Another Letter from Raphel van den Velde, Written to his Wife

I, Raphel, your husband, imprisoned for the Lord's sake, wish you, my dear wife and sister in the Lord, much grace, mercy and peace, from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true Father over all the kindreds that are in heaven and upon earth; that He would grant you, according to the riches of His goodness, to be strengthened with might by His Holy Spirit in the inner man; and that Christ Jesus may dwell in your heart by faith, and take root through love; and that He may remain with you to the end of your life, to the salvation of your soul. Ephesians 3, verse 14. This I send you, my dear sister in the Lord, as a testament and affectionate adieu.

My dear wife, beloved in God, as a sure token of the love I have had for you, I could not keep from sending you a letter, for I think that the parting is very near at hand. But, my very dear and beloved wife, it is not a writing of divorcement,* as Israel wrote a writing of divorcement because of the hardness of their hearts, that I should leave you in this way, my love. Oh, no! For this leaving is done for the love of God, for the parting must take place for His name's sake. [n1155-1] For, my dearest (always next to God), it is He who joined us together, and it is He who parts us again, which I willingly accept from His hand; for my mind has never been in a better condition in this respect than it is now, the Lord be thanked. And I now commit you, my dearest, and your child, to the Lord, as to a faithful Father. Hold fast to Him faithfully; this I ask of you, my dear wife; and He will, without any doubt, provide for you in soul and body. For Peter says: "According as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who has called us by his glory and virtue; whereby are given to us exceedingly great and precious promises; that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." Second Peter 1, verses 3 and 4. For if we remain entirely faithful to Him, so that we keep ourselves unspotted from the world, He will be a faithful Father to us, who will provide for us; for it is He who gives food to all flesh, and the eyes of all wait upon Him, says David, and He gives them their food in due season. James 1, verse 27; Psalm 136, verse 25; Psalm 124, verse 27. [n1155-2]

Thus, my dear and beloved wife, I now commit you and your child to the Lord, by faith, to confirm the covenant which we made with the Lord, even as Abraham by faith delivered up his son Isaac to the Lord, and Jephtha his daughter, to prove and confirm his promise by it. Thus I also, out of love, deliver you and my child over to the Lord, hoping and trusting that He will provide well for you, if you remain obedient and faithful to Him.

With this I bid you, my dear wife, beloved in God, a final adieu, until we see each other in eternal joy; the Lord grant His grace, that this may come to pass. And I thank you greatly and heartily for your faithful, willing and obedient service, and for the love shown me in all submission and kindness toward me; and, my love, I thank you (God will repay you for it) for your devout and good way of life and walk with me, by which my heart was often relieved, comforted and made glad, which truly causes me to trust in God all the more, and which is also a sure seal in my heart that we have walked unworthily in the love and fear of God before the Lord according to our weak ability; and once more I thank you, my dear wife, for all the kindness and friendship shown me, and I heartily entreat you by the great love of God, that if I have grieved you in anything, or wronged you in any way by word or deed, you will readily forgive me; this I ask of you in this letter, with many tears. I know nothing against you, my love, except what I gladly forgive you; may the Lord forgive us all our sins.

Further, my dear wife, I cannot keep from writing to your love briefly as well, though it is done with many tears, to comfort and gladden your heart, and this by the Word of God, for this must now be all our comfort, even as the prophet David says: "O Lord, unless your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction." Psalm 119, verse 92. And as the prophet Jeremiah also says: "You know, O Lord, that we suffer reproach for your sake; but your word sustains us, since we have received it; and your word is the joy and comfort of our hearts." Jeremiah 15, verses 15 and 16. Therefore, my dear wife, we must have our delight in the word of the Lord, and meditate on it day and night (Psalm 1, verse 2), even as a rich man has his delight in his treasure, meditates on it, and often counts it to gladden his heart. Therefore David also says, we must meditate on the law of the Lord with delight, and we shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not wither; and whatever it does shall prosper, verse 3. Therefore I ask you, my dearest, be patient in everything in which you are tried by God, and do not grieve too much, but consider that it has been so ordered by the Lord, that we must part now; and console yourself with that. Though it is grievous for you, and goes against our flesh, will and desire, we must nevertheless be patient; and if we suffer willingly, we shall be richly rewarded; but woe to us if we do not suffer willingly, and are not willing to be patient, though it is hard for the flesh. O my love, it is a small matter to be patient; as long as things go well with a man, that cannot be called patience; but to be patient when things go badly with one, and then to be able to keep moderation, this is certainly a great power of faith. Therefore, my dearest, I ask you once more, that you would be patient, and thank God with a resigned heart, saying

"Lord, your will be done;" but, O Lord, strengthen my faith and confidence, that I may never become fainthearted, disheartened, despairing or doubtful concerning Your promises, but may trust God, for His promises shall never fail; He who has promised it is much too faithful, and there will never be any failure on His part, for He will not let you be tempted above what you are able, but will always with the temptation make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it. Hebrews 10, verse 23; First Thessalonians 5, verse 25; First Corinthians 10, verse 13.

