All posts tagged lake of fire

The final depository for death, hades, and all unrighteousness. (Rev. 20:10, 14; 21:8).

What is NOT in New Jerusalem

New Jerusalem is filled with everything wonderful—the glory of God, the divine nature, God and the Lamb on the throne, the river of water of life, the tree of life, eternal newness, and much more.

NOT in New JerusalemThere are many evil, negative, and worldly things which today are present and too often experienced, but they will not be in New Jerusalem. Rather, they will be in the lake of fire.

Their elimination is the result, firstly, of the death, resurrection, ascension, and enthronement of Jesus Christ.

Their elimination is the result, secondly, of the work of Jesus Christ through this age, and our cooperation with Him.

Throughout the New Testament there are many judgments on the negative things and the positive preparation of New Jerusalem as the wife of the Lamb.

Revelation 19:1-9, is a good summary. It presents many praises exalting God, both for His judgments and for the preparation of the wife of the Lamb.

Here are all my “not in New Jerusalem” posts, in no particular order. I expect a few more posts will be written; when published, they will be added to this list.

New Jerusalem: No Darkness, No Death
Neither Sin nor Death in New Jerusalem
No Tree of Knowledge in New Jerusalem
No Unrighteousness in New Jerusalem
Neither Sin nor Satan in New Jerusalem
No Devil In or Near New Jerusalem
No Flesh in New Jerusalem
No Lie, No Falsehood, in New Jerusalem
No Curse in New Jerusalem
Neither Tears nor Sorrow nor Crying nor Pain in New Jerusalem

New Jerusalem: No More Tribulation (1) (2)
No Physical Gold in New Jerusalem
New Jerusalem: No Night There
No Night in New Jerusalem
No Need for Sleep in New Jerusalem
No Money in New Jerusalem & New Creation
No Beasts in or near New Jerusalem
In the Garden of Eden but not in New Jerusalem

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by Don on April 24, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on April 24, 2017

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2017/04/24/what-is-not-in-new-jerusalem/

The Wonderful Jesus Christ in Revelation 20 Brings Us to New Jerusalem

Revelation 20 begins with the devil cast into the abyss (v. 1-3). Then there is the blessing of being priests and kings in resurrection with God and Christ for a thousand years (v. 4-6). This is a foretaste of New Jerusalem.

In verse 7 the devil is temporarily released but by verse 10 he is cast into the lake of fire for his eternal punishment.

New JerusalemVerse 11: “I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it.” The Lord Jesus Christ is Him who sits on the throne, because He is “the One who was designated by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42).

The Lord Himself spoke of this designation in John 5:26-27, “For just as the Father has life in Himself, so He gave to the Son to also have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment because He is the Son of Man.” As the Son of Man, the God-Man, Jesus both gives us eternal life and judges the dead.

“In righteousness He judges” (Rev. 19:11). Although today’s courts have flaws, our Lord is perfectly righteous.

In verses 12 and 13 the dead are judged. In verses 14 and 15 death and Hades, and anyone whose name is not written in the book of life, are cast into the lake of fire. This judgement is the last cleaning of the earth. After this, there is nothing old, nothing dead, nothing sinful. This judgement opens the door for New Jerusalem with the new heaven and new earth.

The old “earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them” (v. 11) and “the first heaven and the first earth passed away” (21:1). There is “a new heaven and a new earth” and “New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven” (21:1-2).

Graphic courtesy of pixabay.com.

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by Don on March 10, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on March 10, 2017

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2017/03/10/the-wonderful-jesus-christ-in-revelation-20-brings-us-to-new-jerusalem/

No Devil In or Near New Jerusalem

The devil is not in New Jerusalem and has no way to bother us in New Jerusalem nor to bother the nations around New Jerusalem.

First John 3:8 tells us “the devil has sinned from the beginning.” The devil is the source of sin which brought in death. John 8:44 tells us that the devil is a murderer from the beginning and that he is the father, the source, of lies.  The nature of the devil is a lie because truth is not in him. This is the exact opposite of New Jerusalem in which Christ is the life and reality and where there is no lie.

