Category: Old Testament

But First He Must Suffer Many Things and Be Rejected by this Generation

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Deuteronomy 7

17 You may be thinking, “How can we destroy these nations? They are more powerful than we are.” 18 But stop worrying! Just remember what the Lord your God did to Egypt and its king. 19 You saw how the Lord used his tremendous power to work great miracles and bring you out of Egypt. And he will again work miracles for you when you face these enemies you fear so much. 20 Some of them may try to survive by hiding from you, but the Lord will make them panic, and soon they will be dead.[a]21 So don’t be frightened when you meet them in battle. The Lord your God is great and fearsome, and he will fight at your side.

Ezekiel 18

14 But suppose this evil man has a son who sees his father do these things and refuses to act like him. 15 He doesn’t eat meat at local shrines or worship Israel’s idols, and he doesn’t have sex with someone else’s wife. 16 He never cheats or robs anyone and doesn’t even demand security for a loan. He gives food and clothes to the poor 17 and refuses to do anything evil[a] or to charge interest. And he obeys all my laws and teachings. Such a man will live. His own father sinned, but this good man will not be put to death for the sins of his father. 18 It is his father who will die for cheating and robbing and doing evil.

Richard: We will discontinue the Rheamas from the Bible after today. We will be using the Completed Testament scriptures of Rev. Sun Myung Moon exclusively for our Rheamas (daily inspirational verses that we post at the beginning of the Daily Inspiration each day).

Eschatology and Messianic Hope

The Messiah

4. The Messiah’s Suffering Course

But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
Luke 17.25

In the time to come… the Patriarchs will say, “Ephraim, our righteous Messiah, though we are your ancestors, you are greater than we. For you have borne the sins of our children, and you have borne heavy punishments, such as nei-ther the former nor the latter generations have endured, and you became the laughter and the mocking of all the nations for Israel’s sake, and you sat in darkness, and your eyes saw no light. And your skin shrank upon your bones, and your body withered like a tree, and your eyes grew dark from fasting, and your strength dried up like a potsherd, and all this befell you because of the sins of our children. Is it your will that your children should enjoy the felicity which God has destined to give them in abundance? Perhaps because of the pains which you have endured in overflowing measure for their sakes, and because thou hast lain fettered in prison, your mind is not at rest because of them?” The Messiah will reply, “Patriarchs, all that I have done, I have done only for your sakes and for your children, and for your honor and theirs, so that they may enjoy the felicity which God has destined for them in abundance.” Then they reply, “May your mind be appeased, for you have appeased the mind of your Creator and our mind.”
Pesikta Rabbati 162b-63a (Judaism)

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Since Christ at the Second Advent must restore through indemnity the course of the providence of restoration left unfinished at Jesus’ coming, he may have to follow a similar course. Jesus encountered disbelief among the Jewish people and had to walk a course of bitter suffering. Likewise, if Christians, the Second Israel, reject Christ at the Second Advent, he will have to go through tribulations comparable to those Jesus suffered. He will have to repeat Jesus’ painful course and restore it through indemnity, but this time during his earthly life. For this reason, Jesus said, “But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” (Luke 17.25) (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Moses and Jesus 3.3.2)

Christian leaders today, like the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day, will probably be the first to persecute Christ at the Second Advent. Jesus came to found a new era which would fulfill the words of the Old Testament proclaimed by the prophets. He did not limit himself to repeating the words of the Old Testament, but gave new words of truth fit for the new era. The Jewish priests and scribes criticized Jesus’ words and deeds based on their narrow understanding of the Old Testament Scriptures. Their mistaken judgment led them to deliver Jesus to the cross.
Similarly, the purpose of Christ at the Second Advent is to build a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21.1-4) upon the foundation of the spiritual salvation which had been laid by Christianity in the New Testament Age. When he returns, he will not merely repeat the words of the New Testament given two thousand years ago, but will surely add new words of truth necessary for the founding of a new heaven and a new earth. However, those Christians of today whose minds are narrowly attached to the letter of the New Testament will criticize the words and deeds of Christ at his return based on their narrow understanding of the Scriptures. Therefore, it can be expected that they will brand the Lord a heretic and persecute him. This is why Jesus foretold that at the Second Advent, Christ would first suffer many things and be rejected by his generation. (Luke 17.25) (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Second Advent 4)

