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To Whom Do You Bow Down, Worship & Show Respect?
Are those you give homage to worthy?
WORSHIP is mentioned more in the Revelation than in any other book in the Bible. The last book has the most about worship!
Revelation 4:10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will WORSHIP Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 "Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created.
WORSHIP is the Greek word proskuneo (from pros =to, toward + kuneo = to kiss) (Ed note: click word study). So worship means to kiss, to bow down and as you bow down you throw a kiss. It also means to have a movement of the body that shows honor or recognition to another person. So to worship a king you would bow. This is similar to when a girl would curtsy. To show respect. To bow or fall before. To kiss towards someone.
In Revelation 1 we learn what the book is about:
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must shortly take place; and He sent and communicated [it] by His angel to His bond-servant John,
In Revelation 1:17 John falls down but it may be more because he was over awed by Christ's presence rather than as an act of worship.
Revelation 1:17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, "DO NOT BE AFRAID
Note that Christ tells John NOT TO BE AFRAID. Perfect love casts out all fear. (1 Jo 4:18). Fear brings torment but God loves us with a perfect love. As God is about to show those things that will take place shortly, we are not to be afraid. Why not? Because Jesus reminds us Who He is:
I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades." (Revelation 1:17; 18)
As we move through Revelation you will see multitudes who had a difficult time on earth, even suffering martyrdom. Nevertheless Jesus says to them
Do not fear because I started it all. I was there in the beginning of creation. I created things for My pleasure. Nothing exists apart from Christ. I am THE LAST and will be there at the end. I am the living One and was dead but death could not hold Me. I broke the bonds of death. I am the living One. I have the key to death and the key to Hades. I know everything that's going to happen."
Revelation 1:19 "Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall take place after these things
This might be construed as worship but is probably more John's reaction to the overwhelming presence of Christ.
Revelation 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what MUST take place after these things."
AFTER THESE THINGS: after the things that took place in Revelation 1& 2.
Revelation 4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. 4:3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.
Imagine what this must have been like for John, who had been exiled to the isle of Patmos and tradition says had been dipped in a cauldron of hot oil because of his stand on the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Patmos was a barren isle and John's home was probably a cave. And then in a moment John is transported to the place of the One Whom he has worshipped, to the presence of the One on Whose breast he had leaned his head (John 13:23,25, 21:20). This is the One that John knew truly loved him and this love had held John firm and had caused him NOT to "kiss toward" or bow toward anyone else. He was willing to die before he would bow or bend the knee to someone else other than his Lord. And now John is caught up into heaven.
Revelation 4:4 And around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. 4:5 And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 4:6 and before the throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 4:7 And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 4:8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come."
As you read through and study the book of the Revelation, you will come to more and more see Him Who is to come and with Whom you will spend eternity… if you worship the Son, if you "kiss" the Son, if you see He is worthy, if you come as you see that what Jesus Christ has done on the Cross for you.
Revelation 4:9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created.
We exist and we were created because it was GOD'S GOOD PLEASURE.
THE THRONE OF GOD
JASPER STONE: the Jasper stone we know today is a dull stone but cross-reference describing the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God…
Rev 21:11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear JASPER.
So it may appear "dull" to us but it is a VERY COSTLY STONE, a stone which is CRYSTAL-CLEAR, which would signify FREE OF IMPURITIES, a description of the ONE sitting on the throne in Rev 4:3.
And what do the 4 living creatures say about Him? Holy, holy, holy. The One Who is "set apart", Who is "other than". And God calls His children to be holy even as He is holy (read Lev 11:44, 20:26, see notes 1 Peter 1:15; 16). This crystal clearness could speak of the HOLINESS of God, that there is no blemish, no imperfection.
SARDIS STONE: a fiery red stone. And fire speaks of purification, judgment. So SARDIS stone could speak of God as we see Him in Revelation, the God Who is bringing His wrath upon sin.
THE MEANING OF THE RAINBOW
RAINBOW: the word is like IRIS, used only in Genesis, Ezekiel and Revelation. Could be translated "HALO".
