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)
Important Note: One Daily Inspiration reader brought to my attention that there are problems with Paul’s viewpoint on marriage. On August 7, there was a scripture reading from 1 Corinthians 7:15-16. There, Paul says you can divorce your husband or wife if they are not a follower of the Lord and they ask for a divorce. This scripture was chosen “randomly” by opening the Bible, which is always how Stacey and I receive the daily scriptures. I took it as meaning don’t let dysfunctional, or co-dependent relationships of any kind, not just marital relationships pull you away from your conscience, or God. I do not recommend divorce as a solution for marital problems. Marriage is a commitment in front of God, and possibly barring violence or infidelity, that commitment should not be broken.
18 Those sinners are filthy foam on the surface of the water. And so, their fields and vineyards will fall under a curse and won’t produce. 19 Just as the heat of summer swallows the snow, the world of the dead swallows those who sin. 20 Forgotten here on earth, and with their power broken, they taste sweet to worms.
21 Sinners take advantage of widows and other helpless women. 22 But God’s mighty strength destroys those in power. Even if they seem successful, they are doomed to fail. 23 God may let them feel secure, but they are never out of his sight. 24 Great for a while; gone forever! Sinners are mowed down like weeds, then they wither and die. 25 If I haven’t spoken the truth, then prove me wrong.
Job 39
13 An ostrich proudly flaps her wings, but not because she loves her young. 14 She abandons her eggs and lets the dusty ground keep them warm. 15 And she doesn’t seem to worry that the feet of an animal could crush them all. 16 She treats her eggs as though they were not her own, unconcerned that her work might be for nothing. 17 I myself made her foolish and without common sense. 18 But once she starts running, she laughs at a rider on the fastest horse.
Eschatology and Messianic Hope
New Revelation
2. The Truth of the New Revelation Eclipses the Truths of Former Dispensations
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
People need religion in order to seek the Ultimate Reality and realize goodness in accordance with the inclination of the original mind. Thus, the purpose of every religion is identical. However, religions have appeared in different forms according to their various missions, the cultures in which they took root, and their particular historical periods. Their scriptures have taken different forms for similar reasons. All scriptures have the same purpose: to illuminate their surroundings with the light of truth. Yet when a brighter lamp is lit, the old lamp is outshone and its mission fades. Because religions lack the power to guide modern people out of the dark valley of death into the full radiance of life, there must emerge a new expression of truth that can radiate a new and brighter light. (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Introduction)
In the Last Days, Jesus said, “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven.” (Matt. 24.29) How are we to understand this verse? It is written that Joseph, the eleventh of the twelve sons of Jacob, had a dream:
Then he dreamed another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” (Gen. 37.9-10)
When Joseph later became the prime minister of Egypt, his parents and brothers bowed down before him, as the dream had foretold. In his dream, the sun and moon symbolized the parents, while the stars symbolized their children. As will be explained, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the True Parents who came to give rebirth to humanity in place of Adam and Eve. Therefore, in this prophecy from Matthew, the sun and moon represent Jesus and the Holy Spirit, while the stars represent the faithful believers who are their children. Elsewhere, Jesus is likened to the true light because he came as the incarnation of the Word and shone forth the light of truth. (John 1.9, 14) Here, the sunlight means the light of the words of Jesus, and the moonlight means the light of the Holy Spirit, who came as the Spirit of truth. (John 16.13)
For the sun to be darkened and the moon to lose its light means that the New Testament Word given by Jesus and the Holy Spirit will lose its luster. How can the Word as revealed in the New Testament possibly lose its light? The Old Testament Word was eclipsed when Jesus and the Holy Spirit came and gave us the New Testament Word, which fulfilled the Old Testament Word. (2 Cor. 3.7-11) Likewise, when Christ returns and gives the new truth in order to fulfill the New Testament Word and build a new heaven and new earth, (Rev. 21.1) the Word which he gave at his first coming will lose its light. It is said that the Word will lose its light because, with the coming of a new era, the period of the mission of the old truth will have lapsed.
The prophecy that the stars will fall from heaven signifies that in the Last Days many faithful Christian believers will make a misstep and fall from God’s grace. At the time of Jesus, the leaders of the Jewish people were all yearning for the coming of the Messiah, but they met their downfall when they did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah and opposed him. Likewise, Christians who have been anxiously awaiting the return of Jesus are likely to make the same misjudgment and fall when he actually returns.