I, Reverend Moon, stood between God and Satan, always fighting to eliminate Satan. How could I proceed in this work without confronting Satan’s accusation? I took the burden of restitution on myself, taking the required indemnity as my portion of responsibility. This is the human portion of responsibility [to defeat Satan], which people were not able to fulfill until now. Satan knows that is the responsibility of the Messiah; therefore he mobilized all of his forces to attack me. By enduring and overcoming these attacks, I could destroy Satan’s wall in the individual, the family, the tribe, the people, the nation, the world and the spirit world. It is the Messiah’s responsibility to go through the entire course of indemnity. (131:70-71, April 16, 1984)

From His Mouth Issues a Sharp Sword with which to Smite the Nations

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The Rheama’s (scripture readings) for Saturday were missing. Here they are.

Luke 20

23 Jesus knew that they were trying to trick him. So he told them, 24 “Show me a coin.” Then he asked, “Whose picture and name are on it?”

“The Emperor’s,” they answered.

25 Then he told them, “Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.” 26 Jesus’ enemies could not catch him saying anything wrong there in front of the people. They were amazed at his answer and kept quiet.

Amos 1

5 I will break through
    the gates of Damascus.
I will destroy the people[i]
of Wicked Valley[j]
    and the ruler of Beth-Eden.[k]
Then the Syrians will be dragged
    as prisoners to Kir.[l]
I, the Lord, have spoken!

Eschatology and Messianic Hope

The Messiah

2. The Mission of the Messiah— to Vanquish Evil and Establish God’s Kingdom

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name inscribed which no one knows but himself. He is clad in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, followed him on white horses. From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, King of kings and Lord of lords.
    Revelation 19.11-16
 
For to us a child is born,to us a son is given,and the government shall be upon his shoulder,and his name shall be called“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”Of the increase of his government and of peacethere will be no end,upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom,to establish it, and to uphold itwith justice and with righteousness, from this time forth and for ever more.The zeal of the lord of hosts will do this.
    Isaiah 9.6-7 
 
The Imam [Mahdi] who will create a world state will make the ruling nations pay for their crimes against society. He will bring succor to humanity. He will take out the hidden wealth from the breast of the earth and will distribute it equitably amongst the needy deserving. He will teach you simple living and high thinking.
    Nahjul Balagha, Khutba 141, 187 (Shiite Islam)
 
Then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
    Matthew 24.30-31
 
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
 
The Lord and Savior is coming! What will the Lord do when he comes? He is to rule the nation and the world. Will he rule arbitrarily, governing any way he pleases? No, he will rule with truth. Wherever in the world the Lord travels, he will govern with truth.
    The Savior wants to make a world that is pleasing to God. More than that, he wants to make a world that rejoices the conscience. After all, since the human conscience originates from God, it knows what is pleasing to God and desires what God desires. In that world, there will be no racism or wars between nations. There will be no discrimination based on religion, ethnic background or cultural tradition. Instead, there will be universal agreement about what goodness is, and it will be in accord with God’s view.
    The day when we can march forward to such a world is coming; it is the time of the Savior’s advent on earth. Christians call it the day of Christ’s Second Coming. (160:345, June 15, 1969)
 
The mission of the Messiah is to complete the will of God. He comes to destroy Satan’s evil sovereignty over this world. He comes to repair broken humanity and restore them to their original state of goodness and perfection. God sends him as the sovereign who will rule over the entire universe. (73:204, September 18, 1974)
 
