Then it was explained that God had this nation in His own hand, and would not suffer victories to be gained faster than He ordained, and would permit no more losses to the Northern men than in His wisdom He saw fit, to punish them for their sins. And had the Northern army at this time pushed the battle still further in their fainting, exhausted condition, the far greater struggle and destruction which awaited them would have caused great triumph in the South. God would not permit this, and sent an angel to interfere. The sudden falling back of the Northern troops is a mystery to all. They know not that God’s hand was in the matter. {1T 267.1}

Da blev det forklaret at Gud havde denne nation i sin egen hånd og vil ikke lade sejre komme hurtigere end han bestemmer og vil ikke tillade flere tab til de nordlige folk, end han i sin visdom så var passende, som straf for deres synder. Og den nordstaternes hær trak sig på de tidspunkt hvor slaget var i en afmægtig, en udmattende situation. En langt større kamp og ødelæggelse som ventede dem, ville have givet en stor sejr til sydstaterne. Gud ville ikke tillade dette og sendte en engel for at lægge sig imellem. Den pludselige tilbagetrækning nordstatstropperne gjorde, er et mysterium for alle. De ved ikke at Guds hånd var med i dette.