Many Stripes and Greater Lustre

Many stripes

We read in an old conversion history: “From my earliest youth the Lord gave me impressions of death and eternity, of heaven and hell, and of the holiness and righteousness of God; that I could not die as I was born and had lived. Oh, I saw so clearly: something needed to happen to me, I had to be born again, I could not exist before God like this. The Lord is too pure of eyes to behold evil. I felt, if I had to die once and then stand in the judgment without a Surety, what that would be like; because it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. No one would have such a heavy judgment as I. Always having known the way and not having walked in it, I would be beaten with many stripes and the Lord would be glorified in my damnation” (from: De groote genade God verheerlijkt in de krachtdadige bekeering en verdere leiding naar Gods vrijmachtig welbehagen in een zondig Adamskind— The great grace of God glorified in the powerful conversion and further leading after God’s sovereign good pleasure in a sinful child of Adam, Grietje van Dijk, born February 18, 1863, in Doornspijk).

Indeed, there are degrees in hell, according to the words of the Saviour, “And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes” (Luke 12:47). What solemnity and responsibility if we are born or brought onto the property of the covenant; if we received the sign and seal of Holy Baptism on our foreheads and live under the ministry of reconciliation. Two more comments we would like to make about this text from God’s Word: it does not say with “double” stripes, but with “many” stripes. According to this standard, a bad Christian (in a general sense) will receive a greater punishment than a bad pagan. Readers, “While He proffers peace and pardon let us hear His voice today, lest, if we our hearts should harden, we should perish in the way” (Psalter 255).

Greater lustre

As there are degrees in hell, so are there degrees in heaven. Several places in Scripture teach us this. We read, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:11&12a). In the Old Testament, we think of Daniel 12. We read in verse 3, “And they that be wise (margin: teachers) shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

The well-known Bible commentator Matthew Henry (1662-1714) wrote: “Ministers of Christ, who have obtained mercy of Him to be faithful and successful, and so are made burning and shining lights in this world, shall shine very brightly in the other world, shall shine as the stars. Christ is the sun, the fountain, of the lights both of grace and glory; ministers, as stars, shine in both, with a light derived from Him, and a diminutive light in comparison of Him; yet to those that are earthen vessels it will be a glory infinitely transcending their deserts. They shall shine as the stars of different magnitudes, some in less, others in greater lustre; but whereas the day is coming when the stars shall fall from heaven as leaves in autumn, these stars shall shine for ever and ever, shall never set, never be eclipsed.”

However, all, who by grace shall enter into Immanuel’s land, will point away from self. They will agree with the angels, whom we hear say very reverently, “Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 7:12b).

(Note: Due to a heavy work schedule with the holidays, Rev. Hofman was unable to provide an article this month. He hopes to resume next month, D.V.)

Send your questions to: Rev. H. Hofman, 2339 Deer Trail Dr. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505, or hofman@premieronline.net.

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