When the Son of Man Comes, Will He Find Faith on Earth?

Editorial and Richard Urban Show: Do You Know the Facts about COVID and the COVID Vaccines?

Book Review-American Worldview Inventory 2020-21 by George Barna

Daniel 4

15 But leave its stump and roots
    in the ground,
surrounded by grass
and held by chains
    of iron and bronze.

‘Make sure that this ruler
    lives like the animals
out in the open fields,
    unprotected from the dew.
16 Give him the mind
of a wild animal
    for seven long years [or ‘times’]
17 This punishment is given
at the command
    of the holy angels [or ‘watcher’]
It will show to all who live
that God Most High
    controls all kingdoms
and chooses for their rulers
    persons of humble birth.’

Zechariah 9

14 Like a cloud, the Lord God
    will appear over his people,
and his arrows will flash
    like lightning.
God will sound his trumpet
and attack in a whirlwind
    from the south.
15 The Lord All-Powerful
    will protect his people,
and they will trample down
the sharpshooters
    and their slingshots.
They will drink and get rowdy;
they will be as full as a bowl
    at the time of sacrifice.

16 The Lord God will save them
on that day,
    because they are his people,
and they will shine on his land
    like jewels in a crown.
17 How lovely they will be.
Young people will grow there
    like grain in a field
    or grapes in a vineyard.

Eschatology and Messianic Hope

Tribulation

Most religions anticipate a time beyond the present, when human history will be consummated by a decisive act of God. Evil will be destroyed and goodness will triumph. Millenarian teachings are most characteristic of Jewish, Christian and Islamic scriptures. Christianity began as a millenarian movement in Israel. Yet Hinduism, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism also contain teachings that the world is going through a cosmic cycle in which the decay of morals and religion presages a new Golden age when life will be renewed and purified.
Millenarian beliefs can be a leavening influence on society, encouraging oppressed people with the hope that the evil system has finally reached its last hour and calling them to renewed faith or even to revolutionary action. From the bar Kochba rebellion of Jews against roman tyranny, to the t’ai p’ing rebellion in china and the African independent churches’ agitation for independence against European colonial rule, these movements have fostered political and economic self-determination. Today, Father Moon’s teachings express that same sense of urgency and possibility, proclaiming that humanity is now living in the Last Days and that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
However, these beliefs can also have a negative aspect if they lead people to become self-righteous and judgmental. Father Moon warns that all the judgments and tribulations of the Last Days will strike the people on God’s side earlier and more severely than non-believers, based on the principle that in the course of restoration it is for God’s people to be struck first.
Typically, teachings about the Last Days or the end of the world anticipate a course of events in three phases: First, a time of tribulation when evil and confusion will prevail; second, a Last Judgment when God intervenes decisively to destroy all evil; and third, a new age of unparalleled bliss, often called the Kingdom of heaven.
During the tribulation phase, wars, famines, plagues, natural disasters and widespread confusion will afflict humanity. Morals will decline as people become engrossed in hedonism and materialism. Religions will decline, as the teachings of their founders will be forgotten or misused for mean ends. Father Moon affirms that humanity faces such tribulations, and traces its root to the Human Fall. The Last Days is a time when the fruits of the Fall are to be harvested, he teaches.
In some scriptures, the last tribulation will be the appearance of the beast, the antichrist or the Daija, who will deny the reality of God and deceive millions with a counterfeit truth. identifying the antichrist has been the subject of much speculation, most of it fruitless, often fixing on the church’s favorite opponent. Father Moon sees the activity of Satan behind the dark forces in history and identifies several of the Devil’s stratagems to attack the people of God, including the rise of materialism and atheistic communism. Nevertheless, he reminds us that the first people to oppose Jesus were his own disciples; hence we should examine ourselves to see if we are not the antichrist, rather than blame others.

1. Degeneration of Faith and Morals in the Last Days

In the evil age to come, living beings will decrease in good qualities and increase in utter arrogance, coveting gain and honors, developing their evil qualities, and being far removed from deliverance.
    Lotus Sutra 13 (Buddhism)

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it.
    2 Timothy 3.1-5

The Hour will not be established until (religious) knowledge will be taken away, earthquakes will be very frequent, time will pass quickly, afflictions will appear, murders will increase and money will overflow amongst you.
    Hadith of Bukhari 2.17.146 (Islam)

The time is near in which nothing will remain of Islam but its name, and of the Qur’an but its mere appearance, and the mosques of Muslims will be destitute of knowledge and worship; and the learned men will be the worst people under the heavens; and contention and strife will issue from them, and it will return upon themselves.
    Hadith (Islam)

