Chapter 19 | Almighty God's utterance to the entire universe
It is mankind’s obligation to take My words as the basis for his survival. Man must establish his individual portion in each and every part of My words; not to do so would be asking for trouble, seeking his own destruction. Humanity does not know Me, and because of this, instead of bringing his own life to Me to offer in exchange, all he does is parade in front of Me with the trash in his hands, trying thereby to give Me satisfaction.
But, far from being satisfied by things as they are, I keep on making demands of humanity. I love man’s contributions, but hate his demands. All men have hearts filled with greed; it is as if the human heart is in thrall to the devil, and man is unable to break free and offer his heart up to Me. When I speak, man listens to My voice in rapt attention; but when I stop speaking, he starts again on his own “enterprise” and ceases entirely to heed My words, as if My words were an adjunct to his enterprise. I have never been lax with humanity, and yet I have also been patient with and tolerant toward humanity. And so, because of My leniency, human beings have all grown overweening, incapable of self-knowledge and self-reflection, and they take advantage of My forbearance to deceive Me. Not a single one among them sincerely cares for Me, and not a single one truly treasures Me as an object dear to his heart; only when they have idle moments to spare do they give Me their perfunctory regard. The effort I have expended on man is already beyond measure. I have wrought on man an unprecedented kind of work, and apart from this, I have given him an additional burden, in order that, out of what I have and what I am, man might gain in knowledge and undergo a change. I do not ask man to be a mere “consumer,” but ask him to be a “producer” capable of inflicting defeat on Satan. Though I may not demand anything of man, nonetheless I do have standards for the demands I make, for there is a purpose in what I do, as well as principles in accordance with which I act: I do not, as man imagines, play around haphazardly, nor do I, in willful capriciousness, fashion the heavens and earth and the myriad things of creation. In My working, man should be able to see something, gain something. He should not squander away the springtime of his youth, or treat his own life like a garment on which dust is carelessly allowed to gather; rather, he should stand strict guard over himself, taking from My bounty to provide for his own enjoyment, until, for My sake, he cannot turn back toward Satan, and for My sake he mounts an attack against Satan. Isn’t what I ask of man as simple as this?
But, far from being satisfied by things as they are, I keep on making demands of humanity. I love man’s contributions, but hate his demands. All men have hearts filled with greed; it is as if the human heart is in thrall to the devil, and man is unable to break free and offer his heart up to Me. When I speak, man listens to My voice in rapt attention; but when I stop speaking, he starts again on his own “enterprise” and ceases entirely to heed My words, as if My words were an adjunct to his enterprise. I have never been lax with humanity, and yet I have also been patient with and tolerant toward humanity. And so, because of My leniency, human beings have all grown overweening, incapable of self-knowledge and self-reflection, and they take advantage of My forbearance to deceive Me. Not a single one among them sincerely cares for Me, and not a single one truly treasures Me as an object dear to his heart; only when they have idle moments to spare do they give Me their perfunctory regard. The effort I have expended on man is already beyond measure. I have wrought on man an unprecedented kind of work, and apart from this, I have given him an additional burden, in order that, out of what I have and what I am, man might gain in knowledge and undergo a change. I do not ask man to be a mere “consumer,” but ask him to be a “producer” capable of inflicting defeat on Satan. Though I may not demand anything of man, nonetheless I do have standards for the demands I make, for there is a purpose in what I do, as well as principles in accordance with which I act: I do not, as man imagines, play around haphazardly, nor do I, in willful capriciousness, fashion the heavens and earth and the myriad things of creation. In My working, man should be able to see something, gain something. He should not squander away the springtime of his youth, or treat his own life like a garment on which dust is carelessly allowed to gather; rather, he should stand strict guard over himself, taking from My bounty to provide for his own enjoyment, until, for My sake, he cannot turn back toward Satan, and for My sake he mounts an attack against Satan. Isn’t what I ask of man as simple as this?
