‘Brethren, pray for us.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:25 SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 1 Thessalonians 5:12–28
The Apostle, though eminent in grace and experience, often entreats the prayers of the Lord’s people. His dependence was upon the Lord himself, but he knew he who has promised to do great things has said, I will be enquired of to do them, and therefore expected success in proportion as prayer should be engaged. Good reason then have succeeding ministers to make the like request. If you pray for us, you will strengthen our hands and thereby draw down blessings upon yourselves. This entreaty can only be effectually complied with by those whose hearts are in some measure alive and earnest for gospel causes. To pray for ministers, the people must be able to love them principally and chiefly as his ministers. If they have a just sense of the importance of the gospel message, they will love and pray for the messengers. This kindness they owe to them all. Stated ministers, if they really value their people’s prayers, will endeavour to deserve a personal and special affection. Next to the supports and comforts they receive immediately from the Lord, they find their chief consolation in the affections of their people and the most interesting proof of this is their prayers. There are those who will sometimes plead and dispute and almost fight for their minister and labour to set him above others. But they are the best friends who strive most earnestly in prayer for them. FOR MEDITATION: [for the New Year sermon 1778] O Thou, at whose almighty word As when of old, the water flowed The glorious light from darkness sprung! Forth from the rock at thy command; Thy quickening influence afford, Moses in vain had waved the rod, And clothe with power the preacher’s tongue. Without thy wonder-working hand.
Though ’tis thy truth he hopes to speak, Now, while we hear thy word of grace, He cannot give the hearing ear; Let self and pride before it fall; ’Tis thine, the stubborn heart to break, And rocky hearts dissolve apace, And make the careless sinner fear. In streams of sorrow at thy call.
And these shall be reunited with there physical bodies they lived in while upon this earth and because of the evil deeds they did throughout their lives by their own willful choices and evil desires shall be thrown alive into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone where they Shall / Will be tormented [ purhaps in their thoughts /consciences], day and night in the very presence of the Holy Angels Forever. think of all those Murderers such as the Bundys of this world of which there are still many roaming the earth committing unspeakable evil to other human beings. the list of the lost and their crimes are many according to the final judgement of Revelation, Man often changes Gods laws or softens them and even in our own days legalizes what God clearly has taught as being wrong and evil in His Sight, but in the end God will be the Judge of all judges whoever sat upon seats of earthly thrones making judgements over others wether for Good or evil. on hindsight i often think to myself that Murderers should never have been born into the earth knowing the evil they would inflict on other human beings, but sadly we dont have that authority or foreknowledge unlike God does, even so as Jesus has already spoken of the likes of Judas , he will wish /desire that he were Never Born at all.
And these will go away into eternal punishment…
The absolute idea of eternity, in regard to the punishment of hell (comp. Matthew 25:41), is not to be got rid of either by a popular toning down of the force of αἰώνιος (Paulus), or by appealing (de Wette, Schleiermacher, Oetinger) to the figurative character of the term fire and the supposed incompatibility between the idea of eternity and such a thing as evil and its punishment, any more than by the theory that the whole representation is intended simply by way of warning (according to which view it is not meant thereby to throw light upon the eternal nature of things, but only to portray the κρίσις, i.e. the cessation of the conflict between good and evil by the extinction of the latter); but is to be regarded as exegetically established in the present passage (comp. Matthew 3:12, Matthew 18:8)
The original word translated here as “punishment” means torment, or suffering inflicted for crime.
In all these places it denotes anguish, suffering, punishment. It does not mean simply a “state or condition,” but absolute, positive suffering;
into everlasting punishment—or, as in Mt 25:41, “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Compare Mt 13:42; 2Th 1:9, &c. This is said to be “prepared for the devil and his angels,” because they were “first in transgression.” But both have one doom, because one unholy character.
He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Daniel 12:9
But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.” Daniel 12:13
the extreme end of the present period,—i.e., reckoned from Daniel’s standpoint, the period ending with the fall of Antiochus,—when the resurrection of Daniel 12:2 will take place, and the age of never-ending blessedness (Daniel 12:3) will begin.
Daniel was now ninety years of age, at least, and so could not expect to live much longer: and the angel here tells him, that after his life was ended, he should rest in peace with the righteous, namely, with respect to his soul; (compare Isaiah 57:2; Revelation 14:13;) and that at the resurrection, foretold Daniel 12:2, of this chapter, he should obtain a share of that inheritance which is reserved for the faithful servants of God, and which shall be actually conferred upon them at the conclusion of the times here specified, Daniel 12:12. Observe, reader, our time and days, yea, and all time and days, will soon have an end, and we must every one of us stand in our lot at the end of the days. In the judgment of the great day we must have our allotment according to what we were, and what we did, in the body, and we must stand for ever in that lot. It was a comfort to Daniel, and it is a comfort to all the saints, that whatever their lot is in the days of time, they shall have a happy lot in the end of the days. And it ought to be the great care and concern of every one of us, to secure a happy lot at that period; and then we may well be content with our present lot, whatever it may be, welcoming the will of God, in all things and at all times.
For thou shalt rest – Rest now; and perhaps the meaning is, shalt enjoy a long season of repose before the consummation shall occur. In Daniel 12:2, he had spoken of those who “sleep in the dust of the earth;” and the allusion here would seem to be the same as applied to Daniel. The period referred to was far distant. Important events were to intervene. The affairs of the world were to move on for ages before the “end”‘ should come. There would be scenes of revolution, commotion, and tumult – momentous changes before that consummation would be reached. But during that long interval Daniel would “rest.” He would quietly and calmly “sleep in the dust of the earth” – in the grave. He would be agitated by none of these troubles – disturbed by none of these changes, for he would peacefully slumber in the hope of being awaked in the resurrection. This also is such language as would be employed by one who believed in the doctrine of the resurrection, and who meant to say that he with whom he was conversing would repose in the tomb while the affairs of the world would move on in the long period that would intervene between the time when he was then speaking and the “end” or consummation of all things – the final resurrection. I do not see that it is possible to explain the language on any other supposition than this. The word rendered “shalt rest” – תנוּח tânûach – would be well applied to the rest in the grave. So it is used in Job 3:13, “Then had I been at rest;” Job 3:17, “There the weary be at rest.”
