July 28, 1898

The Risen Saviour

EGW

After the crucifixion of Christ, the priests and rulers did not feel the sense of victory which they had expected. They did not rejoice at their success in silencing the voice of the Great Teacher. They were afraid. Already his death was calling attention to his life and character. The priests were convicted that their attempts at revenge had failed; and they dreaded a dead Christ more, far more, than they had ever feared a living Christ.YI July 28, 1898, par. 1

At the time of the Passover, many had come from far-distant lands to see and hear Christ; and they were shocked at hearing of the work which had been done by the priests and rulers. Many had brought their sick and suffering to the temple; but when they applied to the priests and rulers for help and sympathy, they were sent empty away. The people were apparently determined to have the living Saviour with them again. But they were driven from the temple courts, and soldiers were stationed at its gates to keep back the crowds who came with their suffering ones demanding entrance.YI July 28, 1898, par. 2

On his last journey to Jerusalem, Jesus had spoken to his disciples saying, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.”YI July 28, 1898, par. 3

These words had come to the priests and rulers through Judas. When they had first heard them, they had mocked and ridiculed; but now, as they heard the clamor for Christ, the Healer,—he who had healed the sick and had raised Lazarus from the dead,—they were ill at ease. Had not Christ declared, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”? While the rulers had affected to regard these words as a mere boast, and had spoken of Christ as a deceiver, the rent veil of the temple, laying open to the gaze of all the sacred enclosure, had filled them with fears that were almost unendurable. Would Christ rise from the dead? What would he do if he should rise? Such were the questions that passed from lip to lip.YI July 28, 1898, par. 4

The murderers of Jesus did all that they possibly could to keep his body in the tomb. On the day that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate, saying: “Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.” “Ye have a watch,” said Pilate; “go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.”YI July 28, 1898, par. 5

Lest the prediction of Christ should come to pass, they affixed to the stone of the sepulcher the Roman seal, and stationed around it a guard of soldiers. But little did these murderers know how useless were their efforts to keep the body of Christ hidden in the tomb. The very precautions they had taken were designed by God to establish the facts of the resurrection. The greater the number of the soldiers around the tomb of Christ, the stronger would be the evidence of his resurrection.YI July 28, 1898, par. 6

Early on the morning of the resurrection, before any one had reached the sepulcher, there was a great earthquake. The mightiest angel from heaven, he who held the position from which Satan fell, received his commission from the Father; and, clothed with the panoply of heaven, he parted the darkness from his track. His face was like the lightning, and his garments white as snow. The Roman guard were keeping their weary watch when this angel came to the earth, and they were enabled to endure the sight; for they had a message to bear as witnesses of the resurrection of Christ.YI July 28, 1898, par. 7

The light of heaven encircled the tomb, and the whole heaven was lighted by the glory of the angel. The angel approached the grave, and rolling away the stone as if it had been a pebble, he sat upon it. Then his voice was heard, Son of God, come forth; thy Father calls thee; and Jesus came forth from the grave with the step of a mighty conqueror. There was a burst of triumph, for the heavenly family were waiting to receive him; and the mighty angel, followed by the army of heaven, bowed in adoration before him as he, the Monarch of heaven, proclaimed over the rent tomb of Joseph, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” All united in the song, “Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.... Thou only art holy.... Thy judgments are made manifest.” “Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.”YI July 28, 1898, par. 8

Mrs. E. G. White