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THE UNIVERSAL RESTORATION

Peter addressed the Jews of his time: "Repent and return to God so that the Lord may send the time of comfort. Then He will send you the Messiah, Jesus, who has been predestined to you, whom heaven must keep till the time of universal restoration about which God spoke through the mouths of his holy prophets" (Acts 3,19-21).

We must underline two important points in Peter's speech and meditate on them well:

God will send Christ Jesus. He will send Him in the future, therefore again, as He had already sent Him a first time. The verbs "may send" indicate a future time.

Heaven must then keep the Christ for a time, after that the Lord will send Him again during the times of the "universal restoration". Jesus came the first time to regenerate the spiritual life, prevented by human cults, which God never prescribed. He praised His apostles for supporting Him in this work of regeneration: "…In truth I tell you, you, who have followed me in regeneration, will sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19,28).

If a general, universal restoration imposes itself after His first advent, it is because the Christ has to finish His work of "Regeneration" when He Returns. Thus, Jesus, comes back with a very specific mission: to perfect, to regenerate, "to restore" once for all His work which has been disfigured by the clergy and their fanciful cults.

"Restoration" was an expression well known by the Jews. It meant to them a political dimension: the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel, coming from the dynasty of David and extending into a Zionist universal empire: "The Great Israel". In their opinion, this restoration, of a strictly political order, has to be made by the awaited Messiah. This is the reason why the apostles themselves, who, at the beginning did not understand the spiritual restoration made by Jesus, asked Him even before His Ascension: "Lord, is it at this time that you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1,6). They still thought to restore the political Jewish kingdom.

The prophet Zephaniah, on behalf of God, had already announced this restoration. But for Zephaniah, as for the rest the Jews, prophets and apostles included, this only meant the return of the Jews from the exile and the restoration of David's throne: "When that time comes, I shall give you praise and renown among all the people of the earth …At that time I shall be your guide, at that time when I gather you in and accomplish your restoration under your eyes"(Zephaniah 3,19-20).

In the divine intention, this restoration is spiritual and universal. It is neither political, nor limited to the Israelis. In order to benefit of it, God put a condition to the Jews, as we have noticed in Peter's words: to repent by believing that Jesus is the Messiah.

By reading Peter's words carefully, we conclude that God wants to restore men through the Messiah in two steps: the first is by the historical advent of the Messiah physically 2000 years ago, and the second by His Return. This Return is not physical, but spiritual, within men's consciences and through precise apocalyptic events preceding his Return. (See the text "The Signs of the Return of Jesus").

In fact, after the coming of the Messiah, Peter said explicitly that God "will send you (in the future) the Christ He has predestined, Jesus, whom Heaven must keep till the universal restoration comes". We must then realise that, after His resurrection, Jesus ascended into Heaven where He should be kept until the time of the universal restoration. When this time comes, God will send Jesus once again. But how will He Return? Again in flesh and blood?

(See the text "The Return of Jesus").

THE PURPOSE OF THE RETURN OF CHRIST

The purpose of this second manifestation of Christ is "the Universal Restoration" (Acts 3,19-21). Now, if we talk about a restoration, this means that there has been a previous period of decay. It is clear that Jesus' message has been altered during the centuries. Therefore, a universal restoration was necessary and its upset could only be of divine origin. This is the purpose of Jesus' Return: He returns to entrust to some new apostles -called "angels" in Matthew 24,31- the task to reveal His true Face, disfigured by the betrayal of the so called "Christians" and their various cults inspired by paganism.

The Return of Christ has been announced by the prophecies as a historical fact. Jesus Himself had said: "I shall return…" (John 14,3). It is an absolute certainty: "The Son of the Man will come in the glory of His Father, with His Angels (the new apostles)…" (Matthew 16,27). He returns to restore everything by freeing the believers from the cults imposed by a mercenary clergy.

This restoration concretises itself in the fact of sharing Jesus' Meal in the family, in simplicity, as Jesus has instituted it and as the first Christians practised it at the beginning, without rites, without artificial manners, but with ardent love: "Each day, with one heart they gathered for the breaking of bread (the Body and Blood of Jesus') in their houses they shared their food with joy and simplicity …" (Acts 2,46). It is for this reason that Jesus asks us to wait for His Return: His ardent desire is that we sit at His Table, with Him, to share His Mystic Meal. This is evident in Jesus' words: "Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. Whoever hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to share supper at this person's side" (Revelation 3,20). The Lord ardently desires this intimate meal with Him. In fact, He had told His apostles: "I have ardently loved to eat this Easter with you" (Luke 22,15). This ardent intimate desire has remained hidden during the centuries to be revealed just at our time, by Himself, in view of a universal spiritual restoration.

At the time of His first Advent, Jesus was "the proclamation of that divine mystery which, since endless ages, was kept secret but now is revealed as the prophets wrote" (Romans 16,25-26). Today, Jesus comes back to clarify what is left of "the divine mysteries kept silent for centuries" in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 10,7). It is time to consult again the Holy Scriptures in order to understand fully God's mysterious plan (Romans 16,25 / Revelation 20,12).

