the acts of the apostles-第96部分

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sure　purpose　of　the　Lord　concerning　every　nation　on　the　earth。

Among　the　cliffs　and　rocks　of　Patmos；　John　held　communion　with　his　Maker。　He
reviewed　his　past　life；　and　at　thought　of　the　blessings　he　had　received；
peace　filled　his　heart。　He　had　lived　the　life　of　a　Christian；　and　he　could
say　in　faith；　〃We　know　that　we　have　passed　from　death　unto　life。〃　1　John
3：14。　Not　so　the　emperor　who　had　banished　him。　He　could　look　back　only　on
fields　of　warfare　and　carnage；　on　desolated　homes；　on　weeping　widows　and
orphans；　the　fruit　of　his　ambitious　desire　for　pre…eminence。

In　his　isolated　home　John　was　able　to　study　more　closely　than　ever　before
the　manifestations　of　divine　power　as　recorded　in　the　book　of　nature　and　in
the　pages　of　inspiration。　To　him　it　was　a　delight　to　meditate　on　the　work　of
creation　and　to　adore　the　divine　Architect。　In　former　years　his　eyes　had
been　greeted　by　the　sight　of　forest…covered　hills；　green　valleys；　and
fruitful　plains；　and　in　the　beauties　of　nature　it　had　ever　been　his　delight
to　trace　the　wisdom　and　skill　of　the　Creator。　He　was　now　surrounded　by
scenes　that　to　many　would　appear　gloomy　and　uninteresting；　but　to　John　it
was　otherwise。　While　his　surroundings　might

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be　desolate　and　barren；　the　blue　heavens　that　bent　above　him　were　as　bright
and　beautiful　as　the　skies　above　his　loved　Jerusalem。　In　the　wild；　rugged
rocks；　in　the　mysteries　of　the　deep；　in　the　glories　of　the　firmament；　he
read　important　lessons。　All　bore　the　message　of　God's　power　and　glory。

All　around　him　the　apostle　beheld　witnesses　to　the　Flood　that　had　deluged
the　earth　because　the　inhabitants　ventured　to　transgress　the　law　of　God。　The
rocks　thrown　up　from　the　great　deep　and　from　the　earth　by　the　breaking　forth
of　the　waters；　brought　vividly　to　his　mind　the　terrors　of　that　awful
outpouring　of　God's　wrath。　In　the　voice　of　many　watersdeep　calling　unto
deepthe　prophet　heard　the　voice　of　the　Creator。　The　sea；　lashed　to　fury　by
the　merciless　winds；　represented　to　him　the　wrath　of　an　offended　God。　The
mighty　waves；　in　their　terrible　commotion；　restrained　within　limits
appointed　by　an　invisible　hand；　spoke　of　the　control　of　an　infinite　Power。
And　in　contrast　he　realized　the　weakness　and　folly　of　mortals；　who；　though
but　worms　of　the　dust；　glory　in　their　supposed　wisdom　and　strength；　and　set
their　hearts　against　the　Ruler　of　the　universe；　as　if　God　were　altogether
such　a　one　as　themselves。　By　the　rocks　he　was　reminded　of　Christ；　the　Rock
of　his　strength；　in　whose　shelter　he　could　hide　without　fear。　From　the
exiled　apostle　on　rocky　Patmos　there　went　up　the　most　ardent　longing　of　soul
after　God；　the　most　fervent　prayers。

The　history　of　John　affords　a　striking　illustration　of　the　way　in　which　God
can　use　aged　workers。　When　John　was　exiled　to　the　Isle　of　Patmos；　there　were
many　who

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thought　him　to　be　past　service；　an　old　and　broken　reed；　ready　to　fall　at　any
time。　But　the　Lord　saw　fit　to　use　him　still。　Though　banished　from　the　scenes
of　his　former　labor；　he　did　not　cease　to　bear　witness　to　the　truth。　Even　in
Patmos　he　made　friends　and　converts。　His　was　a　message　of　joy；　proclaiming　a
risen　Saviour　who　on　high　was　interceding　for　His　people　until　He　should
return　to　take　them　to　Himself。　And　it　was　after　John　had　grown　old　in　the
service　of　his　Lord　that　he　received　more　communications　from　heaven　than　he
had　received　during　all　the　former　years　of　his　life。

The　most　tender　regard　should　be　cherished　for　those　whose　life　interest　has
been　bound　up　with　the　work　of　God。　These　aged　workers　have　stood　faithful
amid　storm　and　trial。　They　may　have　infirmities；　but　they　still　possess
talents　that　qualify　them　to　stand　in　their　place　in　God's　cause。　Though
worn；　and　unable　to　bear　the　heavier　burdens　that　younger　men　can　and　should
carry；　the　counsel　they　can　give　is　of　the　highest　value。

They　may　have　made　mistakes；　but　from　their　failures　they　have　learned　to
avoid　errors　and　dangers；　and　are　they　not　therefore　competent　to　give　wise
counsel？　They　have　borne　test　and　trial；　and　though　they　have　lost　some　of
their　vigor；　the　Lord　does　not　lay　them　aside。　He　gives　them　special　grace
and　wisdom。

Those　who　have　served　their　Master　when　the　work　went　hard；　who　endured
poverty　and　remained　faithful　when　there　were　few　to　stand　for　truth；　are　to
be　honored

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and　respected。　The　Lord　desires　the　younger　laborers　to　gain　wisdom；
strength；　and　maturity　by　association　with　these　faithful　men。　Let　the
younger　men　realize　that　in　having　such　workers　among　them　they　are　highly
favored。　Let　them　give　them　an　honored　place　in　their　councils。