Jesus asked, “Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18.8) On another occasion he said he would declare to devout believers, “I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.” (Matt. 7.23) Jesus gave these warnings to the Christians of the Last Days because he foresaw that they would be likely to disbelieve and trespass against him at his Second Advent. (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Eschatology 3.2.5)
You must recite the Family Pledge when you wake up and when you go to bed. You must focus on one particular verse each day and live according to it. Then you must check to see if you have fulfilled the content of that verse for that day. If you could not, you must determine to do it the next day. The Pledge is the life element for nourishment and growth, and the basic element for life in the heavenly kingdom. Therefore, you should recite the Pledge and evaluate your life. If those who have families do not recite the Family Pledge, they are fakes. This is the standard your family must reach. Those that do not are failures. You must understand this point and become the standard. Those parents who can do this must memorize the Pledge completely, divide it into sections, and teach it to their children. They must also get people to follow them. (287-130, 1997.9.19)
Richard: What a great tradition to practice in your family. You can find the Family Pledge here.
Cheon Seong Gyeong 1490
Even I give serious thought to my work if it is so great that it requires a power greater than my innate power. When it is necessary to acquire a force greater than my own, where I can get that power from remains the problem. If I fail to acquire such a power, there is no choice but to retreat, but that is not an option. That is why we need to pray, and we need God. That is why we need the world of heart. There are no limits in the world of love, no matter how much you pull out from it. The world of substance ends at some point, as does the world of knowledge. The world of power can be destroyed in a second, but the world of heart is endless. Hence, you need to act based on the world of heart. (120-306, 1982.10.20)
Eschatology and Messianic Hope
New Revelation
2. The Truth of the New Revelation Eclipses the Truths of Former Dispensations
The glowworm shines so long as the light-bringer has not arisen. But when the shining one has come up, its light is quenched, it glows no longer. Such is the shining of the sectarians. So long as the rightly awakened ones arise not in the world, the sophists get no light, nor do their followers, and those of wrong views cannot be released from Ill. Udana 73 (Buddhism)
And when We put a revelation in place of another revelation—and Allah knows best what He reveals—they say, “You are only inventing.” Most of them know not. Say, “The Holy Spirit has revealed it from your Lord with truth, that it may confirm the faith of those who believe, and as a guidance and good tidings for those who have surrendered.” Qur’an 16.101-102
Now if the dispensation of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such splendor that the Israelites could not look on Moses’ face because of its brightness, fading as this was, will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended with greater splendor? For if there was splendor in the dispensation of condemnation, the dispensation of righteousness must far exceed it in splendor. Indeed, in this case, what once had splendor has come to have no splendor at all, because of the splendor that surpasses it… Yes, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when a man turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 2 Corinthians 3.7-16
Concerning His words—“The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give light, and the stars shall fall from heaven” [Matthew 24.29]… is intended the divines of the former Dispensation, who live in the days of the subsequent Revelations, and who hold the reins of religion in their grasp. If these divines be illuminated by the light of the latter Revelation they will be acceptable to God, and will shine with a light everlasting. Otherwise, they will be declared as darkened, even though to outward seeming they be leaders of men, inasmuch as belief and unbelief, guidance and error, felicity and misery, light and darkness, are all dependent upon the sanction of Him who is the Day-star of Truth…
In another sense, by the terms “sun,” “moon,” and “stars” are meant such laws and teachings as have been established and proclaimed in every Dispensation, such as the laws of prayer and fasting. These have, according to the law of the Qur’an, been regarded, when the beauty of the Prophet Muhammad had passed beyond the veil, as the most fundamental and binding laws of His dispensation…Hence, it is clear and manifest that by the words “the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven” is intended the waywardness of the divines, and the annulment of laws firmly established by [prior] divine Revelation, all of which, in symbolic language, have been foreshadowed by the Manifestation of God…It is unquestionable that in every succeeding Revelation the “sun” and “moon” of the teachings, laws, commandments, and prohibitions which have been established in the preceding Dispensation, and which have overshadowed the people of that age, become darkened, that is, are exhausted, and cease to exert their influence. Book of Certitude 33-41 (Baha’i Faith)
Check my first Podcast, Can You Trust the CDC and the World Health Organization on COVID-19? from March 27, 2020. Still very relevant today, 17 months late:
1 Corinthians 7
15 If your husband or wife isn’t a follower of the Lord and decides to divorce you, then you should agree to it. You are no longer bound to that person. After all, God chose you and wants you to live at peace. 16 And besides, how do you know if you will be able to save your husband or wife who isn’t a follower?
