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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
going forward from strength to strength, Satan’s forces would have
less power to prevail against them.
They afflict their souls before God, pointing to their past repen-
tance of their many sins, and pleading the Saviour’s promise, “Let
him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me, and
he shall make peace with me.” [
Isaiah 27:5
.] Their faith does not
fail because their prayers are not immediately answered. Though
suffering the keenest anxiety, terror, and distress, they do not cease
their intercessions. They lay hold of the strength of God as Jacob
laid hold of the Angel; and the language of their souls is, “I will not
let thee go, except thou bless me.”
Had not Jacob previously repented of his sin in obtaining the
birthright by fraud, God would not have heard his prayer and mer-
cifully preserved his life. So in the time of trouble, if the people of
God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with
fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed; despair would cut
off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God
for deliverance. But while they have a deep sense of their unworthi-
ness, they have no concealed wrongs to reveal. Their sins have gone
beforehand to Judgment, and have been blotted out; and they cannot
bring them to remembrance.
Satan leads many to believe that God will overlook their un-
faithfulness in the minor affairs of life; but the Lord shows in his
dealings with Jacob that he will in no wise sanction or tolerate evil.
[438]
All who endeavor to excuse or conceal their sins, and permit them
to remain upon the books of Heaven, unconfessed and unforgiven,
will be overcome by Satan. The more exalted their profession, and
the more honorable the position which they hold, the more grievous
is their course in the sight of God, and the more sure the triumph
of their great adversary. Those who delay a preparation for the day
of God cannot obtain it in the time of trouble or at any subsequent
time. The case of all such is hopeless. Those professed Christians
who come up to that last fearful conflict unprepared, will, in their
despair, confess their sins in words of burning anguish, while the
wicked exult over their distress.
Yet Jacob’s history is an assurance that God will not cast off
those who have been deceived and tempted and betrayed into sin,
but who have returned unto him with true repentance. While Satan