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Chapter 60—The Time of Jacob’s Trouble
I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating
together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels
provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from
hunger and thirst. Then I saw the leading men of the earth consulting
together, and Satan and his angels busy around them. I saw a writing,
copies of which were scattered in different parts of the land, giving
orders that unless the saints should yield their peculiar faith, give up
the Sabbath, and observe the first day of the week, the people were
at liberty after a certain time to put them to death. But in this hour of
trial the saints were calm and composed, trusting in God and leaning
upon His promise that a way of escape would be made for them.
In some places, before the time for the decree to be executed, the
wicked rushed upon the saints to slay them; but angels in the form
of men of war fought for them. Satan wished to have the privilege
of destroying the saints of the Most High, but Jesus bade His angels
watch over them. God would be honored by making a covenant
with those who had kept His law, in the sight of the heathen round
about them; and Jesus would be honored by translating, without their
seeing death, the faithful, waiting ones who had so long expected
Him.
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Soon I saw the saints suffering great mental anguish. They
seemed to be surrounded by the wicked inhabitants of the earth.
Every appearance was against them. Some began to fear that God
had at last left them to perish by the hand of the wicked. But if
their eyes could have been opened, they would have seen themselves
surrounded by angels of God. Next came the multitude of the angry
wicked, and next a mass of evil angels, hurrying on the wicked to
slay the saints. But before they could approach God’s people, the
wicked must first pass this company of mighty, holy angels. This
was impossible. The angels of God were causing them to recede and
also causing the evil angels who were pressing around them to fall
back.
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