The Holy Scriptures themselves foretell that Jesus will manifest Himself again in order to explain God's last designs left mysterious. These designs concretise themselves in one word: Restoration. This restoration has to be done through the explanation of the Holy Scriptures. Those who do not want to do an effort, to spend time and energy to peer into these Scriptures and to understand them will not go far. In fact, Paul wrote to Timothy: "The Holy Scriptures are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for refuting error (to restore), for guiding people's lives and teaching them to be upright…" (2 Timothy 3,15-16).

Therefore, it has been announced by the Scriptures that the Christ must manifest Himself a second time in the world. But before this happens, "The Wicked One, the Enemy" must be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2,3-4). Jesus comes back to annihilate and then to restore definitely His Kingdom on Earth by His new apostles': aid, His kingdom on the earth: "The Wicked One (the Antichrist) will appear openly. The Lord will destroy him with the Breath of His Mouth and will annihilate him with His glorious appearance at His Coming" (2 Thessalonians 2,8). This restoration is based on the permanent Presence of Jesus Himself in the Mystic Meal taken in family.

In view of this Restoration, Jesus establishes a new priesthood. All the believers, women and men, become priests and they can take the Lord's Supper in their houses with Jesus, because " He loves us and He washed away our sins with His blood and made of us a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father…(Revelation 1,5-6)…You bought for God with your blood people of every race, language and nation and made them a line of kings and Priests for God to rule the world" (Revelation 5, 9-10). (see the text : Jesus restores the Priesthood)

This new concept of priesthood is called "the New Heaven and the New Earth". It was ardently expected: "What we are waiting for, relying on His promises, is the New Heavens and New Earth", Peter said (2 Peter 3,13). John saw this restoration in a vision happening after the fall of the Antichrist: "Then I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared…"(Revelation 21,1). This final Restoration is the Kingdom of God on the earth.

This divine Kingdom on earth means the cohabitation of God with His sons since here below. In Hebrew, this is translated by the name "Emmanuel", which means God with us, the symbolic name given to Jesus (Matthew 1,23). The Book of Revelation, indicating the restored people says: "Look, here God lives among human beings. He (God) will make His home among them they will be His people and He will be their God, God-with-them (Emmanuel)" (Revelation 21,3).

Thus, God's House can no more be conceived as the Jerusalem's Temple, or as Saint Peter's Basilica, or as Mecca's Mosque, nor as any other religious centre in the world, pagodas etc…The true Temple is a believers' assembly, an international spiritual community, fervent, united by the link of love around Jesus' Table: "I could not see any temple in the city since the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb (Jesus) were themselves the Temple" (Revelation 21,22). St Paul had already said 2000 years ago: "Do you not realise that you are a temple of God with the Spirit of God living in you? God's Temple is holy and you are this Temple" (1 Corinthians 3,16-17). Jesus has already begun His Restoration within us and by us. "The Most High does not live in a house that human hands have built" (Acts 7,48 / 17,24). Jesus returns to restore everything and He reminds us of that.

The world destined to disappear is the so-called religious world, with its rites and its cults imbued of paganism. This old world does not reflect the true face of God. It will be replaced by the "New Heaven", a new and authentic spiritual concept, a better comprehension of God in his simplicity, linking man intimately and spontaneously to his Creator, as Adam before falling.

It is a "new Earth", since everything will be renewed "on the earth". All the houses and all the families are today invited to become temples of God, because God lives in men's hearts. In the Old Covenant, Jeremiah had already revealed what God said: "Within them I shall plant My law, writing it on their hearts. Then I shall be their God and they will be my people" (Jeremiah 31,33).

God renews the believers through the Return of Christ who opens a new door of salvation for them: "Look, I have opened in front of you a door that no one will be able to close" Jesus says (Revelation 3,8). This new door frees them from a heavy and harmful yoke made of human practices and rituals. Christ's "yoke" is simple and light (Matthew 11,29-30). It does not disturb by the various clerical complications imposed upon men and which displease God very much (Matthew 15,8-9). Saint Paul had warned us: "Make sure that no one captivates you with the empty lure of a human philosophy, based on the principles of this world and not on Christ…why do you still let rules dictate to you: 'Do not pick up this, do not eat that, do not touch the other'? All about things which perish even while they are being used, according to merely human commandments and doctrines! In these rules you can indeed find what seems to be good sense -the cultivation of the will, and a humility (false humility) which takes no account of the body; but in fact they have no value against self-indulgence" (Colossians 2,8-23).

