This chapter is based on Matthew 28:2-4; 11-15.
(HLv 520)
The night of the first day of the week had worn slowly away. Christ was still a prisoner in His tomb. The Roman seal was unbroken; the Roman guards were keeping their watch. Had it been possible, the prince of darkness would have kept forever sealed the tomb that held the Son of God. But heavenly angels that excel in strength were waiting to welcome the Prince of life.
(HLv 520.1)
“And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven.” The bright beams of God’s glory 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.”
(HLv 520.2)
This messenger was he who fills the position from which Satan fell. As he rolled away the stone, heaven seemed to come down to earth. The soldiers saw him removing the stone as he would a pebble, and heard him cry, Son of God, come forth; Thy Father calls Thee. They saw Jesus come forth from the grave and heard Him proclaim over the rent sepulcher, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” As He came forth in majesty and glory, the angel host welcomed Him with songs of praise.
(HLv 520.3)
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 and, staggering like drunken men, hurried to the city, telling those whom they met the wonderful news. They were making their way to Pilate, but the priests and rulers sent for them to be brought first into their presence. Trembling with fear, their faces colorless, the soldiers told all, just as they had seen it. 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.
(HLv 520.4)
Caiaphas tried to speak. His lips moved, but they uttered no sound. The soldiers were about to leave when Caiaphas at last found speech. Wait, wait, he said. Tell no one the things you have seen.
(HLv 521.1)
“Say ye,” said the priests, “His disciples came by night, and stole Him away while we slept.” Here the priests overreached themselves. 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, would not the priests have been foremost in accusing them to Pilate?
(HLv 521.2)
The soldiers were horrified. Sleeping at their post was an offense punishable with death. Should they bear false witness and place their own lives in peril? How could they stand the trial, even for the sake of money, if they perjured themselves?
(HLv 521.3)
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 for money. They came before the priests burdened with a startling message of truth; they went out with a burden of money, and on their tongues a lying report.
(HLv 521.4)
Meanwhile the report of Christ’s resurrection had been carried to Pilate. Though he had condemned the Saviour unwillingly, 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 and urged him to overlook
(HLv 521.5)
the sentinels’ neglect of duty. He himself privately questioned the guard. They 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.
(HLv 522.5)
The priests, in putting Christ to death, had made themselves the tools of Satan. Now they were entirely in his power, entangled in a snare from which they saw no escape but in continuing their warfare against Christ. 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.
(HLv 522.1)
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. 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. Bolts and bars were but poor protection against the Son of God. By day and by night that awful scene when they had cried, “His blood be on us, and on our children,” was before them. Matthew 27:25.
(HLv 522.2)
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. Christ had proclaimed in triumph, “I am the resurrection and the life.” These words could be spoken only by the Deity. All created beings are dependent recipients of the life of God. 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. See John 10:18.
(HLv 522.3)
Christ arose from the dead as the first fruits of those that slept, and His resurrection took place on the very day when the wave sheaf was to be presented before the Lord. For more than a thousand years when the people went up to Jerusalem to the Passover, the sheaf of first fruits, the first heads of ripened grain, was waved as a thank offering before the Lord. Not until this was presented could the sickle be put to the grain. The sheaf dedicated to God represented the harvest. So Christ’s 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 Thessalonians 4:14.
(HLv 522.4)
As Christ arose, He brought from the grave a multitude of captives. See Matthew 27:52. They were those who at the cost of their lives had borne testimony to the truth. Now they were to be witnesses for Him who had raised them from the dead.
(HLv 523.1)
During His ministry, Jesus had raised the dead to life. But these resurrected ones were not clothed with immortality. They were still subject to death. But those who came forth from the grave at Christ’s resurrection were raised to everlasting life. They ascended with Him as trophies of His victory over death and the grave. They went into the city and appeared unto many, declaring, Christ has risen from the dead, and we be risen with Him. Risen saints bore witness to the truth of the words, “Thy dead men shall live, together with My dead body shall they arise.” Isaiah 26:19.
(HLv 523.2)
In our Saviour, the life that was lost through sin is restored. He is invested with the right to give immortality. “I am come,” He said, “that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10. “Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:54. To the Christian, death is but a sleep, a moment of silence and darkness. “When Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:4.
(HLv 523.3)
The voice that cried from the cross, “It is finished,” will penetrate the graves and unbar the tombs, and the dead in Christ shall arise. At the Saviour’s resurrection a few graves were opened, but at His second coming all the precious dead shall hear His voice and come forth to glorious immortal life. The same power that raised Christ from the dead will raise His church above all powers, not only in this world, but also in the world to come.
(HLv 523.4)