Because the work of God is realistic and physical, the Messiah’s coming on the clouds does not make sense. Yet interpreting the Bible literally, many Christians think, “Jesus will descend on the clouds! It will be done by God’s power!” If that were true, if God could use supernatural power to do anything, then why did He need to send Jesus? Why would He call people to faith? In that case, God could simply create the Kingdom by Himself, without waiting for human beings to respond in faith… Yet, we know that even the omniscient and omnipotent God has been laboring for six thousand years and even longer to advance His providence of salvation without being able to send the [returning] Messiah until today…
 
Many Christians think that the Messiah will solve all the world’s problems in an instant. They do not understand that when the Christ returns he will have to plough the ground and sow the seeds again. (90:141, December 25, 1976)
 
Richard:  Find out more by reading the section on the Last Days in the Exposition of the Divine Principle, the teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon.
Also, I prophecy the following timeline for the unfolding of this Providence in the current era:  D-Day Was on January 13th, 2020 – VisionRoot.

I Will Raise Up a Righteous Branch

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James 2

20 Does some stupid person want proof that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Well, our ancestor Abraham pleased God by putting his son Isaac on the altar to sacrifice him. 22 Now you see how Abraham’s faith and deeds worked together. He proved that his faith was real by what he did. 23 This is what the Scriptures mean by saying, “Abraham had faith in God, and God was pleased with him.” That’s how Abraham became God’s friend.

24 You can now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we believe. 25 For example, Rahab had been a prostitute. But she pleased God when she welcomed the spies and sent them home by another way.

26 Anyone who doesn’t breathe is dead, and faith that doesn’t do anything is just as dead!

Jonah 1

12 Jonah told them, “Throw me into the sea, and it will calm down. I’m the cause of this terrible storm.”

13 The sailors tried their best to row to the shore. But they could not do it, and the storm kept getting worse every minute. 14 So they prayed to the Lord, “Please don’t let us drown for taking this man’s life. Don’t hold us guilty for killing an innocent man. All of this happened because you wanted it to.” 15 Then they threw Jonah overboard, and the sea calmed down. 16 The sailors were so terrified that they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made all kinds of promises.

17 The Lord sent a big fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

Eschatology and Messianic Hope

The Messiah

Scriptures of many religions speak of a coming leader who will consummate the fulfillment of the divine will on earth. He will manifest in his person the righteousness and compassion of God, bring about the final defeat of evil, and establish the Kingdom of heaven on earth. The Hebrew title Messiah—Christ in Greek—means “anointed one,” that person specially chosen by God for this mission and empowered to accomplish it.
While the term Messiah is specific to only Judaism and Christianity, prophecies that a leader will come and accomplish such a mission are nearly universal. Buddhists anticipate the coming of the Mireya Buddha, and Hindu prophecies speak of a future avatar named Kalka. Muslims expect that the second advent of Jesus will be as a Muslim imam, and Shiite Muslims look to a future imam Mahdi. Zoroastrian scriptures prophesy the coming of the Saoshyant, and Confucian texts speak of a true Man who will bring peace to the world by perfectly instituting the Way of Confucius. Nevertheless, as this world is growing smaller and cultures increasingly interrelated, the task of world salvation should encompass all religions. Hence it is likely that God will send one person to fulfill all these religious hopes.
The next group of passages offer some specific prophecies about the Messiah’s coming, along with samples of Father Moon’s extensive teaching on these matters. Will the Messiah come supernaturally, as it were on the clouds, or naturally, born and raised as a human being on earth? Does the Messiah come in glory, or does he take the road of suffering and humiliation as did Jesus before him? Is the Messiah uniquely divine, or does he appear as the “first fruits” of a new, God-like humanity? How the Messiah is likened to Adam, and in what sense is he a new Adam? What is the meaning of the Marriage of the Lamb? Does the Messiah have a special mission to Israel?
The final group of passages consists of prophecies by Nostradamus and Asian mystics that speak of the Messiah appearing in the east, and even specifically in Korea. Especially the Korean prophecies relate directly to Father Moon’s self-understanding of his messianic mission

