Category: Old Testament

Gods Intention Was to Unite the Arab People and the Jewish People

Hebrews 8

All of them will know me,
    no matter who they are.
12 I will treat them with kindness,
even though they are wicked.
    I will forget their sins.”

13 When the Lord talks about a new agreement, he means that the first one is out of date. And anything that is old and useless will soon disappear.

2 Chronicles 36

36 After the death of Josiah, the people of Judah crowned his son Jehoahaz their new king. 2 He was twenty-three years old at the time, and he ruled only three months from Jerusalem. 3 King Neco of Egypt captured Jehoahaz and forced Judah to pay almost four tons of silver and seventy-five pounds of gold as taxes. 4 Then Neco appointed Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim king of Judah and changed his name to Jehoiakim. He led Jehoahaz away to Egypt as his prisoner.

Islam

2. A Rival Religion, Correcting the Religions that Preceded It

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Had John the Baptist and the people of Israel accepted Jesus, they were destined to struggle against the Roman Empire, just as Jacob wrestled against the angel at the Ford of Jabbok.
    At that time, Roman sovereignty was weak, and there was an opportunity for the smaller surrounding countries to win their independence. Therefore, with Jesus Christ as the commander-in-chief, the movement could have unified the Arab world in revolt against Rome.
    By fighting a common enemy, God’s intention was to unite the Arab people and the Jewish people. It was an opportunity for these peoples under the Roman yoke to unite as one. But first, Jesus, Judaism and John the Baptist’s movement had to become one. That was the precondition to defeat Rome. However, instead John the Baptist went his own way, Jesus acted alone, and the Jews eventually revolted on their own [and were crushed]. As a result, there came to be lasting division between the Arabs and Jews. (111:151, February 10, 1981)
 
In the seventh century, the religion of Islam emerged in the Middle East. It was because Jesus was unable to establish his own nation that Islam appeared and took the position of a rival to Christianity. It is for Islam and Christianity to resolve this Cain-Abel relationship, and when they do they both will be perfected. Thus, you should understand that it was out of providential necessity that God raised up Islam as a rival religion. What do conventional theologians say is the reason and purpose of Islam?
 
    The Jews had received much blessing from God after the Exodus from Egypt. Nevertheless, [after the crucifixion] Islam emerged from the central people—the descendants of Abraham—and became the Jews’ adversaries. Nevertheless, the Jews should learn to live with their Muslim adversaries.
    These days, Islam is expanding more rapidly than Christianity. They are strong! Their values are strong and their faith is firm! They do not sway back and forth, compromising like Christians do.
    Ishmael and Isaac are brothers, both sons of Abraham. Yet their descendants became adversaries and fought throughout history. After the Jews lost Jerusalem, Christians and Muslims fought over the city at the time of the Crusades. The land of Israel should be restored for all these brother religions. However, this must not be accomplished by fighting and bloodshed.
    That is why Reverend Moon, representing Christianity and as founder of the Unification Church, gave his hand to Minister Farrakhan; and also to President Wahid of Indonesia. I wanted to join President Wahid and Minister Farrakhan as brothers. I also helped Minister Farrakhan at the Million Family March. White people opened their eyes in alarm, saying that I should by no means ever help him. But I said to those people, “You oppose me now, but wait and see who is right. Just follow me as I guide you, and something good will definitely happen, something that pleases God. Close your eyes and pray. Don’t open your mouth.”40 (June 21, 2001)
 
Jesus taught us to love our enemies. Minister Farrakhan may be an enemy to Christianity… but since we are taught to love our enemies, I am loving him. Does China love America? Does the Soviet Union love China? Between these enemies there is no love, but taking God’s standpoint I love them all. That is why I have no enemies—neither Christians nor Muslims, neither blacks nor whites. (339:156, December 10, 2000)

 
 
 

True Believers Are Filled with Awe at the Mention of God

Numbers 9

23 They obeyed the Lord’s commands and went wherever he directed Moses.

Psalm 104

8 The Lord is merciful!
He is kind and patient,
    and his love never fails.
9 The Lord won’t always be angry
    and point out our sins;
10     he doesn’t punish us
    as our sins deserve.

