[515]Again David represents the church as in the presence of Jehovah, enjoying the glory and honor that will be granted to those who participate in the first resurrection.  Of this in beautiful poetic phrase he writes:  “The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!  Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips.  Selah.  For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness:  thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.  He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.  His glory is great in thy salvation; honor and majesty hast thou laid upon him.  For thou hast made him most blessed for ever; thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.”—­Psalm 21:1-6.

[516]What a contrast in the eyes of the people between the man Christ Jesus who suffered ignominy at the hands of the Jews and the Christ Jesus glorified, the brightness of whose glory shines above that of the brightness at noonday!  Great will be the honor and dignity in the minds of the people of the position of Jesus Christ when all have come to know the Lord.  What a great contrast between the body of humiliation and the body of glory!  These members of the body, as the Prophet beautifully expresses it, were ‘digged from the pit and hewn from the rock’. (Isaiah 51:1) They have trudged along the narrow way, suffering at the hands of Satan and his seed.  But all the way they have had these precious promises of what would be the result, amongst which is this promise:  “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him:  he shall bring forth judgment to the gentiles".—­Isaiah 42:1.

[517]In the eyes of the world these die like ordinary men; yet they really fall like Prince Jesus. (Psalm 82:7) St. Paul, discussing the humiliation of the church this side the vail, and contrasting it with the glory on the other side, said:  “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars:  for one star differeth from another star in glory.  So also is the resurrection of the dead.  It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory.  It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.”—­1 Corinthians 15:41-44.

[518]We have now come to the time in which these members of the body have their change instantaneously.  One moment they are sown in corruption; the next, raised in incorruption.  One moment in dishonor; the next in glory.  One moment in weakness; the next in power.  When the church is finished and all of the 144,000 members are with the Lord, “then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:54,55) Then it will be that all composing that class will enjoy glory, honor, immortality, even eternal life.