New JerusalemJesus has overcome the devil. In John 14:30 He told us that the ruler of this world (the devil) “has nothing in Me.” Hebrews 2:14 says, “Since therefore the children have shared in blood and flesh, He also Himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death He might destroy him who has the might of death, that is, the devil.”

It seems to us today that the devil is still active. The reason is that the judgment accomplished on the cross has not fully been carried out. Therefore, Ephesians 4:25-27 warns us to put away lies and anger so that we give no place to the devil. We wage this battle continually by applying the law of the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2) to overcome the law of sin in our flesh (Rom. 7:20).

In Revelation 12:9 the devil is cast down and in 20:2 he is bound for a thousand years, and in 20:10 he is cast into the lake of fire. This is the final step of the judgment accomplished on the cross. As a result, the devil will never bother New Jerusalem nor the entire new creation.

And, since the devil is Satan, New Jerusalem has Neither Sin nor Satan.
Here is a summary of all posts about what is NOT in New Jerusalem.

Photo courtesy of NASA and JPL.

1 Comment
by Don on February 15, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on February 15, 2017

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2017/02/15/no-devil-in-or-near-new-jerusalem/

No Curse in New Jerusalem

New JerusalemRevelation 22:3 declares, “there will no longer be a curse.” This statement is true not only for New Jerusalem but also for the entire new creation.

The curse came in because Adam ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. “And to Adam He said, Because you…have eaten of the tree concerning which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it; cursed is the ground because of you; in toil will you eat of it all the days of your life” (Gen. 3:17).

Besides the curse, death came in when Adam ate of the tree of knowledge. “Jehovah God commanded the man…of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of it you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17).

But, “Christ has redeemed us out of the curse of the law, having become a curse on our behalf; because it is written, ‘Cursed is every one hanging on a tree'” (Gal. 3:13). This redemption enables us to receive the Spirit, as declared by the next verse in Galatians, “In order that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

Through Christ’s redemption we receive the Spirit of life, who is the divine life, portrayed by the life Adam should have received by eating the tree of life (Gen. 2:9). The operating of this Spirit in us frees us from the working of sin and death in our being (Rom. 8:2).

Eventually all creation will be freed from sin and death. Death will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14), hence “death will be no more” (Rev. 21:4). As a result, in New Jerusalem and in all of he new creation there will be no sin, no death, and no curse.

This post is in my list of what is NOT in New Jerusalem.

Photo courtesy of NASA.

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by Don on January 9, 2017  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on January 9, 2017

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2017/01/09/no-curse-in-new-jerusalem/

New Jerusalem is the Consummate Glory

New Jerusalem is the living conclusion of everything positive in the Bible. Four recent posts identified some key elements in this conclusion, then three posts focused on New Jerusalem as the conclusion of all the newness in the Bible.

New JerusalemIn reading John 17, I was stirred to look at New Jerusalem as the consummate glory in the Bible. Historically, the first clear reference to glory seems to be in Acts 7:2—the God of glory appeared to Abraham. Lord, appear to us and attract us to follow You as Abraham did.

God’s glory is praised in Exodus 15, after Israel crossed the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army was drowned. This indicates that the redemption of the Passover, along with our exodus from the world and its power, releases the glory of God. In New Jerusalem we will still celebrate redemption, praising the Lamb on the throne. And we will be separated from the world and its power which are in the lake of fire. Lord, thank You for Your redemption and for bringing us out of the world.

God’s glory appears several times in Exodus. At the end of Exodus, when the tabernacle was completed, the glory filled it. When Solomon’s temple was inaugurated (1 Kings 8), the glory filled it. The glory also filled the restored house in Ezekiel 43. In Haggai 2 it is prophesied that the latter glory will exceed the former. How much more will the glory fill New Jerusalem! Lord, operate in us to complete Your New Testament building work.

