'The blessed Saviour stands by many whose eyes are so blinded by tears that they do not discern Him. He longs to clasp our hands, to have us look to Him in simple faith, permitting Him to guide us.' (MB12)
'Could your eyes be opened, you would see your heavenly Father bending over you in love; and could you hear His voice, it would be in tones of compassion to you who are prostrate with suffering and affliction. Stand fast in His strength; there is rest for you.' (HP272)
'God will be nearer and dearer to you than any of your earthly relatives can be. He will be your friend and will never leave you. His friendship will prove sweet peace to you and will help you to bear your great loss with fortitude.' (2T314)
'Our fondest hopes are often blighted here. Our loved ones are torn from us by death. We close their eyes and clothe them for the tomb, and lay them away from our sight. But hope bears our spirits up. We are not parted forever, but shall meet the loved ones who sleep in Jesus. They shall come again from the land of the enemy. The Life-giver is coming. Myriads of holy angels escort Him on His way. He bursts the bands of death, breaks the fetters of the tomb, the precious captives come forth in health and immortal beauty.' (2SM259-260)
'God would not have us remain pressed down by sorrow, with sore and breaking hearts. He would have us look up and behold His dear face of love. The blessed Saviour stands by many whose eyes are so blinded by tears that they do not discern Him. He longs to clasp our hands, to have us look to Him in simple faith, permitting Him to guide us. His heart is open to our griefs, our sorrows, and our trials. He has loved us with an everlasting love and with loving-kindness compassed us about. We may keep the heart stayed upon Him and meditate upon His loving-kindness all the day. He will lift the soul above the daily sorrow and perplexity, into a realm of peace.' (MB12)
'He who stood beside the sorrowing mother at the gate of Nain, watches with every mourning one beside the coffin. He is touched with sympathy for our grief. His heart, that loved and pitied, is a heart of unchangeable tenderness. His work, that called the dead to life, is no less efficacious now than when spoken to the young man of Nain.' (DA319)
'We do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.' (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
'The Lifegiver is coming to break the fetters of the tomb. He is to bring forth the captives and proclaim, "I am the resurrection and the life." There stands the risen host. The last thought was of death and its pangs. The last thoughts they had were of the grave and the tomb, but now they proclaim, "O death, where is thy string? O grave, where is thy victory."' (1 Cor. 15:55)
The pangs of death were the last things they felt. . . .
'When they awake the pain is all gone. "O grave, where is thy victory?" here they stand and the finishing touch of immortality is put upon them and they go up to meet their Lord in the air. The gates of the city of God swing back upon their hinges, and the nations that have kept the truth enter in.' (3SM430-1)
