March 12, 2025 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Hello, friends. When Jesus comes, it will be a day like no other. As the wicked flee in terror, the living righteous cry out, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us” (Isaiah 25:9a, NKJV).
Then an incredible event takes place. The Great Controversy describes it beautifully. We read: “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!’” The inspired author continues: “Throughout the length and breadth of the earth the dead shall hear that voice, and they that hear shall live” (p. 644).
What an amazing scene that will be, as across the entire earth and sea those who have died in Christ will awake and rise to meet the Lord in the air. This is the scene so vividly described in
1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17:
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (NKJV).
On that glorious day friends and loved ones, our dear friends will be reunited. Angels will swiftly carry little children to their mother’s arms. Families torn apart by death will be made whole. Those who went down into the grave blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will walk—all will be restored to perfect health!
And those who are living will be changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . . . for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:52, 53, NKJV). Then together, we will meet Jesus in the air, and He will take us to heaven.
As we approach the holy city, Jesus places a crown on each person’s head and says, “‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34, NKJV).
This joyful scene, depicted in The Great Controversy, is captivating: “With unutterable love, Jesus welcomes His faithful ones to the joy of their Lord. The Saviour’s joy is in seeing, in the kingdom of glory, the souls that have been saved by His agony and humiliation. And the redeemed will be sharers in His joy, as they behold, among the blessed, those who have been won to Christ through their prayers, their labors, and their loving sacrifice. As they gather about the great white throne, gladness unspeakable will fill their hearts, when they behold those whom they have won for Christ, and see that one has gained others, and these still others, all brought into the haven of rest, there to lay their crowns at Jesus’ feet and praise Him through the endless cycles of eternity” (p. 647).
My dear friends, can you imagine what that day will be like? Not only will we see Jesus face to face, but we will see those who are there because we invited them. What a privilege is ours to win as many as possible through God’s love and the power of the Holy Spirit. Let’s determine, by His grace, to be there.
I invite you to pray with me just now.
Father in heaven, thank you for the marvelous description of Jesus second coming and of the resurrection of the righteous, who will live throughout eternity because of the grace, the blood, and the life that Jesus provides. Now, Lord, bless us as we look forward to that day. Help us to be filled with enthusiasm to share this message with others, and invite them to look to Jesus and His righteousness and be part of his Kingdom for eternity. In Jesus name we ask it. Amen.