First coming of Jesus Christ
The Ark of God and Israel's Successes
Ministry of Christ
In one of the visions, I was transported to the time when, at the hour determined by God, Christ took on human nature, humbled Himself and became the same as we are, mortal and subject to the temptations of Satan.
His birth was, by human standards, neither particularly significant nor majestic. He was born in a stable, and His first cradle was a manger. However, His birth received much greater honor than the birth of any other person who ever lived on earth. Heavenly angels solemnly announced to the shepherds about the coming of the Savior Jesus, who came to our sin-stricken land to complete the redemption of humanity and by His death to bring people peace, happiness and eternal life. This message was accompanied by the shining light of God's glory. The heavenly army, touching the strings of their harps, glorified the Creator. God Himself glorified the coming of His Son, and the angels worshiped Him.
Baptism of Jesus
Angels of God hovered over the place where Jesus was baptized, and the Holy Spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove and shone upon Him. When people looked at Him in great amazement, without taking their eyes off, the voice of the Father was heard from heaven, proclaiming: “You are My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
John was not completely sure that the One who came to him to be baptized in the Jordan was none other than the Savior Himself. However, God promised to give him a sign by which he would recognize the Lamb of God. This sign was sent to him when a heavenly dove descended on Jesus and the glory of the Most High shone around Him. Then John, stretching out his hand, pointed to Jesus and said loudly and with feeling: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
John's Ministry
John told his disciples that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Savior of the world. As his ministry drew to a close, he declared to his disciples that Christ was the great Teacher and called upon them to follow Him. John's life was full of sorrows and self-denial. He announced the First Coming of the Messiah, but he did not have the opportunity to witness miracles and admire the manifestations of the Divine power of Christ. John knew that as soon as Jesus became a Teacher, having gathered disciples around Him, he, John, must die. Except in the desert, his voice could be heard in few places. He led a very solitary life, did not cling to his parents' home and did not seek to enjoy the company of his relatives. John left everyone to fulfill the assignment given to him by God. Crowds of people, leaving the busy cities, gathered in the desert to listen to the preaching of this wonderful prophet. John placed the ax at the roots of the tree. He denounced sin without fear of possible consequences, preparing the way for the Lamb of God.
Hearing Herod's convincing denunciations of John had a strong impact on him, and he asked with genuine interest what he should do to become his follower. John knew that Herod was going to marry his brother's wife during his lifetime, and the prophet openly pointed out this injustice to him. However, Herod did not want to sacrifice anything. He nevertheless married his brother’s wife and, succumbing to her influence, arrested John and imprisoned him, intending, however, to free him. While in prison, John learned from his disciples about the mighty miracles and glorious deeds of Jesus. He himself could not hear His words full of mercy, but his disciples conveyed them to him and consoled him, retelling what they heard. Soon, under the influence of Herod's wife, John was beheaded. I saw that the humblest disciples who followed Jesus, witnessed His miracles, and heard the comforting words from His lips, were more honored than John the Baptist, and saw more joy in life than he did.
John came in the spirit and power of Elijah to proclaim the news of the First Coming of Jesus Christ. I was shown the last time before the Second Coming of Christ, and I saw that many, like John the Baptist, would go in the spirit and power of Elijah to proclaim the approach of the day of God's wrath and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Temptation
After his baptism in the Jordan, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert and there he was tempted by the devil. The Holy Spirit prepared Him for this special period of Satan's most severe temptations. For forty days He was tempted by the devil. During this time He did not eat anything. The surrounding landscape was a depressingly unattractive sight. Jesus spent forty days in this uninhabited area among wild animals, alone with the devil. Long fasting and suffering exhausted Him; He was pale and exhausted. But, despite this, Christ clearly saw the purpose of His ministry and realized that He was obliged to accomplish the work for which He came to earth.
The devil, taking advantage of the suffering of the Son of God, began to surround Him with all kinds of temptations, hoping to gain victory over Him, since Christ, having humbled Himself, became like an earthly man. He approached Him and suggested: “If You are the Son of God, then command this stone to become bread.” He tempted Jesus to display His Divine power to prove that He was the Messiah. Jesus answered meekly: “It is written that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:3, 4).
Satan persistently asked Jesus whether He really was the Son of God. And then, pointing out how weak He had become, he boastfully declared that he was stronger than Jesus. However, the words spoken from heaven: “You are My Beloved Son; I am well pleased with You!” (Luke 3:22) was enough to sustain Jesus through all His sufferings. I saw that Christ did not have to do anything to convince Satan of His power or that He truly was the Savior of the world. Satan had ample evidence of the high position and power of the Son of God, but his stubborn refusal to submit to the authority of Christ in due time deprived him of access to heaven.
To prove his power, Satan transported Jesus to Jerusalem and, placing Him on the wing of the temple, tempted Him, again demanding evidence that He was the Son of God; For this purpose, the devil invited Him to throw himself down from this dizzying height. Now Satan turned to Him with words from the Holy Scriptures: “For it is written: “He will command His angels concerning You, to keep You; and they will bear You up in their hands, lest You dash Your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered and said to him, “It is written, ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’” (Luke 4:10-12). The devil longed for Jesus to abuse His Father's mercy and put His life at risk before He began His ministry on earth. He hoped to disrupt the path of redemption in this way, but the plan of salvation was too deep and comprehensive for Satan to upset or even distort in any way.
