THE LIFE TO COME FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Text: 1 Timothy 4:7-8 – 7Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
Some of the blessings associated with “the life to come” are:
1 Corinthians 6:2-3 – 2Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
Matthew 13:43 – Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
This verse concludes the explanation of the Parable of the Weeds, v.36-43 – 36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
See Parable of the Weeds, Matthew 13:24-30.
Parallel passage: Daniel 12:3 – Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
Note Luke 9:30-31 – 30Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.
30 And behold, two men were conversing with Him–Moses and Elijah,
31 Who appeared in splendor and majesty and brightness and were speaking of His exit [from life], which He was about to bring to realization at Jerusalem. (Amplified Bible)
These verses are part of the account of The Transfiguration, Luke 9:28-36 (28About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.
About eight days after – Compare: Matthew 17:1 – After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
Mark 9:2 – After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.
The Matthew Henry Commentary states: “Luke says that it was about eight days after, that is, it was that day sevennight, six whole days intervening, and it was the eighth day.”
Went up onto a mountain to pray – Matthew and Mark state that it was “a high mountain.”
29As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.
As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed – Compare: Matthew 17:2 – There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.
There he was transfigured before them – Luke informs us, however, that they had been asleep during the process. (Luke 9:32 – Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.) This was a further instance of the revelation of His glory. Note John 2:11 – This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
They also slept during that important event at Gethsemane, on the Mount of Olives – Matthew 26:36-46 – 36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
42He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
Note Luke 22:43-44 – 43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
45Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Let us thank the Father for the great event (the Rapture)which is to come: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Let us ask Him to help us to be a part of that glorious event by heeding His Word, including: Romans 13:11 – And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 – So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
30Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.
Appeared in glorious splendor – Note: 1 John 3:1-3 – 1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! Note Romans 8:17 – Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Philippians 3:20-21 – 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Colossians 3:4 – When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Let us thank the Father for these and all the other blessings awaiting us, and ask Him to help us to endure to the end by trusting and obeying.