Rabbi Mikhal of Zlotchov told, “Once when we were on a journey with our teacher, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, the Light of the Seven Days, he went into the woods to say the Afternoon Prayer. Suddenly we saw him strike his head against a tree and cry aloud. Later we asked him about it. He said, ‘While I plunged into the holy spirit I saw that in the generations which precede the coming of the Messiah, the rabbis of the Hasidim will multiply like locusts, and it will be they who delay redemption, for they will bring about the separation of hearts and groundless hatred.’”
    Hassidic Tale (Judaism)

Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?
    Luke 18.8

With the footprints [heralding] the Messiah, presumption shall increase and dearth reach its height; the vine shall yield its fruit but the wine shall be costly; and the empire shall fall into heresy and there shall be none to utter reproof. The academies shall be given to fornication, and… the wisdom of the scribes shall become insipid, and they that shun sin shall be deemed contemptible, and truth shall nowhere be found. Children shall shame the elders, and the elders shall rise up before the children. The face of this generation shall be [brazen] as the face of a dog, and a son will not be put to shame by his father. On whom can we stay ourselves? On our Father in heaven.
    Mishnah, Sota 9.15 (Judaism)

Then property alone will confer rank; wealth will be the only source of devotion; passion will be the sole bond of union between the sexes; falsehood will be the only means of success in litigation; and women will be objects merely of sensual gratification. Earth will be venerated but for its mineral treasures; the Brahmanical thread will constitute a brahmin; external types will be the only distinction of the several orders of life; dishonesty will be the universal means of subsistence; weakness will be the cause of dependence; menace and presumption will be substitutes for learning… Thus in the Kali age shall decay constantly proceed, until the human race approaches its annihilation.
    Vishnu Purana 4.24 (Hinduism)

There will come a time [the Age of the Degeneration of the Law] when… immoral courses of action will flourish excessively; there will be no word for moral among humans—far less any moral agent. Among such humans, homage and praise will be given to them who lack filial and religious piety, and show no respect to the head of the clan; just as today homage and praise are given to the filial-minded, to the pious and to them who respect the heads of their clans.
    Among such humans, there will be no such thoughts of reverence as are a bar to intermarriage with mother, or mother’s sister, or teacher’s wife, or father’s sister-in-law. The world will fall into promiscuity, like goats and sheep, fowls and swine, dogs and jackals.
    Among such humans, keen mutual enmity will become the rule, keen ill will, keen animosity, passionate thoughts even of killing, in a mother towards her child, in a child towards its mother, in a father towards his child and a child towards its father, in brother to brother, in brother to sister, in sister to brother. Just as a sportsman feels towards game that he sees, so will they feel.
    Digha Nikaya 3.71-72 (Buddhism)

Satan Always Establishes His Evil Regime First

Editorial and Richard Urban Show: Do You Know the Facts about COVID and the COVID Vaccines?

Book Review-American Worldview Inventory 2020-21 by George Barna

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1925

Thankfully, there are 3.2 billion people living in Asia. The Soviet Union is a nation of white people who are in a disadvantageous position due to their frigid climate. Yet, the Soviet Union is in a position today, which surpasses that of communist China in all aspects, including military and political fields. That is why the Soviet Union is intent on devouring Japan at any cost. Once the Soviets do so, they believe that they can grasp the initiative in their confrontation against America, centering on the stage of the Pacific Ocean. (121-16, 1982.10.21)

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1458

Adam and Eve lost the standard through which they could practice absolute faith, absolute love, and absolute obedience. They entered unprincipled marriage, thereby defiling the lineage, completely overturning the right of ownership, and bringing into ruin their whole tribe. Therefore, the absolute restoration of the lineage must take place.
    In other words, you need to protect the pure lineage of True Parents so that it can be passed down to your descendants eternally. Adam and Eve failed to do so and entered a fallen relationship. Therefore, you need to maintain purity and be blessed in marriage. You can then restore the absolute lineage, the absolute right of ownership, and the absolute realm of heart. This should be our motto, in fact three mottos. (269-94, 1995.4.8)

Richard:  Wow!  This is beautiful.  So, the three points stated slightly differently.
1) Absolute lineage:  Through the Blessing, you can connect to God’s lineage, as we have all inherited the defiled lineage (John 8:44)
2) Absolute right of ownership:  This means the ownership of love.  That is based on the ownership of your spouses sexual organ by you only and none other.
3) Absolute realm of heart:  The love you have for your spouse, family and the extended family of the world is firmly entrenched in this standard of true lineage and absolute ownership of love and of your spouse’s sexual organ.

