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Testimonies for the Church, Volume 2 - Ellen G. White

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Christ had told <strong>the</strong>m be<strong>for</strong>e that <strong>the</strong>se things<br />

would take place, but <strong>the</strong>y did not understand Him.<br />

The scene of His sufferings was to be a fiery ordeal<br />

to His disciples, hence <strong>the</strong> necessity of<br />

watchfulness and prayer. Their faith needed to be<br />

sustained by an unseen strength as <strong>the</strong>y should<br />

experience <strong>the</strong> triumph of <strong>the</strong> powers of darkness.<br />

We can have but faint conceptions of <strong>the</strong><br />

inexpressible anguish of God's dear Son in<br />

Gethsemane, as He realized His separation from<br />

His Fa<strong>the</strong>r in consequence of bearing man's sin. He<br />

became sin <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> fallen race. The sense of <strong>the</strong><br />

withdrawal of His Fa<strong>the</strong>r's love pressed from His<br />

anguished soul <strong>the</strong>se mournful words: "My soul is<br />

exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." "If it be<br />

possible, let this cup pass from Me." Then with<br />

entire submission to His Fa<strong>the</strong>r's will, He adds:<br />

"Never<strong>the</strong>less not as I will, but as Thou wilt."<br />

The divine Son of God was fainting, dying. The<br />

Fa<strong>the</strong>r sent a messenger from His presence to<br />

streng<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> divine Sufferer and brace Him to<br />

tread His bloodstained path. Could mortals have<br />

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