First of all, there are Adam and Eve, the ancestors of mankind, and if we want to talk about some characters, then we first need to start with these two. Who comes second? (Noah.) Noah, the second ancestor of mankind. You see that, right? And third? (Abraham.) You all know the story of Abraham, don’t you? (Yes.) Maybe some know about it and maybe some others aren’t quite sure, having only heard about it before. And the fourth character? Who was involved in the destruction of Sodom? (Lot.) But Lot isn’t mentioned here. Who is mentioned? (Abraham.) Abraham, that’s right. There is another point: It mainly mentions that which was spoken by Jehovah God. Have you seen this? (Yes.) Look closely. Who is the fifth character? (Job.) Does God mention the story of Job much during this stage of His work? (Yes.) So do you care much about this story? (Yes.) While you care about it, have you read in detail the story of Job in the Bible? What did Job say and what things did he do? Has anyone here read the Book of Job? (Yes.) What’s the most number of times any of you have read it? Do you read it often? (I read it once or twice during the Age of Grace.) And you didn’t read it again after that, right? (No.) That’s such a shame! Let Me tell you: Job is mentioned a lot during this stage of work, and yet all these times he is mentioned have not attracted your attention. This proves one fact that you have no interest in being good people or in being people who fear God and shun evil. This is because you simply don’t care about the story of Job mentioned by God, nor do you read it. You just know the general outline of it, you get the people around you to explain it and then your involvement ends there. What exactly do you pay attention to then? You even don’t care about or try to understand such an important character mentioned by God, so tell Me, what attitude do you have toward God’s words? Isn’t this a sad thing? It proves that most of you are impractical people who do not seek the truth. If you seek the truth, then as soon as God mentions this person and as soon as He brings up this kind of story—something you can reach and touch—then you would straight away go and read it and understand it, read it over and over, and then think of a way you can follow Job’s example, sparing no effort to achieve whatever you can. But you here today surprise Me by saying that most of you haven’t read it before, and this is a serious problem.
Right, let’s get back to our topic. From scriptures related to the Old Testament Age of Law, I have mainly taken the stories of some characters. These characters are very representative. When you read the Bible, the work God did on these people and the words He spoke to them are things that people nowadays can touch and comprehend. And when you read these stories and read these biblical records, you can better understand how God worked back then and His approach to man. But I haven’t chosen these chapters today so that you can understand these characters. Through these characters’ stories, My aim is for you to be able to see God’s deeds and God’s disposition, to further facilitate your knowledge and understanding of God, for you to see the realness of God, and so that you can put an end to your imaginings, your conceptions of God and your vague belief in God. Isn’t this to your advantage? (Yes.) So now when you look at these characters and these sections again, what do you think in your hearts? Does anyone think My selection is superfluous? (No.) Regardless of what you think or whether you can appreciate it, we must now get back to our topic. I have selected these characters from the Bible. You should all read about and hear about them in earnest today. What result do I want to achieve? It’s what I just said. Getting you to understand God’s disposition and understand and know God Himself without a foundation can perhaps cause you to feel helpless and incapable of action. I therefore thought of this method so that people can better understand God and more truly appreciate God’s will and know His disposition, know God Himself, truly feel the existence of God and truly appreciate God’s will toward mankind; My aim in choosing these sections would then be achieved. I’ve just told you that My aim is not for you to read stories of these characters, but to understand how God works on man and what kind of attitude He takes toward mankind. How are you to understand this? Through the work God has done before and the work God is currently doing, you will understand God in each and every detail, and each and every one of these details is true. Okay, let’s start reading, beginning with scriptures related to Adam and Eve.
A. Adam and Eve
1. God’s Command to Adam
(Gen 2:15-17) And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.
