My God and My Country

 

Word of God

 

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Book of Daniel 12:2

2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake, some to everlasting life (See Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15), and some to shame and perpetual contempt. (See Isaiah 66:24; Romans 9:21)

Brethren:

Many of those who sleep in the dust, both Jews and Gentiles, shall be awakened by it to take upon them a profession of religion, and shall rise out of their heathenism or Judaism; but, since there will be always a mixture of hypocrites with true saints, it is but some of those who are raised to life to whom the gospel is a savour of life unto life, but others will be raised by it to shame and contempt, to whom the gospel of Christ will be a savour of death unto death, and Christ himself set for their fall. The net of the gospel encloses both good and bad. But, 3. It must be meant of the general resurrection at the last day: The multitude of those that sleep in the dust shall awake, that is, all, which shall be a great many. Or, Of those that sleep in the dust many shall arise to life and many to shame. The Jews themselves understand this of the resurrection of the dead at the end of time; and Christ seems to have an eye to it when he speaks of the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation (See John 5:29); and upon this the Jews are said by St. Paul to expect a resurrection of the dead both of the just and of the unjust.

And nothing could come in more seasonably here, for, under persecution, some basely betrayed their religion, others bravely adhered to it. Now it would be a trouble to them that, when the storm was over, they could neither reward the one nor punish the other; this therefore would be a satisfaction to them, that they would both be recompensed according to their works in the resurrection. And the apostle, speaking of those that suffered martyrdom, tells us that though they were tortured yet they accepted not deliverance, because they hoped to obtain this better resurrection, (See Hebrews 11:35)

There shall be a glorious reward conferred on those who, in the day of trouble and distress, being themselves wise, did instruct many. Such were taken particular notice of in the prophecy of the persecution, that they should do eminent service, and yet should fall by the sword and by flame; now, if there were not another life after this, they would be of all men most miserable, and therefore we are here assured that they shall be recompensed in the resurrection of the just.

As death is oftentimes compared to "sleep", in which the senses are bound up, and the body is in a state of inactivity; (See John 11:11; 1 Corinthians 15:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:14 ), so the resurrection from the dead is expressed by awaking out of sleep, when the body shall rise fresh and vigorous, in full health and strength, as a man out of a comfortable sleep; see ( See Psalms 17:15; Isaiah 26:19 ) . The word "many" is used, either because, as all will not sleep, so all will not be awaked; there will be some that will be alive and awake at Christ's coming, ( See 1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ) , or, as it signifies, a multitude, and so here the innumerable multitude of the dead, who are afterwards distributively considered; and indeed the word is sometimes used for "all"; see (See Romans 5:15, 19 )

Some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt:

This is to say that the enjoyment of everlasting life and happiness with Christ in the world to come; a phrase often used in the New Testament, though never before in the Old; expressive of that felicity and bliss which the saints enjoy in heaven after this life is over, first in the separate state of the soul, and then, at the resurrection, in soul and body, and of the everlasting continuance of it; they that shall enjoy this are those that are written in the Lamb's book of life, or are ordained unto eternal life; who are redeemed by the blood of Christ, regenerated by his Spirit and grace, justified by his righteousness, adopted into the family of God, are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; these are the dead in Christ, which rise first. Then [shall arise] the wicked, who lived in a course of sin in this world, without any remorse or shame; but, when they shall rise from the dead, they will rise with all their sins upon them, and with a full conviction of them in their consciences; and will be ashamed of them, and to appear before God the Judge of all; and will be had in contempt by the Lord, by elect angels, and all good men; and this reproach shall never be wiped off. Our Lord seems manifestly to have respect to this passage, when he speaks of men coming out of their graves at the last day, "some unto the resurrection of life, and others unto the resurrection of damnation" and upon these words it may well be thought the Apostle Paul grounded his faith of the resurrection of the dead, both just and unjust, and though the resurrection of both is spoken of here and elsewhere together, yet it will be at distinct periods of time; the resurrection of the just at the beginning of the thousand years, and that of the wicked at the end of them, (See Revelation 20:5-6) , between which will be the intermediate state of the saints dwelling with Christ on earth; where they will be favoured with his presence, and the rewards of his grace, to which the following verse has respect.