Category: Old Testament

The Last Will Be First, and the First Last

1 Samuel 24

12 I’ll let the Lord decide which one of us has done right. I pray that the Lord will punish you for what you’re doing to me, but I won’t do anything to you. 13 An old proverb says, “Only evil people do evil things,” and so I won’t harm you.

Richard: Let God settle battles and grudges. If someone wrongs us, we should forgive and pray that God’s Will be done regarding that person. To be clear, this does not mean that we accept abusive relationships. Rather, this applies to our reaction to them.

Proverbs 28

12 When an honest person wins,
    it’s time to celebrate;
    when crooks are in control,
    it’s best to hide.
13 If you don’t confess your sins,
    you will be a failure.
But God will be merciful
    if you confess your sins
    and give them up.

Reversal and Restoration

Salvation is sometimes pictured as a great reversal. it looks to the day when God will act to turn the existing social and political order upside down, when the wealthy and powerful will no longer tower above the honest and god-fearing. internally, it brings the insight that the way to God is the reverse of the way of the world. an enlightened person recognizes that he should reverse his or her orientation one-hundred-and-eighty degrees. scripture speaks of this inner reversal as dying to self in order to live, seeking darkness in order to find the light, and abasing the self in order to become prominent.
This leads to the concept of salvation as restoration. restoration refers to the undoing of bad habits, modes of thinking, ways of behaving, and social relations that have grown corrupt and deviated from the proper way. it is a return to the origin, aimed at restoring the original way of life according to the true principles and purposes of God. an important expression of this theme of reversion to the origin is the Buddhist doctrine of Dependent origination (Paticcasamuppada), which is not just a law of causality but more properly the insight that all causes leading to downfall must be reversed.
Father Moon discusses this topic at length under the teaching of restoration through indemnity. indemnity, broadly speaking, means to restore mistakes by taking the opposite course. it begins with a reversal of character—from self-centeredness to other-centeredness. it extends to relationships—paying restitution for a crime to making amends for a breach of trust, from the standpoint that it is my responsibility to restore harmony with my brother, even when the original problem was not my fault. it concludes with complete restoration, the reversal of the original sin that happened at the human Fall.


  1. The Great Reversal

The last will be first, and the first last.
    Matthew 20.16

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
    Matthew 23.12

Him who humbles himself, God exalts; him who exalts himself, God humbles; from him who searches for greatness, greatness flies; him who flies from greatness, greatness searches out: with him who is importunate with circumstances, circumstance is importunate; by him who gives way to circumstance, circumstance stands.
Talmud, Erubin 13b (Judaism)

The way of Heaven,
Is it not like stretching a bow?
What is high up is pressed down,
What is low down is lifted up;
What has surplus is reduced,
What is deficient is supplemented.

The way of Heaven,
It reduces those who have surpluses,
To supplement those who are deficient.
The way of man is just not so:
It reduces those who are deficient,
To offer to those who have surpluses.
Who can offer his surpluses to the world?
Only a person of Tao.
    Tao Te Ching 77 (Taoism)

The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble gird on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Lord kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low, he also exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord ’s,
and on them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his faithful ones;
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness;
for not by might shall a man prevail.
    1 Samuel 2.4-9

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

The path of the providence of salvation is the path of restoration. The path of restoration is the path of recreation…
    When God created the world, He had only one concept—the concept of the zero-point. Hence, we have to return to the zero-point when walking the path of restoration and recreating God’s world. We should return to the state prior to God’s creation; otherwise, nothing is possible. That is why the Bible teaches, “Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.” To lose your life means to cut off Satan’s life [by returning to the zero-point]. Otherwise, we have no way to connect with God at the origin. 
 
