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Time of Trouble
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The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should
not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. But I am the Lord
thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared. The Lord of
hosts is his name. And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have
covered thee in the shadow of mine hand.”
“Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted and drunken, but not
with wine: Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth
the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the
cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt
no more drink it again. But I will put it into the hand of them that
afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go
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over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to
them that went over.” [
Isaiah 51:11-16, 21-23
.]
The eye of God, looking down the ages, was fixed upon the
crisis which his people are to meet, when earthly powers shall be
arrayed against them. Like the captive exile, they will be in fear of
death by starvation or by violence. But the Holy One who divided
the Red Sea before Israel, will manifest his mighty power and turn
their captivity. “They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that
day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man
spareth his own son that serveth him.” [
Malachi 3:17
.] If the blood
of Christ’s faithful witnesses were shed at this time, it would not,
like the blood of the martyrs, be as seed sown to yield a harvest
for God. Their fidelity would not be a testimony to convince others
of the truth; for the obdurate heart has beaten back the waves of
mercy until they return no more. If the righteous were now left to
fall a prey to their enemies, it would be a triumph for the prince of
darkness. But Christ has spoken: “Come, my people, enter thou
into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as
it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For,
behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of
the earth for their iniquity.” [
Isaiah 26:20, 21
.] Glorious will be the
deliverance of those who have patiently waited for him, and whose
names are written in the book of life.
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