Category: Revelation

Every Part of This Soil is Sacred

Watch or listen to the latest Richard Urban Show: Why Abstinence Matters-4: Sex Outside of Marriage Harms Society.

Revelation 5

9 Then they sang a new song,

“You are worthy
    to receive the scroll
and open its seals,
    because you were killed.
And with your own blood
    you bought for God
people from every tribe,
    language, nation, and race.
10 You let them become kings
    and serve God as priests,
and they will rule on earth.”

Lamentations 1

20 Won’t you look and see
    how upset I am, our Lord?
My stomach is in knots,
and my heart is broken
    because I betrayed you.
In the streets and at home,
    my people are slaughtered.

21 Everyone heard my groaning,
    but no one offered comfort.
My enemies know of the trouble
that you have brought on me,
    and it makes them glad.
Hurry and punish them,
    as you have promised.
22 Don’t let their evil deeds
    escape your sight.
Punish them as much
as you have punished me
    because of my sins.
I never stop groaning—
    I’ve lost all hope!

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 4

God’s Creation and Human Creativity

The Sanctity of Nature

2. Alive with Consciousness, Endowed with Purpose

No creature is there crawling on the earth,
no bird flying with its wings,
but they are nations like yourselves.
Qur’an 6.38

I say: Just as the consciousness of a man born
blind, deaf and dumb is not manifest, likewise the
consciousness of beings of earth-body [e.g., miner-
als] is also not manifest. Nevertheless such a man
experiences pain when struck or cut by a weapon,
and so also do the beings of earth-body. Likewise
for water-beings… fire-beings… plants… ani-
mals… air beings: their consciousness and expe-
riences of pain are actual, though not manifest.
Acarangasutra 1.28-161 (Jainism)

If these [my disciples] were silent, the very
stones would cry out.
Luke 19.40

Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation
of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every
plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad
or happy event in days long vanished.
Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb
and dead as the swelter in the sun along the
silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring
events connected with the lives of my people,
and the very dust upon which you now stand
responds more lovingly to their footsteps than
yours, because it is rich with the blood of our
ancestors
Chief Seattle (Native American Religion)

The explanation of the goodness of creation is
the goodness of God… Nevertheless, certain
heretics remain unconvinced, on the ground that
many things in creation are unsuitable and even
harmful to that poor and fragile mortality of the
flesh, which of course is no more than the just
penalty for sin. The heretics mention, for exam-
ple, fire, cold, wild beasts, and things like that,
without considering how wonderful such things
are in themselves and in their proper place and
how beautifully they fit into the total pattern of
the universe, making their peculiar contributions
to the commonweal of cosmic beauty. Nor have
they observed how valuable they are even to us
if only we use them well and wisely. Consider, for
instance, poison. It is deadly when improperly
used, but when properly applied it turns out to
be a health-giving medicine.
Saint Augustine, City of God 11.22 (Christianity)

How Will Heaven Train Us and Guide Us in Our Race

Tomorrow, September 1, 2019, is the 80th Anniversary of the beginning of World War II with the invasion of Poland simultaneously by Germany from the west and Russia from the east. My father, Tadeusz Urban who is now 94 years old, and was then 14, was in the path of the invading Russians in Lviv, Poland (now Ukraine). Watch a video chronicling his extraordinary journey: https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aj5ekHDYOaCigjosnwVYE4WpwXdA?e=oOqIzd.

Revelation 22

6 Then I was told:

These words are true and can be trusted. The Lord God controls the spirits of his prophets, and he is the one who sent his angel to show his servants what must happen right away. 7 Remember, I am coming soon! God will bless everyone who pays attention to the message of this book.

7 “Look! I’m coming soon. Favored is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy contained in this scroll.”

Ezra 1

7 King Cyrus gave back the things that Nebuchadnezzar[c] had taken from the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem and had put in the temple of his own gods. 8 Cyrus placed Mithredath, his chief treasurer, in charge of these things. Mithredath counted them and gave a list to Sheshbazzar, the governor of Judah. 9-10 Included among them were: 30 large gold dishes; 1,000 large silver dishes; 29 other dishes;[d] 30 gold bowls; 410 silver bowls; and 1,000 other articles.

11 Altogether, there were 5,400 gold and silver dishes, bowls, and other articles. Sheshbazzar took them with him when he and the others returned to Jerusalem from Babylonia.

Christian teacher Lance Wallnau has likened President Trump to Cyrus:
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2017/march/lance-wallnau-weighs-in-on-gods-chaos-candidate-now-americas-president .

Inside God’s Stadium

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
August 9, 1959

1 Corinthians 9: 14-27

It is written in I Corinthians 9:24: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” Centering on these words, I would like to speak to you briefly upon the topic “Inside God’s Stadium.”