As　those　who　have　spent　their　lives　in　the　service　of　Christ　draw　near　to
the　close　of　their　earthly　ministry；　they　will　be　impressed　by　the　Holy
Spirit　to　recount　the　experiences　they　have　had　in　connection　with　the　work
of　God。　The　record　of　His　wonderful　dealings　with　His　people；　of　His　great
goodness　in　delivering　them　from　trial；　should　be　repeated　to　those　newly
come　to　the　faith。　God　desires　the　old　and　tried　laborers　to　stand　in　their
place；　doing　their　part　to　save　men　and　women　from　being　swept　downward　by
the　mighty　current　of　evil；　He　desires　them　to　keep　the　armor　on　till　He
bids　them　lay　it　down。

In　the　experience　of　the　apostle　John　under　persecution；　there　is　a　lesson
of　wonderful　strength　and　comfort　for　the　Christian。　God　does　not　prevent
the　plottings　of　wicked　men；　but　He　causes　their　devices　to　work　for　good　to
those　who　in　trial　and　conflict　maintain　their　faith　and　loyalty。　Often　the
gospel　laborer　carries　on　his　work　amid　storms　of　persecution；　bitter
opposition；　and　unjust　reproach。　At　such　times　let　him　remember　that　the
experience　to　be　gained　in　the　furnace　of　trial　and　affliction　is　worth　all
the　pain　it　costs。　Thus　God　brings　His　children　near　to　Him；　that　He　may
show　them　their　weakness　and　His　strength。　He　teaches　them　to　lean　on　Him。
Thus　He　prepares　them

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to　meet　emergencies；　to　fill　positions　of　trust；　and　to　accomplish　the　great
purpose　for　which　their　powers　were　given　them。

In　all　ages　God's　appointed　witnesses　have　exposed　themselves　to　reproach
and　persecution　for　the　truth's　sake。　Joseph　was　maligned　and　persecuted
because　he　preserved　his　virtue　and　integrity。　David；　the　chosen　messenger
of　God；　was　hunted　like　a　beast　of　prey　by　his　enemies。　Daniel　was　cast　into
a　den　of　lions　because　he　was　true　to　his　allegiance　to　heaven。　Job　was
deprived　of　his　worldly　possessions；　and　so　afflicted　in　body　that　he　was
abhorred　by　his　relatives；　and　friends；　yet　he　maintained　his　integrity。
Jeremiah　could　not　be　deterred　from　speaking　the　words　that　God　had　given
him　to　speak；　and　his　testimony　so　enraged　the　king　and　princes　that　he　was
cast　into　a　loathsome　pit。　Stephen　was　stoned　because　he　preached　Christ　and
Him　crucified。　Paul　was　imprisoned；　beaten　with　rods；　stoned；　and　finally
put　to　death　because　he　was　a　faithful　messenger　for　God　to　the　Gentiles。
And　John　was　banished　to　the　Isle　of　Patmos　〃for　the　word　of　God；　and　for
the　testimony　of　Jesus　Christ。〃

These　examples　of　human　steadfastness　bear　witness　to　the　faithfulness　of
God's　promisesof　His　abiding　presence　and　sustaining　grace。　They　testify
to　the　power　of　faith　to　withstand　the　powers　of　the　world。　It　is　the　work
of　faith　to　rest　in　God　in　the　darkest　hour；　to　feel；　however　sorely　tried
and　tempest…tossed；　that　our　Father　is　at　the　helm。　The　eye　of　faith　alone
can　look　beyond　the　things

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of　time　to　estimate　aright　the　worth　of　the　eternal　riches。

Jesus　does　not　present　to　His　followers　the　hope　of　attaining　earthly　glory
and　riches；　of　living　a　life　free　from　trial。　Instead　He　calls　upon　them　to
follow　Him　in　the　path　of　self…denial　and　reproach。　He　who　came　to　redeem
the　world　was　opposed　by　the　united　forces　of　evil。　In　an　unpitying
confederacy；　evil　men　and　evil　angels　arrayed　themselves　against　the　Prince
of　Peace。　His　every　word　and　act　revealed　divine　compassion；　and　His
unlikeness　to　the　world　provoked　the　bitterest　hostility。

So　it　will　be　with　all　who　will　live　godly　in　Christ　Jesus。　Persecution　and
reproach　await　all　who　are　imbued　with　the　Spirit　of　Christ。　The　character
of　the　persecution　changes　with　the　times；　but　the　principlethe　spirit
that　underlies　itis　the　same　that　has　slain　the　chosen　of　the　Lord　ever
since　the　days　of　Abel。

In　all　ages　Satan　has　persecuted　the　people　of　God。　He　has　tortured　them　and
put　them　to　death；　but　in　dying　they　became　conquerors。　They　bore　witness　to
the　power　of　One　mightier　than　Satan。　Wicked　men　may　torture　and　kill　the
body；　but　they　cannot　touch　the　life　that　is　hid　with　Christ　in　God。　They
can　incarcerate　men　and　women　in　prison　walls；　but　they　cannot　bind　the
spirit。

Through　trial　and　persecution　the　glorythe　character　of　God　is　revealed
in　His　chosen　ones。　The　believers　in　Christ；　hated　and　persecuted　by　the
world；　are　educated　and　disciplined　in　the　school　of　Christ。　On　earth　they
walk　in　narrow　paths；　they　are　purified　in　the　furnace　of　affliction。