    Historically, evil people have lived better than good people. Originally, good people should prosper while evil people should decline. These positions should be switched. The zero-point is the time of transition when good people go up while evil people decline. Now is the time when this transition is taking place. (218:187-88, July 28, 1991)
 
In America, quite a few people live perverted lives. Grandfathers have sex with their granddaughters and fathers with their daughters—even while they live with their wives. This is the fruit of Satan, who in the beginning reversed the direction of human life 180 degrees from the plan of God. In a world that abides by Heaven’s principles, could homosexuality exist? Lesbianism, alcoholism, drug addiction and such came to exist because human beings suffer from emotional misalignment. They suffer in this world, which is hell on earth. We, on the other hand, are living 180 degrees different from them, as we strive to live in God’s Kingdom. (243:192, January 10, 1993
 
 

You Who Believe; Remember the Grace of God on You

Luke 9

14 There were about five thousand men in the crowd.

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.

17 Everyone ate all they wanted. What was left over filled twelve baskets.

1 Kings 22

48 Jehoshaphat had seagoing ships built to sail to Ophir for gold. But they were wrecked at Ezion-Geber and never sailed. 49 Ahaziah son of Ahab offered to let his sailors go with Jehoshaphat’s sailors, but Jehoshaphat refused.

50 Jehoshaphat died and was buried beside his ancestors in Jerusalem, and his son Jehoram became king.

51 Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat’s rule in Judah, and he ruled two years from Samaria.

52 Ahaziah disobeyed the Lord, just as his father, his mother, and Jeroboam had done. They all led Israel to sin. 53 Ahaziah worshiped Baal and made the Lord God of Israel very angry, just as his father had done.

Richard: Jehoshaphat obeyed God, while Ahaziah did not. The main battle is not right vs left, but God vs no God.

Help and Deliverance

2. Deliverance from Danger and Death

O you who believe! Remember the grace of God on you, when there came down on you hosts; but We sent against them a hurricane and forces you could not see: but God sees clearly all that you do. Behold! They came on you from above you and from below you, and behold, the eyes became dim and the hearts gaped up to the throats, and you imagined various vain thoughts about God! In that situation were the believers tried; they were shaken as by a tremendous shaking…
    And God turned back the unbelievers, for all their fury; no advantage did they gain; and enough is God for the believers in their fight. And God is full of Strength, Able to enforce His will.29
    Qur’an 33.9-11, 25

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord :
I will sing to the Lord , for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a man of war;
The Lord is his name.
Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea;
and his picked officers are sunk in the Red Sea.
The floods cover them;
they went down into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord , glorious in power,
your right hand, O Lord , shatters the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries;
you send forth your fury, it consumes them like stubble.
At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up,
the floods stood up in a heap;
the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.

The enemy said, “I will pursue,
I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil,
my desire shall have its fill of them.
I will draw my sword,
my hand shall destroy them.”
You blew them away with your wind,
the sea covered them;
they sank as lead
in the mighty waters.

Who is like thee, O Lord , among the gods?
Who is like thee, majestic in holiness,
terrible in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
Exodus 15.1-11

They threw them [Paul and Silas] into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s fetters were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, “Men, what must I do to be saved?”
    Acts 16.23-30

Arms pinioned, was I thrown down in a heap.
The elephant violently was goaded in the head.
The elephant ran away trumpeting,
Declaring, “To this prostrate figure am I a sacrifice;
Lord, in you alone lies my strength.”
The Kazi urged the mahout to goad on the elephant,
Threatening, “Mahout! I shall cut you to pieces!
Goad and drive the elephant!”
But the elephant, meditating on God, would not move:
In his heart was lodged the Lord.
The people queried, “What offense has this
holy man committed,
That in bonds he is thrown to be trampled by an elephant?”
The elephant bowed again and again to the heap before it.
The benighted Kazi did not realize this;
Three times he ordered this trial
But his hard heart still was not softened.
Says Kabir, The Lord is my guardian.
In absorption in Him lies His servant’s life.
    Adi Granth, Gaund, Kabir, p. 870 (Sikhism)

