Sifting Time
439
every side. I then heard a triumphant shout of victory, loud, musical,
and clear. I looked upon this company, who, a short time before,
were in such distress and bondage. Their captivity was turned. A
glorious light shone upon them. How beautiful they then looked! All
weariness and marks of care were gone; health and beauty were seen
in every countenance. Their enemies, the heathen around them, fell
like dead men. They could not endure the light that shone upon the
delivered, holy ones. This light and glory remained upon them until
Jesus was seen in the clouds of heaven, and the faithful, tried company
were changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, from glory to
glory. The graves were opened and the saints came forth, clothed with
immortality, crying: “Victory over death and the grave!” and together
with the living saints they were caught up to meet their Lord in the air,
while rich, musical shouts of glory and victory proceeded from every
immortal tongue
The Two Armies
In vision I saw two armies in terrible conflict. One army was
led by banners bearing the world’s insignia; the other was led by the
bloodstained banner of Prince Immanuel. Standard after standard was
left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord’s army
joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united
with the commandment-keeping people of God. An angel flying in the
midst of heaven put the standard of Immanuel into many hands, while
a mighty general cried out with a loud voice: “Come into line. Let
those who are loyal to the commandments of God and the testimony
of Christ now take their position. Come out from among them, and
[341]
be ye separate, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, and
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters. Let
all who will come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord
against the mighty.”
Now the church is militant. Now we are confronted with a world
in midnight darkness, almost wholly given over to idolatry. But the
day is coming in which the battle will have been fought, the victory
won. The will of God is to be done on earth, as it is done in heaven.
Then the nations will own no other law than the law of heaven. All
604
Testimonies for the Church 1:179-184