Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 14 - Shal not God Avenge His Own? - Christ's Object Lessons

Transcript

14 - Shal not God Avenge His Own? - Christ's Object Lessons · Philosophy and Faith

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Chapter fourteen, Christ had been speaking of the period just
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: before his second coming and of the perils through which
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: his followers must pass. With special reference to that time,
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: he related the parable to this end that men ought
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: always to pray and not to faint. There was in
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: a city, he said, a judge which feared not God,
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city.
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: And she came unto him, saying, avenge me of mine adversary.
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: And he would not for a while. But afterward he said,
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: within himself, though I fear not God nor regard man. Yet,
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her. Lest
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said,
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: hear what the unjust judge saith, And shall not God
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: avenge his own elect which cried day and night unto him.
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: Though he bear long with them, I tell you that
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: he will avenge them speedily. The judge, who was here
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: pictured had no regard for right nor pity for suffering.
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: The widow, who pressed her case before him, was persistently repulsed.
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: Again and again she came to him, only to be
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: treated with contempt and to be driven from the judgment seat.
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: The judge knew that her cause was righteous, and he
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: could have relieved her at once, but he would not.
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: He wanted to show his arbitrary power, and it gratified
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: him to let her ask and plead and entreat in vain.
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: But she would not fail nor become discouraged. Notwithstanding his
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: indifference and hard heartedness, she pressed her petition until the
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: judge consented to attend to her case. Though I fear
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: not God nor regard man, he said, Yet, because this
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: continual coming she weary me. To save his reputation, to
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: avoid giving publicity to his partial, one sided judgment, he
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: avenged the persevering woman. And the Lord said, hear what
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: own elect which cried day and night unto him? Though
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: he bear long with them, I tell you that he
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: will avenge them speedily. Christ here draws a sharp contrast
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: between the unjust judge and God. The judge yielded to
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: the widow's request merely through selfishness that he might be
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: relieved of her importunity. He felt for her no pity
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: or compassion. Her misery was nothing to him. How different
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: is the attitude of God toward those who seek him.
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: The appeals of the needy and distressed are considered by
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: Him with infinite compassion. The woman who entreated the judge
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: for justice had lost her husband by death. Poor and friendless,
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: she had no means of retrieving her ruined fortunes. So
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: by sin man lost his connection with God. Of himself,
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: he has no means of salvation. But in Christ we
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: are brought nigh unto the Father. The elect of God
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: are dear to his heart. They are those who has
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: called out of darkness into his marvelous light to show
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: forth his praise, to shine as lights amid the darkness
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: of the world. The unjust judge had no special interest
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: in the widow who importuned him for deliverance. Yet in
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: order to rid himself of her pitiful appeals, he heard
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: her plea and delivered her from her adversary. But God
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: loves his children with infinite love. To him, the dearest
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: object on earth is his Church. For the Lord's portion
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: is his people. Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: He found him in a desert land, and in the
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: waste howling wilderness. He led him about, he instructed him,
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: He kept him as the apple of his eye. For
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: thus saith the Lord of Hosts. After the glory hath
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you. For
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: The Widow's prayer, avenge me, do me justice of mine
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: adversary represents the prayer of God's children. Satan is their
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: great adversary. He is the accuser of our brethren, who
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: accuses them before God day and night. He is continually
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: working to misrepresent and accuse, to deceive and destroy the
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: people of God. And as for deliverance for the power
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: of Satan and his agents, that in this parable, Christ
• 3:51
  Speaker 1: teaches his disciples to pray. In the Prophecy of Zechariah
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: is brought to view Satan's accusing work and the work
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: of Christ in resistance the adversary of his people. The
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: prophet says, he showed me Joshua, the high Priest, standing
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said,
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: unto Satan, the Lord rebuke thee o Satan. Even the
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee. Is not this
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: a brand plucked out of the fire. Now Joshua was
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: closed with filthy garments and stood before the Angel. The
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: people of God are here represented as a criminal on trial. Joshua,
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: as high priest, is seeking for a blessing for his
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: people who are in great affliction. While he is pleading
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: before God, Satan is standing at his right hand as
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: his adversary. He is accusing the children of God and
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: making their case appear as desperate as possible. He presents
• 4:47
  Speaker 1: before the Lord their evil doings and their defects. He
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: shows their faults and failures, hoping they will appear of
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: such a character in the eyes of Christ that he
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: will render them no help in their great need. Joshua,
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: as the rect presentative of God's people, stands under condemnation,
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: clothed with filthy garments, aware of the sins of his people.