1. The Messiah and Savior Promised by All Religions

“Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
    Revelation 22.20
 
Behold, the days are coming, says the lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The lord is our righteousness.”
    Jeremiah 23.5-6
 
In those days, brethren, there will arise in the world an Exalted One named Metteya [Maitreya]. He will be an Arahant, Fully Awakened, abounding in wisdom and goodness, happy, with knowledge of the worlds, unsurpassed as a guide to mortals willing to be led, a teacher for gods and men, an Exalted One, a Buddha, even as I am now. He, by himself, will thoroughly know and see, as it were face to face, this universe, with its worlds of the spirits, its Brahmas and its Maras, and its world of recluses and brahmins, of princes and peoples, even as I now, by myself, thoroughly know and see them. The Law, lovely in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in its consummation, will he proclaim, both in the spirit and in the letter; the higher life will he make known, in all its fullness and in all its purity, even as I do now. He will be accompanied by a congregation of some thousands of brethren, even as I am now accompanied by a congregation of some hundreds of brethren.
    Digha Nikaya 3.76 (Buddhism)
 
What will be your state when the Son of Mary descends amongst you, and there will be an Imam amongst you? What would you do when the son of Mary would descend and lead you?
    Hadith of Muslim (Islam)
 
The Imam [Mahdi] who will create a world state will make the ruling nations pay for their crimes against society. He will bring succor to humanity. He will take out the hidden wealth from the breast of the earth and will distribute it equitably amongst the needy deserving. He will teach you simple living and high thinking. He will make you understand that virtue is a state of character which is always a mean between the two extremes, and which is based upon equity and justice. He will revive the teaching of the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Holy Prophet after the world has ignored them as dead letters…
    He will protect and defend himself with resources of science and supreme knowledge. His control over these resources will be complete. He will know how supreme they are and how carefully they will have to be used. His mind will be free from desires of bringing harm and injury to humanity. Such knowledge to him will be like the property which was wrongly possessed by others and for which he was waiting for the permission to repossess and use.
    He, in the beginning, will be like a poor stranger unknown and uncared for, and Islam then will be in the hopeless and helpless plight of an exhausted camel who has laid down its head and is wagging its tail. With such a start he will establish an empire of God in this world.
He will be the final demonstration and proof of God’s merciful wish to acquaint man with the right ways of life.
    Nahjul Balagha, Khutba 141, 187 (Shiite Islam)
 
When the practices taught by the Vedas and the institutes of law shall nearly have ceased, and the close of the Kali age shall be nigh, a portion of that divine being who exists of His own spiritual nature in the character of Brahma, and who is the beginning and the end, and who comprehends all things, shall descend upon the earth. He will be born as Kalki in the family of an eminent brahmin of Sambhala village, endowed with the eight superhuman faculties. By his irresistible might he will destroy all the barbarians and thieves, and all whose minds are devoted to iniquity. He will then reestablish righteousness upon earth; and the minds of those who live at the end of the Kali age shall be awakened, and shall be as pellucid as crystal. The men who are thus changed by virtue of that peculiar time shall be as the seeds of human beings, and shall give birth to a race that shall follow the laws of the Krita Age, the Age of Purity.
    Vishnu Purana 4.24 (Hinduism)
 
He shall be called the victorious Benefactor (Saoshyant) and World-renovator (Astavatereta). He is the Benefactor because he will benefit the entire physical world; he is the World-renovator because he will establish the physical living existence indestructible. He will oppose the evil of the progeny of the biped and withstand the enmity produced by the faithful.
    Avesta, Farvardin Yast 13.129 (Zoroastrianism)
 