Islam

Today Islam is playing a major role in God’s unfolding providence. Father Moon finds in Muslims a firm faith and moral clarity that is sorely needed in this relativistic age, when Christianity has grown feeble. He totally rejects the “clash of civilizations” scenario that would see the Muslim world as an enemy of the West. Because Islam is a higher religion, it has the spiritual blessing to be one of the pillars of the Kingdom of God.
Islam is a righteous religion, and holds itself above Judaism and Christianity, which it regards as filled with errors and hypocrisy. Nevertheless, what is required in this age is reconciliation between these three religions as the spiritual mainstays of humanity. Father Moon identifies the source of their conflict neither in doctrine nor in the events surrounding Muhammad’s ministry, but rather in the crucifixion of Jesus, which sowed the seeds that have borne their inevitable fruit in the contemporary world. Resolving the mistakes of that time will require the concerted efforts of all—Christians, Jews and Muslims—the descendants of the actors in that drama.

1. A Religion of Faith and Righteousness

You are the best community that has been raised up for mankind. You enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency; and you believe in God.
    Qur’an 3.110

God has endeared the Faith to you, and has made it beautiful in your hearts, and He has made hateful to you unbelief, wickedness, and rebellion: such indeed are those who walk in righteousness—a grace and favor from God.
    Qur’an 49.7

We believe in God, and in that which has been sent down on us and sent down on Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the Prophets; of their Lord; we make no division between any of them, and to Him we surrender.
    Qur’an 2.136

This [Qur’an] is the Book which We have revealed as a blessing; so follow it and be righteous, that you may receive mercy; lest you should say, “The Book was send down to two peoples before us, and for our part, we remained unacquainted with what they learned by studying it”; or lest you should say, “If only the Book had been sent down to us, we should have followed its guidance better than they.” Now then has come to you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guide and a mercy; then who could do more wrong than one who rejects Allah’s revelations and turns away from them?
    Qur’an 6.155-157

The true believers are those whose hearts are filled with awe at the mention of God, and whose faith grows stronger as they listen to His revelations. They put their trust in their Lord, pray steadfastly, and give in alms of that which We have given them. Such are the true believers. They shall be exalted and forgiven by their Lord, and a generous provision shall be made for them.
    Qur’an 8.2-4

O you who believe, be upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice; and let not hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably. Be just; that is nearer to observance of duty. And keep your duty to Allah. Surely Allah is aware of what you do.
    Qur’an 5.8

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Islam is a comprehensive religion. It adopted the teachings of the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible, but with God alone as its center. It was founded with contents appropriate to Arab culture. (39:316, January 16, 1971)

Today Islam will become a prophetic religion to ignite this deviating world. (39:42, January 9, 1971)

The Grand Mufti of Syria is a leader of accomplished self-discipline who has highly cultivated his spirit. After World War II he received a revelation from Heaven that dreadful punishment would come unless Islam united with Judaism and Christianity. Because he kept this revelation for forty years, he was persecuted and imprisoned several times. Still, he could not fulfill Heaven’s commission.
    After learning of my interreligious activities, he was moved to think, “I should go and visit Father Moon.” (212:324, January 11, 1991)

 

You Are Peter, and on This Rock I Will Build My Church

Numbers 36

36 One day the family leaders from the Gilead clan of the Manasseh tribe went to Moses and the other family leaders of Israel 2 and said, “Sir, the Lord has said that he will show what land each tribe will receive as their own. And the Lord has commanded you to give the daughters of our relative Zelopheha the land that he would have received. 3 But if they marry men from other tribes of Israel, the land they receive will become part of that tribe’s inheritance and will no longer belong to us. 4 Even when land is returned to its original owner in the Year of Celebration, we will not get back Zelophehad’s land—it will belong to the tribe into which his daughters married.”

Esther 9

12 Then he told Esther, “Five hundred people, including Haman’s ten sons, have been killed in Susa alone. If that many were killed here, what must have happened in the provinces? Is there anything else you want done? Just tell me, and it will be done.”

Richard: God’s people must lead the way. Secular leaders are not to be in charge, except as God will allow. Secular leaders have to seek God’s way, and specifically understand that a New Age has come, and what the New Truth is and what must be done. Start with this speech and this Principle booklet.

