the desire of ages-第151部分

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nd　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　raised　them　from　the　dead。

During　His　ministry；　Jesus　had　raised　the　dead　to　life。　He　had　raised　the　son　of　the　widow　of　Nain；　and　the　ruler's　daughter　and　Lazarus。　But　these　were　not　clothed　with　immortality。　After　they　were　raised；　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。　These；　said　Christ；　are　no　longer　the　captives　of　Satan；　I　have　redeemed　them。　I　have　brought　them　from　the　grave　as　the　first　fruits　of　My　power；　to　be　with　Me　where　I　am；　nevermore　to　see　death　or　experience　sorrow。

These　went　into　the　city；　and　appeared　unto　many；　declaring；　Christ　has　risen　from　the　dead；　and　we　be　risen　with　Him。　Thus　was　immortalized　the　sacred　truth　of　the　resurrection。　The　risen　saints　bore　witness　to　the　truth　of　the　words；　〃Thy　dead　men　shall　live；　together　with　My　dead　body　shall　they　arise。〃　Their　resurrection　was　an　illustration　of　the　fulfillment　of　the　prophecy；　〃Awake　and　sing；　ye　that　dwell　in　dust：　for　thy　dew　is　as　the　dew　of　herbs；　and　the　earth　shall　cast　out　the　dead。〃　Isa。　26：19。

To　the　believer；　Christ　is　the　resurrection　and　the　life。　In　our　Saviour　the　life　that　was　lost　through　sin　is　restored；　for　He　has　life　in　Himself

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to　quicken　whom　He　will。　He　is　invested　with　the　right　to　give　immortality。　The　life　that　He　laid　down　in　humanity；　He　takes　up　again；　and　gives　to　humanity。　〃I　am　come；〃　He　said；　〃that　they　might　have　life；　and　that　they　might　have　it　more　abundantly。〃　〃Whosoever　drinketh　of　the　water　that　I　shall　give　him　shall　never　thirst；　but　the　water　that　I　shall　give　him　shall　be　in　him　a　well　of　water　springing　up　into　everlasting　life。〃　〃Whoso　eateth　My　flesh；　and　drinketh　My　blood；　hath　eternal　life；　and　I　will　raise　him　up　at　the　last　day。〃　John　10：10；　4：14；　6：54。

To　the　believer；　death　is　but　a　small　matter。　Christ　speaks　of　it　as　if　it　were　of　little　moment。　〃If　a　man　keep　My　saying；　he　shall　never　see　death；〃　〃he　shall　never　taste　of　death。〃　To　the　Christian；　death　is　but　a　sleep；　a　moment　of　silence　and　darkness。　The　life　is　hid　with　Christ　in　God；　and　〃when　Christ；　who　is　our　life；　shall　appear；　then　shall　ye　also　appear　with　Him　in　glory。〃　John　8：51；　52；　Col。　3：4。

The　voice　that　cried　from　the　cross；　〃It　is　finished；〃　was　heard　among　the　dead。　It　pierced　the　walls　of　sepulchers；　and　summoned　the　sleepers　to　arise。　Thus　will　it　be　when　the　voice　of　Christ　shall　be　heard　from　heaven。　That　voice　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　shall　come　forth　to　glorious；　immortal　life。　The　same　power　that　raised　Christ　from　the　dead　will　raise　His　church；　and　glorify　it　with　Him；　above　all　principalities；　above　all　powers；　above　every　name　that　is　named；　not　only　in　this　wor