Ye shall be gathered one by one
The one-by-one principle
This principle is developed--
I. IN THE DEALINGS OF PROVIDENCE.
II. IN THE PROVISIONS OF THE GOSPEL.
III. IN THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW OF GOD. (F. Greeves.)
Gathered one by one
1. There is a country whose mysterious shores are visited each year by thousands from every continent of earth, and not one of them ever returns to detail its marvels. It is called in Scripture “a land of darkness, and the shadow of death.” It is a great republic, though it has a despot for its ruler; and it is the only one in which the dream of human equality can be fully realised. There “the rich and the poor meet together,” and are on a perfect level; there the cheek of beauty, the form of grace, and the withered limbs of age, are alike the banquet of the heedless worm; “there the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice, of the oppressor; the small and the great are there, and the slave is free from his master. There, side by side, in peaceful slumber, lie “kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and the judges of the earth: both young men and maidens; old men, and children.” Mysterious land! And oh! how densely peopled! But does it not throw a fearful solemnity over this thought, when we consider that to it we shall be gathered one by one? We live together; we act together; but we must die alone. Shall not this consideration lead you to remember your individuality now, and one by one to prepare for that hour by working out your salvation with fear and trembling?
2. Solemn, however, as is this gathering of the grave, it derives, fresh importance from the fact, that we need not fear, and we must not hope that it will be the last gathering. “Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and we shall be raised incorruptible.” What a gathering that shall be! They shall come, the dead of all generations--from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to David, from David to the Saviour, from the Saviour to us, from ourselves to the judgment; all shall come; the sea shall give up the dead that are in it, and the earth the dead that are in it, and death and hell the dead that are in them; and the whole posterity of Adam, young and old, rich and poor, countless as the sands on the seashore, or the stars of
Heaven--all, without exception, shall be gathered there. But let us not forget the principle before us. Each individual of that mighty gathering will retain his own personal identity.
3. This, however, is but the opening scene of a yet more tremendous tragedy. It is but the lurid dawning of “the great and terrible day of the Lord.” There shall be yet another gathering, the most momentous gathering of our race, and the last. Each one of us shall give account of himself to God.
4. Learn thus that you have an individuality. Each one of you has powers, duties, talents, responsibilities, which you cannot share with any other being in the universe of God. You may commit sin in a crowd; but when you are judged for it you must stand alone.
5. Will ye be gathered now, gathered to the Saviour’s arms, “gathered one by one”? (F. Greeves.)
Gathered in death one by one
We often ask why should we die alone? It is not for us to give an answer for God. The Judge of all the earth will do right. Our entrance into the world is one by one; it is not unnatural that our departure should be the same. Each one’s conversion, marriage, all the great events of life, are passed through, not in the mass, but each by himself, one by one.
I. The individuality of God’s dealings with men in their highest and most solemn experiences is AN HONOUR AND A FAVOUR. Each is thus made His special care. The most precious fruit is gathered by hand.
II. THE SHOCK OF BEREAVEMENT IS THUS LESSENED; a sparing mercy to those who are left to mourn.
III. WARNINGS OF THE INEVITABLE HOUR ARE THUS MULTIPLIED, that survivors may prepare. (Homiletic Review.)
“Gathered one by one,”
“Gathered one by one,” i.e., ye shall carefully gathered together, and brought safe into your own land. The words are taken from olives or apples or the like fruits, which are gathered one by one, and so laid up in some place appointed; which olives or apples or other fruit so gathered last better than they which are beaten off or shaken down from the tree. He seems to oppose this gathering one by one, to that “beating off” mentioned in this verse. (W. Day, M. A.)