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Resurrection of Christ
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with them for sleeping at their post, the Jewish officers promised
to persuade the governor and secure their safety. For the sake of
money, the Roman guard sold their honor, and agreed to follow the
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counsel of the priests and elders.
When Jesus, as He hung upon the cross, cried out, “
It is finished
“,
the rocks rent, the earth shook, and some of the graves were opened.
When He arose a victor over death and the grave, while the earth was
reeling and the glory of heaven shone around the sacred spot, many
of the righteous dead, obedient to His call, came forth as witnesses
that He had risen. Those favored, risen saints came forth glorified.
They were chosen and holy ones of every age, from creation down
even to the days of Christ. Thus while the Jewish leaders were
seeking to conceal the fact of Christ’s resurrection, God chose to
bring up a company from their graves to testify that Jesus had risen,
and to declare His glory.
Those risen ones differed in stature and form, some being more
noble in appearance than others. I was informed that the inhabitants
of earth had been degenerating, losing their strength and comeliness.
Satan has the power of disease and death, and with every age the
effects of the curse have been more visible, and the power of Satan
more plainly seen. Those who lived in the days of Noah and Abra-
ham resembled the angels in form, comeliness, and strength. But
every succeeding generation have been growing weaker and more
subject to disease, and their life has been of shorter duration. Satan
has been learning how to annoy and enfeeble the race.
Those who came forth after the resurrection of Jesus appeared
to many, telling them that the sacrifice for man was completed, that
Jesus, whom the Jews crucified, had risen from the dead; and in
proof of their words they declared, “We be risen with Him.” They
bore testimony that it was by His mighty power that they had been
called forth from their graves. Notwithstanding the lying reports
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circulated, the resurrection of Christ could not be concealed by
Satan, his angels, or the chief priests; for this holy company, brought
forth from their graves, spread the wonderful, joyful news; also Jesus
showed Himself to His sorrowing, heartbroken disciples, dispelling
their fears and causing them joy and gladness.
As the news spread from city to city and from town to town,
the Jews in their turn feared for their lives and concealed the hatred