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: He is weighed down with discouragement. Satan is pressing upon
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: his soul a sense of guiltiness that makes him feel
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: almost helpless. Yet there he stands as a suppliant, with
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: Satan arrayed against him. The work of Satan as an
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: accuser began in heaven. This has been his work on
• 5:24
  Speaker 1: earth ever since man's fall, and it will be his
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: work in a special sense as we approach nearer to
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: the close of this world's history. As he sees that
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: his time is short, he will work with greater earnestness
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: to deceive and destroy. He is angry when he sees
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: a people on the earth who, even in their weakness
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: and sinfulness, have respect to the law of Jehovah. He
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: is determined that they shall not obey God. He delights
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: in their unworthiness and has devices prepared for every soul
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: that all may be ensnared and separated from God. He
• 5:57
  Speaker 1: seeks to accuse and condemn God and all whose drive
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: to carry out His purposes in this world in mercy
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: and love, in compassion and forgiveness. Every manifestation of God's
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: power for his people arouses the enmity of Satan. Every
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: time God works in their behalf, Satan, with his angels,
• 6:16
  Speaker 1: works with renewed vigor to compass their ruin. He is
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: jealous of all who make Christ their strength. His object
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: is to instigate evil, and when he has succeeded, throw
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: all the blame upon the tempted ones. He points to
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: their filthy garments, their defective characters. He presents their weakness
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: and folly, their sins of ingratitude, their unlikeness to Christ,
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: which has dishonored their redeemer. All this he urges as
• 6:41
  Speaker 1: an argument proving his right to work his will in
• 6:44
  Speaker 1: their destruction. He endeavors to affright their souls, with the
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: thought that their case is hopeless, that the stain of
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: their defilement can never be washed away. He hopes so
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: to destroy their faith that they will yield fully to
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: his temptations and turn from their allegiance to God. The
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: Lord's people can not of themselves answer the charges of Satan.
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: As they look to themselves, they are ready to despair,
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: But they appeal to the divine advocate. They plead the
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: merits of the redeemer God can be just and the
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: justifier of Him which believeth in Jesus with confidence. The
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: Lord's children cry unto Him to silence the accusations of
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: Satan and bring to naught his devices. Do me justice
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: of mine adversary, they pray, and with the mighty argument
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: of the crost Christ silences the bold accuser. The Lord
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: said unto Satan. The Lord rebuke thee, o Satan, Even
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee. Is this
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: not a brand plucked out of the fire. When Satan
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: seeks to cover the people of God with blackness and
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: ruin them, Christ interposes. Although they have sinned, Christ has
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: taken the guilt of their sins upon his own soul.
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: He has snatched the race as a brand from the fire.
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: By his human nature he is linked with man, while
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: through his divine nature he is one with the infinite God.
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: Help is brought within the reach of perishing souls. The
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: adversary is rebuked. Now Joshua was closed with filthy garments
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: and stood before the Angel. And he answered and spake
• 8:13
  Speaker 1: unto those that stood before him, saying, take away the
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, behold,
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: I have caused thine iniquity to pass from me, and
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said,
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: let them set a fair miter upon his head. So
• 8:29
  Speaker 1: they set a fair miter upon his head and clothe
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: him with garments. Then, with the authority of the Lord
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: of Hosts, the Angel made a solemn pledge to Joshua,
• 8:37
  Speaker 1: the representative of God's people. If thou wilt walk in
• 8:40
  Speaker 1: my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: my courts. And I will give thee places to walk
• 8:49
  Speaker 1: among these that stand by, even among the angels that
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: surround the throne of God. Notwithstanding the defects of the
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: people of God, Christ does not turn away from the
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: obden of his care. He has the power to change
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: their raiment. He removes the filthy garments. He places upon
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: the repenting, believing ones his own robe of righteousness, and
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: writes pardon against their names on the records of Heaven.