Therefore, my love, be patient and endure it willingly, and pray to Almighty God, with whom all things are possible, that He will cause the sorrow and trouble that have come upon you on account of my bonds, and because we must part, to melt, diminish and vanish away; and that from now on you may only be concerned with how you can in all things best please the Lord, and spend the time of your life in the fear of God, and also care for your child; the Lord grant you grace, that it may come about so. Cast all your care upon the Lord, and always hope the best of Him; for we must know that if we forsake much for the name of the Lord, we shall receive much again; and that if we suffer much for His holy name, we shall also rejoice in much, when the Lord shall come in His glory; for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad. Matthew 19, verse 29; Second Corinthians 5, verse 10. Therefore, dearest, let us always seek to excel in all good works, and let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap without ceasing. And do not let your heart be afraid, or shaken, or grow weary in the way of the Lord. Though the waters become bitter, do not murmur; and never turn back to Egypt with your heart, as Israel did. When they began to think of the fleshpots which they had left behind, and because the waters were bitter, they wanted to choose captains for themselves, and return to Egypt. They said to Moses: "Have you therefore brought us into the wilderness, to destroy us here, unless you have rule over us? How finely you have brought us into a country that flows with milk and honey!" Therefore the wrath of the Lord rose against them, and He destroyed many of them. Exodus 15, verse 23; Exodus 16, verse 3; Numbers 11, verse 4; Numbers 14, verse 4; Numbers 16, verse 13.

Therefore Solomon says: "Beware of murmuring, which avails nothing, for though we had spent all that we have in the world, and the Lord would prove us with poverty, as he did Israel, our anxiety could avail us nothing." Therefore we must cast our care on the Lord, who cares for us; for He allowed Israel to suffer hunger, to prove whether they loved Him or not, and to see whether they would be patient. Therefore, my dear wife and sister in the Lord, always possess your soul with patience, and you shall overcome with all the devout witnesses of God, and inherit salvation, and say with the prophet Baruch: "O Israel, happy are we; for God has revealed to us his will." Baruch 4, verse 4. Even as Moses says: "O people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and who is the sword of your excellency!" Deuteronomy 33, verse 29. Therefore, my much beloved sister in the Lord, though we must suffer for His sake, we must nevertheless possess our soul with patience, and remember that the apostle says

"That it is acceptable with God to suffer for doing good." First Peter 2, verse 20. Even though the world does not consider it acceptable, as Paul says

"The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perish; but to us who are saved, it is the power of God;" which power God works in them by His Spirit, to the comforting and strengthening of their minds, so that by their God they leap over a wall; and, with Caleb and Joshua, devour their enemies as bread; and, with Jael, drive a nail (that is, the enemy of the house of Israel) through Sisera's head, with the hammer of the divine word (Judges 4, verse 21); and, with David, overcome, with the stone, Christ Jesus, the giant Goliath, that is, the devil and Satan who fights against Israel (First Samuel 17, verse 50); and say with the apostle Paul: "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." First Corinthians 15, verse 57. And he further says: "Thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ." Second Corinthians 2, verse 14. They also say with David: "The Lord is my life and strength." Psalm 27, verse 1. As the prophet writes: "Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40, verse 31.

Therefore, my much beloved wife and sister in the Lord, the world cannot share in this comfort, because they do not believe in the Lord and so consider the word of the cross foolishness, as is written: "We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness." First Corinthians 1, verse 23. But those who believe and will be saved regard it as the power and wisdom of God, that they are worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord, as Peter and John did, when they had been scourged by the Pharisees. Acts 5, verse 41. Therefore Peter writes: "What glory is it, if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For to this you were called." First Peter 2, verses 20 and 21. Paul also writes: "Those of old time had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, indeed, moreover of bonds and imprisonment; they were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy." Hebrews 11, verses 36 to 38.