It is only the man with the most perfect divine moral nature who is able to combine in himself quickness of apprehension, intelligence and understanding—qualities necessary for the exercise of command, magnanimity, generosity, benignity, and gentleness—qualities necessary for the exercise of patience, originality, energy, strength of character, and determination—qualities necessary for the exercise of endurance, piety, noble seriousness, order, and regularity—qualities necessary for the exercise of dignity, grace, method, subtlety, and penetration—qualities necessary for the exercise of critical judgment.
    Thus all-embracing and vast is the nature of such a man. Profound it is and inexhaustible, like a living spring of water, ever running out with life and vitality. All-embracing and vast, it is like Heaven. Profound and inexhaustible, it is like the abyss.
    As soon as such a man shall make his appearance in the world, all people will reverence him. Whatever he says, all people will believe it. Whatever he does, all people will be pleased with it. Thus his fame and name will spread and fill all the civilized world, extending even to savage countries, wherever ships and carriages reach, wherever the labor and enterprise of man penetrate, wherever the heavens overshadow and the earth sustain, wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever frost and dew fall. All who have life and breath will honor and love him. Therefore we may say, “He is the equal of God.”
    It is only he in this world, who has realized his absolute self, that can order and adjust the great relations of human society, fix the fundamental principles of morality, and understand the laws of growth and reproduction of the universe.
    Doctrine of the Mean 31-32 (Confucianism)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

The Completed Testament Age is the Age for God’s Seal of Love

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Exodus 29

35 Repeat this ordination ceremony for Aaron and his sons seven days in a row, just as I have instructed you. 36 Each day you must offer a bull as a sacrifice for sin and as a way of purifying the altar. In addition, you must smear the altar with olive oil to make it completely holy. 37 Do this for seven days, and the altar will become so holy that anyone who touches it will become holy.

Richard: What is today’s holy altar? It is the Blessing of marriage given through True Parents.

Psalm 139

9 Suppose I had wings
like the dawning day
    and flew across the ocean.
10 Even then your powerful arm
    would guide and protect me.

Eschatology and Messianic Hope

Recognizing the Day of the Lord

3. The Seventh Millennium of Sabbath Rest

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

In the Old Testament Age, God taught the people through His servants and angels. In the New Testament Age, He worked through His Son. From then on, He works through the Holy Spirit. (10:197, October 2, 1960)

During the two-thousand-year period from Adam to Abraham, people had not yet fulfilled sufficient indemnity conditions to receive God’s Word directly. At most, fallen people made indemnity condi-tions through offering sacrifices; but in doing so, they laid the foundation for the next period when God could begin to work His providence of restoration based on the Word. Hence, this period is called the age of the providence to lay the foundation for the Word.
During the two-thousand-year period from Abraham to Jesus, humanity’s spirituality and intellect developed to the formation stage based on the Word revealed in the Old Testament. Hence, this period is called the formation stage of the providence, or the Old Testament Age.
During the period when the providence of restoration is to be completed after the Second Coming of Christ, humanity’s spirituality and intellect are to develop through the completion stage based on the Completed Testament Word, which will be given for the fulfillment of the providence of restoration. Hence, this period is called the completion stage of the providence, or the Completed Testament Age. (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Restoration 2.2.1)
Paul said in I Corinthians 13, “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” We human beings, however, lost hope and faith through the Fall. By losing hope and faith, we also lost God-centered love. The six-thousand-year history of the providence of restoration was for the sake of restoring this love…
Examining these six thousand years, in the Old Testament Age people exerted effort in hope. In the New Testament Age people made effort in search of faith. The coming Completed Testament Age is the age for making effort in search of love.
In the Old Testament Age, circumcision was the condition made by the chosen people as they lived in hope. In the New Testament Age, baptism of water and the fire of the Holy Spirit established faith before God. In the coming Completed Testament Age, you will be able to enter into a loving relationship with God by receiving His seal of love. (5:108, January 4, 1959)

Rectify Your Mind and Purify It to Recognize the Lord

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Revelation 6

3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come out!” 4 Then another horse came out. It was fiery red. And its rider was given the power to take away all peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another. He was also given a big sword.