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: He confesses them as his Before the heavenly universe. Satan,
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: their adversary, is shown to be an accuser and deceiver.
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: God will do justice for his own elect. The prayer
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: do me justice of mine adversary applies not only to Satan,
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: but to the agency whom he instigates to misrepresent, to tempt,
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: and to destroy the people of God. Those who have
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: decided to obey the commandments of God will understand by
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: experience that they have adversaries who are controlled by a
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: power from beneath. Such adversaries beset Christ at every step,
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: how constantly and determinedly no human being can ever know.
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: Christ's disciples, like their Master, are followed by continual temptation.
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: The scriptures discret bribe the condition of the world just
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: before Christ's second coming. James the Apostle pictures the greed
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: and oppression that will prevail. He says, go to now, ye,
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: rich men, ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: Behold the hire of the laborers who have reaped down
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud crieth,
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaeoth. Ye have
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton. Ye
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter.
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: Ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: not resist you. This is a picture of what exists today.
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: By every species of oppression and extortion, men are piling
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: up colossal fortunes, while the cries of starving humanity are
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: coming up. Before God, Judgment is turned away backward, and
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: justice standeth afar off. For truth is fallen in the street,
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: and equity cannot enter. Yea truth faileth, and he that
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. This was fulfilled
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: in the life of Christ on earth. He was loyal
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: to God's commandments, setting aside the human traditions and requirements
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: which had been exalted in their place. Because of this,
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: he was hated and persecuted. This history is repeated. The
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: laws and traditions of men are exalted above the law
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: of God, and those who are true to God's commandments
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: suffer reproach and persecution. Christ, because of his faithfulness to God,
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: was accused as a sabbath breaker and blasphemer. He was
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: declared to be possessed of a devil and denounced as Beelzebub.
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: In like manner, his followers are accused and misrepresented. Thus
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: Satan hopes to lead them to sin and cast dishonor
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: upon God. The character of the judge and the parable,
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: who feared not God nor regarded man, was presented by
• 11:52
  Speaker 1: Christ to show the kind of judgment that was then
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: being executed and that would soon be witnessed at his trial.
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: He desires his people in all time to realize how
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: little dependence can be placed on earthly rulers or judges.
• 12:05
  Speaker 1: In the day of adversity. Often the elect people of
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: God have to stand before men in official positions who
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: did not make the Word of God their guide and counselor,
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: but who follow their own, unconsecrated, undisciplined impulses. In the
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: parable of the unjust judge, Christ has shown what we
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: should do. Shall not God avenge his own elect which
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: cry day and night unto him. Christ, our example, did
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: nothing to vindicate or deliver himself. He committed his case
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: to God. So his followers are not to accuse or condemn,
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: or to resort to force in order to deliver themselves.
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: When trials arise that seem unexplainable. We should not allow
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: our peace to be spoiled, however unjustly we may be treated.
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: Let not passion arise. By indulging a spirit of retaliation.
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: We injure ourselves, We destroy our own confidence in God,
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: and grieve the Holy Spirit. There is by our side
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: a witness, a heavenly messenger, who will lift up for
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: us a standard against the enemy. He will shut us
• 13:07
  Speaker 1: in with the bright beams of the Son of righteousness.
• 13:11
  Speaker 1: Beyond this, Satan cannot penetrate, He cannot pass this shield
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: of holy light. While the world is progressing in wickedness.
• 13:19
  Speaker 1: None of us need flatter ourselves that we shall have
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: no difficulties. But it is these very difficulties that bring
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: us into the audience chamber of the Most High. We
• 13:28
  Speaker 1: may seek counsel of one who is infinite in wisdom.
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: The Lord says, call upon me in the day of trouble.