See, my dear wife, beloved in God, how the world cannot become a partaker of this grace, since it does not esteem the Lord worthy to suffer for His name; for no one can suffer for the name of the Lord unless he has through faith obtained power to become a child of God. John 1, verse 12. Therefore, my heartily beloved sister T. H., let us never be grieved by what we must suffer for the name of God, but willingly and lovingly endure it, and look to the reward; for such as seek to live to the Lord, and to promote His glory, and do not seek their own, but much rather what is to the praise of the Lord and to the edification of their neighbor. Oh, what glorious promises of salvation are theirs, and what great riches are promised them! Romans 24, verse 8; First Corinthians 10, verse 24; Matthew 10, verse 22. But we must know that if we would come to honor, we must first suffer, for so it has been from the beginning with all the righteous children of God. [n1155-3]

Therefore John writes that the Lamb was slain from the beginning. Revelation 13, verse 8. Not that Christ Himself was slain according to His flesh from the beginning; for Paul says that Christ appeared in the end of the world, to put away the sins of many by the sacrifice of Himself. Hebrews 9, verse 26. But He was slain from the beginning in righteous Abel; and so He still daily suffers in all believers; from this it is evident that they suffer for His name, of which the world is still unworthy, for they do not have Christ, and so they cannot suffer for His name; therefore their suffering is nothing but vexation, for the sorrow of this world works death. Second Corinthians 7, verse 10. But godly sorrow works to salvation, whether it be outward or inward; if inward, that one is sorry for sin, it is to amendment; if outward, because one suffers for the name of Christ, it is to consolation, for Paul says: "As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ." Second Corinthians 1, verse 5. Therefore Peter says: "If you suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are you." First Peter 3, verse 14. He further says: "If you are reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you; on their part he is spoken evil of, but on your part he is glorified." First Peter 4, verse 14. O my dearest, consider what precious words these are, for us, to whom these promises without any doubt belong. For though Christ cast out devils by the Spirit of God, yet, according to their saying, He had to do it by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Matthew 12, verse 24.

Therefore Christ rightly said: "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also; for the servant is not greater than his lord, nor the disciple above his master." John 15, verse 20; Matthew 10, verse 24. For the angel said to Tobit: "Since you pleased God, you could not remain without temptation." Tobit 12, verse 13. For it is written: "Temptation alone teaches to observe the word." Isaiah 28, verse 19. Therefore, my dear wife, take these words to heart, and mark them well, namely, how the Lord has visited His own in many ways, and how well He is pleased when His children show obedience in all things, and willingly receive chastisement, and do not seek to escape from the cross of Christ, but gladly and willingly take His yoke upon them; and who are so minded that, through the great love and firm confidence which they have toward Christ Jesus, they will far rather forsake all that they have in the world, father, mother, sister, brother, husband, wife, children, indeed, even their own life, with all that they possess, and, moreover, endure and suffer all that comes upon them, tribulation, distress, persecution, sorrow and affliction. Oh, how gloriously will God receive those who have become so poor for Christ's sake! Oh, how rich will He make them; for as they are humbled with Him, and for His sake, so shall they be exalted and made glorious with Him. As they have confessed Him in the world, so shall He also confess them before His Father who is in heaven; and they shall shine forth with Him as the sun in the Father's throne (Matthew 13, verse 43), and shall be clothed in white raiment, because they have overcome through their faith (First John 5, verse 4), even as John writes: "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying to me, What are these who are arrayed in white robes? and where did they come from? And I said to him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are they who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them to living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Revelation 7, verses 9 to 17.

O my dear sister, this is a sure sign that we must weep here first, if the Lord is to wipe away the tears; as Esdras also saw upon Mount Sion a great people, whom he could not number; and they all praised the Lord with songs. And in the midst of them there was a young man of high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads He set crowns, and was more exalted; at which he marveled greatly. Then he asked the angel and said: "Lord, what are these?" He said

"These are they who have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God; now they are crowned, and receive palms. Then I said to the angel, What young person is it who crowns them, and gives them palms in their hands? Then the angel said: It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world. Then I began greatly to commend those who stood so firmly for the name of the Lord." Second Esdras 2, verses 42 to 47. Behold, my dear wife and sister in the Lord, beloved in God, here you hear the beautiful promises of the Lord, which He has promised to all those who suffer for His holy name, and endure it with patience. Therefore Paul has truly written: "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him." Second Timothy 2, verse 12.

Therefore, my dear sister, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, since you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. First Corinthians 15, verse 58.

With this I commend you, my love, to the Lord, and to the rich word of His grace, who is able to keep your treasure, and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20, verse 32. Adieu, my dear wife and sister in the Lord, beloved in God; adieu, adieu. Finally, rejoice, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Amen. Second Corinthians 13, verse 11; Philippians 4, verse 4. Greet my son and Tanneken in my name, and tell him that I charge him always to be obedient and subject to his mother, in all things, always with reverence; adieu, adieu, farewell.

Written with my blood, for a seal and testament; an affectionate adieu to you, my love.

By me, your dear husband,

RAPHEL VAN DEN VELDE.