EPHESIANS chapter I.       

14.-The Spirit, then, is the earnest of our inheritance of eternal life, until the redemption, that is, until the day of complete redemption is arrived.  So long as we are in this world, our warfare is sustained by hope, and therefore this earnest is necessary; but when the possession itself shall have been obtained, the necessity and use of the earnest will then cease.

This statement by John Calvin is true.  “The day of complete redemption is arrived, when the possession itself shall have been obtained.”

-The significance of a pledge lasts no longer than till both parties have fulfilled the bargain; and, accordingly, he afterwards adds, you are sealed to the day of redemption, (Eph.iv.30,) which means the day of judgment. 

This statement is also true, but there is much more involved in ESCHATOLOGY than this simple statement might express: “you are sealed to the day of redemption, (Eph.iv.30,) which means the day of judgment.”  The first part of this, “the day of redemption”, will occur very early in the day of the Lord—even at its very beginning, and the second part, “the day of judgment”, happens very late in the day of the lord—at its very conclusion.  Matter of fact, the final judgment will occur in that last portion of the day of the Lord, which is defined in Scripture as one specific hour.

Rev 18:9-10 “⁹And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived wantonly with her, shall weep and wail over her, when they look upon the smoke of her burning, ¹⁰standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour is your judgment come.”

Then Rev 18:16-20 “¹⁶saying, Woe, woe, the great city, she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearl! ¹⁷for in an hour so great riches is made desolate. And every shipmaster, and every one that sails in ships, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood afar off, ¹⁸and cried out as they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like the great city? ¹⁹And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. ²⁰Rejoice over her, you heaven, and you saints, and you apostles, and you prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her.”

Yes, there is the day of the Lord in which God’s judgments will surely come, but it is in one hour that this judgment will be fully consummated. 

We should also look at Rev 3:10 “¹⁰Because you did keep the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” 

This promise is written to the Church at Philadelphia.  I firmly believe that this exemption is referring to that ending time of the final judgment.  That is, this is said with regard to the final resurrection and the subsequent judgment of the wicked. Ref. Jn.5:28, 29

-Though we are now redeemed by the blood of Christ, the fruit of that redemption does not yet appear; for “every creature groaneth, desiring to be delivered from the bondage of corruption.  And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body;” for we have not yet obtained it, but by hope. (Rom.viii 21-23.)

The “first fruits of the Spirit” might best be defined as the first helps that we were given; Those helps which, according to John Calvin, were to aid us in our infirmities; those Spiritual gifts that we individually and collectively received directly from God.  (See Calvin’s Commentary - First Corinthians - xiii. 9 and 10 - vol.i - p.428)

“[It appears from Wolfius, that the greater part of the Lutheran and Reformed Divines have entertained the first opinion, that the “creature” means the world, rational and animal; to which he himself mainly accedes; and what he considers next to this, as the most tenable, is the notion, that the “creature” means the faithful, that “the sons of God” are the blessed in heaven, and that the Apostles and apostolic men were those who enjoyed “the first-fruits of the Spirit.”

-This last opinion relieves us from difficulties which press on all other expositions; and it may be extricated from objections which have been made to it; only the last sentence needs not be introduced.  The whole passage, from verse 18 to the end of verse 25, is in character with the usual style of the Apostle.  He finishes the first part with verse 22; and then in the second part he announces the same thing in a different form, on more explicit terms, and with some additions.  The “waiting” in verse 19, has a correspondent “waiting” in verse 23; and “the hope” in verse 20, has another “hope” to correspond with it in verse 24; and correspondent too is “the manifestation of the sons of God” in verse 19, and  “the redemption of our body” in verse 23. 

To reiterate the same truth in a different way was to make a deeper impression, and accordant with the Apostle’s manner of writing.  He begins the second time, after verse 22, in which is stated the condition of the whole world; and it is in contrast with that alone that the 23d verse is to be viewed, which restates and explains what had been previously said; so that “the  creature” are the “we ourselves;” and the Apostle proceeds with the subject to end of the 25th verse.  Instances of the same sort of arrangement are to be found in chap.ii.17-24; xi.33-36.

-The 21st verse may be considered as an explanation only of the “hope,” at the end of the 20th; “For even it, the creature,” though subjected to vanity, “shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption;” which means the same as “this body of death,” in chap.vii.24.

Calvin’s Commentary on Romans - footnote 1 pp.306, 307.]”

“-But we shall obtain it in reality, when Christ shall appear to Judgment.” 

