The Lord's Sermons
- Sermon 53 -
Twenty-Seventh Sunday After Trinity. The Latter Days
St. Matthew XXIV, 15-28: "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: But for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together."
(May 4, 1872)
This is the last Gospel I shall explain to you. It deals with the latter days of Judaism, also the final conditions among mankind and even the last events at the end of the visible world which, transformed and rising to higher levels, will commence a new cycle.
I once predicted to My disciples the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, the first act of the end of the Jews as a people. They had then lost their importance as a people and were no longer worthy of living together in a country of their own on this earth, after having endeavoured to destroy the greatest kingdom that has ever existed, My everlasting Spiritual Kingdom. They had been chosen from the very beginning through their religion and their prophets to become that nation into the midst of which I could descend to the earth, but afterwards they proved themselves quite unsuited to embrace and spread My teaching.
The light of truth was conveyed only to My disciples and a few elect of that nation. The others rejected it and preferred the darkness and sticking to the dead letter, a trait they have not got rid of to this day, altough they are compelled to live dispersed among all the other nations.
History tells you clearly how everything I predicted really came true soon after My ascension to My Kingdom. Thus ended with the temple, which spiritually had already been destroyed long ago, the history of a people I had chosen from among many to be the carrier and promoter of My eternal truth.
I had also predicted to My disciples how, in the course of time, My religion, My teaching, would keep growing stronger in its fight with Judaism, in its progress benefitting its followers more and more, whilst Judaism with its cult, instead of progressing, has remained stagnant and its followers are still today waiting for the Messiah with the same worldly ideas as they did almost two thousand years ago. Already then I had endeavoured to englighten them with regard to their wrong concepts, but their obstinacy was My greatest opposition.
Everything in My creation keeps progressing. Everything changes and in this change perfects itself. Only the Jews did not want any innovation or change, and so they can blame only themselves for their lot - being despised by all nations -since they serve only that which is the most inferior thing on earth, mammon. Thus he who strives after material instead of spiritual values punishes himself, for My Kingdom, even though it appears to be material in its visible form, is only spirit and not matter.
What happened to the Jews at the time Jerusalem was destroyed will happen again at the end of today's mankind. There will again be the horrors of war and destruction, only in a different form. And just as in those times the few that believed in Me had a better lot or, if it was hard, were better able to bear it thanks to their firm faith in Me, thus it will be in the time preceding My Second Coming. Then, too, faith and trust will have disappeared on earth because mankind, or at least the majority of men, will be favouring the world and its pleasures, as can already be noticed everywhere.
Therefore, the purification of the spiritual sphere of the soul must be undertaken in accordance with what I said of the figtree in the Gospel. When it starts to come into leaf and develop sap, it is the time preceding the summer, the time prior to development and fructification, which spiritually compares with the time of testing and separation, when man has to account for the spiritual values entrusted to him.
Natural events, accidents and illnesses preceding this time are the last efforts to save whatever can be saved, that not all may suffocate in the mire of selfishness. The arrogant human heart can only be made pliable through misfortune and blows of fate.
Like reality, truth must present itself in a naked form, unembelished by illusions. Only thus can it have a healing effect. And when the material world presents itself undisguised in its transient and deceptive nature, when it rejects a man mockingly, scornfully turning its back on him who wanted to caress it, only then - usually too late - can the spiritual begin to effect its influence; only then are better thoughts and purer emotions awakened. Thus I, as a loving Father, have to guide man towards recognition of the true value of things so that he may find Him Who is permanent peace.
It is obvious that these ever-increasing efforts are being opposed with all available means, that believers have to put up with ridicule, revenge and persecution, that false as well as true prophets will endeavour to teach the people and that, in the end, most will be totally confused. As it was before the deluge, My admonitions will be futile with many, and only few will mend their ways. However, when events precipitate, most people will be saved spiritually, and then they will thank Me that I have saved them through such severe measures from the general destruction.
