God’s People Delivered
527
and God’s people, who have been held in bondage for their faith, are
set free.
Graves are opened, and “many of them that sleep in the dust of
the earth” “awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and
everlasting contempt.” [
Daniel 12:2
.] All who have died in the faith of
the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear
God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept his law. “They also
which pierced Him,” [
Revelation 1:7
.] those that mocked and derided
Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of his truth and
his people, are raised to behold him in his glory, and to see the honor
placed upon the loyal and obedient.
Thick clouds still cover the sky; yet the sun now and then breaks
through, appearing like the avenging eye of Jehovah. Fierce lightnings
leap from the heavens, enveloping the earth in a sheet of flame. Above
the terrific roar of thunder, voices, mysterious and awful, declare the
doom of the wicked. The words spoken are not comprehended by
[638]
all; but they are distinctly understood by the false teachers. Those
who a little before were so reckless, so boastful and defiant, so exul-
tant in their cruelty to God’s commandment-keeping people, are now
overwhelmed with consternation, and shuddering in fear. Their wails
are heard above the sound of the elements. Demons acknowledge
the divinity of Christ, and tremble before his power, while men are
supplicating for mercy, and groveling in abject terror.
Said the prophets of old as they beheld in holy vision the day of
God: “Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as
a destruction from the Almighty.” [
Isaiah 13:6
.] “Enter into the rock,
and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his
majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness
of men shall be bowed down; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in
that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that
is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be
brought low.” “In that day a man shall cast the idols of his silver, and
the idols of his gold, which they made each one for himself to worship,
to the moles and to the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into
the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory
of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.” [
Isaiah
2:10-12, 21
(Margin).]