the desire of ages-第137章

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y　would　have　kept　forever　sealed　the　tomb　that　held　the　Son　of　God。　But　a　heavenly　host　surrounded　the　sepulcher。　Angels　that　excel　in　strength　were　guarding　the　tomb；　and　waiting　to　welcome　the　Prince　of　life。

〃And；　behold；　there　was　a　great　earthquake：　for　the　angel　of　the　Lord　descended　from　heaven。〃　Clothed　with　the　panoply　of　God；　this　angel　left　the　heavenly　courts。　The　bright　beams　of　God's　glory　went　before　him；　and　illuminated　his　pathway。　〃His　countenance　was　like　lightning；　and　his　raiment　white　as　snow：　and　for　fear　of　him　the　keepers　did　shake；　and　became　as　dead　men。〃

Now；　priests　and　rulers；　where　is　the　power　of　your　guard？　Brave　soldiers　that　have　never　been　afraid　of　human　power　are　now　as　captives　taken　without　sword　or　spear。　The　face　they　look　upon　is　not　the　face

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of　mortal　warrior；　it　is　the　face　of　the　mightiest　of　the　Lord's　host。　This　messenger　is　he　who　fills　the　position　from　which　Satan　fell。　It　is　he　who　on　the　hills　of　Bethlehem　proclaimed　Christ's　birth。　The　earth　trembles　at　his　approach；　the　hosts　of　darkness　flee；　and　as　he　rolls　away　the　stone；　heaven　seems　to　come　down　to　the　earth。　The　soldiers　see　him　removing　the　stone　as　he　would　a　pebble；　and　hear　him　cry；　Son　of　God；　come　forth；　Thy　Father　calls　Thee。　They　see　Jesus　come　forth　from　the　grave；　and　hear　Him　proclaim　over　the　rent　sepulcher；　〃I　am　the　resurrection；　and　the　life。〃　As　He　comes　forth　in　majesty　and　glory；　the　angel　host　bow　low　in　adoration　before　the　Redeemer；　and　welcome　Him　with　songs　of　praise。

An　earthquake　marked　the　hour　when　Christ　laid　down　His　life；　and　another　earthquake　witnessed　the　moment　when　He　took　it　up　in　triumph。　He　who　had　vanquished　death　and　the　grave　came　forth　from　the　tomb　with　the　tread　of　a　conqueror；　amid　the　reeling　of　the　earth；　the　flashing　of　lightning；　and　the　roaring　of　thunder。　When　He　shall　come　to　the　earth　again；　He　will　shake　〃not　the　earth　only；　but　also　heaven。〃　〃The　earth　shall　reel　to　and　fro　like　a　drunkard；　and　shall　be　removed　like　a　cottage。〃　〃The　heavens　shall　be　rolled　together　as　a　scroll；〃　〃the　elements　shall　melt　with　fervent　heat；　the　earth　also　and　the　works　that　are　therein　shall　be　burned　up。〃　But　〃the　Lord　will　be　the　hope　of　His　people；　and　the　strength　of　the　children　of　Israel。〃　Heb。　12：26；　Isa。　24：20；　34：4；　2　Peter　3：10；　Joel　3：16。

At　the　death　of　Jesus　the　soldiers　had　beheld　the　earth　wrapped　in　darkness　at　midday；　but　at　the　resurrection　they　saw　the　brightness　of　the　angels　illuminate　the　night；　and　heard　the　inhabitants　of　heaven　singing　with　great　joy　and　triumph：　Thou　hast　vanquished　Satan　and　the　powers　of　darkness；　Thou　hast　swallowed　up　death　in　victory！

Christ　came　forth　from　the　tomb　glorified；　and　the　Roman　guard　beheld　Him。　Their　eyes　were　riveted　upon　the　face　of　Him　whom　they　had　so　recently　mocked　and　derided。　In　this　glorified　Being　they　beheld　the　prisoner　whom　they　had　seen　in　the　judgment　hall；　the　one　for　whom　they　had　plaited　a　crown　of　thorns。　This　was　the　One　who　had　stood　unresisting　before　Pilate　and　Herod；　His　form　lacerated　by　the　cruel　scourge。　This　was　He　who　had　been　nailed　to　the　cross；　at　whom　the　priests　and　rulers；　full　of　self…satisfaction；　had　wagged　their　heads；　saying；　〃He　saved　others；　Himself　He　cannot　save。〃　Matt。　27：42。　This　was　He　who　had　been　laid　in　Joseph's　new　tomb。　The　decree　of　heaven　had

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loosed　the　captive。　Mountains　piled　upon　mountains　over　His　sepulcher　could　not　have　prevented　Him　from　coming　forth。

At　sight　of　the　angels　and　the　glorified　Saviour　the　Roman　guard　had　fainted　and　become　as　dead　men。　When　the　heavenly　train　was　hidden　from　their　view；　they　arose　to　their　feet；　and　as　quickly　as　their　trembling　limbs　could　carry　them；　made　their　way　to　the　gate　of　the　garden。　Staggering　like　drunken　men；　they　hurried　on　to　the　city；　telling　those　whom　they　met　the　wonderful　news。　They　were　making　their　way　to　Pilate；　but　their　report　had　been　carried　to　the　Jewish　authorities；　and　the　chief　priests　and　rulers　sent　for　them　to　be　brought　first　into　their　presence。　A　strange　appearance　those　soldiers　presented。　Trembling　with　fear；　their　faces　colorless；　they　bore　testimony　to　the　resurrection　of　Christ。　The　soldiers　told　all；　just　as　they　had　seen　it；　they　had　not　had　time　to　think　or　speak　anything　but　the　truth。　With　painful　utterance　they　said；　It　was　the　Son　of　God　who　was　crucified；　we　have　heard　an　angel　proclaiming　Him　as　the　Majesty　of　heaven；　the　King　of　glory。

The　faces　of　the　priests　were　as　those　of　the　dead。　Caiaphas　tried　to　speak。　His　lips　moved；　but　they　uttered　no　sound。　The　soldiers　were　about　to　leave　the　council　room；　when　a　voice　stayed　them。　Caiaphas　had　at　last　found　speech。　Wait；　wait；　he　said。　Tell　no　one　the　things　you　have　seen。

A　lying　report　was　then　given　to　the　soldiers。　〃Say　ye；〃　said　the　priests；　〃His　disciples　came　by　night；　and　stole　Him　away　while　we

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slept。〃　Here　the　priests　overreached　themselves。　How　could　the　soldiers　say　that　the　disciples　had　stolen　the　body　while　they　slept？　If　they　were　asleep；　how　could　they　know？　And　if　the　disciples　had　been　proved　guilty　of　stealing　Christ's　body；　would　not　the　priests　have　been　first　to　condemn　them？　Or　if　the　sentinels　had　slept　at　the　tomb；　would　not　the　priests　have　been　foremost　in　accusing　them　to　Pilate？

The　soldiers　were　horrified　at　the　thought　of　bringing　upon　themselves　the　charge　of　sleeping　at　their　post。　This　was　an　offense　punishable　with　death。　Should　they　bear　false　witness；　deceiving　the　people；　and　placing　their　own　lives　in　peril？　Had　they　not　kept　their　weary　watch　with　sleepless　vigilance？　How　could　they　stand　the　trial；　even　for　the　sake　of　money；　if　they　perjured　themselves？

In　order　to　silence　the　testimony　they　feared；　the　priests　promised　to　secure　the　safety　of　the　guard；　saying　that　Pilate　would　not　desire　to　have　such　a　report　circulated　any　more　than　they　did。　The　Roman　soldiers　sold　their　integrity　to　the　Jews　for　money。　They　came　in　before　the　priests　burdened　with　a　most　startling　message　of　truth；　they　went　out　with　a　burden　of　money；　and　on　their　tongues　a　lying　report　which　had　been　framed　for　them　by　the　priests。

Meanwhile　the　report　of　Christ's　resurrection　had　been　carried　to　Pilate。　Though　Pilate　was　responsible　for　having　given　Christ　up　to　die；　he　had　been　comparatively　unconcerned。　While　he　had　condemned　the　Saviour　unwillingly；　and　with　a　feeling　of　pity；　he　had　felt　no　real　compunction　until　now。　In　terror　he　now　shut　himself　within　his　house；　determined　to　see　no　one。　But　the　priests　made　their　way　into　his　presence；　told　the　story　which　they　had　invented；　and　urged　him　to　overlook　the　sentinels'　neglect　of　duty。　Before　consenting　to　this；　he　himself　privately　questioned　the　guard。　They；　fearing　for　their　own　safety；　dared　not　conceal　anything；　and　Pilate　drew　from　them　an　account　of　all　that　had　taken　place。　He　did　not　prosecute　the　matter　further；　but　from　that　time　there　was　no　peace　for　him。

When　Jesus　was　laid　in　the　grave；　Satan　triumphed。　He　dared　to　hope　that　the　Saviour　would　not　take　up　His　life　again。　He　claimed　the　Lord's　body；　and　set　his　guard　about　the　tomb；　seeking　to　hold　Christ　a　prisoner。　He　was　bitterly　angry　when　his　angels　fled　at　the　approach　of　the　heavenly　messenger。　When　he　saw　Christ　come　forth　in　triumph；　he　knew　that　his　kingdom　would　have　an　end；　and　that　he　must　finally　die。

