Now I pray that, “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know . . . what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead . . . !” Ephesians 1:18-20
“In the death of Christ upon the cross, angels had seen the pledge of final victory over the powers of darkness. In the slain Saviour sleeping in Joseph’s tomb, angels beheld the mighty Conqueror. Angels guarded the sepulchre of Christ, and acted a part in his resurrection. While Roman sentinels were keeping their watch beside the Saviour’s tomb, an angel of the most exalted order was sent from heaven.
His countenance was like the lightning, and his garments white as snow. He parted the darkness from his track, and the whole heavens were lit with his resplendent glory. The earth trembled and heaved; soldiers, officers, and sentinels, all fell as dead men prostrate upon the earth . . . .
“O death, where is thy sting? . . . O grave, where is thy victory ?”
The evil angels, who had triumphantly claimed the body of Christ, fled in terror from the place. Then the mighty angel, with a voice that caused the earth to quake, was heard . . . . Jesus thou Son of God, thy Father calls thee! And He who had earned the power to conquer death and the grave came forth, with the tread of a Conqueror, from the sepulchre, amid the reeling of the earth, the flashing of lightning, and the roaring of thunder.” – Present Truth, February 18, 1886
“The disciples rested on the Sabbath, sorrowing for the death of their Lord, while Jesus, the King of glory, lay in the tomb. As night drew on, soldiers were stationed to guard the Saviour’s resting place, while angels, unseen, hovered above the sacred spot. The night wore slowly away, and while it was yet dark the watching angels knew that the time for the release of God’s dear Son, their loved Commander, had nearly come. As they were waiting with the deepest emotion the hour of His triumph, a 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 the body of Jesus, to flee in terror from his brightness and glory.
One of the angelic host who had witnessed the scene of Christ’s humiliation, and was watching His resting place, joined the angel from heaven, and together they came down to the sepulcher. The earth trembled and shook as they approached, and there was a great earthquake !
Terror seized the Roman 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. As the light of the angels shone around, brighter than the sun, that Roman guard fell as dead men to the ground. One of the angels laid hold of the great stone and rolled it away from the door of the sepulcher and seated himself upon it. The other entered the tomb and unbound the napkin from the head of Jesus.
Then the angel from heaven, with a voice that caused the earth to quake, cried out, “Thou Son of God, Thy Father calls Thee . . . Come forth !” “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory. . . ?” I Corinthians 15:55-56 & Hosea 13:9-14
Death could hold dominion over Him no longer. Jesus arose from the dead, a triumphant Conqueror. In solemn awe the angelic host gazed upon the scene. And as Jesus came forth from the sepulcher, those shining angels prostrated themselves to the earth in worship and hailed Him with songs of victory and triumph.
Satan’s angels had been compelled to flee before the bright, penetrating light of the heavenly angels, and they bitterly complained to their king that their prey had been violently taken from them, and that He Whom they so much hated had risen from the dead. Satan and his hosts had exulted 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 we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained (decreed) before the world unto our glory . . . which is Christ in you, the Hope of glory ! . . . Which none of the princes of this world knew (understood): for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord (Sovereign King) of glory . . . !” I Corinthians 2:7-8 & Colossians 1:27
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, Jesus had not been overcome but had opened a Way of Salvation for man (John 14:6), and whosoever would might walk in it and be saved !
“Buried with Him in baptism, wherein ye are risen with Him through faith in the operation (the power, and work) of God, Who hath raised Him from the dead . . .” Colossians 2:12-13
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into His death? Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism into death . . . that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory (Exodus 33:18-34:7) of the Father . . . Even so we also should walk in newness of Life !” Romans 6:1-6
“For if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation; old things have passed away . . . . Behold, all things are become new !”
II Corinthians 5:17
– The Story of Redemption, p.231-232
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us . . . that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now . . . Today, if ye will hear His Voice . . . are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him . . . !”
I John 3:1-3 & Hebrews 3:7-19