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and wonders； insomuch that； if it were possible； they shall deceive the very
elect。 。 。 。 Wherefore if they shall say unto you； Behold； He is in the
desert； go not forth； behold； He is in the secret chambers； believe it not。
For as the lightning cometh out of the east； and shineth even unto the west；
so shall also the coming of the Son of man be。〃 Matthew 24：24…27； 31； 25：31；
Revelation 1：7； 1 Thessalonians 4：16； 17。 This coming there is no
possibility of counterfeiting。 It will be universally knownwitnessed by
the whole world。
Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures and who have
received the love of the truth will be shielded from the powerful delusion
that takes the world captive。 By the Bible testimony these will detect the
deceiver in his disguise。 To all the testing time will come。 By the sifting
of temptation the genuine Christian will be revealed。 Are the people of God
now so firmly established upon His word that they would not yield to the
evidence of their senses？ Would they； in such a crisis； cling to the Bible
and the Bible only？ Satan will； if possible； prevent them from obtaining a
preparation to stand in that day。 He will so arrange affairs as to hedge up
their way； entangle them with earthly treasures； cause them to carry a
heavy； wearisome burden； that
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their hearts may be overcharged with the cares of this life and the day of
trial may come upon them as a thief。
As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against
commandment keepers shall withdraw the protection of government and abandon
them to those who desire their destruction； the people of God will flee from
the cities and villages and associate together in companies； dwelling in the
most desolate and solitary places。 Many will find refuge in the strongholds
of the mountains。 Like the Christians of the Piedmont valleys； they will
make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries and will thank God for
〃the munitions of rocks。〃 Isaiah 33：16。 But many of all nations and of all
classes； high and low； rich and poor； black and white； will be cast into the
most unjust and cruel bondage。 The beloved of God pass weary days； bound in
chains； shut in by prison bars； sentenced to be slain； some apparently left
to die of starvation in dark and loathsome dungeons。 No human ear is open to
hear their moans； no human hand is ready to lend them help。
Will the Lord forget His people in this trying hour？ Did He forget faithful
Noah when judgments were visited upon the antediluvian world？ Did He forget
Lot when the fire came down from heaven to consume the cities of the plain？
Did He forget Joseph surrounded by idolaters in Egypt？ Did He forget Elijah
when the oath of Jezebel threatened him with the fate of the prophets of
Baal？ Did He forget Jeremiah in the dark and dismal pit of his prison house？
Did He forget the three worthies in the fiery furnace？ or Daniel in the den
of lions？
〃Zion said； The Lord hath forsaken me； and my Lord hath forgotten me。 Can a
woman forget her sucking child； that she should not have compassion on the
son of her womb？ yea； they may forget； yet will I not forget thee。 Behold； I
have graven thee upon the palms of My hands。〃 Isaiah 49：14…16。 The Lord
hosts has said： 〃He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye。〃
Zechariah 2：8。
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Though enemies may thrust them into prison； yet dungeon walls cannot cut off
the communication between their souls and Christ。 One who sees their every
weakness； who is acquainted with every trial； is above all earthly powers；
and angels will come to them in lonely cells； bringing light and peace from
heaven。 The prison will be as a palace； for the rich in faith dwell there；
and the gloomy walls will be lighted up with heavenly light as when Paul and
Silas prayed and sang praises at midnight in the Philippian dungeon。
God's judgments will be visited upon those who are seeking to oppress and
destroy His people。 His long forbearance with the wicked emboldens men in
transgression； but their punishment is nonetheless certain and terrible
because it is long delayed。 〃The Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim； He
shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon； that He may do His work； His
strange work； and bring to pass His act； His strange act。〃 Isaiah 28：21。 To
our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act。 〃As I live； saith
the Lord God； I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked。〃 Ezekiel 33：11。
The Lord is 〃merciful and gracious； long…suffering； and abundant in goodness
and truth； 。 。 。 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin。〃 Yet He will
〃by no means clear the guilty。〃 The Lord is slow to anger； and great in
power； and will not at all acquit the wicked。〃 Exodus 34：6； 7； Nahum 1：3。 By
terrible things in righteousness He will vindicate the authority of His
downtrodden law。 The severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor
may be judged by the Lord's reluctance to execute justice。 The nation with
which He bears long； and which He will not smite until it has filled up the
measure of its iniquity in God's account； will finally drink the cup of
wrath unmixed with mercy。
When Christ ceases His intercession in the sanctuary； the unmingled wrath
threatened against those who worship the beast and his image and receive his
mark （Revelation 14：9； 10）； will be poured out。 The plagues upon Egypt when
God was about to deliver Israel were similar in character to those
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more terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the world just
before the final deliverance of God's people。 Says the revelator； in
describing those terrific scourges： 〃There fell a noisome and grievous sore
upon the men which had the mark of the beast； and upon them which worshiped
his image。〃 The sea 〃became as the blood of a dead man： and every living
soul died in the sea。〃 And 〃the rivers and fountains of waters 。 。 。 became
blood。〃 Terrible as these inflictions are； God's justice stands fully
vindicated。 The angel of God declares： 〃Thou art righteous； O Lord； 。 。 。
because Thou hast judged thus。 For they have shed the blood of saints and
prophets； and Thou hast given them blood to drink； for they are worthy。〃
Revelation 16：2…6。 By condemning the people of God to death； they have as
truly incurred the guilt of their blood as if it had been shed by their
hands。 In like manner Christ declared the Jews of His time guilty of all the
blood of holy men which had been shed since the days of Abel； for they
possessed the same spirit and were seeking to do the same work with these
murderers of the prophets。
In the plague that follows； power is given to the sun 〃to scorch men with
fire。 And men were scorched with great heat。〃 Verses 8； 9。 The prophets thus
describe the condition of the earth at this fearful time： 〃The land
mourneth； 。 。 。 because the harvest of the field is perished。 。 。 。 All the
trees of the field are withered： because joy is withered away from the sons
of men。〃 〃The seed is rotten under their clods； the garners are laid
desolate。 。 。 。 How do the beasts groan！ the herds of cattle are