When a faint glimmer of light begins to show in the East, all the people within the universe on that account turn their attention for the nonce toward the light in the East. No longer steeped in slumber, mankind goes to observe the source of the eastern light, but due to the limits of human power, no one is able to see the place whence the light originates. When all within the universe is fully illuminated, man will rouse from sleep and dream, and only then will he realize that My day is slowly coming into the world. All humanity celebrates because of the coming of the light, and because of this no longer lies sound asleep, and is senseless no longer. Under the radiance of My light, all humanity becomes clear of mind and sight, and suddenly awakens to the joy of living. Under cover of a shrouding mist, I look out over mankind. The animals are all at rest; because of the coming of a faint glimmer of light, everything in creation becomes conscious that a new life is approaching. For this reason, the animals too all creep out from their caves, looking for food. Plants, of course, are no exception, and in the light’s radiance their green leaves glisten with a lustrous sheen, waiting to consecrate their individual portion to Me at the time when I am on the earth. All human beings wish for the coming of the light, and yet they all fear its advent, anxious that their own ugliness will no longer find concealment, for man is stark naked, and lacks for covering. How many people have fallen into panic, because of the light’s coming, and because the light has appeared, are in a state of shock? How many people, on seeing the light, are filled with boundless remorse, abhorring their own uncleanness, but, powerless to alter the accomplished fact, can only wait for Me to pronounce sentence. How many people, refined by suffering in the darkness, on seeing the light are suddenly struck by its profound meaning, and thenceforth hug the light close to their bosoms, fearful of losing it again? How many people, instead of being thrown out of orbit by the light’s sudden appearance, simply go about the daily work in hand, because they have been blind for long years, and so they do not notice that the light has come, nor are they gratified by it. In men’s hearts, I am neither high up, nor low down. As far as men are concerned, it is a matter of indifference whether I exist or not, as though man’s life would not get any lonelier if I did not exist, and if I did, would not gain in pleasure. Because human beings do not cherish Me, the enjoyments that I afford them are few. But as soon as humanity gives Me so much as an ounce of adoration, then I will also make a change in the attitude I bear toward humanity. For this reason, only when humanity grasps this law, only then will men be fortunate enough to dedicate themselves to Me and demand the things I hold in My hand. Surely man’s love for Me is not bound solely to his own interests? Surely his faith in Me is not bound solely to the things that I give? Could it be that, unless he sees My light, man is unable to love Me sincerely by means of his faith? Surely man’s strength and vigor are not really restricted to the conditions of today? Could it be that man needs courage in order to love Me?
Relying on My existence, the myriad things of creation make obedient submission in the places where they reside, and do not, in the absence of My discipline, indulge in licentious abandon. Therefore, the mountains become boundaries between nations upon the land, the waters become barriers to keep people apart between the lands, and the air becomes that which flows from man to man in the space on earth. Only humanity is incapable of truly obeying the demands of My will; this is why I say that, out of all creation man alone belongs in the category of the disobedient. Man has never truly submitted to Me, and for this reason I have all along kept him under strict discipline. If in the midst of humanity, it should come to pass that My glory extends over the whole universe, then I will surely take all of My glory and make it manifest before mankind. Because in his defilement man is unfit to look upon My glory, for thousands of years I have never come into the open, but have remained hidden; for this reason My glory has never been manifest before mankind, and man has always been sunk in sin’s deep abyss. I have forgiven the unrighteousness of humanity, but human beings know not how to preserve themselves, and are instead always laying themselves open to sin, allowing sin to injure them. Is this not man’s lack of self-respect and self-love? In humanity’s midst, is there one who can truly love? How many ounces can man’s devotion weigh? Aren’t there adulterated goods mixed into his so-called authenticity? Isn’t his devotion compounded wholly of a mish-mash? What I require is man’s undivided love. Man does not know Me, and though he may seek to know Me, he will not give Me his true and earnest heart. From man I do not exact what he is unwilling to give. If he gives Me his devotion, I will accept it without polite demurral; but if he does not trust Me, and refuses to offer up even an iota of himself to Me, rather than growing more vexed on that account, I will simply dispose of him in some other way and send him to the home for which he is fit. The thunder, rolling across the skies, strikes man down; the high mountains, as they topple, bury him; the wild beasts in their hunger raven him up; and the oceans, surging, close over his head. As humanity engages in fratricidal conflict, all men will seek their own destruction in the calamities arising from humanity’s midst.
The kingdom is expanding in humanity’s midst, it is forming in humanity’s midst, it is standing up in humanity’s midst; there is no force that can destroy My kingdom. Of My people who are in the kingdom of today, which of you is not a human being among human beings? Which of you lies outside the human condition? When My new starting point is announced to the multitude, how will humanity react? You have seen with your own eyes the state of mankind; surely you do not still harbor hopes of enduring forever in this world? I am now walking abroad in the midst of My people, I live in the midst of My people. Today, those who bear genuine love toward Me, people like these are blessed; blessed are those who submit to Me, they will surely stay in My kingdom; blessed are those who know Me, they will surely wield power in My kingdom; blessed are those who seek after Me, they will surely escape from Satan’s bonds and enjoy blessing in Me; blessed are those who are able to forsake themselves, they will surely enter into My possession, and inherit My kingdom’s bounty. Those who run around for My sake I will remember, those who go to expense for My sake I will joyfully embrace, those who make offering to Me I will give enjoyments. Those who find enjoyment in My words I will bless; they will surely be the pillars that hold up the ridgepole in My kingdom, they will surely have matchless bounty in My house, and no one can compare with them. Have you ever accepted the blessings that you were given? Have you ever sought the promises that were made for you? You will surely, under the guidance of My light, break through the stranglehold of the forces of darkness. You will surely not, in the midst of darkness, lose the light guiding you. You will surely be the master of all creation. You will surely be an overcomer before Satan. You will surely, at the downfall of the kingdom of the great red dragon, stand up amid the myriad throngs to bear witness to My victory. You will surely be resolute and unwavering in the land of Sinim. Through the sufferings you endure, you will inherit the blessing that comes from Me, and will surely radiate My glory throughout the entire universe.
March 19, 1992
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