As it was for the many saints in history, the people in the present era are dashing toward some unknown purpose in their lives. Although that purpose may not be clearly defined, their way of life has unfolded in various ways based upon it. The experience and form of the people and history have unfolded in various forms. All of these outcomes are not unrelated. We have to understand that there is some relationship which underpins their experience in this world, and that they are moving toward a certain purpose. If their actions and experiences are not rooted in such a relationship and purpose, then there is no way to establish the existence of God or any such being.

If God exists, He would surely try to forge a relationship with fallen humanity. For this reason, it cannot be denied that we who are moving toward a certain purpose are living inside the sphere of this relationship.

We know that we could not forge a relationship of goodness with God due to the Fall. Rather, we entered into a relationship of evil with Satan. Still, God does not want to abandon us, but is trying to restore us. We know that God and humanity have been walking an incredibly difficult course in order to restore humanity.

History is headed toward the one time when this purpose can be fulfilled. For this reason, you should understand that you are racers who are sprinting toward the purpose based on the standard of your conscience and your daily lives. All those who ever lived have stood on the race tracks of God’s providence of restoration.

God has been leading His providence concerning fallen people in various ways. God has been influencing them in various ways according to the differences between the people, differences between their prevailing ideologies and cultures. In the process, God has been fighting on humanity’s side to destroy evil until the moment His purpose is accomplished, the moment the race comes to an end.

If we accept that every person stands in the position of a racer, we are faced with the question of what we must do. If we understand how much God has suffered to raise up each one of us, and that we are obliged to stand inside the stadium and run with all our strength, how will Heaven train us and guide us in our race? How will each of us persevere through the tribulations of the race until we reach the destination? This is an important question that every one of us must resolve.

Among the saints and sages of the past, there must have been people who were in charge of one aspect of the whole and who set a certain standard before they died. In other words, these saints and sages did not complete the entire providence of Heaven or the entire race up to the end. Rather, they must have been in charge of various parts of the race and brought them to a conclusion. We should understand that this is how the race is being carried on even now. God made this stadium of restoration. We should understand that we have the inescapable responsibility to risk our lives in the race throughout our entire lifetimes.

Today there are many thoughts and teachings. In the religious world, there are many denominations and sects. Thoughts, philosophies and religions have taken various forms depending upon the uniqueness of the people they were established for. Such thoughts and religions should have developed into an ideology and religion which contains the entire content of God’s providence. Yet they failed to achieve that. All merely remained as thoughts and religions which were narrowly applicable to one nation or one era. We have to understand clearly that they were no more than parts of God’s race; the religions and ideologies were responsible for only partial missions.

A Sinner Like Me can Never Wipe the Tears of the Father

Watch the latest Richard Urban show: Why Conflicts of Interest Are Important:
https://youtu.be/2z7FZlI7IUk.

Reveleation 12

Our people defeated Satan
    because of the blood[a]
of the Lamb
    and the message of God.
They were willing
    to give up their lives.

Ezekiel 30

5 Soldiers hired from Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, Arabia, Kub, as well as from Israel,[b] will die in that battle. 6 All of your allies will be killed, and your proud strength will crumble. People will die from Migdol in the north to Aswan in the south. I, the Lord, have spoken.


The True Sons and Daughters of Heavenly Father Who Will Remain in the Last Days

Rev Sun Myung Moon
July 26, 1959

Romans 8: 12-27

There will come a day of judgment in the last days. When the day of judgment comes, how will Heaven appear? Heaven does not say, “I have this and that element of joy and glory. Why haven’t you attained similar elements?” The basis of the judgment is whether or not you understand the sorrowful and painful history of humanity and God, during which God fought fiercely for six thousand years. You have to understand that the traces of God’s work can be found in this history. Those who are trying to stand before God with the glory of a son and the hopes of a daughter will be asked by Heaven how much they have mourned over this history and how much suffering they have borne. At that time, those who say “Not at all” will not receive the glory of a son.

Look. On the hands and feet of Jesus are the nail marks. On his head is the crown of thorns, and in his heart there is the wound inflicted by a spear. Although Jesus passed away, Christians today do not understand that he had to cross over the hill of death in order to alleviate God’s bitter grief after becoming the prince of sorrow and anguish. Since Jesus passed the test of qualification of the heart, he appeared as the leader in the realm of the heart and spirit. What kind of savior was he? A savior of the body? No. he was the savior of the heart and spirit whom we long for from the depth of our beings, with whom we want to live for the rest of eternity. Jesus was able to become the Savior with the deepest and unchanging heart and standard of heart, based upon which he could wash away the heartaches of God and erase God’s historical anguishes from human history.

