prophets and kings-第103章

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ill　give　thee　places　to　walk　among　these　that　stand　by。〃　Zechariah　3：7。　Angels　of　God　will　walk　on　either　side　of　them；　even　in　this　world；　and　they　will　stand　at　last　among　the　angels　that　surround　the　throne　of　God。

Zechariah's　vision　of　Joshua　and　the　Angel　applies　with　peculiar　force　to　the　experience　of　God's　people　in　the　closing　scenes　of　the　great　day　of　atonement。　The　remnant　church　will　then　be　brought　into　great　trial　and　distress。　Those　who　keep　the　commandments　of　God　and　the　faith　of　Jesus　will　feel　the　ire　of　the　dragon　and　his　hosts。　Satan　numbers　the　world　as　his　subjects；　he　has　gained　control　even　of　many　professing　Christians。　But　here　is　a　little　company　who　are　resisting　his　supremacy。　If　he　could　blot　them　from　the　earth；　his　triumph　would　be　complete。　As　he　influenced

588

the　heathen　nations　to　destroy　Israel；　so　in　the　near　future　he　will　stir　up　the　wicked　powers　of　earth　to　destroy　the　people　of　God。　Men　will　be　required　to　render　obedience　to　human　edicts　in　violation　of　the　divine　law。

Those　who　are　true　to　God　will　be　menaced；　denounced；　proscribed。　They　will　be　〃betrayed　both　by　parents；　and　brethren；　and　kinsfolks；　and　friends；〃　even　unto　death。　Luke　21：16。　Their　only　hope　is　in　the　mercy　of　God；　their　only　defense　will　be　prayer。　As　Joshua　pleaded　before　the　Angel；　so　the　remnant　church；　with　brokenness　of　heart　and　unfaltering　faith；　will　plead　for　pardon　and　deliverance　through　Jesus；　their　Advocate。　They　are　fully　conscious　of　the　sinfulness　of　their　lives；　they　see　their　weakness　and　unworthiness；　and　they　are　ready　to　despair。

The　tempter　stands　by　to　accuse　them；　as　he　stood　by　to　resist　Joshua。　He　points　to　their　filthy　garments；　their　defective　characters。　He　presents　their　weakness　and　folly；　their　sins　of　ingratitude；　their　unlikeness　to　Christ；　which　has　dishonored　their　Redeemer。　He　endeavors　to　affright　them　with　the　thought　that　their　case　is　hopeless；　that　the　stain　of　their　defilement　will　never　be　washed　away。　He　hopes　so　to　destroy　their　faith　that　they　will　yield　to　his　temptations；　and　turn　from　their　allegiance　to　God。

Satan　has　an　accurate　knowledge　of　the　sins　that　he　has　tempted　God's　people　to　commit；　and　he　urges　his　accusations　against　them；　declaring；　that　by　their　sins　they　have　forfeited　divine　protection；　and　claiming　that　he　has　the　right　to　destroy　them。　He　pronounces　them　just　as　deserving　as　himself　of　exclusion　from　the　favor　of　God。　〃Are

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these；〃　he　says；　〃the　people　who　are　to　take　my　place　in　heaven；　and　the　place　of　the　angels　who　united　with　me？　They　profess　to　obey　the　law　of　God；　but　have　they　kept　its　precepts？　Have　they　not　been　lovers　of　self　more　than　lovers　of　God？　Have　they　not　placed　their　own　interests　above　His　service？　Have　they　not　loved　the　things　of　the　world？　Look　at　the　sins　that　have　marked　their　lives。　Behold　their　selfishness；　their　malice；　their　hatred　of　one　another。　Will　God　banish　me　and　my　angels　from　His　presence；　and　yet　reward　those　who　have　been　guilty　of　the　same　sins？　Thou　canst　not　do　this；　O　Lord；　in　justice。　Justice　demands　that　sentence　be　pronounced　against　them。〃

But　while　the　followers　of　Christ　have　sinned；　they　have　not　given　themselves　up　to　be　controlled　by　the　satanic　agencies。　They　have　repented　of　their　sins　and　have　sought　the　Lord　in　humility　and　contrition；　and　the　divine　Advocate　pleads　in　their　behalf。　He　who　has　been　most　abused　by　their　ingratitude；　who　knows　their　sin　and　also　their　penitence；　declares：　〃The　Lord　rebuke　thee；　O　Satan。　I　gave　My　life　for　these　souls。　They　are　graven　upon　the　palms　of　My　hands。　They　may　have　imperfections　of　character；　they　may　have　failed　in　their　endeavors；　but　they　have　repented；　and　I　have　forgiven　and　accepted　them。〃

The　assaults　of　Satan　are　strong；　his　delusions　are　subtle；　but　the　Lord's　eye　is　upon　His　people。　Their　affliction　is　great；　the　flames　of　the　furnace　seem　about　to　consume　them；　but　Jesus　will　bring　them　forth　as　gold　tried　in　the　fire。　Their　earthliness　will　be　removed；　that　through　them　the　image　of　Christ　may　be　perfectly　revealed。

