9
neither shall they cover themselves with their
works: their works are works of iniquity, and
the act of violence is in their hands. Their
feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed
innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts
of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in
their paths. The way of peace they know not;
and there is no judgment in their goings: they
have made them crooked paths: whosoever
goeth therein shall not know peace.
Therefore, is judgment far from us, neither
doth justice overtake us: we wait for light,
but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we
walk in darkness. We grope for the wall like
the blind, and we grope as if we had no
eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night;
we are in desolate places as dead men. We
roar all like bears, and mourn sore like
doves: we look for judgment, but there is
none; for salvation, but it is far off from
us. For our transgressions are multiplied
before thee, and our sins testify against
us: for our transgressions are with us; and as
for our iniquities, we know them; In trans-
gressing and lying against the LORD, and
departing away from our God, speaking
oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering
from the heart words of falsehood. And judg-
ment is turned away backward, and justice
standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the
street, and equity cannot enter.
Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from
evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw
it, and it displeased him that there was no
judgment. And he saw that there was no man,
and wondered that there was no intercessor:
therefore his arm brought salvation unto him;
and his righteousness, it sustained him. For he
put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a
helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put
on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According
to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury
to his adversaries, recompense to his
enemies; to the islands he will repay recom-
pense. So shall they fear the name of the
LORD from the west, and his glory from the
rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come
in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift
up a standard against him.
And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and
unto them that turn from transgression in
Jacob, saith the LORD. As for me, this is my
covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit
that is upon thee, and my words which I have
put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy
mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor
out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the
LORD, from henceforth and forever.”
This short article will help us to understand
how much God loves us. When we consider
some of the historical aspects of the children
of Israel, we will notice that God did not
forsake them nor abandoned them during
those hard times they endured, especially
during those wars which took place in the land
of Israel.
Finally, brothers and sisters, let us hold fast
our hope though we may not be loved by our
neighbours, nor even by our brothers and
sisters for one reason or the other.
A Stronghold
| Bro Claud Lamb
T
he Lord is good, good in Himself essen-
tially and independently, eternally and
unchangeably. He is good to His own people.
Let us praise Him as good in the most
emphatic and unlimited sense: “There is
none good but One, that is, God” (Matt.
19:17). He is a “stronghold in a day of
trouble” - the day of trouble when the trial
is special, and the day of trouble which is
temporary but yet long enough to last
through our life unless the Lord prevent it,
the day of trouble when within, without,
around, there seem to be only care and fear
and want and grief. Even in the midst of
chaos “God is good”.
In our troubled day it is comforting to be
able to rely on One who never changes. We
place our trust in Him, and can do no better;
we find no firmer stronghold, no stronger
foundation.