As we have previously stated, that there is some truth to this statement: that “Christ shall appear to Judgment”.  But I would ask this question—is that the end of the discussion in defining this complicated matter?  Yes, when we look at Mat.25:31-46 and Rev.20:11-15, Christ does appear in judgment, the final judgment.  But when we look at Mat.24:, Mk.13:, and Lu.21:, we see our Lord Jesus coming (parousia) in the clouds with much more in mind than the final judgment.  His coming in these passages, is first, to gather together His invisible elect priesthood: The same promise that is clearly confirmed for us in 1 Thes.4:16-18; Ref.1Cor.15—

“¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; ¹⁷then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

-Such is the meaning of the word redemption in the passage now quoted from the Epistle of the Romans, and in a saying of our Lord, “Look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke xxi 28.)

“(Purchased possession), which we translate the possession obtained, is not the kingdom of heaven, or a blessed immortality, but the Church itself.” 

To begin here, John Calvin properly defines the redeemed as the possession obtained; The invisible elect priesthood, which is inclusive of the invisible elect Church, is being gathered up by the angels of our Lord.

Then Calvin further defines the redeemed in somewhat of a negative context.  That this possession is not “the kingdom of heaven”, or “a blessed immortality”.  He then says straight out, that this possession is referring to “the Church itself”.  Now to say that this possession that is sighted here in Scripture is “not the Kingdom of Heaven”, may not be completely accurate.  The invisible elect priesthood, which includes the invisible Church, is in fact “The Kingdom of the Son of His love”.  Col. 1: “¹³who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;”  According to this Colossians passage, the invisible elect priesthood, which includes the invisible elect Church, which would also include all of the invisible elect priests from God’s entire reconciliation, is the very same Kingdom that is to be delivered up to our God and Father. Ref.1Cor:15:24

So after our REDEMPTION, and our being DELIVERED UP TO GOD, we will surely constitute “The Kingdom of God and Heaven”. Ref.Mat.19:14 

Then secondly, to say that this redeemed possession is not “a blessed immortality” is inaccurate as well.  This “REDEMPTION of our bodies” of Rom.viii, is nothing less than this corruption putting on incorruption and this mortal putting on immortality.  For it is only then that this saying will surely come to pass: Death is swallowed up in victory.

-This is added for their consolation, that they might not think it hard to cherish their hope till the day of Christ’s coming, or be displeased that they have not yet obtained the promised inheritance; for such is the common lot of the whole Church.

Calvin’s Commentary on Ephesians - pp.209-210

I might be so bold as to say that this was added as an explanation of this blessed promised inheritance.  An explanation of all of the benefit that await the elect priesthood from God’s reconciliation; the invisible elect priesthood, which includes the invisible elect Church of Jesus Christ.  Thus far in the life experience of the Church, we have only been partakers in the first resurrection-Christ’s resurrection:

Rev 20:4-6 “⁴And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them (Ref.Rev.4:2-4): and I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

⁵The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished.

This is the first resurrection. ⁶Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: over these the second death has no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

I would repeat—though this passage is referring specifically to the souls of the martyred saints, I believe that it would also serve as a positional type for the souls of all of Christ’s deceased priesthood /or elect saints.  This is inclusive of all those invisible elect saints who have died during this dispensation of grace: All those who are in Christ.  The Scriptures themselves mandate the inclusion of all the deceased priests from this dispensation of grace within this prophetic heavenly picture.  This is based on the common accepted interpretation of 2Cor.5:8 and Phil.1:23: Which is the belief that every regenerated—born again [Jn.5:24-25 and Jn.11:25-26 zao] believer who dies during this year of Jehovah’s favor, goes immediately into the presence of our Lord.  So if these two promises were to be effective within the same time span of God’s reconciliation, it would also be necessary that they occupy the same Heavenly space.  Then to say “the second death has no power”, is essentially saying that these souls that have obtain this heavenly residency [those who have become partakers in the first resurrection; Christ’s own resurrection], have already gone through the Jn.5:24-25 and Jn.11:25-26 process, which altogether exempts them from the situational death that qualifies the rest for their participation in the final resurrection and judgment.

Now this promise brings us straight back to John 5:24 “²⁴Truly, truly, I say unto you, He that hears my word (the Word of God), and believes him that sent me (God), has eternal life, and comes not into judgment, but has (already) passed out of death into life.” 

Just think about it!  To be put in a position where one is given this complete exemption from the final judgment and the condemnation of the second death. 

