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When Jesus died for us, an earthquake caused many graves to open which also caused the temple veil to be torn in two proving the presence of God was no longer with the Jewish nation. But the bodies of the saints did not resurrect until after Jesus did 3 days later.
It says in Matthew 27:52-53, "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, (53) And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."
Reading in context it clearly says "many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection."
Some assume that because verse 53 starts in the middle of the sentence in Matthew 27:52-53 that it has to be two separate statements.
The real reason I believe they refuse to preach this as it is written is two-fold.
#1, They have no choice to do so because if they preached the truth here, that would mean they would have to stop preaching about how they believe Christians arise unto Heaven at the moment of death wherein Jesus has no say so in the matter. Satan needs to keep his spiritualistic lie that "ye shall not surely die" intact so that he can manipulate millions who believe dead loved ones have visited them from the grave instructing them on Satan's version of Christianity, or worse yet, he needs to cultivate many into preaching his "immediate life after death" by giving many people what they now call "near death expereinces" wherein they believe God made a mistake in letting them die and they need to go back to earth to preach Heaven is for everyone regardless of their sinful lifestyles.
As we know, at the return of our Lord, Saviour and King Jesus He calls all that are worthy from the grave on that great and dreadful day.
Those saints 2000 years ago remained in the grave until Jesus arose proving He was involved as He will be when He returns.
Everything Jesus did and said during His ministry was done to lock down every doctrine as absolute truth that was ever written by the patriarchs and prophets from Genesis to Revelation. Those saints awaited His call to arise in the same way countless numbers of saints will soon arise at His second coming. The prophetic and doctrinal whisper is quite blatant here.
The context is clear in this passage found in Matthew 27:52-53. In fact, if you only read verse 53, as some are tempted to do after embracing their pastor's twist on it doesn't make any sense without the previous verse as part of the message. But then, many man-made doctrines and traditions have been created that way all throughout the church for 2000 years.
The basic truth is, the graves were opened; but they didn't arise from the dead until after Jesus did as prophesied in Isaiah 26:19 which says, “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.” Seems rather blunt to me.
#2, The other reason I believe these preachers are moved by Satan to sidestep the truth is that the Bible clearly shows those graves were allowed to stay "open" due to the fact that they were not allowed to close or repair them on the Sabbath in the same way the women tat came to anoint Jesus' dead body, turned back because the Sabbath was drawing near. In fact, it says in Mark 16:1 that "when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him."
If the preachers of today were to acknowledge that Biblical fact alone, they would also have to declare the Sabbath was never changed because, just as Jesus “rested” in the tomb on Sabbath, so did those saints that had their graves opened the very day He died.
And just so you know, those saints, are the 24 elders of Revelation 4:10 that says "The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne."
Think about this. All of us will "cast our crowns" before Christ after we ascend home as well and so, the 24 elders have to be humans, are they not? (See Jas_1:12; 1Pe_5:4 & Rev_3:11)
Plus, it says in Rev_5:9 that the 24 elders were "redeemed" further proving they were humans who have sinned just like us.
We must also acknowledge the timing and how all this is confirmed when we see how after John "wept," Revelation 5:4 thinking no one could open the 7 seals. In fact, an actual "elder" approaches him in Revelation 5:5 to tell him Jesus will open the seals.
The prophetic fact is, the seals only start to open after Jesus died and resurrected for us in 31ad which happens to be when seal #1 is broken proving the 24 elders had to have already resurrected with Jesus so as to be in Heaven declaring He "redeemed" them.
EGW stated:
"When Jesus, as He hung upon the cross, cried out, "It is finished," the rocks rent, the earth shook, and some of the graves were opened. When He arose a victor over death and the grave, while the earth was reeling and the glory of heaven shone around the sacred spot, many of the righteous dead, obedient to His call, came forth as witnesses that He had risen. Those favored, risen saints came forth glorified. They were chosen and holy ones of every age, from creation down even to the days of Christ.
NOTE: In this prophesied act alone we can see the doctrinal prophecy of 1 Corinthians 15:23 being fulfilled that when speaking of rising from death, it says, "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."
Thus while the Jewish leaders were seeking to conceal the fact of Christ's resurrection, God chose to bring up a company from their graves to testify that Jesus had risen, and to declare His glory. {EW 184.1}
NOTE: It doesn't say they were to "prophesy" of His resurrection, which they would have to do if what the apostate leaders claim today was true. But it clearly says they testified that He had already risen.
Those risen ones differed in stature and form, some being more noble in appearance than others. I was informed that the inhabitants of earth had been degenerating, losing their strength and comeliness. Satan has the power of disease and death, and with every age the effects of the curse have been more visible, and the power of Satan more plainly seen. Those who lived in the days of Noah and Abraham resembled the angels in form, comeliness, and strength. But every succeeding generation have been growing weaker and more subject to disease, and their life has been of shorter duration. Satan has been learning how to annoy and enfeeble the race. {EW 184.2}
NOTE: This answers the question as to why is the tree of life needed in Heaven if no one gets sick there? It's because as prophesied in Malachi 4:2, we will ave to eat those leaves to "go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall."