World-honored Lord and Perfect One,
I pray thee now declare
Wherefore this holy Bodhisat
Is known as Kuan Shih Yin [Hearer of the Cries of the World]?
To this the Perfect One replied
By uttering this song:
The echoes of her holy deeds
Resound throughout the world.
So vast and deep the vows she made
When, after countless eons
Of serving hosts of Perfect Ones,
She voiced her pure desire
[To liberate afflicted beings].
Now hearken to what came of it—
To hear her name or see her form,
Or fervently recite her name
Delivers beings from every woe.
Were you with murderous intent
Thrust within a fiery furnace,
One thought of Kuan Yin’s saving power
Would turn those flames to water!
Were you adrift upon the sea
With dragon-fish and fiends around you,
One thought of Kuan Yin’s saving power
Would spare you from the hungry waves…
Were you amidst a band of thieves,
Their cruel knives now raised to slay,
One thought of Kuan Yin’s saving power
And pity must restrain their blows.
Suppose the king now wroth with you,
The headsman’s sword upraised to strike,
One thought of Kuan Yin’s saving power
Would dash the sword to pieces.
Were you close pent by prison walls,
Your wrists and ankles bound by chains,
One thought of Kuan Yin’s saving power
Would instantly procure release…
True Kuan Yin! Pure Kuan Yin!
Immeasurably wise Kuan Yin!
Merciful and filled with pity,
Ever longed-for and revered!
O Radiance spotless and effulgent!
O night-dispelling Sun of Wisdom!
O Vanquisher of storm and flame!
Your glory fills the world!
    Lotus Sutra 25 (Buddhism)

The Lord is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want

Mark15

14 Pilate asked, “But what crime has he done?”

“Nail him to a cross!” they yelled even louder.

15 Pilate wanted to please the crowd. So he set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross.

Richard: Pilate wanted to please the crowd. This is the 40th day since the false “inauguration” of Joe Biden. Ultimately, President Trump did not want the heaped coals of criticism from the fake media and being blamed for riots, etc. that no doubt would occur. That was probably the dynamic of the false flag Capitol “riot” on January 6th ; to dissuade President Trump from taking decisive action, such as seizing voting machines for audit or other decisive actions. So President Trump did not take action as he should have to prevent the false election and inauguration from moving forward, in my estimation.
None the less, God can work based on the faith and conditions of indemnity set by his children. (See slide 16 and on, here for an explanation of indemnity)

Nehemiah 3

30 Hananiah and Hanun rebuilt the next section, which was the second section[i] for them.

Meshullam son of Berechiah rebuilt the next section, which happened to be in front of his house.

31 Malchijah, a goldsmith, rebuilt the next section, as far as the house used by the temple workers and merchants. This area was across from Gathering Gate, near the room on top of the wall at the northeast corner.

32 The goldsmiths and merchants rebuilt the last section of the wall, which went from the corner room all the way to Sheep Gate.

Richard: This is about rebuilding walls (here the wall around Jerusalem), or protection for our families and nations. That has to be done in each of our communities, by teaching and promoting absolute sexual ethics and the Blessing of Marriage. See Peace Speech 10.
Also, we can take local action, such as sanctuary states and counties, to make sure that Biden’s unconstitutional edicts or other unconstitutional laws are not enforced.

Help and Deliverance

In time of distress, danger, and oppression, the faithful look to God for support and help. in times of crisis, in combat, and when confronting death, even non-believers will pray desperately to God. and time and again, they find deliverance in ample measure. conversely, the scriptures warn against relying on one’s own power, allies, or wealth to prevail in the battle, when true strength lies in God’s saving power.
The passages include expressions of confidence in divine deliverance, supplications for help, and texts which describe God’s grace as an unassailable refuge. there are several accounts of God’s saving deeds in his-tory: from the bible, Moses at the red sea and Paul’s escape from prison; from the Qur’an, the battle of the trench. We include the Buddhist hymn to Kuan Yin, the bodhisattva of divine compassion who is said to be ready and able to save anyone in distress.
Father Moon experienced divine deliverance on numerous occasions, notably when he was a prisoner in a north Korean labor camp. he explains why people normally receive divine help only if they have the mind of devotion and faith. God’s heart of love extends to everyone. however, due to the activities of Satan, whose accusations can cause God to withdraw his protection, people oftentimes must overcome a trial before they can receive divine assistance.