Muhammad

2. Muhammad Overcame Persecution and Hardships to Establish Islam

By the Pen and by the record which men write, you are not, by the grace of your Lord, mad or possessed. Nay, verily for you is a reward unfailing, and you stand on an exalted standard of character. Soon you will see, and they will see, which of you is afflicted with madness. Verily it is your Lord who knows best, who among men has strayed from His path: and He knows best those who receive guidance.
    Qur’an 68.1-7
 
When the Apostle openly displayed Islam as God ordered him, his people did not withdraw or turn against him until he spoke disparagingly of their gods. When he did that they took great offense and resolved unanimously to treat him as an enemy, except those whom God had protected by their allegiance to Islam from such evil, but they were a despised minority.
Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah 
 
O you who believe! Remember the grace of God on you, when there came down on you hosts; but We sent against them a hurricane and forces you could not see: but God sees clearly all that you do. Behold! They came on you from above you and from below you, and behold, the eyes became dim and the hearts gaped up to the throats, and you imagined various vain thoughts about God! In that situation were the believers tried; they were shaken as by a tremendous shaking… And God turned back the unbelievers, for all their fury; no advantage did they gain; and enough is God for the believers in their fight. And God is full of Strength, Able to enforce His will.
    Qur’an 33.9-25
 
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
 
Satan always establishes his evil regime first, ahead of God. Then with this mighty power Satan attacks God’s side, attempting to destroy the tender shoot of God’s Word and crush the lives of His gentle champions. Satan is always first: first with the established power and first to attack. In fact, aggression is the trademark of Satan. Being attacked first is the trademark of God’s side. Yet God’s side prospers according to this principle. By being attacked first God’s side builds up great wealth through suffering and sacrifice. Through paying this price and bearing injustice, God’s side ultimately gains the victory.
    Perhaps you are familiar with the mighty yet corrupt powers that ruled out of Mecca during the life of the Prophet. When Muhammad brought his message of peace and brotherhood among all tribes and peoples, these mighty governments of evil power mobilized themselves to take the lives of God’s Messenger and his followers. The followers of Islam endured this aggression and injustice, and by thus conforming to God’s principle of indemnity, they were able to bring even these mighty powers into complete surrender. In the end Muhammad walked unmolested, as the glorious victor, to the Kaaba and dedicated it to the one true God. (October 21, 1990)
 
 

Islam Adopted Biblical Teachings Appropriate to Arab Culture

Editorial and Richard Urban Show: Do You Know the Facts about COVID and the COVID Vaccines?

Book Review-American Worldview Inventory 2020-21 by George Barna

Hebrews 6

9 My friends, we are talking this way. But we are sure that you are doing those really good things that people do when they are being saved. 10 God is always fair. He will remember how you helped his people in the past and how you are still helping them. You belong to God, and he won’t forget the love you have shown his people. 11 We wish that each of you would always be eager to show how strong and lasting your hope really is. 12 Then you would never be lazy. You would be following the example of those who had faith and were patient until God kept his promise to them.

Matthew

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Richard: We do well to take the scripture of Matthew 6:33 as our motto. It is, indeed, a rare path for people to take, as Jesus said earlier in verse 24 of the same chapter
“You cannot be the slave of two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Muhammad

Living in polytheistic Arabia, Muhammad saw the truth of the one God and accepted his calling to be God’s apostle. Though he knew the stories of the bible from childhood, the Jews and Christians living in his area did not impress him, for they lacked the conviction or zeal to confront the ruling polytheistic tribes. Muhammad went through the streets of Mecca proclaiming the message of Islam to anyone who would listen. Though he suffered persecution and exile, he also found supporters. Muhammad and his companions were welcomed in Medina, where they defended the young faith against overwhelming odds. Muhammad was devoted to God and uncompromising with evil. Father Moon honors him as one of the foremost founders of religion.

