Category: Old Testament

The Kingdom of Heaven is Not Here Yet

Acts 3

7 Peter then took him by the right hand and helped him up.

At once the man’s feet and ankles became strong, 8 and he jumped up and started walking. He went with Peter and John into the temple, walking and jumping and praising God. 9 Everyone saw him walking around and praising God. 10 They knew that he was the beggar who had been lying beside the Beautiful Gate, and they were completely surprised. They could not imagine what had happened to the man.

Richard:  We should give others a helping hand up on our journey in life.  Lift someone up in words and deeds today.

Psalm 94

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.

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
November 9, 1958

Matthew 6: 16-34

What kind of people would the people of the heavenly kingdom be? They are the throng who steps forth under the flag of service. For that reason, to save a certain race today, we must distribute everything we own for that race. If that is not enough, we must become the people who know how to give even their lives. These are the very people of the heavenly kingdom. God is in a situation where He has to gather this kind of person and accomplish the ideology of the heavenly kingdom.

Since you have come to know that Jesus wishes to fix the value of true ownership upon this earth, you should think about yourselves. Jesus said, “Do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `What shall we wear?'” (Matthew 6:31) This was the word of warning that seemed contradictory to the people of that age.

Why did Jesus speak such words? The heavenly ideology of ownership remained to be restored even at the cost of not eating, drinking and dressing well for 6,000 years.

If there is a certain race that is starving and miserable, God is in a more miserable situation than that race. If a certain race feels mortified, God is in a situation where He feels more mortified. Continue reading “The Kingdom of Heaven is Not Here Yet”

Don’t Disrupt the Father’s Providential Course

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2 Samuel 12

26 Meanwhile, Joab had been in the country of Ammon, attacking the city of Rabbah. He captured the royal fortress 27 and sent a messenger to tell David:

I have attacked Rabbah and captured the fortress guarding the city water supply. 28 Call the rest of the army together. Then surround the city, and capture it yourself. If you don’t, everyone will remember that I captured the city.

Richard:  Joab was a good leader.  He did not take credit for himself, but defered to King David.

Jeremiah 17

9-20 The Lord said:

Jeremiah, stand at each city gate in Jerusalem, including the one the king uses, and speak to him and everyone else. Tell them I have said:

I am the Lord, so pay attention. 21-24 If you value your lives, don’t do any work on the Sabbath. Don’t carry anything through the city gates or through the door of your house, or anywhere else. Keep the Sabbath day sacred!

God’s Possession and Our Possession

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
November 9, 1958

Matthew 6: 16-34

Matthew 6:16-34 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

16 “And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust[b]consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.[c]

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?[d] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.

Prayer

Father, the time is approaching when we must direct our steps toward Heaven and run. We have begun to know the great hardships the Father has suffered and learned about His Will. We have also come to know how difficult is the children’s responsibility, which the Father wishes us to fulfill.

A person who understands the Father’s Will, a person who is to live in the garden the Father grants, understands that he will have to shed tears ceaselessly before the Father. He understands that he will not be able to avoid sustaining an injury as he attempts to go toward the Father. He understands that he will have to go in company with the Father. That person’s body will have to bear the marks of all this. He will have deep regret and endless, bitter grief in his heart. He must appeal to Heaven in preparation for the day of the Father’s judgment. We know that we must make eternal ties with the Father who seeks such sons and daughters. Please guide us not to stand in a position where we feel we already belong to the Father. Let us not forget that we are too ashamed to speak, too ashamed to act, and too ashamed to even lift our faces. Continue reading “Don’t Disrupt the Father’s Providential Course”

Who Are the Modern Christians Who Are Like Paul?

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Mark 12

12 The leaders knew that Jesus was really talking about them, and they wanted to arrest him. But because they were afraid of the crowd, they let him alone and left.

Richard:  We should protect Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s inheritor, Pastor Hyung Jin Moon and his wife Yeonah Moon.

Song of Solomon 4

She Speaks:

16 Let the north wind blow,
    the south wind too!
Let them spread the aroma
    of my garden,
so the one I love
may enter
and taste
    its delicious fruits.

Who Will Become the Friend of Golgotha?

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
October 19, 1958

Luke 12: 26-43

Today Christians say that Paul loved Heaven and knew the will of God. At that time, Paul was being persecuted by the twelve disciples. Though he conveyed the gospel as an apostle, he was persecuted by the twelve disciples. Paul met the risen Jesus and received the heavenly mission. Thus, in the position of an apostle who did not betray Jesus, Paul went to a foreign country, Rome, and spread the gospel under persecution. Since Paul sought the Lord in place of the martyrdom of the twelve disciples and the death of John, the focus of the providence shifted to a foreign nation. Do you understand? In this way, Paul entered Rome and received persecution alone. Continue reading “Who Are the Modern Christians Who Are Like Paul?”

