p. 249 | THE GREAT DELIVERANCE by R. F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, April 21, 1885

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 62, No. 16

THE GREAT DELIVERANCE.

By R. F. Cottrell

It was a great deliverance which God wrought for Israel at the Red Sea. He had shown his wonders in Egypt, sending plague after plague upon the oppressors of his people, until they were willing to let Israel go; nay, urgent to send them out in haste. But after their departure Pharaoh hardened his heart once more, and pursued them with his army. The people of Israel were brought into a strait; the sea was before them, their enemies behind ready to swallow them up, and they saw no way of escape. But in their extremity God opened the sea before them, and they passed on to the other shore; and their enemies pursuing were all drowned in the sea. Then was sung the song of Moses, the song of their deliverance. Safe from their pursuers they could sing: “The Lord hath triumphed gloriously, the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”

There is yet to be a deliverance of the people of God greater and more glorious than that at the Red Sea, when the song of Moses shall be blended with the song of the Lamb. Rev. 15:2-4. The Israel of God will soon be brought into a position no less perilous than was that at the Red Sea. The decree of death will be issued against them (Rev. 13:15-17); but their deliverance will as certainly follow. They will be translated to Mount Zion and the sea of glass, which is before the throne of God in heaven. Rev. 14:1-5; 15:2.

Of the distress which shall come upon the people of God just before their final deliverance, the prophet says: “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jer. 30:7. It will also be the time of Elijah’s trouble. God determined to translate Elijah, as he is soon to translate the faithful remnant of his church in these last days. Elijah had boldly vindicated the commandments of God against the worship of Baal (1 Kings 18:17, 18), as they are now being vindicated against the worship of the beast—the antitypical Baal, the Roman power which has thought to change the times and laws of God. Dan. 7:25. He had called upon Israel to choose at once whether they would serve God or Baal (1 Kings 18:21), as the last message from heaven is now calling upon all to choose between the worship of the beast and the commandments of God. Rev. 14:9-12. But after he had thus vindicated the Lord of hosts, his life was sought by “that woman Jezebel” who had introduced the worship of Baal in Israel (1 Kings 16:31), and had slain the prophets of the Lord (chap. 18:4), of whom we have a true antitype in this dispensation (Rev. 2:20) in that church which adopted the idolatry of paganism,

and became drunken with the blood of saints. Rev. 17:5, 6. Elijah, when his life was threatened by the woman, fled into the wilderness, as the remnant of the church will do when their testimony in favor of the commandments of God is finished, and there he resigned the hope of translation and desired to die. 1 Kings 19:1-4. Said he, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” His fathers had died, and he was no more worthy of translation than they. The sentence of death was out against him; and he would rather die in the wilderness at the hand of the Lord, than fall by the hand of his fierce and cruel persecutor.

Brethren, we look forward for translation; but in the time of trouble and fierce persecution the thought will doubtless be, Blessed are the dead who have died in the Lord. But Elijah was translated; and so the remnant of the church will be. After they have drank of the cup, they will share in the glory of their Lord. They will share with him in a greater triumph than earth has ever celebrated on the return of her victorious heroes. The “triumphal arch” will be the gate of heaven. The “everlasting doors” will be opened to the “King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle;” and he will bring in the redeemed hosts “with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Oh, to be one who shall see that triumphal deliverance! R. F. COTTRELL.