting on incorruption," and "mortal putting on immortality," we cannot doubt. This seems manifest in the case of Elijah, and so also, as seems evident, with Moses. And it will be remembered that these two appeared in their heavenly vestments; bright and shining, and stood with the Saviour when he was transfigured on the Mount. So also at the time of the crucifixion of the Son of God. When, at the last moment of his expiring agony he cried to his Father, with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost; the earth did quake, and the rocks were rent, and the graves were opened, "and many bodies of the Saints that slept arose." And to make this—seeming mystery—more clear to those He had commissioned to preach His everlasting gospel—the power of which should be the resurrection from the dead—the Saviour himself, after His body had risen from the grave, appeared unto them—His disciples—and thus gave them a visible manifestation of this wondrous truth, and re-commissioned them to go forth into all the world and proclaim his own resurrection, and that by repentance and faith all might come to a resurrection of life.
THE RESURRECTION.
Therefore, behold, the time cometh when "all that are in their graves, shall hear His voice"—even the voice of God—and the angel shall sound the trumpet, and its tones of melody and the voice of love will move earth and seas, from centre to circumference, and awake into immortal life the decayed bodies and mouldering dust of His sleeping children. "For the dead in Christ shall rise first," and "blessed are they who have part in the first resurrection, for on such the second death hath no power." "They shall have a right to the tree of life." See the myriads of sepulchres and graves opening, and saints rising in the light of the "glory of God," and millions of the sheeted dead—who have slept beneath the bosom of "deep blue seas;" in the depths of oceans, or were swept away by floods and flowing rivers—rising and riding in triumph upon the swelling, bright-crested waves which sparkle in the resplendent glory-light of heaven.
"See these all arrayed in white,
Brighter than the noon-day sun."
These come forth at their Creator's call, and now at His bidding, the happy reunion of the long separated partners—souls and bodies—takes place, and the vast realm resounds with shouts of triumph and songs of praise. While the "Morning Stars" who sang the pean of Creation, and the angelic host—who celebrated in the hill-country of Judea, the advent of the Saviour on earth to ransom fallen man—join in melody and again swell the loud anthem, "glory to God in the highest!" Then shall be repeated the saying which was written, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" "Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." And, ascending again with their resurrected glorified bodies, the voice of the archangel Gabriel—who sounded their resurrection trumpet—will be heard from the portal of heaven, throughout the vast domain. BEHOLD THEY COME!