But it is only after the promised gathering [the pre-Armageddon rapture Ref. Mat.24:31; Mk.13:27; 1Cor.15:23, 24; 1Thes.4:16-18] is completed, when God’s holy priesthood will have received their own resurrected bodies; bodies like unto the very body of our Lord Jesus—“²Beloved, now are we children of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be.  But we know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.” 1John 3:2 

It is only at this advanced time that we will be able to become full participants in this process.  Because it is only at that specific point in time, that we will become the full manifestation of the first resurrection—the body of Christ.  The Kingdom that is being pictured here will have become complete in every respect.

THE WHITE ROBE JUDGMENT

(That Heavenly Tribunal - The Judgment-seat of Christ)

Calvin’s Commentary on Corinthians - vol.ii - pp.215-227

2 Cor 5:1 - 11

1. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

“Now he has recourse to two arguments.  On the one hand, he shows the miserable condition of mankind in this life, and on the other hand, the supreme and perfect blessedness, which awaits believers in heaven after death.”

“As, however, all naturally view death with horror, unbelievers never willingly quit this life, except when they throw it off in disgust or despair.  Believers, on the other hand, depart willingly, because they have a better hope set before them beyond this world.  This is the sum of the argument.  Let us now examine the words one by one.

We know, says he.  This knowledge does not spring from the human intellect, but takes its rise from the revelation of the Holy Spirit.  Hence it is peculiar to believers.  Even the heathens had some idea of the immortality of the soul, but there was not one of them, that had assurance of it—Believers alone can affirm this, to whom it has been testified of by the word and Spirit of God.  Besides, it is to be observed, that this knowledge is not merely of a general kind, as though believers were merely in a general way persuaded, that the children of God will be in a better condition after death,..  On the contrary, every one must have a knowledge peculiar to himself, for this, and this only, can animate me to meet death with cheerfulness—if I am fully persuaded, that I am departing to a better life.

The body, such as we now have it, he calls a house of tabernacle.  For as tabernacles are constructed, for a temporary purpose,..  He places in contrast with this a building of perpetual duration.  It is not certain, whether he means by this term (1) a state of blessed immortality, which awaits believers after death, or (2) the incorruptible and glorious body, such as it will be after the resurrection.  In whichever of these senses it is taken, it will not be unsuitable; though I prefer to understand it as meaning, that (1) the blessed condition of the soul after death is the commencement of this building, and (2) the glory of the final resurrection is the consummation of it.”

Calvin’s Commentary on Corinthians - Vol.ii - pp.216-218 

John Calvin’s explanation of these things seems thorough.  The important thing for us to remember here, is that all of these things happen on the Heavenly plane: And that this special grace includes only “the sons of God”—“the children of God”—the invisible elect priesthood which includes only those who are in Christ.  By adding the word “final” to his description of the resurrection, Calvin has mistakenly combined a Heavenly reality with an earthly reality.  Those who are in Christ are to be resurrected into Heaven where they will participate in the marriage of the Lamb, while all of the “dead” along with “death and Hades” are resurrected on the earth for the final judgment and subsequent earthly rewards.  

Nevertheless, in these concluding comments, we can see Calvin’s full understanding of the two stage approach for the elect believers as they come into God’s presence. 

First, Calvin sees “the blessed condition of the soul after death is the commencement of this building”. 

Then secondly, Calvin see “the glory of the final resurrection is the consummation of it.” 

What we in fact see here, is Calvin’s description of (1) the Heavenly state of the souls of those who are in Christ (Rev.20:4) and (2) the Heavenly state of the resurrected bodies as well, of those who are in Christ—The elect Congregation /or the invisible priesthood as the completed Kingdom in Heaven (1Cor.15:24).

2 - 3. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

“He restricts to believers, what he had stated respecting the certainty of a future life, as it is a thing peculiar to them.  For the wicked, too, are striped of the body, but as they bring nothing within the view of God, but a disgraceful nakedness, they are, consequently, not clothed with a glorious body.  Believers, on the other hand, who appear in the view of God, clothed with Christ, and adorned with His image, receive the glorious robe of immortality...  —as if Paul had said, that a new robe will be prepared for believers after death, since they have been clothed (with the righteousness of Christ and the Holy Spirit) in this life also.