1. Help in Times of Trouble

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;
he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff,
they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil,
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the l ord for ever.
    Psalm 23

Whosoever keeps his duty to God, God will appoint a way out for him, and will provide for him in a way that he cannot foresee. And who-soever puts his trust in God, He will suffice him. Lo! God brings His command to pass. God has set a measure for all things.
    Qur’an 65.2-3

Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your habitation,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
For he will give his angels charge of you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
    Psalm 91.9-12

Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the lord of hosts.
    Zechariah 4.6

United with me, you shall overcome all difficulties by my grace.
    Bhagavad-Gita 18.58 (Hinduism)

Men of little ability, too,
By depending upon the great, may prosper;
A drop of water is a little thing,
But when will it dry away if united to a lake?
    Treasury of Elegant Sayings 173 (Buddhism)

The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not grow weary, he does not tire,
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives strength to the weary,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Youths may faint and be weary,
and young men may fall, exhausted;
but they who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength.
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not grow faint.
    Isaiah 40.28-31

A king is not saved by his great army,
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a vain hope for victory,
and by its great might it cannot save.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
That he may deliver their soul from death,
and keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord ;
he is our help and our shield.
    Psalm 33.16-20

Jesus Performed Many Miracles, Yet People Did Not Appreciate Their Value


Absolute Proof: Documentary on Election Fraud by Mike Lindell.
Lecture by America’s Frontline Doctors on Experimental biologicals (vaccines) intended to prevent the Wuhan virus.
Sign the petition against medical experimentation.

Matthew 22

41 While the Pharisees were still there, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose family will he come from?”

They answered, “He will be a son of King David.”

43 Jesus replied, “How then could the Spirit lead David to call the Messiah his Lord? David said,

44 ’The Lord said to my Lord:
    Sit at my right side
until I make your enemies
    into a footstool for you.’

45 If David called the Messiah his Lord, how can the Messiah be a son of King David?” 46 No one was able to give Jesus an answer, and from that day on, no one dared ask him any more questions.

Psalm 94

4 All of those cruel people
    strut and boast,
5     and they crush and wound
    your chosen nation, Lord.
6 They murder widows,
    foreigners, and orphans.
7 Then they say,
    “The Lord God of Jacob
    doesn’t see or know.”

8 Can’t you fools see?
    Won’t you ever learn?
9     God gave us ears and eyes!
    Can’t he hear and see?
10 God instructs the nations
and gives knowledge to us all.
    Won’t he also correct us?
11 The Lord knows how useless
    our plans really are.

12 Our Lord, you bless everyone
    that you instruct and teach
    by using your Law.
13 You give them rest
    from their troubles,
    until a pit can be dug
    for the wicked.
14 You won’t turn your back
    on your chosen nation.
15 Justice and fairness
    will go hand in hand,
    and all who do right
    will follow along.

Richard: Both of these readings indicate that ‘no one makes a fool out of God’.

Healing

2. Miracles

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

The Bible says that Sarah, Abraham’s wife, bore Isaac when she was nearly ninety years old. Do not think that it is impossible. If you women are confident, you could also conceive by spiritual power. Spiritual power is miraculous. (283:126, April 8, 1997)

The unity of mind and body generates a mysterious, invisible power. When you enter that state, miracles occur… When you are united with God’s love, you can perform miracles. Healing fire comes out of your open palms. You can move your audience simply by willing it so… You can revive those who are [spiritually] dead…
What power is this? It is the power of love. All this is possible only through the power of love. Love is such that the more you practice it, the greater it becomes. But there is a condition. To obtain that power, you must subjugate your physical body. (282:229-30, March 26, 1997)

With absolute faith, anything is possible. Suppose while walking on the street you met a sick man. Feeling deep compassion for him, without a second thought you stretch out your hands over him, place your hands on him and pray for him sincerely with tears. Then, a miracle will happen.
Yet I do not want to be involved in miracles. Jesus performed many miracles, yet people did not appreciate their value. Despite all the miracles, he was driven to death. It is no use to heal those who are not worthy. More than miracles, what they need is truth. Truth is unchanging and eternal, but signs and miracles are fleeting. What is temporary cannot govern what is eternal. (252:258, January 1, 1994)