How do you feel when you hear this passage of scripture? In your hearts, what kind of God would you think God is, if it were you there personally? Has each of you got a picture of this scene in your hearts after hearing this passage of scripture? Have you got a picture of God and Adam? You can imagine this. Firstly, why was this passage “God’s Command to Adam” taken? This is the first command God gave to man since He created them. What does this command carry? It carries His will and it carries His concern for man; this was His first command. That is to say, God took responsibility for mankind from the time He created them. What is His responsibility? To protect them and look after them; He hopes for man to be able to believe in and obey His words. This is the first of God’s hopes for mankind, so God spoke these words: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.” God’s will is represented here within these simple words, and they reveal also that God’s heart has already begun to care for man. Of all things, only Adam was created in God’s image and Adam was the only living thing that possessed the breath of God, and he could walk with God and speak with God. So God commanded him thus. This command included things that man was permitted to do and things man was not permitted to do, and God spoke His command very clearly. What does this picture make us feel? God cares for man, and everything man does, everything they will do, their every word and deed are closely related with God and inseparable from Him. Isn’t that so? We can see God’s heart in these few simple words, but what kind of heart is it? Is there love in God’s heart? (Yes.) Is there any care in God’s heart? (Yes.) Even more there is wisdom and tender love in God, isn’t that so? (Yes.) So do you still feel these few words are simple now that I’ve said this? (No, they’re not simple.) They’re not simple, are they? Were you able to see this before? (No.) You weren’t able to see it. So if God speaks a few words personally to you like this, how would you feel in your heart? If you are someone with no humanity and if your heart is ice-cold then you would feel nothing, and you would be unable to appreciate God’s heart and unable to understand it. If you are someone with conscience and humanity, however, what kind of feeling would you have? You would feel warm, cared for and loved. Isn’t that right? (Yes.) So while feeling like this, how would you be to God? Would you feel attachment to God? Would you feel love and respect for God in your heart? Would your heart draw close to God? (Yes.) In fact, did God speak much like this during this stage of His work? (Yes.) God spoke much like this, but is there anyone among modern people who have appreciated this heart of God? Are you able to appreciate God’s will that I spoke of just now? You are not able to appreciate this kind of concrete, true and realistic will of God, and that is why I say you have no true knowledge or understanding of God. That’s enough fellowship for this passage.
2. God Creates Eve
(Gen 2:18-20) And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them: and whatever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
(Gen 2:22-23) And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her to the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
There are some key phrases within this passage of scripture “God Creates Eve.” So underline them: “whatever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.” Who was it who gave every living creature its name? (Adam.) It was Adam, not God. Right? This proves another fact: That when God created man, He gave them intelligence. Where did this intelligence come from? (From God.) From God, and this is certainly beyond all doubt—man’s intelligence came from God. Why is that? After God made Adam, did Adam go to school? (No.) Did he know how to read? (No, he didn’t.) After he was made, did Adam recognize all the various living creatures that he laid eyes on? (No, he didn’t.) Then did God tell him what these creatures’ names were? Did God tell him this? (No.) God did not impart this knowledge to him, right? Then how did he know how to give names to these living creatures, and what names to give them? This proves a fact: When God created man, He gave them His own intelligence. This is a key point, so you’re listening carefully, right? There is another key point, but what is it? Once Adam had given names to these living creatures, these names were then set with God. Why do I say this? This again involves God’s disposition, so we need to explain it. God created man and gave them the breath of life, and He also gave them His intelligence, some of His power and some of what He has and is. Once God had given man these things, man could then act independently and think independently, and God did not interfere with the things man thought and did—this was the standard God kept. Therefore, it is written: “whatever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.” What does this signify? God didn’t make any amendments; whatever Adam said the creature was to be called, God just said “Yes,” and confirmed that as its name. Did God make any suggestions? (No.) No, He didn’t, that’s for sure. So, what do we see here? God gave man intelligence and man used this God-given intelligence to do things. If man does positive things, these are affirmed, accepted and acknowledged by God. God makes no comment and gives no critique, and this is something that no human, no evil spirit or Satan can do. Is God’s disposition revealed here in any way? So, if it were a human instead, a corrupt human, or Satan, would they be contending for this position with others or with forces different from themselves? Of course they would! “You say it is called this, but I will be contrary and not call it that, I will call it something else. You call it Tom, I’ll call it Harry. I will show off how brilliant I am and that I am higher up than you. Despite the fact you came from Me, I’m still higher up than you are.” They would certainly repudiate the other’s opinion and show themselves off. They would want to show that they can think independently and have independent opinions. What is this? It is arrogance. And does God have this kind of disposition? No, He does not. As for what Adam did, did God take any action? (No.) To be sure, He didn’t! That is, within the revelations of God’s disposition there is not a drop, not even half a drop, of argumentativeness or arrogance. Is this not appropriate to say here? Or am I making a tenuous link? Though it may only be a small matter, if you don’t recognize God’s deeds and if in your heart you don’t contemplate how God does these things or what His attitude is, then you will not be able to know God’s disposition in this, and you won’t be able to see that which God’s disposition expresses and reveals. Isn’t that so? Then do you agree with what I have just explained to you? (Yes.) God is in tacit agreement with what Adam does. Although God doesn’t say with great fanfare “Well done! I commend you!” or “Well done, all correct, I approve!”—although God doesn’t say these things, yet His heart approves and is in tacit agreement. God’s disposition is here revealed, as I said just now. Who gave Eve her name? (Adam.) Adam named her, and this chimes with the issue we’re talking about, right?
