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 LL NOW TOOK FRIGHT when they suddenly beheld the enormous mass of smoke and flames rising into the air.
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And Cyrenius asked Joseph whether aid should not be rushed to these terribly hard-pressed people.
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But Joseph answered, I would say that we should stand aside!,
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And besides we are helpless to put out the fire with our natural or human capabilities;
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and as concerns those who lose their possession thereby, they will meet us soon enough and at the proper time.
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So let us be quite undisturbed, for whoever feels a need to come here will surely do so!'
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And the little Child at Joseph's side assured him; saying, 'See, dear Joseph, that will make your chest of gold and silver considerably lighter also!
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You too, Cyrenius, will lose a few pounds of gold and silver still today before your departure;
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for those who were here and secretly threatened to destroy our house will soon return here as greatly humbled friends and will ask you to give them aid.
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So just be prepared for that! But do not suppose that I was the One who sent this blaze upon their houses by My power;
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for I do no such thing, and any sort of revenge is far from Me!
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'I now tell you: Their servants have done this to them,
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for they have already had a rancor against their masters for a long time because they were treated in a harsh and miserly way.
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Today they found the most favorable opportunity to revenge themselves against their masters
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by putting the torch to all their stately mansions.
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And thus, without My taking a hand in the matter, these lords of the world have fallen into the very pit which they intended to prepare for us!'
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When Cyrenius heard this from the little Child, he swiftly asked Him whether these bad servants should not be pursued.
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And the little Child replied: 'Oh, do not bother with that! For to begin with they have accomplished a good thing with their hard-hearted masters -
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in the second place they are already long gone over hill and dale with the stolen treasure -
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and besides they will not escape their just punishment, since they took the law into their own hands out of wicked revenge!
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So let us be concerned primarily with those who will need our help!
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But as concerns the incendiarists, they will be attended to.
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Behold, God sees them wherever they are and knows their route exactly.
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Therefore He can also seize them anywhere, let them be where they may.
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God is also a most just judge to everyone; therefore He will know the proper reward to give them for their deed!'
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Here Mary came up quite anxiously and showed Joseph a large troop of armed warriors that moved toward the villa in great haste.
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But the little Child said, 'Oh, do not be afraid - that is the protective guard for Cyrenius, which the garrison commander now sends from the city for everyone's protection.
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A large number of citizens will soon follow the guard.
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So you need only be concerned for their lodging - everything else will take care of itself!'
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And as the little Child stated, so it was: Cyrenius received a protective guard which was soon followed by a great many burned-out citizens.
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