THE FIRST RESURRECTION

The earth shook mightily as the voice of Jesus called the sleeping righteous people to awake from their graves. The righteous dead answered the call of Jesus and arose clothed with glorious immortality. With joy they exclaimed:SRme 1.1810

"'Death is destroyed: victory is complete!SRme 1.1811

Where, Death, is your victory?SRme 1.1812

Where, Death, is your power to hurt us?'" (1 Cor 15:54, 55).SRme 1.1813

Then the living righteous people and the righteous people who had been resurrected united their voices in a long, glad shout of victory.SRme 1.1814

The righteous people who were crippled or diseased when they died, arose in immortal health and strength. The living righteous people were instantly changed to perfect health and immortality. Then together the two groups rose in the air to meet their Lord. Oh, what a glorious meeting! Friends whom death had separated were together again, never to part.SRme 1.1815

The righteous people and Christ went to heaven in a cloud of glory. The cloud of glory looked the same as a chariot made of angels. On each side of the chariot were wings, and beneath the chariot were living wheels made of angels. As the chariot rolled upward, the wheels cried, "Holy," and the wings, as they moved, cried, "Holy." All the redeemed people of earth were in the glory cloud. They sang, "Glory! Alleluia!" as the chariot traveled to the Holy City.SRme 1.1816