3. (Gen 3:20-21) And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. To Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
This third passage of scripture is crucial. The name Adam gives to Eve is significant, isn’t it? It proves that Adam was capable of thought after he was created, and that he understood many things. As for what he understood or how much he understood, we won’t now research or investigate this. What is the key point in this third passage of scripture? “To Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” If I don’t fellowship this sentence today then you could live a lifetime and never be aware of the meaning within it. First of all, I will give you a clue, and you can give free rein to your imaginations. Imagine the Garden of Eden: Adam and Eve live there and God goes to pay them a visit. They are completely naked and they hide themselves and, once they have hidden, God calls to them. And what do they say? “We are naked and we dare not see You.” Maybe these aren’t the original words in the Bible, but you get the general idea. Because they are naked and dare not see God, what does Jehovah God do? What does He use to make them clothes? (Animal hides.) He uses animal hides to make clothes for them and these are excellent clothes. Nowadays these clothes are top grade, not things that just anyone can wear, right? They are fur coats, the most primitive fur coats. So here we can tell a little joke. Suppose someone asked you: What was the first piece of clothing worn by mankind’s ancestors in the very beginning? (Fur coats.) Made by whom? (God.) These clothes were made by God and this is the key point. Isn’t this something worth talking about? (Yes.) Do you have a picture in your minds from My description just now? You should at least have a rough idea, as human minds aren’t dead, right? But what is the key point here? This still needs to be spoken about in detail. The key point is not the fur coats, and My aim in talking about this today is not to tell you what the first piece of clothing was that mankind ever wore. That was just a joke, but it was also a fact, and you can take it as a joke. What is the key point here? “To Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” The key point is here. Within this image, in what role do we see God being together with Adam and Eve? In a world where there are only two human beings, in what role did God appear to them? Did He appear to them as God? (He appeared as a parent.) Anyone else? In what role did God appear to them? (As the head of the house.) (As a family member of Adam and Eve, as their family.) Mm, He appeared as the family of Adam and Eve, and some people say He appeared as the head of the house, and then some say He appeared as a parent. These are all apt responses. But what is it I’d like to say? God created these two people and made them His companions and His family. He looked after their lives and their basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter. So here, God appeared as a parent to Adam and Eve, and as their only family. At this point, man’s eyes do not see God’s greatness, nor do they see God’s supremacy, much less do they see God’s inscrutableness or God’s wrath and majesty. They see only what? They only see God’s lovingkindness, His caring for mankind, just as a parent cares for a child and just as a human parent loves, looks after and shows concern for their child. God didn’t put on the airs of His great position, but instead He Himself made clothes for mankind from animal hides. Regardless of whether these skins were used to cover their modesty or to shield them from the cold, generally speaking, God made these clothes with His own hands and made them Himself. It wasn’t as people imagine, that God made the clothes with just a thought or by some miracle, or that by means of some miracle their ugliness, their bodies were immediately covered. That’s not what happened. Instead, He truly did something that mankind doesn’t think He could have or should have done. Though the words in this extract[c] are simple, yet they allow those