Those who came forth after the resurrection of Jesus appeared to many, telling them that the sacrifice for man was completed, that Jesus, whom the Jews crucified, had risen from the dead; and in proof of their words they declared, "We be risen with Him."
NOTE: This again confirms the fact that they waited in their opened graves until Jesus called them forth when He arose.
They bore testimony that it was by His mighty power that they had been called forth from their graves. Notwithstanding the lying reports circulated, the resurrection of Christ could not be concealed by Satan, his angels, or the chief priests; for this holy company, brought forth from their graves, spread the wonderful, joyful news; also Jesus showed Himself to His sorrowing, heartbroken disciples, dispelling their fears and causing them joy and gladness. {EW 184.3} (Also see 1SG 69.1 - 69.2)
"When Christ cried out while upon the cross, "It is finished," there was a mighty earthquake, that rent open the graves of many who had been faithful and loyal, bearing their testimony against every evil work, and magnifying the Lord of hosts. As the Life-giver came forth from the sepulcher, proclaiming. "I am the resurrection, and the life," he summoned these saints from the grave. When alive, they had borne their testimony unflinchingly for the truth; now, they were to be witnesses to him who had raised them from the dead. These, said Christ, are no longer the captives of Satan. I have redeemed them; I have brought them from the grave as the first-fruits of my power, to be with me where I am, nevermore to see death or experience sorrow. {YI, August 11, 1898 par. 1}
During his ministry, Jesus raised the dead to life. He raised the son of the widow of Nain, the daughter of Jairus, and Lazarus; but these were not clothed with immortality. After they were raised, they continued to be subject to death. But those who came forth from the grave at Christ's resurrection were raised to everlasting life. They were the multitude of captives that ascended with him as trophies of his victory over death and the grave." {YI, August 11, 1898 par. 2}
By the way, it is interesting to note that there are 24 courses of priests in the Sanctuary service, each serving twice a year, one week at a time. Therefore, it makes sense that there are 24 elders in Heaven at the time of John's vision. (See TOPIC "24 Courses" for additional info)
I looked all throughout SOP and the Pioneers and I found nothing. But I did find something Uriah Smith said about this that confirms what I found in Scripture as well as what I found in Sister White's writings that do appear to agree on the surface as to what I see here. I don’t usually use Uriah Smith in any of my studies as a reliable source as we all know his fall from grace started in the 1869. But in 1861 he did say the following in an article that was actually approved by James White in the Review & Herald on Nov 26, 1861.
"And when he ascended up on high we are told that he led captivity captive, or as the margin reads, a multitude of captives. To identify the twenty-four elders with a portion of this company is the most natural and probable disposition of the matter." {November 26, 1861 UrSe, ARSH 204.12}
"The four and twenty elders, we conclude, were selected from the multitude of captives, of the good and holy of past ages held captives by death, but raised from the dead at the resurrection of Christ, Matt.xxvii,52,53, and taken up to heaven at his ascension. Eph.iv,8, margin. This multitude were raised for some wise purpose, and they doubtless have an important part to act. And the fact that the four and twenty elders are represented in chap.v,8, as every one of them having golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints, may justify the conclusion that they are assistants in the priesthood of Jesus Christ. {June 24, 1862 JWe, ARSH 28.6}
"We have before suggested that those represented by the four living creatures, and the four and twenty elders, embrace the "many" who rose from the dead with Christ, Matt.xxvii,52,53, and the "multitude" who ascended to heaven with him, and that these were assistants in the heavenly priesthood. This last idea seems very much strengthened by the statement that every one of them had golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. On this point A. Barnes says: {July 1, 1862 JWe, ARSH 36.27}
"The idea here is, therefore, that the representatives of the church in heaven - the elders - spoken of as 'priests,' are described as officiating in the temple above in behalf of the church still below, and as offering incense while the church is engaged in prayer." {July 1, 1862 JWe, ARSH 36.28}
"Turning from the Father, who sat upon the throne, John saw four and twenty seats round about the throne. These seats were occupied by four and twenty elders, "clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold." These also represent the atoning work of Christ. They represent men from every kindred, tongue, and people, redeemed by the blood of Christ, clothed with the white raiment of His righteousness, and wearing on their heads the crowns of victory, which are promised to every overcomer. They were of that company who arose from the grave when Christ came from the tomb, and who are spoken of by Paul as a "multitude of captives," offered to the Father as the first fruits from the dead. The work of these four and twenty elders is described in the fifth chapter, and for that reason, they are but mentioned in this connection as sitting near the throne." {1905 SNH, SSP 96.1}
"The Levitical priesthood was divided into twenty-four courses. Each course had its chief or governor of the sanctuary. This continued down to the time of Christ. When the Saviour ascended to heaven, He led a multitude of captives; and when John in vision was shown the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, with its seven lamps of fire burning before the throne of God, he saw four and twenty elders seated upon four and twenty seats, and they worshiped the Lamb, saying, "Thou . . . hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests." In this we see the antitype of the twenty-four courses of priests. The chiefs, or elders, of each course have seats of honor, and they are kings and priests after the order of Melchizedek. The remainder of the multitude Christ took into heaven are not mentioned, but it is reasonable to suppose that they constitute the courses of which the four and twenty elders are the chiefs. {1914 SNH, CIS 80.1}