When the Roll is Called up Yonder

1. Read: “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Revelation 20:12).

2. About the Song:

1) Written by James M Black in 1893.

2) He wrote over 1500 songs.

3) This one was his most popular.

4) It is a song about what happens when Jesus returns.

3. About the text:

1) The song takes its premise from Revelation 20:12.

2) John describes a scene where everyone is judged before God.

3) They are judged based on what is written in God’s books.

4) These are the “rolls” that the song discusses.

4. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. “When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more, and the morning breaks eternal bright and fair; when the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, and the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.”

2. Sound of a Trumpet

1) “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52).

2) “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thess.4:16).

3. Time shall be no more.

1) “And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer” (Revelation 10:6 KJV).

2) “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52).

4. The earth and everything in it will cease.

1) “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).

2) “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them” (Rev.20:11).

5. Everyone will be gathered before Jesus to be judged.

1) “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left” (Matthew 25:31-33).

2) “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Rev.20:12).

1. “On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise, and the glory of His resurrection share; When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies, and the roll is called up younger, I’ll be there.”

2. The author says “bright and cloudless” morning; this is not literally correct.

1) We can be generous and say that he is speaking poetically.

2) The scriptures teach that Christ will return with clouds.

3) “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess.4:17).

4) “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen” (Rev.1:7).

3. Everyone will be raised from the dead.

1) “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29).

2) “I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust” (Acts 24:15).

4. The righteous will share in eternal life, but the wicked in eternal condemnation.

1) “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46).

2) “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:7-8).

1. “Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun, Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care; Then when all of life is over and our work on earth is done, and the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.”

2. This last stanza is invitational.

1) We need to work now while we have time.

2) One day, we will no longer have time to work.

3) “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).

4) “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time” (Colossians 4:5).

3. Today is the day of salvation!

1) “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).

2) We must do what we can today.

4. When our work is over, then we can rest.

1) “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:9-11).

2) “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).

1. When the roll is called up yonder…

1) Time as we know it will end.

2) Everyone will be raised from the dead.

3) Today is the day of salvation.

2. Invitation