Christ is an example for all Christians. When they are tempted or lose their rights, they must endure everything patiently. One should not demand from the Lord the manifestation of His power, thanks to which they can gain victory over their enemies, if this does not directly serve the glorification and exaltation of God. If Jesus had thrown himself from the wing of the temple, it would not have glorified His Father, for no one would have seen it except Satan and the angels of God. It was a temptation for Christ to display divine power before His greatest enemy, but such an act would have brought Christ down to the level of the one He came to conquer.
“And taking Him up to a high mountain, the devil showed Him all the kingdoms of the universe in a moment of time, and the devil said to Him: I will give you power over all these kingdoms and their glory, for it has been given to me, and I give it to whomever I want; So, if You worship me, then everything will be Yours. Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan; It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only”” (Luke 4:5-8).
Satan showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world in its most attractive form and promised that if Jesus would worship him, he would renounce his claim to own the earth. The enemy of the human race knew that if the plan of salvation was carried out and Jesus died for the redemption of people, then his power over the earth would be limited and, in the end, completely taken away, and he himself would be destroyed. Therefore, the devil developed a plan to hinder the great work that the Son of God began. Satan believed that if the plan of man's redemption failed, he would retain in his power the kingdom to which he claimed, and then, Satan flattered himself, he would rule the world in defiance of the God of Heaven.
Defeat of the Tempter
Satan triumphed when Jesus left heaven, leaving behind His power and glory. He thought that the Son of God was now in his power. After all, he so easily managed to tempt the holy couple in Eden, and with his satanic power, cunning and cunning, he now hoped to overthrow even the Son of God and thereby save his life and kingdom. If only he could get Jesus to deviate from the will of His Father, his goal would be achieved. However, in response, the devil heard accusatory words: “Get behind Me, Satan,” for Christ worshiped only His Father.
Satan claimed that all the kingdoms of the earth belonged to him. He tried to quietly convince Jesus that suffering could be avoided, that He should not die to gain the kingdoms of this world, and if He would only worship him, He would receive everything that is on earth and the glory of being the ruler of all the earth. However, Jesus was adamant. He knew that the time would come when, at the cost of His life, the sinful world would be redeemed from the power of the devil, and some time later all heaven and earth would submit to Him. He chose for Himself a life full of suffering and a terrible death as the only path offered to Him by the Father in order to become the rightful heir to the earthly kingdoms and possess them forever. Satan will also be delivered into His hands for eternal death and will never again disturb Jesus or the saints in glory.
The Ark of God and Israel's Successes
Ministry of Christ
The Second Coming and False Prophets
Previously and in our time, all kinds of false prophets often appeared who prophesied about the end of the world and even named the exact date of this event. can be trusted who will report the date or exact time
In addition, for any of us, every day of our life could be the last, and we will have to answer to the Unflattering Judge.
Ignatius Brianchaninov about our own demise
This is what St. Ignatius Brianchaninov says about the end of this world, and about our own end:
“The day and hour are unknown when the Son of God will end the life of the world by coming to judgment; the day and hour are unknown when, at the command of the Son of God, the earthly life of each of us will end, and we will be called to separation from the body, to give an account of earthly life, to that private judgment, before the general judgment, that awaits a person after his death.
Beloved brothers! Let us stay awake and prepare for the terrible judgment that awaits us on the brink of eternity for the irrevocable decision of our fate forever.
Let us prepare ourselves by stocking up on all the virtues, especially mercy, which contains and crowns all the virtues, since love, the motivating cause of mercy, is the “totality” of Christian Col. 3:14).
Mercy makes people filled with it godlike (Matt. 5:44,48; Luke 6:32,36)!
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy; judgment without mercy to him who showed no mercy” (Matthew 5:7; James 2:13).
About God's mercy towards sinners
But the Lord is not only a Terrible Judge, He is also a Merciful Father, and of course He, out of mercy, will use opportunities not to condemn, but to justify a person.
Saint Theophan the Recluse writes about this:
“The Lord wants everyone to be saved, therefore, you too... The Lord at the Last Judgment will not only demand how to condemn, but how to justify everyone. And he will justify everyone, as long as there is even the slightest opportunity.”
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Christ will judge the world
The Lord Jesus Christ will judge the world.
“For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22).
Why? Because the Son of God is also the Son of Man. He lived here on earth, among people, experienced sorrow, suffering, temptation and death itself. He knows all the sorrows and infirmities of man.
The last judgment will be terrible, because all human deeds and sins will be revealed to everyone, and also because after this judgment nothing can be changed, and everyone will receive what they deserve according to their deeds.
How a person lived on earth, how he prepared to meet God, and what state he achieved, then he will go with him to eternity. And the worthy, the righteous will go into eternal life with God, and sinners into eternal torment prepared for the devil and his servants. After this, the eternal Kingdom of Christ will come, the Kingdom of goodness, truth and love.
