April 9

1 I saw the Lord standing upon the altar, and he said, Smit the linte of the door, that the post may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.

2 Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them: though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:

3 And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall like them.

4 And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

5 And the Lord God of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood, and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

6 It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and has founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.

7 Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Cap890, and the Syrians from Kit?

8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the unful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saying that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD.

9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.

10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.

11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of evil.

12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that foeth this.

13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the ploughman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.

14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

"I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth" (ver. 9). The whole earth is, as it were, one vast sieve in the hands of God, in which

Israel is shaken from one end to the other. The righteous have been shaken up and down, through and through. God sifts them by afflictions and troubles, and proves them again and again. The godly man is shaken in a sieve, that he may mistrust self, place his hope in God, and the dust of vain-glory may be shaken off. He is proved, that it may appear whether he cleave to God for the reward of present enjoyment, or for the hope of future, for longing for the glory of God and for love of Himself.

And yet, not the least grain, no solid corn, not one soul has been lost, which, by the help of God's Holy Spirit, willed truly and earnestly to be saved.

"We are glad of that word, 'not the least;' not even me, though less than the least of all saints, though feeling as if my only claim upon Christ Jesus is that I am the chief of sinners. 'Not the least grain;' for He says, 'Ye shall be gathered one by one.' Think of His hand gathering you separately and individually out of His million-sheaved harvest; gathering you, one by one always, into His garner, even in that tremendous day of sifting, when He shall thoroughly purge his floor. You may feel a little overlooked sometimes now; only one among so very many, and perhaps not first nor even second in anybody's love, or care, or interest; but He is watching His 'least grains' all the time."—F. R. Havergal.

Closet Promise.—Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe.—Psalm cxix. 117.

"The way is dark, my child, but leads to light; I would not always have thee walk by sight! My dealings now thou canst not understand; I meant it so; but I will take thy hand, And through the gloom Lead safely home My child!

"The path is rough, my child; but at thy side Thy Father walks; then be not terrified, For I am with thee; will thy foes command To let thee freely pass; will take thy hand, And through the throng, Lead safe along My child!"