Rev 10:1 And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the RAINBOW was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire; 2 and he had in his hand a little book which was open. And he placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; 3 and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. 4 And when the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken, and do not write them." 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there shall be delay no longer, 7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, (THE 7TH TRUMPET) when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets. 8 And the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, "Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land." 9 And I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "Take it, and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." 10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. (BECAUSE OF THE PROPHECY HE IS ABOUT TO GIVE) 11 And they said to me, "You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings."
The rainbow in Genesis 9: (Context) God judges the world, using water to cover and destroy the entire world. If you don't believe this happened, you are setting yourself up as a judge of the Word of God. This paraphrases what Jesus declared to the two on the road to Emmaus (read Luke 24:13ff) in Luke 24:25ff
And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to BELIEVE in ALL that the prophets have spoken!" Jesus did not contradict the idea of a world wide flood and in fact used the phrase "as it was in the days of Noah so will it be in the coming of the Son of Man.
Ge 9:11 "And I establish My COVENANT with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth." 12 And God said, "This is THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; 13 I set My BOW in the cloud, and it shall be for A SIGN OF A COVENANT between Me and the earth. (So the RAINBOW was the SIGN OF A COVENANT, that God would not again destroy the earth with water.) 16 "When the BOW is in the cloud, then I will look upon IT, to remember the EVERLASTING COVENANT between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." 17 And God said to Noah, "This is THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."
So as we see the RAINBOW over the head of the angel (Rev 10) who is getting ready to judge the earth and the little book tells about that prophecy, it is possible that the RAINBOW (like the one that is around the throne) is a reminder of God's EVERLASTING COVENANT. Does God destroy the heavens and the earth? Yes He does but not with water but with FIRE
(2 Peter 3:7 [note] But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for FIRE, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.)
As God prepares to judge the earth, He could be saying through the RAINBOW in Rev 10:1
I have kept My covenant. I have not broken My covenant.
THE THRONE IN EZEKIEL 1
(Click notes on Ezekiel 1)
Ezekiel 1:4 (note) And as I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire. (THE ANGEL IN REV 10 HAS FEET LIKE GLOWING METAL, & JESUS' FEET LIKE BURNISHED BRONZE IN REV 1) 5 And within it (THE STORM WIND) there were figures resembling four living beings. (cf Rev 4) And this was their appearance: they had human form. 6 Each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 And their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf's hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides [were] human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, 9 their wings touched one another; their [faces] did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward. 10 As for the form of their faces, [each] had the face of a man, all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull (cf to a calf in Rev 4) on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another [being,] and two covering their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward; wherever the Spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went…
Ezekiel 1:20 (note) Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose close beside them; for the spirit of the living beings [was] in the wheels…
Ezekiel 1:22 (note) Now over the heads of the living beings [there was] something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of CRYSTAL, (Cp. to sea of glass like crystal in Rev 4:5) extended over their heads. 23 And under the expanse their wings were stretched out… one side and on the other. 24 I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. 25 And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. 26 Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a THRONE, like lapis lazuli (a beautiful stone) in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, [was] a figure with the appearance of a man. 27 Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like FIRE (think of the fiery deep red of the sardis stone) all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a RADIANCE AROUND HIM. 28 As the appearance of the RAINBOW in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the SURROUNDING RADIANCE. Such was the appearance of the likeness of THE GLORY OF THE LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.
So whatever that RAINBOW is, Ezekiel teaches that it is THE GLORY OF THE LORD.
The glory of the Lord is to be able to judge the earth by a flood if He so desires. The glory of the Lord is to make a covenant, to make a promise with us that He will never judge the earth again with a flood. The glory of the Lord is that He cares enough about man to give him the sign of a covenant so that when those men who saw rain for the first time (Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth, and their wives.) they knew that they were protected by the ark. They looked at their children and at their generation and saw that they had not repented, that they were still bent toward sin. But at least when they saw that rain, they would know that this was the GLORY OF GOD and that He is a COVENANT KEEPING GOD and that He is TRUE TO HIS WORD. Yes, He is HOLY. Yes, He JUDGES. But He is a FAITHFUL GOD. What the Rainbow means more than that Kay cannot say.