4.  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

5. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

6. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

“We are absent from the Lord.  Scripture everywhere proclaims, that God is present with us: Paul here teaches, that we are absent from him.  This is seemingly a contradiction; but this difficulty is easily solved, when we take into view the different respects, in which he is said to be present or absent.  He is, then, present with all men, inasmuch as he upholds them by his power.  He dwells in them, because in him they live and move and have their being. (Acts xvii, 28.)  He is present with his believing people by the energy of his Spirit; he lives in them, resides in the midst of them, nay more, within them.  But in the mean time he is absent from us, inasmuch as he does not present himself to be seen face to face, because we are as yet in a state of exile from his kingdom (presence), and have not as yet attained that blessed immortality, which the angels that are with him enjoy.  At the same time, to be absent, in this passage, refers merely to knowledge, as is manifest from the reason that is afterwards added.”

7. (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

“The reason why he is not seen by us is, that we walk by faith.  Now it is on good grounds that faith is opposed to sight, because it perceives those things that are hid from the view of men—because it reaches forth to future things, which do not as yet appear.  For such is the condition of believers, that they resemble the dead rather than the living—that they often seem as if they were forsaken by God—that they always have the elements of death shut up within them.  Hence they must necessarily hope against hope.  (Rom. iv. 18.)  Now the things that are hoped for are hid, as we read in Rom. viii. 24, and faith is the manifestation of things which do not appear.  (Heb. xi. 1.)”

-Calvin’s comments on Rom.viii. 24.

“Waiting for the adoption, &c.  Improperly indeed, but not without the best reason, is adoption employed here to designate the fruition of the inheritance to which we are adopted; for Paul means this, that the eternal decree of God, by which he has chosen us to himself as sons before the foundation of the world, of which he testifies to us in the gospel, the assurance of which he seals on our hearts by his Spirit, would be void, except the promised resurrection were certain, which is its consummation.  For to what end is God our Father, except he receives us after we have finished our earthly pilgrimage into his celestial inheritance?  To the same purpose is what he immediately subjoins (adds), the redemption of the body.  For the price of our redemption was in such a way paid by Christ, that death should notwithstanding hold us tied by its chains, yes, that we should carry it within us; it hence follows, that the sacrifice of the death of Christ would be in vain and fruitless, except its fruit appeared in our heavenly renovation.”

Calvin’s Commentary - Romans - p.309

Calvin’s Commentary on Second Corinthians Chapter Five:

8. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

“Believers, however, desire death—not as if they would, by an importunate desire, anticipate their Lord’s day, for they willingly retain their footing in their earthly station, so long as their Lord may see good, for they would rather live to the glory of Christ than die to themselves, (Rom. xiv. 7) and for their own advantage.  For the desire, of which Paul speaks, springs from faith.  Hence it is not at all at variance with the will of God.  We may, also, gather from these words of Paul, that souls, when released from the body, live in the presence of God, for if, on being absent from the body, they have God present, they assuredly live with him...”

9. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.  

 “And indeed it cannot but be, that the hope of a resurrection, and thoughtfulness as to the judgment, will awaken in us this desire; as, on the other hand, the true reason why we are so indolent and remiss in duty is, that we seldom, if ever, think of what ought to be constantly kept in remembrance, that we are here but lodgers for a short time, that we may, after finishing our course, return to Christ.  Observe, however, what he says—that this is the desire both of the living and of the dead, by which statement the immortality of the soul is again confirmed.”

10. For 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.

“Though this is common to all, yet all without distinction do not raise their views in such a way as to consider every moment, that they must appear before the judgment-seat of Christ.  But while Paul, from a holy desire of acting aright, constantly sisted himself before the bar of Christ, he had it in view to reprove indirectly those ambitious teachers, who reckoned it enough to have the plaudits of their fellow-men.  For when he says, that no one can escape, he seems in a manner to summon them to that HEAVENLY TRIBUNAL.”

I know that John Calvin had a glimpse of this heavenly court that is now in session for the priestly saints from God’s reconciliation.  It is at the judgment-seat of Christ where each of us, immediately following our death, must stand.  It is also here that we are to receive our white robes and encouraged to be patient in our waiting. 

This “HEAVENLY TRIBUNAL”    differs greatly from the final judgment upon the earth.  In that, the souls of the departed elect saints /or priests are judged with Christ’s righteous judgment and rewarded with their white robes—even here at the commencement of their thousand-year reign in heaven with their Lord.

11.  Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

“To know the terror of the Lord, then, is to be influenced by this consideration—that an account must one day be rendered before the judgment-seat of Christ; for the man who seriously considers this must of necessity be touched with fear, and shake off all negligence.   (AMEN!)

