True Christianity # 625
625. The fifth memorable occurrence. On one occasion when I was meditating on the Lord's Second Coming, an intensely bright light suddenly appeared and shone right in my eyes. I looked up and was amazed to see that the whole heaven above me was full of light. I heard praises upon praises in a long chain from the east to the west.
An angel appeared by me and said, "These praises are glorifying the Lord on account of his Coming. The praises are coming from angels of the eastern and western heavens. "
All that was heard from the southern and northern heavens was a gentle murmur.
Because the angel was hearing it all, he first said to me, "The praises they are using to celebrate the Lord come from the Word. "
Soon afterward he said, "Now they are specifically glorifying and celebrating the Lord with the following words in the prophet Daniel:
You saw iron mixed with muddy clay, but they will not stick together. But in those days God will make a kingdom rise in the heavens, which will not pass away throughout the ages. It will grind down and consume all the [other] kingdoms, but it will stand throughout the ages. (Daniel 2:43-44)
[2] After that I heard something like a voice singing, and farther to the east I saw a brilliant light that was even brighter than the one I had seen before. I asked the angel what the praises were there. He said they were praising the Lord with the following words in Daniel:
I saw visions in the night, and behold, the Son of Humankind was coming with the clouds of heaven. He was given dominion and a kingdom. All peoples and nations will worship him. His dominion is a dominion of an age that will not pass, and his kingdom is one that will not perish. (Daniel 7:13-14)
"They are also celebrating the Lord with the following words from the Book of Revelation.
Jesus Christ has glory and strength. Behold, he is coming with the clouds. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the One who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. I, John, heard this from the Son of Humankind among the seven lampstands. (Revelation 1:5-7, ; 22:8, 13; also Matthew 24:30-31)
[3] I looked again at the eastern heaven, and it lit up to the right, and its brightness extended into the southern expanse. I heard a sweet sound. I asked the angel, "What are their praises for the Lord?"
The angel said, "They are using the following words in the Book of Revelation.
I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared like a bride for her husband. I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among people, and he will dwell with them. " And the angel spoke with me saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. " And [the angel] carried me away in the spirit to the top of a mountain great and high, and showed me the city, holy Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:1-3, 9-10)
"They are also using these words.
"I, Jesus, am the bright and morning star. " And the spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And he said, "I am coming quickly. " Truly indeed, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:16-17, 20)
[4] After these and many other praises, there was an overall praise that went from the east to the west of heaven and also from the south to the north.
I asked the angel, "What now?"
"These praises," the angel replied, "are using the following passages from the prophets.
So that all flesh may know that I, Jehovah, am your Savior and your Redeemer. (Isaiah 49:26)
Thus said Jehovah, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, Jehovah Sabaoth: "I am the First and the Last, and there is no God except me. " (Isaiah 44:6)
It will be said in that day, "Behold, this is our God. We have waited for him to free us. This is Jehovah whom we have waited for. " (Isaiah 25:9)
The voice of one crying in the desert, "Prepare a way for Jehovah. Behold, the Lord Jehovih is coming with strength; like a shepherd he will feed his flock. " (Isaiah 40:3, 10-11)
A Child is born to us; a Son is given to us. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Behold, the days are coming when I will raise up for David a righteous offshoot who will reign as king; and this is his name: Jehovah is our Justice. (Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:15-16)
Jehovah Sabaoth is his name, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. He will be called God of all the earth. (Isaiah 54:5)
In that day, Jehovah will be king over the whole earth; in that day there will be one Jehovah, and his name will be one. (Zechariah 14:9)
Because I heard and understood these things, my heart rejoiced. Filled with joy, I went home, and there returned from the state of my spirit into the state of my body and wrote down the things that I had heard and seen.
Matthew 25
1
"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2
Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
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Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them,
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but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
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Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
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But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!'
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Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
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The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
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But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
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While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
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Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.'
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But he answered, 'Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you.'
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Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
14
"For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.
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To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.
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Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
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In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.
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But he who received the one went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
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"Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them.
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He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents besides them.'
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"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
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"He also who got the two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents besides them.'
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"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
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"He also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.
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I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.'
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"But his lord answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn't sow, and gather where I didn't scatter.
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You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.
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Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.
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For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away.
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Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
31
"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
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Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
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He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
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Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
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for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.
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I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.'
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"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?
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When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you?
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When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'
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"The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
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Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
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for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;
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I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'
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"Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?'
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"Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.'
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These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