When all these unfortunate happenings will befall mankind, as once happened to the Jews with the destruction of their temple and Jerusalem, - whose fault will it be? Am I a God of revenge, Who wants the blood and misery of so many thousands? Or are not they responsible who want to bend everything to their own will and would like - if at all possible -to upset even the great laws of the material as well as the spiritual world?
I have it written down here for all the world to know! As I once predicted the downfall of the Jewish people, which also came to pass, you have here in 53 sermons plenty of admonitions and predictions wherein I have made it quite clear to you what is going to happen, and how and when it will take place, in order to guide My erring children onto the right path. Already at that time I told My disciples: "The Gospel of the Kingdom of God will be preached in all the world!" - and it is this work which I now give you as a token of My love and grace.
The time of abomination and desolation is to be understood in a spiritual rather than a material sense, for what is said in the Gospel as, for instance: "Let him which is on the housetop not come down!" and so on, means: Let go all that is worldly and stick to that which is imperishable, spiritual! There you find the anchor that can securely hold the vessel of your life in the storms of material misfortune and spiritual distress! Without this anchor you will find no rest, no peace!
Therefore, gather around Me and hold fast to Me and My teaching! For, as is written: "Heaven and earth shall pass away." Yes, heaven and earth will pass away; they will dissolve into orther elements from which other forms and other worlds will arise. The whole of creation will go through the same process as the Jewish people, which with its traditions and its religion was the basis for My teaching.
I have put My Spirit into everything in creation, even the smallest atom, to enable matter to develop into something greater and higher. Thus the Jewish people was the best suited element within which I could descend to the earth and - as in the entire visible creation - complete My great spiritual task. However, just as the Jewish people, after its mission, ceased to be a nation and as mankind, after its purification, will cease to be a carrier of all the selfish desires, because there has to be made way for something better, the whole of creation, which so far is still the basis of My love for all created beings, also will one day have to cease being the manifestation of My divine thoughts.
When the created beings will have matured to a stage of spiritualization where even the finest matter must appear gross, then this world, so rich in wonders and beauty, will be too gross a carrier for the pure spiritual and must be dissolved. The entire creation must be adapted to those dwelling in it. At that time the Son of man will appear in glory - as I once stated - because also the created beings will have attained a spiritual condition that will make it possible for them to bear this brilliance and glory. Then the highest spirits and angels will be gathering the elect from the four winds and from one end of the universe to the other.
This will happen repeatedly, each time on a higher level involving greater beatitudes. I can reveal Myself to My spirits only to a point comprehensible to them. However, since I am infinite, conceptions of Me are infinite, too, and My Kingdom would not be infinite if a constant enhancement of the spiritual potencies were not possible.
All this I predicted to My disciples using parables, not only that they might know it, but to provide proof that My words are not transient and will remain true forever. Do not think that I came into the world for you alone and suffered only for the sake of the small earth and its inhabitants. My deeds are deeds of infinity! Also the Bible, which partly contains My words spoken during My years on earth, is not just for you, but belongs to all creation.
Even if millions of worlds do not yet know of My existence, the time will come when these words of God will reach them and be comprehended according to their spiritual level. Then those who are fully reborn in the spirit will shed the hard shell of the letter and literal interpretation, and the pure and profound meaning of God's words, the words of a loving Father, will speak to all creation, clearly comprehensible: "All of you love, oh love one another!" For I created the world out of love, and out of love I performed the greatest act of meekness on your earth; out of love I am purifying mankind through distress and suffering, so that My words, which I once spoke and have now explained in this Gospel, shall remain true everlastingly. They have no other purpose than to make My children into that which many have been only in name.
As after a thunderstorm, so it will be after the abomination of desolation, and the sun of grace shall shine again for all in its full brilliance. As the spiritual atmosphere will have been cleansed from all the poisons, everything will be ready for a new, active life, just like the refreshed earth after a thunderstorm. Amen.