GOD THE HELP OF HIS PEOPLE.
By Mrs. A. W. Heald
1. TO WHOM belongeth all power?
“Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?” 2 Chron. 20:6.
“God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” Ps. 62:11. 2. Does God take notice of the afflicted?
“And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows.” “Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me; and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.” Ex. 3:7, 9. 3. Has God promised to help his afflicted children?
“But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel; for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the Lord: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.” Jer. 46:27, 28. 4. Is the same help promised to evil doers?
“Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers.” Job 8:20. 5. Are the righteous especial objects of persecution?
“The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.” “The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.” Ps. 37:12, 14. 6. Why does God help and deliver them?
“But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them; he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” Ps. 37:39, 40. 7. How long does God continue to help?
“And as long as he [Uzziah] sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.” “And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.” 2 Chron. 26:5, 15. 8. After King Uzziah was so wonderfully helped of God, what befell him?
“But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction.” Verse 16. 9. What does God say of those who forget him, and trust in their own strength?
“And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish.” Deut. 8:19, 20. 10. Why cannot God help those who have become proud and forgetful of him?
“Because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.” Verse 20. 11. What then does God require of those whom he helps?
“Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee137in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions; for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.” Ex. 23:20-22. 12. What was the example of our Saviour in this respect?
“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Phil. 2:8. 13. How did Christ learn obedience?
“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Heb. 2:10.
“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” Heb. 5:8. 14. Being perfected through suffering, what did Christ become?
“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Heb. 5:9. 15. Through obedient suffering, and the help of our Heavenly Father, what may we too become?
“That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life.” Phil. 2:15, 16. 16. Is the severest suffering sometimes needed for the perfection of the saints?
“The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.” Ps. 116:3, 4. 17. While passing through these painful experiences, how may we encourage our souls?
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Ps. 42:11. 18. How will the hope of God’s obedient, trusting ones at length be realized?
“Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Ps. 28:6, 7.
“Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; to the end that my soul may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.” Ps. 30:11, 12 (margin). 19. How blessed is the estate of these afflicted souls when, in the eternal world, they join the angelic song!
“What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? . . . These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Rev. 7:13-17.