1. God’s Revelation to Muhammad

Muhammad is… the Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets.
    Qur’an 33.40

O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, and good tidings to bear and warning, calling unto God by His leave, and as a light-giving lamp.
    Qur’an 33.45-46

It belongs not to any mortal that God should speak to him, except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or that He should send a messenger and He reveal whatsoever He will, by His leave; surely He is All-high, All-wise. Even so We have revealed to thee [O Muhammad] a Spirit of Our bidding. You knew not what the Book was, nor belief; but We made it a light, whereby We guide whom We will of Our servants. And you, surely you shall guide unto a straight path—the path of God.
    Qur’an 42.51-53

In the month of Ramadan… in the night on which God honored Muhammad with his mission and showed mercy on His servants thereby, Gabriel brought him the command of God. “He came to me,” said the Apostle of God, “while I was asleep, with a coverlet of brocade where-upon was some writing, and said, ‘Read!’ I said, ‘I cannot read.’ He pressed me with it so tightly that I thought it was death; then he let me go and said, ‘Read!’ I said, ‘I cannot read.’ He pressed me with it again so that I thought it was death; then he let me go and said, ‘Read!’ I said, ‘I cannot read.’ He pressed me with it the third time so that I thought it was death and said, ‘Read!’ I said, ‘What then shall I read?’ —and this I said only to deliver myself from him, lest he should do the same to me again. He said,

Read! In the name of thy Lord who
created,
Who created man of blood coagulated.
Read! Thy Lord is the most beneficent,
Who taught by the pen,
Taught that which they knew not unto
men. [Qur’an 96.1-5]

    “So I read it, and he departed from me. And I awoke from my sleep, and it was as though these words were written on my heart. Now none of God’s creatures was more hateful to me than an ecstatic poet or a man possessed: I could not even look at them. I thought, Woe is me, a poet or possessed—never shall the Quraysh say this of me! I will go to the top of the mountain and throw myself down that I may kill myself and gain rest. So I went forth to do so, and then, when I was midway on the mountain, I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘O Muhammad! Thou art the Apostle of God and I am Gabriel.’ I raised my head toward heaven to see who was speaking, and lo, Gabriel in the form of a man with feet astride the horizon, saying, ‘O Muhammad! Thou art the Apostle of God and I am Gabriel.’ I stood gazing at him, moving neither forward nor backward; then I began to turn my face away from him, but toward whatever region of the sky I looked, I saw him as before…
    “I said to Khadija, ‘Woe is me, a poet or one possessed.’ She said, ‘I take refuge in God from that, O Abu’l-Qasim. God would not treat you thus, since He knows your truthfulness, your great trustworthiness, your fine character, and your kindness. This cannot be, my dear. Perhaps you did see something.’ ‘Yes, I did,’ I said. Then I told her of what I had seen; and she said, ‘Rejoice, O son of my uncle, and be of good heart.48 Verily, by Him in whose hand is Khadija’s soul, I have hope that you will be the Prophet of this people.’”
    Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Why did God reveal Himself to the prophets and create the great religions of the world? It was to enable the human race to return to Him, and then, in perfect oneness with His blessed Will, establish one peaceful world. Humanity must know God’s original vision for the world, and know the reason why God revealed Himself to the prophets. Surely no one expressed more deeply this original ideal of God than the blessed Prophet Mohammed, not only in word but also in deed. (October 21, 1990)

Muhammad was centered on God, and based on God’s revelation he founded the religion of Islam. It adopted the teachings of the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible with contents appropriate to Arab culture. Through Islam, Muhammad sought to give human beings the absolute truth of God. (39:316, January 16, 1971)

God always supports those serving the larger purpose… Between one who lived for his family, and one who sacrificed his beloved family for the benefit of his community, God would support the one living for the community. This is an unchanging principle of God. Once again, we can use the Prophet as a supreme example of knowing and living according to this Divine Principle. Did the Prophet live only for his own clan or tribe or even only for the Arab people? No, he always lived for the higher purpose, not limiting his message for only one group or race. The message of the Prophet was for every precious one into whom God breathes His spirit. (October 21, 1990)

Jesus Did not Even Let Death Stop His Unwavering Efforts

Editorial: Do You Know the Facts about COVID and the COVID Vaccines?

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1156

Who is the Messiah? The True Parents. Then, why are they necessary? It is because human beings must receive new grafts through the love of the True Parents. Thus, unless the True Parents – the Messiah – appear, fallen human beings will not be able to eliminate their original sin or be liberated from sin and receive the Blessing at the completion stage. (35-215, 1970.10.19)

Richard: Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Mrs. Moon are the True Parents.

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1260

Why do people do penance by inflicting pain on their bodies? This is because they have inherited the blood of Satan, the blood of the enemy of God. Who is this enemy of God? He is the adulterer. He is the enemy of the love of God. He is the adulterer. We inherited the blood of the adulterer.