God’s glory appeared to all the people when the priestly service was initiated in Leviticus 9. How much more when all God’s people serve as priests in New Jerusalem!

Psalm 8 is a praise and a prophecy about Jesus; both involve God’s glory. Psalm 24 also praises the Lord as the King of glory. Other verses also mention the glory.

The visions in Ezekiel 1 conclude with an open heaven, a throne, and a man on the throne. He tells us that this is the appearance of the glory of the Lord. Eternally, in New Jerusalem, we will see an open heaven, the throne of God and of the Lamb, and the glory of God.

Photo courtesy of U.S. National Park Service.

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by Don on June 23, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on June 23, 2014

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/new-jerusalem-is-the-consummate-glory/

Are You on God’s Line of Life?

New Jerusalem

The line of life (the eternal life) begins with the tree of life with the river of life in the garden of Eden and flows through the Bible to New Jerusalem.

According to the revelation in the Bible, we see two streams proceeding out of the throne of God. One is the stream of living water, and the other is a stream of fire. The stream of living water is revealed in Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 22. In Ezekiel living water issues out of the house of God; in Revelation 22 living water flows out of the throne of God. In Daniel 7:9-10 we see another stream, a stream of fire, flowing out of the throne of God. The living water is for reviving and watering, but the stream of fire is for judging. It courses in judgment throughout the universe. The river of water proceeds out of the throne of God and will flow all positive things into the New Jerusalem. The stream of fire issues out of the throne of God and will sweep all negative things into the lake of fire. In the beginning of the Bible we have the start of two lines, the line of life and the line of knowledge. At the end of the Bible we have two results, two consummations—the city of living water and the lake of burning fire.*

The line of life comes from the tree of life with the river of life. The line of knowledge comes from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. These two trees are identified in Genesis 2:9. Notice that both good and evil are on the same tree, and that both are separated from life.

Our goal is not to try to do good, which gets us involved with evil because they are on the same tree (Romans 7:19-21). Instead, our seeking is to be men of life, men filled with the Spirit of life, having this life imparted into every part of our being (Romans 8:2, 6, 10-11).

On the line of life our spirit becomes life by regeneration, our mind becomes life through transformation, and our mortal body receives life from the indwelling Spirit. The line of life brings us all the way to New Jerusalem, the city of life.

*This is a quote from The Line of Life Throughout the Scriptures, message 15 in the Life-Study of Genesis by Witness Lee, © by Living Stream Ministry.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

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by Don on March 10, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on March 10, 2014

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/are-you-on-gods-line-of-life/

Into God’s Kingdom for New Jerusalem

New JerusalemThe gospel of Jesus Christ is “the gospel of the kingdom” because the gospel brings men through repentance and regeneration into the kingdom of God, which ultimately is the new creation with New Jerusalem as the center.

God’s original creation was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). After sin and death entered, that creation became the old creation, separated from God and excluded from the tree of life. We were all in that old, fallen creation, the kingdom of darkness.

In Acts 26:13-18 the Lord Jesus told Paul that he was being sent to the nations “To open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God.” This is a change of kingdom! This change put us into the realm of New Jerusalem.

In Colossians 1:12-13 Paul gives thanks to “the Father, who delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” This is another expression of the same change of kingdom.

Humanly there have been and are many kingdoms on earth. However, in God’s eyes there are only two kingdoms: Satan’s dark kingdom which will end up in the lake of fire, and God’s bright kingdom which will culminate in New Jerusalem.

May we preach and live this gospel of the kingdom. By repentance and faith in Jesus Christ we were born into this kingdom, we now live its inward spiritual reality, soon we will be its open manifestation, and eternally we will be New Jerusalem.

Related posts: The Entrance into New Jerusalem _The Kingdom and the Reigning

Photo courtesy of U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

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by Don on February 26, 2014  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on February 26, 2014

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/into-gods-kingdom-for-new-jerusalem/

In the Garden of Eden but not in New Jerusalem

New JerusalemMany recent posts have looked at similarities or parallels between the garden of Eden and New Jerusalem. This post is about four things seen in the garden in Genesis 2–3 but is not seen in the city nor in the new creation in Revelation 21–22.

