Chapter 22
Man lives amid the light, yet he is unaware of the preciousness of the light. He is ignorant of the essence of the light, and the source of the light, and, moreover, to whom the light belongs. When I confer the light among man, I immediately examine the conditions among man: Because of the light, all people are changing and growing, and have left the darkness. I look upon every corner of the universe, and see that the mountains are engulfed in fog, that the waters have frozen in the cold, and that, because of the coming of the light, people look to the East, that they might discover something more precious—yet man remains incapable of discerning a clear direction within the mist. Because the whole world is blanketed by fog, when I look on from among the clouds, there is never a man who discovers My existence. Man is searching on earth for something; he seems to be foraging; he intends, it seems, to await My arrival—yet he does not know My day, and can only look often to the glimmer of light in the East. Among all peoples, I seek those who accord truly with My intentions. I walk among all peoples, and live among all peoples, but man on earth is safe and sound, and so there are none who accord truly with My intentions. People do not know how to show consideration for My intentions, they cannot see My actions, and they cannot move within the light and be shone on by the light. Although man once treasured My words, he is incapable of seeing through the deceitful schemes of Satan; because man’s stature is too small, he is unable to do as his heart wishes. Man has never loved Me sincerely. When I exalt him, he feels himself unworthy, but this does not make him try to satisfy Me. He merely holds the “station” I have given him in his hands and scrutinizes it; insensible to My loveliness, he instead persists in engorging himself on the benefits of his station. Is this not the deficiency of man? When the mountains move, could they make a detour for the sake of your station? When the waters flow, could they cease before man’s station? Could the heavens and the earth be reversed by man’s station? I was once merciful toward man, over and over again—yet no one cherishes or treasures this. They merely listened to it as a story, or read it as a novel. Do My words really not touch the heart of man? Do My utterances really have no effect? Could it be that no one believes in My existence? Man does not love himself; instead, he unites with Satan to attack Me, and uses Satan as an “asset” with which to serve Me. I will penetrate all the deceitful schemes of Satan, and stop the people of earth from being misled by Satan, so that they do not oppose Me because of its existence.
In the kingdom, I am King—but instead of treating Me as its King, man treats Me as the “Savior that has descended from heaven.” As a result, he longs for Me to give him alms and does not pursue knowledge of Me. So many have pleaded before Me like beggars; so many have opened their “sacks” to Me and implored Me to give them food to survive; so many have fixed greedy eyes upon Me like hungry wolves, wishing they could gobble Me up and fill their bellies; so many have bowed their heads in silence because of their transgressions and felt ashamed, praying for My clemency, or willingly accepting My chastisement. When I issue My utterances, the various follies of man appear preposterous, and his true form is revealed within the light; and in the shining light, man is unable to forgive himself. Thus, he hurries before Me to bow down and confess his sins. Because of man’s “honesty,” I draw him once more atop the chariot of salvation, and hence he is grateful to Me, and casts Me a loving look. Yet he remains unwilling truly to take refuge in Me, and has not given his heart to Me fully. He merely boasts of Me, yet he does not truly love Me, for he has not turned his mind to Me; his body is before Me, yet his heart is behind Me. Because man’s understanding of rules is too poor and he has no interest in coming before Me, I provide him with appropriate support, so that he may turn toward Me from amid his pertinacious ignorance. This is precisely the mercy that I give unto man, and the method by which I strive to save him.
People throughout the universe celebrate the arrival of My day, and angels walk among all My people. When Satan causes disturbance, the angels, because of their service in heaven, always help My people. They are not misled by devils because of human weakness but, because of the onslaught of the forces of darkness, endeavor all the more to experience the life of man through the fog. All My people yield beneath My name, and never does anyone rise up to oppose Me openly. Because of the work of the angels, man accepts My name, and all are amid the stream of My work. The world is falling! Babylon is in paralysis! Oh, the religious world! How could it not be destroyed by My authority on earth? Who still dares to rebel against and oppose Me? The scribes? Every religious official? The rulers and authorities on earth? The angels? Who does not celebrate the perfection and fullness of My body? Among all peoples, who does not sing My praises without cease, who is not unfailingly happy? I live in the land of the great red dragon’s lair, yet this does not cause Me to tremble with fear or run away, for all of its people have already begun to loathe it. Never has anything done its “duty” before the dragon for the dragon’s sake; instead, all things act as they see fit, and each goes its own way. How could the countries on earth not perish? How could the countries on earth not fall? How could My people not cheer? How could they not sing with joy? Is this the work of man? Is it the doing of man’s hands? I gave man the root of his existence, and provided him with material things, yet he is dissatisfied with his current circumstances and asks to enter My kingdom. But how could he enter My kingdom so easily, without having paid a price, unwilling to offer his selfless devotion? Instead of exacting anything from man, I make requirements of him, so that My kingdom on earth may be filled with glory. Man has been guided by Me into the present age, he exists in this condition, and he lives amid the guidance of My light. If it were not thus, who among the people on earth would know their prospects? Who would understand My intentions? I add My provisions to the requirements of man; is this not in line with the laws of nature?
Yesterday, you lived amid wind and rain; today, you have entered into My kingdom and become its people; and tomorrow, you will enjoy My blessings. Who ever imagined such things? How much adversity and hardship will you experience in your life—do you know? I advance amid wind and rain, and have spent year after year among man, and have come in time to the present day. Are these not precisely the steps of My management plan? Who has ever added to My plan? Who can break away from the steps of My plan? I live in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people, I am King among hundreds of millions of people, and I have been rejected and slandered by hundreds of millions of people. My image is not truly within the heart of man. Man only perceives My glorious countenance dimly in My words, but because of the disturbance of his thoughts, he does not trust his own feelings; there is only a vague Me in his heart, but it does not remain there long. And so, his love of Me is also thus: His love before Me appears fitfully, as if each man loved Me according to his own temperament, as if his love winked in and out of view beneath hazy moonlight. Today, it is only because of My love that man remains and has had the good fortune to survive. If it were not thus, who among man would not, as a result of their emaciated body, be cut down by the laser? Man still does not know himself. He shows off before Me, and brags behind My back, yet no one dares to oppose Me before Me. However, man does not know the meaning of the opposition of which I speak; instead, he continues trying to fool Me, and continues exalting himself—in this, does he not openly oppose Me? I tolerate the weakness of man, but I am not lenient in the slightest toward opposition of his own making. Although he knows its meaning, he is unwilling to act in accordance with this meaning and merely acts according to his preferences, deceiving Me. I make plain My disposition in My words at all times, yet man is not reconciled to defeat—at the same time, he reveals his disposition. Amid My judgment, man will be utterly convinced, and amid My chastisement, he will finally live out My image and become My manifestation on earth!
March 22, 1992