THE REWARD OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
ONE of the sentimental ideas that attaches to the immortal-soul theory is that when the righteous die they pass to their reward “beyond the bounds of time and space.” But the Scriptures point to a more tangible and rational existence. Job says: “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and tho after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” Paul shows very clearly and positively in 1 Corinthians 15 that without a resurrection our “faith is vain.” “This mortal must put on immortality.” And in 1 Thessalonians 4, he tells us that this is done at the coming of the Lord. David tells us in the thirty-seventh psalm that “the meek shall inherit the earth,” and in Matthew 5 these words are quoted by our Lord. The promise to Abraham was that he should be heir of the world (Rom. 4:13), but he died without realizing the promise (Hebrews 11). When he died he could not have gone off “beyond the bounds of time and space” to enjoy as a reward something that is entirely within space. There is no limit to space, only as it is filled by material objects. Moreover Peter, in the third chapter of his second epistle, tells us that this earth will be destroyed, and that according to His promise, the promise to Abraham and his Seed, we “look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Therefore Abraham can not, “beyond the bounds of time and space” or anywhere else, be enjoying as a reward something that does not yet exist. The Seed referred to in connection with the promise to Abraham is Christ (Gal. 3:16; 2 Cor. 1:19, 20); and “if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Gal. 3:29. Then the promise is to Abraham’s spiritual seed, and not to the natural seed. Verses 7-9. And neither Abraham nor any one who has died can inherit the promised reward until all the faithful—living and dead—shall come into the inheritance together. Matt. 25:31-34; 1 Thess. 4:15-18; 2 Tim. 4:6-8; Heb. 11:39, 40. There is just one way to pass “beyond the bounds of time and space,” and that is through utter annihilation. While there is one class who will eventually reach that bourne, it will not be the righteous. David says: “Evil-doers shall be cut off; but those that wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. Ps. 37:9, 10. “The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs, they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.” Verse 20. Obadiah says “they shall be as tho they had not been.” Verse 16. Malachi says: “Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Chapter 4:1. The reward of the righteous is a real, tangible reward—eternal life, with a home on a tangible planet wherein dwelleth righteousness, and the King of Righteousness to reign over them; and they shall “delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” And the King is saying to His people, “Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”