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Prophets and Kings
of true religion. God’s church on earth was as verily in captivity during
this long period of relentless persecution as were the children of Israel
held captive in Babylon during the period of the exile.
But, thank God, His church is no longer in bondage. To spiritual
Israel have been restored the privileges accorded the people of God at
the time of their deliverance from Babylon. In every part of the earth,
men and women are responding to the Heaven-sent message which
John the revelator prophesied would be proclaimed prior to the second
coming of Christ: “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of
His judgment is come.”
Revelation 14:7
.
[715]
No longer have the hosts of evil power to keep the church captive;
for “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city,” which hath “made
all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication;” and to
spiritual Israel is given the message, “Come out of her, My people, that
ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”
Verse 8
;
18:4
. As the captive exiles heeded the message, “Flee out of
the midst of Babylon” (
Jeremiah 51:6
), and were restored to the Land
of Promise, so those who fear God today are heeding the message
to withdraw from spiritual Babylon, and soon they are to stand as
trophies of divine grace in the earth made new, the heavenly Canaan.
In Malachi’s day the mocking inquiry of the impenitent, “Where
is the God of judgment?” met with the solemn response: “The Lord
... shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the
covenant.... But who may abide the day of His coming? and who
shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like
fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He
shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that
they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall
the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in
the days of old, and as in former years.”
Malachi 2:17
;
3:1-4
.
When the promised Messiah was about to appear, the message of
the forerunner of Christ was: Repent, publicans and sinners; repent,
Pharisees and Sadducees; “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 3:2
.
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Today, in the spirit and power of Elias and of John the Baptist, mes-
sengers of God’s appointment are calling the attention of a judgment-
bound world to the solemn events soon to take place in connection
with the closing hours of probation and the appearance of Christ Jesus