Watch Out for Enemies

Judges 11

3So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him.

Richard:  Rev. Moon told his followers not to follow or support Hyun Jin Moon (the second son).  Many have ignored Rev. Moon’s guidance on this matter.

Psalms 118

If we say that we are willing to take on such a responsibility and mission, what would God emphasize to us? As God told to Joshua, who took over the mission of Moses in the wilderness, “Be bold and strong.” He would assert us to be the same.

Now we should understand that we are in the wilderness, looking at the blessed land of Canaan on the worldwide level, with the hope to enter the land. We should maintain our mind and body like that of Joshua or Caleb.

Then how should today’s Christians throughout the world live? They should appeal to Heaven so that someone like Joshua or Caleb will appear on the earth and lead Christianity today. During the time of the wilderness where the center was lost and chaos and confusion were prevalent, Christians should clearly understand that the time has come when someone like Joshua or Caleb should appear to resolve the problems and give direction to move forward. For this to be done, the denomination of each individual is not important. This is what we should understand.

In the Book of Revelation, Chapter 11, two olive trees are prophesied. What does this mean? Prior to the departure for the worldwide course of the restoration for the land of Canaan, it prophesies that someone like Joshua or Caleb will appear. As Joshua, who appeared on behalf of Moses, entered the land of Canaan, leading the Jewish people, today someone like Joshua or Caleb with the gospel of Jesus will appear and march forward into the new blessed land of Canaan on the worldwide level, leading the people of God.

Furthermore, just as the group of people who entered the land of Canaan with Joshua and Caleb destroyed the seven tribes of Canaan, you are also responsible for destroying Satan. We should understand this. You should become courageous heavenly warriors and be responsible for walking such a path. You should remember this well. Even if someone like Joshua or Caleb who speaks the new word appears at any place in the world, we should become the kind of person who can open our hearts, listen to the word, and live for God.

The path of Joshua and Caleb was full of adventures. Their path was a difficult pioneering one, one of battles. Wherever they went, there were paths to be pioneered. Sometimes on the individual level, other times on the level of the environment, they had to face courses in which they had to fight all kinds of tribulations.

When Moses was about to lead the Israelites into the blessed land of Canaan, Pharaoh attempted to kill Moses, and there were many people who were faithless among the Israelites and opposed him. They faced the same problems. God, who knew this well, said to Joshua and Caleb, “Be strong and bold.” What does this mean? That means to transcend all the human conditions. For the same reason, Jesus was triumphant in overcoming all the human conditions through his three temptations. Accordingly, even 2,000 years later, today you should also be strong and bold in overcoming all the human conditions.

Joshua was placed in the position where he had to walk a path of victory until the last moment from the individual course of battle on behalf of Moses. Along with the words, “Be strong and bold,” he was also advised, “Consider the individual whom you are dealing with to be an enemy, any people to be your enemy, and any land to be the land of the enemy.” We should understand this clearly today.

Today if we stand in the same position of Joshua, we will also meet enemies wherever we go. The environment will also attack us. It will be the same with the people and the nation. However, if we who are chosen are united and become second Joshuas who fight until the end at the risk of our lives, if we become saints who can take responsibility for worldwide Christianity, following Jesus Christ at the risk of our lives, we can win any battles ahead of us. This is the reason God wants us to be strong and bold.

Then what should we do with ourselves? We who are in the position of being strong and bold should be able to see ourselves correctly. We should be able to judge ourselves if we have done something wrong. Also, let us not think that we have lived thirty or forty years of life. Nor let us think of ourselves for the present only.