The European Union in Prophecy The EU in Prophecy I | Seite 281

The European Union in Prophecy
which He desired to be given, and both, through their own misapprehension of their
message, suffered disappointment.
Yet God accomplished His own beneficent purpose in permitting the warning of
the judgment to be given just as it was. The great day was at hand, and in His
providence the people were brought to the test of a definite time, in order to reveal to
them what was in their hearts. The message was designed for the testing and
purification of the church. They were to be led to see whether their affections were set
upon this world or upon Christ and heaven. They professed to love the Saviour; now
they were to prove their love. Were they ready to renounce their worldly hopes and
ambitions, and welcome with joy the advent of their Lord? The message was designed
to enable them to discern their true spiritual state; it was sent in mercy to arouse
them to seek the Lord with repentance and humiliation.
The disappointment also, though the result of their own misapprehension of the
message which they gave, was to be overruled for good. It would test the hearts of
those who had professed to receive the warning. In the face of their disappointment
would they rashly give up their experience and cast away their confidence in God's
word? or would they, in prayer and humility, seek to discern where they had failed to
comprehend the significance of the prophecy? How many had moved from fear, or from
impulse and excitement? How many were halfhearted and unbelieving? Multitudes
professed to love the appearing of the Lord. When called to endure the scoffs and
reproach of the world, and the test of delay and disappointment, would