I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating
together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided
them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst.
Then I saw the leading men of the earth consulting together, and Satan and his
angels busy around them. I saw a writing, copies of which were scattered in
different parts of the land, giving orders that unless the saints should yield
their peculiar faith, give up the Sabbath, and observe the first day of the
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week, the people were at liberty after a certain time to put
them to death. But in this hour of trial the saints were calm and composed,
trusting in God and leaning upon His promise that a way of escape would be made
for them. In some places, before the time for the decree to be executed, the
wicked rushed upon the saints to slay them; but angels in the form of men of
war fought for them. Satan wished to have the privilege of destroying the
saints of the Most High; but Jesus bade His angels watch over them. God would
be honored by making a covenant with those who had kept His law, in the sight
of the heathen round about them; and Jesus would be honored by translating,
without their seeing death, the faithful, waiting ones who had so long expected
Him.
Soon I saw the saints suffering great mental anguish. They
seemed to be surrounded by the wicked inhabitants of the earth. Every
appearance was against them. Some began to fear that God had at last left them
to perish by the hand of the wicked. But if their eyes could have been opened,
they would have seen themselves surrounded by angels of God. Next came the
multitude of the angry wicked, and next a mass of evil angels, hurrying on the
wicked to slay the saints. But before they could approach God's people, the
wicked must first pass this company of mighty, holy angels. This was
impossible. The angels of God were causing them to recede and also causing the
evil angels who were pressing around them to fall back.
It was an hour of fearful, terrible agony to the saints. Day
and night they cried unto God for deliverance. To outward appearance, there was
no possibility of their escape. The wicked had already begun to triumph, crying
out, "Why doesn't your God deliver you out of our hands? Why don't you go
up and save your lives?" But the saints heeded them not,
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Like Jacob, they were wrestling with God. The angels longed
to deliver them, but they must wait a little longer; the people of God must
drink of the cup and be baptized with the baptism. The angels, faithful to
their trust, continued their watch. God would not suffer His name to be
reproached among the heathen. The time had nearly come when He was to manifest
His mighty power and gloriously deliver His saints. For His name's glory He
would deliver every one of those who had patiently waited for Him and whose
names were written in the book.
I was pointed back to faithful Noah. When the rain descended
and the flood came, Noah and his family had entered the ark, and God had shut
them in. Noah had faithfully warned the inhabitants of the antediluvian world,
while they had mocked and derided him. And as the waters descended upon the
earth, and one after another was drowning, they beheld that ark, of which they
had made so much sport, riding safely upon the waters, preserving the faithful
Noah and His family. So I saw that the people of God, who had faithfully warned
the world of His coming wrath, would be delivered. God would not suffer the
wicked to destroy those who were expecting translation and who would not bow to
the decree of the beast or receive his mark. I saw that if the wicked were
permitted to slay the saints, Satan and all his evil host, and all who hate
God, would be gratified. And oh, what a triumph it would be for his satanic
majesty to have power, in the last closing struggle, over those who had so long
waited to behold Him whom they loved! Those who have mocked at the idea of the
saints' going up will witness the care of God for His people and behold their
glorious deliverance.
As the saints left the cities and villages, they were
pursued by the wicked, who sought to slay them. But
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the swords that were raised to kill God's people broke and
fell as powerless as a straw. Angels of God shielded the saints. As they cried
day and night for deliverance, their cry came up before the Lord.