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: He invites us to present to him our perplexities and necessities,
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: and our need of divine help. He bids us to
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: be instant in prayer. As soon as difficulties arise. We
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: are to offer him our sincere, earnest petitions. By our
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: importunate prayers, we give evidence of our strong confidence in God.
• 13:54
  Speaker 1: The sense of our need leads us to pray earnestly,
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: and our heavenly Father is moved by our our supplications.
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: Often those who suffer reproach and persecution for their faith
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: are tempted to think themselves forsaken by God. In the
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: eyes of men. They are in the minority to all appearance.
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: Their enemies triumph over them. But let them not violate
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: their conscience. He who has suffered in their behalf, and
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: has borne their sorrows and afflictions, has not forsaken them.
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: The children of God are not left alone and defenseless.
• 14:28
  Speaker 1: Prayer moves the arm of omnipotence. Prayer has subdued kingdoms,
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stop the mouths of lions, quench
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: the violence of fire. We shall know what this means
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: when we hear the reports of the martyrs who died
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: for their faith, turn to flight the armies of the aliens.
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: If we surrender our lives to His service, we can
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: never be placed in a position for which God has
• 14:52
  Speaker 1: not made provision. Whatever may be our situation, we have
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: a guide to direct our way. Whatever our perplexity, we
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: have a sure Counselor whatever our sorrow, bereavement or loneliness,
• 15:05
  Speaker 1: we have a sympathizing friend. If in our ignorance we
• 15:09
  Speaker 1: make missteps, Christ does not leave us. His voice, clear
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: and distinct, is heard, saying, I am the Way, the Truth,
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: and the life. He shall deliver the needy. When he
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: crieth the poor also and him that hath no helper,
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: The Lord declares that he will be honored by those
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: who draw nigh to him, who faithfully do his service,
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace. Whose mind is
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee. The arm
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: of omnipotence is outstretched to lead us onward. And still onward,
• 15:43
  Speaker 1: Go forward, the Lord says, I will send you help.
• 15:47
  Speaker 1: It is for my name's glory that you ask, and
• 15:49
  Speaker 1: you shall receive. I will be honored before those who
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: are watching for your failure. They shall see my word
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: triumph gloriously all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: believing ye shall receive. Let all who are afflicted or
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: unjustly used cry to God. Turn away from those whose
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: hearts are as steel, and make your request known to
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: your maker. Never is one repulsed who comes to him
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: with a contrite heart, not one sincere prayer is lost
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: amid the anthems of the celestial choir, God hears the
• 16:24
  Speaker 1: cries of the weakest human being. We pour out our
• 16:27
  Speaker 1: heart's desire in our closets. We breathe a prayer as
• 16:31
  Speaker 1: we walk by the way, and our words reach the
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: throne of the monarch of the universe. They may be
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: inaudible to any human ear but they cannot die away
• 16:40
  Speaker 1: into silence, nor can they be lost through the activities
• 16:43
  Speaker 1: of business that are going on. Nothing can drown the
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: soul's desire. It rises above the din of the street,
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: above the confusion of the multitude, to the heavenly courts.
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: It is God to whom we are speaking, and our
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: prayer is heard. You, who feel the most unworthy, fear
• 17:00
  Speaker 1: not to commit your case to God. When he gave
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: himself to Christ for the sin of the world, he
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: undertook the case of every soul. He that spared not
• 17:10
  Speaker 1: his own son, but delivered him up for us all.
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: How shall he not with him also freely give us
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: all things? Will he not fulfill the gracious word given
• 17:19
  Speaker 1: for our encouragement and strength. Christ desires nothing so much
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: as to redeem his heritage from the dominion of Satan.
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: But before we are delivered from Satan's power without, we
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: must be delivered from His power within. The Lord permits
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: trials in order that we may be cleansed from earthliness,
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: from selfishness, from harsh, unchristlike traits of character. He suffers
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: the deep waters of affliction to go over our souls
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: in order that we may know Him and Jesus Christ,
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: whom he has sent in order that we may have
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: deep heart longings to be cleansed from defilement, and may
• 17:55
  Speaker 1: come forth from the trial purer, holier, happier. Often we
• 18:01
  Speaker 1: enter the furnace of trial with our souls darkened with selfishness.