of us who follow God and who have previously been filled with vague imaginings of God, to gain an insight into God’s truthfulness and see God’s faithfulness and humility. Isn’t that so? (Yes.) When you read these words and when you hear these things, will you despise God for doing something like this? Maybe some people will, but some will be exactly the opposite. They believe that God is truthful, that God is lovable, and the more they see the true side of God, the more they are able to realize God’s true existence—God is within our hearts and by our side. At this point, we should make a connection with the present day. God did such minute things for mankind which He created, and He surprises us by doing things that man had never thought of or things they had never expected before. People even think that God is so great that He couldn’t do such small things, that God is so supreme, things like this are done by man, lowly man, and God shouldn’t be doing it and it’s not possible for God to do it. And yet the facts are exactly the opposite: God did this thing. And seeing as He did it for Adam and Eve, could He do it for the people of today? (Yes.) Why is that? God’s essence is not make-believe, and neither is God’s loveliness. Furthermore, God’s essence truly exists. It is not given by others and much less does it change due to the changing of time, place or era—this is His essence. God does things that people don’t deign to look at, things that they look down on, things that people believe God simply cannot do, things that are insignificant—and only this truly embodies God’s truthfulness. God is not false; He is true. This is to say there is no boastfulness, no haughtiness and no arrogance within God’s disposition and essence. He never brags, but instead with a faithful, truthful attitude He cherishes, cares for and looks after His creation, mankind. No matter how much of this man realizes, how much they can feel or how much they can see, God does indeed do this kind of thing. When we have understood this essence of God, would our understanding then affect our love for God? Would it affect our fear of God? (No, it wouldn’t.) I hope when you understand the true side of God, you are able to get closer to Him and can even more truly appreciate God’s love and His care toward mankind. And when you appreciate that, I hope that you can give your heart to God, and not keep it to yourself. In all the things God does, there are perhaps many that He doesn’t talk about, instead doing them in silence; He does all things silently by means of His essence, His truthfulness, His faithfulness and His love. People may realize this, and then again they may not, but because of His essence He never feels any misgivings about anything He does, nor has He ever needed man to repay Him for anything, and nor has He ever hoped to gain anything from man; this is something no created being could do. In actual fact, the more humble and hidden God is, the more this proves His greatness and supremacy. Isn’t that so? (Yes.) Let’s end our first topic here.
Are these topics helpful to you? (Yes.) How helpful? (We have more understanding and knowledge of God’s love.) What do you think of fellowshiping these topics in this way? (It’s good.) How is it good? (Fellowshiping in this way will allow us to better appreciate God’s words and to appreciate How God felt and the meaning behind His utterances at that time. It will allow us to better appreciate how God felt back then.) After reading these words, is there anyone who now feels even more that God truly exists? He’s not hollow or vague anymore, is He? (Yes.) With this kind of feeling, do you feel that God is right by your side? It’s not a very clear feeling, is it? Does anyone say they can feel it very clearly? Maybe you can’t realize this now. But one day, when there is truly a deep feeling in your hearts toward God’s disposition and God’s essence, when you truly know it, then maybe you will feel that God is right by your side—it’s just that your hearts have never let God in, and yet He has always been right by your side.
