Section 1115
2. The second article in this creed is, that the living Redeemer
Shall stand upon the earth in the latter day. The word day is not in the original text, but is a supplement of the translators; hence some interpreters leaving it out, refer the word latter or last, not to time, but persons, about whom they cannot agree: some [5298] ascribing it to God the Father, who is the first and the last, the eternal God, who, as he is before all creatures, so he will continue after all have had their beings, and have acted their part in this world. Others [5299] to Jesus Christ, to whom the same characters of Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, belong. Others to [5300] Job himself, who, they suppose, calls himself the last upon the earth, that is to say, “the meanest among men, [5301] the most despicable of creatures, the off-scouring of all things, and the refuse of the earth; ” and yet, notwithstanding this, declares his faith and confidence, that he should stand, keep his ground, maintain his cause, and carry his point against his friends, having an interest in such a Redeemer. But, for my own part, I am inclined to think, that the living Redeemer mentioned in the first article, is designed in this, and that the words belong to him, which, according to the different versions they will admit of, refer to different things.
1. Reading them as they are rendered by our translator s, He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, they may design the incarnation of Christ, and hold forth Job’s faith in it. This was an article in his creed, that the same Redeemer, who then lived and existed in heaven, should descend from thence, not by local motion, but by assumption of the human nature, and frond and dwell with men here upon this earth. Thus, according to Job’s faith, the word was made flesh and dwelt among us; (John 1:14) conversed with mortals upon earth upwards of thirty years, traveled over the land of Judea, took many fatiguing journeys, went about doing good, at length died for his people, and was buried in this earth. Now it was in the last days that God sent this Redeemer, and spake to us by this his Son: (Hebrews 1:2 and 9:26) It was once in the end of the world that Christ appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
2. If we read the words as they may be, and are rendered; He shall rise the last out of the earth, or dust. [5302] Then they express Job’s faith in the resurrection of Christ, that as he should appear on earth, converse a while here, then die, and be buried, so he should rise again; God would not leave his soul in hell, (or the grave) or suffer his holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10) When Christ is said to rise the last out of the dust, this is not to be understood, as though he should be the last man that should rise from the dead; so far from this, that he is the first that rose from the dead to a life of immortality: God first showed him the path of an immortal life, hence he is called the first-fruits of them that slept, and the first-born from the dead; (1 Corinthians 15:10, Colossians 1:18) but when he is said to rise the last, this, as [5303] some well observe, is to be understood of him as the last Adam, in opposition to the first man; and so it is written, The first man, Adam, was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45) The resurrection of Christ is a considerable article of faith, much depends upon it; it has a great influence both on our justification and regeneration: The whole system of the christian religion is nothing without it; if this is not true, our faith and hope are both in vain; nor have we any reason to expect the resurrection of our bodies, or look for the blessed hope. Hence the resurrection of Jesus was a principal subject of primitive preaching, and ought not to be neglected now.
3. If we translate the words as they may be translated, thus, He shall stand at the latter day above, or [5304] over the earth, they may refer to Christ’s second coming to judgment, when he will descend from heaven, come in the clouds of it, and appear in the air, over the earth, where he will be met by the living saints, and will judge the world in righteousness. This was a very early article of faith; the Jews say, [5305] that the dispute and quarrel between Cain and Abel was about this; the one asserting, the other denying, that there would be a future judgment. However, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, (Jude 14, 15) prophesied of it, and of the coming of the Lord with ten thousand of his saints, to execute it. It was known and believed in Job’s time; he asserts it, and acquaints his friends with it; that ye may know; says he, that there is a judgment. (Job 19:29) This has been, and ought to be, a generally received truth, “that after death is judgment.” Nothing is more certain, than the coming of Christ to judgment: or, than that we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)
4. If we render the words as they may be rendered, thus, He shall stand at the latter day against the earth, [5306] they may intend the general resurrection of the dead by Christ. The bodies of men are laid, imprisoned, and detained in the earth, nor is it in the power of any creature to release them; but Christ will appear, and stand against the earth in the latter day; he will contend with it, and get the victory over it; death and the grave will be obliged to surrender up their dead to him, who has the keys of hell and death, and can at his pleasure open the gates of the grave, and set the prisoners free; destroy the power of death, and quicken the dust of men. This now is, and ought to be, an article of our creed, which was one of Job’s, of the Old Testament saints, and the ancient Jews in general, and of Christ and his apostles, namely, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. (Acts 24:16)