consecrated by His footprints . Every thorn that wounds our feet has wounded His . Every cross that we are called to bear He has borne before us . The Lord permits conflicts , to prepare the soul for peace . The time of trouble is a fearful ordeal for God ' s people ; but it is the time for every true believer to look up , and by faith he may see the bow of promise encircling him .
" The redeemed of the Lord shall return , and come with singing unto Zion ; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head : they shall obtain gladness and joy ; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away . I , even I , am He that comforteth you : who art thou , that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die , and of the son of man which shall be made as grass ; and forgettest the Lord thy Maker ; . . . and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor , as if he were ready to destroy ? and where is the fury of the oppressor ? The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed , and that he should not die in the pit , nor that his bread should fail . But I am the Lord thy God , that divided the sea , whose waves roared : The Lord of hosts is His name . And I have put My words in thy mouth , and I have covered thee in the shadow of Mine hand ." Isaiah 51:11-16 .
" Therefore hear now this , thou afflicted , and drunken , but not with wine : Thus saith thy Lord the Lord , and thy God that pleadeth the cause of His people , Behold , I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling , even the dregs of the cup of My fury ; thou shalt no more drink it again : but I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee ; which have said to thy soul , Bow down , that we may go over : and thou hast laid thy body as the ground , and as the street , to them that went over ." Verses 21-23 .
The eye of God , looking down the ages , was fixed upon the crisis which His people are to meet , when earthly powers shall be arrayed against them . Like the captive exile , they will be in fear of death by starvation or by violence . But the Holy One who divided the Red Sea before Israel , will manifest His mighty power and turn their captivity . " They shall be Mine , saith the Lord of hosts , in that day when I make up My jewels ; and I will spare them , as a man spareth his own son that serveth him ." Malachi 3:17 . If the blood of Christ ' s faithful witnesses were shed at this time , it would not , like the blood of the martyrs , be as seed sown to yield a harvest for God .
Their fidelity would not be a testimony to convince others of the truth ; for the obdurate heart has beaten back the waves of mercy until they return no more . If the righteous were now left to fall a prey to their enemies , it would be a triumph for the prince of darkness . Says the psalmist : " In the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion : in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me ." Psalm 27:5 . Christ has spoken : " Come , My people , enter thou into thy
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