When lightning issues forth from the East—which is also precisely the moment that I begin to speak—at the moment the lightning comes forth, the whole empyrean is illuminated, and all the stars begin to transform. It seems as though the entire human race is subjected to a proper cleaning and sorting out. Under the glow of this shaft of light from the East, all of mankind are revealed in their original form, eyes dazzled, stymied in confusion; still less are they able to conceal their ugly features. Again, they are like unto animals fleeing from My light for refuge in mountain caves; yet, not one among them can be effaced from within My light. All human beings lie in the grip of terror and alarm, all are waiting, all are watching; with the advent of My light, all rejoice at the day they were born, and likewise all are cursing the day they were born. Conflicting emotions are impossible to articulate; tears of self-castigation form rivers, and are borne away on the sweeping torrent, gone without trace in a twinkling. Once again, My day is pressing close upon the human race, once again arousing the human race, giving humanity a point from which to make a new beginning. My heart beats and, following the rhythms of My heartbeat, the mountains leap for joy, the waters dance with joy, and the waves, keeping time, beat upon the rocky reefs. It is difficult to express what is in My heart. I want all unclean things to burn up into ashes under My gaze, I want all the sons of disobedience to disappear from before My eyes, never more to linger on in existence. Not only have I made a new beginning in the dwelling place of the great red dragon, I have also embarked on new work in the universe. Soon the kingdoms of the earth will become My kingdom; soon the kingdoms of the earth will forever cease to exist because of My kingdom, because I have already achieved victory, because I have returned triumphant. The great red dragon has exhausted every conceivable means to disrupt My plan, hoping to erase My work on the earth, but can I grow disheartened on account of its deceitful stratagems? Can I be frightened into losing confidence by its threats? There has never been a single being in either heaven or earth that I do not hold in the palm of My hand; how much the more is this true of the great red dragon, this device that serves as a foil to Me? Is it not also an object to be manipulated with My hands?

At the time of My incarnation in the human world, mankind arrived unwittingly at this day with the help of My guiding hand, came unwittingly to know Me. But, as for how to walk the path that lies ahead, no one has any inkling, no one is aware, and still less does anyone have a clue as to the direction in which that path will take him. Only with the Almighty watching over him will anyone be able to walk the path to the end; only guided by the lightning in the East will anyone be able to cross over the threshold leading to My kingdom. Among men, there has never been one who has seen My face, one who has seen the lightning in the East; how much the less, one who has heard the voice emanating from My throne? In fact, since the days of old, not one human being has directly come into contact with My person; only today, when I have come into the world, do men have a chance to see Me. But even now, men still do not know Me, just as they look only upon My face and hear only My voice, but without understanding what I mean. All human beings are like this. Being one of My people, do you not feel deep pride when you see My face? And do you not feel abject shame because you do not know Me? I walk among men, and I live among men, for I have become flesh and I have come into the human world. My aim is not merely to enable humanity to look upon My flesh; more importantly, it is to enable humanity to know Me. What is more, I will, through My incarnate flesh, convict humanity of his sins; I will, through My incarnate flesh, vanquish the great red dragon and stamp out its lair.

—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. God’s Words to the Entire Universe, Chapter 12