✦  Genesis 2:9 tells us that in the garden were “every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, as well as the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” This tree of knowledge is not in New Jerusalem, but the tree of life is there on both sides of the river of life which flows from the throne (Revelation 22:1-2).

✦  In Genesis 2:17 God commanded Adam: “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of it you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” This is first spiritual death followed by physical death. In contrast, no death is in New Jerusalem, for Revelation 20:14 records that “death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.”

✦  In Genesis 3:1-13 the serpent deceived Eve so that she and Adam ate of the tree of knowledge. The serpent is a symbol of Satan. In Revelation 12:9 the Devil, Satan, is “he who deceives the whole inhabited earth.” However, his end will come. In John 16:11 the Lord Jesus tells us that “the ruler of this world has been judged.” The final enactment of this judgement is recorded in Revelation 20:10: “the Devil, who deceived them [the nations], was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.” Hence, no Devil in New Jerusalem.

✦  In Genesis 3:16-19 the curse came upon mankind, including pain, toil, sweat, and death. Instead of this bleak outlook, Revelation 22:3 says of New Jerusalem, “there will no longer be a curse” and verse 21:4 says of the whole new creation, “He [God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death will be no more, nor will there be sorrow or crying or pain anymore.”

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has saved us from death, Satan, and the curse. Now He is living within us, gradually making us wholly new, blameless, and shining to match the blessed condition of New Jerusalem. Praise Him!

Photo courtesy of U.S. National Park Service.

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by Don on June 17, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on June 17, 2013

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/in-the-garden-of-eden-but-not-in-new-jerusalem/

Life or Death

God, man, and the tree of life were in the garden of Eden and will be in New Jerusalem. In contrast, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was in the garden but will not be in the city.

Jehovah God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground Jehovah God caused to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, as well as the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil….And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may eat freely, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, of it you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. (Genesis 2:8-9, 16-17)

Christ is lifeThese two trees signify two sources for man. These sources have corresponding lines through the whole Bible. One source and one line is God Himself, who is life and who brings man to eternal life. The other source and line is Satan, God’s enemy, who is death and who brings man to death. God placed man in the garden in front of these two trees, indicating that man faced a choice.

Man chooses between life and death. God desires strongly that man choose life but God does not force man to go this way. Rather, by His often hidden but compassionate care and by the attraction of His love, He woos man. Now is the time to choose the unlimited life, the life that is in Christ. If you have not yet, you can pray like this:

Lord Jesus, thank You for coming and dying and resurrecting for me. Cleanse me of all my wrongdoings. Please come into me to be my life, make me aware of Your life, and keep me on the line of life every day.

Throughout this age there is the struggle between life and death. Eventually a good number of people will choose life and become men filled with Jesus Christ as life. God will be expressed through them in a full way. Satan and death will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10, 14). That will be the termination of the tree of knowledge. God in Christ will flow through New Jerusalem as life (Revelation 22:1-2) and radiate His glory through the whole of New Jerusalem (v. 21:9-11) to have His living, eternal, corporate expression.

Photo of Ireland by Toby Shelton.

Further reading: select the pamphlet “Man and the Two Trees” in this list.

Related posts:
A Governing Principle in the Bible: the two Trees with two Lines, two Flows, and two Destinations!
The Two Lines in the Bible Issuing in Two Principles of Living

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by Don on May 10, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on May 10, 2013

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/life-or-death/

No Night in New Jerusalem

Christ is the LightRevelation 22:2a says, “And on this side and on that side of the river was the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month.” Eternity in New Jerusalem includes months portraying Christ as our continual new beginning. Besides months, the new creation will have days and nights. Revelation 20:10 tells us that the devil was cast into the lake of fire to be “tormented day and night forever and ever.”