Through these religious theatrical and artificial ceremonies, we were captivated by the lure of human philosophies and led into a spiritual slavery. A human reasoning has been created to refrain the fearful believers, rendering them unable to reach the spiritual maturity. Men have complicated faith with rituals, each of which has its own rules and very precise gestures. God’s adoration passes through exterior manifestations: hands are joint or turned above; standing up, kneeling down or even crawling on earth, particular clothes, different signs of the cross, different ways of fasting, hand kissing, etc…These "religious" expressions, disapproved by God, satisfy those whose faith is immature and unstable. Such weak believers need such useless rules to support their unstable faith. Had their faith been mature and unshakeable, they would have understood that God desires to be known and loved, not "adored" in such an undesirable manner.

Many biblical texts urge the true believers to reject these harmful practices:

-Hoseah 6,6-8: God says: "Faithful love is what pleases Me, not sacrifices; knowledge of God, not burnt offerings.

-Micah 6,6-8: "With what shall I enter Yahweh presence and bow down before God All-high? Shall I enter with burnt offerings? You have already been told what is right and what Yahweh wants of you: only this, to do what is right, to love loyalty, and to walk humbly with your God".

-Jesus says: "Believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem…The true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: this is the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4,21).

-Jesus also says: "Eternal life is this: to know You, the only true God, and Jesus the Messiah whom You have sent" (John 17,3).

-"This people honours Me only with lip-service while their hearts are far from Me. Their reverence of Me is worthless; the lessons they teach are nothing but human commandments" (Matthew 15,8-20).

In order to restore spirituality, we must abandon these useless cults and the repeated useless words not felt by the heart. Only then will Christ's disciples succeed in renewing spirituality on earth according to God's will. It is necessary to have faith and courage to go beyond human prohibitions, to "come up higher" as it is asked in the Revelation (Revelation 4,1). The fearful and fragile believers will never be able to free themselves from human traditions. The great majority has not yet understood what adoration in spirit is and pleases itself with the cult. Indeed, the true believers are the ones who "worship by the Spirit of God, not relying on physical qualification (various rituals)" (Philippians 3,3).

Those who are attracted by the cult in spirit free themselves from the religious worldly ceremonies "conformed to this world" (Romans 12,2). On the contrary, those who consider these human so-called religious rites important go far away from "the faith and pay attention to deceitful spirits" (1 Timothy 4,1-2) who drag them "far from Jesus": "Therefore remain in Him (Jesus), so that, when He appears, we may be fearless and not be ashamed before Him at His Coming" (1 John 2,28).

Today, we are given the opportunity to choose between following the hypocrite religious chiefs and Christ who already "knocks at our door" to come in and "have Supper" with us (Luke 12,36 / Revelation 3,20).

Today, each family is invited to become a spiritual Temple, this "Temple into which nothing unclean may come" (Revelation 21,27). "Those who commit abomination and falsehood" exclude themselves by "paying attention to deceitful spirits and to doctrines that come from devils" (1 Timothy 4,1-2). By doing so, they exclude themselves from the new spiritual universe (Revelation 21,5). Today, the real Easter, the true transit from death to life is made with the Easter Meal taken with Jesus in the intimacy of the family.

The apostles wanted to know when (Matthew 24,3) and where (Luke 17,37) the events of the last times had to take place. Jesus answered them: "Where the body is, there too will the vultures gather". The Body of Christ is now in the families. It is there where the hungry "vultures" will gather (Revelation 19,17) to share this "wedding feast" (Matthew 22,1-14). The one who has eyes and ears will see, will hear and will understand the words of the Spirit (Revelation 2,11) and will live eternally (John 6,51-54).

Jesus' Meal, shared within the family intimacy, far from the noise of the material cult and from the distraction of the rituals, was predicted by Jesus. The believers who eagerly await Jesus will open the door to Him at the first signs of His return: "Be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door, as soon as he comes and knocks. He will sit them down at table and serve them" (Luke 12,35-37). It is The Bread of Life that Jesus "serves them" at the Table: his divine Body and Blood.

We are already at Table with Jesus, all of us who have already completely opened the door to Him as soon as we heard His footsteps, so that now we "share his Supper with Him and He with us" (Revelation 3,20).

The great visible sign indicating the set up of the Universal Restoration is, paradoxically, the reappearance of the apocalyptical Beast. Its Return announces the funeral of the dead old religious world. From now on, it is the sharing of the Bread of Christ in family that restores the original link with the Creator, and not any religious ritual. As Jesus and the apostles did (Luke 22,14-20 / Acts 2,46), it is with simplicity and without ornamentation that we take this Bread of Restoration at home with Jesus, very close to Him.

The Mystical Table is already served! It is a divine grace offered to the entire humanity. Only those who have a pure and simple heart accept it, those who need truth and love. It is to such believers that Christ manifests Himself. This holy Table is the "Lamb's Wedding Feast Banquet", the Banquet of eternal Life to which only God's chosen ones answer (Matthew 22,1-14). Now is the moment to wake up and to shake oneself in order to enter into the Kingdom of God: "…The Kingdom of God has been preached, and all are forcing their way into it" (Luke 16,16 / Matthew 11,12). There is no room for the lukewarm hesitating believers (James 1,6-7).