Christian History after the Crucifixion Began With the Right Side Thief

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Exodus 20

12 Respect your father and your mother, and you will live a long time in the land I am giving you.

13 Do not murder.

14 Be faithful in marriage.

15 Do not steal.

16 Do not tell lies about others.

17 Do not want anything that belongs to someone else. Don’t want anyone’s house, wife or husband, slaves, oxen, donkeys or anything else.

Isaiah 60

Every sheep of Kedar
    will come to you;
rams from Nebaioth[d]
    will be yours as well.
I will accept them as offerings
    and bring honor to my temple.

Who Will Become the Friend of Golgotha?

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
October 19, 1958

Luke 12: 26-43

To examine worldwide phenomena from the Christian viewpoint, they are a result of history. You should pray to find out what historical process God has gone through to cause this result. This way you should realize that the prayer you inevitably came to offer, “Father! Let this nation receive the worldwide blessing as the chosen people. Send judgment against those who failed in the past and punish the unfaithful rebels,” was also an option for Jesus.

Yet, what anger did Jesus harbor upon death? The chosen religion of Israel tortured his heart and the chosen people nailed him to the cross. This was his anguish and lamentation. Though Jesus personally had great sorrow, however, he could forget his death and pray for them. He thought about the situation of God, who had walked through blood and tears for 4,000 years and about the people of Israel, whom God had chosen and raised for 4,000 years. Today’s Christians of the world should think about this again.

If Jesus had not prayed for them, the chosen nation and the religious believers would have received the judgment first. You should know that Jesus gave them blessing because he thought that if only there were some room granted by Heaven, they would follow in his footsteps and come over to his side. When I see Jesus’ words about the right-hand thief, tears unconsciously come out. The people did not know that God’s sorrow of 4,000 years was embodied there in Jesus. Only a thief recognized it. This was a sad scene. There were countless people in front of Jesus. It was the religious believers and chosen people who were to move and halt with the blood and flesh of Jesus, but they failed to do so. They should have shed blood together at the cross with Jesus. How preposterous that there was no one, but a murderous thief, to accompany him! Although Jesus was the Savior of all, he was in a pitiable position. It is extremely shameful that the only one who accompanied Jesus in his death was a murderous thief. Continue reading “Christian History after the Crucifixion Began With the Right Side Thief”

Understand Jesus Sorrow and Support the New Jesus

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Joshua 7

The Lord answered:

Stop lying there on the ground! Get up! 11 I said everything in Jericho belonged to me and had to be destroyed. But the Israelites have kept some of the things for themselves. They stole from me and hid what they took. Then they lied about it. 12 What they stole was supposed to be destroyed, and now Israel itself must be destroyed. I cannot help you anymore until you do exactly what I have said. That’s why Israel turns and runs from its enemies instead of standing up to them.

Richard:  This is the exact same Rheama from four days ago.  I need to reflect on how I am offering the fruits of my labors to God (tithing).

Isaiah 31

The Egyptians are mere humans.
    They aren’t God.
Their horses are made of flesh;
    they can’t live forever.
When the Lord shows his power,
he will destroy the Egyptians
    and all who depend on them.
Together they will fall.

Who Will Become the Friend of Golgotha?

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
October 19, 1958

Jesus was a carpenter until he was thirty. If someone has had a holy, spiritual experience, he would know a part of the thirty years of Jesus’ life. If there is someone who knows, his heart will be torn with sorrow when he eats a good meal, wears good clothes, and lives in good circumstances. God was with Joseph when he took Mary, according to God’s will. Growing up in Joseph’s family, however, Jesus was treated disdainfully as a stepchild. As the children of Joseph became many, Jesus became more isolated. Thus, without being able to share his situation and feelings, he spent the thirty years of his life humbly, making other people’s doors with a saw and plane. Who knew his situation? No one. At that time, he could not appear as the historical Jesus as you believe in him now nor as the Christ with the historically acknowledged character.

Who are the ones who will receive the Messiah when he appears in the last days? Not the one who serves the historical character of Jesus. You should know that it is the one who serves the character of Jesus of the age. You should know that though Jesus carried the way of Heaven in his heart and worried about the earth, he suffered the sadness of not being recognized by his parents, and brothers and sisters. Continue reading “Understand Jesus Sorrow and Support the New Jesus”