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The　priests；　in　putting　Christ　to　death；　had　made　themselves　the　tools　of　Satan。　Now　they　were　entirely　in　his　power。　They　were　entangled　in　a　snare　from　which　they　saw　no　escape　but　in　continuing　their　warfare　against　Christ。　When　they　heard　the　report　of　His　resurrection；　they　feared　the　wrath　of　the　people。　They　felt　that　their　own　lives　were　in　danger。　The　only　hope　for　them　was　to　prove　Christ　an　impostor　by　denying　that　He　had　risen。　They　bribed　the　soldiers；　and　secured　Pilate's　silence。　They　spread　their　lying　reports　far　and　near。　But　there　were　witnesses　whom　they　could　not　silence。　Many　had　heard　of　the　soldiers'　testimony　to　Christ's　resurrection。　And　certain　of　the　dead　who　came　forth　with　Christ　appeared　to　many；　and　declared　that　He　had　risen。　Reports　were　brought　to　the　priests　of　persons　who　had　seen　these　risen　ones；　and　heard　their　testimony。　The　priests　and　rulers　were　in　continual　dread；　lest　in　walking　the　streets；　or　within　the　privacy　of　their　own　homes；　they　should　come　face　to　face　with　Christ。　They　felt　that　there　was　no　safety　for　them。　Bolts　and　bars　were　but　poor　protection　against　the　Son　of　God。　By　day　and　by　night　that　awful　scene　in　the　judgment　hall；　when　they　had　cried；　〃His　blood　be　on　us；　and　on　our　children；〃　was　before　them。　Matt。　27：25。　Nevermore　would　the　memory　of　that　scene　fade　from　their　minds。　Nevermore　would　peaceful　sleep　come　to　their　pillows。

When　the　voice　of　the　mighty　angel　was　heard　at　Christ's　tomb；　saying；　Thy　Father　calls　Thee；　the　Saviour　came　forth　from　the　grave　by　the　life　that　was　in　Himself。　Now　was　proved　the　truth　of　His　words；　〃I　lay　down　My　life；　that　I　might　take　it　again。　。　。　。　I　have　power　to　lay　it　down；　and　I　have　power　to　take　it　again。〃　Now　was　fulfilled　the　prophecy　He　had　spoken　to　the　priests　and　rulers；　〃Destroy　this　temple；　and　in　three　days　I　will　raise　it　up。〃　John　10：17；　18；　2：19。

Over　the　rent　sepulcher　of　Joseph；　Christ　had　proclaimed　in　triumph；　〃I　am　the　resurrection；　and　the　life。〃　These　words　could　be　spoken　only　by　the　Deity。　All　created　beings　live　by　the　will　and　power　of　God。　They　are　dependent　recipients　of　the　life　of　God。　From　the　highest　seraph　to　the　humblest　animate　being；　all　are　replenished　from　the　Source　of　life。　Only　He　who　is　one　with　God　could　say；　I　have　power　to　lay　down　My　life；　and　I　have　power　to　take　it　again。　In　His　divinity；　Christ　possessed　the　power　to　break　the　bonds　of　death。

Christ　arose　from　the　dead　as　the　first　fruits　of　those　that　slept。　He　was　the　antitype　of　the　wave　sheaf；　and　His　resurrection　took　place　on

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the　very　day　when　the　wave　sheaf　was　to　be　presented　before　the　Lord。　For　more　than　a　thousand　years　this　symbolic　ceremony　had　been　performed。　From　the　harvest　fields　the　first　heads　of　ripened　grain　were　gathered；　and　when　the　people　went　up　to　Jerusalem　to　the　Passover；　the　sheaf　of　first　fruits　was　waved　as　a　thank　offering　before　the　Lord。　Not　until　this　was　presented　could　the　sickle　be　put　to　the　grain；　and　it　be　gathered　into　sheaves。　The　sheaf　dedicated　to　God　represented　the　harvest。　So　Christ　the　first　fruits　represented　the　great　spiritual　harvest　to　be　gathered　for　the　kingdom　of　God。　His　resurrection　is　the　type　and　pledge　of　the　resurrection　of　all　the　righteous　dead。　〃For　if　we　believe　that　Jesus　died　and　rose　again；　even　so　them　also　which　sleep　in　Jesus　will　God　bring　with　Him。〃　1　Thess。　4：14。

As　Christ　arose；　He　brought　from　the　grave　a　multitude　of　captives。　The　earthquake　at　His　death　had　rent　open　their　graves；　and　when　He　arose；　they　came　forth　with　Him。　They　were　those　who　had　been　co…laborers　with　God；　and　who　at　the　cost　of　their　lives　had　borne　testimony　to　the　truth。　Now　they　were　to　be　witnesses　for　Him　who　had　rais