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The Dead in Christ Rise First, December 18
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead
in Christ shall rise first.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
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The Life-giver will call up His purchased possession in the first resur-
rection, and until that triumphant hour, when the last trump shall sound
and the vast army shall come forth to eternal victory, every sleeping saint
will be kept in safety and will be guarded as a precious jewel, who is
known to God by name. By the power of the Saviour that dwelt in them
while living and because they were partakers of the divine nature, they are
brought forth from the dead
“The hour is coming,” Christ said, “in the which all that are in the
graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.” That voice is to resound
through all the habitations of the dead; and every saint who sleeps in Jesus
will awake and leave his prison-house. Then the virtue of character we
received from Christ’s righteousness will ally us to true greatness of the
highest order
The victory of the sleeping saints will be glorious on the morning of
the resurrection.... The Life-giver will crown with immortality all who
come forth from the grave
There stands the risen host. The last thought was of death and its pangs.
The last thoughts they had were of the grave and the tomb, but now they
proclaim, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” ...
Here they stand and the finishing touch of immortality is put upon them
and they go up to meet their Lord in the air.... There are the columns of
angels on either side; ... then the angelic choir strike the note of victory
and the angels in the two columns take up the song and the redeemed host
join as though they had been singing the song on the earth, and they have
been. Oh, what music! There is not an inharmonious note. Every voice
proclaims, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.” He sees the travail of His
soul, and is satisfied
[360]
31
Letter 65a, 1894
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32
The Review and Herald, September 20, 1898
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33
The Youth’s Instructor, August 11, 1898
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34
Manuscript 18, 1894
.
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