The General Resurrection of the Righteous

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. Isaiah 26:19.
The King of kings descends upon the cloud, wrapped in flaming fire. The heavens are rolled together as a scroll, the earth trembles before Him, and every mountain and island is moved out of its place. . . .
Amid the reeling of the earth, the flash of lightning, and the roar of thunder, the voice of the Son of God calls forth the sleeping saints. He looks upon the graves of the righteous, then, raising His hands to heaven, He cries: “Awake, awake, awake, ye that sleep in the dust, and arise!” Throughout the length and breadth of the earth the dead shall hear that voice, and they that hear shall live. And the whole earth shall ring with the tread of the exceeding great army of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. From the prison house of death they come, clothed with immortal glory, crying: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:55. And the living righteous and the risen saints unite their voices in a long, glad shout of victory.
All come forth from their graves the same in stature as when they entered the tomb. . . . But all arise with the freshness and vigor of eternal youth. . . . The mortal, corruptible form, devoid of comeliness, once polluted with sin, becomes perfect, beautiful, and immortal. All blemishes and deformities are left in the grave. . . .
The living righteous are changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” At the voice of God they were glorified; now they are made immortal and with the risen saints are caught up to meet their Lord in the air. Angels “gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
As the little infants come forth immortal from their dusty beds, they immediately wing their way to their mothers’ arms.
Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of gladness ascend together to the City of God.
Maranatha p. 299
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Prayer Requests
—–Major update on Enoch! We are going home Friday!!! So excited. And Enoch is really excited too. He has been really wanting to go home for a while now. Now we will get home on Zipporah’s birthday. I was really hoping and praying for that! So happy. Praise God. He has done major work on our sweet little boy so quickly, too. smile emoticon My God is so great so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do. April
—–update—PRAISE THE LORD So far only 4 more days of prednisone the results from the prednisone , and poultices came back with a 4 point improvement in kidney function, Prayer, poultices, prednisone and physicians combined did something really know the prayer is what did it. thank you all for your prayers and keep it up to see more improvement for the next month. John
—–please pray for my family. Nicole
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Dear Friends
When I was in 9th grade, I became friends with Marlene, a girl who had learning problems and had been held back in school because of it. She was two years older than I, tall and thin, (the exact opposite of me) yet could not read above a first grade level. I felt sorry for her and often helped her as she struggled to read.
As the year progressed, a gang of girls, who were the terror of the school (Even the boy gangs were afraid of them.), got angry with Marlene, and because I was her friend, they were angry with me. We had done nothing to cause this. Perhaps, they had decided that just because Marlene was a little slow in learning, they were against her. Perhaps, she had unwittingly said something to one of them that was taken wrong. Whatever the cause, they were angry and we were frightened.
I lived about 2 1/2 miles from school and walked to school rather than take the school bus which was always so crowded. On my way to school one spring day, I suddenly found myself surrounded by this gang of girls. I was terrified! They started trying to start an argument. I kept walking, but they blocked my way. A cold finger of fear crept through me as I saw that some of them had knives: open knives. I looked around frantically for someone to help. Because of my terror, it was many years before I could remember what happened next.
Occasionally, there was a teacher who also walked this route to school. I had seen her at the school, but had never spoken to her and did not even know her name. To my joy, she was walking along on the other side of the street! Instantly, she understood the situation. Her calling to the girls averted their attention long enough for her to cross the street and talk with them. They soon decided that they had better leave me alone. Then the teacher walked the rest of the way to school with me. How thankful I was to have a rescuer! From then on, I always spoke to her and often walked to school with her. When she was near, I felt safe.
We, too, are surrounded by a gang far more evil than that gang of girls. The evil one and his angels surround us at every step. Their soul intent is to destroy us. John tells us that the devil is making war with those who “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev 12:17 Peter warns us of this foe, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith.” 1 Peter 5:8, 9
Praise God! We have a Rescuer from the evil one. We have a Saviour Who assures us, “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.” Matt 18:11-13 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:11-15
Wonderful Saviour! Think of it! He left the glories of Heaven and came to this dark and sinful world to suffer all that evil men propted by the devil could heap upon Him. Yet, He did not complain for He knew that this was the only way to save us. We are surrounded and in great danger, but He has provided a way of escape. All we need to do is walk with Him following His commands loving Him with our whole being. “For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.” Isa 33:22
Our loving Redeemer promises “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jer 31:34 He not only forgives, but He will cleanse us! He will give us the victory over those sins that so easily beset us! John tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 All has been provided for our victory over sin. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation” Heb 2:3
All around we can see this world crumbling. Day after day, the news is filled with fast-fulfilling prophecy. Jesus is coming soon to rescue us! “And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!” Zech 9:16,17
May we allow Jesus to guide us continually and drive the evil one away. (Isa 58:11) May our prayer be “Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.” “Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy” Jer17:14; Ps 109:26 May we, when we see our Rescuer coming in the clouds of heaven, look up and say, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa 25:9
Rose