Richard: One Daily Inspiration reader brought to my attention that there are problems with Paul’s viewpoint on marriage in the above reading. Paul says you can divorce your husband or wife if they are not a follower of the Lord and they ask for a divorce. This scripture was chosen “randomly” by opening the Bible, which is always how Stacey and I receive the daily scriptures. I take it as meaning don’t let dysfunctional, or co-dependent relationships of any kind, not just marital relationships pull you away from your conscience, or God. I do not recommend divorce as a solution for marital problems. Marriage is a commitment in front of God, and possibly barring violence or infidelity, that commitment should not be broken.
Psalm 5
4 You are not the kind of God who is pleased with evil. Sinners can’t stay with you. 5 No one who boasts can stand in your presence, Lord, and you hate evil people. 6 You destroy every liar, and you despise violence and deceit.
Eschatology and Messianic Hope
New Revelation
1. The Perfect and Complete Truth Will Be Revealed
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
The Bible… renders important parts of the truth in symbols and in parables. Since these are open to various interpretations, there have arisen numerous disagreements among believers, causing them to divide into many denominations. The primary cause of denominational divisions lies in the character of the Bible, not in the people. The strife between denominations will only grow more intractable unless a new truth emerges which can elucidate the symbols and parables obscuring the essential truths of the Bible. Without this new truth, God’s providence, which comes through the unification of Christianity, can never reach its goal. This is why Jesus promised that in the Last Days he will give us the new Word of truth, “I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father.” (John 16.25) Due to the disbelief of the people of his time, Jesus died on the cross without being able to teach all that was in his heart. As he said, “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” (John 3.12) What is more, Jesus added, “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now,” (John 16.12) disclosing how sorrowful he was about the inability of even his closest disciples to receive all that he wanted to share. Nevertheless, the words that Jesus left unspoken will not remain forever a secret, but one day will be divulged through the Holy Spirit as a new expression of truth. As Jesus said, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (John 16.13) (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Eschatology 5.1)
Because human beings fell, God’s word of promise could not appear as the word of fulfillment. That was the case in the Old Testament and the New Testament, which contain promises of a word yet to appear—the word of fulfillment. The lack of this word is a most serious matter for all humanity. Faithful believers seeking Heaven should consider this problem. It is a problem for Christianity, and it is a problem for anyone who would attempt to unify all the world’s religions. Why is the world today full of division and strife? When Jesus appeared in the world, it also was beset with division. Jesus’ word was meant to end the division and strife. However, because the people of that time did not believe in Jesus’ word, the problems that he came to resolve were not entirely resolved. That is why today there should appear the Completed [Testament] Word: to bring order to this world filled with division and strife and to unite all doctrines and teachings. (3:326, February 2, 1958)
Amazing things occurred in the first church: speaking in tongues, spiritual works, prophesying, and more… These same spiritual phenomena will emerge in Christian history in the Last Days. Many who experience these things will be called crazy and heretics. Yet the one upon whom the Spirit has been poured out cannot contest it. He may not know why it is happening, but Heaven will tell him. He opens his eyes and sees the spirit world. His actions are the actions of a spiritual being. He sees, thinks and behaves totally different from you. To you he may appear insane, but consider: did Jesus look like an intelligent man? In the eyes of his contemporaries he was a benighted fool.
In the future, such spiritual phenomena will sweep across the world, the peoples and the churches. (6:184, April 26, 1959)
Among the disciples of Jesus, there was not one who was overly attached to the Old Testament Scriptures. Rather, they all responded to the spiritual experiences which they sensed through their inner minds. In the Last Days, people who lead an ardent life of prayer or who live by their conscience will feel intense anxiety in their hearts. This is because in their hearts they vaguely sense a spiritual calling and want to follow the providence of the new age, yet they have not come in contact with the new truth which can guide them to act accordingly. These are the chosen ones who, once they hear the new truth, will be awakened simultaneously in their spirits and intellects by spirit and truth. They will then fully understand God’s providential needs concerning the new age and will volunteer with great enthusiasm and delight.