Christianity

4. History of Christianity: Triumphalism, Corruption and Renewal

About noon, when the day was already beginning to decline, Constantine saw with his own eyes the trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, and bearing the inscription, CONQUER BY THIS. At this sight he himself was struck with amazement, and his whole army also, which followed him on this expedition, and witnessed the miracle.
    Eusebius, Life of Constantine
 
I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock33 I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
    Matthew 16.18-19
 
The true faith compels us to believe there is one holy Catholic Apostolic Church, and this we firmly believe and plainly confess. Outside of her there is no salvation or remission from sins.
    Now, therefore, we declare, say, determine and pronounce that for every human creature it is necessary for salvation to be subject to the authority of the Roman pontiff.
    Pope Boniface VIII, Unam Sanctam 
 
For the defense of the faith secular authorities ought publicly to take an oath that they will strive in good faith and to the best of their ability to exterminate in the territories subject to their jurisdiction all heretics pointed out by the Church.
    Fourth Lateran Council, Canon 3
 
The Romanists have very cleverly built three walls around themselves… In the first place… temporal power had no jurisdiction over them… In the second place… only the pope may interpret the Scriptures. In the third place… no one may summon a council but the pope…
    Therefore, when necessity demands it, and the pope is an offense to Christendom, the first man who is able should, as a true member of the whole body, do what he can to bring about a truly free council. No one can do this so well as the temporal authorities.
Martin Luther, On Papal Power
 
Religion is the sob of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.
    Karl Marx, Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right
 
The God of Israel is among us… when He shall make us a praise and glory, that men shall say of succeeding plantations: The Lord make it like that of New England: for we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us. John Winthrop, A Model of Christian Charity
 
No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential urgency.
 
George Washington, First Inaugural Address
 
 

We Should Be As Members of One Household

Luke 9

Jesus said to his disciples, “Have the people sit in groups of fifty.” 15 They did this, and all the people sat down. 16 Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and fish and handed them to his disciples to give to the people.

Richard: We have all the resources that we need, if we can work together, centered on God’s New Word.

Ezekiel 20

6 I swore that I would rescue them from Egypt and lead them to a land I had already chosen. This land was rich with milk and honey and was the most splendid land of all. 7 I told them to get rid of their disgusting idols and not to sin by worshiping the gods of Egypt. I reminded them that I was the Lord their God, 8 but they still rebelled against me. They refused to listen and kept on worshiping their idols and foreign gods.

Christianity

2. Christian Unity

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.
    Ephesians 4.4-6
 
You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
    Ephesians 2.19-22
 
I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me.
    John 17.20-23
 
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.     Colossians 3.12-15 
 
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
 
We frequently hear that the church is the body of Christ. What is the body of Christ? Does it consist of church buildings made of wood or stone? No, the body of Christ is the congregation, the people. We who believe in Jesus are Jesus’ body and Christ’s representatives on earth.
    If the believers are the body of Christ, then can there be more than one church? Today’s church, divided as it is into numerous denominations, is a church in error. It is heartbreaking for Jesus to see the existence of so many denominations, each bearing his name. It is as though his body has been torn apart into many pieces…
    Christianity should have become a single worldwide religion, based on the victorious foundation of Jesus’ sacrifice. Like Jesus’ own body, the church should have become a whole offering before God; then by that victorious foundation of offering, it could have become one worldwide religion, one Christian church. Instead, the heart of Jesus Christ is grieved to see his body so shamefully divided. Jesus is the mind and today’s Christianity is the body. How can there be one mind and 1,000 bodies? How can the mind and body differ to such an extent? Therefore, our task is to unite them as one mind and one body.
    What is the core conviction that Jesus has sought to convey to Christianity until this day? It is this: “God is our Father, all people are our brothers and sisters; the earth belongs to all of us; therefore we should be as members of one household.” Today’s Christians should adopt this outlook. Since it is God’s teaching and Jesus’ teaching, it should be Christianity’s teaching. Therefore, we should not get caught up in sectarian squabbles. We should restore the people, even if to do so we have to abandon our denomination. We should restore the earth, even if our denomination must perish in the process. (93:12-25, May 8, 1977)
 
Why is today’s Christianity divided into numerous denominations? The proliferation of denominations contradicts the Christian doctrine that we ought to love our enemies. Christian doctrine instructs us to love the brethren, but people have forgotten it. Christians may love one another within the same church, yet their churches are fighting one another. Jesus taught us to love our brethren. From Jesus’ perspective, the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, the Holiness Church and all other denominations are each other’s brethren. (107:20, February 21, 1980)
 
