prophets and kings-第93章
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of recompenses shall surely requite。 And I will make drunk her princes； and her wise men； her captains； and her rulers； and her mighty men： and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep； and not wake； saith the King； whose name is the Lord of hosts。〃
〃I have laid a snare for thee； and thou art also taken； O Babylon； and thou wast not aware： thou art found； and also caught； because thou hast striven against the Lord。 The Lord hath opened His armory； and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation： for this is the work of the Lord God of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans。〃
〃Thus saith the Lord of hosts； The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together： and all that took them captives held them fast； they refused to let them go。 Their Redeemer is strong； the Lord of hosts is His name： He shall throughly plead their cause； that He may give rest to the land； and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon。〃 Jeremiah 51：41； 50：23； 46； 51：8； 56； 57； 50：24； 25； 33； 34。
Thus 〃the broad walls of Babylon〃 became 〃utterly broken； and her high gates。 。 。 burned with fire。〃 Thus did Jehovah of hosts 〃cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease；〃 and lay low 〃the haughtiness of the terrible。〃 Thus
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did 〃Babylon； the glory of kingdoms； the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency；〃 become as Sodom and Gomorrah a place forever accursed。 〃It shall never be inhabited；〃 Inspiration has declared； 〃neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation： neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there； neither shall the shepherds make their fold there。 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there； and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures； and owls shall dwell there； and satyrs shall dance there。 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses； and dragons in their pleasant palaces。〃 〃I will also make it a possession for the bittern； and pools of water： and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction； saith the Lord of hosts。〃 Jeremiah 51：58； Isaiah 13：11； 19…22； 14：23。
To the last ruler of Babylon； as in type to its first； had come the sentence of the divine Watcher： 〃O king； 。 。 。 to thee it is spoken； The kingdom is departed from thee。〃 Daniel 4：31。
〃Come down； and sit in the dust； O virgin daughter of Babylon； Sit on the ground： there is no throne。 。 。 。 Sit thou silent； And get thee into darkness； O daughter of the Chaldeans： For thou shalt no more be called； The lady of kingdoms。
〃I was wroth with My people； I have polluted Mine inheritance； and given them into thine hand： Thou didst show them no mercy； 。 。 。
〃And thou saidst； I shall be a lady forever： So that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart； Neither didst remember the latter end of it。
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〃Therefore hear now this； Thou that art given to pleasures That dwellest carelessly； That sayest in thine heart； I am； and none else beside me； I shall not sit as a widow； Neither shall I know the loss of children： 。 。 。
〃These two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day； The loss of children； and widowhood： They shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries； and for the great abundance of thine enchantments。 For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness： Thou hast said； None seeth me。
〃Thy wisdom and thy knowledge； it hath perverted thee； And thou hast said in thine heart； I am； and none else beside me。 Therefore shall evil come upon thee； Thou shalt not know from whence it riseth： And mischief shall fall upon thee； Thou shalt not be able to put it off： And desolation shall come upon thee suddenly； which thou shalt not know。
〃Stand now with thine enchantments； and with the multitude of thy sorceries； wherein thou hast labored from thy youth； If so be thou shalt be able to profit； If so be thou mayest prevail。
〃Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels。 Let now the astrologers； the stargazers； the monthly prognosticators； Stand up； and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee。 Behold； they shall be as stubble； 。 。 。 They shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame： 。 。 。 None shall save thee。〃 Isaiah 47：1…15。
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Every nation that has come upon the stage of action has been permitted to occupy its place on the earth； that the fact might be determined whether it would fulfill the purposes of the Watcher and the Holy One。 Prophecy has traced the rise and progress of the world's great empiresBabylon； Medo…Persia； Greece； and Rome。 With each of these； as with the nations of less power； history has repeated itself。 Each has had its period of test； each has failed； its glory faded； its power departed。
While nations have rejected God's principles； and in this rejection have wrought their own ruin； yet a divine； overruling purpose has manifestly been at work throughout the ages。 It was this that the prophet Ezekiel saw in the wonderful representation given him during his exile in the land of the Chaldeans； when before his astonished gaze were portrayed the symbols that revealed an overruling Power that has to do with the affairs of earthly rulers。
Upon the banks of the river Chebar； Ezekiel beheld a whirlwind seeming to come from the north； 〃a great cloud； and a fire infolding itself； and a brightness was about it； and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber。〃 A number of wheels intersecting one another were moved by four living beings。 High above all these 〃was the likeness of a throne； as the appearance of a sapphire stone： and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it。〃 〃And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings。〃 Ezekiel 1：4； 26； 10：8。 The wheels were so complicated in arrangement that at first sight they appeared to be in confusion； yet they moved in perfect harmony。 Heavenly beings；
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sustained and guided by the hand beneath the wings of the cherubim； were impelling those wheels； above them； upon the sapphire throne； was the Eternal One； and round about the throne was a rainbow； the emblem of divine mercy。
As the wheellike complications were under the guidance of the hand beneath the wings of the cherubim； so the complicated play of human events is under divine control。 Amidst the strife and tumult of nations He that sitteth above the cherubim still guides the affairs of this earth。
The history of nations speaks to us today。 To every nation and to every individual God has assigned a place in His great plan。 Today men and nations are being tested by the plummet in the hand of Him who makes no mistake。 All are by their own choice deciding their destiny； and God is overruling all for the accomplishment of His purposes。
The prophecies which the great I am has given in His word； uniting link after link in the chain of events； from eternity in the past to eternity in the future； tell us where we are today in the procession of the ages and what may be expected in the time to come。 All that prophecy has foretold as coming to pass； until the present time； has been traced on the pages of history； and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be fulfilled in its order。
Today the signs of the times declare that we are standing on the threshold of great and solemn events。 Everything in our world is in agitation。 Before our eyes is fulfilling the Saviour's prophecy of the events to precede His coming： 〃Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars。 。 。 。 Nation shall rise against nation； and kingdom against kingdom：
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and there shall be famines； and pestilences； and earthquakes； in divers places。〃 Matthew 24：6； 7。
The present is a time of overwhelming interest to