THE SCROLL IN EZEKIEL 2
(Click here for verse by verse notes on Ezekiel 2)
Note that God refers to Ezekiel as "son of man":
Ezekiel 2:4 (note) "And I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children; and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God.' 5 "As for them, whether they listen or not-- for they are a rebellious house-- they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 "And you, son of man, neither fear them … 7 "But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious. 8 "Now you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you." 9 Then I looked, behold, a hand was extended to me; and lo, a SCROLL [was] in it. 10 When He spread it out before me, it was written on the front and back; and written on it were LAMENTATIONS, MOURNING and WOE.
So in Ezekiel you see a RAINBOW, a HOLY THRONE, a SCROLL EATEN SWEET IN THE MOUTH, BITTER IN THE STOMACH… It is a prophecy of lamentations and woe toward the NATION OF ISRAEL whereas in John the prophecy is toward THE WORLD.
THE 24 ELDERS
There is great debate and much speculation about who they are. But no one really knows. Kay believes they are a creation Who God has in heaven and are not the 12 tribes/12 apostles. She believes this bc as you go thru Rev they are involved in judgment.
Rev 5:6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7 And He came, and He took [it] out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (THESE ARE OUR PRAYERS) 9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood [men] from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10 "And Thou hast made them (KJV says "us" but did God redeem the 4 living creatures with His blood? No. So this is the 4 living creatures/24 elders praising) to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."
REVELATION 7
THE 24 ELDERS ARE WORSHIPPING GOD
Rev 7:12 saying, "Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, [be] to our God forever and ever. Amen." 13 And one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and from where have they come?" 14 And I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
REVELATION 11:
THE 24 ELDERS ARE WORSHIPPING GOD
Rev 11:16 And the 24 ELDERS, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying, "We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign.
THE 144,000 IN HEAVEN
Rev 14:3… sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.
AFTER THE DESTRUCTION
OF BABYLON THE GREAT IN REV 17-18
Rev 19:4 And the 24 ELDERS and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!"
Whoever the 24 elders are we can say that they are CLOSE TO THE THRONE, they KNOW and SEE what is going on, and they WORSHIP God.
ISAIAH 24: THE JUDGMENT OF GOD
Isaiah 24:1 Behold, the Lord lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface, and scatters its inhabitants… 3 The earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled, for the Lord has spoken this word. 4 The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. 5 The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. (What do you see as the TRUMPET JUDGMENTS take place in "1/3's"? Rev 8-9)… 11 There is an outcry in the streets concerning the wine; All joy turns to gloom. The gaiety of the earth is banished… 13 For thus it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, As the shaking of an olive tree, As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over… 16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs, "Glory to the Righteous One," But I say, "Woe to me! Woe to me! Alas for me! The treacherous deal treacherously, And the treacherous deal very treacherously."17 Terror and pit and snare Confront you, O inhabitant of the earth.18 Then it will be that he who flees the report of disaster will fall into the pit, And he who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare; For the windows above are opened, and the foundations of the earth shake. (What does Revelation describe? earthquakes) 19 The earth is broken asunder, the earth is split through, the earth is shaken violently. 20 The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard, and it totters like a shack, for its transgression is heavy upon it, and it will fall, never to rise again. 21 So it will happen in that day, that the Lord will punish THE HOST OF HEAVEN, on high, (the demonic forces: the Devil and his angels) And the KINGS OF THE EARTH, on earth. 22 And they will be gathered together like prisoners in the dungeon, and will be confined in prison; and after many days they will be punished. 23 Then THE MOON WILL BE ABASHED and the sun ashamed, for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and His glory will be before His ELDERS.
NOTE: It does not say that the elders are going to reign with Christ but that His glory is before the elders. The context of this chapter is referring to God's judgment. Therefore it appears that these ELDERS are part of some sort of angelic host since God is reigning and you and I are to reign. The angelic hosts will not reign!
Rev 4:5 And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;
Rev 5:6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
What did the 4 living creatures have? Eyes all around and about them. Here are 7 Spirits of God with 7 eyes which go out into all the earth. As you go through Revelation you see the JUDGMENT of God and as you see the Judgment note that those who are before the throne, who know God, who see everything that is going on, those that have total understanding, ARE ALWAYS BOWING THE KNEE & WORSHIPPING GOD. Why? Because they know everything that is going on. And they see that God is pure, holy, just.
