[618]Oh! what sweet and consoling music the restoration string of God's harp brings to the heart of the Christian now! What great joy will fill that heart when, as a member of the glorified body of Christ, the blessed privilege will be had of awakening out of death that beloved one and marking his gradual restoration to perfect manhood! Then both the blesser and the blessed will praise God for his boundless love. Until that happy day, blessed is the one who claims the promise: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind [meditation] is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee".--Isaiah 26:3. [619]For centuries Christians lost sight of the beautiful doctrine of the restoration pictured by the tenth string of the harp of God. This was due to the fact that the consecrated were in captivity to the religious systems formed by man and into which Satan injected false doctrines, thereby blinding the understanding of even the honest-hearted. But with the second presence of the Lord his people have been released from such Babylonian captivity. The eyes of their understanding opening because of the brightness of his presence, they have learned of the restoration string of the harp of God; and its sweet melody has cheered their hearts so much that they could not keep back the singing. God foreknew this, of course; and for the further encouragement of such caused his Prophet to write these appropriate words relative to the restoration blessings coming to the nations and peoples and kindreds of earth: "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them."--Psalm 126:1,2. [620]Truly, as God's Prophet said: "I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp". (Psalm 49:4) All of God's plan has been stated in parabolic language, and is appreciated only by the consecrated follower of Jesus; but when understood, it is indeed a harp that yields the most entrancing music that ever fell upon human ears. Strike now the chord of restitution and hear how beautifully it responds and harmonises with all the other strings upon the divine harp! Know, then, that as the people come to learn of God's wonderful arrangement, all whose hearts are right will praise him. The Psalmist thus appropriately says: