In the world, earthquakes are the beginning of disaster. First, I make the world—the earth, that is—change, and afterward come plagues and famines. This is My plan, and these are My steps, and I will mobilize everything to serve Me in order to complete My management plan. Thus, the entire universe world shall be destroyed, even without My direct intervention. When I first became flesh and was nailed to the cross, the earth shook tremendously, and it will be the same when the end comes. Earthquakes will begin at the very moment I enter the spiritual realm from the flesh. Thus, the firstborn sons will absolutely not suffer from disaster, whereas those who are not firstborn sons will be left to suffer amid the disasters. Therefore, from a human perspective, everyone is willing to be a firstborn son. In people’s premonitions, this is not for the enjoyment of blessings, but to escape the suffering of disaster. This is the scheme of the great red dragon. However, I will never let it get away; I will cause it to suffer My severe punishment and then to stand up and render service to Me (this refers to making My sons and My people complete), causing it to forever be tricked by its own plots, forever to accept My judgment, and forever to be burned by Me. This is the true meaning of having service-doers praise Me (that is, using them to reveal My great power). I will not allow the great red dragon to sneak into My kingdom, nor will I grant it the right to praise Me! (Because it is not worthy; it will never be worthy!) I will only make the great red dragon render service to Me into eternity! I will only let it prostrate itself before Me. (Those who are destroyed are better off than those who are in perdition; destruction is only a temporary form of severe punishment, while people who are in perdition will suffer severe punishments eternally. For this reason, I use the word “prostrate.” Because these people sneak into My house and enjoy much of My grace, and possess some knowledge of Me, I use severe punishments. As for those outside of My house, you could say that the ignorant will not suffer.) In people’s notions, they think that people who are destroyed are worse off than those who are in perdition, but to the contrary, the latter have to be severely punished forever, and those who are destroyed will return to nothingness for all eternity.

—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Utterances of Christ in the Beginning, Chapter 108