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The Desire of Ages
of men who are not under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Worldly
wisdom is foolishness with God. Those who rely upon it will surely
err.
“They will deliver you up to councils, ... yea and before governors
and kings shall ye be brought for My sake, for a testimony to them and
to the Gentiles.”
Matthew 10:17, 18
, R. V. Persecution will spread the
light. The servants of Christ will be brought before the great men of
the world, who, but for this, might never hear the gospel. The truth has
been misrepresented to these men. They have listened to false charges
concerning the faith of Christ’s disciples. Often their only means of
learning its real character is the testimony of those who are brought to
trial for their faith. Under examination these are required to answer,
and their judges to listen to the testimony borne. God’s grace will be
dispensed to His servants to meet the emergency. “It shall be given
you,” says Jesus, “in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not
ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” As
the Spirit of God illuminates the minds of His servants, the truth will
be presented in its divine power and preciousness. Those who reject
the truth will stand to accuse and oppress the disciples. But under
loss and suffering, even unto death, the Lord’s children are to reveal
the meekness of their divine Example. Thus will be seen the contrast
between Satan’s agents and the representatives of Christ. The Saviour
will be lifted up before the rulers and the people.
The disciples were not endowed with the courage and fortitude of
the martyrs until such grace was needed. Then the Saviour’s promise
was fulfilled. When Peter and John testified before the Sanhedrin
council, men “marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they
had been with Jesus.”
Acts 4:13
. Of Stephen it is written that “all that
sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had
been the face of an angel.” Men “were not able to resist the wisdom
and the spirit by which he spake.”
Acts 6:15, 10
. And Paul, writing
of his own trial at the court of the Caesars, says, “At my first defense
no one took my part, but all forsook me.... But the Lord stood by
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me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully
proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered
out of the mouth of the lion.”
2 Timothy 4:16, 17
, R. V.
The servants of Christ were to prepare no set speech to present
when brought to trial. Their preparation was to be made day by day in