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Royalty and Ruin
captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those
who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Luke 4:18, 19
. This was the work He commissioned His disciples
to do, “to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to
your house the poor who are cast out. ... Then your light shall break
forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and
your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall
be your rear guard.”
Isaiah 58:7, 8
.
Thus in the night of spiritual darkness God’s glory is to shine
out through His church. All around us we hear the wails of a world’s
sorrow. On every side we find the needy and distressed. We are
called to help relieve life’s hardships and misery. If Christ is abiding
in us, our hearts will be full of divine sympathy.
There are many who are without hope. Bring back the sunshine
to them. Many have lost their courage. Pray for them. Read to them
from the Word of God. Upon many there is a soul sickness that no
physician can heal. Bring them to Jesus.
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The whole earth, wrapped in darkness and pain, is to be lighted
with the knowledge of God’s love. The light is to reach every class
of people. No longer are the heathen to be wrapped in midnight
darkness.
Christ has made every provision for His church to be a trans-
formed body, every Christian surrounded with a spiritual atmosphere
of light and peace. He wants us to reveal His own joy in our lives.
Christ is coming with power and great glory. While all the world
is shrouded in darkness, there will be light in every home of God’s
people. They will catch the first light of His second appearing.
While the wicked run in panic, Christ’s followers will rejoice in His
presence.
Then the redeemed will receive their promised inheritance. Here
God’s design for Israel will meet its literal fulfillment. God’s plans
have been moving steadily forward toward their accomplishment.
This is how it was with Israel through the history of the divided
monarchy, and it is this way with spiritual Israel today.
The apostle John testifies, “After these things I looked, and
behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations,
tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before
the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,