Calvin comments on1Cor.15:23-25 

25. For he must reign. 

“He proves that the time is not yet come when Christ will deliver UP the kingdom to the Father, with the view of showing at the same time that the end has not yet come, when all things will be put into a right and tranquil state, because Christ has not yet subdued all his enemies.”

Calvin’s Commentary on First Corinthians - vol.ii - p.28

When we compare “When Christ will deliver UP the kingdom to the Father.” with “When all things will be put into a right and tranquil state.” we are taking a gigantic step in God’s table of time.  This is one of the basic problems that exists in the eschatological exegesis of many commentators.  This is the result of the improper amalgamation of many of the end time Scriptures: Which also creates a very difficult environment for achieving the comprehensive truths of these critically important matters.  The key word for these folk in understanding this present problem is UP.  The completed Kingdom is being delivered UP to God!  While the final resurrection and judgment is the consummation of The day of the Lord, and is surely seen as happening right here on this earthly plane.

If the question is asked, as to “When he shall have abolished all rule”?  This passage from the book of the Revelation would surely clarify that point.

Rev.11:15 “¹⁵And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever.” 

This picture that is being presented here, must be seen as an additional clarification to what we received in Rev.10:7—“⁷But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God, according to the good tidings which he declared to his servants the prophets.” 

The “mystery” that is being revealed here, would probably be the revelation of the  inexplicable reality of our Creator God.  It is at that specific point in time that the whole inhabited earth will know that our God is GOD.  But to answer our question, there is a definite power shift following the sounding of this last trumpet: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ;”

When we consider the chronology of the Scriptures, what kind of time distance do we see between Mat.24:30—where we see our Lord pictured up in the clouds: a position from which He commands His angels to gather up those who are the members of His invisible elect Congregation /or His hidden priesthood, and Mat.25:31—where we see our Lord coming in glory: when, with all the Nations (the resurrected dead from all of the graves Ref.Jn.5:28, 29) gathered before Him, He will sit upon the throne of His glory?  So the questions that must be answered here, is first, what is the time span between these two Scriptural pictures from Mat.24:30 and Mat.25:31, and second, what are their Scriptural orientations? 

I would say that these two pictures are both pictures of the Day of the Lord, only from different time perspectives:

The first picture—Mat.24:30 is, from a vertical orientation, looking at the beginning of the Day of the Lord—the resurrection of the LIVING and the gathering UP of God’s holy priesthood.

The second picture—Mat.25:31 is, from a horizontal orientation, looking at the ending of the Day of the Lord—the resurrection and judgment of the DEAD.

How long then, with respect to time, is the Day of the Lord?

We would conclude from the Scriptures that the Day of the Lord could span from one day in length to a full one thousand years in length. Ref.Ps.90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”  So this protracted “Day of the Lord” is completely based on God’s time.

-Mat.24:29

“And immediately after the tribulation of those days.  Christ comes now to speak of the full manifestation of his kingdom, about which he was at first interrogated by the disciples, and promises that, after they have been tried by so many distressing events, the redemption will arrive in due time... 

Having now ascertained Christ’s intention, we shall have no difficulty in perceiving the meaning of the words to be, that heaven will not be darkened immediately, but after that the Church shall have passed through the whole course of its tribulations.”  

Calvin’s Harmony - vol.iii - p.145

Here, John Calvin and I would agree.  The tribulations that we see mentioned in these end time passages, are given with respect to only the invisible elect saints who are being singled out during this dispensation of grace: “But after that the Church shall have passed through the whole course of its tribulations.”  As we interpret the Scriptures, we must be able to make that clear distinction between the invisible elect Church and her visible institutional populations.  Calvin is not saying that all tribulations will have come to an end, for the Scriptures themselves prove the folly of that line of thinking.  He is saying that only the tribulations for the members of the invisible Church of Jesus Christ /or His hidden priesthood, because of their intermediate gathering up in the air to be with Christ, will have come to an end. Ref.Rev.7:14

“The tribulation of those days is improperly interpreted by some commentators to mean the destruction of Jerusalem; for, on the contrary, it is a general recapitulation of all the evils of which Christ had previously spoken.”  Calvin’s Harmony - vol.iii - p.146

“The meaning therefore is, that the predictions which had been formerly made about the miraculous shaking of heaven and earth, ought not to be restricted to the commencement of redemption, because the prophets had embraced the whole course of it, till it should arrive at perfection.”