It is possible to revive a dead person by breathing his or her spirit self back into the physical body. Yet certain conditions are required. First, the person should not be dead for too long—not more than three days—so that the flesh has not decayed. Within that period, if the spirit is called back into the body the person can come back to life; it is not very difficult.
However, bringing someone back to life on earth after God has called that person to the spirit world requires paying a suitable price. It should either be compensation of greater value [than the person’s life], or something to benefit the whole purpose. Maybe to revive that one person, three or four others might have to die. Therefore, you should carefully consider the benefit of bringing someone back to life. If you do not take responsibility for doing it, you will violate the heavenly law. All in all, performing miracles is not necessarily good. (15:176, October 7, 1965)

We Live in a Time When Prosperity Comes to Those Who Live According to the Principle


Absolute Proof: Documentary on Election Fraud by Mike Lindell.
Lecture by America’s Frontline Doctors on Experimental biologicals (vaccines) intended to prevent the Wuhan virus.
Sign the petition against medical experimentation.

John 4

32 But Jesus told them, “I have food that you don’t know anything about.”

33 His disciples started asking each other, “Has someone brought him something to eat?”

34 Jesus said:

My food is to do what God wants! He is the one who sent me, and I must finish the work that he gave me to do. 35 You may say that there are still four months until harvest time. But I tell you to look, and you will see that the fields are ripe and ready to harvest.

36 Even now the harvest workers are receiving their reward by gathering a harvest that brings eternal life. Then everyone who planted the seed and everyone who harvests the crop will celebrate together. 37 So the saying proves true, “Some plant the seed, and others harvest the crop.” 38 I am sending you to harvest crops in fields where others have done all the hard work.

2 Chronicles 30

30 1-4 Passover wasn’t celebrated in the first month, which was the usual time, because many of the priests were still unclean and unacceptable to serve, and because not everyone in Judah had come to Jerusalem for the festival. So Hezekiah, his officials, and the people agreed to celebrate Passover in the second month.

Healing

1. Healing the Body and Soul

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

What is the prescription for healing this fractured world? It is true love. (190:57, October 9, 1988)

When you get sick, you should visit a doctor and get treated. He may give you a shot and prescribe medicine. What does the divine Physician prescribe for you? It is religion. If we believe in religion and practice it, our struggles will cease. (337:57, October 22, 2000)

We live in a time when prosperity comes to those who live according to the Principle and who uphold the standard of absolute goodness. God declares that He will personally work on behalf of His children, to free us from sickness and misery, pain and misfortune, sin and evil. (Heung Jin Moon, Message from the Spirit World, January 1, 2002)

Human beings are supposed to live in joy by receiving elements of love (living spirit elements) from God. Instead, they are born as imperfect individuals, plagued with anxiety and sickness. Human beings from birth are connected to sinful blood relations, and hence possess inner elements that allow Lucifer to invade. They took on a diseased form, completely different from what they were supposed to be.
As a result of Lucifer’s invasion, human beings were first of all diseased spiritually and secondly diseased physically. Approximately seventy to eighty percent of all illnesses have a spiritual cause. (Sang Hun Lee, Lucifer: A Criminal against Humanity 2.2)

When someone gets sick, the doctor first finds out the cause of the illness; then he can prescribe a treatment that will result in a cure. However, no person in history has known why we human beings are fallen. Hence, no one could come up with an effective treatment for the problem. Satan knew it, because he caused it. God also knew, but [by Himself] He could not correct it. Therefore, until the Savior comes as God’s messenger to humanity and reveals the truth, humanity has no way to be saved. (367:293, January 24, 2002)

What is the most fearful among all diseases, even for God? It is the disease resulting from the Human Fall. Do you have this disease or not? Yes you have it, but most people do not even realize that they are afflicted.
These days, everyone fears cancer. In its early stages a person may not realize that he is ill. He only recognizes that he has the disease when it becomes painful, but by then the cancer has progressed to a lethal stage. Still, at least a cancer victim knows he has the disease before he dies. With the disease of the Fall, however, people do not recognize that they are ill until after they die. That is the problem. (92:185, April 10, 1977)