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經文：「因為主必親自從天降臨，有呼叫的聲音、和天使長的聲音，又有神的號吹響；那在基督裡死了的人必先復活。以後我們這活著還存留的人，必和他們一同被提到雲裡，在空中與主相遇；這樣，我們就要和主永遠同在。」（帖前4:16-17） 「清早天還黑的時候」（約20:1），主耶穌從死裡復活了。沒有太陽，只有晨星發光，照在那挪開的墳墓上。黑夜還沒有退去，耶路撒冷的市民還沒有睡醒。祂起來了，並不驚醒沉睡的人們。照樣，在「清早，天還黑的時候」。只有晨星發光照耀的時候，在基督裡死了的人必要復活。 他們起來的時候，也像他們的主一樣，並不驚醒沉睡的人們。世界聽不見呼召他們的聲音，「睡在塵埃的阿，要醒起歌唱。」（賽26:19）每一個榮耀的身體，要從墳墓中出來，被提至空中與主相遇。今天我們為他們還有甚麼憂愁呢？「一宿雖有哭泣，早晨便必歡呼。」（詩30:5） 破曉的陽光照射在門徒中間，他們沐浴著晨曦。東方的雲彩淡淡一抹，只露出極微薄的日光。那淡淡的清香，平和的寧靜，振奮的清新，甜蜜的沈靜，樸素的純淨；一切莊嚴肅穆，同時又充滿了希望，這一切都是他們的了。 是呀，這一切和剛經過的黑夜，是多麼鮮明的對比；和他們剛才離開的墳墓，又是如何鮮明的對比！他們抖落蓋在身上的塵土，離開死神。以大蒙尊榮的形象上升，與主在空中相會。由晨星的光照耀並引導，沿著無人走過的路徑上升。那晨星就像耶穌降生時的伯利恒之星，帶領他們來到萬王之王的面前。--Horatius Bonar 一位士兵說：「當我死後在我的墳上，不要吹就寢的熄燈號，而要吹那喚我晨醒的起床號。」 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:16-17). It was "very early in the morning" while "it was yet dark," that Jesus rose from the dead. Not the sun, but only the morning-star shone upon His opening tomb. The shadows had not fled, the citizens of Jerusalem had not awaked. It was still night--the hour of sleep and darkness, when He arose. Nor did his rising break the slumbers of the city. So shall it be "very early in the morning while it is yet dark," and when nought but the morning-star is shining, that Christ's body, the Church, shall arise. Like Him, His saints shall awake when the children of the night and darkness are still sleeping their sleep of death. In their arising they disturb no one. The world hears not the voice that summons them. As Jesus laid them quietly to rest, each in his own still tomb, like children in the arms of their mother; so, as quietly, as gently, shall He awake them when the hour arrives. To them come the quickening words, "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust" (Isa. 26:19). Into their tomb the earliest ray of glory finds its way. They drink in the first gleams of morning, while as yet the eastern clouds give but the faintest signs of the uprising. Its genial fragrance, its soothing stillness, its bracing freshness, its sweet loneliness, its quiet purity, all so solemn and yet so full of hope, these are theirs. Oh, the contrast between these things and the dark night through which they have passed! Oh, the contrast between these things and the grave from which they have sprung! And as they shake off the encumbering turf, flinging mortality aside, and rising, in glorified bodies, to meet their Lord in the air, they are lighted and guided upward, along the untrodden pathway, by the beams of that Star of the morning, which, like the Star of Bethlehem, conducts them to the presence of the King. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." --Horatius Bonar A soldier said, "When I die do not sound taps over my grave, but reveillé, the morning call, the summons to rise." ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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