Time of Trouble
519
Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us,
we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought
could our Saviour be brought to yield to the power of temptation. Satan
finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some
sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert
their power. But Christ declared of Himself: “The prince of this world
cometh, and hath nothing in Me.”
John 14:30
. Satan could find nothing
in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had
kept His Father’s commandments, and there was no sin in Him that
Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those
must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.
It is in this life that we are to separate sin from us, through faith
in the atoning blood of Christ. Our precious Saviour invites us to join
ourselves to Him, to unite our weakness to His strength, our ignorance
to His wisdom, our unworthiness to His merits. God’s providence
is the school in which we are to learn the meekness and lowliness
of Jesus. The Lord is ever setting before us, not the way we would
choose, which seems easier and pleasanter to us, but the true aims of
life. It rests with us to co-operate with the agencies which Heaven
employs in the work of conforming our characters to the divine model.
None can neglect or defer this work but at the most fearful peril to
their souls.
The apostle John in vision heard a loud voice in heaven exclaiming:
“Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come
down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath
but a short time.”
Revelation 12:12
. Fearful are the scenes which
call forth this exclamation from the heavenly voice. The wrath of
Satan increases as his time grows short, and his work of deceit and
destruction will reach its culmination in the time of trouble.
[624]
Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in
the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons. The
spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the whole
world, to fasten them in deception, and urge them on to unite with
Satan in his last struggle against the government of heaven. By these
agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived. Persons will arise
pretending to be Christ Himself, and claiming the title and worship
which belong to the world’s Redeemer. They will perform wonderful