What do you think of this way of fellowship? (It’s good.) Are you able to keep up? (Yes.) Do you think topics like God’s work and God’s disposition are very heavy topics to fellowship? (No.) So how do you feel? (We feel good.) Are you excited? (Yes.) What excites you? Why excited? (I feel like I’ve gone back to the Garden of Eden, and gone back to be by God’s side.) And this excites you? Or is it something else? In actual fact, this topic of “God’s disposition” is a stranger to every single person. Whatever you imagine ordinarily, or whatever you read in books or hear in fellowship, you always feel like a blind man touching an elephant, just feeling your way around when in fact your eyes cannot see a thing. Without being able to see, you cannot even gain a rough outline, and you cannot arrive at a concept that would enable you to define God’s disposition or God’s essence. You can never be sure, and can only say[d] “Is this an expression of God’s disposition? Are my thoughts about God’s disposition and essence accurate? Are they correct?” The heart of man always has these kinds of doubts, right? There are always contradictions in your heart about things you cannot be sure about but which you still want to understand, and there is always conflict, even to the point where it takes shape as a disturbance, and you don’t know which way to turn. This is because you want to seek Him, know Him and see Him clearly, but you can never get the answers. Isn’t this something that causes suffering in man? (Yes.) Of course, these words are only aimed at some people, and for those who seek to fear God and seek to satisfy God, these words are just the way it is. But as for those who simply ignore these matters, they are in fact indifferent. They don’t think like this because they hope that God’s truthfulness and His existence are no more than fables or fantasies, and that would be great, and then they can do whatever they wish, be the biggest fish in the sea and consider themselves most important. They can then do whatever they want and not face any punishment or suffer any consequence or bear any responsibility, and even the punishments for evildoers spoken by God and the statements God has made about evildoers would not come to pass upon them. These people have no desire to understand God’s disposition and they are hostile to God. They don’t wish to understand God, instead wishing for there to be no God, for God to not exist. Let’s get back to our topic.
The second section is about Noah. This is clearly telling the story of Noah here. What did God do with Noah? Maybe everyone here today knows a little about it: God asked Noah to build the ark, and after that He would destroy the world with flood; God asked Noah to build the ark in order to save the eight people in Noah’s family, that Noah may survive and become the ancestor of mankind in the age that followed.
B. Noah
1. God Intends to Destroy the World With a Flood, Instructs Noah to Build an Ark
(Gen 6:9-14) These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked on the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth. And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make you an ark of gopher wood; rooms shall you make in the ark, and shall pitch it within and without with pitch.
(Gen 6:18-22) But with you will I establish my covenant; and you shall come into the ark, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shall you bring into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come to you, to keep them alive. And take you to you of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to you; and it shall be for food for you, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Do you have a general understanding of Noah now that you’ve read these passages of scripture? What kind of man was Noah? (A just man.) And in his generations, what kind of man was he? He was a perfect man. Was this “perfect man” perfect in the eyes of man or perfect in the eyes of God? He was perfect in the eyes of God, not in man’s eyes. Man’s eyes were blind and couldn’t see. Only God could examine all the world and examine every single person; God knew he was a perfect man. Did man care about these things? Did they take heed? Man did not take heed and no one cared about these things—only God knew that Noah was a perfect man. So when this age came, God called upon Noah to perform an important task. Why did this task need to be done? God had a plan, and His plan was that He intended to destroy the world with flood. Why did He want to destroy the world? It says here: “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” What can one see from these words “the earth was filled with violence”? When the earth and mankind became utterly corrupt, the earth became filled with violence. In modern speech, “filled with violence” means that things were in a mess and people saw there was no order, chaotic and unmanageable. And in God’s eyes, it meant that the mankind of this world was too corrupt. To what extent were they corrupt? They were corrupt to such an extent that God could not look at them anymore nor have any more patience with them. Therefore, God determined to destroy the world. When God determined to destroy the world, God chose Noah to perform a task, which was to build an ark. Why did God choose Noah? Noah was a just man in the eyes of God and, furthermore, he did everything as God commanded him. That is, he did whatever God told him, and God needed to find someone like this to fulfill His trust and to complete the work He needed to do on earth; that is, He had to find someone like this to cooperate with His work. Apart from Noah, then, was there another who could have completed this work? (No.) There certainly