In Thy Presence is Fullness of Joy Part 1

In Thy Presence is Fullness of Joy
Isaac Ambrose (1604-1664)

For Christ and the saints meeting at the Judgment Day: No sooner are the saints lifted up and set before the Judge, but these things follow,

1. THEY LOOK, GAZE, DART THEIR BEAMS,' AND REFLECT THEIR GLORIES ON EACH OTHER.

Oh, the communications! Oh, the darlings of beams between Christ and His saints! When two admirable persons, two lovers meet together, their eyes sparkle! They look on as if they would look through one another. So Christ and His saints at first meeting: they look on as if they would look through one another. Such is the effect of these looks that they give a luster to each other...Did not Moses' face shine when he had been with God? And shall not the faces of the elect glitter and shine when Christ also looks on them?...As they shine by Christ, so shall their shine reflect on Christ and give all glory to Christ! This I take to be the meaning of the Apostle [Paul], "When he shall come to be glorified in his saints" (2Th 1:10). Not only in Himself, but in His saints also, whose glory, as it comes from Him, redounds also to Him. "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things" (Rom 11:36).

2. THEY ADMIRE THE INFINITE GLORY, BEAUTY, DIGNITY, AND EXCELLENCE THAT IS IN CHRIST.

The glory they reflect on Him is nothing to the glory that is in Him. Oh! When these stars—the saints—shall but look upon Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, they exceedingly admire [Him]. So the Apostle: "When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe" (2Th 1:10). All that believe shall break out into admiration of Jesus Christ. At the first sight, they shall observe such excellence in Jesus Christ that they shall be infinitely taken with it. Here [on earth] we speak of Christ, and in speaking, we admire. But how they will admire [Him] when they shall not only speak or hear, but also see and behold Him, Who is the express image of God, and the brightness of his Father's glory (Heb 1:3)! O the luster that He casts forth each way! Is not His very body more sparkling than the diamond before the sun? Yea, more" than the sun itself now shining at noonday? How should the saints but wonder at this sight? Oh! There is more beauty and glory in Jesus Christ than ever their thoughts or imaginations could possibly reach! There is more weight of sweetness, joy, and delight in Jesus Christ than either the seeing eye, hearing ear, or the vast understanding heart (which can multiply and add still to any former thoughts) can possibly conceive (ICo 2: 9)! Every soul will cry out then, "I believed [I would] see much glory in Jesus Christ when I saw Him. I had some twilight or moonlight glances of Christ on earth: but—O blind I! O narrow I!—[I] could never have faith, opinion, thought, or imagination to fathom the thousand thousandth part of the worth and incomparable excellence that I now see in Him!"

Why, when we see more than ever we could expect, this causeth admiration. The saints shall then cry out and say, "I see more, ten thousand times more than ever I expected! I see all the beauty of God put forth in Christ, I see the substantial reflection of the Father's light and glory in Jesus Christ, I see thousands of excellencies in Jesus Christ that never were revealed to me before!"...The glory of Christ will then exceed all former apprehension. O they admire to see the King in such a beauty! They admire to see the Judge in such a glittering and glorious robe of majesty! They admire, and they cannot but admire.

3. THEY ADORE AND MAGNIFY THE GRACE AND GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST.

As it is said of the twenty-four elders that they fell down "before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Rev 4:10-11). So all the saints, [who have] now advanced to come up to Christ and to stand before the throne, fall down before Christ. They worship Him that lives forever, shouting and singing about Jesus Christ, setting out His glory, grace, and goodness! "After this I beheld," saith John, "and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen" (Rev 7:9-12). Saints and angels will both give glory to Jesus Christ that day. Every elect man will then acknowledge, "Here is Christ that shed His blood for me! Here is the Savior that laid down His life for me! Here is the sacrifice that gave Himself a propitiation3 for me! Here is the Person that mediated, interceded, and made peace for me! Here is the Redeemer that delivered and redeemed me from the wrath to come!" Then they begin those hallelujahs that never, never shall have an end: "Hallelujah!" And again, "Hallelujah! Amen, Hallelujah!"—"for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready" (Rev 19: 7).