The Truth About Angels

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The Second Coming of Christ

Christ is coming with power and great glory. He is coming with His own glory, and with the glory of the Father. He is coming with all the holy angels with Him. While all the world is plunged in darkness, there will be light in every dwelling of the saints. They will catch the first light of His second appearing.—Christ's Object Lessons, 420. TA 277.2

Soon our eyes were drawn to the east, for a small black cloud had appeared, about half as large as a man's hand, which we all knew was the sign of the Son of man. In solemn silence we all gazed on the cloud as it drew nearer, and became lighter, glorious, and still more glorious, till it was a great white cloud. The bottom appeared like fire; a rainbow was over the cloud, while around it were ten thousand angels, singing a most lovely song; and upon it sat the Son of Man.—Testimonies for the Church 1:60. TA 277.3

No human language can portray the scenes of the second coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven.... He will come clad in the robe of light, which He has worn from the days of eternity.—The Review and Herald, September 5, 1899. TA 278.1

A holy retinue of angels, with their bright, glittering crowns upon their heads, escorted Him on His way.—Spiritual Gifts 1:206, 207. TA 278.2

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!” ... TA 278.3

All come forth from their graves the same in stature as when they entered the tomb. Adam, who stands among the risen throng, is of lofty height and majestic form, in stature but little below the Son of God. He presents a marked contrast to the people of later generations; in this one respect is shown the great degeneracy of the race. But all arise with the freshness and vigor of eternal youth.... The mortal, corruptible form, devoid of comeliness, once polluted with sin, becomes perfect, beautiful, and immortal. All blemishes and deformities are left in the grave.—The Great Controversy, 644, 645. TA 278.4

He [Christ] died for us, and was raised for us, that we might come forth from the tomb to a glorious companionship with heavenly angels, to meet our loved ones and to recognize their faces, for the Christlikeness does not destroy their image, but transforms it into His glorious image. Every saint connected in family relationship here will know each other there.—Selected Messages 3:316. TA 279.1

The living righteous are changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” At the voice of God they were glorified: now they are made immortal, and with the risen saints are caught up to meet their Lord in the air. Angels “gather together the elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”—The Great Controversy, 645. TA 279.2

Little children are borne by holy angels to their mothers’ arms.—The Great Controversy, 645. TA 279.3

As the little infants come forth immortal from their dusty beds, they immediately wing their way to their mother's arms. They meet again nevermore to part. But many of the little ones have no mother there. We listen in vain for the rapturous song of triumph from the mother. The angels receive the motherless infants and conduct them to the tree of life.—The Youth's Instructor, April 1, 1858. TA 279.4

Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of gladness ascend together to the city of God. TA 280.1

On each side of the cloudy chariot are wings, and beneath it are living wheels; and as the chariot rolls upward, the wheels cry, “Holy,” and the wings, as they move, cry, “Holy,” and the retinue of angels cry, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.” And the redeemed shout, “Alleluia!” as the chariot moves onward toward the New Jerusalem.—The Great Controversy, 645. TA 280.2

We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the sea of glass, when Jesus brought the crowns, and with His own right hand placed them on our heads. He gave us harps of gold and palms of victory.—Early Writings, 16. TA 280.3

There are the columns of angels on either side, and the ransomed of God walk in through the cherubims and seraphims. Christ bids them welcome and puts upon them His benediction. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: ... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”—The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 6:1093. TA 280.4