Early Writings
by Ellen G. White
The Time of Trouble
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A time is coming when God's people will suffer
great mental anguish. It will appear that God has at
last left them to perish by the hand of the wicked.
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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 [283] 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. {EW 282.2}
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. {EW 283.1}
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, [284]
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. {EW 283.2}
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. {EW
284.1}
As the saints left the cities and villages, they were
pursued by the wicked, who sought to slay them. But [285] 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. {EW 284.2}
Click here to read the next chapter:
"Deliverance of the Saints"
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