Early Writings
by Ellen G. White
Deliverance of the Saints
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. {EW 285.1}
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 [286] 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. {EW 285.2}
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. {EW 286.1}
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 [287] 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." {EW 286.2}
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. {EW
287.1}
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 [288] 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. {EW 287.2}
Click here to read the next chapter:
"The Saints' Reward"
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