The
Special Resurrection of the Unjust
Behold,
he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced
him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Rev. 1:7.
"They also which pierced him" (Revelation 1:7), those that mocked
and derided Christ's dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth
and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor
placed upon the loyal and obedient.
[At His
trial], Caiaphas, raising his right hand toward heaven, addressed Jesus in
the form of a solemn oath: "I adjure thee by the living God, that thou
tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God." . . .
Every ear
was bent to listen, and every eye was fixed on His face as He answered, "Thou
hast said." A heavenly light seemed to illuminate His pale countenance
as He added, "Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the
Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of
heaven."
For a moment
the divinity of Christ flashed through His guise of humanity. The high priest
quailed before the penetrating eyes of the Savior. . . . For a moment he felt
as if standing before the eternal Judge, whose eye, which sees all things,
was reading his soul, bringing to light mysteries supposed to be hidden with
the dead.
The scene
passed from the priest's vision. . . . Rending his robe, . . . he demanded
that . . . the prisoner be condemned for blasphemy. "What further need
have we of witnesses?" he said; "behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
What think ye?" And they all condemned Him.
Thus the
Jewish leaders made their choice. Their decision was registered in the book
which John saw in the hand of Him that sat upon the throne, the book which
no man could open. In all its vindictiveness this decision will appear before
them in the day when this book is unsealed by the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
When Christ
comes the second time, not as a prisoner surrounded by a rabble will they
see Him. They will see Him as heaven's King. . . . Then the priests and rulers
will remember distinctly the scene in the judgment hall. Every circumstance
will appear before them as if written in letters of fire.
From Maranatha - Page 283