Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/86

 him." Tlie frequency with which those Divine combats are spoken of by the prophets is remarkable and prominent. Take, as another instance, the following:—"Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments ft-om Bozrah? This that is glorious in His apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength? I that speak in righteonsness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garment like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked and there was none to help; and I wondered that there were none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. He said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie; so He was their Saviour. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them." Other passages of similar significance could readily be cited. It is, indeed, true that many of them have been commonly regarded as having reference to some natural wars among the nations, in which Divine judgments against the enemies of the Church were conspicuous. Still it has always been a matter of great difficulty to find, in the history of nations, facts which could be identified and adopted as the fulfilment of such predictions. Hence there are no settled opinions concerning their application to worldly history; nor can there be, so long as such a political view is taken of those Divine writings. Their true interpretation can only be found in