God’s heaviest burden is to create oneness among the declining remnants of Christianity and among the many religions. While God is trying hard to create oneness among the religions, some Methodists are praying, “O Father, I don’t care what happens to other churches, but please bless the Methodist Church.” Do you think such a prayer will reach God’s ears? Methodism is only one of more than four hundred denominations. God will say, “You rascals! You denominationalists! Before praying for yourselves, you should make the Christian church one! If you do that, I will listen to your prayer.”
    What would God say if Christians were to unite as one and pray, “O Lord! Give us strength to resolve your biggest headache by uniting Christianity and creating oneness among all the religions. Gives us the ability! Help us to create this oneness!” Surely He would say, “Yes, I will grant your prayer.”  God is waiting for the appearance of people who can break down the walls surrounding the denominations and make them one. (98:114-15, May 7, 1978)
 
By what means can we unite Christianity throughout the world? It is by the Holy Spirit. Hence, I named our church, “The Holy Spirit Association.” Not by fists or bayonets, but by the Holy Spirit.  We cannot unite the churches by human power. It is possible only by the power of the Holy Spirit, through mobilizing the hosts of heaven. (113:97, May 1, 1981)
 
 
 

Blessed Are You When Men Revile You

Revelation 11

9 For three and a half days the people of every nation, tribe, language, and race will stare at the bodies of these two witnesses and refuse to let them be buried. 10 Everyone on earth will celebrate and be happy. They will give gifts to each other, because of what happened to the two prophets who caused them so much trouble. 11 But three and a half days later, God will breathe life into their bodies. They will stand up, and everyone who sees them will be terrified.

Richard: Here, it appears that the enemy is winning. But then the “dead” witnesses” revive.

Psalm 17

I am innocent, Lord,
    and I will see your face!
    When I awake, all I want
    is to see you as you are.

Christianity

Christianity is Father Moon’s own religious heritage; hence he has more to say about it than any other religion. His main teachings concern the essence of the Christianity—its core tradition, the unity of the church, and Christianity’s mission to the world.
Following Christ’s example, the core tradition of Christianity is love and sacrifice. The Christian is not reluctant or afraid to take up his cross and suffer for the sake of God’s will, as Jesus did. Therefore, Christianity is not an easy or comfortable religion, but one that demands commitment, courage and conviction. Christian love is the second essential core tradition. Jesus taught his followers to love their enemies and forgive those who hurt them. The fellowship of Christians who practice the love of Christ is a beautiful thing.
However, because this love is practiced only imperfectly, and often does not extend to believers of other churches, the problem of disunity has plagued Christianity since its early days. placing doctrinal purity and denominational self-interest ahead of Christian love, churches have quarreled and persecuted one another, causing great damage to Christianity as a whole. Father Moon has dedicated himself to restoring church unity through the practice of reconciling love and a clarification of essential Christian truth.
Christianity has a worldwide mission, to save all humankind. For Father Moon, this is not only a matter of preaching the Gospel and converting the heathen. In today’s world of many religions, democratic values and the ethics of love and charity are Christianity’s contributions to elevating the level of all civilizations around the globe. Ultimately, the mission of the church is to prepare the way for God’s universal Kingdom on earth, based upon these values, which will be established when Christ returns.
The section concludes with a glimpse at Christian history, which can be viewed as a record of the church’s successes and failures in fulfilling its mission. It is a history that is mostly found wanting. The church has consistently failed when it has lived by the secular values of power, wealth and worldly authority. It has made progress when it returns to Christ’s tradition of sacrifice and the search for true freedom of faith. in the course of this history, God has attempted to establish a sovereign Christian civilization—first in the Middle ages through roman Catholicism, and today through Protestantism centered on the united states of America. Medieval civilization perished when the Vatican’s leaders were more intent to pursue power and worldly glory than to live by Jesus’ core tradition of love and sacrifice. America, as the current representative Christian nation with a calling to lead the world into the Kingdom, faces the same test.

1. The Core Traditions of Christianity: Love and Sacrifice

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
    Luke 14.27
 
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5.11-12
 
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.
    Romans 5.3-5
 
The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.
    Tertullian, Apology
 
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
    Acts 2.42-47
 
Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
    1 John 4.7-12
 
Love most of all brands us with a mark of blame in the eyes of some. “Look,” [the pagans] say, “how [these Christians] love one another”—for they themselves hate one another—“and how they are ready to die for one another”—for they themselves are readier to kill one another.
    Tertullian, Apology