And stand in thy lot – In thy place. The language is derived from the lot or portion which falls to one – as when a lot is cast, or anything is determined by lot. Compare Judges 1:3; Isaiah 57:6; Psalm 125:3; Psalm 16:5. Gesenius (Lexicon) renders this, “And arise to thy lot in the end of days; i. e., in the Messiah’s kingdom.” Compare Revelation 20:6. The meaning is, that he need have no apprehension for himself as to the future. That was not now indeed disclosed to him; and the subject was left in designed obscurity. He would “rest,” perhaps a long time, in the grave. But in the far-distant future he would occupy ills appropriate place; he would rise from his rest; he would appear again on the stage of action; he would have the lot and rank which properly belonged to him. What idea this would convey to the mind of Daniel it is impossible now to determine, for he gives no statement on that point; but it is clear that it is such language as would be appropriately used by one who believed in the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, and who meant to direct the mind onward to those far-distant and glorious scenes when the dead would all arise, and when each one of the righteous would stand up in his appropriate place or lot.
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Matthew 7:2.
This statement is not a haphazard guess, it is an eternal law of God. Whatever judgment you give, it is measured to you again. There is a difference between retaliation and retribution. Jesus says that the basis of life is retribution—“with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” If you have been shrewd in finding out the defects in others, remember that will be exactly the measure given to you. Life serves back in the coin you pay. This law works from God’s throne downwards (cf. Psalm 18:25–26). Romans 2 applies it in a still more definite way, and says that the one who criticizes another is guilty of the very same thing. God looks not only at the act, He looks at the possibility. We do not believe the statements of the Bible to begin with. For instance, do we believe this statement, that the things we criticize in others we are guilty of ourselves? The reason we see hypocrisy and fraud and unreality in others is because they are all in our own hearts. The great characteristic of a saint is humility—‘Yes, all those things and other evils would have been manifested in me but for the grace of God; therefore I have no right to judge.’ Jesus says—“Judge not, that ye be not judged”; if you do judge, it will be measured to you exactly as you have judged. Who of us would dare to stand before God and say—‘My God, judge me as I have judged my fellow men’? We have judged our fellow men as sinners; if God should judge us like that we would be in hell. God judges us through the marvellous Atonement of Jesus Christ.
“Be eager in pursuit of this love.” (1 Cor. 13:7–13.) (Weymouth.)
REHEARSE your troubles to God only. Not long ago I read in a paper a bit of personal experience from a precious child of God, and it made such an impression upon me that I record it here. She wrote: “I found myself one midnight wholly sleepless as the surges of a cruel injustice swept over me, and the love which covers seemed to have crept out of my heart. Then I cried to God in an agony for the power to obey His injunction, ‘Love covereth.’ “Immediately the Spirit began to work in me the power that brought about the forgetfulness.
“Mentally I dug a grave. Deliberately I threw up the earth until the excavation was deep. “Sorrowfully I lowered into it the thing which wounded me. Quickly I shoveled in the clods. “Over the mound I carefully laid the green sods. Then I covered it with white roses and forget-me-nots, and quickly walked away. “Sweet sleep came. The wound which had been so nearly deadly was healed without a sear, and I know not today what caused my grief.”
“There was a scar on yonder mountain-side, Gashed out where once the cruel storm had trod; A barren, desolate chasm, reaching wide Across the soft green sod.
“But years crept by beneath the purple pines, And veiled the scar with grass and moss once more, And left it fairer now with flowers and vines Than it had been before.
“There was a wound once in a gentle heart, Whence all life’s sweetness seemed to ebb and die; And love’s confiding changed to bitter smart, While slow, sad years went by.
“Yet as they passed, unseen an angel stole And laid a balm of healing on the pain, Till love grew purer in the heart made whole, And peace came back again.”
‘Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.’ Deuteronomy 33:29 SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Deuteronomy 33:26–29
Happy indeed are the people who are in such a case, yea blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God. As we observed lately, no God like the God of Israel, so no people like the Israel of God. The believers are called Israel, because, like Jacob of old, they are children of the covenant and have obtained a new name by faith and prayer. They are a saved people. Saved from guilt, wrath and Satan, and saved of the Lord—therefore their salvation is honourable and sure. As they are called to war, they are well provided. The Lord is their shield, to defend them in all perils. The Lord is their sword, he fights for them; it is by laying hold of his arm that they are victorious. Therefore opposition shall be vain. Their enemies shall be liars. Satan despises and threatens us, but all shall be liars. There is help in God even to the uttermost. Their warfare shall end in complete victory. They shall tread upon the high places of sin (of long habit, of general custom—see Daniel 3), of sins that plead necessity (as a right hand or right eye) and of Satan (unbelief, terror, presumption). And when they are thus made more than conquerors, they shall enter into Canaan—that blessed rest which remaineth for the people of God. FOR MEDITATION: [specially written to be sung after this sermon] With Israel’s GOD who can compare? Upheld by everlasting arms, Or who, like Israel, happy are? Thou art secured from foes and harms! To people saved by the LORD, In vain their plots, and false their boasts! He is thy shield and great reward. Our refuge is the LORD of Hosts.
This is my personal collection of thoughts and writings, mainly from much smarter people than I, which challenge me in my discipleship walk. Don't rush by these thoughts, but ponder them.
Milo 