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before it thundered and lightninged, or ever the foundations of Paradise were laid,
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before the fair flowers were seen, or ever the moveable powers were established, before the innumerable multitude of angels were gathered together,
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or ever the heights of the air were lifted up, before the measures of the firmament were named, or ever the chimneys in Zion were hot,
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and ere the present years were sought out, and or ever the inventions of them that now sin were turned, before they were sealed who have gathered faith for a treasure;
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then did I consider these things, and they all were made through Me alone, and through none other. By Me also they shall be ended, and by none other."
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Then answered I and said, "What shall be the parting asunder of the times? Or when shall be the end of the first and the beginning of it that followeth?"
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And He said unto me, "From Abraham unto Isaac, when Jacob and Esau were born of him, Jacob's hand held from the beginning the heel of Esau.
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For Esau is the end of the world, and Jacob is the beginning of that which followeth.
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The hand of man is between the heel and the hand. The other question, Ezra, ask thou not."
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I answered then and said, "O Lord who bearest rule, if I have found favor in Thy sight,
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I beseech Thee, show Thy servant the end of Thy signs, whereof Thou showed me part the last night."
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So He answered and said unto me, "Stand up upon thy feet, and hear a mighty sounding voice.
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And it shall be, as it were, a great motion; but the place where thou standest shall not be moved.
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And therefore when it speaketh be not afraid; for the word is concerning the end, and the foundation of the earth is understood.
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And why? Because the speech of these things trembleth and is moved, for it knoweth that the end of these things must be changed."
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And it happened that when I had heard it I stood up upon my feet and hearkened, and behold, there was a voice that spoke, and the sound of it was like the sound of many waters.
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And it said, "Behold, the days come that I will begin to draw nigh and to visit them that dwell upon the earth,
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and will begin to make inquisition of them what they be who have hurt unjustly with their unrighteousness and when the affliction of Zion shall be fulfilled.
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And when the world, which shall begin to vanish away, shall be finished, then will I show these tokens: the books shall be opened before the firmament, and they shall see all together;
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and the children of a year old shall speak with their voices, the women with child shall bring forth untimely children of three or four months old, and they shall live and be raised up.
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And suddenly shall the sown places appear unsown, the full storehouses shall suddenly be found empty;
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and the trumpet shall give a sound, which when every man heareth, they shall be suddenly afraid.
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At that time shall friends fight one against another like enemies, and the earth shall stand in fear with those that dwell therein, the springs of the fountains shall stand still, and for three hours they shall not run.
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"Whosoever remaineth from all these that I have told thee shall escape, and see My salvation and the end of your world.
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And the men that are received shall see it, who have not tasted death from their birth; and the heart of the inhabitants shall be changed and turned into another meaning.
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For evil shall be put out, and deceit shall be quenched.
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As for faith, it shall flourish, corruption shall be overcome, and the truth, which hath been so long without fruit, shall be declared."
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And when He talked with me, behold, I looked little by little upon him before whom I stood.
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And these words said he unto me: "I have come to show thee the time of the night to come.
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If thou wilt pray yet more and fast seven days again, I shall tell thee greater things by day than I have heard.
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For thy voice is heard before the Most High, for the Mighty hath seen thy righteous dealing; He hath seen also thy chastity, which thou hast had ever since thy youth.