wasn’t. Noah was the only choice, so God chose him. In that age, however, was the scope of God’s salvation the same as it is today? Why do I ask this question? For in that age, only Noah was a just man, so did God want only Noah to survive after he built the ark? He didn’t, did He? God allowed Noah’s three sons, his daughters-in-law and his wife to remain together. That is to say, in that age, only Noah was a just man in the eyes of God; so what about his sons and daughters-in-law? What about his wife? They weren’t just, were they? And yet God still allowed them to survive for Noah’s sake. God didn’t get so serious as to say, “You people are not just, so I will destroy you all, and only Noah may remain.” Did God do this? He clearly didn’t, but instead He allowed the eight people of Noah’s family to remain, and He got Noah to take two of every kind of living thing so that they also could remain. Though this is a simple fact, the key point we need to mention is that within this fact lie God’s disposition, God’s will and God’s essence. That is, what kind of person did God want to call upon? They would have had to be someone who could obey God’s words and do as God commanded, someone with a sense of responsibility who could regard God’s words as their duty and as a trust that had to be fulfilled. So, did this person have to be someone who knew God? No. In that age, Noah hadn’t heard many of God’s teachings and, although it is here recorded that Noah walked with God, had he ever seen God’s person? We can say with certainty that he had not. For in that age, only God’s messengers came to man. They could represent God in their speech and their actions, but they were only passing on God’s will and His intention; they were not God’s person. We can see in these passages of scripture what it was Noah intended to do and God’s commands to him, so what essence is God expressing here? It is that everything God does is planned with precision. That is, when He sees something or some occurrence happening, there is a standard within His eyes against which it is measured. He’s not completely indifferent to everything that goes on, feeling nothing at all—He is exactly the opposite. When His eyes touch upon something or some occurrence, He begins to plan how to approach this thing or this occurrence, or how to approach this person. His plans are both very precise and very accurate. See here, there is a sentence of God’s words to Noah: “The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” When God speaks this time, does God say that He only intends to destroy man? (No.) For God says “all flesh,” meaning that He intends to destroy all living things. Why does He want to destroy them? Here, again, God’s disposition is revealed: In the eyes of God, there is a limit to His patience toward the corruption of mankind, and toward the filth, violence and rebelliousness of all fleshly men. What is His limit? It is as God says, “God looked on the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth.” In the eyes of God, what is meant by the words “for all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth”? It means all living things, including those who followed God, those who called on the name of God, those who once sacrificed burnt offerings to God and those who verbally acknowledged God and who even praised God—once their behavior had become filled with corruption and God’s eyes touched upon it, God then became intent on destroying them; this was God’s utmost limit. That is to say, to what extent would God be patient with mankind and patient with the corruption of all fleshly men? Whether they followed God or whether they were unbelievers, none of them walked the right path. It wasn’t just that they had corrupt morals, that they were filled with wickedness, they simply didn’t listen to the words of God, they had no fear of God and, even more seriously, not one of them believed in God’s existence and they believed even less that the world was dominated by God, and that it was God who could bring to them the light and the right path. Once mankind’s corruption had reached such an extent, God would be patient no longer. And what took the place of God’s patience? It was God’s anger and His punishment that was soon to befall. Is there any of God’s disposition shown here? Can this be considered as a revelation of a part of God’s disposition? Now in the modern age, are there any more just people in the eyes of God? Are there any more perfect people in His eyes? In God’s eyes, has all flesh corrupted their way on the earth in this age? And in this age, besides those whom God plans to make complete, besides those of mankind who are able to follow God and accept His salvation, isn’t all flesh already pushing the utmost limit of God’s patience? (Yes.) If you think about it, isn’t everything that happens around you, everything you see with your eyes, hear with your ears and experience personally, and every single thing that happens all around the world every day filled with violence? (Yes.) So in God’s eyes then, shouldn’t this kind of world and this kind of age be brought to an end? However, although what God does now is different from what He did back in the days of Noah, yet His frame of mind and His disposition are exactly the same as they were back then. Although God is capable of patience, which is because of His work, yet in accordance with all the various environments and conditions, in the eyes of God this world should be destroyed, and compared with when the world was destroyed with flood, the world today has gone beyond the pale. Isn’t that so? (Yes.) But what is different? This is the saddest thing for God’s heart and it is something perhaps none of you are able to realize.
