Growth and Dominion

However, God works according to principle and law, and He would not have created the universe without order.

There is order in space and in time. Spatial order can be seen, for instance, in the structuring of the human body and the arrangement of heavenly bodies. There is order in the structure and placement of everything in the universe, from atoms to galaxies.

There is also a chronological order. God first created the environment for human beings, the physical world. Originally, there was neither form nor light. God caused light to exist, and thus heavenly bodies came about.

Then He created the firmament (sky), sea, and air. In creating humankind, God created the physical body first, then the spirit-person. As described in Genesis 1, the creation continued for six days, culminating in humankind.

The six days were six epochs of creation. (2 Peter 3:8) Each "day" was a long period of indeterminate time.

All things created in the six periods had to grow through a series of stages. They were not created in a mature state, but by passing through a given period, they grew to maturity. Plants were not created with leaves and branches, but as seeds.

After a certain period of growth, leaves and branches appeared.

Mark 4:28 states: "The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear."

Minerals and animals also take time to grow. All things pass through three stages in their growth. There are three stages in life: in the womb, on earth, and in the eternal world of spirit.

There are three stages in the growth of crops: the spring of sprouting seeds, the summer growing season, and the autumn harvest. Not only in growth, but in structure as well, there are three stages.

For instance, people and animals have a head, a body, and extremities; plants have roots, trunks, and leaves. In the Bible, the number three symbolizes completion. Many significant works have been accomplished through this number.

For example, the salvation of mankind has been carried out by the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three archangels rule over the angelic kingdom: Lucifer, Gabriel, and Michael.

The heaven that St. Paul described had three stages. Both Adam and Noah had three sons who were directly involved in the fulfillment of the divine plan.

Noah's ark had three decks. Abraham offered three kinds of sacrifices: a bird, a goat, and a heifer.

Many events in Jesus' life were also related to the number three: three major disciples — Peter, John, and James; three questions to Peter; three prayers at Gethsemane; three hours of darkness on the cross; three days in the tomb; thirty years of private life; and three years of public ministry.

God, in His perfection, does not directly govern us until we become perfect. During the process of growth from Formation to Perfection, we are under the influence of the Principle.

This is the period of God's Indirect Dominion.

The Principle operates of its own accord to guide spiritual growth, just as natural law governs the workings of the physical universe. The things of creation can grow automatically by the power of the Principle.

Human growth follows a different pattern. Although our physical growth is automatic, we must work to bring our character into oneness with God's heart.

Therefore, in addition to the autonomous power of the Principle, our voluntary, conscious, creative effort is required for our growth, as our responsible part.

Why is it necessary for men and women to go through the period of Indirect Dominion and fulfill their responsibilities?

Making man and woman in His image, God wants them to share His creative task and to be perfect, that they might be the sovereigns of all things. We cannot govern something we didn't create.

Therefore, to be lords of creation, we must participate in the creative work of God.

How does this make us participants in God's work of creation?

God created man and woman as the subjects of the whole universe.

Thus, our value carries equal weight with that of the universe. Each human being is the encapsulation of the entire universe: a microcosm.

This is why Jesus said that a person's life was more precious than the whole world. (Matt. 16:26)

The fall of one man, Adam, brought about the fall of the entire universe. One man, Jesus, could therefore redeem the whole universe. (1 Cor. 15:21-22) By the completion of humanity's creation on the sixth day, the creation of the universe was completed.

In this regard, the value of every human being is equal to the value of the universe.

Therefore, the creation of one person is equivalent to the creation of the universe.

Our creation of ourselves, then, has the same value as the creation of the whole universe. When a person perfects himself, God takes it as a condition that he participated in the great work of creation.

Furthermore, God reserved some responsibility for human beings so that we might have rightful dominion over creation. "Dominion" means dominion of heart, and accordingly, the dominion of love.

God reigns over man and woman with love, and we are to reign over all things with love. This is the original nature of dominion. Love is the flow of the heart. Therefore, until the human heart is elevated, we cannot have dominion in the true sense. (Matt. 20:20–28)

Dominion without this elevation of heart violates the Principle and cannot fulfill the purpose of creation. Fallen people have ruled all things with degraded hearts.

Therefore, our dominion over creation has not been one of goodness, but one of evil. Mankind has treated all things as enemies and has abused them relentlessly.

Therefore, it is written in Romans 8:22 that "all creation has been groaning in travail." This is because we felt, and our hearts were degraded.

When our heart is elevated and our character is perfected, we will qualify to reign over all things. One of the reasons for giving us a responsible part to fulfill is so that we may be placed in the position of qualified rulers.

God's dominion of man and woman before Perfection is the Indirect Dominion, and after Perfection, the Direct Dominion. This is similar to human dominion over all things.

Plants and animals must grow for a certain period by the laws of nature before people can have full use or direct dominion over them. Human perfection is the stage of oneness with God's heart, which is reached when a person forms the four-position foundation with God at the family level.

In that stage, man and woman respond to God fully with beauty, and God reigns over them by giving love and power. The Direct Dominion, therefore, is not one-sided domination, but a joyous mutual interaction which is a form of give and take. (Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 36)

Reverend Moon describes the Direct Dominion as one in which God, man, and woman become united in love:

When men and women are intoxicated in God-centered love they are so beautiful that God also wants to be intoxicated by their love and drown in it Himself. Not only is the relationship between Adam and Eve inseparable, but even God enters into it and all three become inseparable! Could you desire anything greater?

That is the fulfillment of life. At that moment, God also becomes fused into their love, and the entire universe is then included. Being near such an inseparable unit is like standing in front of a huge smelting furnace.

Under those circumstances, do you think Satan could try to creep in and grab a piece of love for himself?

There is no such thing as taking a part of it because it has all been blended into one. This situation is the beginning of God's Direct Dominion and it has no end. In that state of love, beginning and eternity merge. Can you understand?

Beginning is already eternity in that relationship. Once you and your spouse begin a relationship of true love together with God, then you have achieved eternity. In that case do you think you could separate out one part of it?