But those ON EARTH do not have the knowledge of God are CURSING GOD, BLASPHEMING GOD, WORSHIPPING THE DRAGON, WORSHIPPING THE BEAST, WORSHIPPING DEMONS, STANDING ANGRY & DEFIANT AGAINST GOD. Why? Because they don't know the ONE Who sits upon the throne. If they knew the ONE Who sat upon the throne, they would bow down before Him. Instead, in the midst of all the judgment, they willfully fold their arms and instead of bowing they blaspheme God. They gnaw their tongues in pain instead of using their tongues to worship God.
THE 7 EYES…
SENT OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH
Pr 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.
THE SEVEN FOLD MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT
Isaiah 11:2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
THE SEVEN EYES OF THE LORD
Zech 4:10 "For who has despised the day of small things? But THESE SEVEN will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel-- these (THESE 7 EYES BEFORE THE THRONE IN REV 5:6) are the EYES of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth."
These SEVEN EYES OF GOD see everything. They know to whom you bow down. They know to whom you give respect. They know whether you have worshipped God above all others. God will judge righteously. In Rev 4 & 5 we see the worship of God and then we see it intermittently in the remainder of Revelation.
Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
God in opening the book of Revelation has shown us that He is holy, that He is a covenant keeping God (Rainbow encircling His throne), that He is worthy of glory (all around Him all worship Him, bowing down to Him because HE IS WORTHY… THE ONLY ONE THAT WE ARE TO BOW DOWN TO!) Quit bowing down to other gods. Quit bowing down to "self". Quit allowing "self" to reign. Quit honoring "self". Quit bowing down to man. Don't bow down to the devil even if he threatens your life. He does not hold the keys to death and Hades. Jesus does. Worship God.
In Rev 11:1 we see men worshipping in the Temple but not all worship in Revelation is directed to God.
WORSHIP OF DEMONS
Rev 9:20 And the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;
If you are worshipping $$$$$…If money gets in your place of serving God… If your career gets in the way of serving God, then you are just like those in Rev 9:20 and MONEY/CAREER are simply idols in the place of God.
WORSHIP OF THE DRAGON
Rev 13:4 and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?"
In Rev 13:8,12 those who dwell upon the earth are worshipping the beast.
Rev 14:11 "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."
Those people want food so desperately that they are willing to bow down to the beast and take the MARK OF THE BEAST and the minute they do so, they seal their fate forever. At that time they worship the beast and the devil instead of God. God alone is to be worshipped. As you go through Revelation you see opposition to God but you see that God will judge them and the anthem goes up:
Rev 15:3 And they sang the song of Moses the bond-servant of God and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. 4 "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy; For all the nations will come and worship before Thee, For Thy righteous acts have been revealed."
Ps 2:1 Why are the nations in an uproar, And the peoples devising a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand, And the rulers take counsel together Against the Lord and against His Anointed:
AND THEN GOD SAYS (in the KJV)
Ps 2:12 KISS THE SON, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
KISS THE SON WHILE THERE IS TIME! That needs to be the message to all of us while there is yet time. This needs to be the message to all the nations… while there is time. Why should we "kiss the Son"? Because all through Revelation we see that He is worthy. In Rev 7:9ff we see a MULTITUDE that has come out of the GREAT TRIBULATION, having given their lives because they "kissed the Son" and they are worshipping God singing an anthem of praise.
In Rev 11 we see worship.
In Rev 15:3-4 we see martyrs worshipping.
In Rev 16:5-7 we see an angel worshipping God.
In Rev 19:2 & 8 we see a multitude standing in heaven worshipping God & the Lamb Who is on the throne and they have "KISSED THE SON".
KISS THE SON WHILE THERE IS TIME.
HE IS RIGHTEOUS. HE IS JUST.
HE IS TRUE IN ALL OF HIS JUDGMENTS.
DON'T BOW DOWN BEFORE MAN.
DON'T RISK YOUR ETERNITY.
BOW DOWN TO GOD WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME.
THOSE WHO WORSHIP GOD NOW
MAY FEEL THE WRATH OF MAN
BUT
THEY WILL NEVER FEEL THE WRATH OF GOD
BECAUSE
THEY HAVE KISSED THE SON.
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