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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
The designs of wicked men, the enemies of the church, are subject to
His power and overruling providence. He can move upon the hearts
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of statesmen; the wrath of the turbulent and disaffected, the haters
of God, His truth, and His people can be turned aside, even as the
rivers of water are turned, if He orders it thus. Prayer moves the arm
of Omnipotence. He who marshals the stars in order in the heavens,
whose word controls the waves of the great deep, the same infinite
Creator will work in behalf of His people if they call upon Him in
faith. He will restrain the forces of darkness until the warning is given
to the world and all who will heed it are prepared for the conflict.
“The wrath of man shall praise Thee,” says the psalmist; “the
remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain.” God means that testing truth
shall be brought to the front and become a subject of examination
and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it.
The minds of the people must be agitated. Every controversy, every
reproach, every slander, will be God’s means of provoking inquiry and
awakening minds that otherwise would slumber.
Thus it has been in the past history of God’s people. For refusing
to worship the great golden image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up,
the three Hebrews were cast into the fiery furnace. But God preserved
His servants in the midst of the flames, and the attempt to enforce
idolatry resulted in bringing the knowledge of the true God before the
assembled princes and great men of the vast kingdom of Babylon.
So when the decree went forth forbidding prayer to any God save
the king. As Daniel, according to his custom, made his supplications
three times a day to the God of heaven, the attention of the princes
and rulers was called to his case. He had an opportunity to speak for
himself, to show who is the true God, and to present the reason why
He alone should receive worship, and the duty of rendering Him praise
and homage. And the deliverance of Daniel from the den of lions was
another evidence that the Being whom he worshiped was the true and
living God.
So the imprisonment of Paul brought the gospel before kings,
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princes, and rulers who otherwise would not have had this light. The
efforts made to retard the progress of truth will serve to extend it. The
excellence of truth is more clearly seen from every successive point
from which it may be viewed. Error requires disguise and concealment.