• 18:05
  Speaker 1: But if patient under the crucial test, we shall come
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: forth reflecting the divine character. When his purpose in the
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: affliction is accomplished, he shall bring forth thy righteousness as
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. There is
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: no danger that the Lord will neglect the prayers of
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: his people. The danger is that, in temptation and trial,
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: they will become discouraged and fail to persevere in prayer.
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: The Savior manifested divine compassion toward the Syrophoenician woman. His
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: heart was touched as he saw her grief. He longed
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: to give her an immediate assurance that her prayer was heard,
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: but he desired to teach his disciples a lesson, and
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: for a time he seemed to neglect the cry of
• 18:47
  Speaker 1: her tortured heart. When her faith had been made manifest,
• 18:51
  Speaker 1: he spoke to her words of commendation and sent her
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: away with the precious boon she had asked. The disciples
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: never forgot this lesson, and it is placed on record
• 19:01
  Speaker 1: to show the result of persevering prayer. It was Christ
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: himself who put into that mother's heart the persistence which
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: would not be repulsed. It was Christ who gave the
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: pleading widow courage and determination before the judge. It was
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: Christ who, centuries before, in the mysterious conflict by the Jabok,
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: had inspired Jacob with the same persevering faith and the
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: confidence which he himself had implanted. He did not fail
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: to reward. He who dwells in the heavenly sanctuary judges righteously.
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: His pleasure is more in his people struggling with temptation
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: in the world of sin, than in the host of
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: angels that surround his throne. In this speck of a world.
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: The whole heavenly universe manifests the greatest interest, for Christ
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: has paid an infinite price for the souls of its inhabitants.
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: The world's redeemer has bound Earth to Heaven by ties
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: of intelligence. For the redeemed of the Lord are here.
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: Heavenly beings still visit the earth as a in the
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: days when they walked and talked with Abraham and with Moses,
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: amid the busy activity of our great cities, amid the
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: multitudes that crown the thoroughfares and fill the marts of trade,
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: where from morning till evening the people act as if
• 20:14
  Speaker 1: business and sport and pleasure where all there is to life,
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: Where there are so few to contemplate unseen realities. Even here,
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: Heaven has still its watchers and its holy ones. They
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: are invisible agencies, observing every word and deed of human beings.
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: In every assembly for business or pleasure, in every gathering
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: for worship, there are more listeners than can be seen
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: with the natural sight. Sometimes the heavenly intelligences draw aside
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: the curtain which hides the unseen world, that our thoughts
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: may be withdrawn from the hurry and rush of life.
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: To consider that there are unseen witnesses to all we
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: do or say, we need to understand better than we do.
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: The mission of the angel visitants. It would be well
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: to consider that in all our work we have the
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: cooperation and care of heavenly beings. Invisible armies of light
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: and power attend the meek and lowly ones who believe
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: and claim the promises of God, Cherubim and Seraphim, and
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: angels that excel in strength ten thousand times ten thousand
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: and thousands of thousands stand at his right hand, all
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: be heirs of salvation. By these angel messengers, a faithful
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: record is kept of the words and deeds of the
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: children of men. Every act of cruelty or injustice toward
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: God's people, all they are caused to suffer through the
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: power of evil workers, is registered in heaven. Shall not
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: God avenge his own elect which cry day and night
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: unto him, though he bear long with them. I tell
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: you that He will avenge them speedily. Cast not away.
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: Therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward, For
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: ye have need of patience, that after ye have done
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: the will of God, ye might receive the promise for
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: yet a little while, and he that shall come will come,
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: and will not tarry. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: it until he received the early and latter reign. Be Ye,
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: also patient, establish your hearts for the coming of the
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: Lord draweth nigh. The long suffering of God is wonderful.
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: Long does justice wait while mercy pleads with the sinner.
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: But righteousness and judgment are the establishment of his throne.
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: The Lord is slow to anger, but he is great
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: in power and will not at all acquit the wicked.