590


At　times　the　Lord　may　seem　to　have　forgotten　the　perils　of　His　church　and　the　injury　done　her　by　her　enemies。　But　God　has　not　forgotten。　Nothing　in　this　world　is　so　dear　to　the　heart　of　God　as　His　church。　It　is　not　His　will　that　worldly　policy　shall　corrupt　her　record。　He　does　not　leave　His　people　to　be　overcome　by　Satan's　temptations。　He　will　punish　those　who　misrepresent　Him；　but　He　will　be　gracious　to　all　who　sincerely　repent。　To　those　who　call　upon　Him　for　strength　for　the　development　of　Christian　character；　He　will　give　all　needed　help。

In　the　time　of　the　end　the　people　of　God　will　sigh　and　cry　for　the　abominations　done　in　the　land。　With　tears　they　will　warn　the　wicked　of　their　danger　in　trampling　upon　the　divine　law；　and　with　unutterable　sorrow　they　will　humble　themselves　before　the　Lord　in　penitence。　The　wicked　will　mock　their　sorrow　and　ridicule　their　solemn　appeals。　But　the　anguish　and　humiliation　of　God's　people　is　unmistakable　evidence　that　they　are　regaining　the　strength　and　nobility　of　character　lost　in　consequence　of　sin。　It　is　because　they　are　drawing　nearer　to　Christ；　because　their　eyes　are　fixed　on　His　perfect　purity；　that　they　discern　so　clearly　the　exceeding　sinfulness　of　sin。　Meekness　and　lowliness　are　the　conditions　of　success　and　victory。　A　crown　of　glory　awaits　those　who　bow　at　the　foot　of　the　cross。

God's　faithful；　praying　ones　are；　as　it　were；　shut　in　with　Him。　They　themselves　know　not　how　securely　they　are　shielded。　Urged　on　by　Satan；　the　rulers　of　this　world　are　seeking　to　destroy　them；　but　could　the　eyes　of　God's　children　be　opened　as　were　the　eyes　of　Elisha's　servant　at

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Dothan；　they　would　see　angels　of　God　encamped　about　them；　holding　in　check　the　hosts　of　darkness。

As　the　people　of　God　afflict　their　souls　before　Him；　pleading　for　purity　of　heart；　the　command　is　given；　〃Take　away　the　filthy　garments；〃　and　the　encouraging　words　are　spoken；　〃Behold；　I　have　caused　thine　iniquity　to　pass　from　thee；　and　I　will　clothe　thee　with　change　of　raiment。〃　Zechariah　3：4。　The　spotless　robe　of　Christ's　righteousness　is　placed　upon　the　tried；　tempted；　faithful　children　of　God。　The　despised　remnant　are　clothed　in　glorious　apparel；　nevermore　to　be　defiled　by　the　corruptions　of　the　world。　Their　names　are　retained　in　the　Lamb's　book　of　life；　enrolled　among　the　faithful　of　all　ages。　They　have　resisted　the　wiles　of　the　deceiver；　they　have　not　been　turned　from　their　loyalty　by　the　dragon's　roar。　Now　they　are　eternally　secure　from　the　tempter's　devices。　Their　sins　are　transferred　to　the　originator　of　sin。　A　〃fair　miter〃　is　set　upon　their　heads。

While　Satan　has　been　urging　his　accusations；　holy　angels；　unseen；　have　been　passing　to　and　fro；　placing　upon　the　faithful　ones　the　seal　of　the　living　God。　These　are　they　that　stand　upon　Mount　Zion　with　the　Lamb；　having　the　Father's　name　written　in　their　foreheads。　They　sing　the　new　song　before　the　throne；　that　song　which　no　man　can　learn　save　the　hundred　and　forty　and　four　thousand　which　were　redeemed　from　the　earth。　〃These　are　they　which　follow　the　Lamb　whithersoever　He　goeth。　These　were　redeemed　from　among　men；　being　the　first　fruits　unto　God　and　to　the　Lamb。　And　in　their　mouth　was　found　no　guile：　for　they　are　without　fault　before　the　throne　of　God。〃　Revelation　14：4；　5。

592


Now　is　reached　the　complete　fulfillment　of　the　words　of　the　Angel：　〃Hear　now；　O　Joshua　the　high　priest；　thou；　and　thy　fellows　that　sit　before　thee：　for　they　are　men　wondered　at：　for；　behold；　I　will　bring　forth　My　Servant　the　Branch。〃　Zechariah　3：8。　Christ　is　revealed　as　the　Redeemer　and　Deliverer　of　His　people。　Now　indeed　are　the　remnant　〃men　wondered　at；〃　as　the　tears　and　humiliation　of　their　pilgrimage　give　place　to　joy　and　honor　in　the　presence　of　God　and　the　Lamb。　〃In　that　day　shall　the　branch　of　the　Lord　be　beautiful　and　glorious；　and　the　fruit　of　the　earth　shall　be　excellent　and　comely　for　them　that　are　escaped　of　Israel。　And　it　shall　come　to　pass；　that　he　that　is　left　in　Zion；　and　he　that　remaine