Those Who Serve God Need Firm Courage

Once more, because of hatred, a servant of God was driven to the heathen for protection. This same hatred forced Elijah to escape to the widow of Sarepta, and it forced the gospel messengers to turn from the Jews to the Gentiles. The people of God living in this age will one day have to meet this hatred as well. People claiming to be Christ’s representatives will act much like the priests and rulers did in their treatment of Christ and the apostles. Faithful servants of God will face the same hardness of heart, the same cruel determination, the same unyielding hatred.ULe 157.2

Those who are true to God will be persecuted, their motives misrepresented, their best efforts misinterpreted, and their names condemned as evil. Satan will work with all his deceptive power to make evil appear good and good evil. He will work fiercely to stir up rage against God’s people from those who claim to be righteous while they trample on God’s law. It will require the firmest trust, the most heroic determination, to hold tightly to the faith that God gave His followers long ago.ULe 157.3

Prepared or unprepared, God’s people must all meet the soon-coming crisis. Only those who have brought their lives into harmony with the divine standard will stand firm. When secular rulers unite with ministers of religion to dictate in matters of conscience, then it will be clear who really fears and serves God. And while the enemies of truth watch the Lord’s servants for evil, God will watch over them for good. To them He will be like the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.ULe 157.4