These days and nights will be a characteristic of the new creation. However, within New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:25 says “there will be no night there.” Verse 22:5 says “And night will be no more; and they have no need of the light of a lamp and of the light of the sun, for the Lord God will shine upon them…” Because the Lord God Himself will shine upon His redeemed, regenerated, and glorified people they have no need of a man-made lamp nor of the God-created sun. And, because God’s shining is unvarying, there will be no night.

The path to “no night” for men began with the incarnation. John 1:1, 14 says that the eternal Word, who is God, became flesh. John 1:4-5 says, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” This path continues with Christ’s redemption on the cross, qualifying us to receive the light. Then there is the preaching of the gospel, as exemplified by Jesus’ charge to Paul, “To open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God” (Acts 26). Eventually New Jerusalem is our ultimate realization and appreciation of 1 John 1:5, “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”

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by Don on November 14, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on November 14, 2012

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/no-night-in-new-jerusalem/

Perfect Righteousness

God is righteous and in Psalm 89:14 the psalmist declares “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne.” Christ, as the embodiment of God, is the King of righteousness and King of peace.

At the end of this age, at the seventh trumpet, is the grand announcement, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). This will be a time of righteousness and peace because all nations will be in Christ’s kingdom. Although wonderful, that time will still be in the old creation. Revelation 20:7-8 tell us, “And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth…to gather them together for the war.”

Satan is unrighteous and the source of all unrighteousness. First John 3:10 tells us that everyone who practices righteousness is of God and everyone who does not practice righteousness is of the devil. When Satan is released from prison his deception, which is unrighteous, causes war to briefly replace peace.

Revelation 20:10 tells us that “the devil, who deceived them [the nations in v. 8], was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where also the beast and the false prophet were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” The lake of fire is “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). After this will be a new heaven and a new earth with New Jerusalem as their center (Revelation 21:1-2). Here will be perfect righteousness and perfect peace.

Bible verses quoted in these posts are from The Holy Bible, Recovery Version, published and copyrighted by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim CA, 2003. The New Testament of this Bible, with its outlines, footnotes, and cross-references, may be viewed at online.recoveryversion.org; this too is copyrighted by Living Stream Ministry.

These verses in a hymn drawn from Revelation reflect verses cited above:

Lo, the kingdom of the world is now the kingdom of the Lord!
O what joy to all the saints does His eternal reign afford!
Let us swell the mighty chorus of His praise in one accord—
___The victory is won!

Now the devil’s in the lake of fire, for John has seen him there;
Hallelujah, never more need we his provocations bear!
What a triumph for the saints his judgment boldly to declare—
___The victory is won!

Now behold the greatest wonder—New Jerusalem descend!
She’s the building of the Triune God with man—a perfect blend!
She’s the Bride, prepared, adorned for Christ—of all God’s work, the end!
___The victory is won!

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by Don on October 16, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on October 16, 2012

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/perfect-righteousness/

Righteousness Abounds

righteousness dwells in the new creationRevelation 21:1 says, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” New Jerusalem is in the environment of this new creation. Death is confined to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14) but righteousness permeates this new creation. “According to His promise we are expecting new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

“Is there unrighteousness with God? Absolutely not!” (Romans 9:14) Righteousness is an attribute of God and Jesus Christ is called “the Righteous” by Stephen (Acts 7:52), Peter (1 Peter 3:18), and John (1 John 2:1).

Because man was created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27), man was created to be righteous. Due to the fall, man is separated from God and often displays the unrighteousness of the devil. Nevertheless, because something of God’s creation remains with man, men still appreciate righteousness and denounce unrighteousness. This is why our news media condemn unrighteous behavior by officials and expose failures in our justice system.

Because the devil will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10), there will be no unrighteousness in new heaven and new earth. Rather, righteousness abounds in them. This righteousness, which is the foundation of God’s throne (Psalm 89:14), emanates from the throne of God and the Lamb (Revelation 22:1), fills New Jerusalem, and pervades the entire new creation.

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by Don on September 23, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Don on September 23, 2012

https://newjerusalem12.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/righteousness-abounds/

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