p. 178 | Gone to Jesus by M. Wood

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 1, 1874

“Gone to Jesus.”

By M. Wood

I WAS conversing with a gentleman a few days ago, who had recently buried his wife, who made use of the following language: “My dear wife has gone to dwell with Jesus. She is now an angel in Heaven, occupying a mansion prepared by Jesus,” &c. If this is true that our friend's wife is now enjoying the society of God, of Christ, and the holy angels, it must have been by a special manifestation of God's power, for it is contrary to the teaching of our divine Lord.

Jesus, after comforting his sorrowing disciples, says, “Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, so that when you die you may come where I am.” Is that the way it reads? Let us look at the third verse: “And if I go and prepare a place for you; I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1–3.

In the preceding chapter Christ says: “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye can not come, so now I say to you.” But why not go to Christ at death? According to the great plan of salvation, they who die in Christ must wait until Christ comes for them. And as there can be but one second coming of Christ, it would be preposterous to affirm that the second coming of Christ was at death.

Christ's second coming will be no private affair; for every eye shall see him. Rev. 1:7. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. Says the inspired writer, “Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28, 29. Paul, the great apostle, had no idea that he should go to Jesus at death; for, said he, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Tim. 4:8. And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The second coming of Christ, is not a mystical, spiritual coming, but a personal appearing. Acts 1:9–11. The last testimony of Jesus is, “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:12.

If our friend's wife has received her reward, and gone to those bright mansions above, she is more favored even than the patriarch David, whose sepulcher is with us unto this day. Acts 2:29. These are but a few of the many texts of Scripture that plainly and definitely speak of Christ's second coming and the time of the saints' reward. We find no scripture which teaches us that Christ leaves the heavenly sanctuary, where he now officiates as our high priest, and descends to this earth every time a soul dies, to take it to the realms of bliss. But we do find Scripture proof that, when Christ finishes up his work in the holiest of all, he will appear in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and will then send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds. Matt. 24:30, 31. This is the time for the sleeping saints to be taken to the “home over there.” One sign more to be fulfilled, then shall be seen coming in the clouds Jesus with his retinue of angels. Then, if our sister's works are found perfect before God, will she be changed to immortality.

M. WOOD.

Boston, Mass.