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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
they endured self-denial and experienced bitter disappointments. By
their own painful experience they learned the evil of sin, its power,
its guilt, its woe; and they look upon it with abhorrence. A sense of
the infinite sacrifice made for its cure, humbles them in their own
sight, and fills their hearts with gratitude and praise which those
who have never fallen cannot appreciate. They love much, because
they have been forgiven much. Having been partakers of Christ’s
sufferings, they are fitted to be partakers with him of his glory.
The heirs of God have come from garrets, from hovels, from
dungeons, from scaffolds, from mountains, from deserts, from the
caves of the earth, from the caverns of the sea. But they are no
longer feeble, afflicted, scattered, and oppressed. Henceforth they
are to be ever with the Lord. They stand before the throne clad
in richer robes than the most honored of the earth have ever worn.
They are crowned with diadems more glorious than were ever placed
upon the brow of earthly monarchs. The days of pain and weeping
are forever ended. The King of glory has wiped the tears from all
faces; every cause of grief has been removed. Amid the waving of
palm-branches they pour forth a song of praise, clear, sweet, and
harmonious; every voice takes up the strain, until the anthem swells
through the vaults of Heaven, “Salvation to our God which sitteth
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upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” And all the inhabitants of
Heaven respond in the ascription, “Amen; blessing, and glory, and
wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be
unto our God forever and ever.” [
Revelation 7:10, 12
.]
The theme of redemption has but just begun to be understood.
With our finite comprehension we may consider most earnestly the
shame and the glory, the life and the death, the justice and the mercy,
that meet in the cross; yet with the utmost stretch of our mental
powers we fail to grasp its full significance. The length and the
breadth, the depth and the height of redeeming love are but dimly
comprehended. The plan of redemption will not be fully understood,
even when the ransomed see as they are seen and know as they
are known; but through the eternal ages, new truth will continually
unfold to the wondering and delighted mind. Though the griefs and
pains and temptations of earth are ended, and the cause removed,
the people of God will ever have a distinct, intelligent knowledge of
what their salvation has cost.