Let us consider this issue once more. The Last Days are near. The Last Days will certainly come, and in those Last Days, how will Heaven conduct the judgment? You have to understand this clearly. It will surely come true. You who are devout, you who want to believe, should understand this clearly. In the last days, God will not appear smiling and filled with joy. The same will be true with the Lord. When Mary Magdalene tried to cling onto the resurrected Jesus and called out, “My Lord!” Jesus told her not to hold onto him. Why? We have to understand clearly that only after we are connected to the sorrowful heart of Jesus and pass through a course of experiencing the pains and sorrow of Heaven can we hold onto Jesus.

When you call out to the Father after having experienced sorrow and agony yourself, look upon the Father’s appearance. His eyes have never stopped crying for six thousand years. His ears have never ceased hearing the mockery and criticisms of His enemies for six thousand years. His mouth could not speak the words He wanted to share for six thousand years. He was starving together with the people who were starving. The Father’s hands are stained with blood and sweat. His footsteps are the same. They have crossed the steep and rough path of Golgotha many hundreds and thousands of times. The Father’s body is wounded, and on Him are the marks of many beatings unjustly suffered.

Who caused all this suffering to the Father? He suffered because of pitiful humanity. Whenever we think about this, we should feel deeply sorry and repentful. When we call Him, we should have the mind-set, “A sinner like me can never erase the sufferings of the Father, even if I die many thousands of times. A sinner like me can never wipe the tears of the Father, no matter how many thousands of times I were to die.” Have you ever called out to Him with such a heart? If you have not, then you should repent deeply.

We have a heavenly mission to restore the authority of goodness

Revelation 5

“You are worthy
    to receive the scroll
and open its seals,
    because you were killed.
And with your own blood
    you bought for God
people from every tribe,
    language, nation, and race.
10 You let them become kings
    and serve God as priests,
and they will rule on earth.”

2nd Chronicles 18

7 “We could ask Micaiah son of Imlah,” Ahab said. “But I hate Micaiah. He always has bad news for me.”

“Don’t say that!” Jehoshaphat replied. 8 Then Ahab sent someone to bring Micaiah as soon as possible.

The Ideal Kingdom of Heaven, Our Hope

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
February 22, 1959

Matthew 3: 1-17

As we break apart the road of resentment that remains on earth, we must have a sincere desire to see the ideal world for which Jesus yearns in his heart. Only then can we meet the substance of that ideology.

After the first Israel perished, the second Israel, the Christians of the world, have worked hard to create that nation, race, land and authority, and are waiting for their leader to appear. Reality does not coincide with that ideal. There is no greater sadness than this.

What is a patriot? A patriot feels miserable when he sees the citizens of his nation in pitiful situations. He feels more pain than if his body was being dismembered when he sees his land trampled upon by other nations. He feels it more keenly than the leader of his nation when he sees the leader being treated unfairly and put in a miserable position.

What words are these about being brides who must meet the Prince of Heaven? We have the appearance of disloyalty, ugliness and sin and cannot even face the words. Therefore, we should have humble hearts. When we see the rights of the citizens of Heaven being infringed and Satan trampling this land, we must fight to recover them even if we die. We have a heavenly mission to restore the authority of goodness. Continue reading “We have a heavenly mission to restore the authority of goodness”

The Israelites and Jewish Churches Did Not Welcome Jesus

Book Review:  The Rod of Iron Kingdom by Hyung Jin Sean Moon

Revelation 11

12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Proverbs 22

Start children off on the way they should go,
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

7 The rich rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is slave to the lender.

8 Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,
    and the rod they wield in fury will be broken.

9 The generous will themselves be blessed,
    for they share their food with the poor.

The Sorrowful Heart of Jesus as He Went to the Mountain

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
January 25, 1959

Matthew 17: 1-8

Although Satan “showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor” and said to Jesus, “All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me,” (Matthew 4:12) Jesus resolutely rejected Satan. In this way he established the standard of victory in front of Satan. You should consider the situation of Jesus. In this fashion, he won the standard of the self who could connect to the sorrows of history and the age. Jesus then had to descend the mountain and look for the chosen Israel and the Jewish church, as the footing for the historical connection.

Jesus went to the Israelites and the Jewish churches with the victorious standard from the wilderness course, yet they did not welcome him. Instead of welcoming him, they persecuted him wherever he went. He met with opposition and ridicule. Having to go the wilderness course after being rejected the first time was already enough to provoke hard feelings and anger. When Jesus saw the Jewish church and the Israelite nation opposing him, the one who had returned to them with a victory over Satan, his heart was consumed with inexpressible pain and sorrow. We should contemplate the position and situation of Jesus. Continue reading “The Israelites and Jewish Churches Did Not Welcome Jesus”