Jesus

15. Jesus’ Resurrection

On the cross, Jesus prayed for the people and determined to fulfill his responsibility for them even after his death; indeed, his concern for God’s Will transcended even death. Therefore, God could resurrect Jesus, and Satan did not dare accuse the resurrected Jesus. When you attain a level of perfection that you have the same value as Jesus, Satan cannot accuse you, either. (2:141, March 17, 1957)
 
Satan exercised his maximum power to crucify Jesus, thereby attaining the goal he had sought through-out the four-thousand-year course of history. On the other hand, by delivering Jesus to Satan, God set up as compensation the condition to save sinful humanity. How did God achieve this? Because Satan had already exercised his maximum power in killing Jesus, according to the principle of restoration through indemnity, God was entitled to exercise His maximum power. While Satan uses his power to kill, God uses His power to bring the dead to life. As compensation for Satan’s exercise of his maximum power in killing Jesus, God exercised His maximum power and resurrected Jesus. God thus opened the way for all humanity to be engrafted with the resurrected Jesus and thereby receive salvation and rebirth. (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Moses and Jesus 3.3.1.1)
 
After his death, Jesus was concerned about his scattered disciples. Even during the three days in the tomb, he was determined to protect them for eternity. Hence, he went to the shores of Galilee after his resurrection and searched for them.
    Today from a humanistic perspective we might wonder how Jesus could care for his disciples, when they showed no sense of responsibility and betrayed him the moment they faced difficulty. Yet this did not stop Jesus from fulfilling his responsibility toward them by visiting them in Galilee.
    This is the character of Jesus, who did not let even death stop his unwavering efforts at raising his disciples to also be unwavering. We should take a lesson from Jesus’ admirable character in this regard. (1:38, May 16, 1956)
 
Due to the sin and blindness of the people, God permitted His Son to be a sacrifice. That was the significance of the crucifixion: God allowed Jesus to die on the cross as the ransom paid to Satan. In exchange, upon Jesus’ resurrection, God could claim the souls of humankind—though redemption of the body was not possible. Therefore God’s victory, and our salvation, was not in the cross but in the resurrection…
    Our salvation comes from Jesus’ victorious resurrection. This is Christ’s victory, and Satan’s power can never affect it. But the body of Jesus Christ was given up as a sacrifice and a ransom. In giving up his body, Jesus also gave up the body of humankind. Our salvation is limited to spiritual redemption, because the redemption of the body remained unfulfilled 2,000 years ago. And our world still suffers under Satan’s power. Sin still rages within our bodies and dominates this world.
    Therefore Paul cried out in anguish, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I of my self serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.” (Rom. 7.24-25) Paul was living in the grace of the Lord. Still he confessed that he could serve God only with his mind, and his flesh served the law of sin. His body yearned to be redeemed; he still anguished over sin.
    And so it is for us. By accepting Christ, we receive spiritual salvation. But our body still serves the law of sin under Satan’s domain, until Christ returns and liberates us from the bondage of sin. The Lord of the Second Advent alone can give total salvation, in spirit and in body. (September 18, 1974)
 
Richard:  Redemption of the body is now possible by grafting our lineage on to that of the True Parents.
 
 

I Am the Resurrection and the Life

Editorial: Do You Know the Facts about COVID and the COVID Vaccines?

Exodus 18

7 When they arrived, Moses went out and bowed down in front of Jethro, then kissed him. After they had greeted each other, they went into the tent, 8 where Moses told him everything the Lord had done to protect Israel against the Egyptians and their king. He also told him how the Lord had helped them in all of their troubles.

2 Kings 19

19 As soon as Hezekiah heard the news, he tore off his clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth. Then he went into the temple of the Lord. 2 He told Prime Minister Eliakim, Assistant Prime Minister Shebna, and the senior priests to dress in sackcloth and tell the prophet Isaiah:

3 These are difficult and disgraceful times. Our nation is like a woman too weak to give birth, when it’s time for her baby to be born. 4 Please pray for those of us who are left alive. The king of Assyria sent his army commander to insult the living God. Perhaps the Lord heard what he said and will do something, if you will pray.

5 When these leaders went to Isaiah, 6 he told them that the Lord had this message for Hezekiah:

I am the Lord. Don’t worry about the insulting things that have been said about me by these messengers from the king of Assyria. 7 I will upset him with rumors about what’s happening in his own country. He will go back, and there I will make him die a violent death.

Jesus

15. Jesus’ Resurrection

I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.
    John 11.25-26
 
If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain… If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
    1 Corinthians 15.14-22
 
On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
    That very day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
    So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, but they constrained him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, who said, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of bread.
    As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see that I have.” And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.
    Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.”
    Then he led them out as far as to Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.
    Luke 24.1-53