1872.—They That Pierced Him.
Please explain Rev. 1:7. If the wicked dead are not raised at the first resurrection, then when shall they that pierced Him see Him? The text reads: "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." This text stands as the promise of the book of Revelation, the one great event around which all the other great events of the plan of salvation cluster, the great "day of the Lord;" for Christ's coming is not simply at the very moment when He shall come the second time, but it takes in all that that coming means to the very close of the thousand years, when the wicked dead are raised. Looking at it in that way, when the second resurrection takes place, Christ and all His saints shall descend to the New Jerusalem on this earth. Then the wicked will, of course, all see Him. Yet it is very probable indeed that the text refers to a special resurrection which will take place before Christ comes the second time. See Dan. 12:1. When Michael (Christ) stands up to reign, that is, leaves His mediatorial seat as High Priest, "many" that sleep in their tombs shall awake; some of this many (not all) to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. God in His wisdom deems it wise that some of His own children of the past shall pass through the last fearful scenes and glorious triumphs of the Gospel, and that some of those who have rejected Him in the past may see the awful result of their selfish decision. Looking at the text in either way we can see how they that pierced Him shall behold Him.