God Puts His Seal upon the Foreheads of Those Who Sigh and Cry over All the Abominations ㅡ
“Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” (Ezekiel 9:4).
At the time when the danger and depression of the church are greatest, the little company who are standing in the light will be sighing and crying for the abominations that are done in the land.
But more especially will their prayers arise in behalf of the church because its members are doing after the manner of the world.
The earnest prayers of this faithful few will not be in vain.
When the Lord comes forth as an avenger, He will also come as a protector of all those who have preserved the faith in its purity and kept themselves unspotted from the world.
It is at this time that God has promised to avenge His own elect which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them.
These sighing, crying ones had been holding forth the words of life; they had reproved, counseled, and entreated.
Some who had been dishonoring God repented and humbled their hearts before Him.
In the time when His wrath shall go forth in judgments, these humble, devoted followers of Christ will be distinguished from the rest of the world by their soul anguish, which is expressed in lamentation and weeping, reproofs and warnings.
While others try to throw a cloak over the existing evil, and excuse the great wickedness everywhere prevalent, those who have a zeal for God’s honor and a love for souls will not hold their peace to obtain favor of any.
Their righteous souls are vexed day by day with the unholy works and conversation of the unrighteous.
They are powerless to stop the rushing torrent of iniquity, and hence they are filled with grief and alarm.
They mourn before God to see religion despised in the very homes of those who have had great light.
They lament and afflict their souls because pride, avarice, selfishness, and deception of almost every kind are in the church.
(Testimonies for the Church Volume 5 209, 210)