fore him, for in the first chapters of Reve tion and the life." He said clearly: "I am lation he emphasizes the reality of the the resurrection, and the life." resurrection. Jesus Christ being the "first-born of the dead" is not just someone who proved to Christ the First-born us that there is a resurrection and that The book of Revelation first mentions there is something called eternal life; He is the resurrection of Christ in chapter one, the living presence in whose company and verse five. It speaks there of Christ the in whose presence and in union with "first-born of the dead" (R.S.V). whom earthly life becomes eternal life, and The Greek JIQCOTOTOXO? used here is very existence becomes superlative living. correctly translated "first-born." However, When Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, we know that Christ was not the first and the life," He laid claim to the first posi in point of time to be resurrected. From the tion of the resurrected ones, a claim which Biblical records, Moses was the first resur covers life and death, time and eternity, rected in point of time. this world and the world to come. It is the Therefore, if the "first-born," or "first" claim that with Him the future years for is not in point of time it must have another us will hold surge after surge of power and significance. That significance is in its im not the creeping death that is characteristic portance or its quality. The resurrection of life today. It is a guarantee that death of Jesus Christ holds this "first position" is not the end, for through Jesus Christ in status because all those raised from the men enter into the life of God which noth dead before and after the resurrection of ing or no one can destroy. Christ gain their freedom from the bonds Christ©s resurrection was "first" because of death on the virtue of Christ©s resurrec He arose from the dead as the "firstfruits of tion. In this sense Christ©s resurrection is them that slept" (1 Cor. 15:20, 23). It was called "the first" because all hope of any to the glory of God that Christ should be resurrection of the dead is dependent on the first fruits, the antitype of the wave the hope of Christ©s resurrection. Without sheaf. The first fruits represent the great the cross there could be no resurrection, spiritual harvest to be gathered into the and without the resurrection the cross kingdom of God. Christ©s resurrection is would be a bleak monument of death and the type and pledge of the resurrection despair. of all the righteous dead. "For if we believe Further, Christ©s resurrection is set apart that Jesus died and rose again, even so as first because of His ability to lay down them also which sleep in Jesus will God His life and to take it up again (John 10: bring with him" (1 Thess. 4:14). 18). This sets Him apart from any other man who has been raised or who will be Reality of Christ©s Resurrection raised. No other man has the power of life The reality of Christ©s resurrection in himself. All are dependent upon Christ makes it "first" in importance because of for life. He is the source of all life. When the power Christ now has over death. "I this title "first-born" is connected with the died, and behold I am alive for evermore, following title in Revelation 1:5, it seems and I have the keys of Death and Hades" to reflect the thought of Psalm 89:27, "Also (Rev. 1:18, R.S.V.). To Him have been I will make him my first-born, higher than given the keys of death and of hell. Princi the kings of the earth." palities and powers were made subject to Jesus Christ is the "first-born" of the Him, even while in His humiliation here dead because He is the resurrection, He is on earth. The resurrection of Jesus Christ life (John 11:25). Jesus did not say: "I has given to the believer freedom, freedom show you the resurrection and the life." He from the fear of eternal death and separa did not even say: "I give you the resurrec tion from God. Because Christ has the keys THE MINISTRY: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED MONTHLY FOR THE MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS BY THE REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20012, U.S.A. $4.00 A YEAR; 40C A COPY. PRICES SLIGHTLY HIGHER IN CANADA. ADD 25C FOR YEARLY SUBSCRIPTIONS TO COUNTRIES REQUIRING EXTRA POSTAGE. SECOND-CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT WASHINGTON, D.C. EDITORIAL OFFICE: 6640 EASTERN AVENUE NW., WASHINGTON, D.C. 20012 CHANGE OF ADDRESS: WHEN WRITING US ABOUT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION OR CHANGING YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE ENCLOSE THE ADDRESS LABEL FROM YOUR COPY OR FROM THE WRAPPER IN WHICH YOU RECEIVED THE JOURNAL. THE MINISTRY of death and power over the prince of death, He has given us security by the promise, "I give them eternal life, and they NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS shall never perish, and no one shall snatch OF "FALLING STARS" them out of my hand" (John 10:28, R.S.V.). Christ has the power to do this be It has come to our attention through George R. Yarlott, State Records Administrator of the Com cause He is Life. However, this eternal life monwealth of Virginia, and a Seventh-day Advent- does not mean release from all the troubles ist, that the Richmond (Virginia) Enquirer of sev and sorrows of this life, but it does mean eral dates in November, 1833, contains a number of victorious living and security in the real detailed accounts of the falling of the stars. Be sense of the word in any situation which cause of our desire to be of service to our min death or life can bring. isters, we secured copies of these issues for evalua We, in living, have security in Christ, tion, and would recommend the following: November 15, 1833 1 page "Brilliant Phenome for we know that neither life nor death non" can separate us from Him, and when the November 19, 1833 2 pages (contain 12 references swift jaws of death take from us those we to this phenomenon) love our sorrow is buffered by that message November 26, 1833 1 page (ask for page which of infinite hope that Christ has the power contains the head over death and Satan cannot hold the dead ings: "The Meteors" in his grasp when the Lord bids them live. and "To the Editors of the Enquirer, New Christ Died and Came to Life Glasgow") These accounts, appearing under such titles as For the third time in the first two chap "Magnificent Phenomenon," "A Shower of Fire," ters, John records the reality of Christ©s "A Wonder of the Heavens," are written from resurrection. Jesus tells him to write " ©The Philadelphia, Boston, Charleston, Baltimore, New words of the first and the last, who died and York, Raleigh, and different parts of Virginia. came to life© " (Rev. 2:8, R.S.V.). This Photostats may be obtained from the Virginia perhaps would have a special significance State Library, Division of Archives, Richmond, to the early church. In the face of perse Virginia, for fifty cents per newspaper page. There cution the positive element of Christ hav are no page numbers, so the "Falling Stars" refer ing life after death would be a great sus ence should be given when ordering. taining factor. The resurrection of Christ J. Ernest Edwards was something that the members of the early church believed in with all their hearts; they knew that their salvation de raise if it is true that the dead are not pended on connection with the life that raised. ... If Christ has not been raised, Christ now has. your faith is futile and you are still in your We must also remember that our salva sins. Then those also who have fallen tion depends upon the fact that Christ©s asleep in Christ have perished" (1 Cor. 15: tomb is empty. The resurrection of Christ 14-18, R.S.V.). is not an old legend John, along with the But Christ Himself witnesses that He other apostles, testifies of this. The resur was one "who died and came to life" (Rev. rection of Christ is the rock on which the 2:8, R.S.V.). It is because He did come to Christian church is built. Even if all the life that His authority is first, His resurrec rest of the great miracles of Christ were tion is first, to them that believe. true, even if the whole life of Christ was The importance of the resurrection of exactly as the Gospels tell us; nevertheless, Christ to the believer the very kernel of if Christ©s life had ended in the grave, the gospel can be summarized in one sen there would have been no church, no Chris tence. Because Christ "died and came to tianity, no doctrine of the resurrection. life," by His death and resurrection He can All believers everywhere must stake their make us partakers of His power and His hope in this one thing, and do as Paul did glory. when he faced with honesty the grim alter native: "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrep The only trouble with opportunity is that it resenting God, because we testified of God generally comes disguised as hard work.