Basing our discussion on biblical prophecies, we just talked about how the Lord will return in another way, that of coming in secret. So how should we seek the appearance of God? The Lord Jesus said: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). And in Revelation, it is prophesied many times that “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2, 3). We can see from the Lord’s words and the prophecies in Revelation that, in order to seek the Lord’s appearance, we cannot just wait passively for the Lord to descend on a cloud. Instead, we must learn to listen to God’s voice and seek out for what the Holy Spirit says to the churches. Let’s take a look at what the words of God say: “Where does God appear? Where are God’s footprints? Have you got the answer? Many people would reply in this way: ‘God appears among all those who follow Him and His footprints are in our midst; it’s that simple!’ Anyone can provide a formulaic answer, but do you understand what is meant by the appearance of God or His footprints? The appearance of God refers to His arrival on earth to do His work in person. With His own identity and disposition, and in the way that is innate to Him, He descends among mankind to conduct the work of initiating an age and ending an age. This kind of appearance is not a form of ceremony. It is not a sign, a picture, a miracle, or some kind of a grand vision, and even less is it a kind of religious process. It is a real and actual fact that can be touched and beheld by anyone. This kind of appearance is not for the sake of going through the motions, or for any short-term undertaking; it is, rather, for a stage of work in His management plan.
“For this reason, since we are searching for the footprints of God, it behooves us to search for God’s will, for the words of God, for His utterances—because wherever there are new words spoken by God, the voice of God is there, and wherever there are the footsteps of God, God’s deeds are there. Wherever there is the expression of God, there God appears, and wherever God appears, there the truth, the way, and the life exist. In seeking God’s footprints, you have ignored the words ‘God is the truth, the way, and the life.’ And so, many people, even when they receive the truth, do not believe that they have found God’s footprints, and still less do they acknowledge the appearance of God. What a grave mistake! The appearance of God cannot be reconciled with man’s notions, still less can God appear at the behest of man. God makes His own choices and His own plans when He does His work; moreover, He has His own objectives and His own methods. Whatever work He does, He has no need to discuss it with man or seek his advice, much less to notify each and every person of His work. This is the disposition of God, which should, moreover, be recognized by everyone.”
God’s words allow us to understand that if we want to witness the appearance of God and find God’s footsteps, then what is most important is that we seek out God’s utterances. We used to believe that witnessing the appearance of God meant seeing the Lord’s spiritual body riding on a white cloud and appearing suddenly before us. In fact, God appearing to man is not a sign of anything, and it is not a momentary appearance. Instead, God Himself descends among man to perform the work of saving mankind, to bring the old age to a close, to bestow the truth upon man and to lead man into the new age. If we find God’s new utterances, therefore, we will then hear His voice and witness His appearance. When the Lord Jesus appeared and worked, He ended the work of the Age of Law, began the new age, expressed the way of repentance, taught people to confess and repent, to be tolerant and patient, and to love their enemies, and more. He also revealed the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom and the conditions for entry into heaven, and so on. He said such things as, “Repent you: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17) and “Not every one that said to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). These words relate to how we get into the kingdom of heaven, and they sound incredibly profound, as well as both authoritative and powerful. No human being could have said such words, but rather they are the expressions of the incarnate God on earth. Those who heard the Lord Jesus’ sermons, who were able to recognize them as the voice of God and accept the Lord Jesus’ work were the ones who witnessed the appearance of God and followed His footsteps. Those, on the other hand, who stubbornly clung to the laws and merely awaited the coming of the Messiah, still refused to acknowledge that He was the appearance of God despite having heard the Lord Jesus’ words and seen that the miracles He performed could not have been done by man. But instead they judged and condemned the Lord Jesus, saying that He spoke blasphemy and that He cast out devils by the power of Beelzebub. These people were unable to recognize God’s voice and were the foolish virgins, and they were those whom God exposed and eliminated. In order to greet the Lord’s appearance, therefore, it is crucial for us to take care to listen to God’s voice. The Lord Jesus prophesied long ago that He would express more truths when He returned, for example: “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come” (John 16:12–13). “He that rejects Me, and receives not My words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). In John 17:17, He said, “Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth.” And 1 Peter 4:17 says, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.” These verses show us that when the Lord returns, He will express more and higher truths than those were expressed in the Age of Grace, according to our stature. That is, He will express “what the Spirit says to the churches” and He will perform the work of judgment beginning in God’s house. He will use the truths He expresses to cleanse us of our corruptions, to free us from the bonds of sin, and to purify us so that we may enter into God’s kingdom. To greet the appearance of the Lord, therefore, our urgent task is to seek out what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.
To learn more, click to read ：
How Will Jesus Return in the Last Days: 2 Ways
Second Coming of Jesus: Do You Know How to Welcome the Lord?
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