Nehemiah 13

4 The priest Eliashib was a relative of Tobiah and had earlier been put in charge of the temple storerooms. 5 So he let Tobiah live in one of these rooms, where all kinds of things had been stored—the grain offerings, incense, utensils for the temple, as well as the tenth of the grain, wine, and olive oil that had been given for the use of the Levites, singers, and temple guards, and the gifts for the priests.

6 This happened in the thirty-second year that Artaxerxes ruled Babylonia. I was away from Jerusalem at the time, because I was visiting him. Later I received permission from the king 7 to return to Jerusalem. Only then did I find out that Eliashib had done this terrible thing of letting Tobiah have a room in the temple. 8 It upset me so much that I threw out every bit of Tobiah’s furniture. 9 Then I ordered the room to be cleaned and the temple utensils, the grain offerings, and the incense to be brought back into the room.

Richard: The temple was a holy place, so Tobiah should not have lived in the store room. What is the modern holy place? It is the sexual organs of a man or a woman. The temple should not be entered except by the husband and wife.

Eschatology and Messianic Hope

Recognizing the Day of the Lord

2. Unless People Prepare Well, They Will Not Recognize the Day When It Arrives

When the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?
    Luke 18.8
 
What will be your state when the Son of Mary descends amongst you, and there will be an Imam amongst you? What would you do when the son of Mary would descend and lead you?
    Hadith of Muslim (Islam)
 
The kingdom of Heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.” And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.” Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
    Matthew 25.1-13
 
Rabbi Joshua ben Levi met Elijah at the mouth of the cave of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai. He asked Elijah, “When will the Messiah come?” Elijah replied, “Go and ask him.” “But where is he?” “At the gates of Rome.” “And how shall I recognize him?” “He sits among the wretched who are suffering from sores; all the others uncover all their wounds, and then bind them all up again, but he uncovers and binds up each one separately, for he thinks, ‘Lest I should be summoned and be detained.’”
    Then Rabbi Joshua found him and said to him, “Peace be with you, my Master and Rabbi.” The Messiah replied, “Peace be with you, son of Levi.” He said, “When is the Master coming?” He replied, “Today.”
    Then Rabbi Joshua returned to Elijah, who said, “What did he say to you?” He replied, “Peace be with you, son of Levi.” Elijah said, “Then he assured to you and your father a place in the world to come.” The rabbi said, “He spoke falsely to me, for he said he would come today, and he has not come.” Then Elijah said, “He meant ‘today, if you hearken to His voice!” [Psalm 95.7]
    Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a (Judaism)
 
But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man.
    Luke 21.34-36
 
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
 
In the Last Days, where can you find the Will of God? Where can you find the truth, love and life of God? Would that all people find the one at the center that Will; he is the hope of all humanity.
    But how can you find him? You must rectify your mind and purify it. If you make such preparations, then even if you are not seeking him, one day he will find you.
    It is your responsibility to distinguish truth from falsehood. Do not expect that God will teach you. If God were to teach the truth, He would have to turn around and say it was false.   Accordingly, human beings must discern the truth on their own. They must be determined to seek it on their own and find it on their own. Learn from the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins: of the ten who prepared their lamps only five could receive the Lord. (2:136, March 17, 1957)
 
How does the Lord come? In history, Jesus came through Judaism, the First Israel. But because it failed him, this time the Lord comes through Christianity, the Second Israel.
    How, then, will he come? Many Christians believe the Bible’s teaching that the Lord will come on the clouds. They have not heard that the Lord might come as a human being. However, as the Day approaches, people moved by the Spirit will testify to his coming in the flesh. Who will testify? They will be women more than men.
    This current revival began with older ladies, women over sixty and seventy years old… who testified that the Lord would come as a human being, as Heaven directed them to prepare for the Last Days. (208:306, November 21, 1990)