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I. When this dispensation shall come to its close, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven, then we believe the Lord shall write up His people. WHAT WILL THIS WRITING BE?

1. There will be written in this census nothing but personal matters. "This man was born there." They are not taken in the plural — "these men." They are not taken as a corporate body — this nation, this Church, this family — but one by one each man's name shall be found either written there or else left out. There is no truth which we need more frequently to hold up before the eyes of our people than the truth that nothing but personal godliness will ever avail.

2. Again, you will perceive that this great census deals not merely with personal matters, but with vital matters which concern a man's birth. Here you have it that this man was born there. 'Tis true the things we have thought and those we have done shall be mentioned at the last, but not for their own sakes. They shall be mentioned only as means of proving that we were born again, or else as evidence that regeneration had never taken place in us.

3. This census will be decisive — the last polling of the people, the last counting of the jewels and casting away of the counterfeits, the last bringing in of the sheep and banishment of the goats. Oh that we were wise to look into futurities!

II. WHOSE NAMES WILL NOT BE FOUND WRITTEN WHEN THE LORD COUNTETH UP HIS PEOPLE.

1. The name of the hypocritical Church member will not be found there.

2. The man who is a mere hearer.

3. Those who are living in vice and open sin, and die as they live.

4. Moralists.

III. WHOSE NAME WILL BE FOUND THERE? We reply, there shall be the name of every soul that ever believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

IV. WHO IS TO MAKE OUT THE CENSUS PAPER? "The Lord shall count when He writeth up the people." But why shall the Lord make out the census? Who else should do it? God is only wise. We will not question this man or that, this denomination or that. It is not for us to use our fingers to count the brands plucked from the burning, but to use our hands to pluck them from the fire, and we will pass the roll to the only wise God, and He shall at the last decide whether they be His or no.

V. WHY WILL THE CENSUS BE TAKEN AT ALL? The Lord counts up His people —

1. To show His value of them.

2. To show to Satan his entire defeat.

3. To let all men see that the great riddle which has distracted human intellect was no riddle but a fact. God is glorified, and man free.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.

WEB: Yahweh will count, when he writes up the peoples, "This one was born there." Selah.