It was at midnight that God chose to deliver His people. As the
wicked were mocking around them, suddenly the sun appeared, shining
in his strength, and the moon stood still. The wicked looked upon
the scene with amazement, while the saints beheld with solemn
joy the tokens of their deliverance. Signs and wonders followed
in quick succession. Everything seemed turned out of its natural
course. The streams ceased to flow. Dark, heavy clouds came up
and clashed against each other. But there was one clear place
of settled glory, whence came the voice of God like many waters,
shaking the heavens and the earth. There was a mighty earthquake.
The graves were opened, and those who had died in faith under
the third angel's message, keeping the Sabbath, came forth from
their dusty beds, glorified, to hear the covenant of peace that
God was to make with those who had kept His law.
The sky opened and shut and was in commotion. The mountains shook
like a reed in the wind and cast out ragged rocks all around.
The sea boiled like a pot and cast out stones upon the land. And
as God spoke the day and the hour of Jesus' coming and delivered
the everlasting covenant to His people, He spoke one sentence,
and then paused, while the words were rolling through the earth.
The Israel of God stood with their eyes fixed upward, listening
to the words as they came from the mouth of Jehovah and rolled
through the earth like peals of loudest thunder. It was awfully
solemn. At the end of every sentence the saints shouted, "Glory!
Hallelujah!" Their countenances were lighted up with the
glory of God, and they shone with glory as did the face of Moses
when he came down from Sinai. The wicked could not look upon them
for the glory. And when the never-ending blessing was pronounced
on those who had honored God in keeping His Sabbath holy, there
was a mighty shout of victory over the beast and over his image.
Then commenced the jubilee, when the land should rest. I saw the
pious slave rise in victory and triumph, and shake off the chains
that bound him, while his wicked master was in confusion and knew
not what to do; for the wicked could not understand the words
of the voice of God.
Soon appeared the great white cloud, upon which sat the Son of
man. When it first appeared in the distance, this cloud looked
very small. The angel said that it was the sign of the Son of
man. As it drew nearer the earth, we could behold the excellent
glory and majesty of Jesus as He rode forth to conquer. A retinue
of holy angels, with bright, glittering crowns upon their heads,
escorted Him on His way. No language can describe the glory of
the scene. The living cloud of majesty and unsurpassed glory came
still nearer, and we could clearly behold the lovely person of
Jesus. He did not wear a crown of thorns, but a crown of glory
rested upon His holy brow. Upon His vesture and thigh was a name
written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. His countenance was
as bright as the noonday sun, His eyes were as a flame of fire,
and His feet had the appearance of fine brass. His voice sounded
like many musical instruments. The earth trembled before Him,
the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and
every mountain and island were moved out of their places. "And
the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and
the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and
every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of
the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us,
and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and
from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is
come; and who shall be able to stand?" Those who a short
time before would have destroyed God's faithful children from
the earth, now witnessed the glory of God which rested upon them.
And amid all their terror they heard the voices of the saints
in joyful strains, saying, "Lo, this is our God; we have
waited for Him, and He will save us."
The earth mightily shook as the voice of the Son of God called
forth the sleeping saints. They responded to the call and came
forth clothed with glorious immortality, crying, "Victory,
victory, over death and the grave! O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory?" Then the living saints and
the risen ones raised their voices in a long, transporting shout
of victory. Those bodies that had gone down into the grave bearing
the marks of disease and death came up in immortal health and
vigor. The living saints are changed in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, and caught up with the risen ones, and together they
meet their Lord in the air. Oh, what a glorious meeting! Friends
whom death had separated were united, never more to part.
On each side of the cloudy chariot were wings, and beneath it
were living wheels; and as the chariot rolled upward, the wheels
cried, "Holy," and the wings, as they moved, cried,
"Holy," and the retinue of holy angels around the cloud
cried, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!" And the
saints in the cloud cried, "Glory! Alleluia!" And the
chariot rolled upward to the Holy City. Before entering the city,
the saints were arranged in a perfect square, with Jesus in the
midst. He stood head and shoulders above the saints and above
the angels. His majestic form and lovely countenance could be
seen by all in the square. -