Calvin’s Harmony - vol.iii - p.145

It would appear that John Calvin recognized some form of continuation of the tribulation events beyond the redemption of the hidden priesthood of Jesus Christ.  He also observes the redemption of Christ’s priests, as marking the commencement of these events that are to take place upon the earth.  Stating that these tribulations would continue on, even up to the time of perfection. Ref.Rev.21:1-22:5 <**> Ref.Rev.2:20-23; Rev.7:9-15

-Calvin continues: “The meaning therefore is, that there will be such a violent commotion of the firmament of heaven, that the stars themselves will be supposed to fall.  Luke also adds that there will be a dreadful commotion of the sea, the sea and the waves roaring, so that men will faint through fear and alarm.  **In a word, all the creatures above and below will be, as it were, heralds to summon men to that tribunal, which they will continue to treat with ungodly and wanton contempt TILL THE LAST DAY.” Lu.21:25-28  Vol.iii - p.146

As we look at these words from John Calvin, we have a small glimpse of his view of the gathering in of Christ’s invisible elect priesthood with respect to the final judgment; “that tribunal”.  It would appear to this observer, that John Calvin sees the gathered elect; the gathered hidden priesthood of Jesus Christ, as the future “heralds to summon men to that tribunal”.  Then looking closer at this last portion, “They will continue to treat with ungodly and wanton contempt TILL THE LAST DAY.”, we also see a continuance of things and events upon the earth—toward which, the wicked also continue on in their usual disrespectful ways. Ref.Rev.16: 9 and 11  Calvin seems to recognize a continuance of The Day of the Lord, even after the redemption of the invisible priesthood of Jesus Christ.

“30. Then shall appear the sign of the Son on man.  By this term Christ points out more clearly the difference between the present condition of his kingdom and its future glory; for it is a sort of admission that, amidst the darkness of tribulations, the majesty of Christ will not fully appear, and men will not perceive the redemption which he has brought.”

Calvin’s Harmony - vol.iii - p.146

John Calvin seems to be suggesting that the gathering event; the rapture; the redemption of the invisible priesthood, may be hidden from the earthly populations.

The hidden priesthood as the bride of Christ—Rev.19:6-9.

“Luke XXI. 28. And when these things begin to take place. 

Luke expresses more clearly the consolation by which Christ animates the minds of his followers; for, though this sentence contains nothing different from the words of Matthew, which we have just now explained, yet it shows better for what purpose the angels will come, as we are told, to gather the elect.  For it was necessary to contrast the joy of the godly with the general sorrow and distress of the world, and to point out the difference between them and the reprobate, that they might not view with horror the coming of Christ.  We know that Scripture, when it speaks not only of the last judgment, but of all the judgments which God executes every day, describes them in a variety of ways, according as the discourse is addressed to believers or to unbelievers. 

To what purpose is the day of the Lord to you? says the prophet Amos, (v.18.)  It is a day of darkness and gloominess, not of light; of sorrow, not of joy; of destruction, not of salvation.”

This portion is surely looking at the earthly conditions, which, following the redemption of the hidden elect priesthood, might continue on throughout the entire Day of the Lord.

“On the other hand, Zechariah (ix.9) bids the daughter of Zion rejoice on account of the coming of her King; and justly, for— as Isaiah (xxxv.4) tells us—the same day which brings wrath and vengeance to the reprobate brings good-will and redemption to believers.”

This portion of Calvin’s Commentary is surely looking at the redemptive conditions that will usher in the end of the year of Jehovah’s favor; the Christian era, and the simultaneous beginning of the Day of the Lord.

“Christ therefore shows that, at his coming, the light of joy will arise on his disciples, that they may rejoice in the approaching salvation, while the wicked are overwhelmed with terror.  Accordingly, Paul distinguishes them by this mark, that they wait for the day or coming of the Lord, (1Cor.i.7;) for that which is their crown, and perfect happiness, and solace, is delayed till that day, (2Tim.iv. 8.)  It is therefore called here (as in Rom.viii. 23) redemption; because we shall then obtain truly and perfectly the consequences of the deliverance obtained through Christ.  Let our ears therefore be awake to the sound of the angels trumpet, which will then sound, not only to strike the reprobate with the dread of death, but to arouse the elect to a second life; that is, to call to the enjoyment of life those whom the Lord now quickens by the voice of his Gospel (Jn.5:25); for it is a sign of infidelity, to be afraid when the Son of God comes in person for our salvation.” (To complete our salvation. Ref.1Pe.1:3-5)

Calvin’s Harmony - vol.iii - pp.148, 149