onored resting place. But Pilate granted his request,
and as they took the body of Jesus down from the cross, their
sorrows were renewed, and they mourned over their blighted
hopes in deep anguish. They wrapped Jesus in fine linen, and
Joseph laid him in his own new sepulchre. The women who
had been his humble followers while he lived still kept near
him after his death, and would not leave him until they saw his
sacred body laid in the sepulchre, and a stone of great weight
rolled at the door, lest his enemies should seek to obtain his
body. But they need not have feared; for I beheld the angelic
host watching with untold interest the resting place of Jesus.
They guarded the
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sepulchre, earnestly waiting the command to act their part in
liberating the King of glory from his prison house.
Christ’s murderers were afraid that he might yet come to
life and escape them. They begged of Pilate a watch to guard
the sepulchre until the third day. Pilate granted them armed
soldiers to guard the sepulchre, sealing the stone at the door,
lest his disciples should steal him away, and say that he had
risen from the dead.
*****
Chapter X. - The Resurrection of
Christ.
The disciples rested on the Sabbath, sorrowing for the death
of their Lord, while Jesus, the King of glory, rested in the
sepulchre. The night had worn slowly away, and while it
was yet dark, the angels hovering over the sepulchre knew
that the time of the release of God’s dear Son, their loved
commander, had nearly come. And as they were waiting
with the deepest emotion the hour of his triumph, a strong
and mighty angel came flying swiftly from heaven. His face
was like the lightning, and his garments white as snow. His
light dispersed the darkness from his track, and caused the evil
angels who had triumphantly claimed
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the body of Jesus, to flee in terror from his brightness and glory.
One of the angelic host who had witnessed the scene of Jesus’
humiliation, and was watching his sacred resting place, joined
the angel from heaven, and together they came down to the
sepulchre. The earth shook and trembled as they approached,
and there was a mighty earthquake. The strong and mighty
angel laid hold of the stone and quickly rolled it away from the
door of the sepulchre, and sat upon it.
Terrible fear seized the guard. Where was now their power
to keep the body of Jesus? They did not think of their duty,
or of the disciples stealing him away. They were amazed and
affrighted, as the exceeding bright light of the angels shone
all around brighter than the sun. The Roman guard saw the
angels, and fell as dead men to the ground. One angel rolled
back the stone in triumph, and with a clear and mighty voice,
cried out, Thou Son of God! Thy Father calls thee! Come
forth!! Death could hold dominion over him no longer. Jesus
arose from the dead. The other angel entered the sepulchre, and
as Jesus arose in triumph, he unbound the napkin which was
about his head, and Jesus walked forth a victorious conqueror.
In solemn awe the angelic host gazed upon the scene. And as
Jesus walked forth from the sepulchre in majesty, those shining
angels prostrated themselves to
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the ground and worshiped him; then hailed him with songs of
victory and triumph, that death could hold its divine captive no
longer. Satan did not now triumph. His angels had fled before
the bright, penetrating light of the heavenly angels. They
bitterly complained to their king, that their prey had been taken
violently from them, and that he whom they so much hated had
risen from the dead.
Satan and his angels had enjoyed a little moment of triumph
that their power over fallen man had caused the Lord of life to
be laid in the grave; but short was their hellish triumph. For as
Jesus walked forth from his prison house a majestic conqueror,
Satan knew that after a season he must die, and his kingdom
pass unto him whose right it was. He lamented and raged that
notwithstanding all his efforts and power, Jesus had not been
overcome, but had laid open a way of salvation for man, and
whosoever would, might walk in it and be saved.
For a little, Satan seemed sad and showed distress. He
held a council with his angels to consider what they should
engage in next to work against the government of God. Said
Satan, You must hasten to the chief priests and elders. We
succeeded in deceiving them and blinding their eyes, and
hardening their hearts against Jesus. We made them believe
he was an impostor. That Roman guard will carry the hateful
news that Christ is risen. We led the
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priests and elders on to hate Jesus, and to murder him. Now
hold it before them in a bright light, that as they were his
murderers, if it becomes known that Jesus is risen, they will
be stoned to death by the people, in that they killed an innocent
man.
I saw the Roman guard, as the angelic host passed back to
heaven, and the light and glory passed away, raise themselves
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to see if it were safe for them to look around. They were filled
with amazement as they saw that the great stone was rolled
from the door of the sepulchre, and Jesus was risen. They
hastened to the chief priests and elders with the wonderful
story of what they had seen; and as those murderers heard
the marvelous report, paleness sat upon every face. Horror
seized them at what they had done. They then realized that
if the report was correct, they were lost. For a little they were
stupefied, and looked one to the other