There is a great difference between the work done in Israel and the work of today. Jehovah guided the Israelites’ lives, and there was not so much chastisement and judgment, because at the time, people understood too little of the world and had few corrupt dispositions. Back then, the Israelites obeyed Jehovah implicitly. When He told them to build altars, they quickly built altars; when He told them to wear the robes of priests, they obeyed. In those days, Jehovah was like a shepherd tending a flock of sheep, with the sheep following the shepherd’s guidance and eating grass in the pasture; Jehovah guided their lives, leading them in how they ate, dressed, dwelled, and traveled. That was not the time of making plain God’s disposition, for the mankind of that time was newborn; there were few who were rebellious and antagonistic, there was not much filth among mankind, and so people could not act as a foil to God’s disposition. It is through people who come from the land of filth that God’s holiness is shown; today, He uses the filth displayed in these people of the land of filth, and He judges, and thus is what He is revealed amidst judgment. Why does He judge? He is able to speak the words of judgment because He despises sin; how could He be so angry if He did not abhor the rebelliousness of mankind? If there were no disgust within Him, no revulsion, if He paid no heed to people’s rebelliousness, then that would prove Him as filthy as man. That He can judge and chastise man is because He abhors filth, and what He abhors is absent in Him. If there were also opposition and rebelliousness in Him, He would not despise those who are antagonistic and rebellious. If the work of the last days were being carried out in Israel, there would be no meaning in it. Why is the work of the last days being done in China, the darkest and most backward place of all? It is in order to display His holiness and righteousness. In short, the darker the place, the more clearly the holiness of God can be shown. In fact, all of this is for the sake of God’s work. Only today do you realize that God has descended from heaven to stand among you, shown forth by your filth and rebelliousness, and only now do you know God. Is this not the greatest exaltation? In fact, you are a group of people in China who were chosen. And because you were chosen and have enjoyed God’s grace, and because you are not fit to enjoy such great grace, this proves that all of this is the supreme exaltation of you. God has appeared to you, and shown you His holy disposition in its entirety, and He has given all of that unto you, and caused you to enjoy all of the blessings that you could possibly enjoy. Not only have you tasted the righteous disposition of God, but, moreover, you have tasted the salvation of God, the redemption of God and the limitless, infinite love of God. You, the filthiest of all, have enjoyed such great grace—are you not blessed? Is this not God lifting you up? You people have the lowest statuses of all; you are inherently unworthy of enjoying such a great blessing, yet God has made an exception by uplifting you. Do you not feel ashamed? If you are incapable of performing your duty, then you will ultimately be ashamed of yourself, and you will punish yourself. Today, you are not disciplined, nor are you punished; your flesh is safe and sound—but ultimately, these words will bring you to shame. To date, I have yet to openly chastise anyone; My words may be severe, but how do I act toward people? I comfort them, and exhort them, and remind them. I do this for no other reason than to save you. Do you really not understand My will? You should understand what I say, and be inspired by it. Only now are there many people who understand. Is this not the blessing of being a foil? Is being a foil not the most blessed thing? Ultimately, when you go to spread the gospel, you will say this: “We are typical foils.” They will ask you, “What does it mean that you are a typical foil?” And you will say: “We are a foil to God’s work, and to His great power. The entirety of God’s righteous disposition is brought to light by our rebelliousness; we are the serving objects of God’s work of the last days, we are His work’s appendages, and also its tools.” When they hear that, they will be intrigued. Next, you will say: “We are the specimens and the models for God’s completion of the work of the entire universe, and for His conquest of all mankind. Whether we are holy or filthy, in sum, we are still more blessed than you, for we have seen God, and through the chance of His conquering of us, God’s great power is shown; it is only because we are filthy and corrupt that His righteous disposition has been set off. Are you capable of testifying thus to God’s work of the last days? You are not qualified! This is nothing but God’s exaltation of us! Though we may not be arrogant, we can proudly praise God, for no one can inherit such a great promise, and no one can enjoy such a great blessing. We feel so grateful that we, who are so filthy, can work as foils during God’s management.” And when they ask, “What are specimens and models?” you say, “We are the most rebellious and filthiest of humankind; we have been most profoundly corrupted by Satan, and we are the most backward and lowly of the flesh. We are classic examples of those who have been used by Satan. Today, we have been chosen by God as the first among mankind to be conquered, and we have beheld the righteous disposition of God and inherited His promise; we are being used to conquer more people, thus we are the specimens and models of those who are conquered among mankind.” There is no better testimony than these words, and this is your best experience.

—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. How the Effects of the Second Step of the Work of Conquest Are Achieved