God Saw That It Was Good

We are walking the path of faith towards the goal of entering the eternal heavenly kingdom. In the desert of faith, some walk the path of faith in a manner pleasing to people, and others live the life of faith in a way pleasing to God.

In the history of the early Church, we can see that the apostles and the saints were trying to walk the path of faith in a God-pleasing direction, saying, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?” (Gal 1:10). It is the same with us in this age. The reason we are trying to participate in the divine nature and always live a life full of smiles just as Mother has taught us is because it is good in the eyes of God.

We should choose to live a life pleasing in God’s eyes, but sometimes we choose to live a life pleasing in our own eyes and other people’s. In any and every situation, let us always live the life of faith in a God-pleasing way, so that it can be written, “It is good in the eyes of God.”

The work of creation that was good in God’s eyes

God created this earth and all things in it by His will. When we look at God’s work of creation in Genesis 1, we can see that all things were created in accordance with God’s word.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. Ge 1:3–5

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Ge 1:9–10

When God created the heavens and the earth, He made light first, and the light created by God’s word was good in His eyes. God separated the water under the expanse from the water above it, and it was so. God also divided between the land and the sea, and it was so. These were also good in God’s eyes. The Bible records that everything that was carried out and accomplished according to the word of God was good in God’s eyes (Ge 1:11–31).

Just as the heavens and the earth comply with God’s word, so we should do all things in a way that is good in God’s eyes and according to God’s standards. As we try to do things in our own way and in a manner that pleases people, we become disobedient to God and fail to follow God’s laws and decrees but pursue lawlessness. So, although it is a path to self-destruction, we come to commit the foolishness of regarding it as good.

We should choose the right path in God’s eyes and follow it with faith. Through our forefather’s deeds of faith, which were good in God’s eyes, let us examine our life of faith in this age.

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus . . . Ro 15:4–5

The Bible records many things that were good in the eyes of God. To lead us on the path to salvation, God has let the deeds of our ancestors of faith be written in the Bible and through them God teaches us what path is good and right in His eyes.

Our ancestors’ faith that was pleasing to God

In ancient Israel, Daniel’s three friends—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego— were thrown into the blazing furnace because they refused to obey the king’s decree to worship the idol. They were not even afraid of being thrown into the fiery furnace and obeyed God’s word, and God was very pleased with them. Even at the risk of their lives, they followed God’s word, and their unyielding faith was so good and pleasing in God’s eyes that God saved them from the fiery furnace (Da 3:1–30).

Daniel also set an example of faith that was good and pleasing in God’s eyes. He prayed to God three times a day with his windows open towards Jerusalem. Then his opponents plotted a scheme to get rid of him; they urged the king to issue a new decree that anyone who prayed to any god or man except the king should be thrown into the den of lions. Even after hearing about it, however, Daniel did not stop praying to God. Thus Daniel prayed continually according to God’s will, and it was good and pleasing in God’s eyes. When Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, God saved him and let those who had falsely accused him become food for the lions (Da 6:1–28).

God helped all who did what was good in His sight and gave them greater glory. If we study the Bible carefully, we can see that when God’s creatures were obedient to His word, they were described as “good in God’s eyes.” The act of obedience itself—doing what God says with all our heart, soul and mind—is good and pleasing in God’s eyes.

. . . who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. Heb 11:33–38

The saints of the early Church, who kept their faith despite hardships and persecutions, were also beautiful in God’s eyes. They never yielded or surrendered to the oppression of Rome and continued to obey God’s word no matter what difficulty or suffering befell them. Since they believed God’s word absolutely and regarded it as more precious than their own lives, they were spiritually victorious as the warriors of truth even though sometimes they wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground, sometimes they faced jeers and flogging, sometimes they were chained and put in prison, and were even put to death.

The Roman Catholic Church joined hands with the government of Rome and chose a path pleasing in the eyes of the world, instead of a God-pleasing path. Then the doctrines of sun worship such as Sunday observance and Christmas, which are not found in the Bible, started to be introduced into the church as if they were the original doctrines of the Christian faith. Those who loved the truth, however, did not accommodate themselves to those doctrines but followed the truth till the end. They chose the path that was good and pleasing in the eyes of God.

Those who follow the Spirit and the Bride, who are pleasing in God’s eyes

Like them, let us too choose a path that is good in God’s eyes, no matter what situation we find ourselves in. God has given us a precious gift—the Bible. The Bible, which is God’s word, contains the wisdom that leads to salvation.

