The Time of Promotion

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 15, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 15.

The Time of Promotion.

One of our religious exchanges frequently speaks of death as a promotion, especially on the death of some prominent worker in the cause which said paper advocates. Bible readers ought to know that death is an enemy (I Cor. 15:26), and that a person is not promoted while in the hands of the enemy. The Son of God passed through a season of earthly service and of great humiliation, and His service was not marred by a single mistake. Yet even He was not promoted in death; He was just laid away in a tomb until the time for His resurrection. But for His resurrection He would still be dead (verses 13–18). It was not till after His resurrection that He was promoted to His exalted position in heaven. See Mark 16:19; Eph. 1:20–22; Phil. 2:7–9.

Therefore, as Christ could not be promoted in death, neither can any one else; for He is “the resurrection and the life.” A promotion to the heavenly home must be either by a resurrection from death or by a translation without seeing death (as in the cases of Enoch and Elijah). The Scripture is very plain on the subject, because the Lord would have us intelligent in the matter. Paul says:—

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess. 4:13–18.

This shows when and how promotion comes to believers. Note also Paul’s hope in regard to his own promotion (2 Tim. 4:6–18), that he will receive his crown at the coming of the Lord, with those who at that time “love His appearing.” And if they love His appearing—love the thought that He is actually coming according to promise (John 14:1–3; Acts 1:10, 11), they will be looking for Him according to the instruction of the Master (Matt. 24:42–44; 25:13). Their readiness will be shown by their glad shout, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isa. 25:9.

This will be the day of general promotion. Until that time those who die wait in the grave. Job 14:10–15; 17:11–16; 19:23–27. And of their condition during that period we have this further testimony:—

“For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in any thing that is done under the sun.” Eccl. 9:5, 6.

So, then, when any one assumes that an esteemed friend or a valued worker in any good cause has been promoted from this life, it is a virtual claim that such an one has been translated into the heavenly realm without seeing death (Heb. 11:5), or, having died, has been resurrected. Indeed some do express their idea of death by the word “translated,” but they do so in apparent ignorance of the fact that the translated person does not leave a body to be buried. Enoch “was not; for God took him” (Gen. 5:24); and Elijah “went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11, 12). And it may be added, a resurrected person leaves no body in the tomb. Matt. 27:50–53; 28:5–7.