When the world was destroyed with flood, God was able to call upon one man—Noah—to build the ark and to prepare some work prior to the world’s destruction. Now, however, there is no one whom God can call upon. Why is that? Each of you here today may perhaps know this, and are clear about it. Do I need to spell it out? Talking about this can be a bit hurtful to people’s feelings and can upset everyone. Some people say, “Though we may not be just people and we may not be perfect people in the eyes of God, yet if God commanded us to do something we could still do it competently. And why? Because when it was said before that the great disasters are coming, we then began preparing food supplies.” And someone says, “God will destroy the world and He will end His work, so we start preparing food, clothing and shelter for our future. Isn’t this cooperating well with God’s work? Can’t what we do now be compared with what Noah did? Isn’t this also cooperating with God’s work? Don’t our actions here show our true obedience? Aren’t we doing as God commands by doing this? Aren’t we also listening to what God says? Aren’t we also doing as God bids us because of our belief in His words? So how can God still feel hurt? How can He say He can’t find anyone to call upon?” Is there any difference here? (Yes.) What is the difference? (Preparing these food supplies now for the disasters is something we came up with ourselves.) (Nothing we do can be called just; Noah was a just man in the eyes of God.) You’re on the right track here. There is an essential difference between what Noah did and what modern people do. When Noah did what he did, he didn’t know anything about God’s will or what God wished to accomplish. God just commanded him and instructed him to do this task, so he went and did as he was commanded. He didn’t guess privately as to what God might mean, he just believed with a pure and simple heart, did whatever God asked of him and was obedient to God’s words. This was how simple and straightforward he was. His essence—the essence of his behavior—was obedient, without misgivings and without conjecture. Furthermore, when God said He would destroy the world with flood, Noah didn’t ask when it would happen or try to get to the bottom of it, and he didn’t ask how God meant to destroy the world. God said to build a boat, to build the ark, and He told Noah how to build it and what materials to use, and Noah built it as he was instructed. Noah went and followed God’s commands one after another, and he took action as soon as God had finished speaking. He did as God commanded with an attitude that wished to satisfy God. Did he do it so that he himself could escape the disaster? No. Did he ask God how long it would be until the world was destroyed? No. So did he ask God, or did he know how long it would take to build the ark? He didn’t know this either. He just went and did it once God had told him. Therefore, he simply obeyed, listened and acted accordingly. Yet people today are different. If God’s words reveal something or if there is the slightest sign of things astir, people spring into action, disregarding everything and paying any price without hesitation to store up food, drink and items for them to use in the days to come. They’ve even thought of where they will hide themselves when the disasters befall and have prepared a route for their escape. And what is it that is even more interesting? Human brains, when they reach key moments such as this, can be very “effective.” Under circumstances where God has given no instructions, people make proper arrangements for what will come, and one can use a word to describe their arrangements—“perfect.” As for what God says, what His will is and what God wants, no one cares and no one tries to understand these things. Isn’t that so?
Within the record of the story of Noah, do we not see a part of God’s disposition? God’s patience toward mankind’s corruption, filth and violence has a limit, and when this limit is reached, when His patience has expired, He then begins His management, begins His plans, begins to do what He must do and reveals His deeds. His actions are not done to reveal His unoffendableness, or that He permits no offense against Him, or that He is filled with authority or that He is capable of destroying mankind. This is not what He wants to reveal. Instead, it is that His disposition and His holy essence can no longer tolerate or show any more patience toward this mankind living before Him and living under His dominion. Therefore, when He reaches the end of His forbearance and reaches His limit, He is no longer patient with this mankind, but instead will put His plan into action to destroy them. If you think about it, in the current age, isn’t God impatient to finish His plans and save those of mankind He wishes to save? What concerns God the most? It’s not how those who simply don’t follow Him or who antagonize Him treat Him, how they are His enemies, how they believe in Him or how they vilify Him; He doesn’t care about these things. He only waits for what? He only waits to see whether or not those who follow Him and those who are the targets of His salvation within His management plan have been made complete and have gained His satisfaction; this is His disposition. On the one hand, God shows great patience to those of mankind He wishes to make complete; on the other hand, He utterly loathes and detests those of Satan’s ilk who are hostile to Him and who do not follow Him. Though He doesn’t care whether or not they follow Him or whether or not they can worship Him, while He has patience for them in His heart, He still loathes them, those of Satan’s ilk. You understand this, don’t you? (Yes.)
From Records of Christ’s Talks
Source from The Church of Almighty God
Recommendation:
Eastern Lightning, the Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.
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