We who are alive today are living in the Last Days. We should cultivate a humble heart and make the utmost effort to receive divine inspiration through prayer. We should not be strongly attached to conventional concepts, but rather should direct ourselves to be receptive to the Spirit, in order that we may find the new truth which can guide us to the providence of the new age. (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Eschatology 5.2)
People generally tend to become dejected by the difficulties they encounter. A patriot cannot do that. A filial child also should not do this. If your spouse dies, or your child dies, you should not grab hold of them with tears. A true leader cannot do this. A true patriot cannot disclose his sorry situation. Therefore, even if your sadness is piercing your heart, you cannot show your tears.
You may not have the opportunity to commiserate with the king, but if you stand in the position of goodness with the mind of beings who are more than parents and who feel greater sorrow than the king then Heaven will then teach you what to do. When we think about this from the position of filial sons and daughters, then even if you are sad, you should not be sad because of your own sadness. If you feel resentful, you should not decide to take revenge on your enemy. (18-252, 1967.6.11)
Cheon Seong Gyeong 1343
Humankind is comprised of people who are similar to Adam by marrying as they please, or those following the type of Jesus in awaiting marriage, or those following the type of Christ at his Second Advent. The latter must restore all three positions. In the first place, a family following the type of Noah’s family must be restored because Noah, like Abel and Jesus, occupies the position of the second son on God’s side. The 72 Couples are the restored forms of Cain and Abel who had been divided. (22-216, 1969.2.8)
Richard: The 72 couples refers to a group of 72 couples Blessed in marriage by Rev. Sun Myung Moon on June 4th, 1962.
Eschatology and Messianic Hope
New Revelation
The revelatory phenomena of the Last Days begin with a spiritual awakening. The twentieth century saw the birth of Pentecostalism, exhibiting speaking in tongues and other phenomena of the first Christian church. Throughout the world, many new sects have arisen based on special revelations to their founders. This spiritual awakening takes many forms, East and West. Moreover, in the Jewish and Christian scriptures there are hints that God will reveal deeper aspects of his truth in the Last Days. They indicate that humankind’s current state of knowledge of God’s truth is imperfect and clouded by error. What of Islam, Buddhism and other religions? Truth is inexhaustible. Yet disputes over doctrines and teachings among the various denominations and sects have plagued each of the world’s great faith traditions. It stands to reason that in the Last Days a new expression of truth will come to clearly distinguish truth from error, put an end to religious disputes, and guide all humankind on the path to God. It may be inevitable that many believers attached to conventional doctrines will reject the new truth when it first appears, as has happened at the birth of every religion. nevertheless, if the truth is broad enough to embrace the essential teachings of all the world’s religions with respect and appreciation, it should attract support from all quarters and not become the basis for yet another new sect.
1. The Perfect and Complete Truth Will Be Revealed
I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father.
John 16.25
For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully.
1 Corinthians 13.9-12
For each [faith community] We have appointed a divine law and a traced-out way… Unto God you will all return, and He will then inform you of that wherein you differ.
Qur’an 5.48
What is the difference between our times and the messianic times? Purity and attainment of knowledge.
Zohar, Genesis 139a (Judaism)
I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
John 16.12-15
And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. Acts 2.17-18
“And God said, ‘Let there be light!’ and there was light.” (Gen. 1.3) Although God spoke these words to the dwellers on the earth, that ‘light’ refers to the light made for the World to Come. The original light that God created was the higher light, the light of the eye. The Holy One gave Adam a glimpse of it, and at a glance he saw the entire world. When David beheld it, he was transported to spiritual ecstasy and exclaimed, “O how abundant is thy goodness.” (Psalm 31.19) It was by this light that God showed Moses the Promised Land from Gilead to Dan. Yet from the beginning this divine light was hidden and concealed, as God perceived that the generations of men who lived in the times of Enoch, of Noah, and of the tower of Babel would use it for selfish purposes…Rabbi Isaac said, “The light created by God in the work of creation filled the world with its splendor, but was eventually withdrawn and concealed. Why? So that transgressors of the good law might not participate in it. Therefore the Holy One conceals and preserves it for the days of the Righteous One [the Messiah], as it is written, ‘Light dawns for the Righteous One…’ (Psalm 97.11) When it shall prevail again throughout the world, humanity will become renewed and live the higher life and become one with angelic life. Until then, however, this divine light is concealed in darkness, which is its covering.” Zohar, Genesis 31b-32a (Judaism)
