Glorified Mortal As Against Glorified Immortal
Revelation 7
KJV
9+ After this I beheld, 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;
One popular hymn that touches the heart and gives hope of the brighter future that lies ahead of believers is the hymn titled “ There Is A Habitation”. Take a look at the words.
There is a habitation,
Built by the living God,
For all of ev'ry nation,
Who seek that grand abode.
Chorus:
O Sion, Sion,
I long thy gates to see:
O Sion, Sion,
When shall I dwell in thee?
2 A city with foundations,
Firm as the eternal throne,
Nor wars, nor desolations
Shall ever move a stone.
3 No night is there, no sorrow,
No death, and no decay;
No yesterday, no morrow,--
But one eternal day.
4 Within its pearly portals,
Angelic armies sing,
With glorified immortals,
The praises of its King
My focus is on the words of the last stanza especially the line “ glorified immortals “. The line suggests that if there are “glorified immortals “ then there must also be “glorified mortals”.
The Question is who are these?
“Glorified mortals” are man-made. These are those who are exalted by men, men bestowed with worldly glories and honors. These are men who are known and highly admired here on Earth. These are people who die and their glories die and are buried with them!
“Glorified immortals” are those glorified and exalted by God as described in our text verse above! These are those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life; their glories never fade or die because they live forever, and their glorification (exaltation) is by God and not man.
Every Believer is a potential glorified immortal, whose glorification will take place on the Day of the Resurrection.
Because flesh and blood ( mortal) can not inherit the kingdom, a transformation must first take place before the coronation (glorification )
Read how Paul described it,
1 Corinthians 15:50-54
NIV
[50] I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
[51] Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed---
[52] in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
[53] For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
[54] When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
This is what will precede the coronation that transforms us into “ immortals “ and crowns us with glory. Hence becoming “ glorified immortals “.
Beloved, make every effort to be counted worthy of this honor and title “ glorified immortal”. The world has its “ glorified mortals “ but you; aspire to be Heaven’s “glorified immortal”.
Seek therefore no glorification here, rather seek that which is above which never fades nor dies!
Hebrews 13
KJV
14+ For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Maranatha.