. . . and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Ti 3:15

Through the Bible God has given us the message of salvation and has also told us the way to salvation. If we understand these characteristics of the Bible, we should live a good life in the eyes of God by fully obeying God’s word.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. Rev 22:18–19

We must not add anything to God’s words or take anything away from them. Then, which words should we especially obey to be considered “perfectly good in God’s eyes”? We can find the answer in the previous verse.

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Rev 22:17

The most pleasing moment in God’s eyes is when those who respond to the call of the Spirit and the Bride come to God and dwell in the truth of living water. When God said, “Let there be light,” there was light, and when He separated the water under the expanse from the water above it, it was so. These were good in God’s eyes. In this age, however, the most beautiful people in the eyes of God are those who obey the voice of the Spirit and the Bride and come to Them when They call them.

Children of promise through Mother

God has come as the Spirit and the Bride to give us a promise and make us children of promise in these last days—the age of the Holy Spirit.

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. Gal 4:28–29

The promise that God has given us is eternal life (1 Jn 2:25). The children of promise who have received the promise of eternal life are to suffer persecution. The promise they have received is so blessed and precious that Satan tries to take it away from them by putting obstacles in their way. God did not reserve this promise for our ancestors of faith, but for us today.

. . . They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Heb 11:35–40

The saints of the early Church were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, even though they had such great faith that the world was not worthy of them. It is because the children of promise can be born through Heavenly Mother just as life is given only through a mother. The children of promise like Isaac cannot be born until the appearance of Jerusalem our Heavenly Mother—the Bride who gives us the water of life together with the Spirit (Rev 21:9–10; Gal 4:26–31).

Now we are the rest of the woman’s offspring (Rev 12:17), who are pleasing in God’s eyes. The book of Isaiah prophesied about us as follows:

“Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance.” For this is what the LORD says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes. Isa 66:10–14

Think about a little child who is nursing at his mother’s breast and feeling satisfied and happy with her. There is probably no greater satisfaction and joy than this. This kind of happiness and blessing are given to those who love Jerusalem. They are the people who have responded to the call of the Spirit and the Bride.

Then, what kind of people are those who love Jerusalem in the eyes of God? They are the ones who are so lovely and beautiful in God’s eyes. Since they absolutely obey the word of God who has come as the Spirit and the Bride and continuously make efforts to follow Their teachings, they are truly God’s children—children of promise and children of the free woman.

Walking the beautiful path of faith by following Mother according to God’s word

God has let us know the existence of Jerusalem our Heavenly Mother in this age. Through the teachings of the Bible, God has also said that He has set us an example that we should do as He has done for us, and He has told us not to add anything to the words of the Bible or take anything away from them.

If we discuss the existence of Mother without adding to or subtracting from the words of the Bible, we come to the conclusion that we should believe in God the Mother. The Bible consistently tells us from beginning to end that we have God the Mother. Things on earth are a copy and shadow of the things in heaven (Heb 8:5). Judging from this, we can conclude that it is a mere quibble to insist that Heavenly Mother does not exist in heaven, while there are mothers on earth; it is no different than saying that although there is a shadow, its reality does not exist.

With faith in Jerusalem our Mother, we should faithfully obey Her teachings. Ruth said to her mother-in-law, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Wherever you die I will die, and there I will be buried.” Think about why her act of filial piety is recorded in the Bible. The Bible is a book which gives us the wisdom that leads to salvation. If we look at each and every scene in the Bible with a correct understanding of its meaning, we come to find that everything in the Bible has something to do with salvation.

Let us take pride in the fact that we are walking the path of faith that is good and pleasing in the eyes of God. We, who are living today, have been chosen as children of promise and have received immeasurable blessings. These blessings come through Mother. Realizing how great our blessings are, let us give more thanks, glory and praise to our Elohim for leading us to the blessing and promise of eternal life as the rest of the woman’s offspring.

In order to become those who are good and pleasing in God’s eyes, we should live according to God’s word. Following the path of Father and Mother is also a way to live according to God’s word. God has given us the Bible so that we can revere God, being like-minded and one in spirit and purpose according to God’s example. Brothers and sisters in Zion! As the rest of the woman’s offspring—the children of promise, let us hold on to the crown of eternal life which God has promised us till the end and enter the bright glory of heaven with shouts of joy.