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First Great Deception
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work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither
thou goest.” [
Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10
.]
When, in answer to his prayer, Hezekiah’s life was prolonged
fifteen years, the grateful king rendered to God a tribute of praise for
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his great mercy. In this song he tells the reason why he thus rejoices:
“The grave cannot praise thee; death cannot celebrate thee; they
that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the
living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day. The father to the children
shall make known thy truth.” [
Isaiah 38:18, 19
.] Popular theology
represents the righteous dead as in Heaven, entered into bliss, and
praising God with an immortal tongue; but Hezekiah could see no
such glorious prospect in death. With his words agrees the testimony
of the psalmist: “In death there is no remembrance of thee; in the
grave who shall give thee thanks?” “The dead praise not the Lord,
neither any that go down into silence.” [
Psalm 6:5
;
115:17
.]
Peter, speaking through the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost,
said: “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the pa-
triarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is
with us unto this day.” “For David is not ascended into the heavens.”
[
Acts 2:29, 34
.] The fact that David remains in the grave until the
resurrection proves that the righteous do not go to Heaven at death.
It is only through the resurrection, and by virtue of the fact that
Christ has risen, that David can at last sit at the right hand of God.
Paul declares: “If the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised.
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” [
1
Corinthians 15:16-18
.] If for four thousand years the righteous had
gone directly to Heaven at death, how could they be said to perish,
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even though there should never be a resurrection?
When about to leave his disciples, Jesus did not tell them that
they would soon come to him. “I go to prepare a place for you,” he
said. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto myself.” [
John 14:2, 3
.] And Paul tells us, further,
that “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.” And he adds,