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: The world has become bold in transgression of God's law
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: because of his long forbearance. Men have trampled upon his authority.
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: They have strengthened one another in oppression and cruelty towards
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: his heritage, saying, how doth God know? And is their
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: knowledge in the most high? But there is a line
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: beyond which they cannot pass. The time is near when
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: they will have reached the prescribed limit. Even now they
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: have almost exceeded the bounds of the long suffering of God,
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: the limits of his grace, the limits of his mercy.
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: The Lord will interpose to vindicate his own honor, to
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: deliver his people, and to repress the swellings of unrighteousness.
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: In Noah's day, men had disregarded the law of God,
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: until almost all remembrance of the Creator had passed away
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: from the earth. Their iniquity reached so great a height
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: that the Lord brought a flood of waters upon the
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: earth and swept away its wicked inhabitants. From age to age,
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: the Lord has made known the manner of his working.
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: When a crisis has come, he has revealed himself and
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: has interposed to hinder the working out of Satan's plans
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: with nations, with families, and with individuals. He has often
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: permitted matters to come to a crisis that his interference
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: might become marked. Then he has made manifest that there
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: is a God in Israel who will maintain his law
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: and vindicate his people. In this time of prevailing iniquity,
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: we may know that the last great crisis is at hand.
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: When the defiance of God's law is almost universal, when
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: his people are oppressed and afflicted by their fellow men,
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: the Lord will interpose. The time is near when he
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: will say, come, my people, Enter thou into thy chambers
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: and shut thy doors about thee hide thyself, as it were,
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: for a little moment, until the indignation be overpassed. For
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: it behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: cover her slain. Men who claim to be Christians may
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: now defraud and oppress the poor. They may rob the
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: widow and the fatherless. They may indulge their satanic hatred
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: because they cannot control the consciences of God's people. But
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: for all this God will bring them into judgment. They
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: shall have judgment without mercy that have showed no mercy
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: not long. Hence they will stand before the judge of
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: all the earth to render an account for the pain
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: they have caused to the bodies and souls of His heritage.
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: They may now indulge in false accusations. They may deride
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: those whom God has appointed to do his work. They
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: may consign his believing ones to prison, to the chain gang,
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: to banishment, to death. But for every pang of anguish,
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: every tear shed they must answer, God will reward them
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: double for their sins. Concerning Babylon, the symbol of the
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: Apostate Church, he says to his ministers of judgment, her
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her
• 25:43
  Speaker 1: iniquities reward her, even as she rewarded you, and double
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: unto her double, according to her works in the cup
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: which she hath filled, fill to her double. From India,
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: from Africa, from China, from the islands of the sea,
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: from the down trodden millions of so called Christian lands.
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: The cry of human woe is ascending to God. That
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: cry will not long be unanswered. God will cleanse the
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: earth from its moral corruption, not by a sea of water,
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: as in Noah's day, but by a sea of fire
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: that cannot be quenched by any human devising. There shall
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: be a time of trouble such as never was since
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: there was a nation, even to that same time. And
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: at that time thy people shall be delivered, and every
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: one that shall be found written in the book, from garrets,
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: from hovels, from dungeons, from scaffolds, from mountains and deserts,
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: from the caves of the earth and the caverns of
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: the sea, Christ will gather his children to himself. On Earth,
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: they have been destitute, afflicted, and tormented. Millions have gone
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: down to the grave, loaded with infamy because they refuse
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: to yield to the deceptive claims of Satan by human tribunals.
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: The children of God had been adjudged the violence of krimminals.
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: But the day is near when God is judge himself.
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: Then the decisions of earth shall be reversed. The rebuke
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: of his people shall he take away. White robes will
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: be given to every one of them, and they shall
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: call them the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord.
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: Whatever crosses they have been called to bear, whatever losses
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: they have sustained, whatever persecution they have suffered, even to
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: the loss of their temporal life, the children of God
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: are amply recompensed. They shall see His face, and his
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: name shall be in their foreheads. Behold, the husbandman watcheth
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: patience for it until he received the early and latter reign.
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: End of Chapter fourteen.