Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

sentence, "Dust you are, and to dust you shall return" (Genesis
3:19), gave him possession of the dead. The power of the grave had
never been broken, and he claimed all who were in the tomb as his
captives, never to be released.
As the Prince of life and the shining ones approached the grave,
Satan was alarmed for his authority. He stood to dispute an invasion
of the territory that he claimed as his own. He declared that even
Moses was not able to keep the law of God. He had taken to himself
the glory due to Jehovah, the very sin that had caused Satan to be
banished from heaven, and by sin he had come under the dominion
of Satan. The chief traitor repeated the original charges he had
made--that God was unfair toward him.
Christ could have reminded him of the cruel work that his
deceptions had brought about in heaven, causing the ruin of a vast
number of its inhabitants. He could have pointed to the lies told in
Eden that had led to Adam's sin and brought death on the human
race. He might have reminded Satan that it was his own work in
tempting Israel to complain and rebel that had worn down the
longsuffering patience of their leader and in an unguarded moment
had surprised him into the sin for which he had fallen under death.
But Christ referred all to His Father, saying, "The Lord rebuke you!"
(Jude 9). The Savior did not argue or debate with His enemy, but
then and there began His work of breaking Satan's power and
bringing the dead to life. Here was evidence of Jesus' supremacy.
Satan was deprived of his victim--the righteous dead would live
again. Moses came out from the tomb glorified, and he ascended
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